Ensnaring The Senses

Hermione had decided that she would take Cissa to the Burrow Saturday for an outing and Severus would meet them there for the 'revealing'. She had no other idea how to term it. She had no clue how Cissa would accept it, she was almost assured she'd be happy. And Minerva was correct, they had put it off days too long.

Severus had taken Hermione's idea with a groan. “Couldn't we just take her to a park or something? The Burrow is well, overrun with Weasleys.” Hermione only laughed at him.

“Severus, Cissa is at home with Molly and Arthur. I'd rather not do it here because there are just too many students. I'd feel more comfortable there.” Hermione said.

“Fine, I'll leave here an hour after you do.” Severus bent his face close to hers and kissed her forehead as his fingers played with her earlobe. Hermione giggled and pulled away regretfully.

“Night, Sev.” She smiled up at him and watched as he walked away, his robes billowing behind him.

~*~


Hermione took her seat next to Severus as the Great Hall filled with students Saturday morning. “Stop it!” She exclaimed softly as she felt a hand squeeze her knee. Severus just smirked as she shifted in her seat.

“Remember you both have until tonight.” Minerva told them as she watched the two with a twinkle in her eye. The make up seems to be going good. she thought as she smiled.

“We've planned a trip to the Burrow.” Hermione told the Headmistress as they all quietly ate.

“Good idea.” Minerva nodded her head as she glanced Cissa's way. The young witch had gained a few friends it seemed, for a few Slytherin girls now occupied the seats next to her.

~*~


“So Cissa, your brother is the Draco Malfoy?” asked a Fifth year girl, Anna.

“Er, yeah.. Why?” Narcissa Granger mumbled between bites of toast and egg. She was excited to be going to the Burrow, and couldn't wait for breakfast to be over. If Aunt Ginny was there, she'd be able to play with the new baby, Lily.

“He's so dreamy!” Lisabeth, another Fifth said as her eyes rolled back, a magazine opened in front of her with a smiley faced Draco dressed up for some Quidditch opening posing for a shot.

“He's just well... Draco.” Cissa looked at the girls with disgust.

“Witch Weekly lists him as one of the most eligible wizards of the century,” Anna said as she scooted closer to Cissa.

Cissa looked up at the staff table, hoping beyond hope her mum was finished and ready, for her young appetite had surely waned. Hm, she thought. She doesn't even look halfway done. “Draco is my brother! He has a girlfriend anyhow, Ginger Wallace.” She sipped her pumpkin juice and hoped that would deter anymore comments.

“That cow? What does he see in her? More muscles than brains? A loose broom?” One of the girls said mockingly. Cissa had enough and she stood up.

“Ginger is not a cow!” Cissa said loud enough for the head table to hear, “So shut up, for Merlin's sake!” Oops! She thought as her mother caught her eye. Mum's going cancel the trip now. She sighed as she watched Hermione come over to her.

“Narcissa, tell your friends goodbye. We're meeting Draco at the Burrow. But, 5 points from Slytherin for the bad words.” Hermione said, proud her daughter had stood up for her brother's girlfriend. She was happy Cissa was smart enough to realize the older Slytherins were only being nice to her because of her brother. She looked from her daughter to the head table to see Severus watching them, so she gave a wink and a smile.

“Sorry, Mu-Miss Granger.” Cissa hung her head a little. This was the second time she had lost house points. The girls glared at her as she walked away with her mum. Jamie gave them a wave as they passed him.

Narcissa watched as her mum unwarded the gates for them to slip through and reward then as the reached the apparition point near Hogwarts. Her mum was quieter then usual and seemed nervous.

“Cissa,” Hermione said finally, “Girls will always like Draco, I'm sorry they bugged you.” And she held her mother's arm as Hermione apparated them outside the Burrow.

“I know, mum. Draco told me.” Cissa giggled and ran to the door as she saw Ginny standing with baby Lily in her arms. “Aunt Ginny!” She cried out happily, wondering just how many of the family were there. Coming to the Burrow on the weekends was like a party. She'd tried to get Jamie to join them, but he had mumbled something about needing a break. Who needs a break from all this love? Cissa had thought.

Harry stood in a corner of the big sitting room by Ron, talking in low tones about Cissa, Snape and her she guessed as they looked up guiltily at her.


~*~

Severus stood up from the table and made his way through the tables to where the Cissa had been sitting with the Fifth years.

“Hello, Professor.” They said pleasantly to him, unsuspectingly so.

“For future reference, Witch Weekly is now a banned item in Slytherin.” He waved his wand and the copy burned to ashes. “There will be points taken if I spy a copy in Slytherin again.” Severus stalked off.

“What a snark.” The girls mumbled, sweeping the ashes off the table. No matter. Lisabeth thought as she laughed silently. I have ten copies of that one at home. Draco is the centerfold.

Severus arrived at his rooms to get ready. Since the weather was still warm, he decided that dress robes were out and pulled out his black shirt and Muggles jeans he used for his Order duties. They were less restricting in duels and fights, and quite frankly more comfortable to relax in. Since he had a little time before he had to leave, he picked up the photo album again to gaze through his daughter's life. He didn't mind the pictures that Draco appeared in that much, but the sight of Cissa's first broom ride with Potter made him morose. He was an excellent flyer, better than Potter in his own opinion, and that was a dad's privilege.

Well. I am here for the rest. Severus thought as he closed the album and made for the Burrow.


~*~


“When is he arriving?” Harry asked as she walked up to them, Cissa enthralled with the baby for the moment.

“Soon, and then we tell her. I justed wanted her away from Hogwarts in a familiar place to do it.” Hermione told him and Ron, casting a wary glance at Cissa tickling baby Lil's toes before running off up the stairs.

“Hermione, Cissa knows Hogwarts better the Fred and George-- and they had the map!” Ron reminded her.

“I can't believe you're going to just let him walk back into your life like those twelve years never happened!” Exclaimed Harry. “I mean come on, Hermione! What are you going to do when he goes running off again?”

“Sh, Harry. Remus told me Severus... Oh, Merlin!” Hermione cracked up into laughter as she saw Cissa walk down the stairs. Harry and Ron turned to see what she saw, bursting into laughter also.

“You like, Uncle Harry? Uncle Ron?” Cissa said as stalked the living room in Grandma Molly's best black robes.

“She definitely takes after Severus,” Harry whispered into Hermione's ear. Hermione just nodded, too overcome with laughter.

Severus entered the Burrow silently behind Arthur and stopped dead in his tracks. I should be angry, He thought as he watched his young daughter traipse through the room in an imitation of him. If it was anyone else, I probably would be. Severus felt as if his heart grew two sizes bigger in his chest as he smiled. He remembered the old Muggle Christmas story his mother would read him about a Grinch, and that it took a smile from a young girl to grow his heart. For Severus Snape it had taken two beautiful witches, and twenty years to grow.

Severus quietly pulled his wand out and silently said a spell, and Cissa's robe billowed out regally as she stood there surprised. Uh oh, she thought.

“Very good likeness of me, Narcissa. If I may call you that?” Severus looked down at her and smiled, as Harry and Ron looked on dumbstruck at their former Professor. Cissa twirled as the cloak magically billowed and giggled.

“Of course, Professor Snape.” Cissa round black eyes shined up happily at him. “Do you use magic to make yours float like that?” She asked.

“No, just years of practice, milady.” Severus made a small courtly bow, further shocking Harry and Ron. Cissa giggled and decided that the Professor really wasn't as scary as her uncles had made him out to be. Baby Lily started to cry, and Cissa ran over to her.

“What's wrong?” Cissa asked Molly as she watched her rock the baby.

“It's feeding time, I need to fetch her bottle from the kitchen.” Molly answered as she made to get up.

“No Grandma, let me!” And the young witch skipped off to the kitchen, robes floating behind her.

“Hey all.” Draco said as he walked in, a little late because he had stopped to pick Ginger up cause she wanted to meet the famous spy and Draco's dad, Severus Snape.

“This is Ginger, my fiancée.” Draco announced as Hermione, Molly and Ginny squealed with joy as Ginger showed them her ring.

Ron groaned, Mum's never going to stop harping on about Lavender now, he thought.

“So, this is your dad?” Ginger asked, walking over to the dark haired wizard.

“Severus Snape, and congratulations seem to be order.” He said as he looked at the ring shining on her finger. It was an old Malfoy family heirloom and Narcissa Malfoy had worn it also.

“Dad?” They all heard from the doorway, as the sound of glass breaking broke into the festivities. They all turned to see a very shocked Narcissa and a broken bottle of milk puddling on the floor. “You're my father?” She whispered.

“Cissa--” Hermione said as the young witch flew past them and out the door.

“You still haven't told her?” Draco shouted. “You've both had three days to do it, and you still haven't done it?” He repeated angrily.

“We were just--” Hermione tried to say, his next words stopping her.

“I'll go and talk to her, since you adults are so afraid of one little witch!” Draco stormed out.


~*~


Cissa ran out the door of the Burrow and headed to her favorite spot, crashing through the bushes and trees to get to it. The garden gnomes watched in surprise and jumped back as the normally happy girl pushed past them. Garden gnomes normally hate humans, but Cissa had befriended them, and much to the Weasleys' delight, had gotten them to stick to one part of the vast grounds surrounding the Burrow, leaving the humans alone.

“Digoro!”Cissa called out her tears making it hard to see as she stumbled to her knees, leaving a muddy spot on her jeans. “Digoro!” She cried out again, huddling into a small mass by his bush.

Digoro was the head garden gnome, a small sprightly guy with a pointed green hat and long pipe stuck in his mouth. It was he that decreed to the other gnomes to leave the humans alone.

“Ack, young missy! What bees the problem?” The gnome asked as he sucked on his pipe worriedly.

“My dad--” Cissa hiccuped, “My dad is back! And... and... and... he doesn't want me!” She wailed. The gnome patted her on the back.

“Ack, why would yous be a-saying that? Dads always love their kinders.” The gnome said kindly, hoping someone, some human would come and help. He sighed with relief as he saw young missy's brother burst through the bushes himself.

“Narcissa Eileen Granger!” Draco said as the young witch jumped into his arms, knocking them both to the ground. He wiped the tears from her face with his hand. “You have us all scared.”

“Dad doesn't want me!” She wailed again into Draco's shoulder as he ran his hand over her hair and back to comfort her. “He's been back for ages! And... and...” She rubbed her face into his shoulder and he grimaced at the stains she was making on his shirt.

“Cissa, Dad wants you. I promise you that. That's why he came and mum are at the Burrow today. To tell you just how much he wants you. And mum.” Draco said as he touched her chin to look into her face.

“But--” Her lower lip trembled as she looked up at him.

“No buts about, young lady. You think you can act like Draco's big girl now and come back to the Burrow and properly meet our Dad?” Draco asked as Digoro looked on, chewing the end of his pipe still.

“Okay,” Cissa nodded her head, still looking unsure about the whole matter. “He did make Gran's robe float like his for me.” She added.

“See! Would he have done that if he didn't want the best little witch in the world?” Draco said, his pale, gray eyes twinkling at her.

“No, probably not.” She agreed a smile drifting on her face as her tears slowed. “You think...” She started to say, but stopped as they made their way slowly through the bushes back to the Burrow.

“Think what, kitten?” Draco asked as he held on firmly to her small hand.

“You think mum and dad would have me a baby brother? Mum said no before after Lils was born, but maybe now???” Cissa looked up at Draco with an oh so Slytherin look on her face.

“Give them time, kitten.” Draco said as the neared the door. “Dad just got back.” And he laughed as her smile fell for a second.

“Jamie said it took months for Lils to come, they'll have loads of time!!” Cissa burst through the door as Hermione and Severus looked up worriedly. Severus knelt down to Cissa's height as the young witch drew closer to them, holding his hand out to her.

“Draco says you love me,” Cissa said as she took his hand.

“I do,” Severus said softly as he stared into the coal black eyes so like his. He felt Hermione's hand on his shoulder as she tenderly squeezed it in reassurance.

“You are going to stay with me and mum?” Cissa asked like a small inquisitor, her now dirtied robes still flowing around her.

“Yes, my lady. I will never, ever leave again.” Severus promised them both, his witches of the heart. The room gasped as if one as the small witch launched herself at Severus and hugged him tight, leaving him gasping for breath. “Anything else?” Severus choked out as his butt landed to the floor.

“Well,” Cissa loosened her hold to look at Severus in the eye, “Now that you mention it...”

Draco couldn't help it, he burst into laughter as his sister gave a sly look at her parents. He asked for it!

“What is it, Cissa?” Severus asked, he would promise this small witch the world if it would help her forgive him for the past twelve years.

“You and mum could give me a baby brother.” Cissa said as the room groaned.

“I assure you we'll work on that soon.” Severus felt Hermione's hand swat him as he laughed. “Very soon.” He reaffirmed.