Rihanna's Son

"You son of a bitch!" Remus repeated once he had the former Professor cornered in the library. Severus leaned against the fireplace, glaring at his former colleague, wiping his eye with the back of his sleeve. The werewolf's ring had cut him above his eyebrow.


"I assure you, my mother was nothing of the sort. What is going on with that child, Lupin?"


"He's Rihanna's son. She sent him with me to bring to his father, YOU."

"She would have told me."

"She was scared. Malfoy threatened her. Congratulations, it's a boy. And his name's Damien."


"Where's Rihanna?" Severus hissed. He had looked for her every spare chance he could during the first year after her disappearance. After finding nothing, not even a clue, he decided that she really hadn't loved him and just left.


"She'll tell you the same thing, Severus. Damien looks just like you. Here, she wrote a letter for you, and I assume, sent some pictures if the thickness of the envelope is any indication." Remus handed over the envelope he'd stuffed into his pocket the day before, before leaving his sister for the last time.


"You're serious, aren't you? This child...is mine?" Severus blanched, turning a paler shade, a striking contrast to his lanky ebony locks.

“I’m deadly serious. I’ll take care of him if you’re unwilling to, Severus.”

“Why did she send him on with you? What is going on?”


“Rihanna’s dying. She has the same cancer that killed our mother years ago. There’s no cure, in either world. She didn’t want Damien to be there when she died.” Remus’ voice cracked with the last word.

“Why didn’t you bring her back with you, man?”


“She wants to die there with her friend. I suggest you read that letter, Severus. I’ll be in the kitchen with Damien. I’m putting him in the room next to yours, the one with the adjoining door, unless you have a problem with that?”


“No.” Severus was staring at the envelope, his black eyes closed in his pain. He took a deep breath and opened them, lifting his face to look at Remus. “Just leave for a few minutes, please.”

“Tell me, Severus, did you love her?” Remus stopped at the door, his hand on the doorknob.

“I had asked her to marry me. The night I discovered she had disappeared I was going to meet her to get her answer. I thought that her leaving was the answer, now I’m not so sure. I’ll meet the bo—my son in a few minutes.” He lifted the envelope, telling Lupin what he was going to do while alone in the library. Severus sat on the padded bench near the heavily curtained window and drew out the letter, gathering the pictures and putting them aside for later.


‘My dearest Severus,
I have written this letter numerous times over the last five and a half years, but have never been able to finish it. Most of the time I didn’t know what exactly to tell you. Now it is time to finish it and send it off. First, I loved you, and I still love you, more than any one but one. I conceived Damien the night you proposed and I dearly wish that I had given you the answer that night instead of making you wait. Lucius Malfoy saw you come into my shop one too many times and threatened me after you left that night. He didn’t like seeing one of his few friends with a half blood and sister of a werewolf. I got scared by his threats and left for America. Nine months later, Damien came. So many times I wanted to owl you and tell you about him, but then I heard that the Dark Lord had returned, which meant your return to spying. I hope you can forgive me for what I did, Severus. Take care of our son, please. He’s so little with no one but you and Remus now. For the last few months, since my illness he’s had to act so grown-up. Allow him to be a little boy and raise him to be the kind of man I know you to be.
I love you, Severus. Never forget that. Make sure that Damien knows that I loved him too. Good-bye and take care.

With love and care,
Rihanna Marie Lupin’’





Severus didn’t look up at the sound of the door opening and closing, instead gazing at the pictures of his son, Muggle pictures of Damien only a few minutes after his birth, messy, squalling, being held lovingly in the arms of the woman he’d lost years ago. She was smiling at the camera tiredly. The babe had thick black hair sticking up in spikes across his head.

“He looks just like you, Severus.” Her arms slipped around his neck, hugging him. He allowed it as he flipped to another picture, a toddler slapping his hands into a birthday cake, a tooth-less grin lighting up his face so like Severus’. He lifted one of his lover’s hands to his mouth and kissed the middle of her palm, wordlessly thanking her for her comfort at such a difficult time. “He acts like you too. Quite snarky.”

“Ha, woman. I missed so much. Lucius Malfoy is going to pay for this, I swear.” He whispered raggedly as he put the letter and pictures carefully back into the envelope and pulled his lover into his arms. “Hermione, I’m sorry. I never knew, I swear.”


“I know, Severus. It’s not your fault. I caught the gist of it when Remus was saying something in the kitchen about Mr. Malfoy. And I’m sorry that she’s dying. I know you still love her very much.”

“I love you too, Hermione. I would never have let myself become involved with you if I thought there was a chance of Rihanna coming back into my life. I never expected this, though. What am I going to do with a child?”

“Love him.” Hermione bent down and kissed him gently. “If you can love your very much younger girl friend, you can love a child you helped create.”

“You’re easy to love. There’s so much about children I don’t know. I’m used to getting them at the age of eleven, and even then I’m not sure they’re ready for Hogwarts.” He leaned back against her chest, feeling her heart beat nice and soothingly.

“You’ll do fine, Severus. Molly’s raised seven children, I’m sure she’ll give you pointers.”

“She raised the twins and Ronald Weasley. I’m not sure she’s a good role-model.” He sneered.

“But Bill, Charlie and Percy are alright.”

“That’s a fifty-fifty shot then.”

“Don’t forget Ginny.”

“I’ll ask Narcissa then.” He looked at his lover drolly, an eyebrow raised in question as she lightly slapped his shoulder. “She hexed my Slytherins every chance she got.”

“She was usually retaliating. Now, come on and meet this child. He’s kind of sweet, like a miniature you, without the bitterness and all the sneers.” Hermione pulled away from him, grabbing his hand to get him up from the seat. Once standing he pulled her into his arms and bent his head, his lips gliding over hers.

“I love you, Hermione.”

“Yeah, I love you too, snarky bastard. Let’s go.” She pulled away and left the library first. They were keeping their affections secret until Voldemort was dead. Until then, only Potter of all people knew about their relationship.

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sorry it's so short, I just can't get back into this story since I'm working so much on "Hermione's Little Secret" lately. well, review please and hope you enjoy

until next time

marti