Deliver me 12- Dayquil

Hermione woke up and realized that she had somehow managed to live for a week with no adult supervision, and she and her children were still alive. She was so happy it was Saturday. When they got home she was going to take a nice long hot bath. Then the coughing started. She got up to give willow some medicine and walked into the room and realized that it was Kessy and Willow.

"Oh shit." She checked fever and sure enough Kessy and Willow had fevers. So much for any long bath. Hermione's mom was so afraid of getting sick herself Hermione knew that she wouldn't help too much. At least Miki wasn't sick. Hermione's weekend was spent taking care of sick children. She was so exhausted by Sunday night she had no idea how she was going to work. 'Work! Oh no! My observation is tomorrow.' She laid back on the bed and tried to sleep but it seemed every time she did one of the girls would wake-up and begin crying or coughing.

Monday saw Hermione looking and feeling worse then she had when she was fully sick. She pulled herself together and tried to be tough. Willow was ready for school again but now Kessy couldn't go. Her mom stayed home. Poppy was a good person but it took a lot to keep an eye on the Kessy tornado.

First thing, why didn't the daycare floo her in her office? It was the million dollar question. Everyone was giving her the run around and answers were not forth coming.

"Do you want to know where my children ended up? With Professor Severus Snape! Would you want professor Snape to be taking care of your children." She looked right at Laurie who had been in Snapes class, a few years behind Hermione, but she knew. Apologizes were profuse as Hermione outlined a new plan step by step incase anything ever happened again. 'Next step, start apologizing myself.'

"Albus, I am so, so sorry. Thank you so much for taking care of them. Why didn't anyone come and get me, or bring them to me?"

"We wanted you to work dear, you looked so peaceful working away at your desk, and you should have known that they would be safe."

"Albus, Draco could come onto campus anytime that he wanted. They are never safe unless they are with me."

"My dear you will never be able to protect them completely, you need to try to realize that now before you drive yourself crazy. Now about your observation ..."

Hermione wanted to postpone it but was afraid it would reflect badly on her if she asked.

"I think it can wait till tomorrow." He grinned at her and she relaxed a great deal. "You have another guest tomorrow as well?"

"Yes a potential teacher."

Albus laid his hand on her shoulder and steered her to the door. "Now you have a class to teach, everything is alright now. Maybe you should bestow some of your gratitude in Severus.

Hermione snorted. "I was going to the other night until he insulted my children."

"Hermione, they are Malfoys, at least half, even if it is not their name." Hermione looked into his eyes and saw what looked like pleading in them.

"Why him, why did you leave them with him?"

"He was the only person not going to the quidditch match ... and he volunteered." She took a deep breath . 'volunteered?'

"Oh all right, I'll go talk, but I am not trying to be nice."

"No one expects you to be nice to Severus, not even Severus."



"So do you buy Dayquil and fill the bottles with it or did you analyze the components and make your own?" Snape looked up from his daily prophet and eyed the woman in front of him. She had regained some of her self confidence since she had gotten back, she seemed to have lost some weight as well, not that he would notice.

"What are you babbling on about?" He looked back at his paper.

"Poppy gave me some of your special sick potion. It was Dayquil." Severus paled slightly and his eyes narrowed just a bit. Most people would not notice it, but Hermione did.

"I don't know what you are talking about. Poppy should have asked me before she gave out any of my home brew." Hermione snickered. "Did you just come here to accuse me of plagiarizing a muggle medicine or do you have other business."

"I wanted to say thank you for taking care of the kids. They all seemed to enjoy themselves. I was worried when Miki called you uncle Severus but he assured me that you asked him to call you that."

"That's ridiculous, children love to make up stories." He snapped his paper to make it stand up better.

"Oh well if he is lying then I need to punish him." She was smirking underneath the cover of her hair.

"Nonsense, all children tell stories ..."

"You have a great deal of experience with children then."

"Well, my expertise lies in the area ..."

"You see in our house when you lie, you are punished. If he lied then I have to punish him."

"Well, now ... there ... I ..."

"I need to know Severus did he lie? I will need to come up with a suitable punishment."

"I just don't ... what I'm trying to say ..."

"Well Severus did he?"

"I"

"Well?"

"I"

"Severus"

"OK! Fine I told them to call me Uncle Severus, are you happy now? You have your confession, now leave the boy out of this."

"Your losing your touch Snape, you never would have caved back in my day, you would have had him cleaning the paddocks with Hagrid before you gave. Oh and I wouldn't have punished him anyway, you had to tell him your name, he never would have heard it anywhere else. Thanks again. Bye." Hermione walked out the door and felt twenty times better. The classes caught up on their work and Hermione enjoyed a rather stress free day.