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The girls’ bathroom was quiet and cold when Lily entered.
She couldn’t bear eating lunch with the others in the Great Hall, not after the week she’d had. First her best friend had called her something absolutely dreadful and then Potter had followed her around for the next few days, spouting stories about how awful Severus was and that, don’t worry, Lily, he’d always be around to defend her honour—oh and did she want to go to Hogsmeade with him for a pint of butterbeer?
She’d been repressing the urge to scream at him for five days now; all she wanted was to be left alone to mope around in peace after losing her best friend.
But, as luck would have it, not even the girls’ bathroom was empty.
Lily paused in the doorway upon noticing that a small brunette was sitting on the floor beside some cubicles, reading a book as she chewed on an apple. The girl looked up. “Hi,” she smiled shyly.
“Hello,” Lily returned somewhat awkwardly. “Sorry, I didn’t realise anyone was in here. I’ll just go…”
“No, that’s all right,” the younger girl shook her head. She gestured to the toilet stalls. “It’s a public restroom after all.”
The redhead nodded faintly and crossed to one of the sinks, feeling silly.
To save herself the embarrassment of being caught trying to spend her lunchtime in the toilets, she determinedly set to washing her hands. But as she scooped a handful of soap into her palm, she suddenly grasped that this girl had also been doing the same, and just like that her mortification faded. She dried her hands and turned to the brunette, seeing that she’d gone back to her book and apple.
“So, why are you in here?” Lily wondered, a bit concerned. As a prefect, she felt responsible for the younger years and often took it upon herself to make sure they were happy and safe.
The girl smiled lightly, though her eyes were lowered to her lap. “I don’t really have any friends and I get teased whenever I eat in the Great Hall by myself.”
Experiencing a surge of sympathy, Lily sat herself beside the brunette and smiled at her warmly. “Well, I’ll be your friend if you’d like.”
Startled, the girl glanced up. “Oh no, that’s all right. I know you’re just being nice…”
“No, really,” she pushed. “We’re friends now. I’ve decided.”
The girl laughed, her face lighting up. “You don’t even know my name.”
Lily studied her for a moment, seeing the Gryffindor tie and recognising the bushy hair. “It’s Granger, isn’t it? You’re in Fourth Year,” she smiled.
The girl seemed surprised but pleased. “Hermione Granger,” she grinned.
“Well, I’m Lily Evans,” the redhead offered kindly and held out her hand.
“I know,” Hermione giggled, shaking it. “You’re a prefect.”
Blushing a little, Lily changed the subject. “So, what are you reading?”
Hermione blushed as well. “Hogwarts: A History. I’ve read it many times before but it’s my favourite book.”
“Mine too,” Lily said in surprise.
The brunette smiled widely at her and, somewhere down in her chest, she felt her heart contract at the prettiness of the sight. Strangely, this encounter was the first time she’d been cheerful since her confrontation with Severus. She was somewhat unnerved by the fact that it was a girl who was making her giddy inside and want to grin more than she had in weeks, but she ignored those thoughts and scooted closer to Hermione.
For the rest of lunch, the two girls chatted about books and lessons. Lily was only slightly shocked to find that they were almost exactly alike; she had secretly suspected their similarities as soon as she’d come across her in the toilets. The next day, she waited for Hermione outside the Fourth Year’s Ancient Runes class and walked with her to the Great Hall for lunch.
Hermione was hesitant to go in and face the crowds of people that included her usual tormentors—and in all honesty, Lily was just as reluctant to see Severus and Potter, but she knew she needed to appear confident for the younger girl’s sake—so the redhead linked their hands and gently guided her inside.
Their entrance wasn’t overly noticeable. A few heads turned as they passed by, but none continued to stare. It was only when they’d seated themselves beside one another and had just started to pull food onto their plates that someone called out to them.
“Oi, Evans!” Black shouted down the table.
Lily’s vivid green eyes almost closed with exasperation and hopelessness but Hermione was looking at her and had stopped reaching for food so she merely clenched her jaw and behaved as if nothing had happened. The brunette relaxed beside her and did the same until a shadow fell over their shoulders suddenly.
“Lily!” Potter grinned. “Good thing Sirius was paying attention or I would have missed you! Come sit with us, my love!”
Hermione was most definitely tense beside her now and Lily wanted to yell at the boy for making her upset. Instead, she turned to glare at him.
“Potter, I do not, nor will I ever, want to be anywhere near you, so kindly leave me in peace.”
“Oh, Lily flower, you don’t mean that—”
“Yes, I do,” she snapped. “Go away!”
Hermione’s head was quickly sinking and Lily, uncaring of the boy annoying them, took her hand and stroked it soothingly. Remus appeared behind his friend and took his arm.
“Come on, Prongs,” he coaxed, “your food’s getting cold and Peter was in the middle of his story.”
Potter deliberated before huffing and stalking back to his seat. Lily sent Remus a grateful smile which he returned and then she bent low to Hermione’s ear.
“Are you okay?” she whispered.
Slowly the brunette relaxed again and gave her a small smile. “Yes, I’m fine. He just… makes me uncomfortable.”
“Does Potter bully you?” Lily frowned angrily. Hermione only shrugged and picked up her fork, avoiding the green eyes watching her closely. Lily fumed inside but said nothing, knowing the brunette wouldn’t say any more.
The two girls finished their lunch without another interruption, though as they left the Great Hall, Lily caught the remorseful gaze of Severus. Determinedly, she looked the other away and urged Hermione out of the room.
A few days later, Lily said goodnight to the petite brunette in their Common Room and departed for her own dormitory. The other girls in her year were already fast asleep in their beds after she and Hermione had stayed up late discussing the welfare of magical creatures, so she tiptoed around the room and quietly changed into her nightgown.
Just as she had snuggled down in her bed, a timid knock came at the door. Lily frowned and glanced over to her undisturbed roommates before going to open the door.
Hermione’s distraught face greeted her and immediately the redhead gathered the younger girl in her arms.
“Mione, what’s wrong?” she asked worriedly as the girl cried into her chest.
“The girls in my dorm wrecked my bed,” Hermione sniffled. Lily wiped tenderly at the tears streaming down her face.
“It’s all right,” she crooned, pulling her into her room. “You can sleep the night here.”
The brunette nearly collapsed onto Lily’s bed and as the older girl held her tight under the covers, she inwardly promised retribution on Hermione’s roommates.
Over the new several weeks, the two girls were inseparable outside of lessons. Many nights in the week, the two girls slept beside one another in Lily’s bed, their bodies curled around each other. They held hands everywhere and ate meals together. They spent hours in the library, studying and doing homework. Not once did either eat alone in the girls’ toilets again.
Though they were regularly badgered by Potter and his mates and observed intently by a certain Slytherin from afar, the two girls brushed off every incident with a carefree smile. Soon it was the end of the year; the Hogwarts Express pulled into Kings Cross Station and the two girls emerged holding hands with big smiles.
Each girl spotted their parents at opposite ends of the platform and exchanged a glance. For a moment, they both paused.
“I’ll see you in a few weeks,” Lily said. They had planned to visit one another during the summer holidays.
Hermione nodded then stared down at her feet in contemplation. “Lily…”
The redhead watched her, a strange emotion bubbling up through her ribs, but the brunette didn’t continue. After a moment of internal debate, the older girl pulled Hermione towards her and kissed her on the mouth.
The smaller girl blinked.
“I’ll owl you tonight,” Lily grinned and then left the brunette to meet her parents.
A smile didn’t leave either girls’ lips for a long time.