A/N: This is a fic I started as part of the Last Ships Sailing Competition… Fyi. This is one of my first competitions so I don't really know if I'm doing this right, but here goes….

Round One: Prompts-

2. Word: ricochet

3. Word: candlelight

4. Object: knitting needles

5. Object: cauldron

7. Color: navy

Bonus prompts-

2. Lazy

3. Nervous habit

4. Yellow

Pairing: Severus/Hermione

It was with a heavy sigh that Hermione sat down her knitting needles the tangled navy fabric mocking her as it lay next to her on the couch. She was attempting to make a blanket for Teddy but it was turning into a very short scarf or a large handkerchief-she couldn't decide. But really she was just trying to keep herself busy. She found that projects usually kept the nightmares and flashbacks of war at bay. She'd been too restless to read, and her hands needed to be occupied by something other than the casting of spells. Needed to be covered in something other than blood. "Have you seen Severus, Hermione?"

Her neck snapped up at the gentle tones of her former professor and current friend, Remus Lupin. In his arms was his son Teddy, a little over a year old currently sporting his latest favorite-teal hair. The color she wanted to make the blanket, but the store didn't have that color in stock. And the navy was a good deal more subtle. Classy. "He's probably downstairs tinkering around with his ingredients and brooding over some cauldron," she answered hoping the affection in her tone was veiled by the sarcasm.

Remus smirked. "You're probably right. Can you watch Teddy for a second? I need to go speak to him about something."

"That's fine with me. Perhaps Teddy can help me set this blanket to rights." They shared a laugh and then Remus went down to the basement of Grimmauld where the lab was located.

The basement was nearly dark, lit only by candlelight and the sun's natural rays beaming down through the small dusty windows. Nevermind that-Severus Snape still thought of the dwelling as his sanctuary. After the final battle, Potter had turned Grimmauld Place into a sort of boarding house. Not that the occupants paid any rent, but the house was filled with an odd mix of leftovers from the war. Perhaps like him, they were all a little lonely. And still…..unsettled. "Ah, Severus. A little birdie told me you might be down here," the werewolf greeted exuberantly. A little too exuberant.

Severus narrowed his eyes. "Did that birdie happen to have an appalling amount of curly brown hair?" His sneer was there but privately he thought her hair was lovely, if a bit unruly sometimes.

Remus laughed. "That she does. But Hermione aside, I have a favor to ask."

Severus sighed, placing a stasis on his simple headache potion. In the year that passed since the battle's end he and Lupin developed a strange friendship. They shared a lot of history, good and bad and eventually they decided to talk things out. That being said, Severus doubted that he'd acquiesce to Lupin's favor but he'd hear it just the same. "And what is this favor?"

"Tonks and I would love it, if you could watch Teddy."

Severus would have thought it was a joke, if his face hadn't been so serious. "Out of all the people who live here, you chose for me to look after the child?"

Remus had been prepared for this. "Harry, Luna, Ginny and Draco are at a pub. And Hermione is…."

"Where is Miss Granger?"

"She's upstairs watching Teddy while I talk to you," Lupin answered. "But I really don't want to tie up a young woman on a Saturday night."

Severus's response was quick as a whip. "Yet you don't feel any qualms about tying up mine?"

"Exactly," Remus grinned. "Just this once. Please?"

"Fine," Snape grumbled already regretting the words. He followed the jovial dad up the stairs not expecting to see Miss Granger and the little tyke unfurling what looked like a knotted navy scarf. Or more like Miss Granger was unraveling and the young lad was wrapping it around himself. "What is that supposed to be?"

Miss Granger blushed. "It was a blanket. But I've been having a bit of trouble…."

Lupin laughed. "I'm sorry my son wasn't any help. But he's in Severus's hands now." He turned to his son, "Bye Ted. You be a good boy-you hear?" He kissed his son's head and dashed out, his "good luck" ricocheting around the room and filling it with his laughter.

If Hermione was any judge of character, she'd say that Professor Snape seemed fairly annoyed and overwhelmed at the prospect of looking after Teddy. And if he wasn't so ruddy rude she would feel sorry for him. As such, she fancied herself in love with the man so she offered her services anyway. Well, after watching him flounder for a bit… Because Teddy was crying and Hermione doubted Severus had ever dealt with that before.

Good lord, is he crying? Why was he crying? Severus approached the weeping child slowly. Should he pick him up? He didn't know. He was extremely out of his depth. He'd been around the small child a bunch of times, but never without his parents. And never for any extended period of time. But he could remember seeing Tonks and Lupin hold Teddy when he cried. He picked him up, shock coursing through his veins at the soft warmth he was touching. It had been so long since he had human contact, much less a child's. A child who had not ceased crying. And there was Miss Granger, smirking. "Are you going to help or not?" He let out through gritting teeth.

This seemed to amuse her further, although her smirk softened marginally. "Alright," she said, "since you've asked so nicely." She stepped closer, gaining the boy's attention by holding his hand. Speaking to the child in a much sweeter voice she sang, "Everything will be alright. Mommy and Daddy will be back. You're just playing with 'mione and Uncle Sev tonight."

He couldn't tell if Teddy even fully comprehended her words, but that coupled with how light her speech was seemed to calm baby Lupin. And Uncle Sev? He didn't know what to make of the name, but he knew one thing: He was going to need her help. "Miss Granger," he ventured, drawing her eyes from Teddy, "could you possibly assist me the rest of this evening? I admit I've never babysat before."

"Of course I will," she answered with a smile that was brighter than he anticipated. "And call me Hermione."

The rest of the evening passed on without any fanfare, but inevitably there came bath time. And according to Miss Gra- er, uh, Hermione, a scourgify wouldn't be enough. "Trust me Severus," she commented as they stood side by side at the sink, "children are always sticky regardless of the event's impossibility." So they bathed him, Hermione holding a large yellow sponge, giving Theodore lazy, sudsy strokes on his back and arms while Severus rinsed him off. And they both had to dodge Teddy's splashing and squirting of water. He seemed to get a huge kick out of seeing them duck and twist out of the way. But eventually even bath time ended in success and after some cooing and pleading, Teddy was sleeping.

Exhausted, Severus flung himself onto the couch with Hermione sagging next to him. "I'm never having kids," he groaned wearily.

"Don't say that," Miss Granger's words sounded almost wistful. He sat up, as if the new position could help him understand her clearly.

"Why not?"

She chewed her lip, a nervous habit she'd done as a child that apparently carried on into her womanhood. "It's just that I….I think that you'd be a great father."

He tensed. Unsure why what she said created a flutter of warmth inside him. "And why is that?"

Hermione yawned, stretching her limbs before sinking back into the cushions, this time a little closer than before. She pat his knee and Severus felt the skin under his trousers prickling from her touch. "You try hard, Severus. Always putting your best foot forward-that in itself is commendable. And while you don't suffer fools, you certainly are patient. And caring. And if you don't mind me saying-you've got an amazing capacity for love. Any woman would be lucky to have you father their child."

"Thank you." Her hand was still on his knee and her head listed to the side, almost touching his shoulder. "Do you want children, Hermione?" he asked deeming the question the safest out of the many that popped into his head.

"Yes, I do," she softly admitted. Her head finally landed on his shoulder. Normally, Severus would have pushed her off, but after tonight he didn't have the energy nor did he feel the need to. And if he was being honest the contact felt good. "At least two or three. What about you?"

He opened his arms and let Hermione cuddle up to his chest. Mere hours earlier and he would have never imagined they'd be like this on the sofa, but watching over a near to infant together tended to make people closer. Actually, watching Hermione take care of Teddy was the most disconcerting part of the whole ordeal. He was forced with the vision of her maturity. And all that entailed. Including the curvy form he now held in his arms. "The same," he agreed, drowsiness settling in. "Thank you for helping me. I wouldn't have made it without you."

"Anytime, Severus," Hermione declared already drifting off.

Severus followed behind quickly and if he dreamt of dark haired children with wild, angelic curls no one knew save himself.