Winter's Shadow

Chapter 5

Baby Troubles

Hermione felt a strange pulling of her hair. The sound of her Potions Professor clearing his throat quickly manifested itself into her dream. Snape stood there looking down at the sleeping form of Hermione on the couch.

"Neville, no!" She was talking in her sleep and was obviously in potions by the desperate plea to the clumsy boy. Then her voice became more hushed as her thoughts were verbalized in her dreams. "Why does that man have to be so bloody intelligent, sexy, and a great git at the same time?"

Snape did not want to hear anymore--especially since his dream was still fresh in his mind.

"Ms. Granger!" Hermione sat upright and paled at the sight of her Professor standing there. She silently wondered if she had spoken in her sleep at all. That's when she noticed the snowy owl that sat where her head had previously been. A letter from Harry. The night they had been talking on the computer Draco was going to Harry's the next morning so this would be the first tale of Harry and Draco at the Dursley's. She almost pitied Dudley.

Snape sneered at the owl as Hermione took the parchment.

Hermione,

How is your summer going with the Potions Professor Prat there? Well, me and Draco have had a blast in the past couple of days. Hint: he went shopping at the Weasley's store before coming here. Other than the typical Weasley pranks, the Dursley's have been bending over backwards to make sure his stay feels welcome. Draco made sure they knew he had very powerful wizard parents...he left out the fact that they disowned him. Oh and just today we placed a very powerful virus in his computer...this has been the best summer!

Oh! Loved Snape's profile!

Love,

Harry

P. S. I do need to speak with you privately soon.

Snape turned and left for the lab when she grabbed the other parchment attached to the owl.

Herms,

Hi. I suppose Harry has already informed you of our entertaining week so far. It can only get better. Just so you know, I am displaying the devilishly handsome smirk I usually reserved for torturing you. Is my head of house treating you fairly well? Harry, is waiting on me to send his letter so I will end here. As soon as we can, I need to have a private discussion with you.

Love,

Draco

Curious as to why both boys needed to speak with her she ran up the stairs to change into her bathing suit. Taking Snape's discomfort of her bathing suit into account, she threw on a large white t-shirt to cover herself until reaching the pool.

It did not help.

Snape sat in the breakfast nook with his tea and his copy of the Daily Prophet. His eyes peered over the rim of the teacup when Hermione entered and seated herself across from the professor. Pouring herself a bowl of cereal, she proceeded to walk to the refrigerator for some juice. Snape followed the barefoot girl with his eyes.

"Clothes, Hermione. Did I not already request you to be clothed in my presence?" She stood at the fridge looking at him.

'At least he remembered to address me with my first name.'

"Yes, Severus you did. I never agreed." She walked back over to the small table and standing between her chair and Snape she poured her juice. "You are lucky I bothered putting a t-shirt on." Snape glared at her as she sat down and began to eat. She was becoming a little too comfortable around him for his liking. She was a student, a Gryffindor, and friends with Potter--she should fear him.

He watched her eat as parts of that bloody dream replayed in his mind. How could he have had any thought such as that about a student? While lost in thought, Hermione stood up to walk back outside.

"Oh, Severus, I am babysitting Lily again this afternoon and I have two friends stopping by. They are muggles so do try to not be so...well, you." She walked out the door to the pool.

****

Severus sat in the breakfast nook to eat lunch. He was quite comfortable there when he heard the splashing sound out side.

'Uh-oh.'

Sure enough, the back door opened and in walked a dripping Hermione. Yes, she was not showing her undergarments and donned the white t-shirt over them. The problem was she was soaking wet and therefore, the shirt did nothing to cover anything and clung to every inch of her it "covered."

He froze at the sight of her.

'What the bloody hell is this GIRL thinking?'

He found it rather difficult to pull his eyes off the girl. She smiled at him and walked over to him. His dream immediately flashed in his mind.

'WHAT exactly is she doing?'

Hermione stepped into the kitchen and saw her professor stop what he was doing and look at her--not glare, but look at her. She felt as if she was doing a summersault and feelings of her past infatuation flashed through her.

'No, Hermione. That was a silly schoolgirl thing a couple years ago. It would do you know good to possess such feelings.'

For a moment it seemed as if his guard was down lessening the harshness of his features. She couldn't help herself--she smiled at him as she walked over to where he sat. The pumpkin juice sat on the table and she was parched.

He could hear the sound of her wet feet padding on the kitchen floor. When she stopped next to him at the table he closed his eyes for a moment hoping she would go away and willing the memory of last nights dream to leave him. Instead, he could feel her presence. This was NOT the way he was supposed to feel when that insufferable young woman was near him.

'I could Avada Dumbledore for doing this to me.'

That's when he heard the front door open seemingly of its own accord. Hermione jerked her head up about the time the two female voices could be heard.

"Hermione?" Snape watched the witches features light up even more so now.

"Harm! Ophe! I'm in the kitchen!"

'Harm? Ophe?' Snape watched in wonderment as two girls Hermione's age rushed into the kitchen and went to hug her until they noticed she was soaking wet.

"We'll wait for you to change," Harm smiled at her. Both girls' eyes moved to the professor who had his eyes on Hermione. He immediately folded his Daily Prophet away and concentrated on his food.

"Oh, Severus, these are two of my friends Harmony and Ophelia. Girls this is Professor Severus Snape."

"Charmed," the professor said in his usual sarcastic tone without really looking up. The two girls looked from Hermione to the professor and back to Hermione. She darted out of the kitchen to change leaving Severus with her two trusted friends.

Harmony and Ophelia exchanged looks. They both looked at the professor seated in the kitchen and then nodded their heads at each other. In one quick swoop the two girls seated themselves directly across from the man and just stared at him--each with a mischievous grin.

Severus looked up from his food. He didn't like the look on the girls' faces. He did not trust those smiles at all. The last time two teenage girls had smiled at him like that he found himself stripped naked at the lake on Hogwarts grounds and an early Magical Creatures class approaching for a special class. Needless to say, no one believed Severus' story of the two girls luring him there. The same smile resided on these girls' faces.

Sneering at the girls he spoke to them.

"Is there something I can help you with or do you always stare at Hermione's company like vultures?"

The girls giggled causing Severus to roll his eyes and sigh in exasperation.

'Why are these twits behaving so? Hermione, is their age and I do not recall her ever...'

"Just wondering, PROFESSOR," Harmony began, "if you look at all your female students the way you look at Hermione?"

"Pardon me? I see why she calls you Harm. I have no way of answering that question as I do not know how I look at Ms. Granger."

Ophelia decided to answer this one with a huge smile.

"You look at Hermione, Professor, as if you are ravaging her in your mind."

A low growl was forming in Severus' throat when Hermione entered.

'Good, I don't have to answer that one.' He quickly stood up and brushed passed Hermione to exit the room. 'Girls.'

Hermione watched him go wondering what his problem was, other than being Snape.

****

The sounds of a screaming, obviously unhappy, baby made it's way to Snape's room. Realizing these girls were muggles he did not go down to his lab in fear of bringing up questions. All had been fine once Lily arrived--the girls were occupied playing house. Still it gave Severus too much time to think about the weeks events and about Hermione not being who he thought she was. There was actually more to her than being an insufferable know-it-all. Irritated with the incessant screaming he left his room to find out what Hermione and her friends were doing to calm the baby.

Hermione, Harmony, and Ophelia had each taken turns walking the child through the house to try to calm her. Lily was not happy and all three girls knew the only other option there was--the only thing that ever worked to calm Lily down. Sighing the girls headed to a small entertainment room; a room she had yet to introduce Severus to the various activities inside.

Severus arrived to see the three girls with the screaming child entering a room he had never really been in, but knew of it. He followed slowly to see what they were up to. He watched Hermione sit Lily in a child seat in the middle of the room facing the area the three girls went to. Each girl picked up a microphone as Hermione placed a CD in some machine. Severus watched curious as how this machine was going to cease the child's screams.

The three girls stood with Hermione in the middle each holding a cordless microphone. Music started and it was unlike anything Severus ever heard, yet he was intrigued as to these girls' plan. Then Hermione sang into the microphone to the baby.

"You're a real tough cookie with a long history

Of breaking little hearts like the one in me

That's okay, let's see how you do it

Put up your dukes, let's get down to it."

Severus straightened his posture as he listened. The baby was not crying as she had been. The girls continued singing to the baby. Severus watched as the girls alternated the next part starting with Harmony,

"Hit me with your best shot,"

and then going to Ophelia,

"Why don't you hit me with your best shot,"

and then Hermione,

"Hit me with your best shot,"

and all of them joined in for one line.

"Fire away."

Severus was amazed. This was obviously not their first time doing this. Then Hermione began again.

"You come on with it, come on

You don't fight fair

That's okay, see if I care

Knock me down, it's all in vain

I get right back on my feet again."

The baby was no longer screaming, only a whimper every so often.

"Hit me with your best shot"

"Why don't you hit me with your best shot,"

"Hit me with your best shot,"

"Fire away."

Severus had no idea Hermione could be this creative in her ordinary life. She noticed he had come into the room and was watching them. Refusing to let him see her feel embarrassed by him of all people she continued, but wanted to make sure he knew she was aware of his presence--she looked right at him.

"You're a real tough cookie with a long history

Of breaking little hearts like the one in me

Before I put another notch in my lipstick case

You better make sure you put me in my place."

Now the three girls sang together to end the song.

"Hit me with your best shot

C'mon!

Hit me with your best shot

Hit me with your best shot

Fire away

Hit me with your best shot

Why don't you hit me with your best shot

Hit me with your best shot

Fire away!"

Lily was silent.

Pat Benatar's "Hit Me With Your Best Shot"--Couldn't help it...I am a child of the 80's!