Harry Potter sat in his rooms brooding. Hermione had been here at Christmas with her daughter. The students couldn't stop talking about the little girl who had charmed them all talking about 'my Sev'us', making the man with the usually impenetrable mask seem human. They spoke of jokes and teasing and of how Hermione Granger was clearly good friends with their dour Potions Master, the Headmistress and Professor Longbottom and his wife. They whispered their confusion over the fact that Professor Snape actually appeared to smile at one point. Rumour had it that Gryffindor had a bet on whether they could prove he was truly capable.

He wondered if this was how Hermione had felt when he turned his back on her yet again. He half hoped that it wasn't because this hurt like hell. The closer she got to people in his life, the harder it was to not do something rash like fling himself at her and beg. He wondered how badly she would hex him if he tried. The only thing stopping him was the worry that she wouldn't hex him, that perhaps she would just look at him with pity and explain calmly that she couldn't find a place for him in her life any more. That would be definitely worse. Currently he had some hope that one day, she might forgive him enough to speak to him, even if it was just because of their children. He'd take that. He'd take anything.

He felt rather than saw Ginny appear in the room, her arm wrapping around him as she sighed.

"I don't think anything I can say would help." She said as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Probably not, Gin." he sighed, taking what comfort he could from her presence, even as he felt his heart breaking all over again at the loss of his best friend.

Severus winced as he faced himself in the mirror, nerves taking over again as he wondered if he'd lost his mind. He was forty six for fucks sake, surely it was too old to be dating? What was he thinking? The witch was nineteen years younger than he was. He was old enough to be her father for Merlin's sake! Oh Gods he had to make up some excuse. He couldn't do this. He shouldn't be doing this. What the fuck had he been thinking! He was an old, used spy and she was Hermione fucking Granger. The Golden Girl. He would taint her. She deserved so much better. Fuck. Fucking hell. She was forgiving, surely they could go back to just being friends? It would just have to be enough. It could be enough, couldn't it?

His internal meltdown was interrupted by a knock on his door. Frowning, he moved to open it. Minerva barged in.

"I came to talk you out of cancelling." she stated baldly.

"Pardon?"

"You heard me. I know you Severus Snape, you'll have half convinced yourself she's far too good and far too young for you."

Severus spluttered, not sure what to say to the woman he could not lie to. His inability to lie to her was the sole reason she knew he and Hermione had arranged this date in the first place.

Minerva smirked. "You're predictable, I'll give you that." she said, almost fondly. "You deserve something good, my boy."

He huffed at her, wanting desperately to remove the smug look from her face. She arched a brow, tilting her head pointedly towards the floo and his shoulders slumped.

"She is far too young and far too good for the likes of me." he replied, defeated.

"Nonsense. Get your arse into the floo. Now. I saw the way you and that lass looked at each other. Give it a chance."

"Minerva." he said warningly.

"Severus," she replied, her face set, "I mean it. Arse, into floo. Now." her voice softened, "I meant it, you are long overdue something good, Severus. Don't give up on it before it's even begun."

"Very well." he replied slowly, taking in the stubborn set of her jaw. There was no getting out of this. " However, if this goes badly, I am blaming you."

Minerva waved him away as he stepped into the flames, heading for Hogsmeade so he could apparate. He missed her self satisfied smile as he left.

Severus steeled himself as he apparated near Hermione's house, the nerves threatening to overwhelm him. Minerva would castrate him if he returned now, he thought. It was the only thing that kept him walking.

Hermione answered the door looking flustered.

"You didn't get my owl." she breathed in greeting.

"No." he began warily.

"Come in Severus." she sighed as a blur of pink barrelled into him.

"My Sev'us!"

"Hello Miss Lia." he scooped the girl up into a hug as he spoke, looking at Hermione questioningly over her head as they wandered into the livingroom.
"Helen is poorly. I sent an owl asking to rearrange. I considered speaking to George but I'm not sure I could handle what he'd send her back with."
Severus smiled as he put Lia back down so she could play, he could well imagine what sorts of things George Weasley would think it hilarious to gift Lia.

"Hermione, I am not unaware that you have a child."

She frowned at him, clearly unsure as to what he was meaning. He shrugged, "It might not be what we'd planned, but there is no reason we cannot take Lia out. I assume Helen is here?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes, she's upstairs." she said slowly.

"Then let us leave so she can have peace."

"Are you serious?" she asked incredulously.

He rolled his eyes. "I am the bat of the dungeons." he drawled, "I don't know how to be anything other than serious."

She looked at him with wide eyes before she launched herself at him, her arms winding around his neck as she kissed him.

"What did I do to deserve you." she breathed in wonder. He wasn't entirely sure how he felt about someone looking at him like that. It was almost uncomfortable.

"Not that I'm complaining, but what was that for?" he asked once she had released him, raising an eyebrow.

"Not many men would be so understanding," she replied with a shrug, making him frown.

"You speak from experience?"

"Yes. There was a reason I didn't date. Too many just didn't understand if something came up or I had to rearrange at the last minute. So I gave up, it wasn't worth it."
"But surely they were aware Lia existed?" he asked in confusion.

"Yes." she said with a smile. "The fact that you quite clearly don't understand is what makes you special Severus. Now. Where exactly were you thinking we would take her?"

"I honestly have no idea." he said with a slight shrug, "I have no experience with children Lia's age. Where would you recommend?"

Severus spotted her slightly mischievous grin the moment he asked and steeled himself for what was coming next.

"We have all day, how do you feel about the zoo?"

"I can't say I've ever been to one." he confessed slowly.

"What? Never?"

"No, never."

She looked at him for a beat before nodding, "I guess we'll be rectifying that today then." she replied lightly. "Although we'll need to do something about the clothes."
He frowned at her, pulling his arms across his chest protectively. "What's wrong with my clothes?"

She smiled gently in response. "Nothing, I happen to like your robes. Muggles, on the other hand, may be slightly confused."
Sighing, he realised she was right. "Fine, Witch. But I swear on Salazar's soul, if you put me in red I will hex you."

She stifled a grin as she lifted her wand, slowly transfiguring his robes into trousers and a jumper, pausing momentarily to turn his jumper a dark forest green before she moved onto his cloak, transfiguring it into a long overcoat. She paused to inspect her work.

"I think I like you in green," she mused, giving him a look that made him simultaneously uncomfortable and vow to buy more in the colour.

"Do you indeed?" he drawled, allowing a smirk to crawl across his face as he tamped down his discomfort in favour of exploring the very obvious appreciation in her eyes.

"Yes," she stated baldly, her voice low to avoid Lia's notice, "however if you continue to look at me like that I cannot guarantee that I will not do something absurd like allow George to look after Lia and refuse to leave this house."

Severus choked on a startled laugh. Bloody straight to the point Gryffindor. She'd be the bloody death of him.

"I do not imagine Helen would be overly amused with that."

"Don't trust my ability to remain quiet?" she asked with an amused tilt to her head. "Or my ability to cast silencing spells?"

He almost choked. Images flooding his brain before he could stop them. Fucking hell, perhaps she truly was trying to kill him. He heard her stifled laugh as she patted his arm before Lia came flying across the room.

"Why you no come play my Sev'us?"

"We're going to go to the zoo, Lia, why don't you get your jacket?" Hermione answered for him while he composed himself. "Remember your hat and scarf!" She called as Lia ran to do as she was told.

"You did that on purpose, Hermione," he growled into her ear making her shiver before she turned slowly to face him, pressing her body into his as she kissed him.

"Of course I did," she whispered directly into his ear before she smirked and moved away in search of her daughter.

At that moment, Severus realised that he'd never have the upper hand ever again. Bloody tease.

As they stood for more minutes than he had ever thought possible watching the penguins dive under the water, Lia chasing them along the glass, Severus wondered how he had gotten here. It still felt surreal.

"She could stay here for hours," Hermione murmured, watching her daughter with an indulgent smile as she burrowed closer into Severus' side, seeking his warmth.

"So I see," he replied wryly. "Cold?"

"It's bloody freezing, Severus." she replied bluntly, "what sort of idiot goes to the zoo in December?"

"Us apparently." he laughed. "Is any of it indoors?"

"Um, I think there's a little reptile bit and possibly a bird bit….oh and there's chimps indoors and a small monkey bit."

"Then why, Hermione, are we standing outside watching penguins?"

She shrugged, "Lia loves them. It fascinates her that we can walk up those steps and see them all up there and then down here she can watch them swim."

Severus sighed, pulling her round to his chest, resting his chin on top of her ridiculous bobble hat, "Then I suppose we shall remain here getting hypothermia then."

Hermione laughed, "Welcome to parenthood, Severus. Isn't it glamorous?"

He had to forcibly ignore the longing that came with that statement as for the first time in his life he truly wondered what it would be like to hear a miniature human call him Daddy. He focused on Lia chasing the penguins instead, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he watched her laughing with sheer glee as a penguin followed her through all four of the large glass windows and back again before it headed for the surface.

Freezing cold and tired but smiling, they arrived back at Hermione's house having explored the entirety of the zoo. Lia insisting she sit on Severus' shoulders for the walk up the insanely long hill. Hermione had struggled to hide her amusement at his inability to say no to her child as she watched him struggle his way to the top. Now, he rather fancied a nap. Who built a zoo on a bloody hill anyway?

Hermione had disappeared to the kitchen and he could barely muster up the energy to turn his head when he felt a small body creep up onto the sofa next to his own.

"My Sev'us?"

"Yes Miss Lia?" he asked shifting slightly so he could see her, his body protesting at the movement.

"My Sev'us you stay sleepover?"

Severus choked. "Perhaps not tonight Miss Lia."

"Oh. Morrow?" she asked hopefully.

Biting back a grin he replied, "Probably not. I shall speak to your mummy and see if we can arrange something, alright?"
"Kay, my Sev'us."

"Do I want to know?" Hermione asked as she came back into the room.

"My Sev'us stay sleepover!" Lia exclaimed as Severus blushed.

Hermione looked at him stunned for a moment before she laughed. "Is he indeed? And when would that be happening?"

Lia shrugged, "Morrow, Mumma?" she asked hopefully.

Hermione snorted, "Perhaps once Helen is better." she suggested carefully.

Lia frowned, heading for the door before Hermione caught her around the waist swinging her round. "And where might you be going little miss?"
"To tell Helen be better now!"

Hermione hid her giggle as Severus smirked. "It doesn't work like that Imp, Helen will be better when the bugs go away."
"I tell bugs go away now?"

"No, Imp. They'll go away when they're ready. You can't force them. Now, are you going to help me set the table?"

Distracted, Lia followed her mother to the kitchen giving Severus a moment of reprieve.

"You know you can say no to her?" Hermione voiced once Lia was in bed.

Severus snorted, "Perhaps, I find myself unable to disappoint her."

She smiled at him "Which is wonderful and all, however she is going to become a spoiled little Madam if you don't learn. I cannot believe you carried her up that hill."

He rolled his eyes at her, "She has little legs and that hill was huge."

"She's managed it before, you know. I'm certainly not able to carry her up it."

"Even so, her legs are still little." he replied stubbornly, making her laugh.

"You're hopeless." she stated, running a hand through his hair, he lent into her hand on instinct. It still felt odd, this casual touching she did without thinking. He could count on one hand the people who had voluntarily touched him throughout his entire life.

"Perhaps," he said softly, shifting to face her before he smirked, "Although I do believe we now have a sleepover to plan."

Hermione laughed as she dropped her forehead dramatically onto his shoulder. "I cant believe she asked that."

"What does one do at these things? Tell me I am not expected to wear facemasks and gossip."

Hermione's head jerked up as she gaped at him before covering her mouth and laughing.
"Oh! Oh my dear god, I can just see you in a facemask having your nails painted like a teenage girl!" she giggled, her eyes wide.

"Is that not what I agreed to, Hermione? Did you have something else in mind?" he whispered into her ear.

She pulled back slightly and glared at him. "That's unfair, you know?"

"What is?" he asked, frowning.

"You, using your voice like that! It does things to me and I can't think straight."

He froze for a moment as he processed that before a smirk slowly spread over his face.

"Is that so, Hermione?" he drawled, pulling her closer to him as she shifted on the seat. "And what, exactly is it my voice does to you, hmm?"
"Bastard." she growled without heat. "Perhaps I should let Lia dictate the terms of your sleepover." she smirked up at him, "of course I had had other ideas…..but we wouldn't want to disappoint the toddler and as I cannot think of the words to describe what I had in mind, I'm afraid that's all I can come up with."

"Such a shame" he growled looking down at her as he ran a hand up the curve of her hip, "I imagine that once you can think straight you'll come up with all manner of…..pleasurable ways to use my…voice."
"Utter bastard," she whispered slightly breathlessly as she pulled his face down and kissed him.

Later, in the quiet of his rooms, Severus pondered what it was about Hermione Granger that made him throw all caution and logic to the wind. Despite their promise to take things slowly, he was now acutely aware of the feel of at least some of her skin against his own and he was desperate to feel all of it. That sleepover couldn't come soon enough, he'd even endure the facemasks and the nail painting she'd joked about if at the end of the night he was in her bed. He wondered how he would convince himself to ever leave it. The witch was quickly becoming an integral part of his life and he could no longer imagine what it would look like without her and Lia in it. He prayed to whomever may be listening that he didnt fuck it all up.

The next morning Severus choked on his coffee as he picked up The Prophet.

"BROKEN HEARTED OR HARLOT'' the headline screamed back at him, with a picture of Hermione and Lia outside Weasleys Wizzard Wheezes. He groaned as he spotted Skeeters byline. This was likely to be brutal. And it was.

The article speculated on the parentage of Lia, throwing everyone at it, Potter, various Weasley's and even himself. Rita questioned whether Lia was the reason Hermione had stayed away, wondering if she was the reason for the continued rift between the Golden Trio. It listed Rita's take on Hermione's conquests and painted her as a whore who flitted from man to man with no thought to the consequences, noting the clear lack of father in any of the sightings of the little girl. The vein in his temple was throbbing by the end of it, next to him, he noted Neville growing pale before the man growled and pushed back from the table.

"I'm going to to owl, Hermione. I seem to remember she had ways to keep that bug in line."

Severus' eyebrows shot up. "I think I shall accompany you."

They left the Great Hall together, Severus feeling Harry's eyes on them as they walked out.

"How exactly did Hermione keep Skeeter in line?" Severus asked blandly. Neville smirked, making him tense instantly.

"She kept her in an unbreakable jar in animagus form and let Sirius Black, who Rita believed to be a murderer at the time, look after her for a summer at the end of our fourth year. She then managed to….we'll use the word convince, I think, convince Rita to write nothing for a year before forcing her to write that expose of all the Death Eaters and Voldemort's return in the Quibbler during our fifth."

Severus stopped abruptly, "Pardon?"

"Oh you heard me. Hermione is vicious when those she loves are attacked. And Rita went after Harry. She ignored the article that got her death threats and landed her in the hospital wing, but the moment Rita went after Harry and questioned his sanity, she refused to tolerate it."
"Bloody hell." Severus muttered. He'd severely underestimated the witch.

"Exactly. I don't know if Rita has registered her form now, but I imagine Hermione will come up with something to keep her in line. She won't tolerate Rita dragging Lia through the news."

"No," Severus murmured, a plan forming in his head. "I don't imagine she will."

Nevilled smirked knowingly. "I'm sure she'll be willing to join forces." he said as they resumed the walk to the owlery, "Finally admitted you're not just friends?"

Severus sighed, "Perhaps."

"Good. I think you'll be good for one another. Although I feel the need to warn you, that if you hurt her, Hermione's proclivity for revenge will be the least of your worries."

Severus' eyebrows rose, "You're threatening me?"

Neville snorted, "Oh no. I don't imagine I'd scare you in the slightest. George Weasely on the other hand….well we both know how inventive he can be."

Severus paled slightly at the thought.

"Point well made, Longbottom."

Harry Potter read over the Prophet article and sighed at Rita's vitriol. He had no idea what had made her attack Hermione so viciously in the first place but perhaps he could help fix at least that. He owed Hermione more of a debt than he could ever repay, perhaps, if he called in some favours, he would balance the scales slightly.

The next day he found himself in the Minister's office, Kingsley glaring at him over the desk.

"Why should I trust you, Harry?" the Minister asked bluntly, making Harry wince. "Your track record with Hermione isn't exactly stellar and if you intend to hold this over her head I am going to have to decline."

Harry shook his head. "No, Kings," he sighed, having expected resistance, he knew Kingsley adored Hermione. "I….look, I owe her this as an absolute minimum. If she never finds out it was me, I can live with that as long as Skeeter leaves her alone. She deserves that much."
Kingsley surveyed him shrewdly. "Very well." He pressed a small button on his desk, "Felicity, could you get me Barnabas Cuffe please? Tell him it's urgent."

"Of course, Minister." the disembodied voice of Kingsley's secretary floated into the room.

Ten minutes later a blustering man burst into the room.

"Minister! Mr…Mr Potter! To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"You've been letting Rita write lies again Mr Cuffe," Harry spoke coldly, the man looking nervous at his tone.

"Yes, well, Rita's very popular, attracts a lot of readers."
"Hermione Granger's daughter is a two year old little girl, Mr Cuffe. A little girl who will one day be able to read Rita's speculation about her father and of Rita painting her mother as a whore. Her mother who, I should not have to remind you, was instrumental in bringing about the death of the worst wizard we have seen in decades. I wouldn't have survived without her."
Barnabas flinched. "Yes well….perhaps that wasn't our best work."

"You will print a retraction and an apology Mr Cuffe. You will forbid Rita from printing a damn word about Hermione Granger without her prior approval or so help me I will buy out the Prophet and sack you all."

Barnabas Cuffe looked from the Minister to Harry Potter before slumping in defeat.

"Of course, Mr Potter." he sighed, wondering how he was going to contain Rita's fury. She really did have an unnatural loathing for the Granger girl.

"I'm glad we had this chat, Mr Cuffe." Harry said, standing as the man shuffled out the door.

Kingsley looked at him, shaking his head slowly. "Perhaps there is hope for you after all," he murmured as Harry left moments later.