GINGERSNAPS

62. Occlumency

The evening Snape arrived to exchange gifts with Olivia. And it would also be the first time Charlie had been around Snape since they started dating. In the drawing room, she sat out some tea and biscuits on the coffee table.

Charlie was fidgeting on the sofa, glancing at the door every few minutes. "Would you relax? Nothing is gonna happen, he'll love you." She said taking a seat next to him.

"Love is a strong word to use." He said, straightening his shirt.

Olivia rolled her eyes, "Okay, how about he won't completely hate you?" She teased, laughing when Charlie let out a sigh.

"I've never done this, I have never met someone I'm dating, parents." He explained, rubbing his palms on his pant legs.

Olivia took his hand in hers, "I've never done any of this before, but I know that I love you and that makes anything worth it." She said sweetly with a smile.

Charlie looked at her smile, those lips that was sweeter than the berries that her lips was a similar shade of. He couldn't resist when she looked at him like that. Like everything in the world was beautiful and kind, just because she willed it to be.

He cupped her cheek, running his thumb across her bottom lip. "I love you." He said smiling back at her. They heard approaching footsteps in the hall and Charlie pulled away.

When Snape come into the room, Charlie was the first on his feet, moving passed Olivia. He held out his hand to the raven haired man, "Happy Christmas, sir." He said.

Charlie wanted to make a good impression on the man, even though he had been Snapes student for many years, he wanted to show him who he became once he left school. Who the person that was now dating his daughter.

Snape looked at the outstretched hand, then to his daughter. She stood behind Charlie with a pleading face. Reluctantly, he shook his hand, giving it a firm squeeze before releasing it. Olivia stepped around Charlie.

"Happy Christmas, Dad." She said with a grinning, she wrapped her arms around him expecting that he would do what he normally did when she hugged him, awkwardly leaving his arms by his sides.

But to her surprise, Snape hugged her back. Briefly.

"Happy Christmas, Olivia." He said, pointedly leaving out Charlie's name.

"Come sit, I made you some gingersnaps." She said gesturing towards the couch and arm chairs. Charlie returned to his spot on the couch and Snape sat in one of the chairs. Olivia stood, not sure where it sit at, so she chose the safe option by her dad.

She picked up the wrapped gift on the table and handed it to Snape. He accepted it and peeled away the paper and bow. Inside was a family ring, just like the one she wore of the Snape Family crest.

"I hope you like it. We can match, I didn't know it but Charlie got me one too for Christmas." Olivia said showing off the hand with the ring that matched his gift. Charlie gave a soft smile. "Now, all the Snapes has them." She softly smiled.

Snape looked at her hand where she wore his family crest on the ring placed on index finger. He noticed the Black family ring that she wore on her thumb. He picked up his ring out of the box and slide it on the same hand and finger she wore hers on. "It's nice." He said.

"I thought she should have family rings for both of her families." Charlie explained, Snape looked him intensely. "For the one she is and for the one she chose." He finished saying. Snape only nodded in response.

Silence filled the room for a moment. Charlie cleared his throat, "How about I let you two spend some time together, Ollie, if you need me I'll be in the kitchen." He said standing, hastily he decided to just pat her shoulder before walking out the room.