So… It's been over two years since an update, which is completely obnoxious and awful. But here I am with one! My sincere apologies, and I wrote a chapter longer than I usually do to try and make up for it. Plus, I really like this chapter!
Quick summary: Bellatrix and Severus have a daughter, Hermione, who was given up for adoption at birth. Severus didn't know about her. As soon as she arrives at Hogwarts, her glamour charm fades, revealing her for who she truly is. Severus takes her to see Bellatrix along with the Dark Lord. Voldemort is pleased by the development, but still seems threatening. Bellatrix is confused and doesn't know how to react.
Severus breathed a deep sigh of relief. The Dark Lord had finally allowed them to leave his presence, and this was the first time in hours that Severus had felt at least some sense of safety. Hermione was still walking next to him, perfectly silent, but upon looking at her Severus could see that her face was twisted up. She was obviously deep in thought, and perhaps even moments away from tears.
They were just nearing the door when the expected attack came along. Bellatrix, her black hair as frizzy and voluminous as usual, came flying at him, each word she flung like a little shock.
"What – the – hell – Snape?" Bellatrix cried, stopping only inches from his face. She glanced briefly at Hermione, who was staring up at her, making sure to stay an adequate distance away. Severus could tell she didn't quite know how to respond to the fact that she had a daughter. "What do you think you doing?"
Severus sighed and responded calmly. "I'm not sure what you mean, Bellatrix," he said. "I believe it was you who kept a rather crucial piece of information from me."
She spluttered, her dark eyes blazing. "I never thought anything would come of it, and you know that!"
"Well, obviously something – someone – came from it! We have a daughter, Bellatrix, whether you want to admit it or not." Severus looked down at Hermione, who was watching the conversation intently. Her eyes still looked slightly troubled. Severus winced inwardly; he wasn't used to seeing his own eyes staring back at him. Damn this situation…
I can't figure out how… she… is reacting to all of this, Hermione thought to herself. I wouldn't say she's happy to see me – but I desperately do want to get to know my real mother…
Bellatrix fell silent for a moment. She turned to Hermione and seemed to suck in a deep breath before staring at her intently, her deep black eyes boring into Hermione's. "What are we going to do?" She finally asked, returning her gaze to Severus.
"Hermione," Severus said emphatically, "will be coming back to Hogwarts." He glared at the woman, as if daring her to question him. She took the bait.
"But-" Bellatrix began to protest, gripping her wand more tightly in her hand.
"But what?" Severus questioned her, raising his eyebrows. "What exactly are your intentions, Bellatrix? It's no lie that you've never been the motherly type, not anything even close to that. And even you have to admit that this is not the place for a child." Severus hissed the last six words like they were a threat.
Bella was quiet for a moment more, looking as if she didn't know what to say. Finally, she spoke. "And what does the girl want?" She asked in a quiet voice, one that was remarkably uncharacteristic for her.
Severus couldn't contain the eye roll he directed at the woman. To tell the truth, her behavior was confusing him. He hadn't been lying when he said that Bellatrix wasn't the motherly type; in fact, she was the exact opposite. In addition, Severus didn't want to think about what would happen if Hermione was raised essentially at Voldemort's side. She had so much promise already – promise that he would hate to see spoiled.
He had just begun to answer Bellatrix's question when Hermione cut in. "I'm right here!" She exclaimed, shooting a haughty look at Bellatrix. Her voice was higher than usual, her cheeks slightly pink. "And I… I want to go back to Hogwarts." For the first time, her voice wavered, but the determination in her eyes held steady.
Severus nodded curtly, saying, "And that's that." He grasped Hermione's shoulder and turned her back around to face the door, leaving Bellatrix standing frozen in the hallway.
Despite feeling proud that she had stuck up for herself, Hermione couldn't forget the disappointment that had suddenly flashed in Bellatrix's – her mother's – eyes when she said she wanted to go back to Hogwarts.
Frankly, neither could Severus.
Hermione was silent when they arrived back at Hogwarts, and Severus was grateful for it. He had much too much to contemplate – Voldemort's reaction, Bellatrix's strange personality change, Hermione's apparent fearlessness, and his own emotions regarding the whole situation. Everything was changing so quickly. He had finally gotten his complex life back in order, and now he had completely been thrown a curveball.
Hermione was looking up at him expectantly, obviously wondering what was next on the agenda. "We have to go see Professor Dumbledore," Severus told her, leading the way to the man's office.
The walk to Dumbledore's office was a relatively short one, but it still provided both Severus and Hermione ample time to consider what had just happened. The shock of everything that had just happened had finally caught up to Hermione. Despite herself, she had begun to shake slightly, and her thoughts had begun to run rampant.
What does this whole new world mean? I know about the Light and the Dark, of course, and who Voldemort is – but did I really just meet him? Is my mother really that strange, frightening woman? Hermione shot a glance up at Severus, and then quickly looked back down. Can he really be my father? How will I handle this? Everything is changing so fast.
Severus, meanwhile, had just noticed Hermione's state. He frowned, internally berating the weakness of children as he usually did. However, a moment later he remembered all she had just been through, and mere seconds after that the fact that she was his daughter. Once more, Severus found himself with absolutely no idea how to respond to the obviously distressed girl.
Finally, he settled on complimenting her in hopes of appeasing her fear. "You did well, Ms. Granger," Severus said, wincing slightly at using her name. "The meeting went better than I had dared to hope for."
Severus thoughts his words were quite appropriate, but Hermione only glanced at him quickly and gave him a slight nod. By the time they finally arrived at Dumbledore's office, Hermione's state had worsened. The young witch appeared to be in shock, her face slightly white and her hands quivering. Severus had nothing further to say than the words he had offered earlier, and thus kept quiet. He was quietly concerned, however; surely Dumbledore would have something comforting to say, with all his old-man wisdom.
"Blood Pops," Severus said sharply to the gargoyle at the entrance to Dumbledore's office. The statue slid backwards and turned, revealing a spiral staircase leading up. Noticing how dazed Hermione seemed to be now that they had stopped, Severus sighed and took her arm, leading her up the stairs.
Dumbledore was sitting at his desk, bent over a mountain of paperwork. Severus couldn't help but roll his eyes when he saw the long braid Dumbledore's beard had been weaved into. The old man looked up when he heard their footsteps, and he immediately pushed the papers away.
"Severus! Miss….Granger. Please sit down." Dumbledore, too, stumbled on what exactly to call Hermione. He sent an appraising look at the pale and silent girl before turning back to Severus. "How did it go?"
Severus sat down and leaned back in the chair. "It went much better than I anticipated." He continued at Dumbledore's nod, explaining the whole situation in detail. He made sure to mention Hermione's bravery once or twice, hoping it would shake the girl out of her reverie, but his efforts were to no avail.
Once Severus was finished, Dumbledore nodded with a small smile. "You have done well," he said to the younger man. Turning to Hermione, he said, "Miss Granger? Are you quite alright?"
Hermione blinked twice, sucked in a deep breath, and said quickly, "Of course, sir."
Dumbledore nodded again. "You were very brave today, and I hope you realize that. But there are upcoming situations, Miss Granger, in which that strength will be tested once more."
Severus noticed Hermione's face pale slightly, but to her credit, she did not flinch. She ducked her head slightly at Dumbledore in a gesture of acknowledgement but kept silent.
Dumbledore paused. "Very well," he began. "I'm sure both of you are in dire need of some rest. But first- Severus," he said, turning to the younger man, "I do believe that your quarters will need to be adjusted to accommodate Miss Granger."
Severus couldn't contain his reaction, and next to him, he noticed Hermione having a similar one. "What?" He exclaimed. "She – she'll be living in my quarters? Headmaster, I hardly think that is appropriate-"
The old man smiled faintly. "Oh, I do believe it is perfectly appropriate, Severus. You both need to come to terms with the fact that you are family now. If you still need further convincing, consider the situation she has been thrown into. Her safety can now reasonably be questioned, and you are the one most equipped to protect her."
Severus paused for a long moment before nodding abruptly and standing. He motioned for Hermione to follow him before he turned around and swept out the door, robes billowing behind him. Hermione sighed softly and rose too. Just before she turned towards the exit, she could have sworn she saw Dumbledore wink at her.
The day had gone more quickly than Hermione had anticipated. It was already late evening, and Hermione couldn't quite get her thoughts to stop racing. She had to nearly run to keep up with… at this point, she had no idea what to consider the man in front of her. He was her father by blood, but she couldn't quite bring that to terms yet. He was her teacher and now her protector, but those titles too seemed foreign. Everything was just so confusing.
Hermione focused on evening out her breathing as she struggled to keep up. Doing so calmed her, and she found herself able to concentrate more fully. It would do no good to fall apart now. She had no doubt that Snape wouldn't stand for that, and frankly, Hermione would be disappointed with herself if she did lose it. She was strong enough for this, she knew it.
They finally arrived in front of a small painting in what felt to be the furthest corner of the dungeons. Severus hissed a password Hermione didn't quite catch and refused to look at her, for some reason she wasn't exactly sure about. Maybe he, too, was in a little bit of shock about the whole day itself.
Hermione cautiously followed Severus into the door that appeared. Inside, the space was small but comfortable. A large leather sofa was the main attraction in the sitting room, and the walls were lined with ceiling-to-floor bookshelves that made Hermione want to squeal in delight. There was a small kitchen with a table off to the left of the main room, and a darkened hallway to the right.
She hadn't yet gotten acclimated with her surroundings when Hermione noticed her teacher standing in the entrance to the hallway, obviously making the living spaces larger. After a moment, his attention turned from the hallway to the living room, where an overstuffed chair that matched the couch suddenly appeared. Hermione could hear a kitchen chair scuttle across the floor in the next room, and then the renovations were apparently complete.
Severus turned to the girl for the first time since they had been in Dumbledore's office. "Your room is the first on the left, at the end of the hall," he said shortly. "I suggest you rest."
Nodding silently, Hermione took the hint and followed the dark hallway down to her room. There, she found the plainest bed, dresser, and nightstand imaginable, with a silver and gold striped bedspread upon the mattress. Unable to contain her emotions any longer, Hermione lay down on the bed and cried.
Severus went directly to the kitchen and poured himself a stiff drink. What the hell happened today? He asked himself, sitting down in the newly formed overstuffed chair in the living room.
You gained a daughter, his mind spat at him, confusing him even further. He didn't know how to be a father, and frankly he had never wanted to be one. His own father had been a terrible man, an abusive man – and Severus couldn't deny his own feelings.
Hell, he was scared.
What did it mean to have a child? Severus had no idea. But she was, his own flesh and blood, and so damn alike him. She was too damn strong, too cold. She could handle her fear much too well. I don't want her to be like me.
Suddenly, an unfamiliar noise intruded on Severus' thoughts. His senses prickled and he sat up straight, gripping his wand, ready to attack. The noise was coming from down the hallway and varied in volume and intensity.
It only took Severus a moment to realize that the sound was sobbing.
Hermione was sobbing in her bedroom, and Severus found himself unable to do anything but sink back into the chair and put his face in his hands. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know what to say. He had no idea how to comfort the girl, if that was what she even wanted; and frankly, he didn't really want to have to comfort someone. Emotions had never been Severus' strong suit, and still weren't.
Unsure of what else to do, Severus finally waved his wand and silenced the noise.
Just under an hour later, Hermione had finally calmed down enough to want to take action. She was surprised at how she had reacted to the events of the afternoon; it was unlike her to show so much emotion. She knew it must have shocked Snape, who to the best of her knowledge was unfamiliar with such feelings.
Making sure her eyes were dry and her breathing steady, Hermione took a strengthening deep breath and exited her room. Her feet padded quietly on the way to the living room. Before she could change her mind, Hermione quickly made her way over to the couch and sunk down on it, tucking her feet under her.
Severus was sitting in the overstuffed chair, buried in some type of large book. He looked up at her cautiously when he saw her arrive, but said nothing.
Hermione was comfortable with the silence for a few moments, but then finally decided to say something. "I'm sorry," she said quietly.
Suddenly, black eyes were boring into hers. "You have nothing to apologize for," Severus replied briskly, returning to her book.
Hermione sighed imperceptibly, noticing the brush-off. "I'm still sorry," she said. "I shouldn't have reacted the way I did."
"I wouldn't have expected you to react any other way," Severus said. "In fact, you quite surprised me today." He took a deep breath. He hadn't expected that sentence to come out of his mouth.
"I did?" Hermione asked softly, also surprised at his statement.
Severus nodded. "Many strong men have broken under the pressure of standing before Voldemort, even after years of practice."
Hermione sighed. "An accomplishment to be proud of then, I suppose." Her eyes were low.
The silence reigned for a moment or two longer until Severus asked another surprising question. "How did you do it?"
"Do what?" Hermione responded, confused.
"Control your fear," Severus answered, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Hermione sighed once more. "I guess I've just had – practice."
Practice? Severus thought to himself, his heart rate jumping. What in the world can she mean by that? He had had enough experiences with abused children to recognize the signs, but he hadn't seen any in Hermione. Please, Merlin…
"I'm not sure if you've heard of cancer. It's a Muggle disease…" Hermione began, and Severus nodded. He had learned of the awful disease many years ago, but wasn't sure where it came into play in the girl's story.
"Two years ago, when I was nine, my father got cancer," Hermione said, her voice robotic. Severus felt his insides clench internally at the word father. Everything was just so confusing. "He's okay now, but for a year and a half, things were pretty much touch and go. And my mother… she couldn't handle that, any of it. I was the one who had to put on the strong face because nobody could bear to see me otherwise."
Severus inclined his head slightly, acknowledging her explanation. In truth, it really did help him see where the girl's strength was coming from. He knew some of it had to come from his blood and Bellatrix's, but Hermione's experiences had definitely also lent a hand.
"That's one reason I was able to stand up today," Hermione's voice came through his thoughts.
Without thinking, Severus replied. "And the other?"
Hermione looked up at him, her black eyes perfectly matching his. "I knew I would be okay," she said softly, "Because I trusted you."
Severus knew, at that moment, that his daughter had stolen his heart.
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