One would think, rather easily, that sitting down to enjoy a rare piece of exceptional music on a Sunday evening would be a peaceful affair. Not so, said the interruptive knocking on the door to his barely frequented room.

Severus glared sideways from his leather chair and his plain surroundings. When he'd retreated here, he'd asked for nothing from anyone except peace and quiet.

There were only three people that ignored his edict.

The first was Dumbledore, a natural exception as the headmaster and his closest confidant.

He checked his watch and noted that, no, at seven o'clock on a Sunday evening, it could not have been the second person, otherwise known Filch, the slimy, conniving man, who just couldn't stop coming to tattle on each little movement during the nights. Most of the time, it was useless, although helpful enough on occasion not to stop it. The absolute last person he wanted to see while listening to Mozart's Requiem, was a young, inexperienced elective professor.

He wondered if he could wait them out, whichever one it was. Perhaps they'd go away if he just sat here long enough.

The knocking came again, followed by a plaintive and now slightly annoyed, "I know you're in there. I can practically hear you glaring at me through the door, Professor Snape."

Of course, it was you. Even Dumbledore had the decency to leave him be on a Sunday. He scrubbed his hand over his face and groaned inwardly. Some perverse part of him would almost rather it have been Filch. Somehow, he could have sat through listening to the rest of this cathartic symphony while listening to the sniveling, but you?

Slanting another glare at the door, he made his decision. He couldn't very well have you knocking down the door, now could he? True, there were protection and silencing spells surrounding the apparition foyer just outside the stairs leading up to his floor, but honestly, a very quiet part of his brain acknowledged his interest in whatever it was that would bring you here, now. He pushed that into the very same compartment that acknowledged you as an equal professor. Clearing his throat as well as his mind, he advanced to the unprepossessing door that kept him sequestered from civilization.

He'd opened it just in time to catch you rearing back for another, more forceful knock, your mouth partway open and skin bright red from irritation. The resulting suction of air from his abrupt door-opening played with a few loose tendrils of hair about you face as you blinked at him in surprise.

This seemed like the best time to start with an attack, just to keep you off-balance. "How many times must you address me as such? You are not a student anymore, despite your attitude."

You mouth shut with a snap as you tilted you head to the left, looking off and then back to him in confusion, "Everyone does it."

"Oh, well, that's all the excuse anyone needs, isn't it?"

Your eyebrows flattened and pulled together in consternation. "You merely requested to be called Severus, I didn't figure there was an issue otherwise."

Severus closed his eyes in a hard, long-suffering blink and sighed, "Very well."

Why did he put up with this? You? Why hadn't he shut you out like he'd done Minerva earlier in the day? He would have been able to listen to his music in peace.