Saving Severus (A Severus Snape Love Story) On Hiatus

Chapter Twenty-One

We all walked together to Madame Rosmerta's pub, her food was to die for and the atmosphere was always inviting (despite the shrunken heads). Since living at Hogwarts, I would always come to Rosmerta's to rewind and do some work without the pressure of the school.

"Ah Erin, my favourite customer, what can I do for you today?" Rosmerta asked me as Severus and I entered the pub first, my dad and Violetta right behind us.

"A table for four please." I smiled at her. She simply nodded before she led us to a cosy table at the back of the pub, nicely tucked away in the corner so that no one would bother us. "Could we have four butter beers please?" I asked her before she disappeared back to the bar.

"How are you finding Hogwarts Erin?" Violetta asked me as she handed her coat over to my father for him to hang up behind him.

"I love it here. The kids are great, the staff are so friendly. Obviously it's hard work but I think it's great." I smiled.

"See I told you that this job was a good fit for you." My father said as Rosmerta set the drinks down on the table and handed everyone a menu.

"I'll send someone over in a few minutes to take your order." Rosmerta smiled before disappearing again.

"So, Severus, what are your intentions with the light of my life, the apple of my eye, my daughter?" My dad asked, just as Severus was taking a sip of his drink, which in turn caused him to spit it right back out again.

"I umm... I..." Severus spluttered, not really sure how he was supposed to respond to such a serious question so early on in our relationship. This was such a typical thing for my father to do, not that he's ever been faced with a boyfriend of mine.

"Dad!" I yelled, slightly annoyed that he would throw that at Sev. "You can't just ask someone that. Don't pay any attention to him, he's a bit new to all of this. You know considering how I never dated anyone else really."

"Sure I can Erin. He's dating you, my daughter, the most important person in my life. I can ask him whatever I want." My dad huffed. "And if I can't get them from him, I'll ask someone else." My eyes darted to Violetta for help.

"Right, I think I've decided what I want to eat, panino cotoletta sounds devine. I haven't had a chicken dish cooked by someone else in a long time. What about you three? What are you having?" She asked, effectively diverting my dad's attention away from me and Severus.

"I'm sorry about him, he's not the best at being subtle." I said as I helped him mop up his spilt drink. "He must be under a lot of pressure at work, he's not normally that blunt unless he's stressed."

"You don't say. The man came dressed like a banana for crying out loud." He smiled at me before he added something else. "He's just worried about you, he's a good man who loves his daughter dearly, I can't fault him for that." He smiled at me.

"Thank you for not going ape with him. I know you have a bit of a temper on you at times." I smiled at him as the waiter came to take our orders.

For the rest of the meal it went without much of a hiccup and soon we were finishing our meals and taking a walk around Hogsmeade. My father was walking ahead with Severus, having a worryingly deep conversation with him, leaving Violetta and I time to talk.

"Severus seems nice. A good match for you. How long have you two been together?" She asked me as we were looking through some books in the bookshop which Violetta wanted to go in before she headed back to work.

"A while I guess, I don't really remember when it all started. It just kind of happened." I smiled at her. "How did you meet my father?" I asked, never having been told this story by the man himself.

"Well I got a promotion and moved into his office. He was very kind in helping me to settle in. We used to have the same break time so we would always go and get a coffee together. And well I could see that he was lonely, especially now that you had moved out, so I invited him out for drinks. And here we are."

"Yes, here we are." I laughed. Thinking how similar our situations were. "Isn't it funny how things work out like that?"

"Yes it is a bit funny. Anyway, I better go find your father, we are supposed to be getting back to work soon. I don't have the stamina to face a telling off from the minister." She sighed as she put the book that she was currently holding back on the shelf.

"Well it was nice meeting you. I hope that I'll see you again soon. And in advance can I say thank you for my christmas presents, my dad is appalling at picking out gifts... especially for women." I smiled at her.

"I guess I know who to thank for my present then." She laughed before she enveloped me into a hug before she left me in the shop in search of my father. I gave her a few minutes before I followed her and found them, along with Severus, just outside the apothecary.

"Darling! I will speak to you soon. Be good, stay out of trouble. And let Severus look after you." My father said to me as he hugged me before shaking hands with the dark man beside him. "It was nice to meet you Severus, and remember what we talked about." My father threatened lightly before he bid us goodbye.

"So... what exactly did you two talk about?" I asked Severus, raising my eyebrow at him. "Did he say something ridiculous?"

"That business is between your father and I, and I think that is where it should stay for now." Severus said, rather abruptly, before he entered the shop to replenish his stores, leaving me with little to no choice but to follow him or walk back up to the castle on my own.

When I walked into the store I found Severus already making the store assistant run ragged around the store like a headless chicken as Severus ordered out to him all of the ingredients that he would need. I watched from the doorway with amusement and with a little sympathy for the shop assistant. Trust me, I know that Severus can be difficult at the best of times. Yet... he was always looking out for people in their bests interests, whether they knew it or not, a lot of people would be at a loss without him.