They finished their shopping and headed back to the Snape residence. They stepped inside and Snape announced, "Now before we unpack I'll show you the rest of the house."
They spent about ten minutes seeing all of the rooms in the house until Snape said, "Finally, this will be the nursery."
Hermione seemed to be slowly adjusting to her new role, as she was not bothered in the slightest that Snape called it a nursery; after all, that is what it was right? Harry gave Snape an annoyed look yet walked inside the room anyway. It was split in two, Hermione's side was a lavender colour with soft coloured butterflies painted on the walls and ceiling. There was a dark purple child-sized bed with a light purple canopy, Ade of lace on the top of it. It looked like a room fit for a princess. On Harry's side, the walls were dark blue and there were glow-in-the-dark stars and moon on the ceiling and the bed was dark blue with yellow stars spattered everywhere.
"Hmm... Dumbledore managed to keep everything muggle and he seems to have a keen eye for room decorating" Snape pondered and the kids nodded in agreement.
Once again the children were guided into the living room. Snape sat Hermione on the big cream sofa then guided Harry straight into a bare corner. "Potter, you will stay there for ten minutes and think how your actions could've been different before. Do not move." Snape ordered and Harry, too red-faced from embarrassment to face anyone, obeyed the man.
Snape spent few minutes watching Harry, to make sure he didn't move. Suddenly, Severus' forearm began to burn and he hissed with pain. Hermione, who had just begun to read a book, heard the sharp intake of breath and ran over to her professor to see if he was okay. Harry also heard the gasp and his Gryffindor tendency to go save the day kicked in. He ran from the corner and to the man.
"'Nape-"
"GET BACK TO THE CORNER!" Snape bellowed. Harry didn't need to be told twice.
"Granger! Make sure Potter stays in the corner for another five minutes. I have to go now. Both of you better behave yourselves" Snape warned then apparated away.
The moment Snape left, Harry asked "You'we not weally going to fowce me to 'tay hewe, awe you 'Mione?"
Hermione sighed. "I can't fowce you to do anything 'Arry. You'we obviously stwongew than me. I do, howevew, advise you to." She stated and left to continue her book.
Harry got an evil smile on his face as he triumphantly left the corner. The only problem was Harry was bored. There was nothing in Snape's house that was fun and he wasn't going to just play with a bunch of baby toys!
Then Harry got an idea
An awful idea
Harry got a wonderful, awful idea. (All rights for that line go to Dr. Suess!)
Harry went into his new room and found his Firebolt. 'This is going to be fun' Harry thought as he climbed aboard and rose into the air.
Meanwhile, Hermione just ended her chapter and noticed she was the only occupant in the room. "'Aarry?" her small voice called out.
Next thing she knew, there was a flash zooming by her and all around the room. The flash stopped suddenly and Hermione saw that it was Harry on his broom!
"'Arry! What on eawh awe you doing?!" Hermione scolded just as Harry knocked over an expensive looking vase which shattered into multiple pieces.
"'ARRY! 'Nape is going to kill you! Get down!" Hermione yelled.
Harry merely laughed and said, "He can't kill me if he can't catch me!"
He then proceeded to fly and ended up knocking over and breaking many more items. Hermione at first tried to stop him but her pleas to stop fell upon deaf ears. After several failed attempts, she gave up and went on reading her book, wondering which potion Snape was going to use Harry's body parts for.
~xoxoxoxoxoxoxo~
Snape made his way through the crowd of Death Eaters and into Voldemort's inner circle. Voldemort talked a while about new proposals on which muggle town to attack next.
At the end of the meeting, Voldemort asked, "Severus, how is Potter at the orphanage? I would like to see your memories of what you have seen."
But you know that old Severus was so smart and so slick that he thought up a lie, and he thought it up quick. (Again, don't own, I just love The Grinch!)
"Well, I haven't been looking up on the boy, my Lord. I've had my hands full with my own children" he said coolly.
"You never informed me you have children, Severus. How old are they?" Voldemort asked curiously.
"I didn't know until a few days ago, my Lord. The mother left them both on my doorstep and left. They are about one and a half" Severus said.
"Interesting, very interesting. Bring them with you the next time I summon you. Oh, and Serverus? Crucio!" Voldemort screamed and Snape doubled over from pain.
After a few minutes, Voldemort lifted the spell and scolded, "You do not let your personal life get in the way of your priorities to me! Now you are dismissed."
~xoxoxoxoxo~
Snape walked into his house, still aching with pain from the curse. He was NOT prepared nor in the mood to deal with what he saw. Various remains of valuable items were scattered across the floor and Potter was there, on his broom, staring at Severus like a deer stares into headlights. Severus looked around the room, then back at Harry. He stayed silent as he observed the damage then glared at the boy and whispered dangerously, "You left the corner too, didn't you?"
Harry gulped and continued to just stare at Snape. Severus looked at Hermione and demanded "Did he?" She closed her long forgotten book and nodded.
There it was; Snape's last bit of calmness just dissolved.
His last nerve was gotten to.
That little voice inside his head that always said 'Be patient, Severus' had just jumped out the window, fleeing for its life.
Snape was mad.
No. Snape was more than mad, he was livid.
"POTTER! WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU???!!!!! LOOK AT THIS MESS! AND WHAT POSSIBLY POSSESSED YOU TO RIDE THAT BROOM OF YOURS IN THE HOUSE?! DID I NOT TELL YOU TO BEHAVE BEFORE I LEFT? BUT I SHOULD'VE KNOWN! BLOODY BOY-WHO-LIVED-TO-ANNOY-ME DOESN'T FOLLOW ANY RULES! HE'S TOO GOOD FOR RULES!!! WHAT ARE YOU STILL STARING AT?! GET TO YOUR ROOM! AND GRANGER, YOU GO WITH HIM! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO KEEP HIM OUT OF TROUBLE BUT NO, STUPID GRYFFINDORS HAVE TO STICK TOGETHER AND GET INTO TROUBLE TOGETHER! WELL, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? GO!"
Snape was breathing heavily and Harry and Hermione ran as fast as their little legs would take them into the nursery.
Harry closed the door quietly and could swear his heart was going to pound right out of his chest.
Hermione sat there with wide eyes and she looked as if she was about to burst into tears any minute. How could she have been so stupid to think that Snape actually cared about her?
Hermione tried to distract herself by unpacking her new clothes but when she found her beautiful purple dress, the first tear had finally fallen. Harry instantly felt a wave of guilt wash over him and went to comfort his friend.. She pushed away from his hug and impatiently wiped her tears away.
~xoxoxoxoxox~
Snape came in, still angry but nothing like before. He stayed silent and didn't look at them as he began to wave his wand, muttering spells under his breath. In an instant, the two beds became cribs and each had a mobile hanging over it that matched their side of the room.
"I'm sowwy, 'Fessor" Hermonie said as tears blinded her. Snape looked into her chestnut coloured eyes and his features softened. He wiped away stray tears that were rolling down her cheek with his thumb.
"There is nothing to be sorry for Miss Granger. I shouldn't have left you two alone without knowing you'd get into mischief. You and Potter are infants and I know now that I must treat you as such" Snape said softly.
Harry gaped at him. He most certainly was not an infant! He could take care of himself! He didn't need that git! Hermione was glad her guardian wasn't mad at her anymore and gave into the moment.
Hermione Granger hugged Severus Snape.
At first Snape went stiff, obviously not expecting that. After a few moments though, he picked her up and hugged her back.
She began crying again and he rubbed soothing circles in the small of her back, shushing her until only occasional sniffles were heard.
"Come," he said, "you and Potter need to take a nap."
Hermione allowed Severus to put her into the new crib with very little fuss.. He tucked the soft blanket around her and moved onto his next challenge.
Potter.
Harry crossed his arms and gave Snape a 'not in this life' look. Snape glared at him and whispered, "You are in enough trouble as it is, you either come to me right now, or I can guarantee you will not like the outcome."
Harry took a small step towards Snape. Then another and another until he was in grabbing range for Snape. Severus picked him up and smirked. "Good boy," he whispered in Harry's ear and tucked Harry in like he did Hermione.
"After your nap we will be discussing your punishment. Pleasant dreams," and with that Snape turned out the light and shut the door.
'Pleasant dreams! Ha! How could anyone have pleasant dreams when they know they are going to be hexed into next week when they wake up? How could anyone sleep at all knowing that?' Harry thought and contradicted his thoughts by falling into a deep slumber.