Daddy Dearest II

The Consequences

"Severus Tobias Snape! You gave your word you'd stop interfering with Jaden's social life!" an angry Hermione told her husband as he sat behind his desk in the Headmaster's office, a dull look in his eyes. He always looked like that when Hermione nagged him.

"And don't give me those 'uncaring' eyes! Jaden is very upset, and she had a right to be. It took her more than two hours to remove that charm. Really, Severus. A "Touch-Her-Not" charm? I can imagine how many books you had to pore through to find that one. It hasn’t been used since the Dark Ages!" the little witch said, her hands on her hips. "Now, what do you have to say for yourself?"

Snape's eyes regained life as he studied his wife. He'd like to bend her over his desk and give her what for. Really, what did she expect? That's he'd let a wizard, particularly a Potter, paw all over his only issue?

"Firstly, wife, I did not give my word to discontinue my continuing interest in my daughter's social interactions. I gave my word that I would no longer use House elves to shadow her," the Headmaster said. "And I kept my word."

"James Potter could have been badly hurt," Hermione chided him.

"And dreams can come true," Snape replied witheringly, "but the young scamp suffered little more than a slight shock. The only thing injured was his raging libido."

"Yes, but he could have been killed cleaning the outside of the North Tower with a toothbrush and without a wand. Sybil Trelawney almost made him fall off the rigging three times by sticking her head out of the window and uttering predictions of his early demise! It was terrible!"

"It was character-building," Snape retorted, "Clean tower, clean mind."

"You act like the boy attacked Jaden. It was just a kiss, Severus! A simple kiss. Completely harmless," Hermione told him.

Snape quirked his lip at her.

"You should know as well as anything, what a simple kiss can lead to . . . and how quickly, Hermione," he purred at her.

Hermione colored as he surreptiously brought up how their relationship began. It had started with a kiss from the dark wizard, but ended up with him bouncing off her body like a trampoline by the end of the night. She couldn't help herself from falling, and Snape had been right there to catch her. Of course, in their case it ended up becoming a true relationship and ending in marriage. But it could have so easily been a hot, fast tryst with the wizard saying, "Thanks for the ride, lady."

"That's not a fair comparison, Severus. Jaden isn't me, and I was much older," Hermione replied, still red.

"My point exactly. If at the age of twenty-seven, your passionate nature ran away with you, how much more can I suspect that at the tender age of sixteen, Jaden will not be swept away as well? She is her mother's daughter," he said softly. "Passion can hit an experienced person with the force of a monsoon and carry them away. Jaden is far too young to be tempted by it, Hermione."

"You can't stop nature, Severus," she chided him.

"No, but I can slow it down to a crawl," he replied.

Hermione let out a sigh of exasperation.

"Right now, Jaden hates you. Do you know that? Everyone in the school is saying a wizard is taking his life in his hands if he even approaches her," she told him.

Snape smiled evilly.

"Perfect," he responded. "Just the reaction I was hoping for. Jaden will get over it. Later, when she's matured more, she'll thank me for being a vigilant and protective Father Figure."

Hermione shook her head.

"Severus, if you keep this up, you're going to drive her to do what you don't want her to do out of desperation. She's a smart witch, and you're not going to be able to cast another spell on her without her knowledge. She's going to check every time she even sees you," Hermione warned.

"She won't be able to do it without a partner," he replied.

"I can't believe you, Severus," Hermione spat at him, thoroughly aggravated by his unrepentant responses. He really believed he was doing the right thing interfering in his daughter's social development.

"You know, the Christmas Ball is coming up, Severus, and right now . . . Jaden doesn't have a chance of being asked to go because of you. The Christmas Ball. Can you imagine how she'll feel being left out? And it will be because of you. How can you be so cruel?"

Severus didn't say anything, but he hadn't given a thought to the Christmas Ball. Of course Jaden would want to attend, and she should attend . . . but . . .

"I'm not purposely being cruel, Hermione. I just want what's best for her, and what's best for her is not James Bloody Potter!" he growled.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Aren't you ever going to get over that? The Potters are a fine family. You spent a large part of your life protecting Harry. If not for you, young James wouldn't even be here," she told him.

"Yes, I know that. It's a true pity that hindsight is twenty-twenty," he mused. "Perhaps, if I'd done things differently . . ."

"I can't believe you, Severus! Consider yourself cut off until you learn to show Jaden a little respect concerning her social life. You can't always be there to protect her. She has to experience life for herself if she's going to deal with it successfully. She needs to deal with wizards, Severus, if only to learn how not to be duped by them. Now, I'm going back to work, but your bedcoverings will be waiting . . . on the sofa!"

Hermione stormed out of his office, Snape blinking after her, then sighing.

She always cut off the kitty supply at times like this, knowing he hated that. They'd been together more than two decades and she still made him crazy for her. Hermione Snape was indeed his one true weakness, closely followed by Jaden.

He rubbed his temples, feeling the beginnings of a headache coming on. He had to do something about this to get back in the women in his life's good graces.

He knew just what to do.

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Scorpius Malfoy was seated in the Common Room, chatting up a few Slytherin witches. The good-looking, rich young wizard was quite the catch, and the fantasy of many of the school's female population. Unlike earlier Malfoys, however, he wasn't a pig when it came to the fairer sex, although he was quite aware he could plow through half of Hogwarts if he wanted to.

It would be wonderful to say this was because he was of better character than his sire and grandfather, but unfortunately that wasn't the case.

He preferred men.

He hadn't yet acted on it, and dated a few witches to hide his inclination. Being Draco's only male heir made his situation difficult.

Since he didn't go farther than snogging the witches he went out with, Scorpius had garnered quite the reputation of being a "gentleman" although the witches tried their best to make him less of one.

Suddenly, a shadow fell on him, and the witches surrounding him hastily excused themselves. He looked up, paling a bit as he met the Headmaster's black eyes.

"Come with me, Mr. Malfoy," Snape said, walking away.

Scorpius quickly followed him.

Snape led the bewildered wizard to his office and sat him down, studying him.

"You have a stellar reputation with witches, Mr. Malfoy. You are considered a "gentleman." You haven't once sullied a single witch at this institution despite your good looks and popularity. It is quite commendable," he said to the wizard. "Do you have a date for the Christmas Ball?"

"N-no, sir," Scorpius replied.

"Well, you do now, Mr. Malfoy," Snape replied with a slight grin.

"You do now."

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A/N: Just had to write another short. I still don't consider this an actual story though. Lol. I just finished writing a chappie for "A Turn for the Better" and this scene popped into my head. I don't know if and when I'll write another one. Anyway, I'm going to probably have to move this from the HG/SS pairing. Any suggestions where to put it?