In The End It's Always You

By ~PrennCooder

First HP fic, so please be kind!

This is a short story for SeverusxLily: because they always belonged together. May have more chapters if there's enough reviews. Tell me if it's worth continuing.

Summary: Takes place after the big end-all fight between Severus and Lily where he called her a mudblood. She refused to forgive him, no matter how many times he apologized. Truth is, she really did to forgive him, he just never knew.

I think it would be AU because it's not cannon. And who knows, maybe Severus and Lily WILL end up together after all?

Lily was sitting in the Gryffindor common room staring at the fireplace. In her lap was a sheet of paper. Quill in hand, she was trying to decide what to say. She knew she'd never be able to declare it to his face—that she'd forgiven him. It would only add to his ego. If any other person had insulted her in that fashion, she'd have severed all ties with him forever.

But she couldn't do that.

She couldn't lose Severus.

He was the only wizard who had known her before she came to Hogwarts. He was always there, standing quietly by her side, listening to everything she had to say. He had been the one she came to for advice. Up until he started getting involved with the Dark Arts. He dug deep into a world of lies and evil.

But still, he had remained her faithful friend right up until that day.

Ooh, Lily shuddered coldly, remembering how they had treated him. The Marauders always had a special dislike for Severus Snape. And they made that clear to all who questioned it.

For hours, Severus had begged Lily to forgive him. She wouldn't. She couldn't. How could he dare to call her that after she'd only ever cared for him and tried to help him? Most friends weren't so kind. Most people weren't so kind.

So what went wrong?

Maybe it was all spur-of-the-moment, Lily thought. Weeks had passed. She'd begun to calm down and settle into her forgive and forget type attitude. But every time she saw James Potter, she got all mad again. The worst part about that was the fact that she couldn't really do anything about him. He was devious, cunning, and he wasn't afraid of anyone or anything.

And he had a creepy infatuation with Lily.

Yuck, Lily thought. She detested him.

But she couldn't begin writing a letter out of anger. No. She had to calm down so to keep her mind open to the facts.

"Dear Severus

I've decided I'm going to accept your apology, on account that you never call me that again. It hurt me. Yes, it really did. We haven't spoken in weeks, which is strange to me. Remember when we used to meet every other Saturday at that nice little place in Diagon Alley? Tomorrow, Saturday will be coming around again and with each one that passes, I think of you. I've remembered not to forget you. Well, how could I? We're still friends, aren't we? I really don't know anymore, so maybe you can enlighten me.

As much as I dislike all the dark things you're getting into, I don't want that to come in between our friendship anymore. You of all people know how much I hate losing people. Remember that girl, Jenette, who was in our potions class last year? She just recently passed away from pneumonia. I cried. I was so upset, and I had nobody to talk to. The thought kept entering my mind to go and talk to you. I'd think you were mad at me for not forgiving you.

So I went to Professor Slughorn. He was in the middle of talking to two Ravenclaws when I walked in and I felt awkward. But he still let me explain my problem. He told me that when one door is closed, another is opened. Instantly, I thought of you. And I knew it was time for me to forgive you.

In the hallway as I walked to my dorm room, Mary and her friends next door were singing this song.

In the end it's always you

You're the one that I turn to

In my sadder days I see

Only hope for you and me

We belong, so don't you worry

Love needs no more hurry

I love you and you love me

What could do more perfectly?

They were having a pajama party and they kept singing it over and over, so I got to hear it all night.

So, Severus Snape, will you forgive me?

Sincerely, Lily Evans"

Lily put down the quill and read the letter over. It felt good to finally pour out what's been laden on her heart. The burden was lifted.

So did she really have to give this to him?

Lily's Gryffindor instinct was to march right down to the Slytherin part of the castle and place it in his hands.

Sliding it under the doorstep would work too.

Loud voices entering the tranquil room disturbed Lily's fragile train of thought. She turned her head around to see the four boys walking past. Lily grimaced, hoping they were just passing through.

Remus, Peter, Sirius and…Potter. James Potter.

The Marauders seemed unaware of Lily's presence as they paraded through. Each boy had about six cookies in hand. They were shoving cookies into their mouths like mad, raving animals. James was holding a wand that was obviously not his own. It was pink. Lily recognized it immediately. Her green eyes lit up.

Lily stood up. "Hey! Those cookies belong to Alice Longbottom! I saw her making them yesterday! And that's her wand, too! You vile bullies! Give them back!"

The Marauders recognized the firey whoosh of hair that belonged to Lily Evans. Sweet, studious, lively Lily Evans.

The boys exchanged glances as they whooped and hollered about. Boys will be boys.

"They're ours now." James said with his mouth full. He was smiling.

He knew Lily was considerably annoyed, so he only laughed all the more. Lily tried to take them from his hands, but he swerved away.

And then he ran all about the room, Lily bringing up the rear. "It's about time you started chasing me!" James chuckled. "Don't deceive yourself. You know I'm still faster."

Sirius and Peter were laughing their heads off. Remus noticed the full sheet of paper and the quill where Lily had been sitting. He took a few steps closer and leaned over the arm of the chair so he could read it.

A few lines into the letter, Remus raised his eyebrows. "Hey Sirius…" Remus's voice trailed off.

"What?" Sirius came over. It was he who was the first to pick up the letter. "Oh my—looks like Snivellus has a secret admirer! Ha!"

Peter nodded.

Sirius proceeded to walk away with it, when Remus stepped in front of him. "Hey! This doesn't belong to us. You're not seriously considering stealing such a personal letter to someone, are you?"

"No, of course not. That would be wrong. I'm going to give it to James. He'll know what to do."

"See, I knew we shouldn't have stolen from Alice. Now you think that just because you've done it once that it's—"

Professor McGonagall walked into the room. "Good evening children." She said to the three boys. Remus and Sirius feared for James and Lily, who were still making quite a ruckus. In their little chase scene, they had knocked over a lamp and tumbled over a few pillows. James was still winning, but it was the Head of Gryffindor House who forced a truce.

While McGonagall was lecturing the mischief makers, this left an opening for the other three Marauders to slip away quietly—with Lily's letter.

"This wand belongs to Alice Longbottom, Mr. Potter!" The professor scolded. She took the wand from his rough, boyish hands which were covered in cookie crumbs.

James hung his head down in shame.

"That'll be twenty points from Gryffindor! Wand-stealing at Hogwarts is not to be tolerated! You and Ms. Evans will be spending tomorrow night in detention."

"Me?" Lily protested. "But I was just trying to get back what he took—"

"Were you? Or were you going to go further? You're the only one who knows what would have happened if you had actually caught up to him." McGonagall advanced down the Gryffindor hallway and soon she was too distant to see.

Lily glared at James. Her lips were pursed and her eyes were fierce. Her arms were crossed, but her hands were in fist.

James just stood there for the longest time, staring at her. For once he was not smiling his most irritating crooked smile. "I'm sorry I got you in trouble." He mumbled.

Lily snubbed him as she walked away, nose high in the air.

Later, Remus, Peter and Sirius were waiting by James' bedroom. They yanked him inside and shut the door.

"Thanks for scaring me half to death!" James retorted.

"Sorry about that." said Remus.

"We had to show you this." Sirius shoved Lily's letter into James' nose.

James read more and more, and his face turned more and more worried and appalled. Snivellus was back to being a serious threat to any possibility of having a future relationship with lily. James snorted. His plan to finally get Snivellus mad enough to insult Lily had worked.

But it had also backfired.

"I know you're not going to like hearing this, James, but," Remus sighed, "I think she's in love with him."