AH! Hey guys. I'm back. Finally. School's been...uugghhh! College Acceptance season right now so...yeah, that just about sums everything up. The last few months have just been stress upon stress upon stress. Not to mention my gym teacher has convinced himself that he is our personal trainer, so I've just been exhausted. (Have I mentioned that I hate gym? No, well I do!) But it's finally here.
Disclaimer: I don't own any rights to the names and characters associated with Harry Potter. I only take credit for making an awesome fanfiction of it. Rowling said she was cool with it.
UPDATED/REWRITTEN CHAPTER 3 (side note: I can't believe I was still in high school and complaining about gym when I first wrote this chapter. Lmaooo it seems like so long ago)
1976
"Regulus," a soft giggle wafted from the farthest and darkest crevice of the Hogwarts library. Between the last two rows of shelves, in the Magical Art section of the library, lay two teenagers in love.
A dark haired young man, whose hair curled around his airs, smiled softly at the girl beside him, laying on her stomach and reading a large tome. His eyes traced over her features, taking note to memorize every facet, dip, and curve in her face. He was raised to hate everything about her, and yet he couldn't find one flaw.
Feeling his eyes on her made her blush deepen, but in the moonlight beneath the ledge, on the carpeted floor of the Hogwarts library, she was cacaded in blue light. Warm blue light wrapped around them providing a security blanket for their secret trysts. Noone, not even Madam Pince, checked this section of the library. And this was their favorite spot.
A smile stretched across her lips at his perusal. "Stop staring at me. That's not what we're here for."
Regulus raised an eyebrow. "And what are we here for? Pray tell."
She rolled her eyes at his suggestive tone. "Pervert. We're here so you can learn about my history. You said you wanted to know all about me, right?" She threw his words back at him. That's what he said, when he first admitted to his feelings about her. Or what he called, stirrings.
Regulus bit back the next words that were going to tumble out of his mouth, and instead nodded. He looked down at the tome for the first time that night and frowned. "Lenny, this is Greek. You said your family migrated from Russia."
She rolled her eyes once more. "This is how I know you haven't been listening to a thing I've said all night. Just where is your head?"
He smirked at her. "My head is sad that he's being ignored right now. In fact, he's weeping." He leaned into her shoulder, softly placing kisses at her exposed neck and clavicle.
She stifled a moan and pushed him away softly. "You're absolutely incorrigible. What have I done to you? I've turned you into a monster." She laughed at his insatiability.
His lips pulled down a bit and eyes grew just a little less bright. "No, love. That was done to me at birth."
She whacked him in the arm at his broody look growing across his face. "Oh stuff it! What have I told you about that? Your family sucks, but you are not your family. Now enough of broody Regulus. Where is my Lulu?"
He groaned at the nickname, hanging his head to disguise a small grin. He straightened out his features before bringing his head back up and looking his girlfriend in the face. "Fine. Now tell me about your alleged Greek backgrounds."
Helen's eyes roamed his face once more before smiling in satisfaction at having her carefree boyfriend back. "I'm not Greek, but my name is. Daddy took me to Greece for my 11th birthday and took me to all of these museums and historical sights. It was... magical. He told me that my name was inspired by the most beautiful woman in the world: Helen of Troy."
She looked back at the tome that detailed the Greek gods and goddesses. She pointed at a diagram with a smile. "She had a daughter with King Menelaus before she was kidnapped by Paris. Her name was Hermione. That's what I'm going to name my daughter."
Regulus shook his head. "It's a Black tradition to name your children after constellations."
Helen eyed him out of the corner of her eye. "You're assuming that my daughter and your daughter will be one and the same."
Regulus flushed at that. He decided to change the direction of the conversation. "W-Why are you so sure that you'll have a daughter. You could have a son."
Helen smirked at his stutter but let him off the hook for that admission. "I'm going to have a daughter. And her name is going to be Hermione."
Still feeling the heat in his cheeks he looked down at the tome, avoiding eye contact. "I wouldn't know the first thing about raising a daughter."
She lifted his chin delicately with her finger and studied his face. "You won't have to do it alone. You'll have me. I'm sure, between the two of us, we'll figure it out."
Regulus smiled. "She'll be a menace."
1982
"Nooo," a small child whined as she stood defiantly across from her father, who was pleading with her to brush her hair.
"But Papa has to brush your hair, Monster. Or else it'll get tangled. And you don't want it to get tangled, do you?" Sirius bent down to her height to look her in the eye. His babygirl was terrified of the brush wrestling with her curls. Her hair was growing fast and thick, and at the length they were, it was a hassle to pull a brush through it. They sat, unruly on the top of her hair, like a dark halo.
Hermione rubbed her wet eye with her dimpled fist. "No wanna…"
Sirius sighed. This was their usual morning before heading to James and Lily's. "Don't you want to go to see Harry and Uncle James and Aunt Lily?"
Hermione nodded, eyes red and lips poked out into a pout.
"Well don't you want to look pretty for them?" He cooed at her.
She frowned and shook her head furiously, throwing her hair further into disarray.
Remus peeked his head in. Right on time, Remus thought. "Babygirl, are we giving Papa a hard time?"
Hermione nodded her head, unrepentantly.
"How about this, if you let Papa brush your hair, we can eat biscuits with Harry when we get there?" Remus knew bribes usually worked with her.
Hermione looked down in thought, sniffling. She twisted her toe into the flooring, still reluctant. "Hurts…" she muttered.
Sirius grimaced. "I know love, but we have to do it." He knew it bothered the girl, but she had stubborn hair like all Black children did at some point or another. Well, everyone but him. Sirius has always had perfect hair.
Remus grabbed both of her hands and searched for her eyes until she looked up into his. "Would it help if I hold you while Papa brushes your hair? You can squeeze my neck every time it hurts, so it hurts me too. That way, we both can help each other, huh? You like that idea?"
Hermione thought for a moment before shrugging. Remus took the response as a positive and swooped up the small girl, holding her tight to his chest. He felt her inhale into his shirt and her arms wrapped around his neck tightly.
Sirius quickly brushed through the curls, careful not to snag on any tangles. "There you go. All done. You can let go of Remus now, love." He rubbed her back soothingly.
Hermione shook her head and burrowed her face into his neck further. Sirius looked to Remus asking, with his eyes, if he was okay.
"It's fine, Sirius. I got her." Remus patted the girl's back gently. "It's a Godfather's duty. Plus, she's pack. I think the wolf needs to comfort her as much as she needs it."
Sirius shrugged. "Whatever you say man. Just don't come crying to me when she wants to be carried all day."
Remus scoffed. "Oh please. As if you don't bend to her every whim now."
Sirius sniffed. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
1984
"Papa! Papa, look at me!"
Sirius spun around at his baby girl's call. And there was his angel in black curls and silver eyes covered head to mud as she floated upside down above the large trampoline. His heart would have jumped into his throat had it not been subconsciously prepared having seen his daredevil sweetheart scare the shit out of him plenty of other times before. He's just glad that he dressed her in overalls today.
He snorts. Like she'd let him dress her in anything else
"Hermione! Get down from there!" Lily shrieked from the kitchen window. Lily fretted from the window manically gesturing for Hermione to stop using her magic that she discovered just a few months ago and Hermione slowly descended to the mat of the trampoline.
"Papa! Did you see me?! I was really high! I bet'cha you can't get that high!" Hermione placed her small hands on her nonexistent hips and smirked at her marauder daddy.
Sirius smirked and bent down to her level knowing how much it peeved Hermione when he shrunk 'down to her level' further emphasizing on her shortness. Sirius' gray eyes sparkled at the tell-tale signs of Hermione's famous temper.
"Oh yeah shrimp? I bet you I can go ten times higher than that."
"No you can't." Hermione's eyes widened before she looked at Sirius in disbelief.
"Yes I can." Sirius mocked her tone.
"Prove it!"
"Fine I will."
"Oh no you won't Sirius Orion Black! You will not be having a magic floating contest with Hermione! It is dinner time. Take her inside and give her a bath." Lily stomped outside and gave the both of them a death stare that had them cowering, knowing the redhead's wrath.
"Yes ma'am." Both saluted smiling cheekily at the disproving redhead.
But not even Lily could resist the urge to smile at the two. They were identical in almost every way and she's never seen Sirius smile as bright as he did when Hermione called him 'papa'. The two had been nearly inseparable since the day that Regulus left Hermione in their care. Almost as inseparable as Hermione and—
"Hermione, baby girl, where's Harry?" Lily asked worriedly, looking for her own mischievous child. Wherever Hermione was, and it was usually someplace up to no good, Harry wasn't too far behind all too eager to chase after the curly-haired rascal.
"Playing hide-and-go-seek." She shrugged up at the woman she came to see as a sort of aunt.
Lily raised a brow at the little girl. "And who is he playing hide-and-go-seek with?"
It took Hermione a few seconds until she gasped loudly and ran as quick as her tiny legs could go inside the house.
"Hermione! No mud in the house!" Lily continued to grumble after the little girl who shouted for her best friend.
Sirius laughed loudly. It never fails, he thought. If he didn't know the girl was gonna be a genius, he'd worry for her sometimes. This happened often-Hermione forgetting Harry in his hiding spot.
"I'm sorry Harry." Hermione begged trailing after the small boy. His face was still flushed from his bath. Or maybe it was because he was still mad that Hermione forgot him in his hiding spot. Again.
"You promised." He crossed his arms, not relenting in his attitude towards the small girl.
"I know," Hermione looked down at her hands ashamedly as she followed after him. "I forgot again."
"It's not nice Mimi. I never forget 'bout you!" He pointed to her accusingly stopping as he reached the kitchen. The adults, well one adult and Sirius, smiled amused at their behavior.
"I know. I'm sorry Harry. I promise I won't do it again." Hermione pouted to her best friend, jutting out her full red lip. Her gray eyes sparkled with unshed tears. Her wild curls had been brushed and braided into two braids with pink ribbons on the ends. Lily only managed to sneak them in because Hermione was too distracted with apologizing to her Harry.
"You said that last time," Harry stated matter-of-factly. But his cheeks reddened as he stared at his best friend, already beginning to forgive her.
"Please forgive me. I promise no more forgetting." Hermione clutched Harry's hand in her own and pleaded.
Her eyes widened as she stood on her tippy toes and stared into Harry's eyes. Lily smirked at the little girl knowing what she was doing. She had seen Hermione do it a million times to get her way. Sirius, James, and her baby boy hair were irresistible to her famous puppy dog pout. And Lily would never admit it, but she was too.
If she didn't know Hermione she'd really worry for her baby boy's well being. If one little look and a pout could make him forgive her for anything she could just imagine what type of power Hermione would hold in the future. Not to mention how scarily intelligent the small girl was. She just reached Harry's shoulders, and her boy was always a tad smaller than other children, but she was fierce. The first and last time that they visited her sister Petunia and met her horrid son Dudley he pushed Harry down on the ground and made him cry. Hermione immediately threw back her fist and hit Dudley in his porky nose. It didn't bleed or break or anything, but it was enough to make the child almost twice Hermione's size cry like a baby. After wiping Harry's tears she gave Dudley one last kick before telling him to never touch 'her Harry' again. She trusted Hermione to protect her baby boy.
She heard her baby boy sigh and she knew that Hermione won again.
"Okay." Harry sighed seemingly reluctantly. Hermione threw her arms around the little boy and smiled brightly before giving him a kiss on the cheek and prancing to her seat at the dinner table.
Harry promptly blushed bright red and his green eyes tripled in its brightness.
Lord help the kid, Lily rolled her eyes at her son.
"Daddy's home!"
"Daddy!" Harry shouted, running to the sound of his father's voice.
"How's my little Prongs doing today?" James smiled proudly at his son whose mouth ran a mile a minute explaining every detail of his day.
"Me and Mimi had lessons today. And Mimi knew all the answers. She's really smart daddy. And I didn't know some. But then Mimi helped me. And then I knowed it later. And then me and Mimi took a bath and then we played hide-and-seek. I found Hermione three whole times! But she didn't finded me again. She forgot me in the closet. Then I was mad at her. Then we took another bath. But she said sorry later and I was okay again. Oh! Look daddy! My tooth came out! Padfoo' says I'mma big boy now!"
The small black haired boy spoke excitedly about his day, brightening in the beginning before drifting off sadly towards the end, and becoming happy once more.
"So...basically the same as yesterday then huh?" James laughed as he looked at his wife and best mate.
"Basically." Padfoot chuckled as he fastened Hermione in her high chair and helped her fill her plate.
"I got it papa, I'm a big girl now, remember." Hermione had been expressing her independence a lot more lately. Which tended to get her into trouble, such as when she tried to make breakfast one morning and the other time when she drew her and Harry their night-night baths. She even convinced Harry to let her give him a haircut instead of his daddy. Lily damn-near fainted when she saw the impromptu mohawk Hermione had given her poor child who smiled deliriously at his best friend.
"Okay Hermione, just be careful." Sirius warned her as he watched her cautiously.
James and Lily shared a smile at Sirius in 'papa mode', as they called it. Hermione huffed and rolled her platinum eyes but cautiously lifted her child size fork to her mouth. Her mouth and closed around the food and she pointedly looked at Sirius as though to say 'I told you so'.
He snorted once and then made himself a plate, periodically checking on Hermione.
"How was work today?" Lily asked James as she fed Harry. Harry tried to establish his own independence but horridly failed as Lily gave him a look.
James shrugged.
"Eh. You know how it is now. They have nothing else to do with themselves now that You-Know-Who is out of the picture and they're sticking their noses where it doesn't belong." James grunted running a hand through his messy black hair that his son unfortunately inherited. "Instead of doing things that would actually benefit the population they're busying themselves with if witches should have the right to abort children or file for a divorce. These things shouldn't even be up for discussion, you know what I mean? Who gave them the right to decide on something a woman should do with their body?"
Lily reached over with a gentle smile and rubbed his cheek gently. James leaned into her touch, instantly calming. Even if it wasn't such a sweet picture Sirius would have laughed at his best friend's change in demeanor.
"Wow. Lily sure has trained you well," Sirius snorted.
"At least he is trained, you mangy mutt," Lily scoffed at him. James seemed to not have heard a word as James rubbed his face into her palm. Sirius often wondered how it was possible that Lily could multitask like that all the time, or if it was just a woman thing. Currently she was feeding lil' Prongs with one hand and petting his friend with the other, while also giving him her best at snappy retorts.
"It's a woman thing." Lily answered not looking away from her son.
Sirius looked to her shock. "I said that out loud?"
Lily hummed.
Sirius scooped another spoonful in his mouth. "Speaking of Mutts, how is Remus? He's barely at the pad anymore."
Lily rolled her eyes at the mention of bachelor pad he and Remus shared. Neither of them should live there considering neither of them were technically bachelors. Sirius was a single father and Remus was in a happily committed relationship with Mary.
James made his plate and sat at the table. "You know, Remus is Remus. He's still hesitant about using his name to get legislation passed but he's coming around to it. Mary's really helping out with his confidence, which is good."
Remus' newfound fame of being the conqueror or You-Know-Who. Halloween night in 1981 he came barreling in after Peter and Voldemort made an appearance. Remus heard from some of the wolves in the pack Dumbledore had him spying in, that Wormtail had turned rat and betrayed the Potters. Knowing so, he came to warn James and Lily, only to find both him and Voldemort dueling with James and Sirius. Lily was locked in Harry's nursery with Harry and Hermione.
Sirius shouted at Wormtail about his betrayal and killed him effortlessly after a short duel. Voldemort cast a bombarda at James, which Remus blocked with a powerful shielding charm. With James' help, Remus blasted sickening green light at the infamous dark Wizard. Neither knew why his body disappeared afterwards. Dumbledore and Hagrid arrived shortly after visiting the Longbottoms and urged Remus, James, and Sirius of a different story to share with the media. They could reveal that Wormtail betrayed them after switching secret keepers, but Remus showed up and saved the day, killing Voldemort forever. This could give Remus the leverage he wouldn't have as a Werewolf to make life better for himself.
When questioned about Voldemort's body Dumbledore alluded by telling them that all was well and they need not worry about it. He left shortly after with Hagrid to sort out Frank and Alice Longbottoms who were being treated at St. Mungo's after exposure to the Cruciatus curse. Dumbledore assured them, after their concern, that he expected full recoveries.
Sirius scratched the growing beard on his jaw, thinking of how much has changed over the last few years. It seemed like yesterday when his brother stopped by asking for sanctuary for Hermione. He then felt tiny soft hands join his on his jaw. He smiled softly and looked at his baby girl.
"Your cheek itchy Papa." Hermione's nose scrunched up and Sirius thought it made her face even more adorable.
"Hermione'll be the same way," Lily said softly looking at her with a dreamy expression.
"Hm?" Sirius was distracted with Hermione's tiny fingers exploring the itchiness of his jaw, getting spaghetti sauce all over his face. But he found that he didn't really mind.
"She'll grow up and be able to be the same way as other women. She'll be strong, opinionated, and able to do multiple things at once. You can tell by the way she is already." Lily said. Sirius had almost forgotten about what they were talking about before.
"Yeah," James mumbled around his food stuffed in his cheeks. He then winked at Hermione when he noticed her big gray eyes on his. "And she'll be a bossy little chit as well."
Hermione simply smiled at him. It was clear she didn't know exactly what that meant, but it sounded like a compliment to her. She couldn't comprehend why someone wouldn't compliment her. She was used to the constant praise she received from them, especially from her Papa and her godfather.
Sirius laughed at this and Lily whacked him over the arm.
"'Mimi not bossy, my Mimi pretty!" Harry declared with his little round chin in the air. Sirius narrowed his eyes at the mini Prongs. James snorted at his son. Hermione nodded at Harry's proclamation, agreeing wholeheartedly with his assessment.
Lily magicked away some of the food Harry got on his face and smiled softly at her enamored son. "Yes, 'Mione is very pretty, baby. Nobody is disputing that. Your father was just being silly."
"Daddy very silly."
Lily giggled. "Yes, daddy is very silly."
"Oi!" James cried in fake indignation. He stood up abruptly and scooped Harry out of his chair, throwing him in the air a few times. Lily shouted for James to stop, claiming he was going to make Harry puke up all the few she just helped him to eat.
Sirius couldn't help but smile at the scene. He looked down at his niece who had become his baby girl from the moment his brother walked out the door and never came back. He couldn't imagine how his brother was able to walk away from the little tike. If Sirius was being honest with himself he would admit that he knew his brother took it hard when he left his daughter behind. He had never seen his brother ever express so much emotion in his life. Not even when they were children
Sirius frowned as he began to remember him and Reg growing up and playing together. They used to have so much fun and he remembered Reg following him around everywhere. Always looking so awestruck with the things his big brother was able to do. But it didn't last as long as he had hoped. Once Sirius became of age, his mother took him away from his brother and started him with his training to take over the Black family line and to becoming an upstanding member of pureblood society. He saw his little brother less and less as his father showed him the workings of the family business and becoming the Black family heir. He hated leaving his little brother along with his mother, despite her being a pretty absentee mother anyway, as was the pureblood mother mantra.
And once he started school it was pretty obvious to Walburga and Orion how Sirius viewed pureblood society. Orion continued to show his son the ins and outs but Walburga's tantrums and screams were pretty hard to ignore, so Orion wasn't left with much of a choice but to listen to his wife.. By the summer before his sixth year he was disowned from the family and hexed off the family tapestry. But his brother's grooming to become the heir to the Black line had started a couple years previous, if he knew his mother. And he did. As twisted and demented as she became over the years, he knew that she could see that she had lost her son long before she fully kicked him out of the house, and she immediately began preparation to replace him.
Tugging on his sleeve brought his attention back to the present and back to his daughter's beautiful visage. Despite all the wrongdoings his brother has done and all the anger he still felt towards his younger brother, he sure did make a beautiful little girl. She wasn't a perfect little angel who never did anything bad either. She sure had her moments. She could get into just about anything with that mischievous little body of hers. And she had a wicked temper that showcased when she felt that she was being disregarded, but she was his baby girl. And as much as he knew that it was hard to watch Regulus breakdown for leaving his little girl behind, he hoped deep down, guiltily, that his brother wouldn't return and take Hermione away from him. The little witch had stolen his heart so completely and irrevocably that the thought of her being torn away from him made him feel numb.
"Papa," Hermione whimpered, reaching out towards the sippy cup just out of her reach.
"Did you finish your veggies," Sirius pointedly looked towards the small portion of broccoli on her plate. Hermione pouted, making her bottom lip poke out.
"But Papa, I'm full," she rubbed her tummy for emphasis. Sirius gave her his 'Big Papa' look and Hermione immediately stopped her whining and frowned down at her plate. She crossed her arms and sat back in her seat.
"Look 'Mione," Harry called from across the table. He showed her his mouth full of broccoli. But Hermione wasn't convinced. Lily chose not to scold Harry over showcasing half masticated food because he was trying to encourage Hermione to do so as well.
"Once those veggies are off your plate, you can have your juice." Sirius told her, not relenting. Although that pout of hers was pretty damn hard to resist. He just kept looking down at his plate to avoid her big round eyes pleading with him.
"And I'll give you a big 'ole slice of strawberry cheesecake, your favorite Hermione." Lily persuaded her.
But Hermione only hmphed and glared down at her plate, wishing for the damn vegetables to just disappear from sight, Everybody's head jerked in her direction at the sound of a small pop! and Hermione's giggles. She clapped her little chubby hands at the now empty plate and looked back at Sirius as if to say 'Now it's time for your end of the bargain'.
But Sirius, along with Lily and James couldn't help but stare at Hermione astonished. They already knew that she had been displaying bits of magic early on. Harry had his small burst when he was having a tantrum. But they didn't know Hermione could control, at least not this much. Though she did look genuinely surprised at the sudden disappearance of her food. Sirius handed Hermione over her juice in a daze.
"Well..." He looked to the other adults in the room unsure of what to say to them. "...that's my girl?"
-FE-
"Neither of you need a new broom." Lily scolded the two grown children who bounced on the way to the Broomstix."
"Lily," James sighed as though explaining it to a child. "It's the new Cirrus 1.0. It comes with dragon hide grips and seating pads, and all of the other dads at Magic Tots have one."
Lily rolled her eyes at them. Magic Tots is a daycare one of the half-blood moms set up a couple years ago. There aren't many children that go there seeing as a daycare is still relatively muggle, and most of the children were either half bloods or muggleborns, but Lily remembered one of the instructors in charge and she was in Ravenclaw. Not to mention she casted a surveillance spell on Hermione and Harry. You can never be too careful.
"I highly doubt all of the dads have one," she mumbled, but the boys didn't pay her any mind.
"Lily-pie, how 'bout you take 'Mione with you to Flourish & Blotts and we can take Harry with us to Broomstix," James suggested already grabbing Harry's hand.
"Don't you think about buying him a broom James Potter! I mean it!" She shouted after him, people in Diagon Alley shaking their heads at the couple.
"LOVE YOU TOO LILY-CAKE!"
She shook her head at her husband but couldn't hold back a smile at his antics. It was one of the things that she secretly loved about her childish husband. He had grown so much since the first day that she had met him. And although she had first despised the boy for his immature pranks and inconsiderate attitude towards others, he had matured as the years went on and she realized how much she loved that side of him. The side that was unafraid to be himself and shout to the heavens his love for her. As embarrassing as it was in the beginning, she couldn't deny how much it flattered her and made her feel like the most beautiful women in the world.
Lily had always struggled with her insecurities. She never felt as stunning beautiful as her sister Petunia, or gorgeous as Marlene, or even girl next door pretty as Alice. Her skin was pasty and her hair was unnaturally red. She did like her eyes, but they were an odd shade of green, jolly rancher green. She had freckles that ran across the bridge of her nose. She wasn't very tall, and she was pretty slim with small hips and breasts. But James didn't mind any of these attributes. If anything, James loved these things most about her. Nobody had ever made Lily feel the way that James did.
"Aunt Lily?" Hermione's sweet voice brought her out of her reverie.
"Yes sweetie?"
"Can I have a wand?"
"Not yet darling. You have to wait until it is time for you to go to Hogwarts."
She pouted and put her hand on her hip. "Well, then I want to go to Hogwarts."
Lily laughed. "That may be, love, but you have to wait until you receive your letter."
She huffed. "Well when do I get my letter?"
"When you're eleven." Lily replied patiently.
Hermione sighed as though she felt the world weigh down upon her tiny shoulders, but she nodded her head in acceptance. But she quickly perked up as she read the sign of her favorite store. She let go of Lily's hand and ran inside the store.
"Hermione!"
Hermione sped through the store in a practiced manner, as though she knew every aisle, nook, and cranny. The smell of old and dusty books wafted through her nose and she was so caught up in running to her favorite reading spot that she wasn't paying attention to the person exiting an aisle.
"Oof!" She collided with a large mass wrapped in a black. She fell back hard on her bum but managed to catch herself with her hands before her head collided with the floor.
"I wasn't aware they let small children roam alone in this establishment." A deep voice drawled from above.
Hermione's eyes dragged up the large man's frame who had spoken, gaping she took note of his appearance. He was very tall. Taller than her papa and uncle Jamie. His hair was the same color as her eyes, but not as full and bouncy. It looked pretty thin, actually, maybe how her hair would look if she didn't take a bath for a whole week. His lips were thin and bunched up kinda funny, like he smelled her papa when he didn't take a bath. But it was his eyes that really made her shiver. They were so dark. They held none of the mischief that her papa had, or the warmth of her Harry's.
He seemed to grow impatient with her silent gaping and he sighed exasperatedly. He reached down and grabbed her by her arms to bring her to her feet. But once on her feet she remained in the same pose, mouth open and eyes widened. He rolled her eyes and bent down to the small child's level.
"Do you not know how to converse? Have you yet to reach that level of maturity to hold a conversation?" He asked condescendingly.
That seemed to snap the child out of her stupor. She didn't just what every one of those words meant, but she caught the gist of it. She closed her mouth and narrowed her eyes at the man and balled up her fist.
"I can too hold a conversation! I speak with my papa all the time. And I always be tellin' my Harry what to do." She stuck her chin up and tried to look down her nose at him. Which proved to be a challenge with him being so much taller than her.
He quirked an eyebrow at the sprout. "What's your name?"
"My Papa told me not to talk to strangers."
"I think it's a bit too late to do that. Now just tell me your name so that I can find your parents." Severus looked around the bookstore, and not seeing a frantic parent in sight, he turned to look back at the small child.
Her features were too familiar. The black hair and gray eyes, so reminiscent of a Black, confused him. There hadn't been any recent birth announcements from any Blacks. Narcissa would have mentioned it.
"Hermione! Hermione, where are you!" Hermione's head whipped around to the sound of Lily's panicked calls. Her face quickly scrunched up. The man instantly knew this was the small child's name the way she flinched at the name.
"Over here aunt Lily!"
The man immediately stiffened at the name, knowing only one person with that name. And if he had any doubts the vibrant red hair that quickly turned the corner left no more. She had yet to notice the man, instead fretting over the little girl who was doing her best to appear sorry.
"Hermione you know better than to let go of my hand like that and go running off. Just wait until I tell your papa." She scolded the little girl while looking her over for any injuries.
"No, please don't tell Papa. I promise I won't do it again. I learn't my lesson. I promise." She stuck out her bottom lip similarly to the way she had done earlier when she begged Harry to let her pour his milk in his cereal.
But Lily did not relent. "No, Hermione. Don't you think about it. You need to learn that running away from me like that in public is very dangerous. You wouldn't want someone to snatch you up and take you away from us forever, do you?"
Hermione's eyes widened in horror shook her head quickly, throwing her inky curls all over the place. That thought was terrifying.
"Good girl." Lily wiped the dust off her dress where she bent down and stood up, finally taking notice of the man near Hermione. "Severus." She gasped.
"Lily." Severus replied tightly, eyes blank and face emotionless.
"W-What are you-" she shook her head, "How have you been?"
Something crossed his face for a second but was gone before Lily could recognize it. "As well as could be expected." He replied shortly.
And Lily flinched at the implication. It seemed like only yesterday her world as she knew it almost came to an end. Harry and Hermione were barely a year old when Voldemort showed up on their doorstep, with Peter in tow. Hermione tried not to think of that fateful Halloween night that could've ended very differently.
Remus was quickly dubbed a hero amongst their friends and family, but most of the Wizarding World, still very behind and backwards, refused to acknowledge the fact that a half-blood, a werewolf, was able to do something not even the most powerful and pureblood was able to accomplish. But Remus' slaying of the 'Dark Lord' was not the only shocker that followed that fateful Halloween night of '81. Dumbledore testified for two of the most well-known deatheaters, Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy. Apparently they had defected not long after the death of their closest friend, Regulus Black, and turned spy for the Order. While the elite part of society quickly accepted and even rejoiced in the news, the Order and those alike had difficulty accepting it.
Sirius Black, most of all. He had a lot of difficulty reconciling the fact that not only did he recently murder one of his long-time friends, he had been doubting his loyal friend Remus for months, and the man who gave him this precious little angel was now gone. Reg may have been a deatheater and coward, and he may have even found himself truly and deeply hating his brother on a few occasions, Reg was still his brother. And it was hard to think of his brother as well and truly gone. It still has yet to ring true within Sirius, a small portion of him still waiting for his baby brother to come swaggering through his front door to take his rightful daughter away.
"I apologize," Lily whispered. Severus nodded but said no more. Settling with staring at his long time crush and once very good friend. Hermione could sense the tension in the air and squirmed. I wasn't aware that Black had reproduced. Hermione stood still at once at the recognition of her name.
"You know my Papa?" Her eyes brightened.
"Hermione..." Lily started.
"Lily! Where are you?" Lily heard James shouting for her. Lily sighed at the impending chaos headed their way.
"I think that is my cue to—" Severus began but was interrupted.
"Sev?"
A caramel skinned woman, heavily pregnant, and looking between two books she held up broke through the crowd just as Lily's husband and his best friend and child in tow.
"Lily we've been looking all over for..." James' voice trailed off at the notice of another person.
Severus' face tightened and his lips formed a sneer. His face instantly relaxed at the touch of the small and dark haired woman beside him. She glanced at the new people who stood in front of him, and looked at him with a worried expression. He shook his head minutely and gave a small smile. She nodded her head and looked back towards the newcomers. Lily couldn't help but to take note of the exchange with surprise.
"Snape."
"Potter."
"Snivelus." Sirius spat eyes darkened.
"Sirius!" Lily scolded.
"Black." Snape replied just as coldly.
"Mimi! Look what I got!" Harry ran over to Hermione and showed off his little broom.
"James Potter!"
James winced and looked at his wife, "Lilybear, I promise it'll only hover two feet off the ground."
"Two feet too many." Lily shook her head at her husband's pouty look. He would get an earful later at home. Harry was much too young to fly on a broom, especially if his daredevil father was the one teaching him. Merlin forbid he actually picked up any of James' terrible death-defying habits while flying.
"As interesting as this all is—" Snape drawled and made to leave.
"Are these friends of yours Sev?" The small caramel woman beside him asked.
Everyone looked at her but she only had eyes for Severus. Severus looked at the woman who had become his life in such a short time and felt himself relax.
"We used to be," Lily replied, giving the woman a soft smile. She turned back to the man who looked so much like the boy she grew up with, but aged and angry. "Well, it was nice seeing you again. I apologize for Hermione running into you. She can get a bit enthusiastic when we go to the bookstore." Lily laughed smiling softly at the now blushing little girl.
Said little girl shrugged her dainty shoulders and looked the tall man in the eye. "I like books. Papa said that makes me a nerd. But I don't care. Auntie Lily said that Papa is an ass." She said matter of factly.
"Hermione!"
James and Sirius chuckled at Hermione. The woman with Severus stared astonished at the little girl's vocabulary, she looked so small, she couldn't be much older than three. And yet here she was speaking in full sentences.
Hermione turned and grabbed Harry's sticky fingers. "C'mon Harry, let's go find me some more books."
The group watched as the small boy followed after the little girl without a care in the world. People smiled at the small pair as they made their way down the many aisles. That little girl was going to be a terror when she gets older, Sirius thought. And he couldn't help but smile at that.
After the group went their separate ways, Severus and Nani left the bookstore so that Severus could go pick up some more potion ingredients. Nani absentmindedly rubbed her bulging stomach and stared at the profile of Severus Snape, a man who has quickly taken up residence in her heart.
When she left her home, pregnant, abandoned by the child's father, and disowned by her family, she traveled to South America, where she ran into a British man with a surly disposition. Another man was harassing her at a bar and he stepped in.
"I believe the young lady turned down your numerous advances on her person. I suggest you leave her alone before I do to you, what you wanted to do to her."
The obnoxious jerk scrambled away after the serious look Severus sent him. Nani smiled at the threat. And when Severus turned to walk away, Nani grabbed his arm.
"I'm Nani. Thank you for that. He just wouldn't stop."
Severus was still turned slightly away from her and subtly trying to remove his arm from her grasp, but she wouldn't let go until he responded. He looked down at her grasp and quirked an eyebrow up at her. "Perhaps you could've handled yourself, if your grip is any indication."
Nani blushed and let go. "Please, what's your name?"
He seemed to think it over before rolling his eyes. "Severus."
"You're not from here, Severus."
He smirked at her observation. "Neither are you."
She grinned cheekily at him. "I'm doing a bit of traveling. What brings you here? Catching a drink with friends?"
Severus snorted. "I don't have any friends." He looked around and debated about actually engaging the attractive woman at the bar. She sat hunched over on the stool, and although her shirt was a bit big, it couldn't completely hide the subtle bulge of her abdomen. He took a quick glance at her hand and saw no jewelry. "I am doing some traveling as well."
She leaned her head on her hand at the sudden wave of fatigue. She fought back a yawn and grinned at the nice British man. "Something tells me the bar isn't your usual scene."
He sent a loaded glance at her abdomen, making her hand go there instinctively. "Something tells me this isn't your usual scene either."
She frowned and looked away, shame coloring her features. And Severus had to admit-not out loud, Merlin forbid-that her features were quite attractive. Britain Wizarding World wasn't exactly a melting pot of cultures. Women with her skin color and accent were considered exotic. An American accent, so possibly from a Polynesian island, or thereabouts. A pregnant woman doing some traveling, unlikely. Whatever her reasoning for leaving home, and seemingly all alone, meant that there was probably some trouble behind her. And Severus did not have the time nor patience to get involved.
"Perhaps, you'd like to take a walk. And get some air." Severus heard himself say.
So much for not getting involved.
The golden-complexioned woman looked at him, studying his face for a moment before making a decision. Smiling, hesitantly she reached an arm. Instinctively, Severus grabbed it, holding back a grimace. His hands must be sweaty from the humidity in the bar alone. But she didn't seem to mind. She climbed carefully off of the bar stool. Standing only a couple inches shorter than his 6'2 she smiled at him again, this time less hesitant.
Severus made an impression on her that day. He was dark, broody, and moody. He snapped quite often and rarely shared anything about himself. And then one day she walked into his mini potion lab in his hotel room and he berated her on her inability to mind her business and endangering herself and the unborn child. He was thrown by her unflinching nature and simply told him to calm down before he gave himself an ulcer and walked back into the kitchen for tea.
Magic wasn't an unfamiliar concept to her. Magic was a part of her daily life and culture back home. Of course, it was quite different hearing the stories as a child and actually witnessing it first hand, but once Severus calmed down, he spilled a lot about his childhood and the Wizarding society he was a part of. In that moment, she knew she had fell in love with the surly man.
Now, if only he could just accept that.
UPDATED/REWRITTEN CHAPTER 3 (minor grammatical changes, added scenes)
