Author's Note: Thanks to Katherine & Penance for reviewing so far. I'm glad you liked it!

And Penance, the title will become clear… eventually. ;-))

Now enjoy:

Chapter five: About Apple Juice… And Fishing

"Look, uncle Sev, that's a flower." Justin was pointing at their table, where a distasteful plastic flower stood in a small vase.

"That's nice, Justin," Snape replied, almost without looking at the boy. Justin had showed a remarkable and extremely boring talent for not only noticing all kinds of details, but to also naming every thing he saw.

"Look, uncle Sev, that's a straw," Justin resumed his business of naming everything.

"That's nice, Justin. Now be a good boy and drink your apple juice." If the boy would name one more item, Snape would really have to restrain himself from shaking the kid up and down. But he had to control himself; it was for a good cause. His eyes scanned the restaurant once more. They had been in here for half an hour now, and he still hadn't seen any suitable woman. There were lots of businessmen, travellers, and some women, but always in groups, and he wouldn't want to start too fast. Fishing you have to learn by catching little ones at first; it would be useless trying for a whole school at once.

Perhaps this was not a good night. If he waited much longer, the kid would probably be too tired, and in case he would still find a woman this night, Justin could spoil it by whining the whole evening because he needed to sleep.

What if they just went home now, and tried another restaurant tomorrow?

"Look, uncle Sev, that's a woman," Justin said.

"That's nice, Ju- what did you say?" Snape looked up. Justin was right. A woman had entered the restaurant and was now walking past their table. She gave Justin a slight smile as she walked by. Then she sat down at the table behind Snape. That was good, she would have full view of Justin then. And eventually she would see Snape too, undoubtedly.

Justin took another sip of his apple juice, and tried to drink it without the straw.

"Use the straw, Justin, or you'll spill your juice," Snape said.

Justin looked up and smiled. "Justin's a big boy, can drink by myself." To prove it, he lifted the glass with both his little hands and brought it up to his mouth.

"Justin, look out!" Snape cried out, but it was too late. The glass had slipped out of Justin's hands and toppled over. Apple juice was streaming over the table, and over Severus' knees.

"Look what you've done, boy," he snapped at Justin, whose cheeks were red now. "Didn't I tell you to—"

"Can I help?" a friendly voice said next to him. When Snape looked up he gazed into the stunning blue eyes of the woman. She smiled, and was holding a napkin. Snape started to get up.

"No, just sit down, and I'll help," the woman continued. Snape looked at her as she started to wipe the apple juice off his robe.

"Kids…" she said, and she gave Justin a slight smile. "So clumsy sometimes, aren't they?"

"Yes, kids," Snape replied, staring at the woman. She had long, blond hair, friendly green eyes, small glittering earrings. She was gently wiping his knees with a beautiful hand, with manicured nails. No ring. Then she looked at him, and when she smiled, he noticed a perfect set of teeth. He was extremely lucky; she looked like a model that just had stepped off the catwalk. She was the perfect fish, and she started to bite already.

"What's the matter?" she asked, with a half-smile. "What are you looking at?"

"I'm sorry if I'm staring," he said hastily, "It's just…I've got the feeling I've seen you somewhere before." O no, that was NOT a good sentence he was blurting out there. Probably the oldest, most commonly used coming-on trick. Had he lost his repertoire already?

But she was smiling understandingly. "O, I see," she said, "I get that a lot. You've probably seen me in some magazines. I'm a model, you see."

"You are? Well, that explains it all, then," said a relieved Snape.

Then a frown appeared between her beautiful eyes. "Only… not anymore, I'm afraid. I've just quit my job." She looked as if she could start crying any minute. "I couldn't take it anymore, you see. The constant competition, all the people wanting things from you, just because you happen to be beautiful. I couldn't bear it anymore. It's a world where all people pretend to be somebody else than they really are."

"O dear," Snape said understandingly. "So sorry to hear that." His sympathising words now brought the tears out of the woman. "It's all right, don't cry," he quickly added. "Do you, by any chance, like the company of a man and a small boy to cheer you up, and join our table for diner?"

She looked at him with hesitation, tears glistening on her cheek. "Well sir, that's very friendly of you, but I don't know you at all, and…"

"That's a problem we can solve easily," Snape said. "I'm Snape. Severus. Severus Snape. And this little boy is Justin."

The woman looked from Snape to Justin, and then back to Snape. She smiled. "I'm Emily," she said. "And I do want to join you."

Quickly, Snape pulled a chair towards the table and Emily sat down.