It all began when Ginny became distracted while cleaning the Burrow.

A spare bedroom on the dark-facing side of the house had usually been occupied by Severus Snape, her former professor from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and a member of the Order of the Pheonix. Though Ginny always thought him too unapproachable, a stick-up-the-arse type of man, she had always found his room the most fascinating to be in. Knickknacks and memorabilia lined the shelves and sat in the drawers of the desk.

It was very quiet here. She could hear the tree leaves rustling and the little birds chirping as she swiped her wand along the dusty shelves in decisive motion. Well, Snape was long gone now. Even still, Ginny thought it was a little sad he never enjoyed his present life. Surely beyond the grief of the Wizard War and the rise of Voldemort, Snape had to have something to live for. They all did.

Snape seemed to live in his past, and the few times she'd passed by his bedroom after a midnight glass of hot cocoa, she heard him muttering about "James" and "Lily" in his sleep. It was sad that the only people that he had a strong recollection of were also long gone. Had his life ever been happy?

Today, while washing the floor with one of her mum's newly taught cleaning spells, she discovered a crack in the old wooden floor.

"Weird," she said to herself as she lifted the plank.

What to her wandering eyes should appear but a Time Turner necklace.

"A man full of secrets has everything to hide," she reminded herself as she turned that necklace around its axis.

In a flash of light, she found herself face first in the grass. Above her, light seeped through the leaves of a sycamore tree and fell over the figure of a crouched boy.

"Oy?" she said.

"Lily?"

The dark-haired teenage version of Snape turned to examine her before clearing his throat and adjusting his book against his knees. Just as in his room, amongst the books and tiny folded notes hidden in the deep drawers of the writing desk, Ginny was aware that she was not the one he'd been waiting for in his secluded reading spot.

"No, I'm not her."

"I see." Snape ran his fingers along the book, contemplating.

"I'll be going now."

"If you desire."

Ginny turned and then remembered that she'll never have the chance to see the side of Snape that none of her friends had ever seen.

"Can I sit here?" she asked, settling into the moss behind him.

"Only if you don't scare away the tits."

What a name for a bird! "Alright," Ginny said, head in her hands. This was much more relaxing than cleaning her house, but sitting in silence was beginning to make her feet itch. "What are you waiting for anyways?"

Snape said nothing. Only when she repeated her question did he mumble, "Just reading. And if you have something better to do, you are welcome to leave."

He was no more polite than he was as an adult. "If you miss Lily so much, why don't you go and talk to her instead of sitting here and waiting for her to approach you." Ginny smoothed her dress. "It's what I'd do if I fancied someone. I wouldn't just wait around for the perfect moment, I'd go and take action."

Snape huffed. "You're an expert, strange witch."

"I just don't think it's worth it. Pride, I mean."

"I think sticking your nose in someone else's business is bound to end poorly." Snape snapped the book shut, stood and headed for the clearing, stomping through the shallow water of a nearby marsh patch.

Ginny watched him leave and then lay her head back on the grass. She heard the tits chirping above her and the wind rustling the leaves of the sycamore.

This wasn't happiness, but it sure was nice.