Severus glanced over at Jane. She was falling alseep on the floor in front of the fireplace. The heat was making her sleepy, he mused to himself. Noting the red color her skin was turning, he sat down at her side, bending himself in ways he had not since he was very young.
"Jane, you shouldn't sleep here. You'll get heat rash." Severus placed a hand on her arm, and looked down into her face. She was already asleep.
Lifting her into his lap, he heard Jane mumble in her sleep, and then her hands grabbed on to his shirt. Amused, he gently tried to disentangle her hands from the fabric, but she held tight, in a kind of death grip. Severus found himself trapped on the floor, with a very heavy little girl in his lap. It was not that he was not fit, it was the way she had him trapped made it so he could not get up off of the floor without either dropping her or waking her up.
With a sigh, he readjusted her so that she lay more comfortably against him. Pushing her hair out of her face, he pondered the problem before him. Dumbledore had told him what Jane had said. He felt like a jerk. Not that he was not a jerk.
However, he had volunteered to be her guardian, and he could not be her guardian if she was afraid of him. He supposed- grudgingly- that he could soften his persona for her. Although, he was surprised that she was able to care for him even with his normal persona. Most likely she had established him as some sort of protector from that night she had first arrived.
Jane made a small noise in her sleep, and clutched his shirt tighter. It was becoming more than a bit constricting, and once again he tried to break her grip. He succeeded, only to have her grab at his hand, and whimper.
"Damn," he muttered, feeling her fingers digging into his hand. Jane whimpered again, and he could hear her little whispers.
"Daddy!" she sobbed in her sleep, startling him. Brushing back her hair, Severus stroked her cheek. She calmed, and the grip on his hand relaxed slightly.
Staring down at his tiny charge, he wondered why he insisted to himself that she could take care of herself. Aside from one act of bravery, Jane had spent her entire life being utterly helpless. Still, she had the potential to be more than that. Much more. Leaning down, he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.
Surprised at himself, Severus pushed himself back from Jane. He laid her down on the carpet. She whimpered again, and curled herself up into a loose ball. Scowling, Severus got up and stalked away.
He sat down at his desk, and picked up a stack of papers to grade. Glaring down at Longbottom's paper, her began to think. How could he have done that? A seven year old child should have no hold on him! Aside from her brains, she meant nothing to him. Nothing at all.
"Jane, you shouldn't sleep here. You'll get heat rash." Severus placed a hand on her arm, and looked down into her face. She was already asleep.
Lifting her into his lap, he heard Jane mumble in her sleep, and then her hands grabbed on to his shirt. Amused, he gently tried to disentangle her hands from the fabric, but she held tight, in a kind of death grip. Severus found himself trapped on the floor, with a very heavy little girl in his lap. It was not that he was not fit, it was the way she had him trapped made it so he could not get up off of the floor without either dropping her or waking her up.
With a sigh, he readjusted her so that she lay more comfortably against him. Pushing her hair out of her face, he pondered the problem before him. Dumbledore had told him what Jane had said. He felt like a jerk. Not that he was not a jerk.
However, he had volunteered to be her guardian, and he could not be her guardian if she was afraid of him. He supposed- grudgingly- that he could soften his persona for her. Although, he was surprised that she was able to care for him even with his normal persona. Most likely she had established him as some sort of protector from that night she had first arrived.
Jane made a small noise in her sleep, and clutched his shirt tighter. It was becoming more than a bit constricting, and once again he tried to break her grip. He succeeded, only to have her grab at his hand, and whimper.
"Damn," he muttered, feeling her fingers digging into his hand. Jane whimpered again, and he could hear her little whispers.
"Daddy!" she sobbed in her sleep, startling him. Brushing back her hair, Severus stroked her cheek. She calmed, and the grip on his hand relaxed slightly.
Staring down at his tiny charge, he wondered why he insisted to himself that she could take care of herself. Aside from one act of bravery, Jane had spent her entire life being utterly helpless. Still, she had the potential to be more than that. Much more. Leaning down, he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.
Surprised at himself, Severus pushed himself back from Jane. He laid her down on the carpet. She whimpered again, and curled herself up into a loose ball. Scowling, Severus got up and stalked away.
He sat down at his desk, and picked up a stack of papers to grade. Glaring down at Longbottom's paper, her began to think. How could he have done that? A seven year old child should have no hold on him! Aside from her brains, she meant nothing to him. Nothing at all.