Severus entered his quarters after several more moments of quiet contemplation. His mind kept coming back to images of the little girl that less than a year earlier he had pulled from the clutches of a man hell bent on her destruction. He was shocked at her willingness to climb back into the same situation.

The room was dark. Rose was curled up in a ball on his couch rocking herself softly. The scene was anxiety provoking. Severus did not understand how anyone, even another teenager could find anything remotely seductive about the child in front of him.

Rage burned from within his chest as her thought of the Diggory boy. He was a student from his own advanced potions class, three years older than Rose.

As he moved to sit on the table in front of her, the girl stopped her rocking.

She looked up at him with nervous anticipation and unfolded her legs so that they hung off the couch. Her eyes were obscured by the dark, but their brilliant green was not lost to him.

"Rose. What happened? Did Diggory pressure you? When did you even meet him?" Severus began cautiously, trying to keep his tone even.

"No Severus. It was my idea really." She cringed. "He asked me to Hogsmeade. We went, and he was really nice. I wanted more."

"Why? Why did you want more? Child, I find it hard to believe that he had nothing to do with this. He is three years your senior. He is a prefect god damnit."

"Please don't be upset with him." She begged. "He kept saying that he didn't want to have sex with me because I was so young, he didn't want to be my first. I only convinced him by telling him that he wouldn't be…"

"You told him about Lockhart?"

"No… I mean I just told him that I wasn't, you know, a virgin." The girl shivered.

"Oh child." Severus started, he rubbed his temples roughly. "What happened to you… that did not count."

"Yes, it did!" Rose cried indignantly. "What did it even matter anyways? At least it felt good. Nothing feels good anymore. For once I didn't have to explode to release the tension!"

Severus winced. The thought of Rose Potter underneath the Diggory boy, releasing tension, was too much for him to handle.

"Is he… your boyfriend?"

"No. I don't want a boyfriend." She answered promptly.

Severus groaned. "When did Lupin find out?"

"Right at the beginning, maybe last month. He found us, you know, in a closet." The confession rolled off of her tongue easier this time, but her voice was still uneasy.

Wincing again, Severus continued.

"What did he say?"

"Well, he started freaking out asking me if I had gotten my period. He taught me a charm to keep from getting pregnant."

"And had you… gotten your period? I was not even aware that you had begun menarche."

"Oh yeah, I got it in the summer." The girl blushed. "Moony said that there was still a chance that I was pregnant because I had done it that day without the spell, but I got it today, so he was relieved."

Severus' expression changed from one of neutrality to fury. "You mean to tell me that up until today there was a chance that you could have been pregnant and the wolf did not tell me about it?"

The girl frowned. "Please don't be mad at Moony. I begged and begged him not to tell you."

"Why didn't you come to me?" He questioned. His tone changing back to one of curious neutrality. "Do you not trust my advice?"

"I'm sorry… I was just scared." Rose looked down refusing to meet his eyes. "I was scared that you would look at me and think that I was wrong or bad. I didn't want you to think I was soiled."

Severus' mind flashed back to the conversation about Granger and Weasley that had taken place the previous month.

"You were not asking for your friend when we discussed this last month am I correct?"

Rose shook her head solemnly. "Merlin Child. Do you not remember me telling you that no matter what you do you are still worthy?"

"I do but… I didn't know if you really felt that way or if it was just because I was sad."

"Rose Potter. I meant every single word that I said. You are just as valuable as any other girl your age."

She still would not meet his eyes. "Not now."

"Yes now." His voice was firm.

"Severus, I did it on purpose. I touched him and I made him touch me and I liked it. I probably won't stop."

Closing his eyes, trying desperately to erase the mental pictures, Severus grasped the child's shoulders in his hands.

"You still hold the same value." He confirmed. "Please Rose, next time come to me. I don't like finding out second hand information."

"Ok, I promise." She sighed, leaning forward.

"I'm sorry about what happened in Diagon Alley today." Severus continued. "I did not think to check the man's book tour schedule."

"It's ok sir, it wasn't your fault. I just wish I didn't have to be afraid anymore.

"I know child. I know."

Severus allowed the girl to stay in his bed that night. He slept on the couch of course. However, she did insist that he stay until she fell asleep. It was the winter holidays so nobody would miss her. At around three in the morning, Severus was awoken by a frantic voice from his fireplace.

"Severus!"

"Severus are you there?" The voice hissed into the night. He hobbled over to see who it was. Minerva was on the other end.

"Severus, Sirius Black was just sighted in Gryffindor Tower and Rose Potter is missing!"

He froze.

Sirius Black in the common room. That was too much.

Severus quickly dispelled the older professor's nerves informing her that Rose was indeed safe with him. That did not quell her anxiety quite as much as he had hoped seeing as though she was not aware that the girl often spent nights in his quarters.

Minerva came through into his kitchen and made eyes at his makeshift bed on the couch.

"While I am extremely relieved that Miss. Potter is not in the clutches of Sirius Black, I am curious how she came to be here Severus."

"Minerva. Potter has issues, the Headmaster is completely aware that she spends the occasional night here when her anxiety is high."

"What is wrong with her?" The deputy headmistress asked with a frown.

"She is in the process of recovering from a trauma. I am afraid that is all I can reveal. Tell me, what happened tonight?"

In the midst of Minerva's hurried explanation of events, Rose must have woken up. The girl came out of his room bleary eyed in the pajamas that he had transfigured for her.

"Severus?" Her small voice questioned as she crossed the room.

"Oh, hi Professor McGonagall, is everything alright?" She asked.

In her tired state, Rose did not pay much attention to what she was doing and the girl ended up clinging on to his robes while awaiting an answer from her transfiguration teacher.

Minerva's eyes widened and then returned to normal as she gave a vague run down of events to the tired Potter. When she had finished, Severus quickly escorted Rose back to his room making sure she lay down and closed her eyes.

Returning to the kitchen, he was met with a disapproving look from his colleague.

"Severus. I have to say, this is strange. I have never seen anyone so comfortable around you, much less a student. Are you sure there is nothing going on that we should know about?"

"Minerva, what are you suggesting?"

"Please don't take this the wrong way Severus, but I was your teacher. I remember how you pined after Miss. Evans. Are you sure that your intentions with Miss. Rose are pure?"

"I am the girl's interim guardian and I'm disgusted that you would even suggest such filth! Take this up with Albus if you are concerned but kindly leave my chambers." He spat.

The conversation ended there, and Severus did not sleep a wink the remainder of the night. Thoughts of Sirius Black danced in his mind.

This was becoming a very real threat.