How could we have ignored this for so long?--1980 (open)

Elisabetta Domenici sighed as she walked out of The Three Broomsticks, a package of books, quills, and parchment tucked securely under her arm. She smiled as she remembered the Hogsmeade weekends she'd experienced while still a student at Hogwarts, how what she had just bought that day would be designated as school supplies. Now, however, they were being used for a different purpose. She'd taken to keeping diaries, a hobby she had started in her third year and had continued up until then. It was always nice to go back and read about what happened at Hogwarts during her seven years; sometimes, however, she did get emotional, particularly when she read about Severus Snape.

She closed her eyes and stopped momentarily, feeling a sharp pain in her heart as the image of his face ran through her mind. Though she'd known that she would never have gotten over him while still at school, what she hadn't expected was that even now at age 20, she was still thinking about him. It was odd...she hadn't seen him for almost three years, and more than likely she wouldn't recognize him if he did show up, but still...what she wouldn't give to see him just one more time.

Severus Snape, who, out of a weird moment of sentimentality, had just stepped out of Honeydukes' after grabbing some candy, suddenly stopped in his tracks as he spotted someone he hadn't seen in three years.

Elisabetta Domenici.

She was the same, yet she wasn't the same. She still had her long hair, yes, but she looked so...different...out of a Hogwarts uniform. Back then they'd been in the same house...now, they were two separate entities moving around in their own worlds. Severus wished it weren't like that, but--

Go talk to her, moron. he chided himself. She's not going to bite.

A second after he'd thought this, he saw Betta turn her head and look at him. In the instant that their eyes met, Severus felt electricity race down his body. Her eyes held his; he saw a shock of recognition cross her face, which then turned into a beautiful smile. He began making his way over to her, eager to catch up on old times.

"Severus?" Betta exclaimed, hurrying over to meet him. "Severus! Merlin's beard, it's been too long!" She threw her arms around him. "You're looking well...how have you been doing? I mean...yeah, how have you been?"

Betta stood back to look at him, not quite believing that her wish had come true. "It's so odd not seeing you in a Slytherin uniform." she laughed. "We're adults...when did that happen?"

Severus returned the hug. "It has been way too long, Betts. And yes, you also look odd not wearing a uniform." he chuckled. "You look wonderful. Oh, hey...do you want to go grab a butterbeer? We can catch up on old times and laugh about our Slytherin days."

"That sounds great." Betta agreed. The two of them turned round and walked to the Three Broomsticks. When Severus offered to get the drinks, Betta went to find a relatively private place to sit at, and discovered an empty table in the corner of the room. She sat down and watched Severus collect the drinks, then waved her hand to let him know where she was at.

"Butterbeer...you know, it doesn't matter how many of these things I have, I can never get enough." she commented, taking a sip. "I remember one Hogsmeade weekend when I ordered one and ended up spilling it all over myself when Jerith McKennon came up from behind and scared me."