Hey everyone, I hope you guys like my new fic. Yes, I will return to Mending Lives. I am still at a writers block with the recent chapter I am on. Comments are always welcome.

I do not own any of these characters the lovely J.K. Rowling does. I just write for fun without any profit made.

One would expect three fully grown boys to know better than mess with a potion of unknown substances. One would expect. Though there were those rare times that common knowledge would escape one's mind such as theirs…who was kidding him. Severus knew for a fact that you had to be a dunderhead for such a thing to happen. So why punish him?

Why was he stuck baby sitting three young men...well actually three toddler boys. Severus couldn't believe that Minerva had the audacity to make him responsible for the outcome of this incident. There were plenty of teachers inside Hogwarts with more experience on watching toddlers than he.

In fact he knew Poppy could watch them and still run the infirmary, after all she had all the experience of helping raise her younger siblings. But no, the Head Mistress decided that he should be the one watching these three numskulls. How was he to go about his normal business when he had three rambunctious children causing havoc in every room they enter. He still needed to brew potions for Poppy, grade papers, go places and see people….well the first three were true though the last...no so much.

Severus was a solitary man, he liked to be left alone to his own demise. But here he was breaking up a fight once again between three little boys, who seem to bicker at one another over something ridiculous.

"Potter! Weasley! Malfoy! Desist this infuriating squabble!" The dark wizard growled, pulling the blond off the redhead, all the while holding onto the boy wonder underneath his arm.

"He called me weasel!" Bellowed the toddler version of Ron. "And he took 'Arry's glasses too!"

"I did no such thing." Retorted the miniature version of Draco.

"You did too!"

"Did not!"

"DID TOO!"

"DID NOT!"

A heavy sigh left the potion master's mouth as he felt the onslaught of a headache that he never felt before come forth. The bickering of these three were way much worse than the petty arguments they had when they were young men. Sure they sent hexes at each other, but that was something he could live with. This on the other hand, not so much.

"Enough, is enough!" He yelled, "if you three dunderhead can't get along then all three of you can go to a corner and stick your nose in it until I say other wise."

This was easier said than to be done. There was some difficulty placing them in their designated corner. They either cried, kicked and screamed or both once they were set down for the short time they were there. After sometime has past, the toddlers realized that all their fussing wasn't getting their way, they ceased their bickering, gazing once in a while over their shoulders at the dour man, hoping that he would let them out.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Severus plopped down in his chair with another heavy sigh. Minerva was really going to get an ear full when these little brats were put to bed. Really why was he the one being punished for their stupidity. If there was a bottle potion with no name written on it one would not consume the contents. That was just plain common sense.

Groaning, he heard the sound of shuffling feet. "I said, stay put."

"Yes, I bet you did professor. And seeing how all three of them are still in the corner. I doubt they were moving." An amused feminine voice said, with the accompany of a tray being set down on his desk.

Obsidian eyes blinked open, gazing up at the curly haired woman standing in front of him. "Miss Granger." He mumbled, sitting up straighter in his chair. "I had believed you were one of them. My apologies." Nodding in the direction of the three boys.

"It is all right, sir. They can be a handful, can they not." She said, with a light sigh and shake of her head. "All three of them were already a handful, but now…" The witch chuckled, shaking her head. "I really thought they were smarter to know not to drink the potion, even after I told them not too. But boys will be boys, I guess."

The wizard's ears perked to the witch's words. So the know-it-all warned them. I wonder if Minerva knows that. But if she does then why did she make me responsible for them. He commented silently to himself.

"Even though they all became friends after the war, it seems they never lost their boyish stupidity. Not to mention their need to show off. Between you and me, professor I think that they deserve this. Has Professor McGonagall asked you to make an antidote to reverse the affects of what is surely the cause of a de-aging potion?" She asked, looking over at the boys and waving over at the shy redhead.

Why didn't I think of that. Merlin their stupidity is now rubbing off of me.

"No, she has not asked me to make one. The headmistress knows that I'm a potions master, Miss Granger. And she more than likely knew that I would need to brew the reversal potion. But there is a dilemma." He felt like a fool for not thinking to start brewing it. But once again there was a dilemma as he had told the witch. He was stuck watching the three menaces and to bring them in his private lab was suicide.

"A dilemma? How so?" Hermione asked, turning to look at him with a confused look on her face.

"Well as you can see I am in charge of watching the three of them and more than likely Professor McGonagall thinks it's wise to allow the potion to run it's course and wear off over time. Almost sort of like a punishment for them." But in all actuality I'm the one being punished. "And seeing how I'm responsible for them, I cannot leave them unattended to brew the reversal potion, which takes some time to make. I cannot possible leave them alone nor can I have them in the lab while I make it, not with all the dangerous ingredients they could get their hands on."

Severus stared at the witch after his words fell silent. He took in her knitted brows, and lower lip caught between two perfectly white rows of teeth, he knew for a fact that the wheels in her mind was turning. After several silent minutes passed between them and regardless that this silence didn't bother him, it felt awkward having her stand in his office for this long without a word being said.

Clearing his throat, he steeple his fingers. "As much as I enjoy your silence, your presence here is no longer needed. Now if you don't mind, I would like you to leave."

"I'm sorry, enjoy your meal. I bet those three are starving." She said turning and walking towards the door, only to stop short and swirling around with a confused look etched into her face. "I just don't understand why the Head Mistress would have you watch them when there are others that can watch them so you can make the reversal potion."

"To make my life a living hell I guess." He mumbled putting his cutlery down after cutting the boys meat into smaller pieces.

"I hardly doubt that."

"Oh, you hardly doubt it. Well Granger, you don't know her like I know her." He hissed, waving his hand in the air and setting up a small table for the boys to eat at. "You three can get out of the corner and sit down to eat your meal. If you three start fighting you all will go to bed….in fact if only one of you do then all of you will still go to bed with out food. Now why are you still here?"

Shaking her head she crossed her arms. "Well I don't believe she did it to make your life hard. In fact I think she is punishing them more so than you."

"Oh I disagree with you there. I'm stuck with these three until they are back to normal. And I do not know how to raise toddlers, as you can see. Also you know first hand I don't deal with children so well other than scare the holy shit out of them. I wouldn't mind if I wasn't the only one watching them, but I am. Now if you don't mind I would like to eat my meal in peace, before those three start a food fight."

Hermione cocked a brow and slowly shook her head and took a seat. "You just took care of them right there just now. And if you need help you should just ask. I'm sure the other professors can help you."

"Again I disagree with you. Mcgonagall wouldn't even think about having Pomfrey help me out." He told her, stabbing at the piece of meat on his plate and sticking it into his mouth with a sneer towards the girl.

To be quite honest it was quite interesting to the dark wizard that the chit had come here bring food for all of them, and just to chit-chat. In all the years he had known the witch they never exchanged pleasantries before, especially after the war was over until now. But here they were conversing while he sat and ate his meal.

Glancing over at Potter, Weasley and Malfoy an idea struck him. If he was to find a way to rid himself the burden of those three, Granger may be the answer for that. And by the looks of it she would be more than willing to help him. After all she did say that all he needed to do was ask for help and it was winter break so she wouldn't be bound by homework. And if he played his cards right he may be able to push all the responsibility he had over to her in the end. It'll take a week for the potion to be made, but during that time at least he will be left alone in peace.

Picking up the glass of pumpkin juice, he eyed the witch over the rim of his glass, then set it down with a clink. "Miss Granger, may I ask you for a favor?"

"Depends on what kind of favor?" She said skeptically.

"Could you help me keep an eye on them? I need to have time to brew the potion if we are to change them back. But I also have to brew potions for Madam Pomfrey before the next term starts along with grading the end of the semester exams before classes resume."

Once again the witch grabbed her lower lip between her teeth nibbling on it as she quietly thought through his request. Severus couldn't avert his gaze from this action of hers. He was drawn to it. Sure he had seen her plenty of times chewing on her lower lip like she was doing now while brewing potions or taking a test, but he still couldn't avert his gaze. This action was alluring and he wanted to be the one to nip the tender flesh and sooth it with a kiss.

What the bloody hell was he thinking? This was Granger. The know-it-all witch, the pain in his arse, with her constant questions and annoying hand waving. Though the latter she didn't do now as she did when she first came to Hogwarts.

Snapping out of his revere in time to hear her agreeing answer, a weight lifted from his shoulders all the while his lips curled slightly upward.

"Excellent! I do appreciate your help."

A blush dusted itself over the curly headed witch's face. "Well sir, it's not right that you are stuck watching them all the time. You are unable to get your work done and if Madam Pomfrey needs supplies it's wouldn't be right to keep her waiting on those. And like you said there are dangerous ingredients in the potions lab that children shouldn't touch, especially these three." She said, looking at the now three droopy eye boys and chuckled softly. "It seems they are ready for bed. I can help you settle them down for the night."

"That will not be necessary."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. You should go and get some rest. After all you'll need all the energy you can conserve with these three."

"All right, professor." Hermione said, raising up out of her seat, with the wizard following suit. "I'll be here after breakfast to watch them."

"Thank you, Miss Granger."

"Think nothing of it, professor. I am always happy to help." Her words were softly spoken, as she looked over at her now sleeping friends, smiling at them and then turning to look at the dour man. "I should be going. It wouldn't be wise for me to stay. It would be bad if they woke, then they would surely turn into hellions and be harder to be put down. Good night, Professor Snape."

Severus watch her leave quietly out of his office. He really felt foolish now. He never rose from his seat for anyone except for the dark lord, but that was due to the fact he didn't want to be hexed. But here he was standing up for Granger out of all people. It was almost as if he was a young gentleman who fancied a woman he had his eyes set on. Which was not the case.

No, he was just grateful that she had accepted to help him out. The sad thing was that she didn't know he was just using her to get out of an obligation that Minerva had chained him to. Hopefully she wouldn't realize that. But he knew better than that.

She had grown up to be quite a woman, a woman who knew how cruel this world can be. And all that had taught her to read everyone. Regardless that she had agree, he knew that she was reading him, looking for some kind of inkling to leak from him. But he was a superb spy, the witch wasn't going to be able to see anything unless it was freely given.

Though he knew she was an intelligent witch, both book smart and worldly smart, he couldn't help but notice that her body had all the curves in all the right places as she left. And in all actuality that was one thing Severus couldn't stop staring at, was at her now womanly body.

As the door silently shut behind her, he warded it with several spells, alerting spells that will notify him if one of these dunderheads would wake and decide to take a trip beyond his office during the middle of the night. Levitating all three of them, to his private chambers, he transfigure three chairs into little cots and set each boy gently on each one then tucked them in for the night.

When he was done he had made sure his wards where set up through out his living quarters. He made sure that they wouldn't be able to take any books off the shelf. It would be a disaster if they would be able to get a hold of his precious collections. But not only that it would be horrible if they tried to toss them in the hearth then try to touch the flames they created. Knowing them though they more than likely would be attracted to the tempting dancing embers once they were ignited.

Letting out a yawn, Severus doubled checked everything before heading off to bed himself, thanking Merlin that he wasn't going to be stuck watching the brats after tonight.