Chapter 1
Accidentally sharing a kiss with a good friend can have dire consequences - and in this case, there definitely were some problems.
Severus Snape was someone you admired greatly, even more so after locking lips with him one late night when walking back to the dungeons after being in the library studying for hours. So it hurt you deeply when he chose to pretend that you didn't exist the next morning. You tried your best to talk to him at breakfast, but to no avail. He even distanced himself from you in class, then the same at dinner. You were frustrated, but also sad. He obviously regretted the action.
A few more days passed and he still wasn't speaking to you. You gave up quickly, deciding that if it wasn't what he wanted then fine. You could ignore him too. It wasn't until five days later you wound up getting lost in a book whilst sitting in the common room late one evening. Most of the other Slytherin's had gone to bed, save the two boys sitting at the table drowning in homework that was due the next day. The door opened, and in walked Severus. You were oblivious, nose in your book, but he annoyingly turned on his heel before going to his dorm to come and sit next to you. You glanced at him for a split second, then went back to reading. You were not happy with him.
"[First name], listen..."
"Don't. There's nothing to say," You huffed, "it never happened. Okay?"
"No, I just," Severus groaned, "I like Lily. I regret having kissed you."
You took what he just said in for a moment. You weren't exactly shocked, up until your sixth year they had been very close until he called her a mudblood in front of the entire school, but you were definitely disappointed. You didn't say anything, afraid you'd cause a scene. The two boys doing their homework had given a few looks from across the room, wishing they could hear what the two of you were talking about.
"Please don't tell anyone," He begged, "I don't want everybody to know. I trust you."
Although hurt, you promised him and made sure not to let him know how awful you felt after listening to his words. You replayed them over and over in your head like a broken record. 'I regret having kissed you.' As if he hadn't kissed you back! It wasn't just a peck either. Boys - how you hated them. Your feelings were crushed, but you sat with Severus whilst you caught up with him. He mostly spoke about classes, studying. Nothing interesting and you didn't say much back. What did he expect you to say?
You ended up making an excuse that you were tired and went off to bed. The lights were off in your dorm, indicating everyone was asleep. Continuing your book was impossible so you just laid there looking at the top of your four poster bed and sighed. You drifted off to sleep eventually, hoping tomorrow was a better day.
The next morning at breakfast, the whole of the Great Hall was alive with a brand new rumour. James Potter had asked Lily Evans out. When they walked in the room arm in arm, the seventh years at Gryffindor table seemed to erupt in cheers to them. Severus showed no expression when he arrived ten minutes later, and instead sat next to you. A bit too close to you, in fact, meaning you had to shuffle up the bench a little to stop your legs touching.
You finished your breakfast quickly, downing a glass of orange juice in one go just so you could leave. Severus had his eyes on the new couple and hadn't spoken a word to you yet, especially after sitting so close to you. You didn't have the empathy right now to comfort him after what had happened between you, so you got up and left to go to class.
The worst thing was that Severus was also in your next class, and so were Lily and James. You didn't notice that Severus had followed you out of the Great Hall, having grabbed a slice of toast to eat as he walked silently behind you. You only saw him when you stopped outside of the door to wait for Professor Slughorn to let you in. You didn't even know what to say.
"I'm sorry," He admitted, casting his brown eyes to the floor, "I really am. I was lying last night. I don't regret it."
"You're only saying that because Lily became unavailable overnight." You hissed at him, angrily, "I know you Severus, we've been close for years. The way you look at her? I've always known. It's always been her. Always."
Severus tried to say no but James Potter's sniggering could be heard in the corridor. Sirius Black could be heard saying goodbye to James and Lily as he continued up the hallway, passing you and Severus.
"Hey, Snivellus!" Sirius whispered, after slapping James' back in a way of goodbye before coming towards where Snape were standing, "James may be being good because of Lily, but don't expect it from me."
"Get lost, Black," You were already angry, this was just the tipping point, "Severus and I don't like breathing the same air as a blood traitor."
"Excuse me?" Sirius' eyebrows furrowed in anger, "And who the hell do you think you are? You don't even know me. Slytherin's. Good for nothing assho-"
"Langlock!" You pointed your wand in his face, smirking darkly as he tried to speak but to no avail, "Now get lost and leave Severus alone, you dirty scumsucker."
Sirius shot off down the corridor, probably running off to the infirmary to get his tongue removed from the roof of his mouth. He signalled to James before he left, telling him to leave it. The Potter boy did not look happy at all, casting you and Severus a nasty look when Lily wasn't looking. She too was concerned for Sirius, but didn't dare do anything due to her kind nature. She hoped Sirius would tell a teacher, but due to his pride she knew he wouldn't. Plus, in her heart she knew the boys had tortured Severus for so long and even though she hated what he had said to her, she still found she had some care for him deep down.
Severus tried to thank you but you ignored him, walking straight into the potions classroom just as Slughorn opened the door. You were so glad he didn't see what had just happened, he was your head of house after all. Annoyingly, Severus followed you to your table and sat next to you. You noticed throughout the lesson that he didn't dare look towards James and Lily, more specifically Lily. James was seething with anger and kept looking your way, but it was easy to ignore him. After Sirius saying that James was being good, he wasn't a threat to you right now.
You tried to pay attention to the lesson but Severus kept fiddling with his quill and it was distracting you. He twirled the feather around in his fingers constantly, and it was unlike him. When you both had to pair up to make a potion in the second half of the lesson, you finally spoke to him.
"I only did that because," You spoke in a hushed tone, "well, you're my friend. What I'm trying to say is, look, I forgive you. I'm not going to forget it anytime soon, but we are friends. We're okay."
"Thank you," He replied, quiet but honest, "I appreciate that. I don't want to lose you as a friend either."