Disclaimer; I own only Diana and the plot!

Just want to see what people think before I carry on. So reviews are very very much welcomed!



Chapter one- The Penny Drops.

The first years walked into the hall in a big group. Looking around in awe they followed Professor McGonagall to the front of the hall. Sitting there on a stool was the sorting hat. All the students in the hall seemed to be looking at it. Then a rip near the brim opened and it began to speak.

Now my dearest children

I usually sing a song

But this year I'm going to be different

And I don't care if you think its wrong

This year I'll say a poem

You've already heard some

But this years going to be different

And I haven't been drinking the rum.

I have indeed been thinking

Of a poem to say or yell

Because this years going to be different

This year you'll wonder 'what the hell'

You see there's someone new here

Someone you'll never guess

This years going to be different

Because Snape has an heiress.

Then the hat fell silent for a long time. All the students began to look at each other. Had they really hear that poem from the sorting hat? What had been going on? Why was it talking about one person rather than speak about the four houses that the new students will be sorted into? Slowly, very slowly the entire hall turned their heads towards Snape. Snape was sitting there at the staff table with a look of extreme panic and puzzlement on his face. Trying to carry on as if nothing had happened he picked up his goblet and looked at the sorting hat as he took a sip. Then all of the students began to look into the crowd of first years at the front of the hall. They saw amidst the mass a single child with black hair. She became more easily to see when all the first years began to take backward steps away from the child. But the black haired girl didn't notice. She was absorbed in a thick book. Every so often she would flick a black ringlet of her hair out of the way of the page. People were still looking at her but she didn't even notice them she just kept reading and didn't pay any attention. She didn't even seem to notice the other people in the hall.

"Professor McGonagall, Can you please continue?" asked Dumbledore with a twinkle in his eye.

"Och yes of course Professor." She said in a somewhat confused way.

The sorting continued.

"Frankie, Alice," was made a Hufflepuff, "Tamworth, David," became a Ravenclaw and, "Brent, Mary-Beth," became the first Slytherin. But nobody seemed interested in what house these people were sorted into; they still had all their attention on the black haired girl, who was still thoroughly engrossed in her book. Finally after much anticipation, it was her turn.

"Snape-Granger, Diana" called Professor McGonagall.

All of the teachers were shocked and stunned. All of them looked at each other and exchanged strange looks. After and moment the girl seem to come to earth with a bump and she put a book mark in her book and confidently walked up to the sorting hat. Placing the book on the floor she picked the sorting hat up and placed it on her head. The girl sat there for a long time with the hat on her head. During this time the hall was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. Eventually the girl began to grin and then the hat shouted out.

"SLYTHERIN!"

She was still smiling when she took the hat off her head and picked her book up. She walked down to the Slytherin table. Immediately she pulled her book out again and began to read.

Dumbledore rose after the sorting hat had finished. He cleared his throat and looked around beaming.

"Yes I am sure we are all pleased and excited to be back at Hogwarts and to those new pupils I'm sure you will enjoy our fine school. Remember that the forest is forbidden and that you are here to learn as well as have fun!"

With this an audible groan echoed round the hall.

"Now everybody, tuck in!"

As soon as these words were said conversation broke out everywhere. The staff table was buzzing. Snape was still shocked and puzzled. As where many of the staff. Remus Lupin, who was again in the Defence Against the Dark Arts job, looked at Severus and gave him a smile.

"I never knew you had a Daughter Severus," he said jovially.

"Neither did I" said Severus to him self, somewhat darkly. He was looking down at the Slytherins table and regarding the child that he had been told was his daughter. His flesh and blood. Someone he had helped to create. How was he supposed to act? He had only just found out who she was and yet he now knew he had had a child for 11 years. He was confused and he didn't like it. I hated being uncertain. The last time he had been uncertain he had been mislead. Absently he rubbed his left forearm.

"Severus?" came a voice to his left.

"Yes?" he answered, turning to see that it had been Minerva that had spoken.

"Are you OK? I mean you did know about this didn't you?" she regarded him.

"No Minerva I didn't and I want to why I didn't. Did you know about this? Have you and Hermione been having these cosy little chats about how best to shock and embarrass me?" Severus was nearly shouting at this point.

"Now Severus! Really! Calm down." It was Albus, as always the voice of reason.

"Albus I have made it well known to everyone that I little my private life to be just that, private. And I now find that I have a daughter at the same time as everyone else does. I feel as if I am on show here. Being judged because I was stupid enough to admit to feelings." Severus had grown even paler than usual.

Carefully he put down his goblet and looked at the teachers. No one said anything.

"I know what you all want to ask, and yes I did sleep with Hermione Granger. Yes the sweet little Hermione who could do no wrong. And yes I... I... I... have to go." He said as he got up and walked to the door at the back of the hall and slammed it on his way out.

After he had left all the teachers looked at Albus.

"He will be fine soon. How would you feel if you had been revealed to have had a sordid affair with a student, right in front of the students that you work so hard to control? I feel Hermione could have done this a different way, but I am sure she has her reasons." Said Albus, before carrying on with his meal.

Soon all the teachers followed suite.

Out in the corridor Severus was leaning against the cold stone wall for support. A daughter, he had a daughter. And he had to talk to the child's mother. But how could he? She had left him. This was probably why she had left him. She had probably thought that she would hurt him or he would reject her if she had this baby. Because it showed she wasn't as perfect as people believed her to be, something she couldn't cope with.

He began to walk up to the staff chambers when he saw movement at the end of the corridor. He moved quickly and silently towards the corridor end. It was empty.

"Must have been a ghost." He thought to himself. Carrying on the journey to his room he practically ran. Eventually he reached his room and unlocked the door with a spell. Walking in he shut the door behind him.

He wasn't alone in the room.

"Severus," said a voice.

He twirled round so quickly his robes billowed around him very dramatically.

"Hermione!" he said and a shocked whisper.

"Severus I'm sorry. I was watching the sorting from the doors, I never knew you would react how you did but I needed you to find out that way. She said quickly before Severus could say anything.

"Why Hermione? Why cold you not have told me?" her asked in a whisper.

"Because if I had told you, you may have rejected her before you thought, I know I hurt you when I left you, but Severus can you imagine the situation? I was 17, pregnant, unmarried and hadn't even finished school. I had to leave the school before anyone caught wind of it. I was perceived to be perfect and brilliant and clever. And yet I was stupid enough to get us both in that situation." Hermione stopped talking and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"I never stopped loving you Hermione, did you know that?" Severus said, still glued tot he spot.

"I had hoped you hadn't Severus, but I was so sure you had. I wanted to talk to you so much. You tell you about Diana, to hear your voice, see you face. But I wouldn't let my self, I had given into my feelings before and I had left school because of it." She sat there on the bed.

Severus regarded her; she looked so worn out, so pale. She looked older than she should have done, she was barely 29 and yet she had a daughter that was at secondary school. As he contemplated this there was a knock on the door.

Severus walked over and opened the door. It was a child, it was Diana.

"Excuse me sir, is my mother here, its just that she said she needed to see you and I was wondering where she was." Said the child.

Snape looked at her, how could something this beautiful have been help to be made by me? He silently stepped aside to allow the child to enter and see her mother.

Diana walked over to the bed and sat down next to her mother.

"Sir why did you leave the feast so early?" Diana questioned.

"Because I needed to see your mother. And why do you call me sir? I am your father you know that don't you?" said Severus puzzled.

"I do know you are my father and accept that but I believe for me to be able to address you as daddy, is a sign of endearment, but I do but know you." Diana said truthfully.

Severus gave a slight laugh. The child really did have a strange way of thinking, but a good thought none the less.

"Well then, would you like to get to know me better?" he asked hoping he would get the answer he wanted.

"Yes sir! I think I would, now may I be excused? I am supposed to be going to my house common room." And with that she left.

"She has some strange ideas for a child her age," said Hermione after Diana had shut the door.

"I would have considered them interesting" said Severus simply.