New Beginning

Chapter 5

Hermione woke to the sound of crying. Darien! Her mind so intent on soothing the infant that she didn’t notice the person in the shadow of the room.

“Shhh, it’ll be fine.” Hermione talked soothingly to Darien as she pulled things from the diaper bag by the bed. She changed him, which only soothed him somewhat. “I know you’re hungry, just give me a little time.” Hermione then conjured a bottle of milk and said a warming spell over it. She tested it to her arm, and then said the warming spell one more time. She put the bottle in Darien’s mouth, which stopped his crying. Laying him in the middle of the bed and moving the pillows him she stood up dancing in place she had to go Mother Nature was calling and if she didn’t go soon she would bust.

Severus sat and grinned at the sight. She hadn’t noticed him at all, and she was a perfect mother, he noticed that right off. Damn that Potter brat! Had a child with her then leaves her all alone. Hermione rushed to the bathroom she didn’t have to turn in order to get there so Severus stayed where he was. Waiting patiently.

When Hermione exited the room her eyes widened and she stopped in place, her heart was racing seeing Professor Snape sitting quietly in the room looking from her to Darien.

“W…W…”

“Spit it out, Miss Granger.” He left his voice even. He didn’t want to frighten her more than what she already was.

Hermione stared at him, he had no menacing words for once, and his tone of voice was neutral which put her on edge right away. But then she remembered that their last month of school had been that way. She relaxed a little but not much.

“What are you doing here?” She asked.

Severus looked at her, she was still scared and he told himself to go slow. “I was sent to find you. Offer you the Charms Professor position at Hogwarts.”

Hermione furrowed her brow. “What happen to Professor Flitwick?”

“He decided to retire.”

Hermione moved slowly back over to the bed and sat down and looked over at Darien he was still getting his morning bottle. This wouldn’t fill him totally up; he was eating baby cereal also. He would need that in an hour. She looked back over at Professor Snape. If she went to Hogwarts would Ron be able to come into the school? Would she be able to go now or have to wait until the new term started? Questions after questions assaulted her thinking.

Severus noticed her mind her working; he could almost see her gathering the questions. This used to irritate him, but for once he wanted to know why someone so curious who had all the answers didn’t seem to have them now.

“When would I have to be there?”

Severus almost grinned at this one, but he held back. His mind kept screaming to him about getting her to Hogwarts. “When ever you feel ready, if you accept the job.”

He watched her take a little longer. “I accept. Can we leave after Darien has had his bottle?”

“Yes.” Darien? What’s his last name? Severus had more questions, but at least he had the name of the child, now.

Hermione stood up, she looked back over to Severus, she needed a shower and to change, but she wasn’t sure if Professor Snape would watch Darien that long. But she felt gritty. “Would…would…”

“Would, what, Miss Granger?”

“Would you watch Darien while I change?”

Severus saw the look on her face. She was weary about doing this. Who wouldn’t be? It wasn’t like he was around children, it was just no one had ever seen him around one so young before. Severus waved her off to the bathroom. Hermione gathered her clothes and rushed inside. Standing he walked closer to the bed and looked down at Darien.

“And just where is your father?” Severus asked Darien.

Darien kicked his little legs out and kept a hold of his bottle with both hands, then he released one of them and reached up for Severus. Severus moved back so that Darien wasn’t touching him.

“What do you want? I hope you know your father didn’t like me very much. I bet you won’t either.”

Severus stared on as the little boy pulled his bottle out of his mouth and grinned up at him. He smirked at the child, “None of that now.” Then gave the little boy a scowl, which only seemed to make him giggle. Severus shook his head. “Hope you know that was my best scowl that scares the first years at Hogwarts.”

Darien didn’t seem to mind this scowl and kept giggling.

Hermione was under the hot water. Her mind thinking, she had a job, and a place she had always felt like she was at home. Hogwarts! She had always felt safe there, Harry had said the same. Well, what more would Darien want than to at least go home to Hogwarts. Hermione smiled at this. Then frowned. She never saw any of the teachers with children at Hogwarts. What would happen to Darien while she was teaching? She didn’t want to leave him with anyone. She really didn’t have anyone that she could leave him with. Maybe going to Hogwarts wasn’t the smartest thing to do. She finished up her shower and dressed and was coming out of the loo when she heard that giggle, it was Darien. She looked at the bed. Severus was sitting on the edge of it talking to Darien and Darien was giggling at him. Hermione covered her mouth before the laughter escaped her. She never would have thought Professor Snape big bad Potion’s Master of Hogwarts would just sit there and talk to a baby, like it was only natural to do.

“I see I’m not going to get any answers from you. Are you sure you don’t know where your father is?”

Hermione held her breath. She knew where his father was, he was dead, only Professor Snape was thinking of the wrong Potter. Severus turned toward the bathroom and Hermione removed her hand from her mouth.

“He’s not very talkative is he?” He asked her.

“Nope, likes to giggle a lot.” Hermione put her dirty robes in her bag and zipped everything up. She looked back at Professor Snape.

“Where’s Potter?” Severus asked her.

Hermione glanced at Darien, his legs kicking madly in the air. She looked back at Severus, she knew this question would come, but she wasn’t ready to answer that. “I’m not sure.”
veruverus narrowed his eyes. “What happened Hermione? I can’t see Potter just running off and leaving this child. He wouldn’t do that. Not growing up without his own father.” He saw the fear in her eyes as she kept glancing to Darien. Damn Potter for doing this to her. He could tell he wasn’t going to get an answer out of her yet. “Come get your son, Hermione.”

He watched her pick Darien up and the look in her eyes was one of gratefulness. Don’t be grateful yet, I’m letting this slide for right now, Severus thought. Just wait until Albus sees you and Darien, you won’t be able to keep quiet on this for long. Anyone who knows what Potter looks like can tell that this boy belongs to him.

Severus stood and grabbed the two bags. “We can Apparate from here. Have you Apparated with two people before?”

Hermione shook her head no.

“Give me Darien, you take the bags. It would be better if one of the bags was splinched than your so
H
Hermione looked down at Darien who had the bottle back in his mouth. The milk was almost gone. She looked back at Severus.

“I’ll give him right back Miss Granger.”

Hermione handed Darien over to him. Severus held the child, placing his head on his shoulder and keeping his hand there so he could Apparate with him. Both of them left and were standing at the front gates to Hogwarts. Hermione looked over at Darien, in that short amount of time he had fallen asleep next to Severus. She guessed the Apparating had made him do it. Severus looked down at the little boy.

“What?” He asked her.

“He’s asleep.”

“Do you want him back now?”

“I don’t want to wake him up.”

Severus gave her a nod and walked into the main gates up to the school. Hermione walking beside him. She didn’t want to wake him up? But yet she trusted him enough with Potter’s child. The little hand was clinging tightly to his robes. Severus closed his eyes, Darien had a very unique scent. He smelled like baby yes, but he also smelled like Harry. Even James had his own scent, he never knew a child that didn’t have their own unique scent, something that wasn’t like their parents. How did Darien end up smelling like Harry? His nose was attuned to smells, working with potions for so long made him that way. Severus had more questions now, and Hermione didn’t want to supply any answers as of yet.

They continued on into the school. Minerva met them at the front door.

“Where have you been? Albus has been asking if you’ve gotten back yet. Running off and not telling us anything.” Minerva glared at Severus, but she eased off some when she noticed the child in his arms and she glanced at Hermione. “Did you accept the job?”

Hermione smiled slowly up at her old head of house. “Yes I did.” Then she looked over at Darien. “This is Darien, Professor McGonagall.”

“Call me Minerva.” Minerva ed aed at the little boy asleep on Severus’s shoulder then back to Hermione. “Where’s his father?”

Hermione looked down and away from her.

“That’s seems to be the million galleon question Minerva.” Severus told her.