AN: I just felt like writing some fluff, so I wrote this. Hope you enjoy!

Thank you for all the support! It is very deeply appreciated!

Going to bed at eight when everyone else stayed up well past nine was an intolerable injustice. Just because Violet was seven years old didn't mean she should be excluded from the family's nighttime activities. Her parents insisted that it was healthier for her to have an earlier bedtime than her siblings, but Violet vehemently disagreed. Summer lasted only for so long. Before anyone knew it, Rose and Victor would return to Hogwarts. Why shouldn't she be allowed to spend every second she could with them?

Then there were the things that Mum and Dad did after dark. When Victor and Rose weren't home, they did exciting things when she was in bed, like read, perform potion experiments, laugh at each other's jokes, and other things that they kept secret from their daughter. Every time she asked to stay up late with everyone, they told her she didn't want to be too tired the next morning, so she needed to be in bed early.

None of it made any sense.

Tonight was going to be different. Violet would prove she was a big girl by staying up until everyone else went to bed, waking up when they did, and not being cranky in the morning. In fact, she wouldn't even yawn tomorrow. Yes, she was going to act like everyone else. This would prove once and for all that her parents' books were wrong about an earlier bedtime.

Violet crept to the library doorway, wondering if she should tell her parents about her brilliant plan. No, they may send her back to bed and insist she remain there. Still, how would they know how awesome her plan was if they weren't aware of what she was doing?

They wouldn't, which is why she stood in the doorway, ready to announce her presence.

"How the hell did I survive without you?" Her father's low voice began.

Violet closed her mouth. It was rude to interrupt. Besides, what better way to figure out what her parents did at night than to walk in on them?

"I don't know how I lived without you for so many years," her father continued. "I shudder to look at the memories I have before you and the children came into my life. They only serve to depress me. I was so lost before marrying you. How did I ever survive?"

"The same way I did," her mother answered in a soft voice. "We just existed from day to day until we agreed to marry each other and had three beautiful children. Then, we began to live."

Violet moistened her lips. How did someone exist without living? Didn't those words mean the same thing?

"I never want to live that way again," her dad continued.

"You won't have to." Her mother sighed. "No matter what happens, I will always be with you. Our love will last for eternity. That, I promise you."

"You're the only person whose promises I've ever believed," he breathed.

"Believe in all of them, for I will love you for the rest of eternity."

"I will love you for the rest of eternity too." There was a silence. "You are the sexiest, most amazing wife any man could ever ask to have by his side. The words 'I love you' will never encompass my sentiments for you. Yet, those are the only words I can use in the English language."

Violet looked up. What was Dad talking about? He once said words were very powerful, sometimes the most powerful things in the world. Why were they not powerful now?

"I have an idea of what you mean, because I feel the same way towards you," her mother answered. "'I love you' will never convey how much I cherish you, yet what else can I say to convey my meaning?"

Violet cocked her head. This was all so confusing. Mum and Dad once said, "I love you" were the three strongest words ever. Why weren't they strong anymore?

Before Violet could meditate on her question, her mother's laughter pierced through the room. She gasped for air.

"Gods you're sensual," her father purred.

Her mother burst out laughing again. "Severus, stop! The children are awake!"

"Do you truly want me to stop?"

She giggled.

"That's what I suspected."

Her mother continued to laugh. "I don't want to stop, but Rose and Victor are awake."

"They know not to disturb us while we are in the library," he purred. "In the meantime, I have a sexy witch in my arms, and I'm going to show her how much I love her. Surely you won't deny me the chance to show her how deeply my affections for her run?"

"No, I would never deny you that," she breathed.

Before Violet could ask what was so funny, the door slammed in front of her. She gritted her teeth. This is exactly what irritated her: her parents were having fun, and she had no idea what was occurring! She wanted to join in and ask them what they were talking about earlier.

Before she could touch the doorknob to open it, it glowed green. She turned the knob, but it didn't move. Then, she heard static.

Violet scowled. Once again, she was being shut out of a fun nighttime activity. What were Mum and Dad doing that was so important and so much fun? Why wouldn't they let anyone else join?

Violet's eyes lit up as her mission became clearer. Not only was she going to prove to everyone that she was a big girl, but she was also going to find out what Mum and Dad actually did in the library when they weren't reading. Then, she was going to show them how great she was at staying awake.

Everything would work out perfectly!

"I don't understand why they insist on looking at our old baby memories," Rose lay sprawled on her bed underneath her Slytherin banner. "It's bloody embarrassing, especially when you see those smiles on their faces, like they're taking joy in our discomfort."

"It really gets bad when they start talking about how cute we were as babies." Victor sat on the bed beside her. "I mean, what is so appealing about us running around the couch without clothes? It isn't that interesting, yet they insist upon viewing those memories."

"They act like baby memories are the most amazing thing in the world." Rose groaned. "Sometimes I wish I could smash those vials, but knowing my luck, they'd just create the memory of watching our baby memories, and Dad would ground me from his lab for a month."

"Yes, and Mum would be just as upset." Victor shook his head. "She'd probably tell Grandpa not to let me play on his computer or watch TV at his house for the next year."

"Ooh, that would be bad, given that I'd really love to see that new Steve Martin movie," Rose mused aloud.

"Me too."

"Rose, Victor?"

Rose sat upright and crossed her arms over her chest. "Violet, what are you doing awake?"

"I'm going to show everyone I'm a big girl by staying up late and proving that I can do it." She stepped into the room.

"Oh no." Rose slid towards the edge of her bed. "You are intolerable when you haven't had enough sleep."

"I won't be that way tomorrow, I promise."

"I highly doubt you can keep that promise." Victor stood.

"No, I can."

His frown deepened.

"I'll really try not to be cranky. I promise." Violet folded her hands.

"Just to be safe, we're returning you to your room." Victor held out his hand.

"No." Violet crossed her arms over her chest so he could not take her hand. "I'm not leaving until I get an answer to my question."

"What question?" Rose asked.

"What are Mum and Dad doing in the library?"

"What do you mean, 'What are Mum and Dad doing in the library?'" Victor asked. "They're reading."

"No, Dad said he was going to show Mum how much he loved her, then he cast a spell that wouldn't let me open the door, and now I can't hear them or see what they're doing." Violet stepped away from Victor.

"Oh Merlin," Rose groaned as she put her head into her hands.

"Why are you so upset?" Violet demanded

Rose groaned and shook her head.

"What are they doing?"

Rose looked up and scowled. "Demonstrating a complete and total lack of decorum."

"You always say that about them when they start talking about how much they love each other and start kissing, but I don't know what that means," Violet stepped closer to her. "What is decorum, and why aren't they showing it?"

"Decorum." Rose took a deep breath. "Decorum means they act like proper adults and not two sixth-years making out in a dark hallway who are too stupid to pay attention to their surroundings."

"Mum and Dad must still be showing decorum then because they are smarter than sixth years," Violet argued.

"No, they aren't showing an ounce of decorum at the moment." Victor shook his head.

"I don't get it. Why aren't they showing decorum? What are they doing?"

Rose and Victor stared at each other, daring the other to say the first word.

"Why won't anyone ever tell me what's going on?" Violet whined. "Everyone does all these adult things around me, and I don't understand any of it. I want to know more about what everyone does at night so I can be a big girl and join in."

"Trust me, you don't want to join in on this," Rose answered.

"Why not?"

"Okay." Victor took a deep breath. "Mum and Dad are playing the, uh, kissing game."

"Kissing game?" Violet raised her eyebrow in a way reminiscent of her father.

"Yes," Victor drawled. "They, uh, want to see who can kiss better, so they've decided to play a game to see who can do it."

"They play this game way too much for anyone's liking," Rose grumbled.

"Oh." Violet cocked her head. "How will they know who won? They can't feel themselves kiss, so they can't judge how well they are doing. Do they need someone to watch and judge?"

"No," Rose and Victor answered in unison.

Violet twisted her lips.

"They, uh, have their own way of determining who won," Victor continued.

"What is it?"

"It's a, uh, mystery," Rose replied, cursing her parents. If they had any decency at all, they would be explaining this to Violet, not leaving it to their two older children. Just another consequence of refusing to act with any kind of decorum.

"Oh," Violet tapped her chin. "I wonder if they'll explain it to me someday."

"I don't think so, given that they've never explained it to us," Victor cut in.

"They haven't?"

"No, they have not explained how they know who wins the kissing game."

"That's weird." Violet slid onto Rose's bed beside her. "I still don't understand this. Games have rules. Mum says everyone has to know the rules in order to play. It's weird that they wouldn't tell us the rules so we know what's going on."

"That's just how some adults work," Rose moved closer to her sister. "Now that we've answered that question…"

"Why did Dad say he didn't know how he survived without us?" Violet asked.

"Excuse me?" Victor sat beside her.

"He said he didn't know how he survived without Mum and us. Then, Mum said they existed. Dad said he never wanted to live that way again, Mum promised he'd never have to, and I guess that's when they began playing the kissing game." She licked her lips. "It's weird that they didn't say they were playing a game. Usually when someone plays a game, they let everyone know they're doing it."

"Oh, trust me, Mum knew they were playing the kissing game after he said that," Rose replied.

"Yes, but why was Dad talking about surviving? I don't understand since it should be the same thing as existing."

"They aren't always the same."

"When are they not the same?"

"It's easier to understand if you remember who Mum and Dad were." Victor put a hand on her shoulder. "Did Mum and Dad ever tell you how things were before they met?"

"Not very much," she admitted. "They said they don't like to think about it much, and they'd rather focus on the present."

"That makes sense."

"Why won't they tell me about who they were before they got married?"

"Because they weren't happy before they married each other."

"They weren't?"

"No, they weren't," Rose cut in. "Dad grew up alone and with no friends. Before he met Mum, nobody ever truly accepted him for who he was."

Violet turned to Rose. "But Dad is so nice. Why would anyone not like him?"

"Dad grew up a very poor wizard amongst Muggles, which made him different," Rose explained. "People don't always like people who are different from them. Instead of embracing people who are different, they are mean to them."

"Why? That's stupid. Different things are good."

"Yes, but not everyone thinks that way."

"Sounds like Dad had a lot of dunderheads in his life if the people around him didn't like different things," Violet answered.

"Most of the people in Dad's life were dunderheads," Victor answered. "They were too stupid to see that he was a good person even if he didn't think like them. Nobody ever gave him a real chance. Yes, he made a few mistakes, but he would've behaved differently if someone truly had faith in him."

"What mistakes?"

"Let's just say that he had some friends who weren't doing the right things," Rose replied.

"Did Uncle Lucius try to make him stop doing bad things?" Violet asked. "He's a good friend."

"Let's just say that Uncle Lucius wasn't making the best decisions at that time either."

"Why not?"

"He just wasn't."

"Oh." Violet bit her lip the same way her mother did. "Did Dad have any friends growing up other than Uncle Lucius?"

"He had one friend, but she turned out not to be the most forgiving person. When he made a mistake, instead of learning to forgive him, she abandoned him. Then, she married someone who was mean to him."

"That doesn't sound very nice."

"No, it wasn't."

"I see why Dad was sad, but what about Mum? I know Uncle Harry was Mum's best friend, but he's not around anymore. Then there's that other guy. I, uh, forgot his name, but I know he was mean to her. Why was she friends with him?" Violet asked.

"Very poor judgment," Victor replied.

"Why was his judgment so poor?"

"Well," Victor cleared his throat. "Mum didn't have a lot of friends when she was in the Muggle world. People thought she was different, and they didn't like different people, so they didn't like her."

"Is that why she was with that mean man for so long, because she didn't think anyone else would be her friend and Harry liked him?" Violet asked.

"Basically," Victor answered. "The mean man sometimes said nice things to her and convinced her he was her friend by being nice to her when he wanted to be. Uncle Harry liked him because he was nice to him. The reality is that as they grew older, the mean man showed everyone who he was, and Mum stopped liking him."

"So the mean man fooled people into thinking he was nice."

"More or less."

"So Uncle Harry was Mum's friend, but nobody else was her friend until Dad," Violet asked.

"Neville was her friend," Rose replied.

"Yes, he was," Victor added. "Still, he wasn't the kind of friend she could share her secrets with."

"He wasn't?"

"No, he was a good friend, but he didn't understand her soul. He couldn't understand why she was the way she was, not like Dad can."

"So that's why they're soulmates!" Violet raised her hands. "They know each other's souls."

"Yes." Rose smiled. "They know each other better than anyone else ever will. They can be themselves around each other. They can tell each other their secrets and know the other won't use them against them. They know each other so well they can communicate without words because they know what the other wants to say. They love each other in a way that nobody else in their life does."

"That's why they like the kissing game," Victor added. "They're telling each other that they love each other. They don't need to tell everyone when they're playing the kissing game because they already know that's what the other wants. When you love someone the way they love each other, you want to kiss them all the time, or so they say."

"Wow," Violet's eyes were wide. "Do you think I can have someone love me like that someday?"

"I'm sure you will," Victor answered.

"Even if you don't, though, we'll always be your friends and will stand up for you when people are mean to you," Rose promised. "We will always love you."

"Yes, we will always be your friends and love you," Victor replied.

"I'll always be your friend too." Violet yawned.

"You look tired," Victor noted.

"No." Violet's eyes drooped. "I'm fine. I'm a big girl. I can stay awake and not be cranky tomorrow."

"You know," Victor leaned closer. "Big girls know when they need to go to bed."

"They do?" She yawned again.

"Yes," Rose replied. "They know they have to go to bed, or they'll be insufferable in the morning."

"I guess I am tired. As much as I love Mum and Dad, I don't think I need to see their kissing game."

"No, you don't," Victor took Violet's hand. "Let's get you to bed."

"Fine." Violet stood, the muscles in her body weak. "Can you two tuck me in, though? I don't want to interrupt Mum and Dad, and I don't think they'll answer me anyway."

"Sure." Rose took her other hand.

Together, the siblings walked Violet to her room.

"I never really thought about how miserable Mum and Dad were until they found each other." Rose sat at the kitchen table, a bowl of strawberry ice cream in front of her. She didn't dare tell Mum she convinced a house elf to serve it. Best say she snuck into the kitchen and got it herself.

"I guess we see them so happy together we forget that Mum's the only person who would ever stand up to bullies like the Marauders for him." Victor took a bite of his vanilla ice cream. "She would never almost smile while he was hanging upside down and being attacked."

"Oh, she'd smile very widely."

Victor dropped his spoon.

"She'd smile between the Cruciatus curses she was giving the Marauders." Rose spooned another bite. "She'd make sure they regretted ever laying eyes on Dad and regretted ever hearing her name."

"That's exactly what Mum would do." Victor took a bite of his ice cream.

"I mean, I guess I can see why they want to look at old memories," she mused aloud. "They like remembering that they aren't alone anymore."

"True," Victor took another bite of his ice cream.

"Still, they have vacation photos they can look at and other memories of their dates." Rose frowned. "They don't need to look at our baby memories to remember how much they love each other."

"No." Victor's expression matched hers. "They don't."

"Still," Rose's lips curled up. "Violet did give us some pretty good ammunition tonight. I think we can show them exactly how we feel about them watching us getting ice cream all over ourselves as toddlers."

There was a spark in Victor's eyes. "What do you have in mind?"

"Children?"

The siblings turned to Severus, who strolled into the room. Rose suppressed a smirk. His clothes were rumpled, and his hair was tousled. A couple of his top buttons were unbuttoned as well. Even if Violet hadn't said a word, it wasn't difficult to figure out how he'd spent his evening.

"Hello, Dad." Rose gave him the sweetest smile she could. "What were you doing in the library?"

In a nonchalant voice, he replied. "Reading."

"Severus, Rose, Victor," Hermione entered the room, her hair just as wild and her clothes just as wrinkled as those of her husband.

In the sweetest voice Rose could muster, she replied, "Hello, Reading."

She'd never seen her father that pale in her life, or her mother squirm like that. Still, she couldn't help but relax. Her parents loved each other, and in turn, they loved their children. They were a happy family.

In the end, it was worth enduring her parents watching a few embarrassing baby memories.