Maternal Instinct

"Hermione?"

"Yeah?" Hermione tucked the bed covers around the little girl, then sat on the edge of the mattress.

"Did you ask daddy about staying with me?" Corrin asked.

Hermione smiled and nodded, "Of course I did. I will be looking after you."

Corrin beamed and sat up, throwing her arms around Hermione neck, "Yay! Are you gonna live here with me? Or will you leave at night?"

Hermione sat back and pushed the girl back onto her pillows, tucking her in again, "I don't think your quite old enough to be left on your own yet. One day maybe, in a few years time; what do you think?"

"Oh no," Corrin shook her head, "I'm old enough now."

"Really?" Hermione laughed.

She nodded earnestly, with a child's innocence, "Mummy told me so. She used to leave me to see her friends and she said I was big enough to take care of myself."

Hermione’s smile fell for a moment, but when Corrin frown and asked what was wrong, she quickly hitched it back onto her face, "Nothing, Sweetie... No, I'll be staying with you -"

"Will daddy come home more? Like at weekends and stuff? He never did that before, but I don't think he liked mummy very much. But now you're here, he's around more. Will he come home more to see you?" Corrin said, showering Hermione with questions.

The woman shrugged, "I don't know. Why don't you ask him?"

"Can you ask him?"

"It would be better if you ask him," Hermione pressed, "If he did want to come back more often, it would be because of you. You should ask him."

Corrin shook her head, "No, mummy used to say that I was in the way and not to talk to him too much, incase he got angry and shouted at her. She said that she didn't want to get shouted at for something I had done, so I should just keep away from him. I think that's why she got you; to get me out of the way."

Hermione shook her head, saying slowly and clearly, making sure Corrin would understand, "Your mum was lying, Sweetie. Your daddy loves you lots and he does want you around."

"Really!" The girl asked excitedly, "Does he really? Can I see him now? Please!"

Hermione pursed her lips, "I don't think you should; it's too late and you should be asleep -"

"I can't sleep now! I'm too happy! Please Hermione! Please! I'll die if I don't see him now!" Corrin said, as she sat up and pushed back the covers.

"Come on then," Hermione sighed, "But quickly."

Corrin ran from the bedroom and down the stairs, while Hermione trailed slowly behind. When she got to the living room, the girl had wrapped herself around her father, who was sitting on the sofa, a look of mild bewilderment on his face.

He looked up at her and she smiled, "Come on Corrin. You've got all day tomorrow."

Reluctantly, Corrin got up and trudged back up to her room, "But I can't wait that long!"

Hermione tucked her back into bed, "The sooner you go to sleep, the sooner tomorrow will come." She kissed the girl’s forehead, "Good night."

Corrin sighed and wriggled down on the mattress, "Night night..."

Hermione turned the light out and closed the door slightly, though not all the way. She went back down stairs and found Severus in the hall, obviously waiting for her.

"What was all that about?" he asked.

Hermione frowned, "Amy told Corrin not to go near you so you wouldn't get angry and shout at her."

"Shout at Corrin?"

She shook her head, "So you wouldn't shout at Amy. She was protecting herself when she told Corrin to stay away from you. Corrin thought that you didn't want her, but I told that you did, of course... And, before I came, Amy used to leave Corrin on her own when you were at Hogwarts, so that she could go out with her friends." Hermione rubbed her hand over her face, "How can someone do that? Leave a child all alone? It's irresponsible... and... And stupid. I'm sorry, but you married some sort of... mental freak, or something, because there is defiantly something wrong with a mother who leaves her daughter alone so that she can go out and socialize!"

Severus nodded, sneering, "It's probably best that she isn't here at the moment, for health and safety reasons... her health and safety."

Hermione smiled, "Well, you'll have to give Corrin a lot of attention tomorrow." She pulled her coat from a hook by the front door and slipped it on, "You'll have to tell me how it goes."

"What?" He frowned, moving towards her.

"It's Saturday tomorrow," She reminded him, wrapping her scarf around her neck, "My day off."

"But I’ve never had a full day alone with her before." he argued.

Hermione smiled, "There's a first time for everything. I can't come anyway, even if I wanted to... Ron's taking me out."

"Where?" Severus asked suspiciously, as she opened the front door.

Hermione shrugged, "I don't know. Just Diagon Alley to go shopping probably. He's not very imaginative, or creative... Well, I’ll see you on Monday, then." Impulsively, she stepped forwards and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek, "Good night."

Then she turned and retreated from the house.

""""""""""""""""""""

Severus stood, staring at the door. He swallowed, his mind oddly blank. He tried to force himself to think of something consciously, but all he could see was Hermione.

A whole weekend without her... and without Amy... Just himself and his daughter. A whole two days...

Although, it might work to his advantage. He had to talk to Lucius and he wasn't ready to spend a whole day with Corrin yet. So, he could spend the morning with Corrin, then leave her with Albus - he old wizard adored her - and go and see Malfoy.

Yes, it sounded very organized and it might keep his mind away from Hermione enough, so that he wouldn't feel the loneliness he was feeling now.

""""""""""""""""""""

"Hermione, are you finished yet?"

Ron's voice cut through Hermione thoughts and she realized she was staring blankly at the cover of a book about Harry. She had been thinking - wondering - about what Severus and Corrin were doing.

She put the book back on the table she had found it on and turned to the red head, "Look, if you're bored, why don't you go to that Quidditch shop while I look here. I'll come and find you later and we can get something to eat. Alright?"

He nodded, "Fine, but hurry up. I'm starving!"

"You always are!" Hermione called after him as he left Flourish and Blots.

She wandered around the shop, but found nothing that interested her. Deciding to go and find Ron, Hermione left the shop. She strolled down the street, in no real hurry, but stopped to look at a poster on a wall near a small, dark passage that led to a back-entrance of some sort of shop.

The poster was about Harry - she smiled, who else. Apparently, he was going to do a public signing of the knew book that was out about him; the one she had been looking at in Flourish and Blots. He didn't really like the attention, but he liked to meet real witches and wizards, liked to prove that he knew he was no better than them.

Hermione wasn't really sure what happened; one second she was staring at a picture of her friend and the next, she was being pushed, face first, against the cold, hard wall of the dark alley. She turned her head, so her left cheek was pressed against the stone.

A body crushed itself to her from behind, hands pinning her wrists to the wall at her waist, hot breath panting against her neck. Hermione tried to pull her hands free, but stopped fighting when the person spoke.

"Keep going, mudblood. I love it when they struggle."

When she stilled, Malfoy brought his knee up and pressed it hard against her small palm, freeing one hand whilst keeping hers pinned to the wall. He pulled out his wand and muttered something Hermione couldn't hear properly. Then he let both of her hands go, but as she tried to move away, she found them stuck to the stone.

Her breath came in short gasps as she tried desperately to pull her hands from the wall, but it was useless. She shuddered and Malfoy laughed as he pushed her hard against the wall again, his hands pressing on her back. Then he moved, and it was his chest pressing on her back instead.

"I've always wanted to try my... talents out on you, mudblood." He breathed against her neck, "I doubt that you would be so jumped-up if I did. We'll just have to wait and see."

Immediately, Hermione started fighting again, frantically trying to get away. But Malfoy only laughed and wrapped one hand around the nape of her neck, pinching, sending sharp pains down her back. The other hand moved up and pulled her t-shirt away from her shoulder. Hermione pushed back, trying hard to get him away from her.

However, he seemed to stop finding it amusing. His fingers pinched harder at her neck and she let out a whimper as his teeth closed around her shoulder. Suddenly, his jaws snapped together, his teeth drawing blood.

"WHAT ARE YOU? A VAMPIRE?" Hermione screamed, feeling liquid dribble from the cut, down the front and back of her shoulder.

Malfoy lifted his head, "No, I’m much, much worse..."

He waved his wand again. But before Hermione could get her hands away from the wall by herself, he had them tightly in his own and they apparated.

""""""""""""""""""""

The front door opened a crack and a pale face peeked out. Then the door opened wider to allow Severus entrance. Narcissa shut the door silently behind him.

Severus watched her for a moment. Her shoulders were drawn up slightly and her head was bowed; straight, silvery-blonde hair falling into her face. Her left arm hung limp at her side, while her right arm stretched across her stomach to rub her other elbow, the corner of her mouth twitching in pain as she did so.

"Is he in?" he asked at last, startling her.

Narcissa shook her head, a look of relief on her face, "N-no... He went out." her voice dropped to a whisper, "Merlin help whoever he is after. I haven't seen him so... worked up for a long time. Not since... the Dark Lord fell."

She shifted, as if to step forward, but she didn't. Narcissa looked up at him, then glanced away, and then looked up again. Her breathing got faster and faster, until she was unable to control herself, her emotions erupting; and she threw herself at him, screaming inarticulate words.

Severus held her awkwardly and she cried, "I... I can't do it any more! I can't p-put up with him! I'm... I... I'm s-scared!"

"Why don't you just leave?" He asked, exasperated, "Draco's gone; you don't have that excuse any more. Just go!"

"I can't!" She wailed, "I..." She sighed into his shoulder, "I love him..." She stepped back and wiped her eyes, "And even if I didn't, I can't leave... He would find me and kill me! You know that, Severus! Help me, please! Help me..."

Severus sighed, "Leave. And if you're so scared of him finding you, you know who to talk to."

"Dumbledore?" She sniffed.

He nodded, "He would be more than willing to hide you; you know that."

"Why do you want to see Lucius?" Narcissa asked suddenly, "You shouldn't. He's psychotic! Truly insane! You should leave before he comes home!"

"No," Severus shook his head, "I really have to see him."

She sighed and looked at the floor, "Very well,"

""""""""""""""""""""

The room looked as if it had been carved from marble; floors, walls and ceiling. Hermione tore herself away from Malfoy and turned to face him, backing away.

How was she supposed to get away? She tried to apparate, but there were wards up that prevented it, and the only door in the room was the one that Malfoy was in front of. The bite on her shoulder was stinging, blood still trickling out of it, staining her white t-shirt red.

Fear was creeping through her; she had always been scared of him - to and extent - but never like this. There was only one time when her fear of him had come close to the fright she was feeling now, but that had been in her fifth year, in the Department of Mysteries. And even then her emotions had been dulled by her young age.

Now she knew how dangerous he really was. He had bitten her! Drawn blood! He was mad! And he was advancing on her, cornering her like a deer in headlights.

Her eyes widened and a squeak escaped her, as her back hit the wall. Malfoy smirked drawing his wand and pointing it at her. And still he came closer. Hermione panicked, finding it hard to breath, and she couldn't help herself: when he was near enough, she stamped on his foot. Hard. With the stiletto heel of her shoe.

Malfoy hissed, but before Hermione could move, he fisted his hand in her hair and pulled her head back, before smashing her temple against the marble wall.

Dark stars rose up in front of her eyes, bursting into flashes of light, her head swimming, pain shooting through her scull. Tears blurred her vision, until there were too many resting in her eyes and they overflowed silently onto her cheeks.

Malfoy laughed, grabbing her wrist, "Well, I must admit, I underestimated you, mudblood. I should have expected some fight - but don't worry, fight all you want; as I’ve said before, I love it. And by all means, be as vocal as you want. I love that, too."

When Hermione did nothing but gasp for breath, he sneered and squeezed her wrist. But she kept stubbornly silent, biting her lip until it bled. Pain shot down her arm and he carried on tightening his grip, until there was a sharp snap and Hermione screamed.