The rescue of Hermione.

I do not own the rights to this story. im just using the charecters. all rights to J. .

the charecters in this story are OCC. there are going to be some big differences here but then this is fanfiction.
please follow and review. absolutely love reviews they fuel the writing.

anyway... enjoy :)

Chapter one

Severus Snape never though he would be a father. He knew he would never be one biologically. He also thought he would never be won over and adopt a child either. Albus had asked him before but the answer was always no.
Hermione Granger had just turned 11. Sadly she didn't have any family to love her as both of her parents died in a car crash when she was 5. She was put in the care system but no family had ever chosen her full time. A couple of families had taken her on when she was younger but they always brought her back. One family brought her back because they were having a child of their own and couldn't cope with two children. Only one other home tried to love her. Hermione didn't like it there but chose not to say anything at the time because a home was a home but she didn't like the people she was with. They brought her back and claimed it was due to her behaviour. Hermione truly just wanted someone to care for her.

After the first fall of Tom Riddle, the Ministry of Magic decided to bring in a new law. A law that decreed that any muggleborn student that was in the muggle care system had to be adopted by a respected member of the wizarding community when the child was informed about magic. There hope was that no child would feel afraid as their magical adopted family would help them adjust to the magical world. The child would stay with the family right through their education. The ministry found that the children ended up staying in contact with their adopted family right through a majority of their lives. The Ministry hoped that no child would ever take after Tom riddle again, the wizarding world couldn't handle another dark lord or another war.
Albus Dumbledore was concerned. He had a week to find young Hermione a home. A magical home. Every member of his staff had a child at different stages of their education. Except Severus. Both men were sat in Albus' office.
"Please Severus" Albus starts.
"No! Albus if the dark lord rises again that child would be at risk. The child would be in danger" Severus responds snapping slightly due to the amount of times that had this conversation.
"Every other member of staff has adopted muggle children" Albus reminds his potions professor. "Some have more than one. Minerva has three currently." Severus shakes his head. "At least come and meet the girl, please Severus." Albus begs softly.
"Why can't poppy or Pomona take her?" Severus argues back.
"Poppy only ever has one due to the size of her quarters. Pomona gas selected two of this year's muggleborns." Albus informs the Slytherin head of house. "I just want you to meet her please. Her name is Hermione. She has been in the care system since the age of 5 Severus. Both of her parents died in a car crash. She is already devouring Hogwarts a history and begged me to take her more reading material. Please Severus. Please just meet her." Severus' stare finally met Albus' gaze. Severus sighed. He has never seen Albus like this before. He looked truly sad.
"When is your next meeting with the girl?" he asks.
"I'm going tomorrow. I have to find her a home by the end of the week or the ministry will put her somewhere. As you know it might not be somewhere nice." Albus says. Severus sighs.
"No promises Albus but I'll come" Severus says softly. Albus' eyes sparkle softly.
"Thank you. I'll meet you out front. 11am tomorrow morning?" Albus says. Severus nods and leaves the office.

The next morning Severus woke up early, to ensure all his potions needs were sorted before his trip with the headmaster. He had a list of potions to brew for Poppy before the term started. He sighs as he enters his personal lab and saw four different cauldrons on the go and remembered where he got to with brewing stages the night before. He continued the processes for what he was working on and after a short while he began to feel nervous. He never visited children. He never ever considered adopting one before. Obviously as head of Slytherin, he had dealt with children and their problems before but Albus wanted him to care for one all by himself, and full time. What if he was as bad as his own father? It was something he feared, it was something he has feared for a long time. He cast a stasis charm over the potions he has nearly finished working on. Quickly he changed into some muggle clothes and put a beginner's potion book into his pocket. Just in case he connected with the child. He slowly made his way to the entrance of the school.

Hermione sat the bedroom she had occupied at the care home. Three days ago, a funny man came to see her. He left her a couple of books after claiming she was a witch. Hermione had never believed in magic. She much preferred scientifically explaining things. She didn't want to say that to the nice man though. It would have been rude especially after he had taken the time to visit her. After all he said he would visit again and bring more books. Books were something that was in short supply around the care home so she didn't want to risk that.
Hermione had very few personal items. Her room was sparse. However anyone who entered could see that she had spent most of her life there.
Albus knocked on the door softly to alert the girl of their presence.
"Come in" Hermione's soft voice calls through the door.
Albus opened the door. He could see that her room was spotless and Hermione was sat on the floor in one corner of the room. Albus and Severus entered the room.
"Hello again Hermione." Albus says greeting the girl.
"Hello sir." She responds "it's nice to see you again" she added rising from her spot in the corner.
Severus looked at the girl and the room she occupied. Many of his observations worried him slightly. Hermione looked underweight for her age, to Severus it looked like she had no possessions of her own. Severus was also concerned at why she was seated on the floor. She had a desk so why not a chair. He looked in her eyes and saw a lonely child and felt actually worried and concerned for the young girl. Hermione was looking back at Severus curiously.
"Hermione, this is Professor Snape. He teaches potions at Hogwarts." Albus tells Hermione who nods.
"It's nice to meet you sir." Hermione replied holding out her small hand, Severus reaches out and shakes her hand softly.
"It's nice to meet you too." Severus replied.
"I've read a bit about potions. It sounds very interesting and I'm excited to start learning it." She says, the copy of Hogwarts a history that Albus had left her was open on the potions page.
"I'm sure if you listen carefully and respect your professors you will do fine." Albus tells her.

"Hermione, I brought you some more books" Albus says, pulling three books out of his pocket. Severus notices her eyes widen and her smile doubles. Hermione takes them carefully and sets them down nicely next to her desk on the floor. Severus notices that Hermione also has piles of books stacked around her room.
"Hermione… do you have a system for your books?" Severus asks her softly. She nods. Smiling softly in return. No one had ever cared enough to ask before.
"The pile closest to the door are the ones I've borrowed from the public library. The ones on the desk are my school text books and school reading books. The ones under the desk are from my school library and they are in the order that they are due back. The ones under my bed are my personal books and this pile are the books from professor Dumbledore. I chose to keep them here because this is my favourite corner to sit and read in" she explains.
"Why do you sit on the floor Hermione? Do you not have a chair for your desk?" Severus asks.
"I had a chair. It was really old and one of the other kids broke it" she says softly. "The home couldn't afford a new one, but I'm ok on the floor."
Severus looks to Albus and in that moment he decides he wants to adopt this girl. He knows he can enrich her life. He feels like he can give her a stable loving and logical home. Albus smiles and Severus nods. Severus kneels so he is the same height as Hermione.
"Hermione, I have a question for you." He says and she nods. "Would you like to leave here and live with someone who knows magic and who can help you understand this change for you?" he asks, he sees her face turn from confusion to excitement and with the three words she utters, Severus' heart breaks and he knows he has made the right choice. She looks up at him and her big brown eyes are lined with tears.
"Someone wants me" she whispers. Hermione flings her arms around him crying furiously. "I'll be the best behaved girl ever I promise."
Severus hugs the girl back nervously.
"I know. I have no doubt of that." He responds.
As the two let go of each other. Albus' eyes are bright and sparkling. "We best go sort out the paperwork Severus." Albus tells the man he sees as his son. Severus nods. Grateful that Albus the closest thing he has to a father is here with him and had given him this opportunity. "We can collect Hermione and her belongings tomorrow." He says to the pair.
"Thank you so much" she says to Albus and Severus. "You've just made my biggest wish come true." She tells them.
"I want you to start packing tonight. Anything you want to keep little one... ok?" Severus tells her and she nods in response.
"Yes sir." She responds.
"We will see you tomorrow little one" He says and her face lights up. Severus can see that this means the world to her, and he can tell that this is the first time someone has called her by a sweet name.

Severus and Albus headed to the reception of the care home. To begin the process of Severus formally adopting Hermione. It took a couple of hours and some help from the wizarding social services. By the time they had left, Severus had adopted Hermione in the muggle and magical sense. He couldn't wait to come back and take her home. As soon as he got back to Hogwarts, he started preparing his quarters for her. He started by clearing out the spare bedroom of his quarters. He and Hermione could go shopping for the furniture as soon as needed. He cleaned the room until it was spotless.
Whilst Severus is cleaning. Hermione is packing. She manages to grab a couple of black bags from the kitchen. She sat on the floor of her room. Nervous. She wasn't sure how much she was allowed to take. She wanted to take all of her books but they were heavy. Most of her clothes didn't fit properly. She didn't want Severus to be angry with her. She decided to start by packing clothes that fit. After leaving out a set for the next day. She made two piles. One to pack and one to try on. She grabbed her school backpack. She packed the few photo's she had of her family before the crash. She also had some jewellery from her parents. In a special box the care home bought her. Hermione opened it slowly. Her mom's wedding ring came into view first, followed by her dad's chair he always wore. Hermione shut it quickly, not wanting the tears. The whole box went into her bag. She picked up her teddy and blanket her parent bought her but they were the only things she had of them. After a couple of hours, Hermione decided to go to bed. She prayed this would be the last time she cried herself to sleep. She prayed there were better days to come. She hoped that a home with Severus would be all she needed. He seemed so nice.