Authors Note: So sorry to all my readers, I am still struggling with my health, I'm in a lot of pain and in a terrible place because of it, it's hard to find the motivation to do much these days. But I wanted to provide you with something even if it was abysmally short. I promise I shall not abandon you, even if I have to just give you pathetic little 500 or 1000 word teaser chapters, I promise that I shall complete all my stories and update them as regularly as I am able to, and hopefully you shan't be too disappointed, My apologies.

All my love, Ems x

Hermione was laid in her favourite position, which was the one Severus referred to in his head as 'Dropped from a large height onto concrete'. Face down in the pillow and limbs akimbo, taking up 3/4 of the space.

Her voice when it came was muffled by the pillow and made him freeze in his tracks.

"Severus Snape, you better not have given that girl chocolate"

He'd felt very real fear when the diminutive witch had called him out on his midnight indiscretion, however beyond a venomous glare that made him audibly gulp, especially when it was combined with the medusa-like experience that was her 'bed hair', the woman looked like wrath incarnate. She was, thankfully, too tired to do anything else and therefore he was let off the hook. This Time, was the unspoken footnote though and Severus made sure to heed the warning. Well, he was a Slytherin after all, so really he just promised himself that next time (For he was quickly coming to realise he could deny Rose nothing that was in his power to give), next time he just wouldn't get caught.

The morning seemed to have broken whatever spell or stress and shock-induced stupor they had been in, for while Hermione and Severus were both unspeakably pleased, Hermione was also shaken to the very core and prone to bursting into tears, yells or laughter at the slightest inclination.

Rose had also levelled out somewhat, she no longer seemed as overwrought but was being very clingy to both Severus and Hermione. Especially Hermione. It seemed the incident with Molly Weasley had left a far fiercer impact on her than either of them had initially realised, as she frantically clung to her mother throughout the day like a spider-monkey, when she wasn't following her around like a shadow. In the few instances where it was not appropriate for her to do such, such as when Hermione was using the kettle or the oven, she was similarly attached to Severus. Not wanting to part with either of them, for any time longer than it took her to use the potty.

Unfortunately the same did not translate for their bathroom breaks, with a weary Hermione having Rose seated on her lap even when she used the toilet, which made Severus chuckle to himself as he passed the open door, snorting back more laughter at her glare that promised vengeance. He should have known better than to provoke the lioness though, for as the day went on he found her sweetly imbibing him with cups of her perfectly brewed tea, until the inevitable call of nature sang its tune, only to find that exact moment Hermione was conveniently dealing with a number of boiling pans for their dinner. So that was how a red faced Severus came to be stood relieving his bladder with a clingy not-quite-four year old behind him, still holding onto his trouser clad leg, only this time with her eyes squeezed shut at his embarrassed insistence."Touche" he conceded, still red faced, as she raised her eyebrow at him on his return. "Nothing's sacred with a toddler Severus, get used to it" She'd smiled and he had smiled back at her, and stolen a kiss on her cheek when Rose wasn't looking.

For the first time that night, she fussed over bed time. She'd not wanted to leave her mother all day, though had still approached Severus for her obligatory bedtime story. However this time she had insisted on her mothers continued presence at her side, instead of it being a time for just the two of them. Though had vehemently protested Hermione's attempts to take a turn in reading from the book. Insisting that Severus retained those owners. Despite the fact that Rose was clearly upset, and out of sorts, he'd had to hide his chuckle at the put out look on Hermione's face when Rose had ever-so-tactfully covered her mouth with a small hand as she tried to speak, and simply said "Daddy". It seemed there was a limit to how much Rose was willing to concede her bedtime ritual, even if it was the self-same contrary girl who had insisted on Hermione's inclusion in it in the first place.

She'd picked up another book after the first, and with an arched eyebrow to Hermione, he'd waited for her nod of approval before beginning it. When Rose was drifting off in his arms and against his chest, he went to rise, only for her to sleepily protest and insist on the rest of the story. Severus obligingly continued, and the pattern repeated twice more before he reached the end of the book. Whereupon Rose made to retrieve another.

He looked beseechingly at Hermione, but she was speaking before he'd had the chance to ask her just what in Merlin's name he was supposed to do.

"No Rose, you've had two stories tonight, its time for bed now"

She cried then, and it broke Severus's heart. He'd never seen her have a true meltdown before, and as Hermione peeled the reluctant toddler from his arms and into hers, he fretted around her as Rose continued to scream and cry in her mothers arms.

"If she's not tired I don't mind..." He interjected helplessly, the distressed girl cleaving at his chest.

"She is tired Severus, Overtired even, she's just being..." Her voice trailed off and she shrugged with a sad smile as she continued to walk and rock the girl in her arms in an attempt to soothe her.

"Just being what? Was it something I did? Have I upset her in some way?" He was almost frantic with worry, as he followed them up the stairs, haplessly like some clueless firstie.

"She's just being a child Severus. Sometimes children, toddlers...they cry. Because they're too tired or not tired enough, because they have a headache or a stomach ache or for no other reason than they don't know exactly how they're feeling. How could a 3 year old even begin to verbalise the emotional turmoil of the past few months, when I struggle to fathom it myself? Crying, shouting even screaming is an emotional release, and sometimes you just have to let them breakdown to allow them to come up again"

Cautiously he nodded to her words, as she continued to sooth the girl in her arms, and he nodded to her wearily. "I believe I understand, though the knowlege that I I know the reason, or lack thereof, brings me no comfort, I still feel...useless, does it always feel like this?" His words were cautious, but the level of emotion in them weighed heavy in the room, as she saw him watch the girl in her arms longingly.

"In time, you'll learn to tell the difference. A sad cry, a confused cry, a tired cry or one simply just because. But no, it doesn't get any easier. No matter how many times, each time I feel as though my heart is breaking in two and all I want is to take away whatever is causing her tears".

He sniffed, and tried to retain control of his emotions. "I think I can understand some semblance of what you feel. I could never begin to even assume my feeling are even comparable to your own, you who have carried her, raised her, nurtured her with your own body, but the second I sense her pain, whatever the cause, I feel a frighteningly violent urge to destroy anything that might have hurt her and shield her in my own skin from anything that might bring her harm"

Passing the weeping girl into his arms, where she fiercely clung to Severus and continued crying, though buried her face in his neck and grasped a hand full of his hair, Hermione smiled warmly at him when he closed his eyes and began to humm quietly and comfortingly into the girls soft hair, as she continued to hiccough out sobs.

"Welcome to Fatherhood Severus"