Disclaimer: What can I say? We don't own any of the wonderful Potter characters. Just the ones that we made up.

A/N: Not much to say. I didn't feel the story for quite some time so it took way too long to get this out. I hope some of you are still with us. Also, if you feel that some of the characters are not being themselves... tough. Just joking. It's how they appeared to me. Enjoy and let us know if you like.

Chapter 23: Sunset/Moonrise

Severus put the kid down on the floor as soon as Draco left the room. He never dealt with any child of this age and had no idea what to do. He remembered when Draco was a toddler but he never had to entertain him. That was his nanny's job. Severus made his way over to an arm chair and sat down, putting his head in his hands. A few seconds later, he felt little hands on his. He looked up into deep brown eyes, almost like his own. Severus almost laughed but sighed instead.

"Daddy?" the toddler questioned.

Severus stared a little longer before responding. "Why must you insist on calling me that infernal name? I am, and probably never will be, anyone's father."

"Why do you say that?" Severus nearly jumped when he heard Lily's voice coming from the doorway. "You would probably make a good father."

Severus stood up and walked to the window. He stared out, looking at the sun lowering on the horizon. "What do you want?" he sighed.

"Just checking on the little one," she responded. Lily walked over to the toddler and scooped him up into her arms. "Didn't you ever question why he has eyes like yours?" she asked him.

"It never crossed my mind," he stated, still staring out the window. "I do have more pressing things to concern myself with."

"You mean, trying to figure out how to get Hermione's memories back?" Lily noticed Severus' shoulders slump a little. She knew that he still have feelings for Hermione even if he didn't realize it at the moment. "Look, Severus, while you're trying to find magical means why don't you use something muggle?"

Severus finally turned around and stared at her. "What do you mean?"

Lily shrugged and put Sevilen down. "Well, I remember seeing an old movie where the main character lost her mind. Her friends and families would show her pictures or things from her past to get her to remember."

"Did it work?" he asked, intrigued.

"It did. It took a while, but an old blanket sparked something in her mind and the memories came flooding back."

"I doubt a blanket will do the trick."

Lily smiled and shook her head. "Maybe not but I'm sure there's something that might." As she said this, Lily looked towards Sevilen.

Severus followed her line of sight. "The child?" Lily shook her head yes. "Perhaps you may be on to something. I think I shall take her son to her. Maybe something might 'spark' her memories, as you put it."

Lily walked over to Severus. "Maybe," she stated back as she patted his shoulder. Lily walked over to Sevilen, kissed the top of his head, and walked out of the room.

Severus looked at the child. "Well, I think it's time to go see your mother."

Sevilen smiled and clapped his hands. "Yay, Mummy!"

Severus ran a hand through his hair and walked towards the door. He didn't even need to look back to know that the toddler would be right at his heels the whole way.

Severus opened the door to Hermione's room and found her standing by the window and looking out at the sunset. He cleared his throat and she nearly jumped. She put her hand on her chest and took a few deep breaths. "You scared me," she almost whispered.

"You should be resting," Severus responded.

Hermione snickered. "Feels like I've been resting for years. I'm not really tired." Hermione looked around Severus and noticed Sevilen. "Cute kid," she said nodding her head in the child's direction.

Severus looked behind him and brought Sevilen out from the shadows. "Thought I'd bring him in...," he started but stopped. He didn't know what to say to her.

Hermione smiled at the child, trying not to scare him. "Why, he looks just like you," she responded. Hermione looked up into Severus' eyes. "Oh, that other girl, the one with the red hair... you and her... Aww, how adorable. You must be very happy."

Severus looked at Hermione as she babbled on. What was this girl talking about, he thought to himself. "Um, this child is NOT mine nor is he Ms. Weasley's. He is your son."

Hermione's eyes grew wide in disbelief. "Whoah, wait... there is no way I can be a mum. I'm way too young for that."

"I assure you, Ms. Granger, this boy is your son."

"You're joking. You're playing with my mind because I can't remember anything."

"I have no reason to 'play' with your mind. I'm trying to help you remember anything about your past. Sevilen IS your son."

"Mummy?" Sevilen asked, cautiously walking over to Hermione.

Hermione sat down on the edge of the bed and broke down. She sobbed hysterically into her hands, scaring Sevilen and surprising Severus. Hermione's sobs attracted the attention of Ginny as she rushed into the room.

"What are you doing?" she nearly yelled at Severus.

"I am trying to get Hermione to remember," he sneered back. "Mrs. O'Brien told me that sometimes things can trigger memories. She was the one that suggested I bring the boy."

"Well, apparently it isn't working. Take Sevilen out of here," Ginny stated, pointing at the door.

"And what shall I do with him?"

"Put him to bed. It is getting late." Ginny watched as Severus mumbled something and steered the boy out of the room. She closed the door and then made her way over to the bed. She reached out to touch, or comfort, Hermione but dropped her hand. She knew that was the last thing the brunette would want. "Can I sit down?" she asked instead.

Hermione didn't look up but shrugged her shoulders in indifference. Ginny sat down next to her friend and looked at her hands. She wished she knew what to do for Hermione but she didn't, which made her feel helpless. She was about to look up when she heard Hermione sigh. "That little boy is mine?" she asked quietly.

Ginny did look up then and saw Hermione staring at the far wall, the faded tears had streaked her face. "Yeah," Ginny said. "Sevilen is two years old."

"Am I married to his father?"

Ginny sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "No." It came out as a whisper.

Hermione looked at Ginny. "Why? Does he not love me? Does he not love his son? Did he ever love me?"

Ginny reached out and took one of Hermione's hands in her own. She noticed that Hermione didn't flinch. "Well, it's sort of complicated. I'm sure he did love you but I'm not so sure now. He also doesn't even know that Sevilen is his son."

"It's that man, isn't it?" she asked. Ginny nodded her head. Hermione took another deep breath, trying hard not to start crying again. "He looks at me with contempt. It's almost as if he could care less about me."

Ginny's eyes widened. "That's not true!" she exclaimed. "I mean, he does care about you. He brought you out of a coma."

"Only to have my memories wiped clean," Hermione mumbled. "But, I guess I should thank him for not letting me die."

"Hermione, that is NO way to talk. You would not have died."

"Answer me one question."

"Anything," Ginny said, squeezing the other girl's hand lightly.

"Why didn't I ever say anything to him about his son?"

"I think you were going to at one point. But, before you could say anything, a Snake Charmer entered his office and tried to hit him with a spell. You got in the way and it hit you instead, causing you to fall into a coma."

Hermione shook her head. "Spells... it's all too surreal. Snake Charmers?" She sighed. "As soon as my memories return," Hermione started, "I'm going to feel much better. I'm also going to tell him. He needs to know his son. Then, maybe one day, he'll feel the same way I think I feel about him."

Ginny looked into Hermione's eyes. "Do you love him?" she asked.

Hermione took her hand back, stood up, and walked to the window. "I... I think... Hell, I don't know. Every time he enters the room, my stomach feels twisted. My hands start to shake and I feel weak. Is that what love feels like?"

Ginny thought about how she felt whenever Draco was around. Yeah, that's what it felt like for her. "I think so," she told the brunette instead.

Hermione looked out the window at the rising moon. "Do you love someone?" she asked.

Ginny sighed. "Actually, I do. I just don't think he feels the same way."

"That sucks," she said, making Ginny laugh. Hermione turned around and looked at the girl. "What's so funny?"

Ginny stopped laughing but kept smiling. "Sorry," she chuckled. "It's just that you have never said anything like that before."

"Why?"

"Well, you were the smartest girl in our school. You always had a witty response. So, to hear the word suck come from you, it's a little shocking."

"So, I was a nerd?" Hermione asked, frowning a little.

"Yeah, but not in a bad way. I think that's why Severus liked you so much. You always challenged his mind. You two really butted heads, but I could see how much the two of you belonged together."

"But, he's so... old," Hermione responded which made both the girls laugh hysterically.

Severus took the kid to a room that was set up to be Hermione's and her son's room. He looked at the crib and sighed. He really was no good with kids. Did he just put the kid in the crib or was there something else he had to do? While he was pondering this, someone spoke behind him.

"You really aren't the daddy type," Draco drawled.

Severus spun around, nearly dropping Sevilen in the process. "Damn it, boy."

"Getting lazy in your old age, Professor?" he asked, sneering. "I'm surprised you didn't scope out the room before you entered fully."

Severus decided to just put the kid in the crib seeing as he was already dressed in his pajamas. "Not tired, Daddy," Sevilen said through a yawn.

Severus closed his eyes and counted to ten to lower his anger. "Go to sleep, kid," he responded.

"Listen to Daddy," Draco said, trying to suppress a giggle.

Severus rounded on Draco, his eyes almost seemed to glow from rage. Draco stopped smiling and looked anywhere but at his old professor. Severus calmed down for the second time. "Please, stop saying that."

"Oh, come on. You can't deny that the child looks exactly like you. You may be an old man, but you are capable of fathering a child... right?"

Severus sighed. He had been battling with that thought since the Granger girl showed up at the Order with that child. Could spending one afternoon with her cause such a thing? And did this child lower his defenses? He had too many questions without answers that it was making the inside of his head spin uncontrollably. He turned back to the boy and noticed that he fell asleep. If he believed in god, he would be thanking him right now. Severus walked over to the light switch, flicked it off, and then walked over to the window. The sun had finally set and the waning moon was high in the night sky.

He felt Draco walk over to him. The blonde didn't touch him, just stood next to him. "Look, I don't mean to prod but you have to wonder."

Severus looked at him in the light of the moon. Draco had definitely aged since his time at Hogwarts. Lines formed on his face around his eyes and mouth. His eyes lost the innocence of youth and it made Severus shake his head. This was not the life he had envisioned for his godson but with a father like Lucius, what else was there for the boy? "So, Draco, how do you fare?" he asked, trying to steer the conversation away from himself.

Draco merely shrugged. "Alright, I guess." Draco ran his hand through his long hair. Severus noticed that he started to look exactly like his father. He didn't like it one bit.

"Draco, you know you don't have to do this?"

"What?" Draco responded.

"Spying. You don't have to do it. Just say the word and you can remain here, protected."

Draco snorted. "I don't play the wounded victim very well, Severus."

"Who said you were a victim? I'm merely suggesting that it's too risky."

Draco turned to him. It was his turn to glare at Severus. "Risky? I've killed people, Severus, or have you forgotten that? I live with risk every day of my miserable existence! It kills me to look into Ginny's eyes and see what's there. I am NO victim! I am the killer that fuels nightmares." Draco looked back at the moon. "I gotta go."

Severus sighed. "Fine. Go back to that bastard father of yours. Go and kill more people if that's what it takes. But know that I will always be here for you and not just because I'm your godfather. The offer still stands." Severus took one last look at Draco, made sure that Sevilen was still asleep, and then left the room.

Draco sighed and turned around. He also looked at Sevilen but not for the same reason. He wondered if he would ever get the chance that Severus was obviously veering away from. He shook his head and left the room. He knew that he would never have a family of his own. Why would the gods give him that when he was a bloody killer. No, Ginny deserved a better life... with some one who didn't get off on hearing his victims scream for their lives. Draco was no victim! Of that, he was certain.

A/N: Well, I hope it was worth a least a little bit of the wait. I have no excuses for not getting this out earlier. I just haven't felt the story in a while. Let us know what you think and I'm hoping that the other author gets her chapter out sooner than I did.