A/N: Sorry for the delay on posting this one, I've been buried under coursework. I know its short, but I plan to have another chappie up this weekend.
Great thanks to everyone that is sticking with this fic and also a great many thanks to those of you who continue to send in your thoughts and comments.
Enjoy!!

The beach house

By noon the next day, the trio were sitting in the living room of the beach house. The fire was ablaze in the magnificent white marble fireplace that went with the cream and chocolate brown walls and chocolate brown leather furniture. Hermione was sat in front of the beautiful fireplace and starred up at the photos of her parents, there was one in the middle of the three of them when she was a baby, it didn't look like a happy picture, but it was her favourite. Minerva was sat in Severus' lap on the sofa, her head resting on his shoulder as he slowly ran his fingers through her hair. Minerva smiled at Hermione as she watched her unwavering attention on the middle photo that stood in the middle of the mantel piece.

"Are you okay, kitten?" Minerva whispered, not wanting to disturb the comfortable atmosphere that had settled over them.

"I'm fine." Hermione looked up at her mother. "When was that middle photo taken?"

Minerva took a deep breath and Severus grabbed her hand, knowing that it was going to be difficult for his wife to tell their daughter.

"That was the day I took you to the Granger's. I hadn't wanted Severus to know about you until I was certain that you were his. So, I got Poppy and she confirmed that Severus is your father. I told her that I was going to take you to the Granger's before I told Severus about you. But, Poppy disagreed and went and found him. We argued for hours on end what we would do and how we would cope. But, in the end," A tear slipped down Minerva's cheek and Severus wiped it away as he pressed a light kiss to her forehead. "I took both my engagement and wedding ring off and threw them at him. I wasn't happy with giving you away, but I didn't see another option at the time." A few more tears ran down Minerva's cheek as the memory of coming so close to losing Severus through her own fault seeped to the front of her mind. She turned her head and buried her face in Severus chest, not willing to tell the story any further.

"What did you do dad?" Hermione asked shyly, unable to stop herself.

"I went and stayed with The Dark Lord for three months. I refused to answer the many owls your mom sent me in that time. It wasn't until the letters stopped and I had one from Poppy stating that Minerva had started slipping into a deep depression did I write back saying that I received and read every love filled letter that she had sent me and that I would excuse myself from the Dark Lord's presence and be home within the hour. I was naturally, home within the hour and Minerva was again in my arms. After much persuading and arguing, I convinced her that I love her with my heart and more, and slipped her rings back on her finger. It took almost three years for your mom to be back to her normal self again." Severus smiled and hugged Minerva close, pressing a lingering kiss to her hair, hoping to sooth her a little. He knew that thinking of those three years always upset Minerva.

A tear slipped down Hermione's cheek and she silently sat herself next to her mom and dad. "I'm sorry I caused so much trouble." Hermione hung her head and stood once again, heading for her room. "I'll just go to my room and stay out of the way."

"Hermione, there's no need to go sweetheart." Severus reached for her hand and held it delicately in his much larger one.

"Really?"

"Really. You deserved to know. And if you and Minerva would like, we can take some happier pictures of the three of us? Maybe do things together?"

"I'd like that." Hermione whispered, her head still hung low as she struggled to keep the many tears at bay. She didn't want to cause any trouble, she guessed she was just born to be a trouble.

"Come here, honey." Severus let go of her hand and patted the sofa next to him. Hermione slowly turned around and sat next to him stiffly. "Relax Hermione, I'm not going to bite."

"I know." Hermione forced herself to relax and rested against her father's side. Severus brought his left arm around her waist and held close. Soon after she got comfy, the tears started to fall. Neither of her parents asked why, already knowing that she felt like she was in the way and both were determined to prove to her that she wasn't and never would be.