Maternal Instinct

"So what's wrong with the snotty little... thing?"

Hermione had just shut the door to Corrins bedroom when Amy came up the hall wearing plastic gloves and a mask over her face. That really set Hermione teeth on edge.

"Your daughter has a cold, Mrs. Snape. Perhaps you should go in and see how she's feeling." Hermione said, putting her hands on her hips.

Amy stepped back, flapping her arms, "Oh! Don't speak! You might breathe germs on me!"

Hermiones hands curled into fists, but before she allowed herself to strangle the woman, she turned and headed down the stairs.

She searched the house, but Snape was no where. She was ready to give up and go back to Corrin when she saw a shadow out in the back garden. She slid the door open and stepped out into the sun.

Leaning against the wall next to the door, Hermione looked to her right, "You shouldn't smoke; it's bad for your health."

"I don't..." He said, launching the cigarette into the air and blasting it with his wand. Snape turned to look at her, "... usually."

After living with Sir-Viktor-Krum-of-Boredom, Snapes remark actually made Hermione chuckle slightly. He raised an eyebrow.

She sighed, "You'll need to look after Corrin tonight; she really isn't very well."

He leaned back against the wall, looking out over the garden, "I think Amy was counting on you taking care of her."

Hermione shook her head, "I can't. I really wish I could... but Viktor doesn't like the hours I’m here already, so -"

"Ah, yes," He sneered, "I had heard of you and Krum getting together."

"Don't you start..." Hermione growled, "All I ever get is 'He's dumb. He's thick. What are you doing with him?' And that's from Ron alone... So, I’m sorry, I can't look after Corrin for the whole night, like she needs to be. Amy's her mother; she should do it."

"You know very well that she won't." He snapped.

"What about you? You're her father."

Before he could answer, a window opened above their heads and Amy poked her head out, "Herms, dear, the girl's crying again! Come and see to her!"

As the window closed, Hermione stamped her foot, "If she calls me 'Herms' one more time, I swear to God that I will murder her!"

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

Severus waited until Granger had gone back into the house, before he conjured another cigarette. He held it between his thumb and forefinger and looked at it. Granger was right - once again - smoking was bad for his health.

Once again, Severus threw it into the air, blasting it into tiny pieces. He found the exercise of 'blasting things' very therapeutic. He probably shouldn't, but if he didn't blast 'things', he would end up blasting Amy.

That sounded like a very nice idea, but it would only bring unwanted trouble; Severus just knew the woman would be a menace even if she was dead. Merlin, how he hated his wife.

He listened carefully for the rest of the day, watching Granger running around for Corrin and wondering why Amy wasn't doing it instead. Didn't she feel anything for her daughter at all? Weren't mothers supposed to dote on there little girls, and dress them up, and teach them every make-up spell ever made?

Wasn't Corrin good enough for Amy?

That thought made Severus angry. He didn't like the students at Hogwarts - that was no secret - but he knew that his opinion of them didn't matter as long as their parents or guardians loved them and cared for them. It was one of the only things he had a soft thought on, probably because his parents had never been very affectionate.

The way his parents had brought him up had ruined his life. Severus made no excuses for them; they had been terrible alone, but as couple they had been... just ridiculous. Why his mother hadn't had an abortion, Severus didn't know. When he was young - and had realized what a mistake becoming a Death Eater was - he used to wish she had just got rid of him when she had the chance.

But then, she had never really cared what would have been best for him, before or after he was born.

The only difference between his mother and Amy was that Amy was obsessed with her appearance and what people thought of her; his mother had never cared about things as superficial as that, but then again, she hadn't really cared about much at all - including her son.

It annoyed Severus that Hermione Granger had been more of a mother to Corrin, in the past few weeks that she had been with the girl, than Amy had ever been.

Maybe he had been too quick to judge Miss Granger. People changed as they grew up, after all. And, if he let himself admit it, she had earned a lot of his respect today for the way she was looking after Corrin. He had never seen some one care for an ill child and, to be totally honest, it left him hating Miss Granger less and Amy more.

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

"I'm going out now, Herms, darling." Amy said.

Hermione pulled her bag up on her shoulder, "You shouldn't be telling me; I’m going home."

"What?" Amy blinked, her great big fake eye lashes fluttering wildly, "No, dear. You have to stay here and look after the child. That's what you're being paid for."

"I do have my own life, Mrs. Snape." Hermione said through clenched teeth, "I can't be here every hour of the day."

"I'll pay you extra!" The woman said desperately, "Double! Triple! Any price you want!"

Hermione shook her head and moved towards the front door, "I'm sorry."

"I'll fire you!" Amy screamed, then she realized what she had said, "No! I didn't mean that! You're not fired! Come back now! Right now! I HAVE A PARTY TO GO TO!"

Hermione apperated from the doorstep to her living room, calling, "Viktor?"

"At last, you are home," He huffed, stepping out of the bedroom, dressed in a suit.

Hermione clapped her hand over her mouth, "I am so sorry! I forgot about your parents."

"Get ready quickly." He demanded, "We are going to be late."

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

It was nearing midnight and Severus was almost tearing his hair out. Corrin wouldn't stop crying and he didn't know what to do. He had been up to see her once, but she had been so hysterical that all he could hear was 'it hurts!’

Amy wasn't in the house, but even if she was she would only go and tell Corrin to shut up, so it was probably better that the woman was still out.

Severus had never really heard his daughter cry so badly; it was making he feel really weird... sad weird.

So Severus sat in the living room, with his third glass of whiskey, wondering what he was going to do.

Then it came to him.

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

Hermione unlocked the front door and hurried in. Immediately, Viktor came up behind her, pushing her hair to one side and pressing kisses to her neck. Hermione made an annoyed sound and moved away from him, going into the bedroom and turning the light on.

"What is wrong?" Viktor asked, entering the room after her.

"What's wrong? Do you really have to ask?" Hermione hissed, "Your parents! Did you hear them?"

He put his arms around her, "They were harsh, but they did have a very good point."

"A point!" Hermione pushed at his chest, "They called me a child, because I can't have children! But I can have children!"

"Are you saying that it is my fault?" Viktor demanded, "Are you saying that I am not a man and that I can not have children?"

Hermione felt like shouting out 'yes', but instead she kept her mouth shut. She was feeling really down after spending the evening with the Krum's and she didn't want him to get too angry and start smashing things up.

"No," She sighed, "No, or course I’m not saying that. I'm just tired and upset."

His temper changed again, and he pushed the oat from her shoulders, "I will cheer you up. Perhaps you will get lucky this time and we will get the baby that we want."

"Don't you understand the word 'tired'?" Hermione snapped, "I am not having sex with you tonight!

"I thought you wanted a baby?" He said sharply, "I thought you wanted my baby? There is only one way to get that baby, but you are always making excuses!"

"It's not and excuse, Viktor! I work, you don't! Maybe if you did then I wouldn't be so tired!" Hermione pulled at his arms, "Leave me alone! I don't want -"

Hermione was cut off by the sound of the floo.