Severus Snape was not a static individual. He knew that change was inevitable and sometimes even good. So when hurricane Laney came into his life, uprooting his terrible habits and lifestyle, she left some of her own.

Firewhiskey and beer became tea and cake.

Late night at bars became late night at home, watching telly. His personal favorite being a doctor who travels through space and time.

It was late one night and Severus Snape was on the hunt. Figuratively. He was going to find a relatively pretty woman and escape into her body. But just as he opened the door, he ran into the muggle woman that has been taking over his life, slowly but surely.

"OH! Severus!" she exclaimed happily. Why must she be so happy all the time?

"Laney," he acknowledged. She grinned even wider when he said her name. It had been a struggle. For the first few weeks she was simply Ms. Ashworth. But, as time wore on, so did her persistency and Severus gave up.

"That's me!" she agreed cheerily. "Are you heading out?"

"That would depend," he replied stonily. "Do you require me for anything?"

Despite his lack of enthusiasm, he was quite interested in what was planning. He wanted to be in her company. She embodied softness, warmth and joy, things he knew nothing of.

"Don't say it like that," she all but pouted. "I hope you know that you don't truly have to humour me all the time. I just thought you enjoyed my companies as I have enjoyed yours."

"My apologies," he said seeing as he might have hurt her feelings. "I didn't mean it. I am simply being a mean old man. Perhaps you'd like to tell me why you have come to my home?"

"I was lonely and I wanted to know if you wanted to come over and watch telly," she said unsure of herself. "We don't have to. You seem busy. I'm sorry. I can…. Have a good day, I mean night!"

She turned around, ready to run away.

"Wait," he said urgently and wrapped his hand around her wrist. "I was only going to go get some groceries. I will be returning shortly."

They both knew it was a lie. It was late. He was dressed sharply. But she let it slide.

"Okay," she said finally. "Well, um, sure. Just come over whenever you want. If you want."

Severus gave her a smile that left her breathless.

As he walked away from his house, he wondered briefly what he could possibly get from the shop. It was such a terrible lie. Slytherin House Professor, the best he could come up with was that he was going shopping. How Salazar Slytherin would be rolling in his grave if he knew.

He took a deep breath of fresh air and exhales exasperatedly. He was in deep. The primary reason he was going out on the hunt, or so to speak, was because of her. And being caught by her was simply embarrassing. This was Lily all over again. Except this time there seemed to be so many more and so many less obstacles. Sure there was no James Potter to speak of, or that he knew of, but she was a muggle, she was young, she was kind and pure. Perhaps some of the same obstacles remained. Why couldn't he be attracted to Bellatrix or Trelawney?

He found himself thinking about her more and more often. The way she smiled at him when he agreed to join her on her many excursions. The way she smelled, like spring and baked goods, when she walked passed him. He supposed it was a nice break. Now instead of wallowing in the past and feeling sorry for himself, he simply thought of her. But it wasn't a walk in the park either. She made his head and his heart ache.

Severus sighed.

She knew. She wasn't stupid. Why was he standing outside in the chilly autumn air, thinking himself to an early grave?

With a sigh, he returned headed towards her house.

She didn't even have time to figure out how her VHS machine worked before she heard a knock.

"That was quick," she noted as she swung her door open.

"I didn't go to the shop," was all he said before crouching down next to her. She didn't comment on that and continued to try to turn on the device. He watched as she pressed on all of the buttons on the machine and frowned.

"You could try helping," she told him with a pout. He wanted to do unspeakable things to that mouth of hers so that she would never pout again. But that was not possible, he reminded himself.

"Very well," he sighed dramatically and stood. He walked behind the telly and fidgeted for a moment. And suddenly the TV and VHS player were both on and working. "There."

"Don't gloat," she warned him with mock severity.

"I'm afraid that's not possible," he teased her with a small smile. She wanted him to smile like that every day. Some days, the only thing she looks forward to, are the rare smiles he shares with her.

"You are positively evil," she told him with a grin. He didn't return it. Instead he just looked a little sad.

"So what is the itinerary for the night?" he asked her, changing the subject. He really did not want to dwell on his past when she was around. Her presence was impossible to ignore and when she was round, he always found himself in the here and now. It may have been a long time ago, but he did still remember the feeling of falling in love, or perhaps better put, having a 'crush'. He had long ago resigned himself to the fact that love was not something he would be getting. He didn't really know if he had the capacity to love either.

"…until whenever, I guess." She spoke on while he was not listening. "Severus?"

He was staring. He had asked her a question and was now staring at her.

"Yes, until whenever," he repeated as if he knew what she had just said.

"Sure Sev!" she smiled a little too enthusiastically and took out a movie and stuck it into the player. He knew that smile did not bode well for him. "Now you sit. I'll go grab us some food to snack on."

Resigned, he sat back on her couch and decided to simply take it as it comes. This could not be worse than anything Dumbledore or Tom Riddle put him through.

Just as he got settled in, he heard popping sound of Apparition from the kitchen. Perhaps someone had found him and were getting to him through her?

Severus bursts into the kitchen panting, reaching for his want, only to find her standing by the stove smiling airily. He wasn't sure if he was relieved or not. He was probably still in shock.

"Sorry," she replied when she noticed him. "Popping popcorn can get loud."

"Yes," was all he said, before turned out of the kitchen and headed towards his couch. He needed to sit for a moment.

As he berated himself for his idiocy, Laney came back with a bowl of popped corn smothered in butter. That woman was trying to kill him slowly by way of heart failure.

"Tada!" she waved at the popcorn dramatically and plopped down. A few quick clicks and the movie began. Severus wasn't one to simply sit idly and watch telly, but for her, he'd sit still and act interested.

He marveled at the similarities between her home and his. The plan of the floor were the exact same. However, her home looked cozy and warm. His was anything but. Not that there was a need for his home to be inviting. The last guest he had was Pettigrew.

Her laughter brought him back to the telly and he tried to comprehend what the woman was giggling at. God only knew. As he looked towards her in curiosity, she glanced up at him and smiled even wider. At this point he really didn't care why the telly was making her so happy, as long as she smiled that way, he would sit here and bare it.

By the third movie, when Severus actually found himself actually following the unrealistic and far too simplistic plot of the movie, Laney began to feel the call of the sand man. Her eyes felt heavy and before she knew it, she was out cold.

The only indication of her new state of unconsciousness was her head hitting his shoulder.

"Bloody hell," he mumbled with unconvincing annoyance. Not that anyone was around to hear him.

No one was around.

That was a daunting thought. Had he truly been a cad, he could do unspeakable things to her. However, even the thought of it disgusted him. He saw her as the olive branch life had decided to give him. He had messed up the first time with Lily. And that mess lasted a few decades. But this time he would do it right. He would shove aside any thought of romantic love and cherish her as a friend. He could live with just friendship.

And friendship meant taking the couch and making sure she was put to bed.

With a sigh, he gently propped her head off his shoulder and stood up. When he hooked an arm under her leg and behind her shoulder and hoisted her up. She was very petite in comparison to him. So small, soft and fragile. He wondered if this was all a creation of a Draught of Living Death. Perhaps he had finally given up and decided to drink it after all.

"Bloody hell," he cursed as his mind wandered to the worst. This was real. As a Potion Master and legilimens he knew dreams from reality. This was real.

He laid her down onto her bed and covered her up. He was about to leave the room when he saw a photo on her bedside. It was the two of them at the park. She insisted that they have a picnic and he reluctantly conceded. She had asked a stranger to take a picture of the two of them since he complained that she took pictured of everything. He took the picture out of the frame and quickly copied it. Putting it back into the frame, he slipped the other copy into his pocket.

Somethings never changed, he thought to himself as he remembered the last picture he took of a woman. But perhaps this time things would be different. After all, this picture had him in it with the girl.

"Sleep well, sweetness," he bid her as he turned off the lights.

He looked at her couch and considered staying. But there was really no need for him to stay aside from his own desire to be close to her when she woke up. Instead he left a note on the coffee table and saw himself out. As he left, he considered placing a few wards on her house, but they would attract more attention than they would protect her.