Disclaimer: I don't own HP or "Pressure." J.K. and Paramore do.
I can feel the pressure
It's getting closer now
Hermione woke up on September 1st, her heart pounding in her chest. Today was the day. She rolled over and grinned at her sleeping Slytherin husband. She couldn't stand it anymore. She shook him awake.
"Sev, wake up! Today's the day we see our daughter become a Gryffindor!" she exclaimed. He sat up instantly.
"Excuse me, but Felicity is going to be a Slytherin," he argued sleepily as he sat up.
"I don't think so, my dear. She is perfect Gryffindor material. Brave, social, and intelligent."
"No, she is perfect Slytherin material. Cunning, witty, and intelligent." That was one thing they agreed on; Slytherins and Gryffindors were both known for being intelligent. It all had to do with how they used that intelligence.
Hermione shook her head. She knew there was no use arguing; they would see at the Sorting ceremony in a few hours.
/\/\/\
At around five o'clock, Felicity sat in her room, her nerves shot. It was all she had heard for the past six months. "She's going to be a Gryffindor." "NO! She's going to be a Slytherin!" "Gryffindor!" "Slytherin!" It was a constant battle between her parents. Even though she knew they weren't really fighting, she knew they really did care which house she got into. What was she going to do when the Sorting Hat asked her which she'd like to be in? She didn't want to disappoint her mother or her father… but she knew which house she wanted. She had heard about all the great people who had come from Gryffindor House, and she knew she wasn't, well, mean enough to be a Slytherin. She knew her father was a great man, one of the bravest in the wizarding world, but she also knew that Lord Voldemort (whom she hadn't had to endure) had come from Slytherin House. She knew where she wanted to be; she just hoped her father wouldn't be too upset. Actually, she wouldn't mind being a Ravenclaw either. But, it's up to the Sorting Hat in the end, she thought.
She just wished the ceremony were over.
/\/\/\
It was time. At 6:55, Felicity was being herded by her mother into the living room. Hermione was wearing her faculty robes, with her tiny Gryffindor lion brooch pinned on the left side of her robes. She was straightening her pointed hat on her head when Severus came swooping into the room. He was wearing his usual robes, only with a hint of green trimming. Hermione rolled her eyes at his little addition.
"Nice, Sev," she said sarcastically.
"Yeah, thanks, I thought so too. Nice pin, haven't seen that before," he said, feigning curiosity. She grinned, enjoying their banter.
"Oh hush, sweetie. Let me get Dobby, then we can go," she said, snapping her fingers lightly. Dobby appeared in front of her and bowed deeply.
"Dobby is here for the Snape family. Where are the children?" he asked, looking around.
"They're in their rooms, napping. But they will be up soon. Thank you so much, Dobby!" she said, patting him on his head. He beamed up at her.
"Dobby is glad to be of service to Mr. and Mrs. Snape. It is Dobby's pleasure to serve!" he said, and tottered off to look after Kenton, Rosalyn, Vivienne, and Hunter, the newest addition to their family.
Hermione looked around at Felicity, who was sitting on the couch in her brand new robes, looking at her hands.
"Come on, sweetie, it's time! Aren't you excited?" she asked, pulling her up from the couch.
Before she could answer, Severus came over to the couch and took her other hand.
"Of course she's excited! She's about to become a part of the best house at Hogwarts!" he said as they walked out the door.
"Yes, Gryffindor House!" Hermione said playfully.
Felicity sighed. "MUM! DAD! Stop it, please!" she exclaimed suddenly. Hermione and Severus stopped short and looked at her in awe. "I know you're head of Gryffindor and you're head of Slytherin, but you two are driving me crazy! I'm starting to not even care what house I am in! I'd rather be in Hufflepuff, if it would make you guys stop arguing!" The mention of being in Hufflepuff made Severus and Hermione see the light. They looked at one another and then both knelt down to be eye level with their daughter.
"Sweetie, look. It doesn't matter which house you're in, okay? You'll be great no matter what house you're in," Hermione said gently.
"Your mum's right, Felicity. It does not matter at all. You're going to be a great witch, okay?" Severus added, hugging Felicity to him. Felicity smiled; maybe she should tell her parents how she feels more often.
"Okay then, let's go!" she said eagerly, now feeling more excited about this whole business.
Hermione and Severus looked at each other. As they watched Felicity bound ahead of them, they shared a tender kiss.
"Sev, our baby's growing up!" Hermione said, her eyes filling with tears.
"Yes, she is… but look at it this way; we have four more after her!" he said, grinning. She laughed.
"That's so true. Alright, let's go," she said, and they headed to the Great Hall.
/\/\/\
Being a Snape, Felicity was near the end of the list. As it was the Deputy Headmaster's job to read the names, Severus was standing at the front of the crowd next to the stool with the old tattered hat on it. When he got to his daughter's name, his heart started to race. He took a deep breath and glanced at his wife. Hermione, who was standing next to McGonagall and Lupin, smiled at him reassuringly. He turned back to the crowed and read:
"Felicity Snape!"
At the sound of her father calling her name, Felicity's heart skipped a beat. She pushed through the crowd, her black hair swinging over her shoulder. She smiled at her father and then her mother as she sat down. A murmur went through the crowd; they all were curious to see where the famous Hermione Granger and Severus Snape's child ended up. Severus lowered the hat onto his daughter's head, and it automatically began to speak to her thoughts.
"Well, well. What have we here? The first of five Snape children. What to do with you? Your father is a great man, no doubt Slytherin helped get him to where he is today. And your mother? She is a fantastic woman, one of the smartest of the age. Gryffindor helped her more than anyone will ever know. But what to do with you? You have the qualities of every house… the courage of a Gryffindor, the cunning of a Slytherin, the intelligence of a Ravenclaw, and the kindness of a Hufflepuff. But which is the best choice?"
Felicity kept thinking in the very back of her mind, where she thought the hat couldn't see, please, please pick Gryffindor.
"Gryffindor? That's what you want, eh? Well, there you have it… Better be GRYFFINDOR!"
The hall burst into applause and she grinned widely. She looked up at her father, afraid of his reaction. But he looked overjoyed. She glanced at her mother, who was clapping furiously, a tear rolling down her cheek. She smiled and ran down the stairs to the Gryffindor table.
Severus couldn't stop smiling. He realized he didn't care that much which house his daughter was in, as long as she was at Hogwarts. He glanced back at his wife, who smiled at him, with no hint of an I-told-you-so attitude.
He turned to Hagrid, who was standing near, and Hagrid whispered, "No worries, Severus, you still have four more chances!" Severus threw his head back and laughed.
It was the truth.
Tell me where our time went
And if it was time well spent
tbc
well, that was fun! Please review and I will update very soon! Love, love!
-r