AN: Sorry guys, once more that pesky thing 'real life' cropped up and smacked me with the proverbial baseball bat.
I'm afraid it's a short one, but just wanted to make sure you all knew I hadn't abandoned you!
It was then as she took in the broken picture frame, and Severus's actions that she fully understood.
Severus would die to protect Rose.
He put himself between her and a perceived danger without a moment's hesitation, or consideration for his own well-being.
And Hermione knew then, as she watched her daughter and the stern man hugging and smiling, that without a doubt...she loved him.
After that night, a new routine was born. Though Rose adored her mother, story time became Rose and Severus's time. A lesser woman might be jealous, but Hermione knew he daughter needed this, and she couldn't help but believe Severus needed it too. So it came to be that every night hence, Rose would promptly deposit herself in Severus's lap, regardless of what he was doing, much to his faux consternation, armed with her book and more often than not Herman. Hermione couldn't get enough of listening to Severus's 'reading voice', as she fondly watched the stern man cuddling the pyjama clad girl, along with subtly doing the 'voices' of the various characters in her book, as he feigned a put upon sigh. Though Hermione knew, he was secretly thrilled. And she wasn't imagining it, when many more children's books began to fill the lower shelves of his bookcase.
The first time Rose fell asleep in Severus's arms when he was reading to her, Hermione fell in love with him a little more. She watched him cradle the small girl to his chest, like she was the most precious thing in the world as he carefully carried her up to bed. She watched as he gently removed her slippers and dressing gown, before tucking her into her bed and making sure Herman was within her reach. As she watched his gentle actions, the thought struck her that this was what a true father did, and what Rose had never experienced. That she had never seen any hint of true paternal affection with Ronald and his overtly jealous, overbearing actions. Ron had treated her like a possession, something he jealously owned and guarded. Severus cherished her, like a real father should. And relished in her happiness. And in that moment she thought to herself, the fact that Severus would never have children of his own, seemed unfathomably cruel.
oOo
The deep voice of Severus Snape rumbled in the room as he read to Rose. Hermione smiled as she watched her daughter, totally engrossed in Severus and the story he was reading to her. Her own book in front of her, more often that not, a forgotten pretence as she listened to Severus read to her daughter.
'You're not my real mum'
The little girl laughed at the goat,
Who was wearing mummy's coat.
'Mummies make you happy when you feel sad,
And mummies make you feel better when you feel bad'.
'Mummies are cookies, and kisses, and hugs,
You're just a goat who's covered in bugs!'.
'That's what real mummies are made of!'.
Severus's voice hitched, and Hermione looked up at him nervously, for a moment she thought he would stop the story right there, for it did not take a genius to know what the next section would entail, and she had thought's of removing the book in favour of another, but Rose had chosen this book and her small hand pressing on the page had him starting up once more, even if his voice was shakier than it started. Her heart twanged painfully in her chest, as she thought of all the other unforeseen hurdles they would come across as Rose grew, if something as simple as choosing a book at story time could be so complicated and shadowed by Ron's actions.
'You're not my real dad'
The little girl laughed at the rat
Who was wearing daddy's hat.
'Daddies keep you safe when you're scared,
And you can count on daddy, he's always there'.
'Daddies are playtime, stories and laughs,
and you're just a rat, you silly riffraff!'
'That's what real daddies are made of!'
As Hermione watched the stoic man place a gentle kiss on the girl's curly hair, Hermione couldn't help but think to herself, that it was indeed what daddies were made of.
oOo
A couple of nights later, a sleepy Rose was wearing her fluffy onesie pyjamas as she sucked her thumb, while seated on Severus's lap. She'd taken to reclining against Severus's chest, utterly at ease with him and Severus was part way through reading the storybook, when after giving him such a determined and discerning look she pointed to something in the book. "Atch Aboo"
Hermione's eyes quickly snapped from her own book to Severus. His own black eyes were intensely wide and unbelieving, as he gazed upon the girl in his lap with open astonishment.
"Aboo ra"
There were no discernible words, but Hermione didn't care and nor did Severus when their watery eyes met. Rose leaned back into Severus once more and grabbed a handful of his long hair that she twirled in her hand, as the other hand continued to switch between sucking her thumb and pointing out certain parts of the book, along with the continuing litany of vowel sounds and noises. Both Hermione and Severus could barely contain their emotion. Hermione had to get up and retreat to the kitchen, falling back on the traditional British cure for all ailments as she set the kettle to boiling and got the tea cups out, overwhelmed with emotion. Severus cleared his throat and subtly wiped the dampness from his eyes as he continued to read and the formerly silent Rose, began babbling to him.