Olivia.

Indeed, that had been her name. Olivia Alcott, in the same year as him, Slytherin, shoulder-length wavy tresses dyed gold and raven. And her eyes…so plain, to be set in a face that he had come to almost obsess over; a misty, almost sultry grey, flecked with a bit of hazel. They'd gone out in seventh year. That smirk…lips devoid of anything remotely related to lipstick were always twisted in it, except when they'd been kissing. Which had happened often.

Indeed, let the news get out: Severus Snape had actually had feelings for someone.

As Professor Severus Snape sat at his desk in the dungeons, black hair brushing against the papers he was supposed to be grading, he mentally slapped himself.

Feelings? he thought to himself, rolling his eyes vaguely. You are SNAPE. You are FEARED. You have no feelings, remember? Even if they were for….Livvie… He absentmindedly used the little nickname that he'd given to Olivia. Of course, she'd gotten back at him with Sevvie. With a quiet sigh at what could have been, he pushed Olivia Alcott out of his mind, grabbing his quill and beginning to sort through the small heap of papers jumbled on his desk.

The Three Broomsticks was quiet that day; the Hogwarts students were in class, and it was a lazy Wednesday. Business was slow, but inside, sitting in the corner next to the fire against the chill October air, was a woman, poring over a book. Her hair, just the same as it had been years ago, when she had been in school, was black and blonde, her grey eyes fixed on the page.

This was none other than Olivia Alcott. She held a black crow-feather quill, an inkpot of grey ink beside her, doodling absentmindedly on the inside cover of the book. Heavily embellished letters, bearing other 'chicken scratches' all around them, read Severus: proof that not only dear old Sevvie had been thinking about her, but she'd been thinking about him- more than she usually had, a lot of the time being preoccupied in her work.

In the past few years, the student once known as "Livvie" had become a full-fledged Auror. No one had addressed her directly as Livvie for years.

As someone else walked into the pub, a tawny owl swooped into the room, landing on the table that Olivia had been sitting at. It dropped a letter into her lap, then flew off once more, out the door when yet another came in.

She gently pulled open the rolled parchment, to find a letter written in emerald ink.

Olivia Alcott-

Your presence is requested as of October 13 at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You are asked to arrive as soon as possible on orders of Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. Thank you for your time.

-Minerva McGonagall

Olivia raised her eyebrows. She hadn't been back to Hogwarts since graduation. Hmm…what if Severus was still teaching there? You imbecile, Olivia, this is business! she firmly told herself, walking out the door towards Honeydukes; she slipped away from the people in there to the cellar, where she opened up the trapdoor and began climbing the stairs.

"Dissendium." She muttered, and the statue sprang open. She lithely stepped out, making her way down the hallway to Dumbledore's office: she trusted herself to remember, as she'd been there before, on other…business.

To her surprise, Dumbledore was already waiting for her, along with, of all people…Severus Snape.

"Albus, what is this about? You never told-" Severus had been ranting when all of a sudden, both Olivia and Severus froze, while Dumbledore smiled, eyes twinkling. "…Olivia?" he said almost incredulously, recognizing her from her eyes almost instantaneously.

It seemed Olivia couldn't get anything out at all, just nodded. All of a sudden, Dumbledore seemed very formal.

"Well, then, Professor, Miss Alcott, I'll just leave you two alone…" With that trademark eye twinkle, he walked quickly off down the hallway, while Severus and Olivia were left staring incredibly at each other.

Is this what Dumbledore brought me here for? Olivia thought distractedly to herself. If he did, I must say, he has his priorities right…wow, would I really like to- She cut herself off there.

Almost instantaneously, Snape was thinking, Oh Lordy…it's Livvie, what am I gunna say to her? We haven't seen each other since graduation, but she…she looks lovely, and I would really like to- He cut himself off there.

"Shall we…shall we take a walk, then, Olivia?" said Severus, still looking a bit shaken by this quick reuniting.

Olivia nodded, looking quite like she had already regained her shrewd composure. Well, at least on the outside. Her traditionally sarcastic voice shook slightly through her smirk as she replied, "Why yes, Severus. That sounds lovely." What a…cliché thing to say, she scolded herself, not wanting to mess her only chance of ever really…well, never mind.

As they walked, they talked; of past experiences, how much Snape hated most of the students he had to teach nowadays, and about Olivia's job with the Ministry. Much to her and his surprise, by the end of only a few minutes, he had began to call her Livvie again. On the other side, she was now referring to him as Sevvie, just like they'd done in seventh year.

As Severus edged a glance over at Olivia, he found that they were passing the bust of Paracelsus: he remembered suddenly that he and Livvie used to snog right back there behind it, usually quite a while after curfew. And suddenly after that, he found he couldn't restrain himself any longer. Swiftly putting his arm around her, he steered her toward the space behind the bust.

She looked confused. He couldn't believe he'd completely forgotten how this felt… Severus suddenly pulled her to his breast, kissing her full on the mouth, knowing she was probably going to think a lot less of him after this was over. At the moment, he really didn't give a shit.