Author's note: Do I still need to write this down? *sigh* Well, all right then: the world of Harry Potter does not belong to me, but to JK Rowling. Not that any trace of Harry Potter can be found in this story. *grin*

The characters of Justin and cousin Ernestine are mine, though.

The ingredients of this story are: Snape, a little boy and a beautiful woman. Oh, and a restaurant, but not until later chapters. This is the first humorous Snape story I've written. Or at least, it's meant to be funny…

PS: It hasn't been beta-ed, for I came up with this idea so suddenly. If you'd like to beta me, you can always contact me at Peninsula_girl@hotmail.com.

Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Wrap Your Arms Around Me

Chapter one: About An Unexpected Visitor

Severus Snape was sitting at his desk. Class was over, but he was still not alone. In a corner of the classroom, a small boy was on his knees, trying to clean up the sticky mess he'd made by letting his cauldron explode. Every single year he warned those kids not to add the squid eyes too soon, but there always seemed to be at least one boy or girl in every class who wanted to see what would happen anyway. As the boy was looking at him sheepishly, the potion was everywhere; on the boy's table, dripping onto the floor, and luckily a large gulp had hit the boy himself. Snape had already taken his wand to clear the mess up quickly himself, when he decided to let the boy clean it up manually.

A soft scraping sound; the boy had silently approached him and was now standing shyly at his desk. "Professor Snape?"

"What is it," he growled.

The boy was trembling a bit, he saw. That was good, that was just fine.

"Sir, um… could I go now, please? It's just that the Hogwart's Express will be leaving in an hour, and I still have to pack."

"Is that so?" Snape replied. "Well, it seems then you'll have to find some other means of transport to your cosy little home for Christmas, doesn't it?"

He was drumming his fingers on the table and looked at the boy, who was trembling even more by now. Then, he saw the boy's eyes being filled with tears, and heard a stifled sob.

He groaned inwardly. O no. No crying children just before his holiday would start. He'd really had enough of this. Tiredly he waved his hand toward the door. "Go, boy. Just leave now. Pack and go home."

For a brief moment the boy stood still before his desk, as if he couldn't believe what luck he was having right now. Then, as if he was afraid that the Potion's Teacher would change his mind, he quickly turned around and headed for the door. "Thanks, Professor!" he said.

"Yes, yes," Snape sighed.

Finally he was alone. He didn't think he could cope with these little brats for one more day. Especially the last two weeks before Christmas, they all were so excited about the coming holiday, babbling about presents and candy, that it was practically impossible to penetrate those little minds with anything useful.

But now, finally, his holiday would start. He'd seen some interesting potion recipes he wanted to try out. But first he needed sleep. Lots of sleep.

He took his wand and with one quick movement the rest of the mess was cleared up. Then he headed toward his private quarters.

When he stepped in, he wanted to walk over to his bed, but he stopped in mid motion. Something was lying on the rug before the hearth. Something or… somebody? Slowly he walked over to what appeared to be a bundle of cloth. When he bent over, he saw it was a child, wrapped in a blanket. Three, four years old, just a toddler. And it was sleeping like it always slept on other people's rugs.

What on earth—

Then he saw the envelope on the mantle piece. It was buzzing a little bit, like it was charged with electricity. Carefully he picked it up and turned it round and round. There was no sign of who wrote it. When he opened it, a flash of lightning came out of the envelope. It searched its way through the room, finding the shortest path towards the hearth, and out through the chimney. It went so fast that Snape couldn't possibly follow it with his eyes. He blinked for a moment, and looked at the envelope again, where a soft rumbling sound was coming out now, like far away thunder.

That had to be a letter from his cousin Ernestine. She had had this trademark since she finished her study on Lightning Magic. Cousin Ernestine, the Pride and Joy of his family. They went to the Magical University together, he studying Potions, and she Lightning Magic. Everybody in the family was thrilled when she showed what she had learned; flashlights appearing from everywhere.

He detested her area of study. It seemed to him that it was only about some quick and cheap effects. She found his area of study dull. How little did she understand of potion making!

He took the letter out and read:

Dear Severus,

Long time since you've heard from your cousin Ernestine, isn't it? Sorry for just busting into your place, but I was kind of desperate. This is Justin, my son, as you probably will NOT remember…

I'll have to leave him here with you for the coming week, for we've finally got the opportunity to try out this new lightning spell. There's an enormous thunderstorm heading towards Scotland, and we just have to go up there. Of course it's a tad dangerous, and we wouldn't want our little Justin to be hurt. Unfortunately, everybody I know who could take care of him, wants to see the spell working, so there's only you who I can ask to take care of Justin.

He likes cookies, and please watch out, for he's quite a little wizard already. Keep your wand away from him; he loves to play around with it.

Have a great time with Justin; see you in a week!

Love, Ernestine.

No. Nononono, this couldn't be true. Did she just leave her child with him? For a week? Without any notice before? Was she mad or what?

"This certainly says a lot about your mother instincts, Ernestine," he muttered to himself. "Bringing your son to me, of all people."

As he refolded the letter, he heard stirring from the bundle of cloth, and then a soft sigh. The child, Justin, was waking up. Sleepy he sat upright, yawned, rubbed his eyes, looked around, saw Severus. And began to cry.