"Tara, how would you feel if I asked someone out?"
"Is she pretty?"
Tara Snape was not your average six-year-old, for starters her father was a wizard, but besides that Tara had the maturity of someone almost twice her age. She was also a bit of a handful, particularly at school; it was usually every other week when Severus received word from his sister that Tara had been in-trouble for something or other. At the moment she was suspended from primary school. Her teachers said it was because she had no stable influence in her life and that it wasn't appropriate for her father to be away almost eight months of the year. Severus (and his sister, Greta) felt differently; Tara was particularly bright and her teachers had not recognised this fact and her troublesome nature was due to boredom.
"Yes, she is."
"Are you going to marry her?"
Severus laughed, "I don't know."
"Who is she?"
"She's someone I work with. Her name's Annie."
"Can I meet her?"
"What makes you think that she wants to meet you?" Severus threw a cushion at his daughter.
"Dad!!!" Tara retaliated by jumping on him and hitting him repeatedly with her cushion.
"Arrgh, help!"
"Need some help, Tara?" Greta asked coming into the room.
"No!" Severus screamed as Greta joined in the assault. "Arrgh!! This isn't fair!"
"How did it go?" Professor McGonagall asked Severus over breakfast.
"The headmistress has agreed to give her one more chance."
"And?"
"I've already started investigating alternative options."
"I mean, did you tell her that you've got a girlfriend?"
"Oh..." Severus blushed slightly, "she's not my girlfriend...at least not yet."
"I thought you..."
"We've had a few drinks together, I've not asked her to be my girlfriend yet."
"And why not?"
He shrugged, "she might say no."
McGonagall looked over her glasses at him. "I don't think she will."
"How do you know?"
"Severus I've been teaching for over fifty years, I've seen the flirting that goes on and I've seen enough to know."
"That's quite cryptic."
"Thank you." She smiled, "so, did you tell Tara that you might have a girlfriend?"
"I asked her if how would she feel if I asked someone out."
"What did she say?"
"She asked if she was pretty, and then if I was going to marry her." He grinned, "she wants to meet her."
"That's a good sign."
"And then I was assaulted by her and Greta."
"Oh dear."
"Stop smiling, it wasn't funny."
"Can you read?" Snape snapped at the quivering first year standing in his office.
"Ye...Yes sir."
"Then, HOW did you manage to destroy yet another cauldron?"
"I...I..."
"You weren't concentrating, were you?" He sighed, "what have I told you?"
"Not concentrating is dangerous."
"Exactly." He wrote something on the paper in front of him, "you will report to Mr Filch at seven o'clock every evening, you will also write me an essay on the importance of concentrating in my lessons. Further more you will also write an additional essay on what you did wrong, and how you should have completed the task. You may leave."
The first year left clutching his detention note.
"What did Snape give you?"
"Detention with Filch and TWO essays!"
"Two? How long?"
"He didn't say."
"Write just a line or two then."
"No! He'd kill me!"
"But he didn't specify a length did he?"
"No... but... maybe it's a test, maybe I've got to go back later and ask him."
"C'mon, we'll be late for McGonagall's lesson."
"I assure you minister, that Severus Snape is the ideal man for the job."
"Albus, the man was involved with the Dark Arts!" The Minister for Education, Albert Waffleing, said.
"Albert, we've known each other for years, I helped you get your book published, when have you known me to make a bad decision?"
"I don't doubt his appointment as Potions teacher, after all he is certainly qualified, but he's far too young to be a Head of House. What are parents going to say, when they discover that there child's mentor is not even in twenty-five, and has black marks against his name."
"He also has a six-year-old daughter."
"Which is different from a group of eleven to eighteen year olds!"
"He has experience with children."
"But not of this age."
"Tara is not exactly an angel child."
"Albus, please."
"I've made my mind up." Albus stood, "you gave me your word that you would not interfere with the running of the school..."
"Unless it was necessary."
"I respect your opinion. What if I gave him a three month trial?"
"Albus..."
"You and I know that the majority of children in Slytherin House have parents who were or still are involved with the Dark Arts, they also have troubled times at home. Severus never had a very happy childhood; he was a Slytherin... He will be able to understand these children better."
"I can't fault you there."
"Three months."
Albert picked up his hat, "One month."
"Alright, one month."
"Seriously!" Annie Sinistra could hardly believe what she was hearing.
"It's just a one month trial."
"But that's wonderful! How many people your age make Head of House!"
Severus blushed and stared into his drink, "it's just a trial."
"That's a start, come on I'll buy you another drink." She stood
"No, I'll get them..."
"My treat, celebration."
"Alright. Mine's a half."
"Oh no it's not, you're having a pint. Celebrating." Her eyes twinkled mischievously.
"Are you trying to get me drunk, professor?"
"And what if I am?"
Several drinks later, Severus and Annie were quite merry.
"That's not true."
"Hands down, I swear it's the truth!"
Annie laughed, "oh my god. What did your mum say?"
"She never found out."
"Severus Snape, you're a rebel."
They sat in silence for a few moments. "I really...I really like you." Severus managed to stammer.
"I like you too."
"No, I mean I like you."
"And I like you too." She smiled gently at him. "I know that you're not exactly comfortable in these situations, so I'll save you the misery. I would very much like to be your girlfriend."
"Really? I mean... how did you know I was going to ask?"
"Professor McGonagall told me. I can't believe you were afraid I'd say no."
"I just thought that... well... I'm not the most popular teacher, I don't have much to offer..."
Annie leaned across the table and kissed him firmly on the lips, "shut up."