Chapter 4

Several weeks and many uneventful days later half term rolled around. Hermione had decided that Diana was to spend it at home as they only lived in the village. Secretly she had hoped Severus would find this out and visit during the holiday, purely for Diana's sake of course.

"Have you packed everything?" Hermione asked as Diana reached the entrance hall.

"Mum I'm only coming home for a week and if needs be I can come back and get the things I have left." Diana said as she ducked from Hermione's hand trying to tuck a stray hair behind her ear.

Severus crossed the entrance hall at the point. He looked concerned and puzzled as if thinking over a large decision.

"Oh Diana there you are. Oh good afternoon Hermione." Severus added as an after thought. He turned back to Diana. "Diana would you like to go to a Quidditch match during the holidays? I know that Harry is playing and I was wondering if you would like to watch it… with me of course."

"Oh yes please that would be great!" Diana exclaimed excitedly. "I have never seen a Quidditch match."

Severus looked shocked. "You've never seen a Quidditch match? But I thought Harry played for the Wimborne Wasps?"

"Oh he does." Hermione interjected. "But he has never taken her because I don't really enjoy the sport."

"I find that hard to believe, you were such an avid supporter here." Severus said trying to catch her out.

"Yes well that was because it was an inter house tournament." Hermione said blushing. She was always very bad at lying.

"Oh," said Severus and changed the subject. "Well Diana I shall pick you up tomorrow at noon. Goodbye." He said and turned to walk away but Diana walked up to him and hugged him round the waist.

For a moment Severus stood there shocked, and then he lowered his arms and hugged her back. She pulled away and grinned at him.

"See you tomorrow … dad." And she ran off to her mother again and they left.

"Mum where's my scarf?" Diana shouted from the hallway cupboard.

"I have no idea were did you leave it last?" Hermione shouted unhelpfully from the kitchen.

Diana stamped into the kitchen. "If I knew that I wouldn't be asking now would I?" she said crossly. "Mum uses a finding spell, I'm not allowed to!"

Hermione sighed and picked up her wand. "Accio Scarf!" she ordered. The scarf flew off the back of the kitchen door and into her hand. "Here you are." She smiled and wrapped it round Diana's neck.

Just then the doorbell rang.

Diana ran to answer the door. "Hello! I'm nearly ready I just need my gloves and hat." Diana said pulling her gloves out of her pockets. "Come in!"

Gingerly Severus stepped into the house. He looked around and saw pictures of Diana everywhere. Diana on her first birthday. Diana at the park, in the swimming pool, on a bike. All the things he wished he could have been there for.

"Would you like a drink before you go? Tea or coffee?" Hermione asked as Diana ran upstairs.

"Erm yes coffee please." Severus said as he removed his own gloves.

"Here you go," Hermione said and handed him the cup and gestured for him to sit down. "Is it cold outside?" she asked politely drink form her own cup. 

Severus laughed inwardly. This was such a clichéd situation. Politely offering drinks then asking about the weather. How typically British of us.

"A bit, not too bad though." He said and drank up.

"I'm ready!" Diana announced and burst into the kitchen.

"Oh good cos it starts in about 45 minutes. We'll have time to find our seats." Severus said getting up, glad to be able to leave.

Diana was so excited about the match that she didn't say a lot once they got there she just looked around with wide eyes.

"Excited?" Severus asked as he handed her a bag of sweets he had bought at Honeydukes.

"Yes! But I don't understand it! Can you explain it briefly?" she asked once they had sat down.

"Ok," Severus pulled out his wand and pointed it at her. He muttered something and a grin came over Diana's face.

"Oh now I get it!" she grinned.

The match was the Wimborne Wasps versus the Appleby Arrows. It was fairly mismatched as the Wasps nearly always beat the Arrows.

"Look what mum gave me to watch it with." Diana announced producing a pair of omnioculars from her pocket. On the side of them the words 'Quidditch World Cup Final' written on it and underneath it said 'Bulgaria Vs Ireland.' Severus smiled. He remembered that match well. Quite spectacular if he remembered rightly.

"Do you come to see Quidditch often?" Diana asked looking though the omnioculars and fiddling with the knobs and buttons.

"Yes. I do. I used to play it a lot too. But my job doesn't allow that much now." Severus said more to himself.

"Could you teach me how to fly properly? And play Quidditch?" Diana implored, looking at him with large eyes. "I asked mum but she wouldn't, she hates flying." Diana looked thoughtful for a moment. "I didn't want to ask Harry. He acts like he's my father but in his heart he knows he couldn't even act that role properly. I think it's because he sees you in me." Her forehead was furrowed in thought. "Its not that he dislikes you immensely, but he thinks you hurt my mother and I remind him of it. But I could be wrong."

Severus stared at her for a while. His thoughts were soon interrupted by the horn signalling that the match was soon going to start.

Through the entire duration of the match Diana had the omnioculars glued to her face. Occasionally she would gasp or make comments like "did you see that?" but nothing very important. Severus almost wanted to cross examine her about her 'gift' and ask what else she knew about his and Hermione's relationship, both past and if there was to be a future one.

At the end of an entirely spectacular match in which Harry had done a Wronski Feint which he had pulled out of it only 4 feet from the ground, Severus took Diana to Diagon Alley to have some ice-cream.

"What else do you want to do then?" Severus asked as their ice-creams arrived.

"Can we have a look in the Quidditch shop? I have some money left over from my birthday. I want to buy a broom." Diana said placing a heavily laden spoon into her mouth.

Severus laughed at her.

"What?" she demanded confused.

"You have whipped cream on your nose." He said leaning over and wiping it off with a napkin.

Quality Quidditch Supplies was heaving with young wizards and witches. Several of them were from Hogwarts and looked thoroughly guilty for no reason as they saw Severus. As he walked through the shop he acknowledged a few of them and nodded in their general direction but they suddenly realised they had to be somewhere else and left suddenly.

Diana was cooing over several of the brooms. All of them looked flashy but they weren't much good for flying. She found the Firebolt magnetic. Every time she walked away from it she was drawn back towards it.

"This is a nice broom." She stated looking at the price tag.

"Nice price too isn't it?" Severus said with a smile.

Diana looked so disappointed.

"I can save me pocket money and get it next time." She said trying to make herself feel better. "I need to go to the apothecary, re-fill my potions set." She said and began to leave the shop.

Severus was about to follow her but doubled back and looked at the Firebolt…

Diana took the money her mother had given her out of her pocket. This was to be used for school supplies only. If not then she could have bough the Firebolt.

She sighed and went into the apothecary. Everything she needed was easy to find and she was done within 10 minutes but still she couldn't see her father anywhere.

She went outside and saw him standing outside the magical menagerie looking at owls.

"I thought I had lost you!" Diana scolded as if he were a child.

"I have been here the whole time!" Severus laughed at the stern little face. "Do you have an owl?"

"No I use the school ones if I need to send post." Diana saw staring at the beautiful snowy owl in front of her.

"Would you like one? A sort of late birthday present?" Severus asked.

"Really? You mean it? You'd buy me an owl? Wow!" Diana exclaimed her eyes the size of galleons.

Diana and Severus arrived back at the Potter household at 8pm. Hermione was twitching the curtains as they walked up the path.

"Did you have a good time?" Hermione asked as she opened the door and gasped as she saw the owl.

"Do you like it mum? She's called Myfanwy." Diana had a glint in her a eye.

Severus smirked as Diana walked inside.

"Myfanwy? Your idea I presume?" Hermione said crossing her arms, a smile lurking in the corner of her mouth, trying to hide.

Severus smiled and nodded. The smile dropped quickly and he looked straight at her.

"I never forgot you know." He said.

Hermione opened her mouth to answer but Harry appeared behind her.

"Evening Severus," he said tensely, trying to be polite.

"Good match today." Severus commented, "exhilarating, very much so."

There was an awkward silence as everybody tried to look at anything but somebody.

"Do you want to come in for coffee?" Hermione said finally.

"I think I'd better…" Severus began.

"No come in." Harry interjected and disappeared indoors again.

Severus stepped through the door and into the kitchen; Diana was stood there with a coffee mug which she handed to Severus.

"Black, one sugar just how you like it!" she said.

"How did you…" Severus began and then remembered and smiled. "Thank you."

"You know you didn't have to buy me the Firebolt, I would have got it myself eventually." She said.

Severus was about to take a sip from the mug but froze at those words. Hermione looked at him and then at Diana.

"Dee darling, I think you should go and have a bath. Warm yourself up." Hermione said tactfully.

Diana smiled knowingly at the pair of them and went upstairs for a bath.

"Is she always so blunt?" Severus asked.

"Yes. Well I suppose it's better than hiding things." Hermione said drinking her tea.

Something was pressing into the side of Severus' leg, he put his hand in has pocket and pulled out the bottle Diana had given him. He wondered …

"Don't do it yet Severus!" Diana shouted the stairs.

He quickly put the bottle back in his pocket as Hermione gave him a strange look.

"What is she on about?"

"No idea" Severus said quickly. "I'm going for a drink in the three broomsticks now if you and Harry want to join me?"

"Drinking alone?" Hermione asked.

"No!" Severus said too quickly, "some of the Hogwarts staff should be up there; they usually are on a Saturday night."

"I'll ask Harry." Hermione said and left the room.

Severus looked around the room, trying to make time pass while Hermione consulted her husband. He hated using that phrase, Hermione's husband. It should have been him.

Diana appeared in the doorway. She grinned and gave him two thumbs up.

"She drinks shiraz! Remember that." She said before running back upstairs.