Chapter 3

A/N: My thanks to July Morning and WriterMerrin for their support and beta work on this chapter. This chapter includes a "moment" I believe to be innocent between two fourteen-year-old girls. Nothing is explicit or graphic. However, I did promise I would warn readers in advance of anything questionable or distasteful.

***

The next day, Hermione followed Lily into the infirmary. Hermione was nervous. What was Lily going to do? She walked in, dragging Hermione behind her like she owned the place.

"Madam Pomfrey?" Lily called out cheerfully.

"Come on, Hermione!" she hissed as she pulled on the girl's hand. The infirmary was empty, and the girls padded around to find the mediwitch.

Finally, they heard footfalls, and Lily turned quickly to Hermione. "Whatever you do, just keep quiet and let me do the talking," she whispered.

Madam Pomfrey came around the corner. "Lily!" she said happily. "How are you...not sick I hope?" she asked with a sudden fear in her voice.

Lily smiled. "No, ma'am, just a small crisis. Hermione got herself caught in the crossfire...you can only guess between whom...and was hit with a Densaugeo Spell! I tried fixing it myself...her teeth were growing at an alarming rate...and she was just embarrassed to death. I know I should have come right here, but anyway, I did what I could, but obviously not good enough. I decided to stop and bring her here."

What a sneaky liar you are, Lily! Hermione thought.

Madam Pomfrey arched a brow at the redhead and took Hermione in hand. "Well, this won't be so bad. Just a bit of shortening of the front teeth is all. Although I must say, I am most disappointed in you, Lily Evans. You know better than to take on things that are better left to a professional!" admonished the older witch.

She took her wand and pointed it at Hermione's mouth. Hermione squeezed her eyes shut and felt a tingling in her mouth.

"There now," Madam Pomfrey said as she handed Hermione a mirror. "How is that?"

Hermione was gobsmacked. She glanced at Lily, who gave a small squeal of delight. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes, ma'am, it's all normal now," she said, which exactly wasn't a lie.

She and Lily left the infirmary, and Lily put her hand around Hermione's. "I'm so glad, Hermione," she said happily. "Now, let those toerags eat their words. You're beautiful!"

Hermione beamed as she smiled. She felt beautiful.

***

Lily's birthday came around on the thirtieth of January, and Hermione and Snape made sure it was a perfect day for her. It was a Wednesday, but Hermione and Snape were able to sneak off into the library and plan for Lily's day.

"I wish you would come into our common room, Snape, at least for Lily's sake," Hermione said graciously.

He snorted at the thought. "I wouldn't be caught dead there! No bother, I will have my time alone with Lily during the day. You can have her at night. Deal?" he asked curtly.

"Fine," she replied tersely. "By the way, how old will Lily be, anyway?" she asked thoughtfully.

"Fourteen," he said importantly. "Just like me. I turned fourteen on the ninth."

Hermione sniggered. "You seem proud of yourself," she said smugly. "What's the big deal?"

"Well, Lily and I are older than you, I reckon," he said snidely.

"Wrong you are," Hermione said gleefully. "It so happens that my birthday is on the nineteenth of September. So, you see, I am already fourteen and older!"

"Well, I suppose that would account for your bossy nature, then, Granger!" he hissed as he quickly stood up and whisked away from her.

Hermione shook her head and walked out of the library.

***

Valentine's Day came with a surprise that Hermione was not expecting. There had been a dance, and everyone seemed to have dates. Lily refused several offers to go with Hermione. "Besides," Lily had said, "it will help to keep the boys from hexing one another if no one has a claim on me." She giggled after she said that.

Hermione became aware that she was Lily's date, more than anything else. Lily largely ignored the young wizards who came around wanting a dance. She dragged Hermione onto the floor, and they danced together. It was great fun, and it had been nice to be away from the boys and their squabbling.

After the dance, Lily and Hermione went back to their dormitory. The other girls were still out with their dates. Lily told Hermione she had a Valentine's Day present for her.

"Lily! Why did you do that?" Hermione chided her.

"Oh, you can't begin to understand how much you saved me tonight. The last two Valentine's Day dances have been horrendous! I spent the whole time being pulled to and fro between Sev and the Marauders."

"The Marauders?" Hermione asked with laugh.

Lily giggled as she tossed Hermione her present. "That's what they call themselves. They are quite juvenile, aren't they?"

Hermione nodded as she opened her present. It was a blue satin negligee.

"Lily!" Hermione admonished her as she blushed. "Why did you get this for me?"

Lily laughed. "I got one for me, too." She took out a green one from her dresser drawer.

"Now, Hermione, you have to swear never to tell Severus I have this, especially in green!"

Both girls looked at each other knowingly and burst out laughing.

"Let's change!" Lily ordered as she hopped off her bed. Hermione felt strange. Before she had met Lily, she had never changed in front of people before, not even other girls. But Lily was different. She didn't have hang-ups about nudity like Hermione had. She felt a bit ashamed that Lily was more filled out than she was. She tried not to look, but curiosity got the better of her. Lily caught her glancing at her breasts.

"Oh, Hermione, it's okay," she said soothingly as she walked over to her friend. "Let's see, then," she asked.

Hermione turned beet red.

"Come on, Hermione!" Lily urged her. "You're very pretty. You have nothing to be ashamed about," she said seriously.

Hermione lowered her arms and stood in front of her friend, clad only in her knickers.

"Oh, they are lovely!" Lily exclaimed. She got up and put on her negligee. "Come on, Hermione, come sit with me on my bed. Severus gave me chocolates. You can help me put a dent in this massive box."

Both girls in their matching satin negligees sat in bed eating chocolate and talking about the boys. Once Lily heard the others coming back, she closed the drapes and cast a Silencing Spell around them.

"Every year, Severus gives me a huge box of chocolate, and every year I gain a stone afterwards."

"Oh, you exaggerate!" Hermione retorted.

"I think Sev wants me plump. He gets really mushy during the spring and makes eyes at me. All I can think of is that I'm a big, fat cow, and there he is, drooling over my cleavage."

She sighed and looked into the distance. "I started developing early. I started wearing a bra at ten! That was when I knew Severus liked me that way." She grew quiet all of a sudden.

"What's wrong, Lily?" Hermione asked.

"I just know it'll probably be Sev whom I let touch me first," she said quietly. "I mean, after all, he's been so patient and good, never pressuring me, but I see it in his eyes. Soon, I'll be all grown up, and he'll be a man. I do owe him something, I suppose."

Hermione's brow furrowed. "Lily, that's not true! You don't have to do that. You do what you want to do. Do you want Severus to touch you?" she asked.

"Not now, but maybe when I'm older I'll feel differently," she said hopefully.

Hermione tilted her head to the side and narrowed her eyes. "Do you want to save it for when you are older?" she asked.

"Well, I just couldn't go all the way without being married! But I think I would like to experiment a little. I'm curious about what it would be like. Aren't you?" she asked.

"Sure, a little," replied Hermione. "But there's no one."

"Yes, there is," Lily replied in a singsong voice.

"Who?" Hermione said in a bored tone.

"Remus Lupin!" Lily fairly squealed.

Hermione's mind flashed to that day on the Hogwarts Express. Professor Lupin had made the dementors back away. He was very confident and sure of himself. He had looked so frail, but at that moment, there had been a fierceness about him that was appealing. Yes, Remus Lupin would be handsome when he was older. Besides, he was not too shabby now, just shy and retiring.

"Lily, he lets Sirius and James run roughshod over him," she complained.

"Well," Lily said thoughtfully as she popped a piece of chocolate into her mouth, "maybe Remus just needs the right girl to bring him out of his shell."

"Perhaps," Hermione said non-commitally.

Lily's green eyes shone. "Tell me, Hermione, who do you think has the bigger penis? James or Severus?"

Hermione choked on her chocolate. Oh God! That's the last thing I need to envision! Professor Snape's penis! She was almost tempted to say that, for the longest time, she had doubted he even possessed one.

She cleared her throat. "Whom do you think?" she asked instead.

"Actually...Severus. He has such a large nose. I think he must have a huge penis." Lily fell apart laughing uncontrollably. Hermione got caught up in the laughter. They fell back onto the bed, and Lily turned over and kissed Hermione on the lips.

Hermione was shocked. She was frozen stiff in her confusion.

Lily was blushing. "I always wanted to know what it would be like to kiss a girl. Have you ever, Hermione?" she asked in a small voice.

"Uh, not really," answered Hermione.

Lily's green eyes grew moist as she rose up from the bed. "I'm sorry, Hermione, I just was curious."

Hermione's heart went out to her. It was obvious Lily Evans was a very confused young girl.

"It's okay, Lily," Hermione said quietly. "It was sweet."

Lily looked back, and her eyes shone. "We are best friends, aren't we, Hermione?" she asked.

"Of course," Hermione answered.

"Severus always wants me to reassure him we're best friends, but I think I can have two best friends. What do you think?"

Hermione thought immediately of Harry and Ron. "Certainly, Lily. Of course, you can," she said confidently.

"Oh, good!" Lily said in relief. "Will you sleep with me tonight, Hermione?" she asked shyly.

"Okay," Hermione answered.

The girls huddled under the covers, and Lily nestled into the crook of Hermione's arm. Hermione was greatly confused about this turn of events.

***

The spring came and, with it, all the romance and love that always accompanies the season. Hermione saw that Lily was not lying about Severus. The boy was clearly besotted. And as Lily had predicted, she had gained a bit of weight from the chocolate, and she found her breasts and thighs to be a bit larger than normal. Lily would come into the common room and giggle with Hermione about Severus staring at her chest. Hermione laughed but felt rather guilty. If Snape knew that Lily laughed about him behind his back, he would be devastated. He adored Lily; he worshiped her, really. She was the only female who existed for him. It was very sweet, but a bit overwhelming, especially for a girl like Lily.

Hermione watched her young, future professor struggle with his feelings day after day. What was amazing to Hermione was the close relationship Harry's mum had with him. It was very sweet, but unfortunately, Lily didn't seem to feel the same way. She loved Severus; she just wasn't in love with him.

Since Hermione was alone most of the time, she was free to wander and amuse herself without fear of upsetting the delicate balance that could result in the dismantling of her true reality. She knew there was no way for her to return now; however, she would not stop trying. One day, she thought, I will find my way back home again.

At the end of the school year, Dumbledore called Hermione to his office and explained his summer plans for her.

"I want to you to stay with Miss Evans and Mr. Snape over the summer holidays. He and Miss Evans live close to each other. You can alternate staying with them. I think your presence will be a good influence for Severus. Also, staying with Lily, who is a Muggle-born as you are, would give you a nice sense of familiarity," Dumbledore added.

Hermione wasn't sure how she felt about the arrangement; however, Dumbledore had told her to trust him, that he had his reasons. Besides, he had said that he was very concerned about Snape and that her presence might be a stabilizing force for the dark-tempered, young man.

***

"Hi, Hermione!" Lily said happily. She motioned her to come and join her in the compartment. "Dumbledore explained everything to us," she said excitedly.

Hermione smiled at Snape. He looked at her oddly but remained silent.

Lily was a bit nervous. "You're going to spend the start of the summer with me and my family, then in July, you'll go to Spinner's End and live with Severus' mum and dad. Then you'll come back to my house in August, and we'll go back to Hogwarts all together."

Hermione must have shown her fear, for Lily put her hand over hers and whispered, "It will all be okay, Hermione. Truly, it will. We'll have loads of fun. The three of us, well, perhaps four, if my sister wants to join us."

Snape gave a snort at that comment. Lily shot him an angry look.

She turned back to Hermione. "My sister, Petunia, well, she's a Muggle like my parents. I always thought she was a bit upset that she wasn't a witch like me. Anyway, sometimes she can be a bit cruel. I think she has problems still about me being different and all." Lily smiled then and changed the subject.

"I'm going to go visit some people and let Severus tell you all about himself so you can get to know one another a little better."

Snape looked at Lily in horror. Hermione thought he might as well have said, "Dear God, Lily, don't leave me alone with her!"

She flashed a big smile at Hermione and left. Hermione noticed Snape received a glare in response from the redhead.

Snape sat back in his seat and crossed his arms petulantly. "I hope you aren't expecting anything grand," he said snidely. "I don't know what Dumbledore was thinking, having you spend your summer with me. I don't care for going home, and it's my family!" He glared at her, and Hermione winced.

"Just don't expect much. And if you tell anyone what goes on in my house, I will make your life a living hell!" he threatened, his black eyes glittering in controlled rage.

Hermione was dumbstruck. She slowly removed her gaze from Severus and looked out the window. They sat in silence for a long time.

Finally, just as Hermione felt her eyes close and began to drop off to sleep, he spoke.

"I don't appreciate your presence. I want to make it very clear to you. I look forward to my time with Lily. I won't take second place! So, even though I have to put up with you, don't interpret my tolerance as acceptance into my relationship with Lily. It's just the two of us. You are not welcome. Don't try to force your way between us. Lily is mine."

Hermione's mouth dropped open in shock. She couldn't believe the force of feeling behind his words.

"Severus, you sound as if I have a romantic interest in her or something," she said off-handedly. She toyed with the fabric on her seat. She could feel the anger radiate from him.

"Don't be coy, Gryffindor," he snapped. "You can't pull it off! Listen, I don't want my holidays ruined because of you, so just keep your distance and don't interfere with my time with Lily."

"You must really love her," Hermione prodded.

Severus looked out the window and said coldly, "It's none of your business. My relationship with Lily is not for you to discuss with anyone. Just leave us in peace."