Tirza hated feeling so out of it from the potions and the slight pain that hit between potions. This was turning out to be a very bad day. Especially since Severus had called her a brat. She wasn't trying to be one. She had her reasons, he really did.
"You need to eat something," Severus said quietly, interrupting her thoughts. "It will help you regain your strength and she promised it would be some of your favorites." It was nearing supper time. Tirza sighed, giving him a slightly frustrated looked. "What's wrong now?" Severus asked, a worried look on his face. He looked closely at Tirza, trying to figure out what was wrong.
Tirza just shrugged for her response. "Something must be wrong for you to be so quiet," Severus said. "That's not like my little girl." He gently stroked her curls. She just shrugged again not wanting to really talk with him right now. She was rather hurt. "Supper time," Poppy cheerfully called out. "Your dad assured me that a chocolate shake and macaroni and cheese are some of your favorite foods," she said putting a tray in front of Tirza and giving her a smile.
Tirza licked her lips and smiled at Poppy. "Definitely!" she said happily. "Eat up and then you might get some dessert," Poppy said with a wink. Tirza giggled, which made Severus feel a little less worried, then winked at her and began to eat. She looked over at Severus to see if he was eating. He was eating the same meal as she was, except with a vanilla shake; he wasn't as chocolate crazy as she was.
After they had both finished their supper, Poppy brought in two trays. "Here you both go," Poppy said handing them tapioca pudding. "I will be back shortly to give you the rest of your medicines." Tirza happily ate her pudding and scraped the last little bit that was uncatchable with a spoon by using her finger. "You're too funny," Severus said with a wink as he finished his own pudding. "Would you like anything else before Poppy returns?"
She shook her head no. "Why do you think I'm funny?" she asked. "Because you like to eat your pudding with your fingers," Severus said with a wink. "You also like to play jokes on people, and have fun; that's what makes you funny." Tirza smiled. "You're really complicated," she decided.
"I think that was a compliment Severus," Poppy said with a chuckle as she came into the room to collect the trays and give Tirza the last medications. Tirza giggled, then winced. She looked suspiciously at the medicines. "Most of these are the same from this afternoon save one," Poppy said handing her the familiar green liquid.
After she had finished handing her the last liquid, Poppy said, "I need to check your incisions and put some more salve on it if that's okay with you." Tirza frowned, but nodded slowly. "Do you want to look?" Poppy asked before she put on the last bandage. Tirza snuck a peak. "Ew, weird," she decided. "Daddy remind me not to be a nurse," she decided. Severus and Poppy chuckled.
"They will look better in time," Poppy promised her, patting Tirza's head in a motherly fashion. "Now you need to take this medicine to help your skin heal faster," she said handing her a dark red vial. Tirza sniffed the liquid and crinkled her nose. It smelled like an extremely strong peppermint something.
With a look of uncertainty, Tirza put some of the liquid in her mouth, and then spit it out. "Yuck!" she exclaimed. "Tirza you have to swallow it for it to work," Poppy admonished, summoning another vial. Tirza scowled darkly and tried to quickly drink the liquid and coughed as the last of it went down. "I'm not taking that again," she decided firmly with a last cough.
"I know it was nasty and I promise it was the last time you will have to take that one," Poppy vowed, touching Tirza's cheek softly and giving a little smile. "I will wish you both a goodnight and Tirza if you need anything just let me know." "Night Poppy," Tirza said as the nurse left the room.
"May I cuddle with my favorite daughter?" Severus asked as he crossed to the bed. Tirza giggled softly. "Daddy, I'm your only daughter. But yeah, I guess so." Severus raised an eyebrow; it was very unlike Tirza to refuse a cuddle. She always seemed to need the comforting that hugs and cuddles offered, and Severus could not truthfully say he did not enjoy them as well.
"Well if you don't want me too, I'll just sit on my bed over here," Severus told her, his voice rather quiet. Tirza sighed and shrugged. "Don't be sad daddy..." "Want to to tell your old man what's bothering you?" Severus asked gently as he got into the bed beside her and held her carefully. "You're not old," Tirza told him. She then paused before speaking again. "And I'm not a brat," she said very softly, looking away from him
"Well at the moment you sure were acting like one," Severus said rather sternly. "But I promise to try and refrain from calling you that." Tirza frowned, feeling defensive suddenly. "People can't just touch me! They have to ask!" she spat back rather loudly.
"Poppy never has had to ask to touch me young lady and a doctor should have the right to examine their patient however they chose," Severus replied, his voice also rising in volume. "I will tell Poppy your wish for her to ask but if you EVER behave in that fashion again toward someone who is trying to help, don't think I won't spank you!" He gave her a stern look, meaning every word.
"Go away," Tirza whispered, burying her face in Molly's mane. "Fine!" Severus snapped. He set her down on the bed and headed for the door. "But I'm only telling you the truth!" She started to cry. "You're a meanie-moe!" she shouted through her tears. "What in merlin's beard is going on?" Poppy demanded as she rushed through the door. "You should be resting and not shouting!" she told Tirza.
"I'm leaving for the night but if she decides to calm down I'll be in my quarters!" Severus said as he stalked out of the room. "Tirza what is going on here?" Poppy said as she walked over to the bed. "I hate him," Tirza whimpered, still crying and hugging Molly. "You most certainly do not," Poppy replied firmly. "You love your father very much but something he said made you upset. What was that?"
Poppy sat beside Tirza and rubbed the little girl's back. Tirza leaned her head against Poppy, who in return began stroking Tirza's soft curls. "He's being mean, he doesn't understand," Tirza hiccupped. "What doesn't he understand?" Poppy prodded gently. "I don't like doctors touching me under my clothes unless they ask. And he doesn't care, he's just all mad at me," Tirza whispered.
"Why didn't you tell me that before dear?" Poppy said seriously. "I've never had a child like that but I'm willing to work with you and I promise to ask from now on as long as you will work with me alright?" Tirza nodded. She thought back to the last time she had been in such a sterile room and people, doctors, had touched her under her clothes, to examine her after her attack, and shivered. She nodded in response to Poppy's offer. "If you ask it's okay most of the time... it just..." her voice trailed off as she shuddered.
"It's just what?" Poppy asked. "I don't wanna talk about it anymore," Tirza whispered, wishing her dad would come back and stop being mad at her. "Do you want me to call your dad back before you take your sleeping potion?" Poppy asked gently. "He's mad at me, he wont come," Tirza whispered.
"He will come back, I promise," Poppy said. "He's just mad because you started shouting at him." Tirza shrugged in response. "That's not an answer," Poppy said, sounding very much like Severus. "I want him to come, but I don't want him to be mad at me," Tirza replied. "Well. Why don't you two talk for a while before you take your sleeping potion." Poppy offered/ "I bet you both just need to say your sorry and all will be right."
Tirza nodded and dried her tears. Poppy left Tirza to her thoughts as she went to summon Severus. He arrived not five minutes later with some of her personal items they forgot in the rush in her pink princess bag. "I come bringing a peace offering," Severus said quietly, handing her the bag.
Tirza looked confused and opened the bag to find her bathroom supplies and her favorite fuzzy pillow. "I put in your things from the bathroom, I hope you don't mind," Severus supplied. "I thought you might want them and when we left in such a rush there was no time to grab them." "Thank you," Tirza said softly, avoiding his gaze. "Are you still mad at me?"
"Tirza I was never actually mad," Severus replied. "I was more hurt than anything that you yelled at me." "I'm sorry," she said sincerely, looking up at him, her eyes searching his. "But it's not fair that you would spank me for being scared." "You're scared of Poppy?" Severus questioned, truly shocked. "If you had of told me that earlier I would have never said I would spank you."
"I'm not scared of Poppy, just of being touched with out asking. The other doctors did it and it was really horrible," she sniffled. "I'm sorry you had to go through that," Severus said quietly. "Do you want me to ask permission to touch you from now on?" he asked in all sincereness. "No daddy, you're safe. Just Poppy pulling up my nightgown like that reminded me and then you called me a brat and I wasn't trying to be. It's not every touch, and not yours."
"Alright, thank you for explaining that," Severus stated. "I'm sorry for calling you a brat." "It's okay. And I'm sorry I yelled at you. I just didn't wanna be in trouble for being scared." Tirza motioned for him to come over and sit on the bed with her. She needed to be held and hoped all was forgiven between them.
He climbed into the bed beside her and pulled her tight to his chest, being careful of her wound, and covered them both in a blanket. "You're not in trouble," Severus said, and noticed her attempting to hide a big yawn. "Are you sleepy baby?" he asked, rubbing her back gently.
Tirza nodded. "I love you daddy," she said softly, her eyes beginning to droop. "I love you too," Severus said, then kissed her flushed forehead. "Would you like a special surprise Poppy authorized?" Tirza nodded, perking up at the thought of a surprise. Severus reached over to the chair, bringing back a pink sack. "Open it," he prodded gently.
She opened it to find her favorite pajamas inside. Tirza hugged him as tight as she could without hurting herself. "How'd you remember they're my favorite?" "Because you wear them nearly every other day," Severus teased with a wink. He eased her off the bed and helped her to steady herself. "Now change into them and then you can down your last potion."
Tirza tried to lift her arms over her head, which hurt. She blushed and looked up at Severus. "Can I get a little help?" she asked quietly. "Certainly." Severus said as he helped her into the pjs. "Anything else?" He lifted her back into the bed, tucking her in carefully and kissing her cheek.
She nodded and carefully crawled onto his lap when he sat again and snuggled against him. "I love you daddy," she said. "And I want a hug." "That can be arranged." Severus said carefully. Hugging her close. "I love you very much." She yawned again, starting to fall asleep. They sat like that until Tirza was out cold, then Severus gently laid her back in bed and brushed a kiss on her forehead before crawling into the bed next to her.
Tirza was asleep the next morning when Poppy came to check on her incision. Not wanting to disturb the sleeping girl, Poppy quietly began moving the blankets and lifting the nightshirt. Tirza, still half asleep, could feel the movement. "NO!" she screamed and started kicking her legs hard. "Tirza stop," Severus said quietly. "It's only Madam Pomfrey, she just wants to check your incisions."
Tirza didn't answer, her face paleing as she continued to kick. "Tirza stop it!" Severus said sternly. "She is only trying to help and your making it worse on both of you!" Tirza screamed again, still half asleep. "Severus she's still asleep," Poppy said quietly. "Ennervate!" Tirza woke with a start, her eyes wide, little beads of sweat popping out on her forehead. "Huh? Wuh?" she asked.
"Tirza you were fighting me," Poppy said quietly. "I didn't want to wake you to check your incision but I guess I did it anyway, so I'm sorry." "It's okay," Tirza told her softly. "I'm really hot and my tummy hurts." "Here we'll remove some of these blankets," Poppy said handing Severus a few of the extra blankets.
Tirza wiped her forehead on her sleeve. "Can I go home yet?" "Not til at least later today," Poppy said. "Now let me have a good look at your incisions please." Tirza nodded, then pulled up her top and closed her eyes. "I know this will hurt," Poppy said quietly. "But I really do need to check them." Poppy poked and prodded and scanned for a good 10 minutes before she said, "All's well for now but I still want to keep you here till later this afternoon."
"Do I have too?" Tirza whined. "And I'm still hot!" "Yes, I'm sorry, but I really don't feel right about releasing you till at least twenty four hours after your surgery," Poppy replied. "Let me check your temperature." When Poppy removed the thermometer it read 103 degrees. "I don't think you'll be going anywhere today," she sighed. "We have to get this temp down..."