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Hermione slide her hand across the gray comforter, to find Severus missing. After Severus had taken Abby to bed last night, he and Hermione had a night filled with shagging and cuddling.
She peaked open an eye and called out, "Severus". No answer.
Looking over at the clock Hermione noticed it was 8:30, and decided Severus must be down in the kitchen. After getting dressed, Hermione walked into the hallway and past Abby's open door, she wasn't there either.
"I hope everything is alright."
As Hermione hit the bottom step, the front door opened. Severus and Abby stepped in, Abby had obviously been in the water, her hair was soaked.
Abby gave Hermione a half smile, as she walked past her up the stairs.
"Be back down here in fifteen minutes for breakfast", Severus called behind Abby.
Severus smiled at Hermione and nodded for her to follow him into the kitchen.
"Where did you go", Hermione asked.
"Abby wanted to go surfing. I don't allow her to go by herself, so she woke me up to go with her."
"Oh I see", Hermione said but then turned red, "You mean she saw us in bed together."
Severus grinned at Hermione's flushed face and nodded.
"I didn't want her to see us together so soon. It's just I know she's just lost her mum and I don't want to put any other stress on her", Hermione said biting her lip.
Severus' grin faded, "Well I had thought the same thing. But, she appears to be alright about it. Her mother and I were never really in any kind of relationship, besides our friendship, and Abby knows that. I tried to talk to her about it when we were walking to the water, but she deflected the conversation with a joke", Severus grinned again, "She said she was just glad we both had some kind of clothes on."
Hermione flushed again, "Me too."
"She's alright with our situation. Abby had actually suspected something when I asked Albus to request that you stay the summer here. She's very intelligent and perceptive and I'm sure Albus and my mother have spoken to her about us."
Abby walked into the kitchen, "Dad I'm not hungry."
"You're eating, sit down."
Abby huffed and sat down with her arms folded across her chest, and a scowl on her face.
Hermione laughed, she looked so much like Severus when she did that.
"If you would like to brew in the lab with Hermione and I, then I suggest you eat something", Severus said as he and Hermione sat down.
Abby's scowl dropped and she raised an eyebrow, obviously thinking over what Severus had said.
Hermione smiled. "She is so much like you", she said to Severus as Abby began to eat.
"Would you like to go to dinner next week", Severus whispered to Hermione as he stirred his cauldron.
"I would love to. But what about Abby, do you really want to leave her alone right now", Hermione said glancing over to the other side of the room, where Abby was brewing.
"She usually stays with my mother and Albus once a week. As long as she is still doing alright, I wouldn't see a problem with it."
Hermione smiled and nodded.
Going back to work, Hermione reached over to grab a dung beetle.
"Severus, did you take some of my ingredients."
Severus looked at Hermione confused, "No, why?"
"My dung beetles are missing."
Severus looked to make sure he didn't accidentally take them, but he hadn't. He glanced over to Abby, she had her back to them so he couldn't see everything she was doing.
Hermione went back to stirring her cauldron as Severus made his way to Abby. As he approached, he caught sight of two cauldrons. When Severus was about two feet away Abby sensed he was there, and turned around.
"Do you need something", Abby asked Severus nonchalantly.
"Just wanted to make sure you were making out alright. Do you need help with anything?"
"No, I'm ok. Hair products aren't exactly that hard to brew."
Severus nodded, "Can I take a look at it, then?"
Abby nodded and moved out of the way. Only one cauldron was sitting on the work station.
"Looks good", Severus said and then walked back to Hermione.
"Does she have them?" Hermione whispered.
"I believe so. Did you see Abby move anything behind her, when I was speaking with her?"
"No, you would have noticed. Why are you asking?"
"I saw two cauldrons when I was walking over to her. When she noticed I was coming her way, she turned around completely blocking my view. Then, when I checked her hair potion, the second cauldron was gone. I think she can do wand-less, non-verbal magic."
"Has she ever told you she could? If she can then it needs to be trained so she can use it to her advantage."
"She's never said a word about it, at least to me. Abby could have been working with a professor at the American school. I will have to get Albus to show me her records before I approach her about it."
Hermione nodded and both she and Severus went back to work.
"I need to floo to Hogwarts, to get a few things from my supply closet", Severus announced. "Is it alright if I leave Abby here with you", Severus asked Hermione.
"Sure, it's not a problem."
"Abby you are to stay down here with Hermione."
Abby nodded from the stool she was sitting on, while her potion simmered.
"How long have you known my dad", Abby asked Hermione, a few minutes after Severus left.
"About fifteen years I would say."
"How did you meet?"
"Well he was my potions professor when I was at Hogwarts."
"You would have thought that would have caused you to hex his ass right after graduation", Abby said grinning.
Hermione grinned, "Well yes, he wasn't my favorite professor, but I still respected him. Besides once I started teaching at Hogwarts his attitude changed toward me, well his personality in general did after the war with Voldemort was over."
Abby nodded.
Hermione had noticed while they were talking, there were vials floating behind Abby, and then they would disappear. She wouldn't say anything to Abby directly, she would see what she took and then inform Severus.
"So I take it you have been informed of your fathers teaching style?"
"Yeah, Uncle Draco told me about what he used to be like. But granddad said he has mellowed out some, and grandmum said she'd hex him for me if he got to be too much."
"Yes I imagine he's going to have a hell of a year. You being taught by your father, me, Harry, Draco, Ron, and Remus, your bond to get into trouble. Especially since I hear you need no help getting into trouble."
Abby grinned.
Severus walked through the lab door, to Hermione and Abby grinning. "What?"
"Nothing", Abby said still grinning.
"I know that look Abby, and Hermione. You both have that mischievous grin on your face, gods only know what you were discussing."
Abby and Hermione both laughed and turned back to their cauldrons.
"So I take it everything went alright while I was gone", Severus said quietly as he added another ingredient into his smoking potion.
"Yes we were discussing Hogwarts when you walked in. But there was something I noticed. When Abby and I were speaking, she was floating ingredients off your shelf and then out of sight", Hermione said handing him the list she had written down of what Abby had taken.
"Abby hasn't known you long enough to realize how observant you are. She must have been trying to distract you with conversation to steal the ingredients."
"Can you figure out what she's trying to brew?"
"I can get an idea with these ingredients, but I'm going to have to figure out what all she is using to know exactly what it is."
"What could she possibly be brewing, it has to be something extreme if she's hiding it from you."
"That's what I'm afraid of."
Severus woke up to a heavy weight on his chest and someone shaking him.
"Dad! Get up!", Abby said excitedly.
"What, what's wrong", Severus said sitting up, knocking Abby onto the bed.
"I told you that would wake him up", Abby said smirking, while Hermione giggled.
Severus looked around and saw Hermione was sitting in a chair putting her shoes on and smiling at him. Muggle was sitting on the bed, wagging his tail, and then licked Severus' face.
"Abby! Get your damned dog off my bed!"
"Come on dad, it's Friday. Remember we are going to the Burrow", Abby said sitting up.
Severus groaned and laid back down, closing his eyes.
"No! Dad get up!" Abby said standing up and jumping on the bed.
Severus swung his arm, grabbing Abby's leg, and knocked her back onto the bed.
"Bloody hell", Abby squealed as she fell next to Severus.
Severus pulled Abby into his chest, cuddling her and pretended like he was going back to sleep. At that point, he was glad he and Hermione had fell asleep last night before anything intimate happened, or he probably wouldn't have any cloths on at the moment.
"Dad", Abby whined, causing Severus to open his eyes. Abby looked at him with sad drooping eyes and a pouting lip.
"That look hasn't worked since you were six years old", Severus stated.
Abby's look didn't falter.
"Fine I'm getting up, at bloody nine in the morning to do to the damned Burrow."
Abby grinned and jumped off the bed, "And he said that look never works."
Hermione looked at Abby and grinned.
"I guess I'm going to have to show my new brother or sister how to make that face."
Severus dropped the cloths in his hands and looked at Hermione. She had a confused look her face and then looked at Abby.
"If you could only see that look on both of your faces", Abby said smirking.
Severus looked at Abby and then lunged at her. Abby squealed and darted from the room.
"She seems to be in a good mood this morning", Hermione said as she collected herself after Abby's little prank.
"That's Abby's real personality. She must be excited about today. She hasn't been that happy or energetic since before the car accident."
An hour later, Severus, Hermione, and Abby flooed to the Burrow. The Weasleys living room was filled with a number of people.
"Severus, glad you three could make it", Arthur said coming up and shaking his hand, "And this must be Abby."
Abby smiled at him, "Hello."
"Well, you will fit in nicely around here", Arthur said gesturing to her red hair and ruffling it.
"Surly my goddaughter isn't going to be in the same room as me and not give me a hug", a voice came from Abby's right.
She turned and meet eyes with Lucius Malfoy. "Godfather!", Abby exclaimed and rushed to his opened arms.
"How are you, my love", Lucius said running a hand through Abby's hair. Lucius hadn't seen Abby since her mother's funeral.
"Alright", she murmured into his chest.
"Where's Harry", Hermione asked Ron.
"I'm here", Harry said coming up behind her with his two year old son in his arms.
Hermione took James from Harry, "Where's Ginny?"
"Helping Molly in the kitchen, you know how she gets, insist on feeding everyone", Harry said smiling.
"Ok, now that we're all here, let's get on with our quidditch match", Draco said putting an arm around Abby and leading her outside.
Abby, Draco, Harry, Ron, and the twins went outside to play quidditch. While Molly, Arthur, Severus, Hermione, Ginny, and Lucius sat and talked in the kitchen.
"Severus, Lucius and Draco told us about what happened with Abby, her friend, and Mother. Poor girl, how is she doing", Molly asked patting Severus' hand.
"She has her days, but today is a good one. Abby was very excited about coming and playing quidditch here", Severus stated.
"Good, good. Now how are you doing?"
"I'm fine, her mother and I were just friends. But I do have help keeping my mind off things", Severus said smiling at Hermione, who returned the smile.
"Not to pry, but what exactly is going on with the two of you", Lucius said eyeing Hermione and Severus, "It seems your fellow Hogwarts faculty seem to think the two of you are in a relationship."
"Erm, something like that", Hermione replied.
There was a loud bang from outside and an eruption of laughter. Molly and Arthur weren't fazed but Severus jumped up and looked out the window. All that were outside were standing in a circle, looking at one of the twins' products.
"What in the bloody hell are they doing", Severus said concerned.
"They're fine Severus. Let Abby have her fun, I'm sure she needs it", Arthur said.
Severus nodded but watched out the window.
Severus and Hermione had been at the Burrow all day. It was rounding five o'clock and the clan from outside still hadn't come in.
"I think I'm going to go check on Abby", Severus said walking toward the door.
"I'm sure she's fine, you know how kids are they like to stay outdoors", Lucius said with a warm smile.
"They wouldn't let anything happen to her, but if you would like to go check on her I will come with you", Hermione said grabbing his hand.
Just as they were approaching the door, it opened and all that were outside came in. Harry had an arm wrapped around Abby and they both were laughing.
Severus raised an eye brow, "Corrupting my child, Potter?"
Harry grinned, "You just wait until the start of term."
Severus scowled but his face softened when Abby came up to him smiling.
"Dad, guess what. Fred and George said they need someone to help out two days a week for the rest of the summer at their shop. They wanted to know if I could work there!", Abby said excitedly.
Severus was happy Abby finally had something to be excited about, "I'm sure that will be fine, Love. But we will discuss it more at home."
Abby smiled and hugged him and then went to tell Fred and George.
"Severus, Hermione, I insist that all of you stay for dinner", Molly said pushing them toward the table, not waiting for an answer. "Abby you can sit in between your father and Lucius."
"That's alright, I'm not hungry", Abby said making her way to the kitchen door.
"Nonsense, you will eat, there is plenty to go around", Molly said ushering Abby back to her seat.
Abby looked to Severus for help, but he only smirked at her.
Around nine o'clock, Severus, Hermione, and Abby flooed back to Severus' summer home. Hermione sat in a chair, Severus sat on the couch, and Abby was laid on the couch with her legs lying across Severus' lap.
"So can I work at Fred and George's shop", Abby said still excited but obviously tired.
"Yes, but I don't want you wondering around Diagon Alley, unless you inform me of where you're going beforehand."
"Thanks dad", Abby said smiling and sat up and hugged him, "I love you."
"I love you too", Severus said holding her to his chest and running a hand through her hair.
Severus pulled Abby down onto the couch with him, she was laying on his chest with her head facing Hermione. Severus looked over and saw Hermione's eyes were fluttering shut.
"It seems we are all bound to sleep down here in the sitting room", Severus said smiling at Hermione.
Hermione opened her eyes and smiled, "So it seems."
"Abby I hope you are willing to take a sleeping potion, I don't have the energy to come up with a sneaky way to get it in you", Severus said rubbing her back.
Abby didn't reply.
"I don't believe there is any need for a potion Severus. She is already asleep", Hermione said smiling in his direction.
-Review please! Thanks to all who do. Not getting my laptop back until next Wednesday so not sure when the next time I will update.