A/N: Thanks for your reviews, follows and favorites and Thanks to Bri892 for being an awesome Beta!
Chapter 27: How to Train Your Media Player
The final sleepover of the summer was currently taking place in the Snape / Granger quarters. It was also the pilot test of the media player. Severus had vanished most of the furniture from the living room. He converted the large couch into a row of seats along the back wall as Harry suspended a large white cloth on the opposite stone wall.
The staff of Techno-Wiz were huddled in the study making last minute adjustments to a small electronic device.
Charlie Weasley ended up in charge of the children as they raced from bedroom to bedroom. He kept trying to corral them into one place but they either pushed past him or crawled in between his legs to escape. Terrified of Professor Snape, Charlie pulled a jumping Colin off of Severus' bed and locked the door.
"Dragon keeping is an easier job than this. I only have to watch their mouths, tails and claws."
Teddy caught up to him, "Is it time yet, Charlie? Nana Andi took me to see this movie in a muggle theater. It has lots of dragons! Do you work with a dragon like Toothless coz he is so cool?"
Grabbing Rosie in one arm, Charlie jostled Colin over his shoulder and tried to put them in Sabrina's room. Both kids flung their arms out and grabbed the door frame.
"Unca Charlie, we wanna jump." Rosie whined.
"Ted, go ask Hermiome when the movie is starting, will ya?" Charlie begged his adopted brother.
Teddy ran down the hall, knocking into Harry. "Excuse me," he yelled as he continued barreling toward the kitchen.
"I'll grab two and you grab two?" Harry asked.
Charlie sighed, "but that leaves four monsters."
"We are NOT monsters, Uncle Charlie. We are dragons and you are the dragon keeper." Sabrina informed him.
~~~~O-O~~~~
An hour later, nine children and Charlie were sitting or laying on the floor watching "How to Train Your Dragon."
Severus was pouring champagne for adults gathered in the back of the room.
Harry raised his glass, "A toast to Seamus, Vanessa, Theo, Justin and Hermione. The Techno-Wiz team!"
The group cheered the team as they had pulled off quite a feat. The media player was working perfectly - they had perfected merging muggle and wizarding technology.
Severus watched Hermione as she interacted with her coworkers. It was different than her relationship with the Weasley's or him. She didn't joke around and she kept her hands to herself. He had been subject to her smacks, pats and squeezes. She was very affectionate with her touch and he was a bit pleased that her coworkers didn't warrant that type of relationship.
Not waiting for the movie to end, Bill flooed away. He needed to be home to help Fleur with the twins. Pam and George were next to leave as they had an evening planned without their kids.
Hermione paused the movie and divided the children into boys and girls. "Ladies, please head to Sabrina's room and change into your pajamas. I would like you to put your clothing into your own bag tonight."
"I'll help the little ones, Aunt Mione." Victoria volunteered.
Sabrina led the gaggle of screaming girls to her room.
"Gentlemen, you will be brushing your teeth and wait, wait, Robbie!" Hermione ran after Robert, "I wasn't done yet, young man."
He giggled as she tickled him.
"As I was saying, please brush your teeth and use the restroom." Hermione dismissed the older boys. She took the toddler into her own room to get him into wizarding training pants (remarkably similar to muggle Pull Ups) and pjs.
Harry and Fred volunteered to check on the boys and Angelina headed to the girl's room.
Sitting together in the dining room, Vanessa and Severus were chatting quietly; leaving Theo and Justin in their movie theater seats.
"I cannot believe we are in Professor Snape's quarters." Justin whispered.
Theo laughed, "He was always someone the Slytherin's could depend on but he was never warm and cuddly. Did you see him with the kids wrapped around his legs?"
"They must be too young to know fear!"
On the other side of the quarters, screams and scuffles broke out as the children switched from bedroom to the bathroom.
~~~~O-O~~~~
Hermione and Robbie rejoined the children in the living room. The adults were transfiguring throw pillows and couch cushions into sleeping bags. A fight broke out between Stephan and Colin over a blue sleeping bag. Harry quickly switched another bag to blue.
"You are spoiling them!" Angelina told him.
Sabrina ran across the room and clambered into Severus' lap as he continued talking to Vanessa. Hermione watched as he kissed their daughter on the top of the head before turning her loose. Vanessa smiled at the display of affection from the stoic man.
Hermione took a step back, alarmed as she felt her air leave her lungs.
Justin stepped up and tapped her on the shoulder, "Shall we re-start the movie? The kids are settled."
"Yes, yes, let's get it going."
Resuming the movie, Hermione sat down next to Theo and Justin. Confused and overwhelmed, she missed the rest of the movie. She was startled when Seamus and Vanessa appeared in front of her.
"This is a great success. I am so pleased with all four of you. I'll see you on Monday." Seamus shook his employees hands before departing with the American witch.
Clapping each other on the shoulders and shaking hands, Justin and Theo were next to leave.
Angelina checked the sleeping children and shushed Teddy and Colin. She shook Charlie awake and helped him off the floor. The adults chuckled at the sight of a heavily pregnant woman pulling up the stocky man up off the floor.
Harry and Severus pulled their wands and began directing the mess to the kitchen. Hermione saw the rest of the guests to the floo. She was glad that Vanessa was out of her home; that thought made her question her feelings. Chalking it off to silliness; Hermione joined Harry and Severus in picking up snack bowls from around the room.
"Are you sure you can handle nine children overnight?" Harry asked Severus and Hermione.
Raising an eyebrow, Severus didn't bother replying.
"Nine children including a metamorphmagus and a toddler in the process of being potty trained." Harry teased them.
Smiling, Hermione put her arm around Severus' waist, "We can handle anything you throw at us."
Shifting uncomfortably, Severus didn't know where to put his hands or if he should half turn and embrace her. Determining that standing still would be the best course of action, he told Harry, "I don't know, I think even Riddle would be scared of Sabrina, Rose and Julianna when they start screaming."
~~~~O-O~~~~
It was quiet in the living room. Severus had retired to his bedroom and all the children were asleep. Hermione had enlarged the couch a bit and was trying to fall asleep.
She kept thinking over how well the evening had gone. The media player worked well, the children were thrilled with the movie choice, the adults got along well and yet she felt uneasy.
Recalling how close Severus and Vanessa had sat, thinking about their quiet murmurs made Hermione sit up and huff. So what if they were single and close to the same age. Was Severus interested in her? He hadn't dated anyone since she had woken from the coma.
Smiling, she recalled his sincere congratulations on the media player after Harry had left. He had said he was "quite impressed with her ingenuity." But then he was quite uncomfortable when she embraced him in the kitchen.
Why did she even care? She shouldn't care who he dates. He might be interested in the pretty witch. They could be well suited. Huffing again, Hermione got up from the couch and went to the study for a book. She would lose herself in a book and try not think why she cared so much about Severus and his love life.
Eventually, the even breathing of the children, exhaustion of the day and monotony of the book lulled Hermione to sleep.
~~~~O-O~~~~
A/N:
The children and current ages
Sabrina - 4
Helena - 4 (Diana's)
Victoria - 8 (Bill & Fleur)
Stephan - 5 (Bill & Fleur)
Rosie - 3 (Bill & Fleur)
Colin - 5 (Fred & Angelina)
Julianna - 4 (George & Pam)
Robert - 2 (George & Pam)
Teddy - 8 (Arthur & Molly)