Alby = Albus

Hermione: 3 years 5 months

Chapter 10

It has been two weeks since letting Hermione stay with Potter and Weasley. Everything went surprisingly well and the new potion is working how it should. She is now three years of age and her speech is one of a five year old already.

Severus was a little wary when he handed Poppy the new growth brew as Potter and Weasley had rushed in demanding a check-up. They had paled immensely at the sight of him and Hermione and after the check-up, they quietly walked out the infirmary, still in a state of shock. Severus still couldn't understand the minds of those two thick-witted Gryffindor's.

Severus was on his way to his potion's classroom to teach Slytherin and Ravenclaw with Hermione walking beside him, her hand clutched securely in his. He knows very well that he sees Hermione as his own daughter and knows of the small gossip going around the school about them, but his feelings for Hermione outweigh his sense in caring. He has given up asking questions about his emotions a long time ago and just let things flow as they may. Life for him seems a lot easier that way, despite the consequences.

"Sevvy," Hermione said, "Why is there a piece of parchment in my pocket?"

Severus looked down to see Hermione dragging out a folded up piece of parchment from her coat pocket. His brows furrowed in confusion and he bent down to her height to get a better view.

He grabbed it out of her hands and held it in front of his face. "I'm not sure, Hermy. Are you sure you didn't put it in there this morning? You were writing down the books you next want to read, isn't this it?"

"No, that's in your room."

Severus unfolded the parchment and familiar handwriting stared up at him. His breath caught in his throat and his heart begged to escape from his chest. His eyes scanned the page at an alarming speed.

Oh Severus, you still haven't gotten rid of her yet, have you? I gave you a warning, I gave you a chance to fix the wrong you have done. But you didn't listen, did you? You didn't listen like how your mother never listened to me. Your worthless, Severus. A good for nothing who can't even listen to his father.

Oh, how I yearn to feel the filths blood run through my fingers, the sound of her screams ringing in my ears. I can already see her bleeding and begging for death already.

This is your fault, Severus. Her death is nobody's fault but yours. I would have stayed away from her if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have really cared for existence if it weren't for you. I wish the death to all mudbloods, but this one is solely the fault of yours.

- T

"Sevvy?"

Severus's head shot up. "Come, Hermione, let's get to class."

"But what did it say?" Hermione questions, jogging along a bit to keep up with Severus's fast pace.

Severus cursed Hermione's intelligence and observant nature. "It's nothing you need to worry yourself about yet. You'll understand more when you're older."

"Sevvy, don't talk like I'm dumb," Hermione pouts.

"I know, I know. Just drop it for now. All will be revealed in due time."

Hermione giggled. "You sound like Alby."

"Don't ever say that again, child." Severus mock scolded with a fake furious face.

Hermione giggled again. "There's my Sevvy."

***

Severus sighed in exhaustion as he left the potion's classroom. He didn't get to scold many of his students that lesson, as they were all doing their quiz. He would never take points from his house, and the Ravenclaw's were too smart to not follow his word.

"Come on, Hermy, let's go to dinner."

Hermione softly fell into step with him and they silently walked to the great hall, save for Hermione's casual humming now and again.

"Professor Snape!"

Severus halted at the call of his name, and he turned around to see Draco jogging to catch up with him.

"What is it, Draco, I have dinner to get to and Hermione is more than starved," Severus said.

Draco scowled a bit at the mention of the little girl's name, but quickly schooled his features and addressed his Professor. "I was wondering about the ingredients in the potion we are learning this week. You said something about Bundimun Secretion, and I was wondering if that is used to clean up a mess or make more. I want to..."

Meanwhile, Hermione wandered not far off to look at the portraits displayed on the walls. She was intently staring at one of a few women standing together with their hands on a man's shoulder who is sitting on a red and gold-rimmed chair. She was so engrossed in the image, that she did not see Filch come around the corner and walk right into her.

She fell back with a gasp and twisted her wrist as she tried to catch her fall. Stinging pain shot up through her wrist and she tried to fight back the wave of tears that demanded to burst out of her eyes.

"You stupid girl! You could have hurt an old man like me! Standing in the middle of the hall there, staring stupidly at the wall. What were you thinking?! Of course, you weren't thinking, stupid girls like you can't think!" Filch yelled at her, red in the face with his rage, glaring resentfully down at her. He had hunched his back even more to be eye level with her, the stench of his breath wafting in waves towards her. Then she did the only thing a three-year-old who hurt her wrist and had an ugly man yell at her do. She cried. "You're going to cry now, like a little baby? Don't have daddy Severus here to protect you? You worthless, crying, filthy - "

"If I hear any more words come from your lips, I will hurt you," Severus seethed. Filch looked up startled. "Yes, that's right, daddy Severus is here and he heard everything you said. I have no patience for you right now, so listen carefully. If I hear or see that you have so much as looked at my Hermy wrong, I will make sure that your only real home - Hogwarts - will never be welcome to you again. Dumbledore can look around quite a lot of things, but he likes me more than you and will trust my words more than yours. I can paint quite an image of you, and Dumbledore will believe every word I say. Don't test me and stay away from her."

"But - but, that's lying!" Filch yelled, trying to keep whatever dignity he had left.

"I will merely modify the truth. I am a Slytherin and am not against such antics to get what I want and if that something is to get rid of you, so be it." Severus stood between Filch and Hermione, keeping one hand around Hermione's shoulders and staring down and the caretaker.

Severus didn't see Filch as enough of a threat to draw his wand out and just used his words to get the message across. It worked, as he scuttled away while cursing under his breath.

"Sevvy," Hermione sobbed, "It hurts."

"Let's go see Poppy," Severus said, "Draco, we are done here. Go to dinner and inform the Headmaster of our whereabouts."

***

"Oh, you poor dear. What is it with the males these days, threatening innocent, unsuspecting little girls? Wait until they hear my opinions on the matter." Poppy rambled on while fixing Hermione's arm. She had a small sprain, but nothing serious.

"Thank you, Poppy." Hermione smiled at Poppy and then rushed to Severus's side. She clung to his robes and they bid the medi-witch goodbye.

When they arrived at their rooms, they both had the elves bring their dinner. Once they had finished their meals, Severus started getting the bath ready for Hermione.

Dumbledore and he had both upgraded his rooms into a lot homier, comfy place. There were a lot more furniture and the place a lot cleaner. The bathroom was larger and so was his room so it could fit Hermione's stuff. She had protested most adamantly that she would not have her own room now that she was older and would sleep in his bed. That was two and a half weeks ago. Since she had become a part of his life, she wouldn't sleep anywhere but in his arms. Severus didn't complain.

"Hermy! The baths ready!" Severus shouted out.

Quick padded footsteps could be heard as Hermione rushed to get to the bathroom. "Ready."

Severus undressed her and plopped her in the bath. He had not cared or paid attention any more to her little naked form in a long time. It was most horrifying at the start, but he soon got used to it.

"When can we get my new books?" Hermione inquired.

"We can go to Flourish and Blotts tomorrow if you would like," Severus replied. "I have no classes so Dumbledore shouldn't see it as a problem."

"Hmm, okay." Hermione's eyes started to droop, so Severus gently lifted her out of the bath and wrapped her in a towel. She was still too young to be exposed to that kind of magic, so he had to do it the muggle way.

He dressed her in her pyjamas and tucked her into his bed. Not bothering to take a shower himself, he cast a cleaning spell and dressed in his nightwear.

Getting under the covers, he gingerly took Hermione into his arms and rested his head atop hers. "Goodnight, Hermy."

"Goonigh," Hermione mumbled before she fell asleep.

Severus didn't fall asleep as quickly as she. He still had that note his father sent fresh in his mind. He would show it to Dumbledore before he left to Diagon Alley. Soon, exhaustion overcame him, and he submitted to sleep.

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- Ana