A Child For Snape

Eleven Years Later

Severus Snape had been teaching at Hogwarts for a long time. Longer than he cared to admit. His teaching years were broken up by the change of the wizarding world. The first twenty years or so were dark for him as a person due to the Dark Lord and the death of the woman he loved. These last eleven years seemed to be much lighter. He'd calmed down on detentions and even made some students in class laugh at a joke he'd told. 

Everyone could tell that Severus Snape had changed. Severus always thought that it was the fact that Potter and his gang had finally graduated and left. He didnt' have the stress of trying to keep him alive in secret any longer. He was surprised he didn't have any grey hair from their time here. 

Severus had resigned as Headmaster after the Ceremony, giving it to Minerva. He just wanted to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts and live in peace and solitude. However, someone thought that he had eleven years of solitude, so that was enough. 

The Great Hall had gone silent. They were there for the traditional song and dance of first years getting sorted. Three Slytherins for him, a Ravenclaw, two Hufflepuffs and four Gryffindors so far. Only four more children to go through. Longbottoms voice rang out like thunder in the hall. The once nervous boy stood proud, not only as a professor, but as Gryffindor Head of House. He was pleased that the boy had grown into a fine young man. 

Longbottom repeated himself, "Elieena Prince-Snape!"

A small black bushy haired girl with chestnut eyes and buck teeth stepped forward nervously. Severus leaned forward, staring at the girl. She reminded him of another young girl he remembered years ago. Studying the girl as she walked to the stool, he saw a facial feature that stared him in the face every day. She'd scowled at herself. He could hear several teachers gasp and turn to look at him, but he ignored them. 

He needed to know where this girl came from. Who were her parents? Beside him, Minerva cleared her throat softly. He tore his eyes from the little girl. She blinked at him with the same eyes that he'd seen in Dumbledore when he knew something Severus did not. She had to explain something after dinner. 

The hat stayed on her for several minutes it seemed like. Livening up, it shouted, "Slytherin!" 

His table cheered for their new recruit. Two more Ravenclaws and a Hufflepuff later, the sorting was done and dinner was served after Minerva's begin of the year speech. He paid no mind to the speech, it was scary similar to Dumbledore's. Instead, his focus was on the girl, watching the headmistress with eager eyes, hungry to learn. 

Those eyes. He'd seen them so many times in class over the years. He knew it. But who were her parents? Dinner itself was painful for Severus. He'd decided that he'd much rather go through with another bite from Nagini rather than deal with this. The little girl was talking with another girl and a boy that were sorted the same day. William Tark and Annabell Riddle, no relation to Tom Riddle. She had a happy smile that shook Severus to his core. 

After dinner was settled, the prefects took the first years to their dorms, and Severus immediately got up and followed Minerva to the headmistresses office. As soon as the door was closed, he nearly shouted, "Who are her parents?" She walked around to her chair, touching it lightly. Dumbledore in his portrait watched the scene transpire with a glint in his painted eyes. Severus always hated that glint. 

Minerva sighed, "I can't tell you without her mother's approval."

She took a handful of floo powder and shouted, "Number 12 Grimauld Place." She looked at Severus as the fire raged green "She owled me stating she'd be visiting the Potters."

"Kreacher, its Minerva at Hogwarts, could you tell them we are ready?" Minerva stated as the ugly head of Potters House elf came in the fire. Seconds later, a figure popped out of the fire, her robes dusty with soot from the travel. 

Severus nearly fainted. She looked at him with a smile.  "Severus Snape," she greeted. 

He couldn't move or speak. It was her. After all these years, after all they'd spoken about, after all she did for him. Why? He blinked several times to make sure his eyes werent playing tricks on him. No, it was her, for sure. The last time they'd been in the same room was eleven years ago, the day he was able to tell her thank you. To explain why he'd done what he did to her all those years. 

"Hermione Granger," he responded in a voice much smaller than his usual tone. He cleared his throat loudly and stepped backwards once. "Granger, you are Elieen Prince-Snape's mother?" 

She nodded with a regretful sigh. She walked towards him, then doubled back to the fire, as if she needed to be close to the exit. "Yes, and I'm sorry for taking your family names without your approval, however, I felt that she needed her fathers family name."

"Her father's family name?" he echoed her last words. He was that girls father? He couldnt' be, they never...wait a moment. The ceremony, he'd been drugged with several pain reliever potions, or that was his excuse. She had let him know she respected him, didn't pity him. He repaid her with sex. A mistake in his book, but it was the only type of thanks he could state at the time. 

She nodded, "Yes, I know you're angry with me for not telling you earlier you had a daughter, but I knew you wanted a quiet life. I decided to become a single mother rather than bother your solitude."

She had been a single mother all these years just to not bother him. What happened to Weasley? "I thought you and Weasley..." he trailed off, not able to finish his observation. Fortunately, she caught on. With a laugh, she responded, "He's married to Lavender, has two little boys that are five. No, he was never for me."

His heart beat just a little faster and he willed it to stop it. Why it was being so stupid, he didn't know, nor did he care. He had a little girl to think about now. Just when he was starting to like his life, he had another life to protect. He stared down at his feet, thinking of how he would deal with this new problem. As if reading her thoughts, she told him, "You don't have to protect her like you protected us, though. She's a smart girl, good head on her shoulders. Most you should have to deal with is her constant questions. Insufferable know it all questions."

His eyes shot up to look at her. She smiled at him again. It was a warm smile that told him she bore him no ill will for not being there. She shouldnt since he knew nothing of the child before tonight. The biggest question though, did she want him to tell her the truth?

"Miss Granger, I have to ask." He moved to stand closer to her, but ended up staring out the window instead. "Do you want me to tell her?"

The silence was deafening. His heart was pounding in his ears as he waited for years for her response. "Yes, when you feel its right." 

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Well what do you think of this new short (i think) story?