Chapter 2

When Annabelle got up the next day she noticed her father was still there with her but he had got up from the bed. Breakfast was ready and her father was sitting on a chair by her side sipping tea.

"How are you puss?" He asked.

"Tired," she sighed as she sat back in her pillows.

"I sure," he said to her. "You've had a rough couple off weeks, we don't have to do a lot today." he told her. "Not if you don't want too."

"I can't say I mind either way, as long as I'm with you," she said shyly, not wanting any fiss.

"Don't be so soppy Annabelle, we have all the time in the world," he said to her.

"But we might not," she urged, "I thought I was going to with mum." she recalled.

"Anna, what happened with your mum it was an accident," he tried to convince her and sighed.

"But what of there's another dad I can't lose you," she panicked.

"And you won't ok," he said kissing her forehead as he had got up from his chair. "You can not let your self think like that, puss the what ifs will destroy you ok? Just come have breakfast." he told her and she nodded.

Changing in to a dress like the one she had worn the night before she had a white blouse on again.

Her mother whilst being beloved by her daughter had been very old fashioned and she had preferred her daughter in to dresses than jeans or any kind of trousers. Jane had also been a very formula women, which explained her daughter's dresses.

She had a little of her break fast with out persuasion and for that Severus was grateful, but it was no surprise as she hadn't eaten last night. He thought the real challenge he faced would be getting her to eat lunch and dinner.

He also had to cure of fear of fire some how, they had one in all the common room and he wouldn't be with her then.

He wondered what house she would be. It'd be a dream to have her in Slytherin for him but he didn't think it likely she would. She was, well he couldn't describe it but she didn't seem to have the Slytherin quality.

Her mother had been a Ravenclaw when they had been young, but he didn't think she would go in to that house either.

She didn't seem to be a lot like her mother. She seemed despite the bonds Jane had put on her a lot more free than her mother had ever been.

And bravery, she had shoe that when she had survived the fire. ,

He dreaded the thought but she, in his eyes was Gryffindor material. Not that he minded, just as long as she was ok.

When he had heard first of the fire he had felt like he had lost his world. He had thought she had got trapped in there and for just a second he had lost the will to live.

It was like everything he had ever been was wrapped up in her and with out her things weren't worth it, not any more.

They eventually decided to go for a walk up in the mountains surrounding the castle. He liked this for two reasons., one, they had done it before a lot when she had visited and two it kept her from the eyes of the students for a little longer. He didn't want t o over power her with the others yet that'd be unfair on the girl.

He didn't know how long they walked her little hand in his larger hand, he lost track of time. They spoke a lot of there time together before and then she brought up her mother. He knew she had to talk about Jane and if she couldn't talk to him where would the child go.

"How did you and mum meet?" she asked him.

"Through a school project," he admitted to her. "Your mother was rather gifted with charms, I was lucky to be partnered with her. We just spent more and more time together. Fell in love." he told her.

"Will you miss her now she's -" but she couldn't say it. Not yet. It was too soon for the grieving child.

"Of course I will puss, she was the mother of my child, and I cared about her, even if I didn't show it at times."

"I wish she was here dad," she mumbled and hugged him with one arm.

"So do Me Annabelle, so do I," he soothed her.

Just as he had predicted early on that day she didn't want food at lunch but he managed to get her to have half a sandwich.

When they got back that after noon she seemed pretty much done in to her father. She laid on the couch and read a book quietly.

She had always enjoyed reading but this seemed different to him. It was like she was with-drawing her self a lot of the time. She seemed a lot more pensive to him than they had ever been before.

The effect of the fire was taking its strain on her indeed. He worried over her.

She was exhausted and fell asleep before dinner so she got out of that one through doziness again.

Talking her through to her room Severus stayed with her just as he had the night before, only managing to tear himself from his daughter at eleven o'clock that evening.

Going to his room he pulled a small shoe book from his closet.

It was filled with the memories and the days he had spent with his Jane. When he had heard she had died he had been devastated. Even though they had fallen out off love a long time ago she still had been his first and he had never expected her to die as young as she had. She hadn't deserved too.

Sighing as he looked at them on there wedding day he shook his head they, had been so happy together once upon a time.

Everything had changed when he had turned to the dark side.

He had thought he was doing the right thing at the time he honestly had. He thought that if they took over at least then he had ensured the safety of his wife and his child.

However when she had found out Jane had not agreed.

She had taken off in the night.

When Severus had found Anna's crib empty he had been furious.

She had been his daughter and his ex had had no right to take his pride and joy from him.

The courts hadn't agreed with him on that though and then it had been every stolen moment that counted with his daughter.

He had feared she wouldn't know him when she was older but she had never once been distant with him. Until now.

END CHAPTER

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