Unwanted

"Happy birthday, Sprite!" Ron lifted the five year old into his arms as she ran full tilt into the Burrow. She hugged him hard and gave him a kiss on his scarred cheek, his battle wound from helping to save her from Wormtail. Severus dropped her brightly wrapped presents on the kitchen table and greeted Arthur and Dumbledore. Her extended family was here to celebrate Christmas and her birthday. "Daddy said I'm old enough to get a little broom now!"

"Really? Do ya think you might have gotten one?" Ron bent and put her down, kissing her curly head.

"I hope so. I really want to learn to ride one. I really wanted a wand, but Daddy says I'm too little still." Tristyn frowned and pouted, pointedly looking at her father.

"And you're still too young, little miss. Go find someone to play with. And what else?"

"No magic." Tristyn sighed. Her magic was natural, tied in with her emotions. But she did try not to use it. Except for that third year student that teased her about her curly curly hair. It wasn't her fault that she wished his mouth would just stay shut. It had only taken Madame Pomfrey two days to get it back. She trudged off to the livingroom where the Weasley grandchildren were gathered. The only one old enough to play with was little Ed, Bill and Fleur's oldest son, who was six months younger than her.

She’d much rather be in the kitchen with the adults, but she knew they were going to talk ‘adult stuff’. Severus dropped into a chair and sighed.

“Long night?”
“She was excited about her birthday. She woke up at 12:05 am expecting presents. Like it was bloody Christmas!”

Arthur laughed and extended a tea cup with a healthy dose of Odgens. “Don’t let Molly know what’s in there. She’s on the warpath about my drinking such rot as she calls it.”

“The woman doesn’t know good alcohol when she doesn’t drink it.” Severus sipped, then took a healthier swallow. He didn’t drink at school anymore, not with Tristyn in their quarters, even though Dopey was her elf, he didn’t feel comfortable doing it.

“You went to the US this weekend, Severus?”

“Nothing. I found nothing again, of course. It’s like she disappeared off the face of the damn earth.”

“It’s been five years, Severus. You might have to consider the worst, that she didn’t survive the apparation across the ocean. She had only learned apparation the summer before.”

“I can’t accept that, Arthur. I can’t. I vowed to protect her and I will. I will find her.”

Albus listened and sighed, the twinkle from his eyes missing as he considered Severus’ dilemna. He’d been searching for Hermione more often since Tristyn had asked about her mother on Halloween. He was determined to find his wayward wife.

“Maybe Minerva and I can join you next weekend when you go searching.”

“I’m planning on leaving Tristyn with Molly and going for the entire Holiday vacation. But you are welcome to come along. If you’re up to the long apparation, old man.” Severus smirked at his boss.

“So, what did everyone get the little rugrat for her birthday?” Ron piped in, diffusing the tension in the room.

“A broom.” Severus, Harry and Ron said together. Severus sighed again. Again, the three of them had gotten identical presents for his daughter.

“I’m joking. I got her a kitten. A little tiny white kitten. So you’ll be able to find it in that dank dungeon of yours.”

“Ha, Weasley. It is neither dark, nor dank in the dungeons. At least in my section of the dungeons.” Severus finished his drink and stood. “I’ll be looking for my daughter. Heaven knows she has the children staging a coup against the women.”

“Poor thing, going to be a Slytherin, I tell you.” Harry shook his head, laughing.

“Of course, she is. No child of mine would ever consider being a Gryffindor.” Severus said with a sneer as he left the kitchen.

“Should we tell him?” Ron peeked into the livingroom to make sure the potions master was distracted by his daughter and honorary neices and nephews.

“No, Mr. Weasley. She’s not well still. It is heartening to know that he hasn’t given up hope of finding her, isn’t it, though?” Albus smiled at the Weasleys and Harry.

“You think he’ll be able to find her if we drop enough hints?”

“I think she needs to continue her treatment before she returns home to husband and daughter. She doesn’t need another setback. And according to Welson, she’s close to being able to handle everything that had happened to her."

"Where is she, Headmaster?" Harry asked. He wasn't the first to ask the question, but Albus refused. He wanted the husband and wife to come together without her friends' interference.

"As surmised five years ago, Harry, she is in North America. I cannot answer anything other than that until Hermione herself returns and is able to fill everyone in on her adventures across the big pond."

"What an adventure. Locked up somewhere with no idea where she came from and how to get back. Bloody Muggles probably didn't believe her either when she was able to tell them the truth." Ron scoffed. Albus said nothing. The boy didn't know how close to the truth he was.

"We should probably join everyone for Tristyn's birthday. It's not every day that a little girl turns five years old." Albus got up off the kitchen chair and moved slowly into the Burrow's living room after Severus. The remaining men looked at one another, shrugged and followed the old headmaster.

Severus held Tristyn against his chest, cradled protectively there as he apparated the two of them back to Spinner's End. It was the Christmas holidays and he planned on spending a couple of days with the girl before heading off to look for Hermione once again. He waved his wand and the door opened for him and his sleepy daughter.

"Daddy? Are you going away again?"

"I had planned on it, little one. I was going to go look for your mummy again."

"Oh." She yawned and hugged him tighter as he carried her up the stairs. "I made a birthday wish."

"You shouldn't tell it, else it won't come true."

"Uncle Albus says it'll come true. I wished for my mummy."

"I figured you would." Severus shouldered open her bedroom door and lay her down on the bedspread. She lay on her side, cradling the white kitten her Uncle Ron had given her.

"You're going to find her. I know you will, Daddy. Don't forget to make Rover a potty. I don't want him to have an accident in his new home."

"Oh, no." Severus frowned, but the girl was so happy with the little pet that he didn't have the heart to tell her 'no.' He was going to have to make Mr. Weasley pay for this little gift. He'd have prefered almost that the three of them had gotten her the same thing again. Instead, Harry had gotten her the broom servicing kit, identical to the one her mother had gotten him, while Severus had had the honor of buying his daughter her first training broom. After the cake and presents the children had gone outside and watched the adults play Quiddich and Severus teach his daughter. She had wanted to join in the game, but it had gotten a little rough, especially when the twins had started hitting the bludgers at each other for some slight no one else knew a thing about. "I think we should have your Uncle Ronald come over here and take care of this bloody thing himself."

"Rover's mine. I'll take care of him, Daddy. But he needs a potty." Tristyn yawned again, getting white fur on her lips as they brushed her cat.

"Did you have a good birthday celebration, love?"

"The bestest. I got Ed to eat a worm in the garden. Then his grammy made him spit it out. She's no fun. And I felt Aunt Ginny's tummy. There's two babies in there. How'd that happen, Daddy?"

"Oh, no, little one. It's too late for that kind of question tonight." Severus laughed, hoping to avoid that question for a little while longer. Preferably after she'd graduated from Hogwarts.

"Oh. Can I come look for Mummy? I want to help find her." Tristyn asked, her eyes closed. But Severus knew that she was now wider awake that she appeared.

"It's very difficult. I apparate from one place to another with hardly any rest in between."

"Please, Daddy?"

"I'll consider it. It's time for you to go to bed. Put your furball down and go get your nightclothes on. Don't forget to take care of your teeth and wash your face and hands, please." He reminded her. She sat up and let go of the kitten, which catapulted off the bed once free of it's confinement and sat on the edge of her bed.

"My eyes feel dirty." She whined, rubbing them with her knuckles.

"It's because you're so very tired. Little girls aren't made to stay up so late."

"I like staying up late, though." She pulled her shirt up over her head and tossed it in the direction of her hamper. Severus sighed in mock frustration. Usually, she was quite neat, but her tiredness was going to turn into cranky very soon if he didn't nip the attitude in the bud now. He'd make her clean her room in the morning instead of now, to head off that argument. He wondered which thing he'd cave on first. Probably the bathroom ablutions. The easiest of the routine to get rid of.

"You can stay up late on your eleventh birthday when you're a student here at school. Stop dawdling, Tristyn."

She grumbled but finished putting her nightgown on, letting her father take down the ponytail binding her dark curls. She lifted her arms, expecting her good night kiss and hug. Severus did so, then tucked her in. He'd just make sure she got everything in the morning. Tristyn slid under her pink sheets and rolled over to her side, tucking her hands under her cheek . 'She looks like a little angel.' He thought with a snort. He doubted any child of his could ever be considered an angel.

He walked out of her room, closing the door most of the way and headed down to the livingroom. He pulled a book off the shelf at random and sat to read.

A/N~~ whew! A bit longer chapter. Hope everyone's enjoying reading it as much as I'm having fun writing it. I swear (!) that Hermione's coming up, but Tristyn's just a little attention hound and she made me write about her birthday lol. Thanks for all the reviews, keep doing it, it helps me write faster!

Marti