Excerpt from The Professor and the Widow Part I:

"Mum's dating someone," Fred announced one day at a Weasley family dinner.

"Whatever got you thinking that," his mother asked with a perplexed look drawn on her face.

"This," Fred threw a letter, written on muggle notebook paper, on the table. His siblings, and their respective partners, leaned over toward the evidence.

"Evan Prince," Ginny read the letter, having snatched up the letter first. "What kind of letter is this – Is he muggle?"

"I am not dating anyone, Fred," Molly said, her face pallid at the thought of Severus' secret being revealed to her children. "Evan's a friend and yes we met in the muggle world."

—

Severus and Molly had a routine.

Molly will attend the yoga class, led by Severus' muggle alias, and afterwards Severus will drive the two of them to the teashop or to Severus' home to chat. The conversational topics would range from grief to the past and to mundane daily tasks. Then Molly will look at the time, announced it was getting late, and then she apparates back to The Burrow. The wizard and witch, both, appreciated each other's company and how comfortable it felt, completely oblivious that the rest of Severus' students, as well as the teashop employees, considered him and Molly has an item.

Today happened just like any other day. Molly stretched, followed the exercises that Severus instructed. She packed her bag, waited for the rest of students to leave, before meeting Severus at his car to drive over to the teashop.

Unlike most days, Molly had not been completely relaxed by the yoga. She was still feeling a little flushed and bothered, sitting in the passenger seat of Severus Snape's car. Severus kept stealing glances at her, but she just fiddled with the radio dial as she tried to gather her thoughts.

Yoga class was twice a week. One would have thought that two whole mornings would be enough time spent in the company of a good but relatively new friend. Molly had thought so too, at first. Monday and Wednesday of every week, it was. But as Friday rolled around, she found herself getting out a quill and parchment and sending "Evan Prince" a letter. And he wrote back.

Soon they exchanged two or three letters a week, mostly about their daily routines, sometimes about profound topics running the gamut from death to life. That was what Molly most enjoyed about her friendship with Severus. They could talk about anything.

So what was the source of her headache? As usual, it had a name, or rather two: Fred and George.

Finally she and Severus arrived at their favorite teashop, where their sidewalk table was available, as usual. (Little did they know that the staff made sure to steer other customers clear of it with a few well-placed dirty dishes until Severus' small black car was sighted trundling up the street). Severus went to pick up their usual orders (already brewed and

"You won't believe what happened last weekend," she said with a wry smile as Severus returned and handed her teacup.

"You got a new owl," Severus faked a gasp, then took a sip of his scalding hot earl grey and continued placidly. "I suppose, though, I will miss that bird splatting against my window." He took another sip of his tea. "Did something happen? You seemed a bit off on the ride here."

"No, Errol is still alive and flapping. Barely." Molly shook her head. "You know the two delinquents I call my children?"

"Which ones?" Severus arched an eyebrow. "Arguably, the youngest four could all fit that description."

"The ones who've turned fireworks into weapons of mass destruction."

"Ah yes. Gred and Forge, as they insisted on being called their entire second year."

"What did they do now," Severus asked with a sigh, setting his mug down. He had a feeling it was going to be a long story. "Burn the house down?"

"What, no, heaven's no," Molly shook her head.

"You did mention something about fireworks and mass destruction."

"I did," conceded Molly, stirring cream in her tea. "But, no, the boys were quite harmless this time. They just found our letters that's all."

"Oh," Severus said, and just when he was about to curled his fingers around the handle, he froze and managed to ask in a strained voice after a few seconds - or what felt like hours - of silence, "The letters? You didn't mention they're from me... right?"

"Of course not," Molly said a little more sharply than she intended. Softening, she continued, "I keep my word, Severus, you ought to know that by now. As far as the boys know, I'm just writing to Evan Prince. I even let them think you were a Squib. Not by outright lying, of course, but if you say mm-hmm at the right places while they shoot out mad questions and theories..." Remembering some of the twins' insinuations, she felt a blush rising in her cheeks. She had always hated blushing as a schoolgirl, convinced it made her look like a tomato that was about to explode.

Severus had relaxed, but was now eyeing her with something more like concern. "That still doesn't explain why you're so on edge. ...Molly? Are you all right?"

Molly's heart skipped a beat as he said her name. What in the world does that mean, she wondered.

"They...well..." Say it straight out, Molly Prewett, she scolded herself. (She didn't let herself pause to reflect that the last time she had said that to herself, she had been trying to screw up her courage to ask the adorable but oblivious Arthur Weasley on a date in fourth year.) "They think I'm writing to my boyfriend."

Severus laughed.

"We're dating, that's good to know," Severus said, still chuckling. He looked over at Molly, her cheeks still flushed red, and he couldn't help but compare Molly to Lily. Lily blushed a rosy pink color, as opposed to the tomato red blush that Molly possessed. Yet Severus found Molly's tomato red face to be endearing and a little cute. Severus mentally shook away those thoughts, by saying, "Well, your sons have an imagination."

"Don't they," Molly chuckled. Despite her embarrassment, she was genuinely enjoying the ridiculousness of the situation. "You should have seen them! They were outraged."

"I imagine you set them straight quickly," Severus said. He wished he could have been there. Molly in a fit of righteous indignation would be a glorious sight to behold.

"I told them I'm a grown woman and it's entirely my business what I don't or don't do," Molly said primly.

"You tell them, sister!"

Molly and Severus both jumped at the rather loud intrusion. A middle-aged woman had come up to their table without them noticing. "Oh, Mabel, hello," Molly said, greeting another member of the yoga class. "Would...would you like to join us?"

"No, no, Molly, I'm just stopping to pick up a coffee on my lunch break, and I couldn't help but overhearing. Hello, Evan, how are you doing? As a second-timer in the dating pool myself, I have to say there's nothing harder than starting all over, unless it's your teenage son's reaction! I just wanted to tell you that our entire class is happy for you. The both of you."

This time, unlike earlier, Severus spilt his hot tea on his lap.

"What," Molly spluttered, clearing her throat to manage a more indignant tone as Severus swore and dealt with the hot spill on his slacks. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, Molly," winked Mabel. "I know you two were trying to hide, but we all knew." She batted her hand in Molly's direction. "We are so happy for you." Then Mabel's order was called, she bid farewell, and turned and leave.

"Can you believe the nerve -"

"Can't talk," Severus said, still muttering and cursing to himself. "A bit busy."

"Evan -" Molly began, then lowered her voice, "Severus."

The man looked up, his dark eyes flashing, "Mols, be quiet. We aren't at my house. A muggle could hear us."

"Mols," murmured Molly, her heart skipping a beat. Suddenly she was a teenager again, running from corridor to corridor out of curfew with teenaged Arthur. Arthur was calling her "Mols" or "Mollywobbles" (of course that particular pet name didn't occur until after Mols was exhausted. She looked up from her recently forgotten cup of tea at the man before, her cheeks paling at the realization. She had never wanted to tarnish the memory of her dearly departed husband - her soulmate - but yet something did.

"Oh Merlin, we are dating," Molly said and to herself: Arthur, please forgive me.

Severus didn't hear at first, or at least the comment didn't register. He was too busy being in pain from the hot tea...and after a moment it was easier to be in pain and ignore the reality sinking in, so he kept on doing it. And his mind churned.

Dating? Did his entire yoga class think he was dating Molly Weasley?

Did Molly's children think he was dating Molly Weasley?

Did he think he was dating Molly Weasley?

The answers were apparently yes, yes, no-maybe.

The crucial question was, did Molly think he was dating Molly Weasley?

Based on the flabbergasted look on her face, she did.

The shock in her brown eyes collapsed into devastation. Severus felt something in him shut down. Was it going to be this again? Was he going to lose another friendship because he was too foolish to appreciate the good he already had? For him, harboring feelings for a woman had only ever ended in loss... Since when had he been harboring feelings for Molly Weasley?! By now he had shredded a good five napkins to soggy rags.

"I-I'm sorry, Molly," he managed.

Since when? Since he had begun to write to her twice a week and eagerly await the sound of Errol colliding with his windowpane. Since he found that he liked watching her drink her tea in silence just as much as he liked discussing philosophy and politics with her. Since he had realized that warm brown eyes could be just as beautiful as striking green.

Molly started and stared at him like a startled doe. "Sorry for what?"

"For writing, for everything," Severus started to say. "What were you talking about?"

"Now wait one moment, Sev – Evan. It takes two to tango." Molly blushed then, recalling how that statement was so often used. "I didn't trick you into any of this."

"I know that," Severus said defensively, albeit enjoying the flushness of Molly's face. "You wrote to me twice a week, sometimes three, and I responded as that blasted owl drinks the tonic I made for him." The corner of lips twitched, he did fail to mention, after all, how he routinely make sure his owl tonics were fresh and did not go stale and that he gives Errol a pepper-up potion in hopes that it'll prolong Errol's unnaturally long life.

"Well, I don't see what there is to be sorry for." Crossing her arms, Molly sat back. "We're adults. We knew what we... Well, maybe we didn't know what we were getting into. At least I- I notice you're not denying that we've gotten into something." Suddenly she desperately wanted him to agree. She wasn't sure what she would feel if he denied it or got up and left, but she knew it wouldn't be good.

"We should leave," Severus said, pulling himself up and offering an arm to Molly. "I don't want to make a scene."

"Too late for that," Molly said blandly. Curious glances had lingered on them ever since Severus spilled his tea. Still, she stood with as much dignity as she could muster and followed him. They ended up walking through a small park. How wholesomely romantic, Molly couldn't help thinking. Or maudlin, depending on how you asked. If Fred and George had seen they would have acted as if she started snogging a Death Eater at Arthur's funeral. Another agonizing pang shook her, but she braced herself through it, sneaking a glance at Severus. "Well?"

"Well," Severus said finally, their short (but unbearably long walk) had ended and Severus realized that he had at last met his match on stubbornness. His eyes met Molly's. Normally Severus would want to win, would want to say something to infuriate the other person, but with the woman before him Severus couldn't bring himself to infuriate her anymore. Perhaps, the yoga class and Molly's children were correct. The two of them have done couple-ing things, such as they went to the cinema the other week.

Then a question surfaced, a question that Severus never imagined he would be given the chance, the privilege, to even consider. Rationally, Severus knew he should ignore the question, since Molly and him were not even dating but then again they were.

"Well, Molly," Severus said, bending down. He breathed, sending a quick apology to Arthur and to strike him down with the killing curse if he were crossed. Severus waited for a couple of seconds, no green light came, so he said:

"Marry me."

Molly's eyes nearly popped out of her head. "Are you crazy?" she blurted.

Seeing Severus' face, she blanched. "No, I didn't mean it like that. I just..." She laughed a little. She could hardly believe it. A marriage proposal, from a man she had been dating for months without realizing it, and she had just yelled in his face. "Do you have any idea what kind of dressing down I would give one of my children if they got engaged like this? And they don't even know... I can't, Severus. Not like this."

"Do you know how uncharacteristic this is of me," Severus said, articulating his words carefully, and his voice calm and low as if he was in a middle of teaching a lesson. He stood up. "I'll let you think about it. Goodbye, Mols." As he turned to leave, he stopped and chuckled. "Please consider the feeling of finally getting back at the twins for all their pranks and gray hair. It will surely shut them up for once." Then he left alone.