Author's Note:

Readers,

I know I finished this story…

But I clearly have an addiction to writing Snape fanfiction. The following chapters will be one-shots, no lasting drama, and a lot of fluff. They may or may not be in chronological order… We'll see. I hope you enjoy!

Their First Halloween:

"Why aren't you at the feast, Professor?"

Severus looked up from his desk. He hadn't heard the door open. Rose was peering in, halfway across the threshold. "I thought you had to work tonight," Severus said, in an emotionless tone.

"I traded shifts," Rose told him. She stepped into the office and gently shut the door behind her. "I'll work tomorrow night instead."

Severus sighed. "I see."

"I looked for you in the Great Hall," Rose remarked. "I ran into Ephraim; he said that he hadn't seen you at any meals today."

"I've been busy," Severus said simply, gesturing to the parchment sprawled out in front of him.

"Are you too busy for some company?" Rose said hesitantly.

Severus surveyed Rose; he chewed on the insides of his cheeks, making his face gaunt. "Why did you come tonight?" Severus asked her after a long moment, his voice was weary.

Rose was quickly realizing that she completely misjudged the situation. Was her presence unwanted? Severus and Rose had already been through so much together, yet their 'relationship' was still so new. Rose constantly had to remind herself of this, not wanting to cross too many boundaries too soon. "I wanted to see you?" she told Severus in a small, unconvincing voice.

He gave Rose a look of utter exhaustion. "And what is the real reason?"

"I just thought that maybe you wouldn't want to be alone tonight," Rose told him. She still stood by the door, unsure if her presence was welcome.

"I have spent this night alone in the past. I've spent many nights alone. It is ridiculous to think that 'this night' would be different from any other," Severus said.

Rose pressed her lips together. "Yes," she began, "I know you do very well on your own, Severus. It's just, you don't have to be alone if you don't want to be."

Severus continued to eye her; his face unreadable.

"I can leave," Rose offered, pointing back at the door.

Severus shook his head only a fraction of an inch. It was enough for Rose. She approached and leaned in, resting her elbows on his desk. They were at eye level. Rose gave him a sad, little smile.

"Stop," Severus grimaced.

"Stop what?" Rose asked, confused.

"You are looking at me like you are expecting me to fall apart."

Rose straightened. "Sorry," she said shortly. "I didn't mean-"

"I know," Severus assured her coarsely.

"I know it's not rational, necessarily, to connect feelings to a significant day, but it is human nature," Rose said. "You can talk to me about it."

The legs of Severus's chair scraped angrily against the stone floor as he stood and took a step away from Rose, his back turned. "There is nothing to discuss," Severus said crudely. He unconsciously pulled at the ends of his hair. Rose stepped forward and touched Severus's forearm. He immediately dropped his hand. His body untightened slightly. "What do you want me to say?" He turned towards her again.

"I don't have any expectations," Rose told him. She wondered if he did not want her around today. This was his space to think about Lily and perhaps Rose was spoiling it. Selfishly, Rose hated the thought of Severus spending the day with 'her' perfect memory. Rose didn't want to be displaced. "I just want to be the one to comfort you," she admitted.

Something in Severus's face snapped at Rose's words. His eyes looked suddenly deranged. He took in a sharp breath. "I do not want to be comforted," Severus told her. "Especially not by you."

Rose opened her mouth to protest.

"No," Severus cut across her. "You're right," he allowed bitterly. "You're right in thinking that this day is wretched, but I deserve to feel every last bit of guilt and pain associated with it."

"Severus, you made a mistake," Rose pleaded with him. "You didn't know what would happen."

Severus let out an errant noise. "I knew exactly what I was doing."

Rose's brows knit together.

Severus moved in closer to Rose. He wore a look of repulsion on his face. Rose could not tell if that look was for her or himself. Severus stuck out two fingers and gently stroked down Rose's cheek. "Have you ever been afraid of me, Rose?" Severus hissed.

Rose jerked her face away from him. "Of course not," she answered defiantly.

"Then you're a fool," Severus jabbed.

"What are you getting at?" Rose asked angrily.

"You want to be the one to comfort me?" he mocked. "Today? About this?"

"Severus, I-"

"You are extraordinarily good," he continued sickeningly. "It's a wonder that such a 'good' and 'well-meaning' woman would willingly love, not just one but two, deatheaters." All the color drained from Rose's face. "But you do not ignore the things we've done, do you? No, your goodness affects your judgement. It affects your judgement of me."

"Stop painting me out to be some stupid, doe-eyed little girl," Rose said fiercely. "You don't know what it's like to be me. You don't know what I believe."

"And what do you 'believe' I thought would happen when I decided to join the deatheaters?" Severus questioned her. "I didn't think I was signing up for a bloody book club! I knew full well that people were going to get hurt. I knew that people would die. You are too… 'innocent' to comprehend the willingness, the desire, to hurt another person."

Rose was shaking now with clenched fists.

"When I heard the prophecy that would make the Dark Lord go after the Potters, I did not know which child the prophecy referred to. I didn't know it would be…" he trailed off, his face distorted with pain. "But I knew someone would die…a child, a family."

Angry tears spilled silently down Rose's cheeks.

Severus felt a disgusted sense of satisfaction with his arguments. She needed to hear every last word. Then a deep feeling of dread washed over him. "How could you love a man like that?"

Rose wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Are you finished?" she asked in a strained voice.

Severus was still. He stared at her, holding his breath, waiting for her to run out the door. "You needed to hear it."

"Are you really so arrogant," Rose began, "that only you could think rationally?"

Severus chewed his tongue. He felt his body start to relax when he realized that Rose was not about to leave him.

"I'm sorry that I am just a 'good, fool,'" Rose looked off to the side for a moment trying to recall Severus's past words, "who is too 'innocent' to…comprehend how I feels. Thank Merlin, that I have you to tell me what's right and wrong."

"Rose-"

"No," Rose interjected putting her hands on her hips. "No, you tell me, Severus. Since you know best. How could I possibly love you? Should I just walk out the door and never look back?"

Severus was silent.

"Now you have nothing to say?" Rose said roughly. She briefly brought her hand to her temple, then looked towards Severus. "Do you regret it all, Severus?" Her voice took on a slightly gentler tone.

Severus clenched his lids tight and nodded. He opened his eyes when he felt Rose's palm brush against his cheek. She was staring up at him with her large brown eyes. Rose's expression was that of love, but laced with pity. Severus's insides burned with shame as he forced himself to look back at her.

"I don't know what it was like for you back then," Rose whispered. "But I imagine a young man, lonely, looking for a place of acceptance. Then this young man is recognized for his talents and taken in." Rose was almost sure that Severus would interrupt her and object, but he didn't. "Could I possibly blame him then? I find it difficult to do so." Rose reached for one of Severus's hands. She cupped it with her hands over her heart. Severus's own heart matched her pounding rhythm. "Yes, you put your faith and support in the wrong people, but since then you have made amends."

"I can never make up for what I've done," Severus breathed.

I know your past," Rose returned. "I haven't forgotten, but I love the man I see in front of me now. I wish you could know how safe and loved I feel when I'm near you."

Severus fought, reminding himself that he should not so easily give in, yet he eagerly latched on to every word.

Without warning, Rose wrapped herself around Severus. It took him a moment to react. He allowed himself to be held. He carefully wrapped his arms around Rose and rested his cheek against the top of her head.

Rose smiled against his chest, then pulled away only slightly so that she could look up at him. "Do you want me to stay with you?" Rose asked him.

"Yes," he answered almost inaudibly.

"Then I'll stay," Rose said simply.

Severus never spent a Halloween night alone for the rest of his life.