The Harry Potter world is JKR's property, I own none of it.

Glimmer

Sacrifices

Their talks became less general over the next couple of days. Evelyn had decided she needed some kind of occupation both to fight back boredom and to regain some sense of independence.

Evelyn double checked her appearance, while Severus watched discretely in stony silence. He thought he was doing the right thing, it didn't however change the fact that he felt like she was trying to get away from him. If she hadn't been the real McCoy would he have allowed her to be away from him? If she'd been just some woman, any woman he wouldn't have had qualms about keeping her in a gilded cage. But she wasn't some woman, she was The woman. She had been unattainable, young, vital and full of promise for her stellar future.

So much had changed though. She was upon his discovery; a broken, wretched, frightened witch. Was he trying to prove to himself that she had really wanted him? He hoped desperately that he wasn't making a huge mistake.

She hadn't realized that Snape was so near at hand when she hallood her good-bye.

~*~

Evelyn slumped into the chair, “that went as well as I could have hoped for.” Severus looked over his Daily Prophet at her. “I got a job, it doesn't pay much. Before you get yourself worked up, I think that you need to remember now that I'm Evelyn, I have no formal education behind me. I have no notable background or parchment-trail, I took what I could get.” Evelyn sat down hard.

“What did you get Evelyn?” Severus was concerned.

“Night maid at the Leaky Cauldron. Tom's letting me a room, it's not much but it's better than the one I worked in.” Severus frowned, “but at least I don't have to have sex for money if I don't want to.”

Severus held up a cautionary hand, “wait, stop right there. Are you telling me that you plan on whoring?”

Getting to her feet, “I have no plans to whore.” Evelyn walked past the warm fire to the long windows covered against the wintry chill. Pulling aside the weighty drapes, she wiped the condensation from the window to peer out into the grounds.

“Maybe you have no Plans, but you're open to the possibility. I can't believe it, I absolutely can't believe it. I get you away from all that, only for you to return to it. Don't take me for a fool,” Severus shouted. “Night maid indeed. What I want to know is, am I so bad that fucking men for money is more appealing? Well, is it?”

Turning to Snape with fire in her eyes, “it's got nothing to do with you. Absolutely nothing. I have a chance to make my own life, make my own decisions, to take care of myself, if times get hard it's an open possibility.” It was clear to Evelyn that she and Severus inhabited two different worlds. “Look Severus, it isn't personal.”

Severus wasn't having any of it, turning to leave. “Go. Leave then, if that's your choice.” I just wish I knew what happened to the woman that wanted to marry me. He walked out of the room.