CHAPTER EIGHT:

That Awkward Moment When Your Father Is A Chaperone


(AUTHORS NOTES:OMG.. THANKS TO CHEMICAL77. Your review made me smile! I'm glad you like this so far! And thanks to Nadia141491 for pointing out a boneheaded error in editing on my part.. In one of the previous chapters, I misquoted Harry's birthday.. What I actually meant was that it was ironic that he'd tell Harry about having a half sister on the night he originally LOST his parents, which if memory serves, was in october. Sorry guys, I'm an idiot. But thanks for the reviews you two have really inspired me to keep this one going and maybe I'll FINALLY finish it, after 5 years of it sitting on my computer doing essentially nothing.)

(OTHER AUTHORS NOTES: Harry got the quill punishment first.. So did several others in my version of this. I thought it might be interesting to have the original character be questioned about Dumbledore's Army also, to make it seem a little more realistic. And if she's going to be paired with Neville, it's sort of a bond builder or something. Again, I stress.. Not taking anything away from Harry Potter, just telling the story of my original character at Hogwarts, what she goes through as a result of this war, and her pairing being Neville, who is a front runner in the war, of course, naturally, that will come with consequence. If you don't like, sorry.. No flames, please? As I stated, this story is about 5 years old, I just decided to post what I had and actually work to finishing it. Also, my version is slightly more out of whack.. Events are taking place out of order, I realize this.. I really am trying, I promise. Everything that happened in the book WILL happen, but things will be added to, elaborated on from the point of view of my original character as it effects her personally. I have a GOOD reason for the secret coming out in this book as opposed to the 6th like I'd originally planned. ;p)


Snape eyed the crowded ballroom, trying to pick out his daughter from the crowd. He hadn't yet. Normally, he avoided these things like the plague, but his daughter was attending, there was no way in hell he was going to sit up in his quarters, imagining the shenanigans she'd get herself into. Call it being overprotective, but he was her father, it was his job and right to be this way.

Granted, the stern man was STILL getting used to the whole thing, and he wasn't sure how good he'd actually BE as a father, but.. He was going to try.. For Lily, and for their daughter.

Their little angel needed stability, boundaries.

His eyes flickered quickly to the door when he heard a familiar and crystalline laugh from the doorway of the ballroom, and his first instinct as a father when he saw her costume was to walk over and demand she go back up to her dorm and change. Or remain there, until she came to her bloody senses and learned what actual clothing was.

"That's not even remotely what a cat looks like." he mused as he shook his head, grumbling when he noticed that not only was she dressed the way she was, the little black skirt and fitted top, boots and stockings, ears and tail.. She was with a boy..

"At least it's Longbottom not one of those other little prats." he murmured to himself then stopped as he remembered that even the quiet boys could pose potential threats to his little girl.

He started over, but stopped himself, watched them for a moment. If he saw Neville getting too comfortable, he'd nudge him or something, maybe zap him with an accidental spell to encourage the boy's hands not to roam, he mentally decided.

An older song began to play, and McGonogall made her way over, asking Snape, "So.. Am I to guess that by the look on your face, Severus, you've told them both?"

"Did you really think I'd keep it to myself, Minevera?"

"No." she mused as she said "She's with Longbottom, Snape, no need to worry."

"He's a male." Snape said stiffly as Professor McGonogall groaned inwardly. Dumbledore knew that Snape had told them already, and though he wasn't happy about it, he admitted that with it out now, at least the poor girl didn't have to go to the people who'd raised her thus far at break.

Neville was pacing, looking around. Spotting Fred and George, he asked quietly, "Have you seen Charmaine?"

"Not tonight, no.. " the twins said as one of them smirked, nodded to something behind Neville, snickered as he said with a wink, "Hey Longbottom?"

"Yeah?"

"Turn around."

Neville turned around and gaped at his date, then grabbed her and dragged her back out into the empty corridor. "Bloody hell."

"What? You don't like it?"

"No, it's not that..." he said cautiously as he looked at her and then said quietly, " I, umm... Won't you get cold?" weakly as he looked at her. Oh, he liked the costume.. He just knew that every other boy who looked at her.. well, they were going to like the damn thing too and this.. This made that jealous and protective feeling he often got around the petite brunette standing in front of him rise to the surface, yet again.

"And if I get cold, Nevvie, I'll steal your jacket."

He blinked. He wasn't entirely sure he would ever get used to the way she slipped in flirting with him casually. Girls just didn't do that.. Not with him. Not for no reason.. The last time one had, it'd been so he'd do her Herbology assignment. Then she''d laughed at him for even thinking she might like him, back in 3rd year.

"What?"

"Nothing, it's just.." he muttered as she put her hand on her hip and looked up at him for a moment before it clicked. He was jealous and he didn't care to admit it. She laughed a little and standing on tiptoe she whispered in his ear, "Silly man.. If I didn't want to be here with you, I wouldn't. Noone makes me do things I don't already want to do."

"And you wanted to come with me?" he asked, disbelief evident.

"Mhmm. Can we go in and dance now?" she pleaded, bouncing on her tiptoes, impatiently.

He nodded and walked in beside her, his hand on her lower back to keep her closer through the crowded room. He caught sight of Blaise watching her and gave a low growl to himself as she looked up at him, then in the direction he was looking, before snickering as she looked around and then raised to tiptoe, pulling him by his tie into a kiss.

He blinked, eyes widely opened, clearly startled, as he kissed back. "W-what was that for?" he asked seconds later, breathlessly as she giggled and then said casually, "Because.. I wanted to prove something to you, Nevvie. Now will you stop being a baby and dance with me?" she asked with another giggle as she pulled him closer to her again by his tie.

"We're being watched." he muttered as she groaned and turned slightly, then gave her father a slight wave, a smile as she said "He never comes to these things."

"Well, he didn't really have a reason before.." Neville stated as he danced with her, laughing when she shed her shoes and resorted to standing on the tops of his boots

He still didn't get why, of all the boys in their school, she wanted to come to the dance with him tonight, but something told the taller yet younger dark haired male NOT to question things for now. He also couldn't figure out for the life of him why she'd waste her time flirting with him, but he wasn't going to question that, either.

The song ended and they were still dancing, which would have been well and good any other time, but Neville blushed as he heard a stern throat clearing from behind him and turned just in time to see Snape's retreating form as he walked back over to the place that most of the professors stood around, watching the students dancing, sipping drinks, making sure nothing 'unsavory' happened.

"Bloody hell. This is going to take a lot of getting used to.. If what he told Harry and I is actually true and not something made up."

"I don't think he'd lie about that." Neville stated as Charmaine noded, muttered quietly, "Me either, to be honest.. But it's hard to get my head around.. I mean I live my entire life wondering how in the hell I manage to get a magical gene when my parents are both Muggle.. Now I find this out, it's just.. Odd, that's all."

He nodded and then asked in curiousity, because he really couldn't go without asking her any more, because most girls didn't pick the likes of him, if given a choice, "Why did you want to come here with me tonight?"

"Honestly?" she asked, stammering, faltering for a moment as she bit her lower lip before taking hold of his hand, practically dragging him from the crowded and noisy ballroom. If they were going to discuss this, and apparently, he was hell bent on asking her.. She wasn't going to discuss it in the ballroom with thousands of ears lurking.

She was, after all, much like the man she knew now to be her real father, a private person, closed off a bit emotionally, reserved..

Neville gaped at her once they were in the corridor and she dragged him quickly behind a very large and tall potted plant of some sort then said quietly, " I, ermmm.. When I kissed you in there... I.. I'm rubbish at this, really.. I think I know exactly what I'll say, and it all sounds well and good, but then it actually comes out of my mouth and bloody hell... I'm rambling, yet again.. "

He studied her, brow raised, curiousity filling his eyes. Now this was amusing, a little interesting.. Normally, the shoe was on the other foot where the tall and quiet, shy self proclaimed nerdy Gryffindor was concerned.. Apparently, something about him, for whatever reason, made her nervous and incapable of finishing sentences even.

"Sort of. But it's okay.. You were saying?" he asked as he studied her intently, biting his lower lip and chuckling a little as she lapsed into what sounded like Spanish, kicked at the carpeting beneath their feet and then said "I,ermm..."

"Yeah?" he asked as she looked up at him and then said quietly, "Zabini, those other gits.. None of them matter to me, really.. Not when I know what, well, I suppose the word is who not what, isnt it?.. Anyway, to be quite honest, I've..."

"Yeah?" he asked, waiting, looking at her, listening as she again lapsed into the little Spanish she knew, he suspected that it was largely a collection of woven together swears and obscenities, really..

Looking down at her black nails she said quietly, " I've sort of .. Okay, sort of isn't the phrase.. Anyway, I've... Damn it, I'm really, really rubbish at this." before taking a few deep breaths and blurting out quickly, "I've liked you for a really long while now... I just... It scared me how much even and I..."

He gaped at her, his hand trailing slowly through the shaggy dark hair as he realized what just happened, what she just attempted to say, and just how very hard for her it was to say it, out loud.

Did SHE think HE was going to laugh at her? Well now, this was certainly interesting...

She looked up at him and groaned, palming her face as she said quietly, "And I just completely made a fucking idiot of myself." as she stepped back, almost like she were going to bolt in a blind panic or something, until he grabbed her, pulling her back behind the potted plant.

"Would you let someone answer you before you panic and run? Bloody hell, woman.." he said quietly as he looked at her and then leaned in, his hand going to her cheek, his lips finding her lips clumsily, the smell of her perfume filling his nose as the taste of her candy flavored lipgloss filled his lips. Her hand closed over his and she leaned against him, her other hand clutching his jacket as she groaned, her lips parted willingly.

Which would have been bloody brilliant had her newly found father AND half brother hadn't chosen that exact moment to exit opposite sides of the ballroom, hissing her name in the dark, their wands lighting the corridor dimly as they stopped a moment, gave one another wary glares.

From behind the potted plant, Neville found himself getting a little bolder, holding the kiss, trailing his thumb over soft smooth skin. She groaned a little and he blushed, stilling for a moment, the two others were still in the corridor looking for her..

And he wasn't entirely sure that he WANTED to be caught by Snape, snogging his daughter. Even though he was quite enjoying it to be quite honest.

The hallway quieted again and breathlessly, Charmaine gaped up at Neville with widened and curious brown eyes. She'd always fancied herself as THINKING he'd be a good kisser.. But just now, it completely defied all of the curvy brunette's expectations.

"That wasn't awkward.. Can't even bloody sneak out for a proper snog with my boyfriend, they come searching.. Yeah.. This is certainly going to take a bloody lot of getting used to." she mumbled as Neville blinked and then asked "Boyfriend?"

"I, ermm.. If you want?" she said as she looked up at him, her hand in her hair, biting her lower lip.

He nodded, smiling as he said "We should go back inside.. Not so sure I want my girlfriend's father and my professor kicking my arse for catching us out here, unsupervised, in the hallway."

She slipped her smaller hand into his, her fingers trailing over his palm as he put his other arm around her and lead her back into the ballroom, hopefully unnoticed. They found her friends and his friends, other members of Dumbledore's Army whispering heatedly in a corner and slipping over asked, "What's happened?"

"Umbridge, that's what happened.. We thought for a moment she might of dragged you two out and..." Ron trailed off as Harry stared at them both, brow cocked as he asked, "Where were you two? You didn't see her come in and lead a small group of us out seconds ago?"

"I,ermm, we got punch?" Charmaine asked weakly as Neville bit his lower lip, choosing to keep quiet for now.

"What's she doing?" Charmaine asked as Ginny spoke up and whispered, "She's questioning people while the Ball is going on.. So far, she's gotten to at least 4 of us.. And she just took Lavender and a few of the other girls out.. And my brothers are right.. She's using VeritaSerum."

"That fat arse cow is really starting to annoy me." Charmaine grumbled as Neville nodded in agreement, Hermione speaking up with Luna agreeing as she said "We need to duck out now... Go find somewhere quiet, discuss where we can hold the meetings for a while.. Because there's no bloody way we stop this."

The group slunk out small numbers at a time, and once in the hallway, Josie said casually, "One of the towers."

"I was thinking that actually." Hermione admitted as Charmaine blurted, "Usually when we play cards, we go to the clock tower, one of the higher levels.."

"Too noisy, Morgan.. Err, I meant.." Hermione said as Charmaine mouthed, "Not yet." and then nodded.

"The Astronomy Tower?"

The group headed to the Astronomy Tower to discuss what happened now, with the fate of their Defense class hanging in the balance.. Because it was only a matter of time, they all knew it.. Someone would crack.