It was a stormy night, a month after Lily had graduated from Hogwarts.  Lily and James just got into their biggest fight, with Lily running out of the small house they shared in Godric's Hallow.  She didn't know where to go, but she had to get away.

Soaking wet, she went to the first place that came to mind:  Severus's house.  When she got to the door, it was opened before she had even finished knocking.  

"Hey Sev, can I come in?"  Lily asked meekly.  "It's been a rough night."

"O-Of course.  Do you need anything?  Lily it's pouring!  You shouldn't be out here in the rain."  Sev gently scolded her.  She was the only person that he was kind to, the only person that knew who he was inside.

"N-no, I just need to get out of the rain and away from that stuck up arse, James."  As she walked inside, Sev took her coat and made her some tea.

"Why?  What did he do?" Sev immediately accused James, as they were rivals.  But he corrected himself,  "I mean, what happened?"

"Well..."

Lily and Severus quickly became closer, as she was avoiding James.  She began to have feeling through her misery and anger... romantic feelings.  For Sev.

Two Months Later...

One night, when it was very late, and Lily was feeling particularly sad and angry, her and Sev got carried away, and did some things that they both regret.  Lily took a pregnancy test a week later, and it was...

"Positive," she whispered to herself.  "How could I have been so stupid?  I shouldn't have let this happen."  Lily gasped. "When Severus hears... when James hears..." and suddenly she couldn't take it.  She did what she thought was best: she left.

Lily told Sev and James that she needed a break, some time away from the world.  That she was going on a trip and wouldn't be back for about a year, and not to worry about her.  Then she packed up and left, left to give birth to a child.

9 and 1/2 Months Later...

As Lily walked up to the doorstep, she considered what she was about to do.  Her first-born child, the product of her and Severus Snape, was about to be left on the doorstep of two muggles.  She did some research and discovered that they were both dentists, respectable, smart, caring, kind people and would take good care of her daughter.  This evening might have gone differently if the letter had reached her only a few hours sooner...

As Lily left the child on the doorstep, swaddled in blankets, she placed the note into her daughter's hand.  It read only one word, and that was the name of the girl.

Hermione.