Disclaimer: Not ours, hers. :points to JKR:
A/N: We would just like to say thank you to everyone for the comments and suggestions we recieved after finishing Damsel in
Distress. From that we were able to map out all the chapters for this story. Everything has been decided, so though your
suggestions are appreciated, they will not be used unless you just happened to read our minds and figure out what we were
going to do. Thank you everyone! WE LOVE YOU!!!
"Severus?" Hermione placed a gentle hand on her husband's shoulder, while balancing her year-old daughter on her other hip.
"Yes love?" he turned away from the fireplace, a half-empty glass of brandy in one hand, the other rubbing his throbbing
temples. Leaning in, he placed a soft kiss on his wife's pouting lips.
"Da!" the baby exclaimed, reaching out for her father. This caused Severus to chuckle lightly and scoop the child into his
arms; the forgotten brandy placed haphazardly on the edge of the mantle.
He walked around the room for a while, swaying back and forth and murmuring softly into his daughter's ear as she drifted off
to sleep on his shoulder. Hermione smiled softly at the show of emotion on display for her. Taryn really was 'Daddy's lil'
girl' in all ways possible. She was a bright child, for which Hermione was greatly proud of; but she had her father's
"winning" personality. Most people didn't think it was possible for a one year old to have as much attitude as Taryn did;
however, anything is possible when you are a Snape.
When Severus reappeared from the nursery after having put Taryn down to bed, he joined Hermione on the plush, leather loveseat.
Sighing deeply, she let her head fall to rest on her husband's sagging shoulder. Kissing her head, Severus wrapped his arm's
around her lithe form, causing her head to fall to his chest. The gentle beat of his heart almost lulled Hermione to sleep,
but remembering why she had sought him out in the first place, she opened her eyes.
"Severus..." she took a deep breath, letting it out slowly and not wanting to meet the inquiring gaze of her spouse's obsidian
eyes. "I want to go back to work."
"Hermione..." he groaned in response. "We've already talked about this. A lot."
"I know..." she pushed herself up so that they were face to face. "But I miss it! I loved teaching those children! It was a
dream come true! Not like Taryn wasn't...but you know me, Severus! You know I can't stand to be a dowdy old housewife all my
life!"
"But who will watch Taryn!?" he whispered harshly; an attempt to avoid awaking his surly daughter. Hermione sighed in defeat,
throwing her arms up in the air.
"I don't know!" there was a hitch to her breathing, evidence to her husband that she was holding back tears. Standing up
abruptly, she wiped away a treacherous tear before glaring at her husband.
"I'm going to bed." she said through gritted teeth, storming into their bedroom. He made to follow her, but got no closer
than his desk when his pillow came sailing through the door, hitting him square in the head. The door closed and locked, and
no matter what unlocking charm he used, it wouldn't budge.
Muttering a string of curses, he threw the pillow rather violently onto the couch. Lying down, he grabbed the light blanket
off the back of the couch and threw it carelessly over his thin frame. It was a while before sleep came; questions running
rampant through his brain.
And then it came to him. Relieved, he let himself smile before drifting off into the land of sleep.
~*~
"Hermione, I didn't call you up here so that I could have a play date with my goddaughter; although we both know I will anyways!"
Albus Dumbledore chuckled, bouncing Taryn on one bony knee. She was giggling and clapping her hands together, obsidian eyes
shining with mirth, raven locks dancing on her head. After a year, the drastic change Taryn's mood took when around her Pappy
still awed Hermione and Severus. Then again, besides herself, Albus was the only other person Severus smiled around as well.
After her brief musing, Hermione turned her attention back to Albus.
"I don't understand, Albus..." she trailed off, uncertainty in her tone.
"It has come to my attention that you wish to resume your teaching position." Hermione nodded solemnly, gaze dropping to her
lap.
"Yes, I would love to more than anything...but Taryn..." she smiled slightly at the now slumbering form of her daughter sprawled
out across Albus's torso, head resting on his thin shoulder.
"Yes, Severus mentioned that to me when he requested that I give you back your position." Albus grinned widely at the shocked
expression clearly evident on Hermione's face.
"He did what?!" she squeaked. "But it was just last night we were arguing over this again! When did this happen...how!?"
Albus only chuckled.
"I believe he had a lot of time to think last night..." the old man's eyes twinkled merrily, causing Hermione to blush. Severus
had obviously relayed last night's ordeal, including the part where he was forced to sleep on the couch for the night.
"Alas, your clever husband was not only able to solve your dilemma, but one of mine as well." At Hermione's confused look, he
motioned towards the door located behind her. Turning, she gasped in surprise.
"Mr. Potter here, has agreed to take over the position of flying coach and referee. As you know, Madam Hooch has decided to
retire. I was up in arms over who to ask, but Severus fixed that problem for me." Albus explained, watching Hermione embrace
her grinning friend. After she had congratulated him, the two turned to face Albus.
"I don't understand how this affects me though." Hermione looked back and forth between her best friend and employer. Before
either could answer; however, a quiet *ahem* sounded behind them. Hermione once again turned around, eyes wide in surprise
when she took in the slender form of Ginny Weasley...holding a young infant.
"Ginny?!" she exclaimed. "How?!" Ginny blushed to the roots of her fiery red hair, nodding her head in Harry's direction. When
Hermione once again looked on Harry's person, it was to notice he was blushing as well.
"We're married, Hermione." her jaw dropped in surprise. Then it clicked. He had been gone for over a year...supposedly on
Ministry business; having left the day after Taryn's birth. Ginny had moved to America around the same time.
"And this is our daughter, Pepper." Ginny spoke finally, motioning to the infant in her arms, who looked to be around Taryn's
age. Taking it all in, Hermione had to sit down at the information overload.
"I'm confused."
"Well, we found out Ginny was pregnant a few months before Taryn was born. She was five months when we left. Most people didn't
notice because of the baggy clothes and billowy robes she wore. We didn't want anyone to know...incase Voldemort tried to use
her against us, so we fled to America." Harry explained, turning to his wife for support.
"Albus contacted us this morning, assured us we would be safe at Hogwarts when he offered Harry the job. We arrived only an
hour ago." Ginny finished, sitting down in Harry's vacated seat.
"I still don't see where I fit into all of this." Hermione finally spoke, rubbing at her throbbing temples. Ginny giggled.
"Hello, Hermione... Miss know-it-all! Harry was offered a job, not me." It started to register in Hermione's mind what Ginny
was saying, and she looked up at Albus, who was smiling and nodding. Ginny continued. "I have a child, so I do know how to
take care of them. I'll watch Taryn while you teach. It's as simple as that! Peppy and Taryn will get to be great friends!"
Hermione was smiling broadly now, barely listening to what Ginny was saying. Her sneaky husband had thought of all this and
didn't tell her?!
"Thank you! Everyone!" she scooped Taryn's sleeping form into her arms, heading towards the door. "Now, to find that sneaky
husband of mine..."
Albus laughed as the door closed behind her. Turning to Harry and Ginny, he grinned mischievously.
"I don't think Severus will be sleeping on the couch tonight."
A/N: We would just like to say thank you to everyone for the comments and suggestions we recieved after finishing Damsel in
Distress. From that we were able to map out all the chapters for this story. Everything has been decided, so though your
suggestions are appreciated, they will not be used unless you just happened to read our minds and figure out what we were
going to do. Thank you everyone! WE LOVE YOU!!!
"Severus?" Hermione placed a gentle hand on her husband's shoulder, while balancing her year-old daughter on her other hip.
"Yes love?" he turned away from the fireplace, a half-empty glass of brandy in one hand, the other rubbing his throbbing
temples. Leaning in, he placed a soft kiss on his wife's pouting lips.
"Da!" the baby exclaimed, reaching out for her father. This caused Severus to chuckle lightly and scoop the child into his
arms; the forgotten brandy placed haphazardly on the edge of the mantle.
He walked around the room for a while, swaying back and forth and murmuring softly into his daughter's ear as she drifted off
to sleep on his shoulder. Hermione smiled softly at the show of emotion on display for her. Taryn really was 'Daddy's lil'
girl' in all ways possible. She was a bright child, for which Hermione was greatly proud of; but she had her father's
"winning" personality. Most people didn't think it was possible for a one year old to have as much attitude as Taryn did;
however, anything is possible when you are a Snape.
When Severus reappeared from the nursery after having put Taryn down to bed, he joined Hermione on the plush, leather loveseat.
Sighing deeply, she let her head fall to rest on her husband's sagging shoulder. Kissing her head, Severus wrapped his arm's
around her lithe form, causing her head to fall to his chest. The gentle beat of his heart almost lulled Hermione to sleep,
but remembering why she had sought him out in the first place, she opened her eyes.
"Severus..." she took a deep breath, letting it out slowly and not wanting to meet the inquiring gaze of her spouse's obsidian
eyes. "I want to go back to work."
"Hermione..." he groaned in response. "We've already talked about this. A lot."
"I know..." she pushed herself up so that they were face to face. "But I miss it! I loved teaching those children! It was a
dream come true! Not like Taryn wasn't...but you know me, Severus! You know I can't stand to be a dowdy old housewife all my
life!"
"But who will watch Taryn!?" he whispered harshly; an attempt to avoid awaking his surly daughter. Hermione sighed in defeat,
throwing her arms up in the air.
"I don't know!" there was a hitch to her breathing, evidence to her husband that she was holding back tears. Standing up
abruptly, she wiped away a treacherous tear before glaring at her husband.
"I'm going to bed." she said through gritted teeth, storming into their bedroom. He made to follow her, but got no closer
than his desk when his pillow came sailing through the door, hitting him square in the head. The door closed and locked, and
no matter what unlocking charm he used, it wouldn't budge.
Muttering a string of curses, he threw the pillow rather violently onto the couch. Lying down, he grabbed the light blanket
off the back of the couch and threw it carelessly over his thin frame. It was a while before sleep came; questions running
rampant through his brain.
And then it came to him. Relieved, he let himself smile before drifting off into the land of sleep.
~*~
"Hermione, I didn't call you up here so that I could have a play date with my goddaughter; although we both know I will anyways!"
Albus Dumbledore chuckled, bouncing Taryn on one bony knee. She was giggling and clapping her hands together, obsidian eyes
shining with mirth, raven locks dancing on her head. After a year, the drastic change Taryn's mood took when around her Pappy
still awed Hermione and Severus. Then again, besides herself, Albus was the only other person Severus smiled around as well.
After her brief musing, Hermione turned her attention back to Albus.
"I don't understand, Albus..." she trailed off, uncertainty in her tone.
"It has come to my attention that you wish to resume your teaching position." Hermione nodded solemnly, gaze dropping to her
lap.
"Yes, I would love to more than anything...but Taryn..." she smiled slightly at the now slumbering form of her daughter sprawled
out across Albus's torso, head resting on his thin shoulder.
"Yes, Severus mentioned that to me when he requested that I give you back your position." Albus grinned widely at the shocked
expression clearly evident on Hermione's face.
"He did what?!" she squeaked. "But it was just last night we were arguing over this again! When did this happen...how!?"
Albus only chuckled.
"I believe he had a lot of time to think last night..." the old man's eyes twinkled merrily, causing Hermione to blush. Severus
had obviously relayed last night's ordeal, including the part where he was forced to sleep on the couch for the night.
"Alas, your clever husband was not only able to solve your dilemma, but one of mine as well." At Hermione's confused look, he
motioned towards the door located behind her. Turning, she gasped in surprise.
"Mr. Potter here, has agreed to take over the position of flying coach and referee. As you know, Madam Hooch has decided to
retire. I was up in arms over who to ask, but Severus fixed that problem for me." Albus explained, watching Hermione embrace
her grinning friend. After she had congratulated him, the two turned to face Albus.
"I don't understand how this affects me though." Hermione looked back and forth between her best friend and employer. Before
either could answer; however, a quiet *ahem* sounded behind them. Hermione once again turned around, eyes wide in surprise
when she took in the slender form of Ginny Weasley...holding a young infant.
"Ginny?!" she exclaimed. "How?!" Ginny blushed to the roots of her fiery red hair, nodding her head in Harry's direction. When
Hermione once again looked on Harry's person, it was to notice he was blushing as well.
"We're married, Hermione." her jaw dropped in surprise. Then it clicked. He had been gone for over a year...supposedly on
Ministry business; having left the day after Taryn's birth. Ginny had moved to America around the same time.
"And this is our daughter, Pepper." Ginny spoke finally, motioning to the infant in her arms, who looked to be around Taryn's
age. Taking it all in, Hermione had to sit down at the information overload.
"I'm confused."
"Well, we found out Ginny was pregnant a few months before Taryn was born. She was five months when we left. Most people didn't
notice because of the baggy clothes and billowy robes she wore. We didn't want anyone to know...incase Voldemort tried to use
her against us, so we fled to America." Harry explained, turning to his wife for support.
"Albus contacted us this morning, assured us we would be safe at Hogwarts when he offered Harry the job. We arrived only an
hour ago." Ginny finished, sitting down in Harry's vacated seat.
"I still don't see where I fit into all of this." Hermione finally spoke, rubbing at her throbbing temples. Ginny giggled.
"Hello, Hermione... Miss know-it-all! Harry was offered a job, not me." It started to register in Hermione's mind what Ginny
was saying, and she looked up at Albus, who was smiling and nodding. Ginny continued. "I have a child, so I do know how to
take care of them. I'll watch Taryn while you teach. It's as simple as that! Peppy and Taryn will get to be great friends!"
Hermione was smiling broadly now, barely listening to what Ginny was saying. Her sneaky husband had thought of all this and
didn't tell her?!
"Thank you! Everyone!" she scooped Taryn's sleeping form into her arms, heading towards the door. "Now, to find that sneaky
husband of mine..."
Albus laughed as the door closed behind her. Turning to Harry and Ginny, he grinned mischievously.
"I don't think Severus will be sleeping on the couch tonight."