Which characteristics do you like in characters who are paired with Snape?

Some of my favorite discussions in fandom have been about what characteristics you would give a character you intend to pair with Severus Snape. As a reader, too, it's fascinating to hear about which kinds of characters you like to read about with Snape, as well. It's always interesting to hear which Snape-ish character traits people bring up, and how you would balance them or engage them with another character, whether canon or original, or which pairings intrigue you most as a reader.

For example, do you like to pair Snape with an OFC? What character traits do you give her? What sort of background?

Do you like to pair Snape with Lupin? Which interpretation? The clever, sly Lupin, or the angsty Lupin with the world crumbling down around him?

Do you like to pair him or read about him paired with Hermione? Which Hermione? A school-age Hermione, or an adult Hermione? A nervous, brooding Hermione, or a confident, übercompetent Hermione?

I'll give my own example.

For an OFC, I always like pairing him with a woman who is an adult, around the same age, so that she has some of the same experiences, like the first Voldemort war, and Hogwarts. I like a character who is relatively strong-willed, quiet, and someone with a difficult past, which would allow her to understand Snape more fully and be more willing to forgive some of the awful things he's done.

I don't like feisty/spunky/outspoken characters; I don't think he would react very well at all to someone who belittled him publically, or was continually in his face. I think he'd deal better with someone who was more in control of their feelings.

I like an OFC who is stubborn, as well, but not so much that they're going to just shout all day and never give in. I also like an OFC who is intelligent enough to keep up with him.

So tell me...which character(s) do you like to pair Snape with or read about, and what characteristics do you like him/her to have?