Hey guys thank you for all the reviews from the previous chapter. I decided to release this a day early.

Heads up, it's a long chapter but a really good hurt/comfort one for all you Minerva/Hermione mother/daughter fans out there.

Spoiler for the next chapter: Hermione's history and adoption. I haven't decided yet when Hermione's uncles either going to make an appearance in the next chapter or the one after but that will be coming up soon.

Thank you hhrodgarh for offering to be a beta reader but I think I'm going to push as much as the story out first while I've got some creative juices and motivation left. Then when I hit a writers block I'll go back and re-edit but thank you for offering.

Lastly, as always please leave a review, favourite, follow - your choice.

If you have suggestions on what type of scenes you'd like to see in this story please leave a suggestion. I know already there will be a scene with Severus and Molly having tea together, them taking Hermione to the lake to swim etc. and of course Charlie and Hermione hanging out.

So without further a do,

Please enjoy.


Chapter 13: My daughter

One hour earlier.

Severus had awoken to a woman singing a traditional Scottish song.

"Hó-bhan, hó-bhan, Goiridh òg O,
Goiridh òg O, Goiridh òg O;
Hó-bhan, hó-bhan, Goiridh òg O,
Gu'n dh'fhalbh mo ghaoil 's gu'n dh'fhàg e mi"

He quitely as possible removed the sheets tucked around his waist and stood up. He moved over to the next door neighbor curtains and pulled them aside to see Minerva curled up in a soft, padded chair rubbing her fingers through the sleeping girls hair.

"Dh'fhàg mi 'n so 'na shìneadh e, (I left my darling lying here),
'Na shìneadh e, 'na shìneadh e; (A-lying here, a-lying here);
Gu'n d'fhàg mi 'n so 'na shìneadh e (I left my darling lying here),
'Nuair dh'fhalbh mi 'bhuain nam braoilegan". (To go and gather blueberries).

He rolled his magazine up in his hand as he leaned against the wall, listening to mother figure comfort the poor child.

"Hó-bhan, hó-bhan, Goiridh òg O,
Goiridh òg O, Goiridh òg O;
Hó-bhan, hó-bhan, Goiridh òg O,
Gu'n dh'fhalbh mo ghaoil 's gu'n dh'fhàg e mi"

Minerva quietly sang to the girl thumbing her cheek as she listened to the deep, weazing breaths.

"Fhuair mi lorg an dóbhrain duinn, (I've found the wee brown otter's track),
An dóbhrain duinn, an dóbhrain duinn, (The otter's track, the otter's track);
Gu'n d'fhuair mi lorg an dóbhrain duinn; (I've found the wee brown otter's track),
'S cha d' fhuair mi lorg mo chóineachain!" (But ne'er a trace of baby, O!)

"Hó-bhan, hó-bhan, Goiridh òg O,
Goiridh òg O, Goiridh òg O;
Hó-bhan, hó-bhan, Goiridh òg O,
Gu'n dh'fhalbh mo ghaoil 's gu'n dh'fhàg e mi"

Minerva finished, kissing the girls forehead before leaning back in the chair and sighing. Her long straight black and grey hair fell down the length of her back and over her left shoulder. She had a her feet tucked curled up around her as she leaned her elbow on the arm chair and held her chin as she observed the sleeping girl.

"You should be resting Severus" She told him knowing he was there even without looking. He licked his lips before he moved over to her and gently sat on the bed next to the girl. The girl took in a deep breath before her palm opened up on her right hand lying next to her forehead. Minerva couldn't help the exhausted smile that overcame her and placed her hand in the girls.

Severus couldn't help but watch the interaction. The older woman dressed in soft, long velvet robes holding the small child's hand. He could see this is what Minerva had wanted for such a long time.

"I didn't know you sung?" Severus avoided eye contact. Minerva smiled up at him before looking down at the girl.

"It was a song my mother used to sing to me when I was a wee lass. I used to hum it to you every time you'd wind up in the infirmary after some altercation with the Maraunders"

He stifled a cough. It wasn't fair, it was four against one. Well, two technically. Remus tried not to get involved too much as he had other things to worry about (i.e., being a werewolf) and Pettigrew did not even count as a man...well boy. He was the most pathetic thing he'd ever seen and he was happy when the news came that Sirius Black had killed him and been sent to Azkaban.

"Hmmm... I remember"

"I expect you to. You appeared to have quite a lot of trouble with wild animals attacking you"

He rolled his eyes, crossing his arms.

"Speaking of Animagus'. What is going to happen to the girl?"

Minerva sighed, thumbing the back of the girl's hand. She was absolutely adorable even despite the fact they had only partially been introduced. She knew immediately she wanted to keep the girl. Even Severus knew that just by one look at the woman.

"I'm hoping we'll get to speak to her tomorrow and we can find out a bit about how she came to be with us" She smiled brushing the locks off her face. She watched as the girl tried to move her splinted thumb to her lips and suck.

"Ooch," Minerva tutted, taking Hermione's right hand again in hers and rubbing it. She felt the girl clasp her hand again and kissed her forehead.

"You need to get some rest, Severus" He told her.

"So do you" He replied back, standing up before tapping his wand against the frame of the girls bed, doubling the size.

She smiled up at him as he moved back to his bed.

"You're too kind, dear boy"

"Don't let me catch you saying that when the students are around, Tabby" He sat back on his bed and grabbed his potions weekly. Minerva squeezed the girls hand one last time before bringing her hand over the girl's cheek.

"What happened to you?" She mumbled about to get up and sleep next to the girl until she noticed her the girl's eye lashes beginning to flutter.

"Severus, I think she's waking up"

She turned back to the girl smiling happily as the girl breathed out and opened her unfocused eyes.

"Hello deary" She thumbed her cheek as Hermione's eyes flicked back to the Minerva.

"Mommy?" She called out unsure.

"Ooch" She cooed the girl before her eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed.

Severus arched his eyebrow at Minerva in questioning as she smiled and laid next to the girl.

"Good night Severus"

"Night Tabby"


Minerva awoke to the sounds of Poppy fussing over the bed next to hers.

"Blood boy, leaving before I discharge him. He's going to get a bleeding scolding when I get my hands on him"

Minerva groaned exhausted and raised her left hand, rubbing her eye. She hardly noticed the girl cuddled up to the side of her, drooling on her robes. She gently thumbed the girls cheek before kissing the top of her head and sitting up.

"Oh, good morning Minerva. I didn't realize you had awaken. Would you like some tea, dear?" Poppy asked about to summon one of the elves.

"Good morning Poppy. That would be lovely" She smiled before noticing an IV stand on the opposite side of the bed. Now that she took even more of a look, there was a drip attached into the crook of the girls right elbow.

Minerva raised her eyebrow as Poppy summoned an elf and came to check on the IV bags process.

"I haven't seen you use an IV bag since Severus had started working with us" She was technically referring to the fact that he had been beaten up at his initiation into being a Death Eater but Poppy knew what she meant.

"Unfortunately, I couldn't wake the girl up earlier this morning and she really needs to be taking her potions. I've decided to use an IV to ensure her body's on enough anti-biotics and pain relief for now. When she awakens, I'll give her a nutrition potion and a hunger potion to increase her appetite. However, shes been practically out cold since yesterday evening"

Minerva nodded not surprised. The girl needed her rest. She noticed the fabric covering her body. Rather it just being a blanket, there appeared to be Severus' cloak. It was rather large and seemed to completely cover both Minerva and the girl. Sweet boy Minerva cooed making a mental note to thank him and return it to him later.

She reached over to her wand at the bedside table and checked the time as a house elf appeared and set a two tea cups on the table before disappearing. Poppy came and sat down on the chair and served the beverages.

"Merlin it's almost eight. I have to start teaching in an hour" She rose up startled at the time before her friend could calm her.

"Not to worry. Albus came by to see how you were. He volunteered to take over your classes for the day" Poppy sipped on her tea. Oh thank Merlin Minerva smirked. She didn't think she could lecture a bunch of teenagers with her potential daughter injured and unconscious.

She leaned back against the wall before feeling the girls right hand brush against her waist. Her brown eyes blinked open before she groaned and attempted to look around. Minerva and Poppy were shocked to say the least until the girl finally called out what she wanted.

"Teddy?" Poppy placed her tea down before grabbing the stuffed bear that was laying down at the end of the bed and tucking it under the girls right arm.

"There you are, dear" Poppy told her as she pulled both the blanket up as well as Severus' cloak. The girl muttered a polite thank you before attempting to drift back off to sleep again on Minerva's chest.

Poppy couldn't help the smile that pressed on her lips.

"She's absolutely adorable" Poppy chuckled. Minerva couldn't help but agree as she ran her fingers through the tangles of the girls hair. They had spent the next hour chatting away before Minerva's back began to hurt. She figured whilst the girl was still sleeping she could quickly run up to her rooms, take a shower, change an grab something to eat quick before coming back.

Poppy agreed with her and gently helped Hermione rest on her back without awakening her.

A 20 minute shower followed by a quick change into some red robes, she decided to pay her husband a quick visit between the forth years and 1st years Transfiguations class.

"Ah good morning, my dear" Albus greeted his wife as he stood stacking papers at her desk. She smiled at her loving husband before walking over to him and pecking him on the lips.

"Good morning Albus"

"And how is our guest today?"

Minerva looked at the two black boards behind her desk before answering.

"Unfortunately, she's still sleeping. She had a brief period where she awoke but it seemed to be out of the concern for the welfare of her teddy" Minerva answered as her husband placed the days assignments at the top left pile of papers at her desk.

"Ah, I suppose she needs a proper amount of sleep. Poppy informed me that she had quite extensive injuries. Please do inform me when she awakens though. I would like to see where she came from"

"Poppy said that she would be forced to wake the girl up by early afternoon if she continued to sleep through the morning. She said Hermione's was just over 12 kilos underweight for her age"

"She's got quite a bit of catching up to do"

"Indeed"

"Have you eaten yet Tabby, it's almost 10?" Albus inquired. She shook her head as he nodded concerned for her welfare.

"I'll grab something quickly from the kitchens" She kissed his cheek before moving off. He gently smiled before beginning to go through Minerva's notes for the next class.


Poppy had been alerted to her wards on the girls bed going off. She had been quite frustrated after the girl had decided to throw herself off the bed yesterday, twice mind you. Rather than place restraints on the girl, she had settled for attaching the original railing on the hospital bed along with several wards to warn her if the girl attempted to remove herself from the bed when she had hurried off from her late breakfast, a toastie and a cappuccino. She sighed and stood up on the way to the infirmary however ended up bumping into Minerva.

"You seem in a rush, dear?" Minerva inquired walking with the woman to the infirmary. "Our dear guest has breach the wards placed around the bed and has decided to attempt to go for a stroll"

Minerva hummed before turning to her friend who was still attempting to scoff a toastie and coffee into her mouth.

"I'm heading back to the infirmary anyway, Poppy. I will handle the girl" She really did want to see the girl awake and alert. It would be great to ask her some questions and find out a bit about her at least.

Poppy smiled, thanking the woman before heading back off to finish the rest of her breakfast in the Great Hall.

So that's where Minerva had found the girl with her right leg over the railing and her attempting hopelessly to life herself off.

"Ooch dear, what are you doing?" Minerva was about to scold the girl but the jump in the girls reaction made her pause. A frightened look was plastered on her face as she tried to push her leg over the bed again to get off.

"Stop girl. You're going to hurt yourself. You need to be on that bed and resting" Minerva gently pushed her plastered leg back onto the two cushions propping her leg up before tucking the blanket back over the girl making sure she was tightly wrapped up.

"But uncle says I'm not allowed to be on the furniture" The green eyed witch stopped in her tracts before turning to the girl. She didn't quite understand; Hermione was near a panic attack because she was supposibly not allowed to sit on a piece of furniture.

"What do you mean, dear?"

She hesitated and bit her lip.

"Uncle says, fun-it-tures for people and I-I'm not a p-" She didn't bother finishing that statement seeing as the the woman's face had turned from frantic to shocked to say the least. Hermione gulped. Perhaps she had overstepped the line.

"I-I need to be on the fwoor, o-otherwise I'll be pun- pun-i-ssed" She tried to move off again but Minerva instantly grabbed her shoulders making the girl yelp.

"Hermione...dear, whoever told you that is wrong. You are allowed to sit on the furniture and you sure as Merlin are not sleeping on the floor. Especially not in your state. Do you understand?"

"But uncle says I'm not a person" Hermione seemed frantic now that she was awake. She really believed that she wasn't human. That she was some sort of an animal to say the least. Though, she knew Bear sat on furniture. In fact, Bear didn't seem to have a problem sleeping on anything that wasn't the floor. She sat down next to Hermione and asked her why she decided to change her view of herself as an animal compared to herself as a human.

"Because uncle says I'm less than dirt" She shifted her eyes away from the older lady, thinking about the times she had to clean his couch with the vacuum.

"Even sand and dirt got to sit on the sofa" Hermione mumbled bitterly. Minerva couldn't believe what she was hearing. This girl, this poor sweet girl was jealous of bloody dirt.

"And, Buce got to sit on the sofa. Uncle said that Buce was allowed to sit on the furn-i-ture because he was an animal. He was above me" She explained avoiding eye contact with the woman. She really didn't like how she was looking at her. It may her feel even worse.

Minerva's bottom lip trembled. She raised a hand to her heart, taking a gulp of air before continuing on with her questions.

"Who, who was Bruce?"

Hermione arched her eyebrow. Despite Hermione's maturity, she was still quite egocentric and couldn't understand why Poppy didn't know who Bruce was.

"Buce is uncle's best friend. He's a doggy" Hermione wanted to roll her eyes as the obvious answer. Oh Merlin Minerva shuddered at the thought of Hermione's ill treatment. It was worse than she could of imagined.

"Hermione, what your uncle told you was wrong. You are a human being. You a girl; your a very sweet, very young girl" She tried to reason with the girl but she didn't seem to like Poppy's response to her.

"But uncle hurt me. He wouldn't have pun-i-ssed me if I was a person. He said so"

"You didn't deserve to be punished, you certainly didn't deserved to be hurt"

"Yes, I did. I was naughty. Uncle said I was bad, an ev-ol and a demon" Hermione wanted to scream at the woman. She wasn't seeing reason but to Minerva's ears she was hearing something god awful. Something she had never truly dealt with before. She gulped before deciding on a different approach to get some answers.

"Did your parents treat you that way too?" She asked concerned. Hermione stopped in her tracks. Tears began to fall down her face. She turned away from the woman and closed her eyes shaking her head. So they didn't hurt her, that was a relief at least. Now she just needed to find out where they were.

"Mummy and d-daddy never tweeted me the way uncle did"

"Hermione, dear. Where are your parents"

Hermione sniffed trying to rub her tears away with her splinted right thumb,

"They died...Uncle...Uncle, said that I killed them. That, that it was my fault they were dead. That I cu-cursed them and that's why they-" She sobbed trying to rock herself back and forth. She huddled herself further into her teddy biting his ear and trying to stifle her sobs but they were uncontrollable and the heartache she felt was getting worse. Tears slid down Minerva's face. She couldn't stop herself and wrapped her arms around the girl and lifted her up into her arms and cuddled her tightly into her chest.

Hermione didn't quite realise the woman holding her was crying too until she felt splashes of water hit her shoulder. She sniffed, resting her head on the woman's chest trying to enjoy the comfort but not understanding why the woman felt the need to hug her. She knew she didn't deserve it.

She felt a soothing hand began to rub her back but it set Hermione's nerves off. She yelped, struggling to move away but stopped as soon as the hand ceased to move.

"Hermione?" The woman pulled her away and attempted to gain some form of eye contact with the girl. She sniffed before closing her eyes and looking away from the woman.

"Hermione dear, please look at me"

Hermione hesitated but took a breath before attempting to look into the woman's eyes. It was painful, everything her uncle taught her was set in the back of her head. She ripped her eye contact away from the woman and began to sob again.

"Ooch dear. Please, look at me" She tried to place her hand under the girls chin but she turned her head away.

"I'm, I'm not allowed too" Hermione told her sobbing into her chest. Minerva's heart was breaking into pieces. She could feel it shattering like a hammer against glass. She wanted to cradle the girl and hold her to the pain went away, she wanted her husband.

Minerva thumbed her tears away.

"Hermione's your parents deaths weren't your fault"

Hermione shook her head not believing her. Of course it was her fault; she was a freak. Had the woman even bothered to look at the writing on her back. It was literally embedded into her skin.

"Yes it is. If I wasn't such a fweek, a, a mistake then they'd be here. I'm a monster. Uncle said so"

"Your uncle doesn't know anything" Minerva was angry know. She knew it wasn't the greatest approach to show anger in front of a severely abused girl but Minerva was just so, so upset.

"Your uncle is definitely not a nice person. Hermione your parents sounded like they loved you. You would never hurt your parents"

Hermione nodded looking up at the woman's eyes for a flicker of a second before finding her hands more interesting.

"Never" Hermione repeated.

"Your uncle sounds like the real monster here. No person would ever abuse a child" That included the physical, emotional and psychological abuse wrapped into one.

Tears continued to streak the girls cheek no matter how much she tried to stop herself from crying.

"He was just giving me what I deserved" Hermione mumbled hugging her teddy not wanting to hear any more from the woman. Minerva didn't understand how this girl, who had literally sacrified her life for Severus would be this blind. Would hate herself this much. Tabby licked her lips before pulling the girl back into a hug.

"I don't want to hear you say that ever again. Your uncle is wrong. You aren't a monster, you aren't less than dirt, your a human girl who never deserved to be hit or abused" She firmly told the girl.

"But-" She pulled the girls chin up trying a direct approach instead.

"Hermione, say it back to me"

She hesitated and gulped afraid what the woman would do if she didn't.

"Uncle is w-wrong, I-I'm not a monster" It felt somewhat soothing to say.

"And-"

"I-I-I'm not less than d-dirt; I'm a human girl, who...who didn't deserve to be h-hit or ab, abused" Hermione repeated. Minerva sniffed, smiling as tears fell down her face.

"Good girl. Say it again"

Hermione complied. She repeated the mantra a few more times before Minerva wrapped her arms around the girl and they sat together. Minerva telling the girl how good she was, how she'd never have to go back to her monster of an uncle and how happy she was to of found Hermione. Though, no matter how much she cooed into the girls ear she knew that they were only hitting the tip of the ice berg.

After a quick half an hour nap, Minerva had had another chat with the girl and found out that her last name was Granger. Hermione Jean Granger which she had to spell for the woman considering Hermione difficulty with her 'R's. They sat talking for a small portion before Poppy had informed them that it was lunch. Minerva smiled before standing up.

"Was there something in particular that you like to eat"

As expected, Hermione shook her head going with anything that would settle her stomach. Minerva nodded, quickly standing and telling the girl that she would only be a second. She didn't believe that Hermione had seen a house elf before and was adamant in not scaring the girl on her first real day of being a girl inside of Hogwarts. She moved outside the hospital wards and called for an elf to give her a plate of roast as well as a recommended desert.


Hermione sat on the bed, left leg curled up to her body as her right leg sat in a cast along with both her arms. She bit her lip anxious about not being physically able to leave the bed. The woman named Poppy had come in and attended to her a few seconds ago. Gently asking how she was going, fluffing the three pillows that laid propped up behind her before passing her four vials to gulp down. They tasted awful to say the least. However had made them had certainly not considered making something nicer for a child. She had informed her that she would have Minerva come in and assist in helping her eat.

She sighed attempting to hold her bear with difficulty. She stared down at her right leg, half her lower limb was covered in a broken leg stock and it was itchy as hell. Her left arm had a complete upper arm stock, forcing her arm to stay at a 90 degree bend whilst her right arm only had a stock on her forearm, wrist and thumb. It still however made any task difficult to complete.

"Knock, knock"

She looked at the older cat-like woman who was carrying a plate of roast in her hands, with widened her eyes. Hermione could instantly tell Minerva was trying to be somewhat playful with her in order to let her guard down. Hermione gulped turning away from the woman. Minerva gulped nervous. She had never particularly dealt with children as young as Hermione before. She always held a stoic posture when teaching but now. Now she didn't know what to do and felt almost thrown in the deep end with Hermione.

"I brought you some food. I know you must be quiet famished by now" Minerva sat down on the seat beside the girl with wild hair.

The girl continued to stare at her teddy bear. She knew better than to ask for food despite the fact that her mouth was practically watering from the thought of eating. Minerva thought for a moment before thinking of something else to coax the girl. She stood up and sat on the side of the bed before bringing the movable table between them and placing the plate on the table.

"The elves made some roast and-"

Minerva pulled out a throw-away cup of pudding before shaking it in front of Hermione.

"The elves informed me that the 1st years have a particular taste for strawberry pudding" Hermione's eyes instantly lit up. Like any child she reached for the desert first with her right hand. Minerva placed it down on the table and watched as the girl balanced the plastic container on the plastic container on the inside sole of her tucked up left foot and grabbed the spoon on the table. Minerva sighed in relief as the girl was attempting to use a spoon rather than her hands.

She watched the small girl struggle to move the spoon between her fingers.

"Do you need help, dear?" Hermione looked up to the older woman and thought about it for a second. She nodded after a couple of seconds allowing Minerva to pick the cup up off her foot and pluck the spoon out of the girl's hand before scooping a chunk of pudding onto the small spoon. She held the spoon out to Hermione's lips waiting for her to eat something. It took another couple of seconds to coax the girl into ensuring that Minerva didn't have other intentions.

After a couple more scoops, Minerva decided to chat to the girl.

"There now, isn't that better?"

Hermione hesitantly nodded.

After finishing off the pudding she moved onto the roast.

"Did you know in Southern India people would traditionally eat several mouthfuls of desert first before eating their main-"

"-It helps to savour the taste..." Hermione muttered to herself.

Minerva smiled.

"Mummy said they did it so they don't make themselves sick with too much desert after" Hermione whispered to her avoiding eye contact.

Minerva smiled warmly at the girl before lifting up a napkin to her lips and cleaning her up.

"Your mother sounds like a smart woman"

Hermione nodded. She was indeed.

Right now to some actual lunch.

Minerva began to cut her meal up into tiny peaces as Hermione stared in wonder. She licked her lips as Minerva began cutting up the vegetables, meat and Yorkshire puddings.

"M-may I pweeze -" She stopped herself and looked away after being reminded what had happened last time she had asked for food. She hugged her bear tighter at the thought of her last two possessions being taken. Speaking of which, where was her collar? She tried to reach for her neck but her arms were too heavy.

Minerva looked up at her in concern.

"What was that dear?"

Hermione licked her lips again.

"Collar?" She asked in concern.

"Oh, Severus has it, dear girl" She answered gently wondering why the girl would be after the collar.

"Can I pweeze have it back?" She know she shouldn't have asked but she wanted it. Minerva stabbed one of the pieces of Yorkshire pudding and a vegetable before blowing on it.

"I'm sure Severus wouldn't mind returning it to you. I will be sure to ask him when I next see him" Minerva shrugged her shoulders seeing as though there was no harm allowing the girl to have it.

Hermione nodded happily before she took a bite of the food Minerva offered. She moaned, her mouth watering from the flavours. The older woman smirked at the girl.

"When's the last time you've had a proper meal" She asked, offering another bite to eat.

Hermione shook her head as she slowly ate her food, "When mommy and daddy were around, but uncle used to give me half a can of Buces' food when uncle said I was good"

"Hmmm..." Minerva blew on another bite of food to cool it for the girl. By context, it was likely that Hermione was referring to canned dog food to eat. If she ever found out who her uncle was she was going to strangle him with her bare hands. They finished off the meal together with Minerva trying to put the focus on to a more happier time for the girl. She found out that Hermione went to some prestigious school and loved studying. She listened to the girl recite her favourite subjects, all except physical education but by the sounds of it, most children at her school struggled with exercising. Hermione said she also struggled with creative writing, she seemed like a highly logical person.

"Do you have any friends at school?"

"Um, Miss Russo"

"Is she the teacher?" Minerva wiped the girls lips with a napkin.

Hermione nodded.

"Any friends your age?"

Hermione frowned shaking her head. Hermione and her parents moved a lot in the previous years and despite Hermione being only five she had attended two other schools since her time so she never really bothered to make friends. Her parents were just as bad as well because they never had guests over so Hermione only ever really grew up with her parents and her next door neighbours. So, no she didn't have any friends her age, well except from -

"Charwie said he's my fwiend but he's wittle older than me, I think" Hermione smiled happily.

Minerva's eyebrow raised.

"Charlie Weasley. I red haired boy that goes to school here?"

Hermione smiled, "Yep and Buce said he'd be my fwiend as well. Oh and so did Fang" Minerva's eyes lit up in shock. "As in Hagrid's puppy"

"Yeah,"

Minerva chuckled that at least the girl had one, well sort of friend. Charlie was a very nice boy as well. Perhaps when Hermione was feeling a little better she could set up a play date between the two so Hermione had at least one person closer to her age.

Hermione yawned and Minerva took it as a sign to ensure Hermione needed to go back to sleep for a few more hours. She moved the plate and tray to the side so the girl could lay back down for another nap. She gently brushed the loose strands of hair out of the girls face before pulling the blankets up to her chin and making sure Teddy was wrapped up nicely beside her.

"You're very cute dear" Minerva cooed the girl as she thumbed her cheek. Hermione stared up into the woman's eyes wanting so desperately to be her daughter. Her eye lids rimmed red and soon tears were spilling down her face.

Minerva was taken back by the girls sudden change of mood. She thought they had had a good time together.

"My dear what's wrong?"

Hermione shook her head in pain.

"Y-your going to adopt the other girl but, but I wanted you to be my mommy and I-I know I shouldn't have asked but I want a mommy and daddy too" Hermione scrunched her face.

"A-and I thought since you were getting a child, Sev-wus would take me in and I could p-pwetend you were my mommy b-but Sev-wus doesn't like me anymore...and...and now I'll have to go back to uncle..." Hermione couldn't stop herself from crying. She sniffed and sobbed. Minerva was heartbroken by the girls pain.

"Ooch, dear. Albus and I aren't getting a child" She pulled her up and into a hug.

"Y-you're nwot?" Hermione asked trying to lift her right arm to rub her eye but struggled considering the weight of the splint.

"No dear" she chuckled. Hermione sniffed, if they weren't planning on adopting then what was Hermione going to do. She was back to square one again. She'd have to run away unless she could some how convince Severus to take her. Minerva sighed seeing the pitiful look plastered on the girls face.

"Albus informed me that you lost your home and-" She didn't go on noticing the tears spilling down the girls face even more.

"Ooch dear, I'm so sorry" Minerva stood up and sat behind the girl before pulling Hermione into a hug. She felt the girl tense up from the initial touch before relaxing as Minerva held her. Tears streamed silently down Hermione's cheeks as she leaned her head into the woman's chest trying to seek comfort but unable to hug the woman. She hadn't been comforted in this form in such a long time. Minerva shushed her, lulling the girl as she ran her piano-like fingers through the girls hair and down her right upper arm.

"You poor thing" Minerva held her, thinking back to the first time she had met Hermione in the darkened alleyway posing as a kitten. She kissed the girls head thinking back then the girl was so desperate as to have a home. Enough to pose as a pet.

"Oh my dear, sweet girl"

She listened to the girl sob into her chest as she pulled the girl more onto her lap and leaned back onto the pillows so she was now cradelling the girl.

Minerva remembered taking her home that evening and naming her after the girl's attentiveness towards her teddy bear. How she had practically forced Hermione into Severus' hands in order to get a family picture of him feeding a helpless kitten. A tear ran down Minerva left eyes as the memories of the screaming at nighttime made sense. The cats disappearance on Monday.

She felt so stupid!

How had she completely missed that the animal she had brought into Hogwarts was a child.

"Hermione would you please tell me what happened to you"

Hermione gulped but nodded sadly.

"A swocial worker told me that mommy and daddy went to Heaven and that I couldn't go with them so uncle I had to go live with my uncle instead but uncle was wreewy mean to me and he had wreawy bad fwiends so I decided to run away and then I met you" Hermione gave her the brief version of what happened.

Minerva nodded solemnly.

"Do you have any other family left" Minerva really needed to know before even considering taking Hermione in her eyes lit up when Hermione shook her head.

"It's only uncle left" She thought bitterly. The older woman sighed in relief before wrapping her arms back around the girl.

"Hermione, Albus and I are going to sort out the paperwork but you aren't going to ever go back to your uncle okay"

Hermione turned to her in surprise.

"But I don't have anywhere else to go?"

The cat-like woman smiled down at the girl.

"Ooch girl," She rubbed her cheek smiling happily as tears ran down her face. She know she had to ask Albus if he would agree but she couldn't help herself. Bear had already wormed her way into her heart and so had Hermione within that time. She wanted nothing more than to keep the girl and raise her as her own. She was extremely gifted, extremely smart and needed someone to care for her. Not to mention, she fit all the criteria. She couldn't imagine her husband disagreeing either. All he had asked was that it not be a boy for some reason. She assumed it had something to do with Tom Riddle when Albus felt for the young orphaned boy only to end up stabbed in the back.

"Would you like to live with us, Hermione?" Minerva asked curious. She didn't expect the next reaction when the girls eyes went wide with shock and disbelief. 'A family' She could practically read Hermione's cogs turning in her head.

She nodded in shock at the revelation that the day took.

Minerva chuckled tears still running down her cheeks, however Hermione's had stopped.

"Albus and I are going to be your parents"

"Oof" Minerva was winded by the arms wrapping around her torso. She couldn't believe it in all of her years that she had finally found a child. A smart, perfect child.

She sniffed, wrapping her arms around the small girl.

She had finally found her daughter.