A Knock at the Door

A Knock at the Door by Pearle

Summary: The war is over and Hogwarts is about to start a new school year. A knock at the door of Severus Snape's office is about to change his life and the lives of those around him. HG/SS


Disclaimer: The characters, settings, etc. of the Harry Potter series are not mine they belong to J.K. Rowling and Co. I promise to return them when I am through. Well, most of them anyway.


~~~~~~ A Knock at the Door ~~~~~~

14. Are We There Yet or How To Get From Here to There?


Hermione apparated to just outside the Leaky Cauldron. Ginny lived less than a block away. She really didn't want to go on this blind date tonight. Just yesterday she received an owl from Aidan asking her about their relationship. There was no "relationship". That was the problem. Harry had acted childish all week berating her for not caring about Aidan. She pointed out that you couldn't suddenly make yourself care about someone if you really didn't care for them in the first place and if he thought Aidan was so great why didn't he date him. And here she was again, attempting another date and another "relationship". She thought long and hard about just turning around and going back to Hogwarts. Silenus was there and Severus. Severus, he was the closest thing to a relationship she'd ever had and look how that turned out! It was time to hang up her robes so to speak.

Hermione turned up on Ginny's doorstep with her mind made up. Ginny let her in at the first ring. "Gin I know you mean well with these blind dates, but I have had just about enough. Who are you?" Hermione had started to speak when she noticed a man sitting at the table having tea.

"Nice to see you too. This is a friend of mine. Thomas. Thomas Smythe this is Hermione Granger." Ginny was enjoying watching Hermione squirm. Harry had owled Ginny about Hermione's state of mind earlier that morning.

"Lovely to meet you. Would it help if I told you I have 20/20 vision?" Thomas was smiling at her.

Hermione covered her face with her hands and sunk into the nearest chair. "I tend to put my foot in my mouth sometimes. I'm sorry, really. You seem very nice, it's just that I've had a long week, and today well."

"Hermione, you're ranting. Have some tea and chocolate. I think you need it." Ginny was trying to calm her down.

In the end Thomas stayed and Harry showed up. He was lucky he wasn't hexed on sight. They had an early dinner and spent an enjoyable evening talking. Before long they were back in Ginny's sitting room having tea again. Ginny and Harry had disappeared leaving Thomas and Hermione alone.

"I really enjoyed this evening Hermione."

"I had a nice time too. Thank you Thomas." She was sitting on one end of the sofa and Thomas was on the other.

"But not nice enough to do this again?"

"You're a nice person..." Hermione began.

Thomas held up his hand. With a heavy sigh he said. "You're a nice person but there's someone else. Right?"

Hermione shrugged her shoulders. "No. No there isn't anyone else. I really can't explain it."

Thomas sat looking at her for a moment. "Does he know what a lucky man he is?"

"Thomas, there is no one. Honest. I wouldn't have gone out tonight if I were involved with someone."

"There's someone. You just haven't let yourself believe it yet. Most of tonight you were somewhere else. I wish you luck Hermione. He's a lucky man. You can tell him I said so." Thomas stood and gave her a kiss on the cheek before he let himself out.


XXXXXXXXXXXX

It was late Sunday before Hermione returned to Hogwarts. She and Ginny had picked out robes for the wedding and spent the day together. She was tired by the time she reached her rooms. She'd spent most of the day thinking about what Thomas had said. Poppy had left a note for her asking if she would be able to brew more Pepperup potion. The current supply was almost gone. They seemed to have run through the potion like it was water in the last two weeks. She decided to head down to the lab and get it out of the way tonight.


Severus was at his workbench chopping ingredients when Hermione walked into the lab. "Good evening. Severus." She was bone tired. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. She could come back in the morning and make the potion then.

Severus hadn't answered her. He barely nodded his head acknowledging her presence. Silenus was at the desk in the corner working on integrating the old notes with new information they had received. Severus was staring at her. His face was cold, closed off and his eyes had a hard edge. "You look tired. What is it you're trying to do? Even a first year knows not to brew when they are tired. You want to cut or burn yourself?"

"I'm hardly a child. I have a quick potion to brew. That's all." Well there goes the ceasefire again. Hermione shot Snape an annoyed glare. She noticed Silenus in the corner. "Hi honey. I have some robes for you to try on. Stop by later today and you can see them." She started to pull together ingredients for the potion. Hermione set her cauldron on the flame and added some water to boil.

Silenus had heard her parents snipe at each other before, the two weren't exactly fast friends, but tonight it seemed to be a little more vicious than usual.

Hermione was tired. As she started to cut the root for the potion she sliced her thumb. The cut took her by surprise. "Ow!"

Snape was around the bench in an instant. "Let me see that. You always have to prove you know better Madame Granger. Do you ever learn? Blood will contaminate the potion."

"I'm fine. It's a small cut." Hermione was openly glaring at Snape as she pulled her hand back.

"Perhaps if you were to get a proper nights sleep in your own bed, you might be able to accurately perform your duties." Severus's tone was cold.

"So that's what this is about, because I was gone this weekend? I don't believe you. Your jealous." Yelled Hermione.

"Jealous my dear? I can't be jealous, that would mean I cared."

"And you don't care?" Hermione was furious.

"I haven't cared about you in a very long time. Years actually. You may have the lab to yourself. Just ward the door on you way out." Snape had turned his back on the woman and was heading for the door to his chamber.

"Don't you dare walk out on me." Hermione was screaming at Snape's back.

"Why not, you walked out on me twelve years ago?" Snape knew he was being pette wae was mad she left again this weekend. They had fallen back into a comfortable working relationship over the last week. He had looked forward to seeing her in the lab and then Harry couldn't wait to tell him about the blind date Ginny had set up for her. Was he jealous? He was too angry to know. He had a good mind to hex Potter the next time he saw him. Maybe he could use him for potion ingredients? It might bear looking into.

"I can't do this anymore. I'm tired. I don't want to fight anymore. Every time we try to get along, you get mad. You're still mad at me. I can't keep on like this. I said I was sorry, what more do you want from me!" Screamed the woman in front of him.

"Sorry for what? For the last twelve years? Fine I will say 'I accept you're apology' twelve years from now and we can call it even!" Thundered Severus. The anger was eating at both of them.

"Enough!" Silenus ran out of the lab, tears streaming down her face. They had both forgotten she was there.

"You son of a bitch." Hermione ran after her daughter.

They had both returned to the lab about 15 minutes later after scouring the dungeons, both hoping Silenus had returned. Neither one had been able to find her.

Snape's glare was murderous. "I am sure she is hiding somewhere in the castle. Go inform Albus that Silenus has run off. I will check the Slytherin common room again, though I doubt she is there."

"I'm her mother, I'll look for her." Hermione yelled at him.

Severus grabbed her arm and hissed at the woman, his voice venomous, "I will not have you both wondering loose." Hermione had pulled free of his grasp. His voice was deadly, "She is my daughter too in case you have forgotten. I will not just be the father when it is convenient for you. I will look for her. Go tell Albus."

"You're a bastard!"

"Yes Madam. I thought we had established that a long time ago." Snape took off at a brisk pace through the dungeons. He checked the common room and Miss Brownynn confirmed Silenus had not returned. He thought he knew where to find her.

Severus climbed the stairs to the Astronomy Tower and noticed the smudges in the dust on the floor. Huddled in a shadowed corner was the sleeping form of his daughter. Tear tracks on her cheeks glowed in the moonlight from a nearby window. He was not sure what she had transfigured to create the hideous blanket that covered her. 'Purple, orange and green plaid, why ever would she choose those colors?' he wondered. With a troubled sigh he picked up his daughter and cradled her in his arms.

She had shifted against him and quietly moaned. Snape's world tilted on its axis. He had never felt the depth of emotions he had felt tonight. That he was feeling right now. What in hell's name was happening to him? "Shhh. Everything is alright now Silenus. I have you."

The girl gave a quiet sob before she fell back against his chest and into a troubled slumber. Snape's tread was heavy as he took the sleeping girl back to his quarters. He gently placed her on his bed, leaving the ugly blanket in place lest he disturb her sleep. Severus soothed a few curls away from her face and place a gentle kiss on her forehead. He sighed deeply. They couldn't go on like this. He and Hermione could not rip each other apart and not hurt Silenus in the process. Things would have to change. He never expected to have a child, but now that he had gotten to know her, he was not about to let go.

Snape looked back at the sleeping form of his daughter before he left the room. He could spend the rest of his life angry and alone, butting up against walls, or he could make peace with his past and try to work on a future that included Silenus. There really was no choice. She was his, and he had no intentions of letting her go.

He flooed Albus and assured him Silenus was fine and asleep in his bedroom. He would take the sofa for the night. He asked Albus to inform her friends in Slytherin that she was fine and would return unharmed in the morning. Albus had said that Hermione had returned to her chambers in the hope Silenus might go there. He stood staring at the fire for a moment before contacting Hermione.

"Silenus is fine. I found her asleep in the corner of the astronomy tower. She is asleep in my bed."

"Oh thank goodness, Severus." The relief was evident in her voice.

"Hermione, please come through. We need to talk."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

They stood looking at one another. Severus ran his hands through his hair trying not to snap at the woman in front of him. It was time to start anew, to put the past behind them. He looked at her a moment before putting his hand out and said. "I don't think we've meet. I'm Severus Snape, Silenus's father. You must be Hermione. She speaks very highly of you. It's nice to finally meet you."

Hermione stood staring at Severus. She broke into a smile as she shook his hand and said, "It's nice to meet you too, Severus. I'm Hermione Granger, Silenus's mother. I hope we can be friends"

They spent the better part of the next few hours repairing and building bridges and talking about Silenus. It was a start, a new beginning for all of them.


XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The early morning light streaming through the enchanted window lit Severus' bedroom with a warm glow. The window was an enchantment much like the ceiling of the Great Hall. It was actually a projection of a window in the Astronomy Tower. Snape's quarters were under the lake, too deep for any real light to reach his rooms. Silenus stretched as she slowly woke up. The sheets felt soft against her face and the bed seemed larger than normal. All at once it came back to her, last night! She wondered just how mad her mother and father were. Well, how mad they were at her. She looked around and realized she was in her father's bedroom. She looked around the room curiously taking in the heavy furniture, dark wood and the colors of the room in the process. It was a distinctly masculine room. There were very few personal items marking this room as his. His office and especially his private study were overflowing with mementos from all over but there were very few in evidence here. She sighed as she got out of bed. She was still dressed in her casual clothes from last night, jeans and a t-shirt. Someone, probably her mom, had taken her trainers off. The blanket she had transfigured last night covered her. Gods, the colors looked terrible in the daylight. She thought the blanket was purple with a green fringe. Where did the orange come from and the plaid for that matter? She must have been more upset than she thought to screw up such a simple spell. She made her way slowly to the door. It was time to face the music. Silenus opened the bedroom as quietly as she could, hoping to take in the scene in the sitting room before actually walking into what ever waited for her.

Evidently it was not quiet enough. "Good morning Silenus. Nice of you to join me." Her father was sitting at his desk grading essays. He was wearing a white shirt open at the neck with the cuffs rolled back and black trousers. Exactly what he was wearing last night in the lab. This was not a good sign. Not good at all.

"Morning dad. What's new?" She was trying to sound casual and failing miserably. "I guess I should head back to my common room so I can change before breakfast. Nice bedroom by the way. Okay, well bye I'll see you later." She didn't seem to be able to stop talking. Her father was giving her a look. She had seen other students cower in fear when he'd give one of them that look, but she had never been on the receiving end of this
particular stare before.

Severus had stopped to look at his daughter, glare really. His fingers were steepled in front of him as he listened to her. Nice bedroom? "Silenus, sit down. You and I need to talk." He was angry with the girl for running off last night, though he couldn't say he blamed her much. In truth he had been more worried about her than angry. At least she didn't leave the castle.

He and Hermione actually talked to one another calmly for the first time last night since she showed up over four months ago. They agreed their fighting was hurting Silenus and that it had to end. They both wanted what was best for her. Hermione even admitted she was happy the two were getting on so well but that she felt a little bit jealous of their relationship. The confession floored Severus. Just the thought that Hermione could feel jealous of any relationship between Severus and Silenus was amazing. Silenus loved her mother. There was no question as to that or her loyalty. He was beginning to understand some of Hermione's anger at him as a result of this jealousy. He admitted he had resented her showing up at first but now he was thankful for the chance to know his daughter. It was time to let the anger go, to forgive her and maybe forgive himself in the process if he intended to have a future with his child. He still didn't know how he felt about Hermione but it was clear he was going to have to make an effort at friendship, at least where she was concerned. He had even offered to owl his solicitor to see what he could do about her alien status. She had a new hearing coming up in January. They took the last step in bridging the past with the present and agreed to joint custody of Silenus, it was time to work together.

Silenus sat in the corner of the sofa looking small and lost. She was looking at her hands, waiting for her father to start yelling. "By all rights you should have a week of detention for your actions last night. It was late and you had no right to be in the Astronomy tower." He was watching her movements. It was obvious she was afraid of what he would say or do.

Severus sighed and sat down next to his daughter. His voice was low and registered the weariness he was feeling. "Silenus, look at me." He waited for her to raise her eyes before continuing. "I'm not going to punish you. Your mother and I were worried about you. That's all. Do you understand it is not safe to wander the tower alone at night? I know our arguing has upset you. It should no longer be an issue in the future."

Her eyes were bright as she listened to him. "What do you mean 'no longer an issue in the future'? You're not going anywhere are you? Where's mom?" Was he leaving? Where was her mom?

"No. Your mother is fine and wants to see you sometime today and I have no intentions of leaving my dungeons." He swept his arm in an arc to indicate the room. "Where else would I find such elegant and spacious
accommodations?" She was worried he was leaving?

Silenus giggled and relaxed a bit. It was an odd gesture for him to make, so very contrary to his nature.

"Your mother and I have reached an...agreement for lack of a better word. We are going to share joint custody of you and make an effort to get along better. You are my daughter Silenus. I have no intentions of going anywhere." Severus found it hard to tell the girl how much she really meant to him.

"You both will have custody of me? Does one get the left side and the other gets the right?" She asked with a smirk.

"I would like the side that does not talk back. Which would that be?"

"Sorry, both sides talk." It was an old joke. "But I suppose you should take the right side since then you'll have the side that is always in its right mind."

Severus groaned as the clock over his desk chimed. Another hand had appeared last night with Hermione's picture on it. He couldn't figure out what was causing the clock to change. The hand with Silenus's picture moved to, "Your roommates are awake and breakfast is in 24 minutes. Go shower."

Silenus looked at the clock and laughed. She had notice the hand with her picture a while back when they were playing chess. She pointed to the clock. "That's the weirdest clock I've every seen. Now it has mom's picture too."

"Indeed." Severus believed the clock might have been possessed at the very least. He would dwell on that later. "Odd or not, it is good advice. You must never run off like that again. Now. Go before I change my mind and decide on a detention."

Silenus hugged and kissed her dad and was out the door in a flash. "Bye dad. Thanks."

Severus sank back down to the sofa behind him. It had been a long night. He had lain awake on the sofa for hours trying to come to terms with the events of the evening. There were days that were etched in his memory forever as turning points in his life, when he started Hogwarts, the night at the shrieking shack with the Marauders, when he graduated Hogwarts, the day he took the dark mark, the day he turned to Albus, the day Hermione disappeared, the end of the Dark Lord, the day Hermione showed up with his daughter. His life significantly changed with the passing of each of those days. He felt as if last night should be included in this list. His life changed again in some inexplicable way last night, he just couldn't say how it had changed. It occurred to him he forgot to ask his daughter about that hideous blanket she had, maybe later.

The clock over the desk chimed again. The hand with Silenus's picture moved to, "Leaving the Slytherin common room with mates." The hand with Hermione's picture moved to, "Heading for breakfast." The hand with his picture moved to, "What are you waiting for?"

What was he waiting for? With a quick spell to change into fresh clothing and robes, Severus left his chamber and headed out to meet the day.


TBC


A/N: 20/20 Vision as opposed to a blind date. Right. Next up the celebration, Ron and ….and more next time. Thank you to all who have reviewed. As always thoughts, comments, reviews, whatever are always welcome. A thank you to Casandra, the Goddess, my beta.

Regards, Pearle