-=Bless Jo, for letting us run wild with fanfiction.=-

A Different Kind of Girl

A Tinder Evening

*

Snape's chuckle was dry and humourless. "You must be joking, I don't believe you."

"Yeah this is some clever rouse to get you out of the house. I'm so clever I couldn't even figure out my own plan." Bethany's sarcasm was of the cheerful variety. "Three things you need to remember, please, thank you, and chew with your mouth shut. No see-food at the table."

"I'm not five." Snape remarked, straightening his neck tie in the reflecting glass.

"Good, cause I don't want children." Bethany propped her feet up on the ottoman.

Snape feigned casual question, "yeah?"

"Nope, never have. Never cared much about getting married, come to that. Maybe it was because I was an only child." Tracing the pattern in the brocade.

"I'm an only child as well." Taking a seat near by.

"You'll know what I mean then. No one under-foot, no nappies or other gross stuff." She presented the facts as she knew them.

"You don't want to leave a legacy, a gift to the world to carry on after you've gone?" Less casual this time, perhaps he aught to stop while he was ahead.

"Wait one moment. You're not implying...we...umm?" Bethany grew more tense by the minute.

Defending himself. "Forget I said anything." Snape stood and retrieved their cloaks. "Your parents will be expecting us." Helping her into her cloak. "Lets have a nice evening. Shall we." Snape reached to take her arm.

"You know Sev, two things I've learned in my life. One, first instincts are usually best. And two, you can never take words back. They become physical bodies when you say them."

~*~

The conversation at the dinner table was punctuated with awkward silences. Bethany was going spare. Severus had been forced into many social occasions where he was forced to participate, so had a certain amount of experience to draw from. "Severus, pardon me for being so forward. Bethany mentioned you'd be retiring at the end of the next school year. Do you have plans?"

Quirking his mouth to Bethany, Severus addressed Mrs. Tilde. "As a matter of fact I do. First thing I'll do will be setting up a Potions Lab. I will research potions as cures for illnesses and other such maladies. I will have written into the contract with St. Mungos that I will be the sole provider for those potions. I'll consent to make others of course, those will come at a premium. Once my enterprise is fully launched, my goal is to marry your daughter and have six or seven children. I have a very nice estate from my mother's family, that is begging to be filled with family."

Bethany started choking on her lamb cutlet. Snape pulled out his wand calmly. Anapneo.

"You forgot one thing dear Severus. I don't want to have kids, ever." Her eyebrows drew together in a scowl.

"There are nannies and such that may be employed. The option to adopt older war orphans is open to us. You'd make a great mother. You're fun, energetic, talented, and you keep things interesting." Shrugging Snape ended, "and that's just the tip of the iceberg."

"So what you're saying Mr. Snape is that you want a life-time commitment with my daughter." Tom studied Snape shrewdly. "Having babies requires resources, are potions big business? I would think witches and wizards would know how to make whatever potion they wanted."

"Traditionally there are five years of Potions Education. Producing a potion isn't always straight forward. A baker knows that flour absorbs liquids at varying rates, under different conditions. The same is true for Potions. For example: if it's raining outside I may cut-back on carrier liquids. Beyond my business venture, I have nearly about ten years salary from working at the school. My needs are simple, not having to pay for food or board, it sort of accumulated. Then there is a small inheritance that was settled on me when the last Prince passed on, which happened to be my cousin. And the estate is mine lock, stock and barrel. Bethany and the children wouldn't want for anything." Snape looked pleased with himself.

Standing, arms braced on the table. "You unbelievable git, this was supposed to be two weeks with the option to renew."

"Bethany if every week I had to woo you all over, I'd do it. You're worth it. And yes, I want nothing more than to make you my wife. I want children, and you'd do famously."

"What about my career? I want to write, not wipe up bums. Not to mention travel, I don't want to be tied to a lot of titchy midgets." Bethany's face reddened with the effort not to stomp out of the room.

Peaked. "What about one? You can have your career, I would never stop you from pursuing personal goals."

Mr and Mrs. Tilde left the table, taking their tea to the sittingroom. "Damn right you won't, I'm not going to give you a chance."

"You're just scared." Snape accused. Taking his napkin from his lap, Snape stood to face Bethany. "I must have been mistaken. The Bethany I knew had a boat-load of nerve." Very dignified, "please thank your mother and father for me."

"So you're just going to go?" Bethany couldn't quite meet his gaze.

"Yes Ms. Tilde, it has been a pleasure. I do mean that. Thank you." Snape let himself out.

~*~

Mrs. Tilde stood in her cute lemon yellow kitchen hand washing dishes. "Mum. Sorry I made a mess of dinner." Mrs. Tilde pruney fingers brush her daughter's hair back, peering at her intently.

With unexpected ferocity the older woman let out her frustration. "Bet, Luv. That bastard you married years ago didn't just frighten you. He did something far worse, he scared you away from life."

Bethany found too much truth in her mother's words to be ignored. She couldn't find the strength inside her to fight instinct. Severus' words curled up around her heart to sleep.

~*~

Fin

~*~

AN/ This was a sort of quirky story that sort of fell out of my head. It was fun to write, I hope you enjoyed reading it.

Be The Peace,

Varity Sinning