Severus was in his home at Spinner's End, crafting a letter stating his intent to formally begin the courting process when his fireplace burned green and Vesper waltzed through.
"You have no common decency to inform me when you barge into my home," Severus snarled at the woman, though both of them knew it wasn't at his usual venom.
"Pish posh, Severus. Tu sais que je n'écoute pas," Vesper replied as she started rummaging through his kitchen.
"Je te maudis."
Vesper laughed as she started making lunch for them. "Tu dis la plus douce des choses."
Severus merely grumbled, continuing to work on his letter. Unfortunately, Vesper noisily invading his home had become commonplace years ago after she met him in France during his apprenticeship. Her chatterbox tendencies were sadly normal now.
But he could fight back.
"So how is your lover?" Severus asked as he corrected a word on his draft. There had to be the correctly worded statement of intent. And he was a perfectionist. He smirked when Vesper faltered in her cutting. Before resuming.
"What lover?" Vesper said airily. She added the vegetables to the pan that was heating, and pointedly kept her face from Severus' vision. Smart girl. She knew he could tell when she was lying and he could make her crack. This would prove to be an entertaining lunch if he prodded at the right spots.
"Come now, Vesper," he began silkily. He leaned back in his chair, observing the subtle stiffening of her shoulders. "You think I can't tell when you have a paramour?"
Vesper kept her back to him, but he heard her soft reply. "Je te hais."
"You are the one that appointed me that dreadful older brother moniker, how can I not follow up on ma petite soeur?"
"Oh now you admit to that, of course," Vesper had pasta boiling and checked it. "When you have the potential to use it against me."
"When would I use it otherwise?"
"You are hilarious."
Severus passed a critical eye over his latest draft. Not perfect, but getting there. "I read the dreadful missives you send regularly. There is a definite shift in your writing."
After draining the pasta, Vesper began to add it to the sauce and vegetables. She didn't answer him until after she plated and set food in front of Severus. Placing her own food across from Severus, she sat at the table and daintily began to eat.
It was merely a minute later, due to Severus' piercing gaze, that she sighed and admitted defeat.
"Fine. Yes. I am with someone," Vesper whispered. She glared at the pleased smirk that blossomed on Severus' face. "I hate that look."
"You hate it when it's directed at you."
"Well it's true."
Severus let it go for a moment, letting the two of them enjoy their lunch. "I know him, don't I? It's why you won't reveal his name."
"J'ai un frère plus enneyeux," she hissed at him.
"Name."
"I refuse." Severus merely gave her another look. Vesper sighed and buried her face in her hands. "You cannot tell my parents."
"Is he a felon?"
"No!" Vesper ground out. "I just… want to enjoy his company without worrying if my father is using his connections to look him up. Plus mother would insist on meeting him."
"Ah, yes, Sidonia would do that," Severus agreed.
"So I'm close to demanding an unbreakable vow on you," Vesper said pointedly.
"I agree to keeping your secret."
"From anyone. No one other than you and you alone gets to know."
"Accepted."
"Chmfie Wmmsfly," Vesper murmured.
"Enunciation, it's something you should use," Severus said drolly, enjoying the utterly poisonous look she shot at him. But he had a good idea what the mangled muttering really was.
"For Merlin's- ok. Charlie Weasley. I'm seeing Charlie Weasley," Vesper said quickly.
"Now was that so difficult?"
"It is you, after all, so yes."
Severus' victorious grin was painful for Vesper to endure. "Mmm, Charlie Weasley. Adept student. I can see how he could catch your eye."
"Great, now you're going to lord this over me until we spill to everyone else," Vesper sighed.
"Indeed."
"Finish your damn lunch. And that statement of intent. Bloody wanker."