Disclaimer: Anything you can recognize belongs to JK Rowling. The title is from "The Wizard of Oz".

Chapter 9

Lions, And Tigers,

And Bears,

Oh my!

"But first," Albus stood up quickly, "What room are you going to make into the baby's nursery?"

"I don't have a free room."

"Well," Albus looked down at his bag. "I bought an lot of nice things for the baby, so much that you'll probably need an extra room to store all of it in."

"Keep it in your rooms," Snape suggested going around to seat himself behind his desk.

"Now, Severus," Dumbledore chided him. "You simply need more room."

"Now you want me to move," Snape muttered, returning to his grading.

"Okay! I'll let it be," Professor Dumbledore sighed. "Oh! My Goodness, look at the time!" He jumped up as if someone charmed his robes to bite him on the rump. "I simply must be off."

Dumbledore sighed a heartfelt sigh, "And I wanted to see your face when I showed you the simply wonderful toys and whatnots I bought for the baby!"

"That's all right, Albus," Snape muttered as he viciously slashed away at some poor students paper. "Just leave it there, I'm sure Little One will scatter the contents about my room in the middle of the night," Snape looks up at Dumbledore, "After she gets her second wind." He grins evilly.

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"Little One," Albus spoke very quietly as he walked up the stairs to his rooms. "Severus, you're already in love and you don't even know it!"

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Snape dragged the heavy teddy bear bag into his bedroom. Receiving angry looks from the teddies as he unceremoniously tossed the bag into a corner of the room.

"I don't even want to know what's in there," Snape grumbled as he striped for bed.

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Later that night….

Something soft and light brushed his face.

"Little One, let Daddy sleep," Snape's gravelly morning voice rumbled.

Plop! Something soft like a stuffed animal hit his stomach.

"The lion goes," a mechanical voice sounded from somewhere near his stomach, "RrrrroOOWW!"

Damn Toys! Snape threw his arm over his eyes. Trust Little one to find the ones that make noise.

"The lion goes," now the voice was closer, somewhere just below the midsection of his chest, "RrrrroOOWW!"

"The lion goes," Now the mechanical voice sounded from right over his heart, "RrrrroOOWW!"

"The lion goes," a mechanical voice sounded from somewhere near his stomach, agian, "RrrrroOOWW!"

"RrrrroOOWW!"  Now the voice was getting closer again. I guess sleep is out of the question tonight.

"RrrrroOOWW!" Right by his ear.

Wait a minute! Snape's sleep fogged brain began to register that something was off.

"Na, na, Naa," a bouncing feeling, then, "RrrrroOOWW!"

Opening his eyes, Snape wished he hadn't.

For there on his chest, dressed in a soft full-fledged lion costume: floppy ears, long fluffy mane, fur tipped tail, bounced Little One. She even had on furry gloves.

"RrrrroOOWW!"  She roared as she squeezed the small plush lion toy that she held in tiny little paws.

"The lion goes," sounded the mechanical voice from inside the stuffed toy, "RrrrroOOWW!"

"What the hell!" Snape picked up Little One with one hand and tried to touch her face with the other. Nothing! His hand went right through.

"Now this is new," Snape drew the baby close and laid back down.

"Na, naa!" Little One squealed, intently studying the lion.

"The lion goes," a mechanical voice sounded yet again from the blasted toy, "RrrrroOOWW!"

hmmm…I can handle this, Snape thought as he drifted off to sleep. Wait till Hermione sees this.

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Thanks to: Strega Brava, Atheis and Aeris Gainsborough, i-is-izzy, Hermia, Cobalt Blue Kitty, snapefan51, metrovampire, Myrddin Ambrosius, risi, ashes2ashes, charzy, **k*, Honey666, chienne, and Lyansidde for giving me such great reviews. I love you all!

A/n:  Sorry this is so short, but there will be more soon. As always, please review! Otherwise I wouldn't know anyone was reading this!