Isabel



Disclaimer: I don't owe the characters, only the plot, the whole plot and nothing but the plot

***

Chapter 13

Lost

Isabel agreed with the blood-test, so that afternoon they all went to the hospital wing. Professor Dumbledore, professor Snape and Madame Pomfrey were already waiting for them.

As the four of them stepped inside, Professor Snape shot an evil glare at Harry, like he wanted to say 'Stay away from my daughter', but it couldn't impress Harry at all.

"Please, Isabel, Severus, come here, I need a blood-sample from the both of you" said Madam Pomfrey as she took two squirts and two little vials. She took away some blood and put it in the vials.

"Well, if I pronounce the revealing-spell and the two samples of your blood colour exactly the same shade of purple, it's certain you're related to each other"

Everyone in the room held their breath as she murmured the spell. As expected, the two vials coloured boh a deep shade of purple.

Professor Dumbledore was the first one who spoke. "Just what we'd expected. Congretulations, Severus, you have a wonderful daughter".

The other ones didn't know what to do. They were still too shocked, realising that Snape was really Isabel's father.

"I'd suggest we keep this news very quiet. I don't want Isabel and Severus to be the news of the week, they've already had too much to deal with. Now it's time for dinner, so if we all can go and eat.. " Dumbledore said and walked out of the hospital wing.

"That's a good idea, that snowball-fight made me hungry" said Ron and he thought longily at all the food that he would eat at dinner.

"Ron, please, I don't even want to think about food now. I really feel a little sick" said Harry. Hermione pulled an arm around her friend.

"Come on, Harry, at least we know a little more about Isabel's background" she said in an effort to cheer him up.

"At least we know now that Malfoy wasn't right about Isabel and me being relatives. I'm sure that I'm not related to Professor Snape."

'At least not in that way' she thought.

The only one who wasn't making a big deal was Isabel. Of course it was a shock for her to recognise Professor Snape as her father, but she was already content with it. That wasn't so funny, she had known him al her life.

"Ron's right, Harry. We haven't ate after the brunch and I'm all shaky after everything what happened"

Harry nodded. He would do anything for his girlfriend.

***

Hermione kept her promise to Severus. After dinner she sneaked out of the Great Hall, pretending as if she was going to the library.

She was a little anxcious about Severus, he had left the hospital wing directly after Professor Dumbledore and he hadn't showed up at dinner.

She knocked on the door of his office and waited for his "Come in" to enter the room.

But he didn't call her and now she was so worried that she opened the door without knocking again.

She found him standing in front of the fire, all in thoughts.

"Severus ?" she whispered and stood there right behind him, clasping her hands around his middle.

"Leave me alone" he growled and scared her with one of his scowling looks.

Hermione quickly stepped back. That wasn't the man she made love with last night. That was her old and grumphy Professor.

"Would you like to talk about it ?" she tried again.

"No, just leave"

She turned her heels and walked to the door.

"O.K., I'll leave. But if you change your mind, please let me now. I'll be in the library" she told him and left.

He sighed deep. He didn't wanted Hermione to leave. But he also didn't wanted to talk about it. Or about them. There couldn't be a 'them' anymore. Things had changed in the last few hours.

He was already used to the idea of a relationship between a teacher and a student, but he didn't want to be the father who slept with his daughter's best friend !!!

It was all too complicated for him. He had to tell Hermione about it, but he couldn't do it now. But he had to. It was unfair to let Hermione think they could go on this way.

He sighed again and walked at his desk. He wrote a little note and called for his owl to bring the note to the library.

***

Hermione sat in an easy chair, watching the snow falling down. She had a book open in her lap, but couldn't concentrate on reading it.

She knew what was bothering Severus and she couldn't deny it was bothering her too. But if they could only talk about it, she hoped she could persuate him to continue their relationship.

She heard a soft tapping noise at the window and stood up to open it. An owl flew in with a piece of parchment in his beak.

She openend the envelope and read Severus' note:

"Dear Hermione,

I'm sorry for sending you away. Please come to the dungeon tonight. We need to talk.

Severus"

She shivered and knew that he would tell her they had to end their relationship. But she wasn't that easy to convince.

She walked downstairs and knocked for the second time that evening at the door.

He opened the door immediately as if he were waiting for her.

"Hermione, come in please" he said and stepped aside to let her pass.

He offered her a chair in front of the fire and settled himself in the other one.

"We couldn't go on with our relationship, Hermione, you know that". He got straight to the point and that surprised Hermione.

She had thought he would prolong talking about the subject, but he didn't.

"Severus, I know it seems complicated now, but once you're used to the idea of having a daughter." she began, but couldn't finish her sentence as Severus interrupted her.

"Please, can you imagine what people would say if they knew my girlfriend is of the same age as my daughter ?" he said.

"It's no big deal in the Muggle-world, it happens all the time' said Hermione stubbornly.

"I don't live in the Muggle-world, i'm a wizard and in the Wizarding-world it IS a big deal" he said and looked at her.

She sat there with her hands folded in her lap, he could tell she tried not to cry. Inside his heart he knew that he wanted to comfort her, pull her to him and whisper soft words of love in her ear. But he couldn't afford to do that, if he did, he knew he would never let her go.

"Severus, please give it another thought. Maybe you'll think about it differently tomorrow" she tried again but he shook his head.

"No, Hermione. I's over. I think it's better that you leave now" he said and turned around so she couldn't see the tears in his eyes.

Hermione stood up with as much dignity she had and left the room. She refused to cry, she didn't want him to see her cry, she really didn't want to cry. And then she cried.

She flew up the stairs to the Common-Room to search comfort with her friends. But then she thought they would ask her what caused her such a grief and decided to go back to the library to pull herself together.

Deep inside her heart she knew he was right, but she refused to admit it. She loved him, and she had read once that love would conquer all. When there were no tears left she stood up and went to the Common-Room, hoping that they wouldn't see she had been crying.

Harry, Ron and Isabel were playing a game of exploding-snap as Hermione stepped inside the Common-Room.

" 'Like to join ?" asked Harry without looking up from the game.

"Nah, I'm tired, I think I'm going to bed"

"O.K. then. We'll see you tomorrow. Sleep well"

Hermione went upstairs and prepared to go to bed. She stepped in her bed as Isabel knocked on her door. "Can I come in ?"

Hermione sighed. She didn't want to talk with anyone right now, all she wanted was to sleep for the rest of the Holidays.

"Hello, there, I've been looking all over for you. You weren't in the library. I was thinking about your little secret, Hermione, you know, about you and eh., well. What would they say if they knew you are over head and ears in love with Professor Sn. - eh, I mean, my father?"

This was more then Hermione could take. She collapsed and started to cry unceasing.