It was now mid-August and Rosie was coming to realise that soon Severus was going to leave home and teach at Hogwarts. It was a while before she realised fully that she would miss him deeply and that she didn’t want him to go. She didn’t even know when she would see him again, but she did want to see him during the school year.

This actually surprised Rosie, for she had not really acknowledged her true feelings towards Severus – that was until the day the TV had arrived. She had considered him a friend and a very close one at that, but ever since she had found herself close to kissing him she had realised how much he meant to her. But there was a change in Severus too, since the day that Severus had laid his head in her lap he had become slightly withdrawn from her. It wasn’t like he didn’t talk to her, he did, he even accompanied her on trips into London and helped her pick out clothes for her to try on – even though he looked bored out of his skull. However, every time they were close to touching he moved away so that they couldn’t. On the rare occasion that there was physical contact, he flinched. This upset Rosie though she said nothing to Severus. Rosie was a tactile person, she gave everyone hugs and kisses, so to not be able to do this to a very close friend of hers was disconcerting.

But nevertheless, Rosie realised that Severus was a complex person. A lot had obviously happened to him in his life, it explained his temper and his sarcasm (they always say that sarcasm is pent-up anger) and his lack of self-confidence. Anyone who saw Severus would think that he was a fairly confident person, he insulted people and always seemed sure of what he was doing, but that was in the lime light – and Rosie was sure that it was a self-preservation thing. Behind closed doors he did show himself to Rosie, he had told her how he just felt thoroughly depressed sometimes and had admitted to Rosie, on that unforgettable evening, that he had been bullied.

Rosie took from this what she could. Despite being a very non-tactile person he had shown her his true side and even admitted his own sadness. She thought that Severus did not do this to anyone and everyone and came to realise that he must trust her. This made Rosie feel pleasantly surprised and happy, he trusted her, not just anyone – her!

However, there was a niggling problem. And she couldn’t tell Severus about it, he was the problem. So instead she addressed a letter to her best friend Alina and waited a reply.

Hey Alina,

How are you? I’m okay, settling into my new house very well – I may even live here! Who knows? It’s certainly better than my previous place – the central heating works and there are no leaks in any of the pipes – happy days!

Basically Alina, I need your advice. I think that I am falling in love with my housemate, Severus –

There. She had said it; she was falling in love with Severus. No wait, she was in love with Severus but she couldn’t tell him. She just couldn’t. She loved him dearly but she was not sure that he returned her feelings. If she admitted to him how she felt and he didn’t reciprocate then it would make living with him very difficult indeed. And if she did tell him and they couldn’t live together she would have to move out and she didn’t want that. She might even lose him as a friend – at least if she didn’t tell him he’d still be a friend which was something.

Don’t even start, I know you. I don’t know whether I should tell him. If I do and he doesn’t love me back I might lose his friendship and trust and I might have to move out – I don’t want to do that again. I want to stay in one place. I think I’m going insane, I need your advice.

Please write back soon,

Love
Rosie xxx

So she sent the letter to Alina the following day and thankfully Alina wrote back promptly. Rosie hastily unrolled her letter and tried to decipher Alina’s messy handwriting.

Yo Rosie,

I’m fine thank you very much; looks like you’re not though. Only you would manage to move into the perfect house after years and years of trying and then fall in love with the owner only to worry whether you’ll have to move out again – typical.

I don’t know what to say, I’ve never really been in the same position. Didn’t you tell me that he is a teacher? Well, I suppose you could tell him on the first of September and then you wouldn’t have to worry about it for a few months and it would be his problem.

I reckon people get too worried about love anyway –

Oh, here we go again, though Rosie pessimistically. Alina’s advice always has the words ‘I reckon’ inevitably followed by ‘people get too worried about love’. The thing was Alina had this knack of finding guys who just simply told her how they felt. Why was life so complicated for everyone else?

After all, what does it matter? I think that you should try and find out how he feels about you. Take him out to the cinema or something and take him to dinner – just go out as friends. Then you can see what it would be like with him. With any luck he’ll realise that he loves you and confess his undying affection and you’ll get married and have lots of kids!

What does this mystery Severus Snape look like anyway? And don’t just say good looking – you know that I won’t believe you – why do always fancy the ugly ones?

Send me a reply ASAP,

Love you!

Alina
~x~

Rosie wrote a reply immediately telling Alina that he was gorgeous and described every detail of his face. She was sure that Alina would not find him attractive but never mind. Alina and Rosie always disagreed when it came to men, Rosie liked unusual men with big noses and dark hair, where as Alina like pretty-boys that everyone else thought was good looking. Hmm, spot the normal taste eh?

She sent the letter on its way with Severus’ owl – since he had one there didn’t seem to be any point going to the post office. Now all she had to do was act on Alina’s advice. It was actually good advice for a change, she just had to work out what Severus would want to do on a ‘date’, she was sure it wouldn’t be a Hugh Grant movie. In fact, he had told her that he detested Hugh Grant. She couldn’t see Severus at a musical – Rosie laughed, could you imagine?

“What’s so funny?” Severus had just entered the room and was frowning at Rosie.

“Nothing. Just trying to imagine you at a musical!” he continued to look perplexed. “Do you want to go out somewhere soon? We haven’t really done anything other than food shopping and clothes shopping. I don’t know what though, anything take your fancy?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Do you want to go to London? We could see a play, I suppose,” he shrugged.

“Yeah, that’s a good idea! We could eat out as well, make a whole trip of it.”

“No, wait, hang on. I know it’s not as exciting as the theatre but – erm, do you think we could go to some museums?”

“Which museum did you have in mind?” asked Rosie, a date to a museum – interesting.

“Well, the V and A have got a Gothic Exhibition going on. I would really like to see that. We could still eat out,” he added thoughtfully.

“That actually sounds quite good! What about this Saturday?”

“Don’t see why not. Oh, and I need to ask you something,” he said seriously sitting down at the kitchen table opposite Rosie.

“Oh?”

“You know that the Dark Lord has returned.”

“Yes,” said Rosie slowly.

“Do you support him?” Severus asked.

“Do I support him?” she repeated incredulously. “I’m almost offended! Of course I don’t! I’m Muggle born, remember? The scum of the Earth! The one’s that he wants to get rid of! You have no idea what it was like for me last time – when he was around. I was terrified for my family.” She sighed sadly. “Luckily nothing happened to them – but you can imagine how tense I feel now that I know he’s back.”

“I do apologise,” Severus said graciously. “I had no idea.”

“Yeah, well,” she said vaguely. “I tell you, one family that we knew did get tortured by – him – if I ever got my hands on a Death Eater…” she left the sentence hanging and Severus feeling mighty uncomfortable.

Severus swallowed and looked into her eyes intently for a moment. “Indeed. I believe you.”

“Why on Earth did you want to know that?” Rosie asked.

“Well, I am a member of the Order of the Phoenix. You’ve heard of that haven’t you?” Rosie nodded. “Right, well, we are meeting tonight and they, well I did too, we wondered if you would come along?”

“Do I have to join?”

“No, but, if you – if you want to then you can. I just wanted you to know what I do, so that I don’t have to sneak around.”

“Right. Well when do you leave?”

“In about twenty minutes.”

Rosie considered his proposition and then smiled. “Fine, I’ll come along, too.”

Severus grinned at her across the table. “Great! You can meet everyone!”

“Are they friends of yours?”

He looked uncomfortable. “Erm, in a way. Most of them are really just acquaintances and some of my students are going to be there as well, though they’re not going to be in the meeting.”

“Will I be allowed in the meeting?”

“If you join,” he said.

“I’ll think about it tonight. What do you do for the Order?”

“I’ll tell you if – and hopefully when – you join,” he said standing up. “I’m going to have a wash. I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

“All right then,” said Rosie watching him leave the room, wondering what on Earth she had let herself in for.

*

Twenty minutes Rosie and Severus were walking down a road in London towards Number twelve Grimmauld Place. Rosie wanted to test Severus to see if she could work out his feelings for her. As they neared the turning into Grimmauld Place Rosie moved closer to Severus so that when Severus took a step his body met hers. He didn’t seem to object to that so Rosie thought that she would just go for it. She linked her left arm through his right and lent towards him.

As expected, he stiffened somewhat but continued walking. Rosie was heartened and brought round her right hand to link with her left, meaning that Severus’ arm was completely encased. Severus stiffened some more. Rosie was once again heartened when he voiced no objection.

So Rosie thought that she would try something more daring. She brought down her hand and took his hand in hers, making sure that their fingers intertwined. His hand was laced with sweat and Rosie couldn’t tell whether it was the heat of the day or nervousness. She swore that she could feel his pulse through his fingers. She interlocked her fingers more tightly in his, savouring the feeling of his skin on hers. She felt a tingling sensation down her left thigh and a gnawing feeling in her stomach.

Rosie looked up at Severus and found that his eyes were closed and that there was a frown line deepening between his eyes. Rosie also realised that they had stopped moving and were standing, motionless in the middle of the street. Rosie turned and stood in front of him, and grabbed his free hand with hers, she caressed his fingers lightly and then she brought his hands so that they were near her hips.

Severus opened his eyes and gasped slightly and then wrenched his arms from her reach. He brushed past her and walked at a fast pace down the road, his movement’s jerky and his shoulders rounded.

At the entrance to Grimmauld Place he turned to her and called, “Come on, we will be late.”

Rosie shrugged defeatedly and followed Severus into the house. It was an odd house, Rosie thought. Like that of a dying person. She followed Severus down into a basement kitchen.

There were quite a few people in the kitchen. More, indeed, than Rosie had expected. Severus sat down in a corner and Rosie noticed miserably that there was no available seat near him, it looked as though Rosie would be sitting on her own.

“Hello, dear, you must be Rosie,” a large lady with a kindly face said to her.

“Yeah, hi, who are you?”

“Oh, how rude! I’m Molly Weasley – this is my husband Arthur,” she gestured at a thin balding man in the centre of the table, “my eldest Bill, Minerva McGonagall,” Rosie recognised her of course, she had been her Transfiguration teacher, “Tonks and Remus Lupin.”

Rosie smiled at them all in turn and they smiled back. She vaguely recognised the faces of Lupin and Tonks, she could have sworn that she had seen them at Hogwarts – she probably had.

The man named Remus Lupin gestured for her to sit next to him and she obliged, casting a look at Severus as she did, to her dismay he was not looking at her but idly examining his own fingernails.

“So,” he said, “you’re Severus’ new housemate! We’ve all been wondering who’s managed to put up with him! Congratulations.”

Rosie smiled. “Thanks, he’s not that bad though.”

“Really? Must have changed a lot then, I knew him from school!”

That caught Rosie’s attention. “From Hogwarts? Were you a friend of his?”

“Er…no, not really. We didn’t get on very well at all actually, I wouldn’t say that I hated him but, he didn’t really make it easy for himself.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, he wasn’t very popular. And not just that, he never really tried to fit in, he was picked on – not that he couldn’t hold his own – anyway, that’s ancient history! How are you coping?”

Rosie laughed. “Well, you know, we’re at each other’s throat all the time,” she said sarcastically. “I don’t know how long he’s going to put up with me. Actually,” Rosie cast a look around the table, everyone else was talking, so they weren’t being overheard, “he’s been a bit off with me recently.”

“He’s always off with everyone. I would worry about it. Then again, he did seem to get along with you – we were all surprised, I didn’t think that he got on with anyone.”

“Ha ha, no it’s just that every time I touch him he backs away!”

“I wouldn’t get too bothered – I say a nice sentence to him and he goes on the defensive, just be grateful that he likes you!”

“Yeah, I suppose,” she said though she didn’t feel at all reassured by this news. “Anyway, why are we talking about Severus – what about you? You haven’t told me anything.” Rosie said joyfully.

Rosie and Remus chatted for a while until the dinner was served. It was an enjoyable night, and it really did last way into the night. Rosie decided that she would join the Order, though she was not prepared to actually do anything for the foreseeable future. She had just got settled into her new life and being in the Order was a bit risky.

At about eleven Severus suggested that they make a move. It had been the first thing that he had said to her all evening and Rosie wondered what the journey home would be like. She was getting ready to leave and had just promised Remus Lupin that they would meet up on Saturday when she got a tap on the shoulder.

It was Minerva McGonagall. She beckoned her into an empty room and shut the door behind her.

“Hello Rosie, long time no see!” she said.

“Indeed! You haven’t changed you know.”

“You have though, I actually wanted to tell you something. I’ve been chatting to Severus. Despite our being from different Houses we are, I suppose, friends. At least, as close to Severus as anyone I know – bar you. He likes you, Rosie – a lot.”

“Erm, thanks – I think,” said Rosie, not really knowing what to say but feeling that it would be impolite to say nothing.

“What I really mean to say is, dear, be careful.”

“Be careful?”

“Severus, for all his mean outlook and brusque manner is a fragile man. Don’t hurt him.”

“How would I hurt him?”

“I think that you can work that out. May I remind you that there is only one more weekend until Hogwarts begins another year.”

“Yeah, I know, I’m missing Sev in advance,”

“He lets you call him ‘Sev’, does he?” Minerva asked raising an eyebrow above the rim of her square-framed glasses. Rosie nodded, but Minerva made no further enquires. “May I say one more thing, quickly – I think Severus will be suitably impatient by now.”

Rosie laughed, “Yeah?”

“He’s shy, in his own very peculiar way. He won’t tell you what he thinks may be thrown back in his face.”

“That’s very cryptic of you Professor!”

“Please, call me Minerva,” she said surveying Rosie through her glasses. “And, Rosie, I’m sure you will understand my coded message in time.”

“Why can’t you just tell me now?”

“That would ruin the fun!” she said and she bade Rosie goodbye and left the room.

Rosie felt slightly confused but nevertheless she left the room and met Severus in the hallway. He looked at her closely before saying, “Come on then, I’m exhausted.”

“Yeah, same,” she said as they walked out into the cool night air. When they rounded the corner five minutes later and they still weren’t talking, Rosie decided to take direct action.

“Look Severus,” she began, “I’m really sorry about what happened earlier. I was just testing the water – I wasn’t sure how you’d react to being touched.”

“I don’t mind being touched but you went a bit far!” he said, staring at her incredulously.

“I’m sorry, but really what did I do?”

“You-you – held me, touched me in a manner that was most inappropriate,” Rosie rolled her eyes.

“Most inappropriate! You are so full of crap you know! What is so offensive about holding hands?”

“It’s what you were implying beneath it!” he shouted.

“And what was I implying beneath it?” Rosie asked furiously.

“Gah, never mind! You wouldn’t understand,” he turned away and continued walking down the street.

“Thank you very much!” Rosie shouted after him.

“It was a pleasure,” he said and he Apparated out of the street.

A/N: Alina is also mine......maw ha ha! Thanks to those two wonderful people who have reviewed! I hope that you have noticed that I've updated! Yeah, this is light-hearted to a point. It does have its serious moments but what would life be like if there was no humour? Don't worry, Rosie does not turn into Snape - neither does Snape turn into Rosie, come to think of it! Thanks to those who have read so far, keep reading ... and reviewing!