Walking down the corridors of Hogwarts, Hermione felt almost whole, but there was a huge gap missing in her life, she'd had a beautiful baby girl 2 years ago, but she ran before the father of the child found out. She was missing a man in her life.
"Hello, Professor Granger." Said a familiar voice.
"Minerva! Oh my gosh, it's so good to be back, thank you for owling me!" She beamed giving her much loved Transfigurations Professor a hug.
"Your welcome dear. This must be Miss Violet then?" Minerva asked looking to the small body next to Hermione.
"Oh, yes this is Violet. Vi, say hello to Professor McGonagall" Hermione said looking at her daughter.
"Hello, Fessor Gonagall." She said in the smartest little voice she could muster up.
"Hello, Violet. Hermione, she is just adorable! Will you both be at dinner?" She chuckled.
"Of course, Professor, I'll see you then, Violet and I still have to unpack."
"Goodbye, Hermione. Goodbye Violet."
"Buh-bye, Fessor." Violet chimed in, walking away with her mother.

After they unpacked Hermione asked her daughter what she wanted to do now.
"Can we see da castle?" She asked.
"Okay sweetie, but we have to be in time for dinner."
"Will I get to meet my daddy dis year?"
"Maybe, I'll have a talk to him and ask. But when we go to dinner, I want to see if you can point him out. Okay?"
"Otay, mummy"

At the Great Hall, Hermione and Violet seated at the end of the table, Violet was secretly looking around at the teachers trying to find her father. She spotted Remus Lupin and squealed with delight.
"Mummy, is it Woopy?" She asked pointing at Lupin.
"No darling, it's not Loopy." Hermione giggled.
Violet kept her eyes open all night, but didn't find anyone who could've been her father. The look of disappointment in her face was enough to make Hermione march right up to his office and introduce him to his daughter.
"Mummy," Violet started, as they were walking back from the Great Hall. "Was my daddy dere for dinner?"
"No sweetie, he wasn't there, but I'm sure we'll run into him soon enough, so don't feel sad. I'll take you to see him tomorrow." Hermione tried to make her little girl feel better; she tried so hard in fact that she ran straight into a dark figure, nearly falling over, but two hands caught her around the waist, stopping her from falling.
"Thank you," She began, but then realised that she was looking into the black eyes of Severus Snape. "Sorry for running into you." She finished.
"It's quite alright Hermione, who is this little one?" Severus asked looking at Violet.
"Severus, meet Violet... your daughter." He gasped, but then realised that she did indeed look like him. She had his black hair, but it was counterbalanced by Hermione's soft curls, she had his fair skin, counterbalanced by Hermione's lips and nose, but her eyes were as black as his.
"Is he weally my daddy, mummy?"
"He sure is sweetie." She half smiled at him.
"Mya, are you sure she's mine?" He used his old nickname for her.
"Yes Severus, she is yours, she is two years old and was born on the 25th of October, and you were the last person I slept with. She has your scowl and your sneer. There is no mistaking whose child she is. Perhaps we should take this conversation somewhere a little more private. Come on my little angel, we'll go up to our quarters and answer any of Severus' questions okay?"
"Otay mummy." Violet said walking out in front of Hermione and Severus.
"Stay with me please, I don't want you getting lost."

She walked a metre in front of the two Professors, looking as if she was trying to figure out where go next. Violet was so caught up in her little thoughts that she didn't see the uneven tile on the floor and tripped. Before she landed on the floor something caught her and lifted her up. To Hermione's surprise, Severus had caught Violet and stopped her from falling; now her little girl was safely in her daddy's arms.
"I see you are clumsy, Miss Violet, we'll have to work on that, we wouldn't want you to mark that pretty little face, now would we?" He asked her in a hushed tone.
"Nuh-uh, we don't."
Hermione reached over to take Violet out of Severus' arms but Violet just scowled at her, and held up her hand in Hermione's face.
"No, mummy, I stayin' up here in Sev-us' arms. Dat otay wif you?" She cocked her head to one side.
"Okay, but only if Severus in okay with it, and you should call him Professor Snape please, Vi."
"Scuse me, Fessor Snake, can I peas stay up here in your arms?" She looked at him and gave him her gorgeous doe-eye expression.
"Yes, yes you can, Miss... err, Mya, what exactly is her surname?" He said looking worried.
"She is a Granger, Sev; we'll discuss it more when we get to my quarters."

Violet cuddled up in Severus' arms, twirling a strand of his hair around her tiny finger, soon her fingers were tangled in Severus' hair and she couldn't free her little fingers.
"Uh, Sev-us, my fingeys are stuck in your hair." She whispered in his ear.
"Hermione, can you please untangle Violet?" He asked her in a quiet tone, trying to keep from smiling at his daughter.
Hermione turned to look at her daughter tangled in Severus' hair and burst out laughing. Severus could only manage a slight chuckle, but winced when Hermione tried to untangle Violet.
"I sorry Sev-us, I didn't mean to hurt you, I not do it again. I sorry." She looked at him with her big black eyes and Severus saw a tear roll down her cheek.
"It's okay, please don't cry Violet, I promise that it's okay. Shh, don't cry." He comforted cradling her against his chest.
They'd reached Hermione's quarters, so Hermione whispered the password and let Severus in. Violet stayed cuddled up to Severus until she fell asleep.
"Would you like a coffee Severus?" Hermione asked.
"Please."

Snape took notice of his surroundings, Hermione was one for comfort, there was a bookshelf and a desk, along with some toys and a huge pile of children's books, there was also a black grand piano in an extended part of the house.
"Here you go." Hermione handed him his coffee.
"Thankyou Mya." He smirked slightly.
"Here let me take her and put her to bed."
"No, no I've got her, where am I taking her?"
Hermione led him through to Violet's bedroom, it was a pale purple room with a princess style mosquito net over her cot. Severus tucked his little daughter into her bed and gently kissed her forehead, Hermione almost gasped as he pressed his lips to Violet's head. Severus moved back and waited at the door while Hermione pressed her lips to Violet's forehead.
"Goodnight baby girl, mummy loves you." She whispered into her daughter's ear.

Severus and Hermione walked back out to the living room and sat on the couch together.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Severus broke the ice.
"I didn't tell you because I didn't think you'd want a child, I just didn't want you to force me to terminate the pregnancy."
"You just left; you didn't say goodbye or anything, you didn't tell anyone where you were going. It was foolish and stupid."
"Would you have preferred that I stayed here and let rumours fly about the pregnancy?"
"No." He said flatly.
"Touché" She said, matching his tone.
"What is her full name?"
"Violet Sapphyre Granger."
"Where did you find these names?"
"A film and a gemstone."
"They mean nothing," Hermione cut in before he could finish.
"It was the first thing I thought when I saw her for the first time. Her name does NOT mean nothing you stupid git!" She was mad now; the anger flickered in her eyes, like a raging fire.
"You cut me off before I could finish. What I was going to say was: the names mean nothing, but they are significantly beautiful and suit her very well."
"Oh, I apologise for losing my temper and verbally abusing you. I did not mean those harsh words."
"And I apologise for getting you pregnant."
"It was one night Severus."
"One night too many."
"Do you regret it?"
"Not in the slightest, I've got a beautiful daughter now, that's all that matters. Do you?"
"Never. Not even before I found out that I was pregnant. It was one night; I didn't feel guilty like all the other times with Ron. We were both grieving and celebrating at the same time, we turned to each other for support and that support was merely in one night of pleasure."

They sat in silence for a moment until little animal came out from inside Violet's bedroom, it was a ragdoll kitten. It had bushy white fur, the tips of its ears and tail were black and it had huge bright blue eyes.
"Hermione, that little ball of fur just come out of Violet's room..." There was a hint of panic in his voice.
She laughed, "This is Bluebell, Violet's kitten... You know something Severus?"
"Hm?"
"You're going to make a wonderful father, you already worry even when it's only a cat leaving her room, I'd hate to see what you're like when boys are leaving her room!"
"She's my daughter; I'm supposed to protect her, no matter what I'll always be there for her."
"Violet's going to be a daddy's girl... I can tell."
"How?"
"The way she looks at you. She hardly knows you and yet she's so proud of you."
"She won't be when she finds out I was a Death Eater."
"Yes she will. I will tell her of what you sacrificed to save the Wizarding world, and what you sacrificed to keep Harry safe."
"It wasn't only Potter I was keeping safe. I was keeping you safe too, and whether I liked it or not I was keeping Weasel safe too."
"Ron." She corrected.
"Yes."

They stared into each other's eyes for a shirt moment before it was interrupted by screams, Violet's screams. Severus leapt up from the couch and ran into Violets bedroom. Hermione followed at his heel.
"Sev-us!" Violet cried holding her arms out to him. Severus was at her aid immediately, lifting her up and cuddling her close.
"Shh, what was it? What happened?" He asked, stroking her soft black curls.
"D-dere was a hooge snake and it bited you Sev-us and dere was blood everywhere, da snake bited you on da neck."
The child ran her fingers along his neck and gasped when she felt the scar Nagini's bite left. Severus looked at Hermione; mentally asking her what was going on.
"We sometimes share nightmares, it's only happened twice before, and they were the nightmares I had when I was pregnant with her." She answered telepathically
" I see. She will grow out of them then."
"Thank goodness. Thank you Severus."

"Violet, that dream you had wasn't a dream, it was one of mummy's memories from when I almost died. It comes back in a dream to you because mummy dreamt it when you were inside her tummy." Severus explained to his daughter in a hushed tone.
"Tan I see da scar peas?"
Severus pulled down the collar of his robes to let Violet look at the two uneven scars on his neck. He shivered as Violet pressed her cold fingers to the scar and traced them with her fingertips, but gasped when he felt her press her lips to the scars and kiss them.
"Dere you go Sev-us, all better." She smiled at him.
"Thank you, angel." He kissed her forehead and sat her back in her bed.
"Mummy?" she asked, looking past Severus and at Hermione who was still standing in the doorway, leaning against the door frame.
"Yes, sweetie?"
"Tan you peas take me to da pinano room and sing me a sleepy song?"
"Okay darling, but only one. Did you know that Severus can play piano too?"
"Weally?" She asked looking at Severus.
"Yes." He nodded as he lifted his daughter up and followed Hermione to the piano room. The room was a dark forest green with enchanted walls. They were enchanted to represent a forest and waterfall. As they entered, the sound of rain filled the room, along with the sound of waterfall. They both made their way over to the black piano, and Hermione instructed Severus to put Violet on a couch near the piano.
"What do you want us to do Vi?" Hermione asked her daughter.
She put her tiny finger on her chin and began to tap it, as if she were making a very important decision.
"Sing, peas. Mummy and Sev-us sing and play togeva"
Severus thought about it, it actually wasn't a bad idea.
"What do you want us to sing and play?" Severus asked Violet.
"Need you now, by Lady Antebellum peas. Do you know it Sev-us?"
" Yes I know that song. We'll sing it for you."

Hermione opened the piano, revealing the black and white keys. She let her fingers whisper across the keys as she began playing. They got to the chorus and the last thing Violet heard for the whole night was:
"It's a quarter after one, I'm all alone and I need you now"
Despite the fact that Violet was asleep they kept singing, their voices harmonizing perfectly. When the song ended, Severus carried his little girl to bed and kissed her head goodnight. Hermione followed suit.
"Perhaps I should leave, it is rather late."Snape whispered huskily turning for the door.
"Sev, take the floo, it will be much faster."
He turned around and walked towards the fireplace. Before he could leave Hermione pulled his face down and kissed him lightly on the lips. She smiled sheepishly at him.
"You are a great father already, Vi's very lucky to have a daddy like you. If you would like her to call you dad or daddy then let me know and I'll tell her when she wakes in the morning."
"I'd like that a lot, Mya. You're an amazing mother. Would it be inappropriate if I were to come in the morning and woke her up to tell her myself?"
" You are welcome anytime Sev, she is your daughter. I'll see you in the morning. Goodnight."
He leaned down and kissed her softly on the nose and then brushed her lips with his.
"Goodnight, Mya."
He left in a pool of bright green flames; Hermione sighed and went to bed, still feeling his kiss.