The Hospital Wing

Chapter 2--The Friendship

Over the next couple of weeks Kylie came regularly for checkups and was soon coming just for the company of Poppy and Severus, who had turned out to be a very able friend.

Who would have thought a Gryffindor to be so pretty? Severus thought. It was another day in the hospital wing and Kylie and Severus were bottling a Dreamless Sleep potion, fresh from the cauldron. Kylie was rambling about some cute Ravenclaw boy she met. But no, nothing will happen. I'm just a Slytherin. A bloody, stupid, large-nosed Slytherin. That's all I am to her.

"You know what?" Kylie said. "You're the only one I could talk to about this kind of stuff. I'm scared anyone from Gryffindor would just go and tell my brother and I'd never hear the end of it from all his friends. Like when Lily liked that Hufflepuff back in their 5^th year...they still make fun of her for that!"

"Mm..."

"Oh what a response Severus," she remarked with sarcasm. "You know you've been really quiet today. Granted you usually are, but this is more than usual. Sev? Is it because you're so in awe of my complete and total beauty that you can't speak?" Kylie asked jokingly, flipping her long brown hair and laughing out.

"Let's go for a walk, I need to get out of here."

Ten minutes later the two were standing together under an old willow tree by the lake.

"It's so beautiful here," Kylie whispered, leaning against the trunk of the great tree. "I used to come out here all the time when I first came to Hogwarts. Mostly to escape homework or the Gryffindors or just to get peace and quiet to think."

"What kind of things do you think about?" Severus inquired.

"Oh, I don't know. Life."

"Seems like a lot to think about."

"It is. I don't know. I think about my friends, my brother, my classes. Sometimes I just remember. I love just going through memories, you know?" Kylie looked out over the lake and sighed. "I think about you," she whispered, barely audible.

"Me? Why me?" Severus looked curiously at the girl standing next to him.

"Oh, just because. I don't know. We're friends, shouldn't I think of you?"

"Oh. Well, I don't know. I suppose."

Kylie laughed.

"What?"

"You're too serious, Sev. You need to have some fun or something."

"Oh really?" Severus demanded questionably. "I have fun!"

"Oh right, brewing potions, I forgot. Woo-hoo!" Kylie said sarcastically, rolling her eyes to the sky above her.

"Hey! Potions are fun!"

"Oh right. Snore!" Kylie laughed at her friend's shocked face.

"Well now you're asking for it..."

"For wh--?" Kylie didn't get to finish her question before Severus lifted her off her feet by her waist and flung her onto his shoulder. She screamed playfully, lightly pounding him on the back. Severus started spinning quickly and then ran once around the tree. Kylie clung tightly to him and he couldn't help but smile. He then gently settled Kylie back on her feet, but she was still dizzy and he had to support her for a moment. Kylie then turned the tables, tackling Severus around the middle and in no time it was a full-blown tickle war.

"Ok, stop, stop!" Kylie gasped. "I can't breathe!"

Severus obeyed and sat up next to the panting girl. "You're too good!" she said.

"You're too ticklish."

"I'm not. It's not my fault that you aren't!"

"No, but you did knock the wind out of me" he chuckled, holding his ribs.

"Well you deserved it! I was going to lose my lunch all over your robes if you had spun me around one more time." Kylie replied, laughing.

Severus chuckled lightly. He never thought he'd ever see the day when he would be sitting next to such a pretty girl, laughing at her remarks. "You're no good for me Ky."

"What?" Kylie asked surprised.

"You're changing me into some silly giggly Hufflepuff first year!"

"Oh, puh-lease. You're too good to be a first year. Maybe third..."

Severus lightly pushed her over onto the grass, smiling widely. When she sat back up he curled his arm loosely around her waist and Kylie leaned into his lean body marveling at the comfort of it.

[A/N: Thanks to my beta-reader Phoenix Child and to everyone who reviewed:

Sugargirl, queenalissa, Jene O'Me, LupinLover, Be Cunning, Annaliese Chandler, ArwinGranger, Water Neko, Serenial Dragon, Elf Princess Bloom, sicirus, ellym--I luv you all!

ArwinGranger--This is after the try-to-kill-Severus thing. Might come into play later.

Ellym--She's younger than Remus. He's in seventh year, she's in sixth. Snape's in seventh as well.

I have most of the next couple chapters written up, but if you're wanting something to happen, write me, and I can write it in if it's a good idea.

Next chapter--classes, and something HUGE!!!

R/R!!!!!!! (10 reviews for another chapter.... Otherwise, no.)