Maternal Instinct

Ginny scowled, but Molly smiled fondly, "We're Weasley's, darling," She explained, gesturing to herself and her daughter, "I'm Molly Weasley and this is Ginny Weasley."

"How many Weasley's are there?" Corrin asked he older woman.

Molly laughed lightly, "There's quite a few of us I’m afraid, dear. Who are you then?"

"I'm Corrin," The girl smiled, obviously more comfortable now she knew what, exactly, a Weasley was. She looked up at Ginny curiously, "Have you seen Hermione this morning? She said she wasn't coming, but I heard her laughing! I really did!"

Ginny opened her mouth, but Molly jumped in, "What does Hermione usually do with you, sweetheart?"

"We play with my cat..." Corrin said guardedly, her black eyes narrowing, as if it was some secret between Hermione and herself.

Molly took her small hand gently, "Well, why don't you show me this cat?" As Corrin led her in search of Mr. Snuggles, she looked back at her daughter, saying quietly, "Behave yourself, Ginevra Weasley, and be nice. I'm warning you, young lady."

Ginny turned to Severus, "Well... Aren't you going to take me somewhere so I can sit down? Or offer me a drink?"

Severus shook her head, still smirking, "No, Miss Weasley. Please, say what you have come to say and then get out."

"Fine," The young woman huffed, fumbling for words, seemingly losing some of her confidence. She tried to find her train of thought again, "Fine... Well, we just heard Ron and Hermione fighting over you..."

When she paused, Severus inclined his head, "I'm flattered, really, but your brother isn't my type."

Ginny snarled, "You know what I meant! Anyway, I came here to warn you, Snape, that if you're playing with Hermione, or planning to hurt her, I will hurt you. And I won't just be me - Ron and Harry will hunt you down like a hippogriff and murder you!"

Severus raised an eyebrow, "I realize that Hermione has been through a lot and I can assure you -"

"You can't assure me of anything!" The redhead almost yelled, "I know your type -"

"My type?" He asked mildly, "Slytherins? You can't talk, Weasley. I've been told about your choice of fiancé -"

"Leave Draco out of this!" She snapped, turning a deep scarlet colour, "He's nothing like you!"

"No, he's not." Severus agreed, "He's younger, smaller and, of course, blonde... And a bit on the stupid side, as well."

Ginny glared at him, "I'm just here to warn you. Make sure she's what you want before you start messing about with her emotions - or any other part of her, for that matter!" She spun on her heel, "MUM!"

Molly hurried out of the living room and up to them, as Ginny pushed passed Severus and out of the font door. Molly smiled at him apologetically, "Sorry about her, dear. Good bye." She quickly followed her daughter out of the house. As Severus shut the door, he could hear her chastising Ginny, "You really should try to control your temper, Ginny. Perhaps you need some anger management classes..."

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Hermione leaned back against the tiled wall of the shower, watching the water rain down. She was tired of fighting with Ron over things that didn't involve him. It had been hard, but she had forgiven him for leaving her when she needed him the most. Of course he had been upset when she lost his baby those years ago, but he had had his family. Her parents had been on holiday. She had been alone, while Ron had been at the Burrow with his mother and father to look after him.

And she had forgiven him.

He had left her and now, just because she was living with him again, he was trying to tell her who she was allowed to see and what she was allowed to do! He was about as sensitive as a brick.

And Hermione... Well, she really, really, wanted Severus. It was a strange feeling, to want to be near someone so much, but she couldn't help it. She just wanted to be back in that house, with the cutest little girl in the world and... Severus himself.

Hermione sighed and turned off the shower, before stepping out and wrapping a towel around herself. She had no reason to go back to his house today. No reason at all. The thought made her feel slightly sick; she had become used to him.

More than that, she actually liked him. In a fluttery-stomach, giggly, rapidly-beating-heart kind of way. She had never felt that type of emotion for anyone, but she supposed it was because they had never really seen eye-to-eye before she started working for him, and even then, in the beginning, he had tried to get rid of her.

Hermione looked around the bathroom for her wand so that she could dry her hair, but she couldn't find it. Grumbling to herself, she dressed quickly and then went to her room, but it wasn't there either. She towel dried her hair, before going down stairs.

Ron was obviously hiding in his room, and Hermione turned the house upside down. Her wand was nowhere.

Well, perhaps she did have a reason to back to Severus’ house after all.

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

At first he though he was dreaming, then he heard her voice call out again. He stepped out of the kitchen as Hermione shut the front door behind her and Corrin ran out of the living room screaming, "I've seen a Weasley! I've seen a Weasley!"

Hermione smiled, distractedly, "That's lovely, Sweetie." She turned to him, "Have you seen my wand? I think I left it here."

He shrugged, "If it's anywhere here, it'll be upstairs. Go and look."

She smiled and went up, Corrin running after her. After a second, he followed. Corrin was in her bedroom, so Severus went to his and shut the door. Hermione jumped around to face him, startled, clutching her wand.

"You found it then." He observed mildly.

She glared at him, "Well this isn't a stick I just pulled off a tree, is it!" Severus raised an eyebrow and she sighed, putting her wand in her pocket, "I'm sorry. Ron's just got me all..." She made a frustrated growling noise, curling her fingers into fists. He moved over to her and uncurled her fingers one by one. When he was finished, he raised his gaze to hers and she smiled, "Actually, I was glad for a reason to get out of the house."

Severus smirked, "I thought you had things to do today."

She rolled her eyes, "I was going to go shopping - seeing as Malfoy interrupted me the other day - but me and Ron argued, and fighting with Ron is tiring."

"It looks like it's a day for enraged redheads then, doesn't it. You see, I had a visit from Molly and the future Mrs. Malfoy."

Hermione looked up sharply, "Ginny was here? And Molly? Why?"

"Apparently," Severus sighed, "They overheard you and that moron that Molly calls her youngest son, and came to tell me to make sure you are what I want before messing with your emotions..." His expression was half-sneer and half-smirk, "Under the threat of castration, naturally."

Hermione winced and covered her mouth to hide her laughter, "Ginny can be very... protective; and imaginative when it comes to threats." Quickly, she calmed herself, "I'm sorry. I'll tell her leave you alone."

"Aren't you interested in what I would have said, had she given me a chance to speak?" He asked quietly, one hand sliding up to rest on the side of her throat, his thumb brushing over her pulse.

"No," she quietly, but adamantly, "I don't care."

"You do," He countered, his other arm slipping around her waist, "Do you want to know what I would have said?"

She shrugged and looked away, "If it make you feel better to tell me then go ahead. There's no chance of you messing with my emotions, because they aren't involved."

Gently, Severus slid the hand on her neck around her shoulders and drew her close. She rested her cheek on his chest and he stroked her hair, "They are involved, Hermione, whether you want them to be or not. They're involved with the house... Corrin... that horrible cat..." She made a noise of amusement, and he sighed, "... And me..."


Slowly, she leaned back and looked up at him, eyes sparkling. He kissed her gently, then pulled back and stroked her hair. She sighed.

"I love you."

"!"!"!"!"!"!"!"!"

A/N: Oooh! The suspense! Lol! Thank you all so much for every review! I love them so much!

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