After All This Time

Snivellus

Aleah packed light for the holidays, and she and Reya went to the Hogwarts Express to go back to London.

When they got to the empty compartment, Aleah was tired and just looked at the window facing the platform, and there she saw Severus looking at her, once their eyes met he nodded and went back to the castle.

Aleah quickly sat back up and looked at Reya, who is now giving her a questioning look,

"You okay?", Reya asked.

"Y-yeah. Anyway, how was last night? I got tired and so I went to bed first.", she replied.

"It was fun but not for Finn, he seemed to be upset on something. What did he tell you? Or what did you tell him?", asked Reya while munching on her food.

"Nothing.", said Aleah and her best friend eyed her intently, thinking that something is going on with Finn that Aleah is not telling her.

"Okay.", said Reya and shifted her attention back to her food.

Aleah opened her book and read to stop herself from thinking about what happened last night. She can't stop thinking about the kiss. She always touch her lips to try and feel the sensation of being kissed by her professor again.

The train stopped, telling them that they finally arrived at London. Both Reya and Aleah quickly stood up, got their bags and went outside to meet their parents.

"Princess.", said Sirius and hugged Aleah,

"Dad!", said Aleah squealing and hugging her father, "I missed you so much!", she added.

"I missed you more love.", said Sirius. He ended the hug and grabbed Aleah's bag.

"Hello Sirius!", said Reya, waving at Sirius, "Bye Aleah! I'm gonna miss you!", she added while going to Aleah and hugged her.

"I'm gonna miss you too Reya, write to me.", Aleah said, returning the hug.

"Let's go Reya, your mum is making your favorites.", said Remus, looking at them and nodding to Sirius, "We're going now Sirius. Take good care of Aleah.", Remus jokingly added making them all laugh and they all went to their cars and into their homes.

The ride home to the Black's house is full of laughter and stories about Aleah's studies at Hogwarts. Aleah told her about the goal of being the top student again of their class and things about Finn, avoiding those little interactions with her Potions professor.

"What's your answer to Finn?" asked Sirius, while silently wishing his daughter didn't said yes.

"I didn't answer him, Professor Snape interrupted us because were so close to each other.", said Aleah and looking at her father, looking for some hint of expression in his question.

"But what would be your answer if Snape did not interrupt you?", Sirius asking again, intent in his tone.

"No dad, relax. I would definitely say no.", said Aleah while bursting into a laugh because of how serious his father is. And Sirius joined her too, laughing with contentment that her daughter did not do the opposite of what she did.

They finally arrived home and Aleah quickly ran to the kitchen, seeing her favorite food placed on the table she immediately sat down and ate the pie her dad made for her. Sirius followed her daughter to the kitchen after putting Aleah's bag in her room and sat down opposite to Aleah.

"Dad, you and Professor Snape are on the same year at Hogwarts right?", Aleah asked while still munching on her food.

"Yes love, why do you ask?", said Sirius while getting a piece of the pie and joining her daughter to eat.

"Is he that grumpy and annoying before?", said Aleah who is now looking at her father.

"Oh no love, he's quite. I, Remus and James being silly tend to bully Severus.", said Sirius while letting out a small laugh and Aleah suddenly stopped eating, taken aback by what her father just said,

"Professor Snape was bullied?", said Aleah while still in shock and processing what she just heard from her father.

Sirius just laughed and said, "Oh, Snivellus", then softly laughed again, reminiscing those days.