Winter's Shadow

Chapter 4

Frankenstein

Snape sat in the breakfast nook of the kitchen sipping his tea. Lowering the Daily Prophet, he glanced around the kitchen and listened for the slightest noise in the house.

Nothing.

He knew Hermione had been rather angry at his essay critique when she had stormed off up the stairs for the rest of the evening. This had left him more time than sought to register the Hermione Granger he was being witness to. This could not be the know-it-all-Gryffindor he has taught since her first year? Cursing himself for even thinking about her, he picked the Daily Prophet back up to read.

'It is not like her to not be down here by now.' He knew that, but why worry? Finally, he gave in and stood to seek the girl out to ensure her safety. As soon as he stood, he noticed a flesh colored form out the window, by the pool. Curiously and cautiously, Snape stepped out the back door.

Hermione lay in the chair she always sunbathed in. Having had a very restless night disturbed by thoughts of her Potions Professor, the girl was sound asleep. As soon as Snape walked up to the girl he froze.

'Where are her clothes?' He could not believe the girl would lie openly in undergarments outside like this. His eyes washed over her sleeping form. Her days in the sun were evident as was the fact that this was NOT the little girl he first taught. The muggle contraption she called a radio still played even though she slept.

"I just wanna look at you, I just wanna look at you

I just wanna look at you all day

There ain't nothing wrong, no

There ain't nothing wrong with that

Once you seep in under my skin..."

Sighing he mumbled "silly girl." The sun was bright and she was sure to burn. He still could not figure out how the Heroine of Gryffindor managed to survive all of Potter's life threatening fiascos and sleep so soundlessly, unaware of what was happening around her, right out in the open. Looking at all the brightness the sun was illuminating he glanced back at Hermione. Noticing the glistening of her skin he took out his wand.

"Umbella," Snape muttered in order to block the sun from burning her skin before returning to the house. The potions lab in the basement awaited him.

****

Hermione awoke, realizing she was still out by the pool. Feeling as if she was burning alive she looked down noticing that she was not burnt at all.

'Odd.' Realizing she was covered in perspiration she stood and dived straight into the pool. The cool water washed over her refreshing every ounce of her being. After swimming to the other side of the pool she jumped out.

Climbing out of the pool, noticing the position of the sun she could discern that it was later in the day than she thought. Grabbing her towel she entered the house to find Snape eating lunch.

'Wow, so he does know what to do without a house elf.'

Snape shifted his eyes up to the young woman who just stepped into the house. He stopped chewing his food at that moment. The girl stood before him clad in the same undergarments she had slept by the pool in, but now she was dripping wet. Hermione furrowed her brow in noticing a strange demeanor beginning to surround the professor. Snape finally spoke.

"Miss Granger, I do not know what you are accustomed to, but may I ask you NOT to wander around in nothing but undergarments while I am imprisoned here."

Hermione's face lightened as she realized what the problem was. Snape was now in the muggle world and knew nothing of such muggle activities as sunbathing. For a fleeting moment she thought of how much fun she could have with this--he was obviously uncomfortable. Instead she began to laugh as she left the room. She opted not to enlighten him about sunbathing just yet. Maybe she will have some fun.

Snape thought she was rid of her until she poked her head back in the kitchen.

"Oh, just to warn you, I am babysitting until about midnight. A neighbor is having their anniversary and asked if I could watch their baby girl." Snape glared at the obnoxious girl as she left.

****

After dinner Hermione took her potions essay over to the computer and sat down. She looked over the marks Snape had placed and most of it was not all that bad--some of it was actually constructive. Sitting at the computer she pulled up a word processing program figuring that would keep it away from edit-crazed professor.

Severus, having finished in the potions lab, settled on the couch with a book. Despite his surroundings he planned on attempting a decent summer. Looking up from his book, he could see the profile of the younger witch. He watched her features screw into concentration before she would smile and start "typing" on the "keyboard".

Hermione felt as if someone was staring at her.

'Professor Snape wouldn't be staring would he?' Turning to look at him on the couch she noted the professor was reading a book. Sighing she began to turn back around to the computer when she heard the doorbell. She knew immediately it would be her neighbors. Standing up she concentrated to see what book the professor was reading, but noticed something else totally different. The bell rang again giving her no time to think about the implications or to filter her words from pointing out the fact. As she passed the professor the words escaped.

"That must be my neighbors--oh, Professor, the book is upside down." She walked swiftly to the door. Snape realized the girl was right. She had turned to look at him so fast that he had not had the time to turn the book right. How un-Snape. Hearing her greeting her neighbors and the goodbyes that followed Snape knew she had other things on her mind. Her words were not mocking so it led one to believe she thought nothing of it. Relieved at that belief, he turned the book up right and began to read.

Hermione walked back into the living room with a diaper bag over her shoulder and baby in her arms. Snape followed her with his eyes. She did not so much as introduce the child to Snape, which he was grateful for. His eyes stayed on her as she spread a blanket out between the TV and the unusually short table in front of him. Placing the child on the blanket she sat down too and began pulling out toys for the child. He watched in amazement as her maternal instincts kicked in.

'But then, this is precisely what she does with Potter and Weasely.'

Snape could not explain it, nor would he ever admit to it, but he could not help but listen to Hermione with this baby and on occasion watch her. She was a natural. In listening to her interaction with the baby, he knew the baby's name to be Lily--perfect.

After about an hour, Snape got up from the couch to retrieve another book. He was reading up on a particular potion he was planning on attempting with the seventh years in the upcoming year. When he returned he found Hermione on her feet.

"Could you look after Lily for a moment?" Snape looked at her and his sarcastic smirk appeared.

"I believe, I am not the one who was asked to baby-sit, Ms. Granger."

"I just need to run upstairs for a moment." She rolled her eyes at the man. "When are you going to stop with this Ms. Granger business. It's the summer SEVERUS." He looked at the girl when she used his first name. At first, Hermione feared she had just made a huge mistake using his first name. But, apparently he was full of surprises.

"Fine, Hermione." Smiling she ran up the stairs real quick leaving Snape staring down at the baby as if it would explode.

Snape sat down and Lily made a gurgling noise. Looking at the child like she was an alien, he picked up his book to start reading again. He hadn't read the first sentence when he noticed the baby was no longer on its blanket, but had crawled to him and was now pulling herself up to stand against the couch

"What are you doing?" Lily just gurgled as she slapped a hand at the potion professor's arm. Trying to refrain a smiled he held a hand out and the child took hold of one of his long fingers and began to shake it.

He began to wonder if that girl was coming back down or not. He pried Lily's fingers off of his one. This created an emotional thunderstorm from within the child. The child would not stop crying and eventually Snape tired of the noise.

"Silencio." This only seemed to upset the baby farther. Now, the baby was crying for some attention until the silencing spell caused all sound to dissipate. Now the child screamed, but was unheard. Hermione bounded down the stairs and took in the scene she was witnessing.

"SEVERUS SNAPE!" She realized what the potions master had done and rushed to the baby's side undoing the charm that had been placed.

"That child is nothing more than a nuisance." With that he turned back to his book and Hermione informed him of how upset his little spell made the baby. Hermione left the room again to fix the baby a bottle. The baby needed to lay down to sleep some and an old movie was coming on Hermione wanted to watch.

After feeding the baby, Hermione lay the sleeping child on her blanket and went back to the kitchen. When she came back in she stepped over Snape's legs where he had his feet propped up and grabbed the book from his hands on her way. Sitting on the couch she placed the popcorn bowl on the table and turned the TV on to a movie just beginning.

"What are you doing Hermione?"

"Introducing you to movies, Frankenstein to be exact." His eyes moved to the TV and became fascinated for the rest of the evening. There was only one thing in that house more fascinating that the TV--a student by the name of Hermione Granger. He watched the TV light flicker across her face as the movie progressed. Before it was over, the girl had curled up on the couch with her head next to his lap. She was sound asleep when a doorbell rang. Looking frantically around, Snape stood up and answered the door. The neighbors seemed taken aback at him.

"I am a science teacher at Ms. Granger's school and was asked to watch over her in their absence." The parents were delighted to meet the man as they noticed Hermione's sleeping form on the couch and their baby's on her blanket.

Sighing, Snape covered the girl with a blanket that lay on the back of the couch.

****

Snape sat in the corner of the breakfast nook sipping tea and read the Daily Prophet. This had become a typical morning event at the Grangers. In the background he could here the splashing sound. Setting his teacup down, he noticed Hermione had re-entered the house. She looked as she had last time--in undergarments and dripping wet from head to toe.

'Why can't the girl put clothes on?' It was crazy, but part of him did NOT want her to be clothed. He liked looking at her, yet it was not such a good idea--she was a student after all.

"Ms. Granger, would you do yourself a favor and clothe yourself?" She walked over to the corner he sat, dripping along the way. The moment she reached the professor she slung one dripping leg over his and sat in his lap facing the man. Snape looked in shock at the usually shy girl, now straddling him as if it was normal. She was soaking him and he didn't particularly care. Her wet nose was less than an inch from his dry one.

"So, tell me PROFESSOR," She lightly nuzzled her nose against his as she slid her wet hands and arms up his chest, wrapping them around his neck and into his soft hair. "What will you do if I choose not to?" Her lips were less than an inch from his. Not able and not willing to control himself, Snape wrapped his arms around her bare waist as her lips leaned gently into his...

Snape sat up in bed, again, cursing his mind for allowing such thoughts to manifest into a dream.