A/N: There. Here's the next chapter. You should all be very happy now. In fact, we're all getting close to the end. Then we can have the sequel! All together now: OooooOooooOooo. ^.~
Glancing over at Millicent, Snape finally gave in. He collected her from her seat on the floor, and pulled her into his lap. She placed her head on his chest without hesitation.
"How are you feeling?" Severus asked his daughter quietly. She snuggled against his chest and said in a very cute voice,
"My head won't oblige me by exploding." When she pinched the bridge of her nose, it reminded Severus of himself.
"I'm sorry Millicent. It seems you have inheirited my migraines. I must go to dinner. Will you come?"
"It's so noisy, Daddy. Can't I stay here? Please?" Millicent's plea was echoed by Sparkles, the blue kitten that had decided the best place to sleep was on top of his head. Removing the cat from the top of his head, carefully, Severus sighed and gave in again.
"You may. I will eat quickly, and come back in fifteen minutes. I want to know if this gets any worse," Severus ordered, lightly tapping her forehead. After receiving a nod from his daughter, he laid both her and the kitten on his chair, and headed off to dinner.
At least tonight he would have an excuse not to make polite grunts in the direction of the rest of the teaching staff. Minerva and Albus he could stand well enough, but the rest of them were dunderheads. The only thing Madam Hooch- his constant side-companion- had going for her was her love of Quidditch, but that was a passion Snape had given up after his youth.
As he approached the Head Table, Hermione waved at him frantically. Putting on his best scowl, he stalked over to her seat. He was pleased to see Ron shrink back in his seat, and stare at Hermione as if she had gone mad.
"What is it, Miss Granger?" he snarled. Unperturbed, Hermione held out a flat disk.
"Millicent asked me for this, but Madam Pomfrey said she was sick, so I thought I should give it to you instead. It's some gaelic lullabys. She said she liked them."
"I am not my daughter's personal messenger, but I will take them. This time."
"Thank you," Hermione said, giving him a brilliant smile. It paid to be the daughter of dentists, obviously.
Snape took the disc and continued his march up to the Head Table. Albus gave him a knowing look, but Snape glared at him. It was for Millicent, not him. Honestly, that man could read volumes into the most innocent of gestures. the trouble was, Minerva was giving him the same look. The last time Snape checked, Minerva was the last person to approve of student-teacher relationships, second only to himself.
"Where is your daughter?" Hooch asked curiously. Snape glowered and took his seat before answering.
"She is not feeling well. I promised to be back shortly, Albus." The Headmaster nodded his approval.
"What does she have?" Flitwick asked in his squeaky voice.
"The poor dear has inheirited her father's migraines," Madam Pomfrey told him.
"If that's the only thing shs has from you, Severus, she'll be a lucky child indeed," Hooch teased. Snape just gave her the blackest glare he could muster. In return, Hooch merely gave him a grin.
Albus tapped his goblet to call the students to attention. As all eyes turned towards the Head Table, something decidedly odd happened. Millicent popped into sight, but with her came Lucius Malfoy. Malfoy had Millicent by the arms, and was trying to wrestle her into submission. To her credit, Millicent seemed to be putting up an incredible fight.
Everyone came to their feet as realization struck them. But to Severus, who had seen the stark terror in his daughter's eyes, it was already too late. Her lips were blue, and she went rigid. The most Severus could do was bark,
"Get away from her, you fool!" Then Millicent set Lucuis afire. He burned to ashes in moments, his screams mixed with the cries of horrified students and teachers. Severus, with a display of surprising agility, jumped over the table and caught Millicent in his arms. She was unconscious, and her breathing kept faltering.
"Severus, we have to get her to the Hospital Wing," Pomfrey told him, but the words hardly registered. He cradled his dying child in his arms, unaware of the chaos that had errupted all around him. Finally, he heard Hermione saying softly,
"Severus. She needs Madam Pomfrey now. Come on." A soft white hand on his arm led him to the Infirmary. When he looked into Hermione's eyes, he saw her worry for them both. That look Albus had given him earlier. . . He understood it now.
"Put her in the bed, please Severus," Pomfrey directed him. As he laid her down, Severus felt someone place their arms around him. Hermione again. Unlike all the times before, Severus let it happen. They needed each other now.
Glancing over at Millicent, Snape finally gave in. He collected her from her seat on the floor, and pulled her into his lap. She placed her head on his chest without hesitation.
"How are you feeling?" Severus asked his daughter quietly. She snuggled against his chest and said in a very cute voice,
"My head won't oblige me by exploding." When she pinched the bridge of her nose, it reminded Severus of himself.
"I'm sorry Millicent. It seems you have inheirited my migraines. I must go to dinner. Will you come?"
"It's so noisy, Daddy. Can't I stay here? Please?" Millicent's plea was echoed by Sparkles, the blue kitten that had decided the best place to sleep was on top of his head. Removing the cat from the top of his head, carefully, Severus sighed and gave in again.
"You may. I will eat quickly, and come back in fifteen minutes. I want to know if this gets any worse," Severus ordered, lightly tapping her forehead. After receiving a nod from his daughter, he laid both her and the kitten on his chair, and headed off to dinner.
At least tonight he would have an excuse not to make polite grunts in the direction of the rest of the teaching staff. Minerva and Albus he could stand well enough, but the rest of them were dunderheads. The only thing Madam Hooch- his constant side-companion- had going for her was her love of Quidditch, but that was a passion Snape had given up after his youth.
As he approached the Head Table, Hermione waved at him frantically. Putting on his best scowl, he stalked over to her seat. He was pleased to see Ron shrink back in his seat, and stare at Hermione as if she had gone mad.
"What is it, Miss Granger?" he snarled. Unperturbed, Hermione held out a flat disk.
"Millicent asked me for this, but Madam Pomfrey said she was sick, so I thought I should give it to you instead. It's some gaelic lullabys. She said she liked them."
"I am not my daughter's personal messenger, but I will take them. This time."
"Thank you," Hermione said, giving him a brilliant smile. It paid to be the daughter of dentists, obviously.
Snape took the disc and continued his march up to the Head Table. Albus gave him a knowing look, but Snape glared at him. It was for Millicent, not him. Honestly, that man could read volumes into the most innocent of gestures. the trouble was, Minerva was giving him the same look. The last time Snape checked, Minerva was the last person to approve of student-teacher relationships, second only to himself.
"Where is your daughter?" Hooch asked curiously. Snape glowered and took his seat before answering.
"She is not feeling well. I promised to be back shortly, Albus." The Headmaster nodded his approval.
"What does she have?" Flitwick asked in his squeaky voice.
"The poor dear has inheirited her father's migraines," Madam Pomfrey told him.
"If that's the only thing shs has from you, Severus, she'll be a lucky child indeed," Hooch teased. Snape just gave her the blackest glare he could muster. In return, Hooch merely gave him a grin.
Albus tapped his goblet to call the students to attention. As all eyes turned towards the Head Table, something decidedly odd happened. Millicent popped into sight, but with her came Lucius Malfoy. Malfoy had Millicent by the arms, and was trying to wrestle her into submission. To her credit, Millicent seemed to be putting up an incredible fight.
Everyone came to their feet as realization struck them. But to Severus, who had seen the stark terror in his daughter's eyes, it was already too late. Her lips were blue, and she went rigid. The most Severus could do was bark,
"Get away from her, you fool!" Then Millicent set Lucuis afire. He burned to ashes in moments, his screams mixed with the cries of horrified students and teachers. Severus, with a display of surprising agility, jumped over the table and caught Millicent in his arms. She was unconscious, and her breathing kept faltering.
"Severus, we have to get her to the Hospital Wing," Pomfrey told him, but the words hardly registered. He cradled his dying child in his arms, unaware of the chaos that had errupted all around him. Finally, he heard Hermione saying softly,
"Severus. She needs Madam Pomfrey now. Come on." A soft white hand on his arm led him to the Infirmary. When he looked into Hermione's eyes, he saw her worry for them both. That look Albus had given him earlier. . . He understood it now.
"Put her in the bed, please Severus," Pomfrey directed him. As he laid her down, Severus felt someone place their arms around him. Hermione again. Unlike all the times before, Severus let it happen. They needed each other now.
