Reflections of Desire

"Hi Mummy!" Sabrina cried out happily as Hermione stood laughing in the doorway. "I did Daddy's hair and now I'm doing his nails."

"I can see that." Hermione chuckled at the black look on Severus Snape's face as he glared up at her. His dark hair had been braided in what looked to be 100's of tiny braids, each topped with a ribbon, barrette or hair bauble. The nails of his left hand were painted a crimson red and his right hand was clutched in Sabrina's tiny one as she carefully dabbed polish on his pinky finger.

"There. All finished." The girl announced proudly, carefully replacing the brush in the polish bottle.

"Sabrina? Did you brush your teeth?" Hermione asked, still trying to rein in her laughter.

"Mmm hmm."

"Then give Daddy a kiss good night and Severus? Could you wait in the kitchen while I talk to Sabrina for a moment?" She watched as the little girl hugged him tightly around the neck and kissed him on the cheek, before turning to pull the covers down on her bed.

"Why would you do that to him?" Hermione hissed to her daughter when the Dark Wizard was out of earshot.

"Do what?" Sabrina asked innocently.

"You know what. Why would you do that to his hair and his nails?"

"Well I asked him and he said yes." Hermione narrowed her eyes at her daughter. "Victoire always tells me about fixing Uncle Bill's hair." Sabrina's voice grew higher and more defensive.

"And Victoire is a lot younger then you are. You're too old for this kind of thing."

"Well I never got to do it before now have I?" Sabrina huffed. "I asked Uncle Ron and Uncle Harry once and they both told me no. They said they were going to have to put up with it from their own daughter's one day, so they didn't have to put up with it from me. I just wanted to have some fun. Don't be cross Mummy." She gazed up at her Mother beseechingly.

"Oh I'm not cross." Hermione sighed. "Just...don't do things like that to him anymore. He's new at being a Dad and you're taking advantage."

"Alright Mummy. I'm sorry." Hermione kissed he daughter 'Good night'. Turning out the light, she tiptoed down the hall and into the kitchen. Pausing in the doorway, she struggled again not to laugh. Several bows and baubles had been ripped from his head and unceremoniously tossed onto the table, many with long black hairs still attached. Pressing her hand to her mouth, a laugh escaped as he pointed his wand at his head and several braids knotted and frizzed.

"Stop laughing at me." He growled menacingly as he pulled on a twisted and tangled braid. "How do I get these bloody things out." He barked, pointing his wand at his hair again.

"Stop, stop, stop." Hermione cried, rushing forward and grabbing his arm. "You're making it worse. Plus..." she broke out in peels of laughter. "your nails are still wet and you're getting hair all stuck to them."

He growled something unintelligible and reached for a tea towel, swiping it at his nails.

"Don't!" Hermione cried out, snatching the towel from his hands. "Just, sit here." She pushed him towards a kitchen chair. "And I'll sort you out."

"You're still laughing." He grumbled. "Stop laughing at me."

"I'm sorry." She laughed, wiping away the tears that were streaming down her face. "But I haven't seen you look this funny since Neville's Boggart. Oh do stop growling. You sound like a bear. Why did you let her do this to you?"

"Because," he huffed, "she asked. And she said please. And she looked at me with those...eyes. And I just couldn't say no."

"Well you're going to need to learn to say "no" to her Severus or she's going to walk all over you." Hermione sighed, her nimble fingers working to remove tiny braids.

"She said that Bill Weasley let's his daughter do it to him and I'll be damned if I'm a worse father then one of those weasels."

"I had no idea you were such a softie." She chuckled, tossing a handful of pink bows and brightly colored barrettes onto the table.

"I'm not. It's just..." His voice trailed off in a long sigh.

"I know." Hermione sighed too, patting him gently on the shoulder.

They fell silent as she worked methodically, unbraiding and untangling each small section of hair. Snape struggled not to purr with pleasure as she ran her fingers through each newly liberated lock of hair, her short nails scratching at his scalp.

"There's not a spell or a charm that you could use to do this?" He asked.

"Sure, if you want your hair to be a tangled up rat's nest. Why?"

"No reason. You just seem to be enjoying running your fingers through my hair." He teased. His lips curled up into a smirk as he heard the flustered tone in her voice.

"Do you want me to send you back to Hogwart's like this?" She asked, tugging roughly on a braid.

"Ow no!" He yelped."I'm sorry. I'll be quiet."

"You grew your hair out longer." Hermione said brushing down the unbraided length that now reached well past his shoulders.

"I thought I'd give her a bit more to work with." He followed her with his eyes as she moved across the kitchen, retrieving a small pink bottle and a handful of cotton balls. "Do you like it this way or should I keep it short?" He asked as she pulled out the kitchen chair next to him and took one of his hands in hers. Placing a cotton ball at the opening of the bottle, she tipped it, all the while staring thoughtfully at his head.

"I think I like it short. It makes you look younger." She said, rubbing the cotton ball across a crimson nail.

"Are you saying I'm old now?" He teased, watching carefully as she gripped his hand, rubbing the cotton ball along the sides of the nail bed and down to the cuticle. "Bloody hell that stuff stinks. I suppose there's no spell or charm for this either?" He smirked.

"Not if you want it done properly. Would you like to do it yourself?" She glared up at him.

"No, no. You're doing a fine job. Carry on."

"Then stop your whinging."

"Fine. No more whinging." He agreed, watching as she worked on his nails, enjoying the feel of her fingers on his. "She's worried about school you know."

"Anything specific or just a general worry?"

"Houses. She thinks if she's in Gryffindor she'll disappoint me and if she's in Slytherin she'll disappoint you and everyone else."

"What did you tell her?"

"That we will be proud of her no matter what house she's in."

"That's true." Hermione said. "As long as she's not in..."Hufflepuff." They said together. She laughed softly as she examined his nails. "There you go, all back to your manly self."

"Thank you." He said, staring down at his clean nails. "You know, I don't even think I'd mind if she were in Hufflepuff."

"I wouldn't either." Hermione said, replacing the cap on the pink bottle. "But she won't be. I could see her being placed in Slytherin. She's clever enough to get our world's most notorious spy and double agent to let her paint his nails crimson."

"And see, all along I just thought it was foolish Gryffindor bravery that made her bold enough to even ask me." He chuckled. "Well I've taken up enough of your time. I should be heading back to Hogwarts."

"Alright." Hermione smiled, rising from the table with him. "Thank you so much for watching her for me."

"It was my pleasure." He said trailing behind her to the living room. Stepping up into the floo he turned and grinned rakishly at her. "And you said you liked it better short?" Pointing his wand at his hair, Hermione smiled as his hair rose to collar length before he disappeared in a flash of green.