Chapter Four
The rest of the month of July as well as most of August passed in a blur. Severus slowly began to adjust to having Jessica living with him.
It was an early Monday morning, and Jessica was fast asleep. Severus sat in one of his black armchairs and watched the fire. He watched as the fire glowed purple. A letter spat out of it and onto his coffee table. He looked at the letter almost suspiciously, curious as to who would correspond this early in the morning. With an eyebrow raised, Severus reached for it and picked it up. He immediately noticed the Weasley family seal on the back and bit back a groan. He opened the envelope and pulled out a folded parchment.
Dear Severus,
Arthur and I are throwing an end of the summer bash this Saturday and would be delighted if you could come. We'd love to meet little Jessica, as well! If you're not too busy, which I'm sure you aren't, as you always have things prepared in advance, we would love to have you visit us.
I'm sure you'd dread coming, but Remus will also be here. I know you and he have come to some sort of agreeable friendship-of-sorts. Honestly, I won't take no for an answer, so please make this easier on everyone involved and come! Besides, Albus has been invited as well.
Thanking you in advance,
Molly and Arthur
Severus read through the letter once more and groaned.
"What's w-w-wrong Professor?" Jessica asked through a yawn.
Severus turned to look at the young girl and noticed her ruffled blonde hair and tired green eyes with a slight smile. He beckoned her over to him and she went. She stood next to his chair and pointed at the letter still in his hand.
"What's that?" she asked.
"This? Oh, this is just a letter from the Minister and his wife."
"Oh. Arthur and Molly? They are really nice."
"You've met them?" Severus raised an eyebrow.
"Yep! They are the ones who brought us here. And they know my Mummy and Daddy. Mummy and Daddy like them"
Meet Jessica, indeed! They met the girl before I did!
"They are throwing a party on Saturday and would like us to join them."
Jessica's eyes lit up. "Do you think Arthur would know where Maria is?"
"Possibly."
Jessica looked thoughtful for a moment. "Can we go, please, Professor?"
Severus sighed. "I shall think about it."
That night found Severus sitting in an armchair in front of the fire sipping a drink. There was a small, black, leather-bound book and a quill and ink on the end table next to him. His eyes stared unblinkingly into the blazing red and orange flames. There was not a single sound throughout his rooms and he suddenly wished that Jessica was up and bugging him with questions.
Idly, Severus set his drink down and picked up the book. He muttered a spell and the bindings loosened. He opened the book and flipped through the pages, finding the first blank one. He picked up his quill, dipped it in the ink, and began to write.
Jessica has been living with me for about a month now and I'm surprised to say that I actually enjoy her presence. It seems she hadn't heard anything about me and had no preconceptions about who I am. Her innocence is refreshing.
I was not-so-unbelievably pestered today, by a long list of people, to take Jessica to the Weasley's party this Saturday. I find it rather amusing that they think I might not go. Ah, but watching them trying to convince me is so amusing, so I shall continue to pretend to be undecided until I can stand their pleas no longer. I wonder, is that sadistic?
I told Minerva that Granger and Weasley broke things off and she couldn't believe it. She sent a note to Molly requesting the truth and Molly replied in earnest saying that my information was, in fact, true. Minerva did me the favor of telling the rest of the staff and they all paid up. Now, what to do with the money? I wonder if Jessica likes to fly? I could buy her a broom.
My students weren't right about everything they thought about me. Life dealt me a nasty hand and I dealt with it the way I knew how - survival. I may have made some not-so-wise decisions, but I have paid my debt to society. Is it not my turn for happiness? In all honesty, I was dreading having a child to come live with me, but Jessica isn't like my students. She asks a lot of questions, but they don't irritate me. Maybe I'm just going soft?
One thing about her that really irks me, though, is the fact that she still refers to her parents as though they're still living. It worries me and I fear she hasn't accepted their deaths. I don't know what to do to help her through that and I'm not about to ask Albus or Minerva!
Well, the hour is late and I have potions ingredients to buy tomorrow.
Severus closed the book and set it and the quill down, resting his head against the back of the chair.
The next few days flew by quickly and Saturday morning found Severus sleeping soundly in his bed. His mind suddenly filled with a field of grass with a large black trampoline directly in front of him.
"Come on, Professor!" Jessica appeared in front of him. "Let's jump!"
Severus eyed the trampoline warily. "No, I don't think so, Jessica."
"Oh come on! Please!" She pulled him to the trampoline with surprising strength for a seven year old.
Severus rolled his eyes. "Fine, just let me take my shoes off first."
Jessica giggled as Severus looked down and noticed he wasn't wearing any shoes. Jessica climbed onto the trampoline and motioned for Severus to follow suit. He struggled to climb up as Jessica began jumping. As he tried to stand, he toppled over from a particularly big bounce Jessica had just done. She giggled again and stopped jumping so he could stand up. He stood, then crossed his arms across his chest.
Jessica started rocking on the balls of her feet. "Well?"
"Well what?"
Jessica rolled her eyes. "Aren't you going to jump?"
Suddenly, Jessica started jumping with vigor.
"PROFESSOR?!"
Severus jumped out of bed, his eyes wide. Jessica was on his bed laughing hard and clutching her stomach. His blankets and sheets were all over the place.
Severus forced a cold calm into his voice. "What do you think you are doing?"
Jessica stopped laughing and got off the bed. "I'm sorry, Professor. It's just that it's already 10 o'clock and you weren't up yet."
"So you decided to come into my room and jump on my bed until I woke up?"
Jessica's eyes were downcast and she was biting her lip. "I'm really sorry, Professor."
Severus sighed. "Go finish getting ready. I'll be out shortly."
Jessica practically ran past him to get out of the room. Severus closed his door, then got into the shower. He got ready, then went into his sitting room to find Jessica sitting on her legs behind the coffee table with paper and crayons in front of her. Severus stood silently in the doorway for a few moments watching her, already having forgiven her for the way she woke him up.
"What are you doing?" His soft voice surprised him.
Jessica jumped slightly, then turned to look at him. He noticed her tearstained face immediately. She got up quickly with paper in hand and ran to him, enveloping him in a large hug.
"I'm so sorry! I'll never do it again! I promise! Please don't send me back to the orphanage!"
Severus removed her from him, then knelt down in front of her. She wouldn't look at him.
"Jessica, look at me."
Slowly her eyes turned to his, fresh tears falling down her face. He held her chin in his hand and looked firmly into her eyes.
"I am not going to send you back, I promise. What were you doing?"
A small, hesitant smile graced her face. "Y-you won't?"
"No, I won't."
"Oh, thank you! Thank you!"
Her arms were around him in a tight hug once again. This time, Severus hugged her back. After a minute -or two- she finally let go and handed him the paper. He looked at the picture drawn on it of him, tall with black robes and long, black hair, and her, short with yellow hair and blue robes.
"Why don't you go wash your face, then we'll go?"
Jessica left the room as Severus went to the couch and sat down, staring at the picture. They were both smiling and Jessica was holding his hand. Their names were written above their respective portraits.
"I'm ready." He hadn't even noticed Jessica come back into the room.
Severus nodded, then stood and went to the fire. He picked up a jar and opened it. He held it out to Jessica.
"Take a pinch, throw it into the fire and say clearly 'The Burrow,' all right?"
Jessica nodded, then did as he said. Severus followed soon after.
A/N: I appologize that Hermione didn't make her appearance this chapter, it would have been way longer than my other chapters if I had, but I promise that she will be in Chapter 5...
A/N 2: Reviews fuel the muse....