Alice Hermione

A/N: My apologies for getting this up so late. I hope you enjoy how I decided to write Hermione's first meeting with Alice. Thanks to Maria for her excellent beta work, as always. Reviews are always appreciated!

***

Alice Hermione was racing around her room, making sure everything was put away properly. She was finally going to meet Aunt Hermione, her godmother and the witch she had been named after. For Alice, this was momentous. She had longed to meet her aunt for years. Listening to the letters she had sent to her mum were like listening to adventure stories. The places she had been, the people she had met, and the things she did made her larger-than-life in her little girl's mind. She couldn't wait to meet her.

***

Professor Snape came into the sitting room of the Longbottoms' with Hermione Granger on his arm. Alice was confused. Why was Professor Snape with her? She drank in the vision of her aunt. She had very curly hair and the warmest brown eyes, except for her daddy, of course.

Alice fidgeted a bit in her chair, waiting to talk with Aunt Hermione. When she approached her, her lovely aunt knelt down to see her eye to eye. She was beautiful, just as Alice had always dreamt she'd be. Her aunt touched her face and hair, looking at her as if she were drinking her in.

"Alice, you are so lovely," her aunt whispered. She placed a warm hand on her small knee. The contact went straight to Alice's heart. "I can't believe how big you are!" her aunt continued. "I've been far away too long. The last time I saw you, you were just a tiny baby all wrapped up in a blanket."

Unable to stop her overwhelming love, Alice threw her arms around her aunt. It felt like ages until she felt Aunt Hermione's arms circle around her, but she eventually did.

"I want to hear all about you," her aunt informed her.

Alice watched as her aunt wiped away some tears from her face. Why is she crying? she wondered to herself.

"I like to read," Alice said without hesitation. "I like so many subjects, and I know I will love being a student at Hogwarts!" Alice started to become more animated as she spoke. "My mum teaches me now, but I am in charge of my schedule."

She dragged her aunt into her bedroom. The adults followed. "See?" she announced pointedly at a large poster board which covered half her wall. "This is my chart. I color code everything, so I will have enough time to do what I want." Alice looked smug at her revelation, but she couldn't help herself.

Aunt Hermione peered in closer to examine it. "This is impressive, Alice," she informed her with approval. "You remembered to add in your study time and playtime. It is important to discipline yourself."

"Hermione used to make the most beautiful colored charts for your Uncles Harry and Ron," her mum said in her usual dreamy voice. "They always tried to look exasperated by it, but they were always grateful at the end of the year."

Alice looked at her aunt with wide eyes. "You made charts like these?' she prodded.

"I did," Hermione answered with pride. "And I still do. It helps me keep track of my day. When you run a business, it is important to manage your time wisely."

Alice beamed at her aunt. For the rest of the day, she stuck to her side like Spellotape, listening, watching, and breathing her in. At dinner, she discovered her aunt's hatred for tomatoes.

"I hate tomatoes, too!" she burst out. "I wonder what else we have in common?"

Alice couldn't place her finger on it, but her dad seemed edgy. "Well, lots of people don't like tomatoes," he said with a hint of nervousness in his tone. "Just a coincidence, is all."

Alice frowned. Something was wrong. Daddy was never like this. And he and mum were always so... loving with each other. Now, they were distant like strangers. Instead, Professor Snape was continuously touching her aunt. He treated her like a delicate flower. He was always making sure she was comfortable by pulling out chairs, opening doors, and lightly touching her as if she were something breakable. Aunt Hermione looked at him with such adoring eyes, she wondered if Professor Snape and her Aunt Hermione were going to get married.

***

At bedtime, Alice put her foot down and told her father she wanted Aunt Hermione to tuck her into bed. "Please, Auntie Hermione!" she begged as she pulled on her aunt's arm whilst ignoring the hurt look on her daddy's face.

Her aunt was reluctant, but agreed. Alice raced to her room and took out her favorite books, especially her dog-eared copy of Hogwarts, A History. That was the first one she thrust into her aunt's hands before bouncing onto her bed and diving under the covers.

"Oh, my," her aunt declared as she ran her hand across the front of the old book. She sat on Alice's bed and confessed, "I used to annoy your Uncles Harry and Ron with tidbits from this book. It was my favorite."

"It's mine, too!" Alice said happily. She stared at her aunt and felt so much love for her, she thought she would burst. Without warning, she flung herself into her aunt's arms and hugged her tight. "I love you, Auntie Hermione! I'm so glad you are back."

Hermione smiled, and Alice reached out to place her little index finger into the indentation in her aunt's cheek. The little girl gasped, and her eyes widened. "You and I have matching dimples!" she breathed. "Isn't that amazing? I want to be just like you when I grow up."

Alice watched her aunt as she crossed her legs. Alice looked at her hair. It was so long and lovely, her clothes were so soft, and she smelled so yummy. She felt like crawling into her aunt's lap and resting her head on her shoulder. She had the warmest brown eyes, and her make-up was perfect.

Alice expected for her pretty aunt to hug her and tell her she was glad for her mentioning the dimple, but instead, her face went pale and she grew quiet.

Alice was hurt. She released her, looking into her eyes. "You aren't leaving, are you?" she asked nervously.

"No," her aunt's voice was soft and quiet. "I'm going to stay on for a while. Professor Snape and I have a special relationship."

"Are you getting married like my mum and dad?" she asked hopefully.

"We'll see," she replied. She pulled the covers back and added, "Now is the time for little girls to be a-bed." She smiled sweetly. Alice snuggled down the covers and sighed in pure joy and contentment.

"Will you read to me from Hogwarts: A History?" Alice asked.

"Of course," her aunt murmured.

Alice watched drowsily as her aunt read. Alice figured her aunt had to be the smartest witch in the world, besides her mum, of course. She watched her aunt's hands as she absent-mindedly rubbed the edge on the top of each page, curling it a bit. Alice thought it was strange how her aunt did that as well. All of the pages in Alice's books were slightly curled from doing the same thing. Alice liked how the parchment felt in her hands...perhaps her Aunt Hermione did as well. Alice thought a great deal about it more as she listened to the lovely voice of her aunt lull her to sleep.

***

"... not going to have this... can't have her finding out," a voice hissed.

Alice woke up to the sound of her parents rowing. It was strange; they never rowed. She got out of bed and padded to the door, opening it just a crack. They were trying to keep their voices low, but she could hear snippets of words.

"... just had to point it out!" she heard her father say angrily.

"... the truth, Neville!" said her mother.

"... wish... came back. I know... must tell the truth," her father was saying. "Alice is too young to know."

Alice gasped and closed the door. What didn't they want her knowing? Why had her daddy been so nervous throughout Aunt Hermione's visit? Her parents had looked afraid, even. Well, not mum so much, but her daddy had been.

She would have to find out for herself.

***

"Well, Auntie," Severus voice rumbled softly as he led Hermione into their quarters. "How did you enjoy your first visit with our Miss Alice?"

"She's not an idiot, Severus," she started to say.

"She had better not be!" he snapped. "No child of mine would dare be dim-witted."

Hermione shook her head as she continued. "Severus, she is an intuitive and observant child. She noticed that we have the same dimples. She told me she wants to be just like me when she grows up!" she said in desperation.

Severus had already begun to undress for bed as she spoke. At those words, he stopped unbuttoning his white shirt and leaned over Hermione to capture her lips in a searing kiss. He lifted himself back up and resumed undressing, without concern or worry.

"Of course she wants to be like you, Hermione. You are her mother. She probably senses a closeness, yet cannot explain it, so she passes it off as finding a kindred spirit. It was plain as plain she idolizes you."

Hermione dug her stocking feet into the carpet. "She'll find out. Then she will hate me. How do you tell a child the truth when the truth is too much for the child to comprehend?"

Severus climbed into bed next to her and said, "Let me worry about that. Miss Longbottom and I have an understanding of sorts."

Hermione smiled as she looked at him and the proud expression on his face. "Really?" she asked. "What understanding?"

"I cannot divulge," he whispered solemnly. "But I will speak with her." His countenance grew serious as he continued to speak. "Hermione. I don't want you to worry. Just focus on enjoying her in your life. Leave the explaining and worrying to me."

He leaned her back onto the bed slowly and straddled her. "Someone is severely overdressed," he observed with an upturned eyebrow.

"You still have your trousers on," Hermione whispered shyly in return.

"Not for long," he informed her as he ran his hands down the length of her body. He leaned downward and whispered in her ear, "Relax."

Hermione took a deep, cleansing breath and exhaled. He hovered his hand just above her skin as he moved down her face, close, but never touching her as she closed her eyes, releasing herself into his care. She felt her body growing limp as he slowly undressed her, one button at a time. He opened her satin blouse and unfastened the clasp on her bra. She felt her skin cooling with each unveiling. At the moment she shuddered a tension-released breath, he whispered in her ear, "I love you, my lady. I love you so very much."

She continued to sigh as he ran the tip of his tongue from her collarbone down past her cleavage, causing her to arch upwards as he traveled down to her belly button. He swiftly unhooked her skirt and unzipped it. He slipped his hands underneath her bottom and dragged the skirt down and with it her nylons and knickers off of her. She could feel his breath warm on her pubic hair, and she felt her legs involuntarily open for him. She could hear his voice humming in his throat, sending slight vibrations that licked fire up and down her thighs.

Her breath was becoming shallow as he continued to hover over her body, so close to her skin yet not touching. She felt goose bumps rise all over her flesh, and she whimpered for him to touch her, kiss her... something.

She felt his hands splayed on her inner thighs. Her thighs were damp with excitement and anticipation, and the contact of his firm thighs against her soft limbs made her moan aloud. She felt pulsating heat from her nether regions, and she felt an ache in her lower belly.

She felt on fire as he traversed up her side with his tongue, blowing air on each wet strip he left. She arched again and heard his murmur of approval. She lifted her hips and ground her swollen sex against his hardened flesh, feeling her arousal coating each ridge.

She was rewarded with his lips making contact with her right nipple, causing her to moan louder. She was lifted upright, by her arms, as he gently slid her shirt and bra off her body. He wrapped an arm protectively around her waist as he nipped and tasted the salty skin of her neck and breasts. Soon, she was squirming desperately in his lap, wanting to make that perfect contact where she could slide him inside her and begin thrusting against him. His teasing nearness and yet, not allowing her fulfillment drove her senses mad.

She opened her eyes, and his were open and dark as pitch-blackness. "You are so desirable," he whispered as he kissed her chin and jawbone.

"Tell me what you want, my lady," he added quietly in his baritone voice against her ear.

"I..." she gasped. "Don't make me say it."

"Why?" he asked lovingly.

"I can't say...those words. Don't make me," she said as the familiar feeling of humiliation washed over her.

"It's all right, Hermione," Severus soothed her with his husky tremor. "You don't have to speak if you don't want to."

She began to reciprocate the passion he had shown her. She explored him with tiny kisses and nips around his nipples.

He hissed. "My little huntress has tiny sharp teeth and nails," he murmured against her ear.

"Do you like it?" she inquired. "Because there is so much more I want to do to you."

He jerked his eyes to hers and searched her face. Hermione felt naked when he looked at her that way. It seemed there was nothing she could hide or nowhere she could shield herself from his gaze. Hunger, potent hunger was there that could not be hidden in his haunting eyes.

Without answering, he crushed his lips against hers and threw them onto the bed. He ran a hand expertly along her opening and felt her arousal. His nostrils flared. She was fairly dripping. He needed to bury himself into her without hesitation.

But she was his sweet virgin. She still needed him to control his lust for now. He eased his way inside her, and Hermione closed her eyes and smiled, feeling his fullness stretching her past the burn to where it was just right. The ache in her pelvis grew needy for... something she couldn't understand, just that she needed him to empty his seed into her. She couldn't explain why; she just craved it.

He thrust into her over and over as she shrieked his name and begged for more. He kissed and suckled her breasts as he continued to plunge into her searing, hot depths.

"Please, come inside me," she breathed after she had convulsed again around him.

"I will," he grunted as he kissed her lips one more time.

"Hermione," he panted. "Right or wrong, I loved seeing you with her, knowing I was her father...that I had placed a part of myself into you...god...Hermione!"

He shuddered and emptied his seed into her womb. His breath hitched as he raised himself over her. "I'm sorry. I know it's wrong... but still it feels so right. If there ever had been a woman whom I wanted create life with," he choked for only a moment before finishing his thought. "Only you, Hermione," he gasped. "Only you."

Hermione felt sated and bone-weary. She understood the sentiment. She just wished it had been in another place under different circumstances. She could forgive him that feeling. He didn't mean that he had been happy about the rape...just that he loved her and the fact Alice was theirs. She curled up on her side with Severus spooning her, caressing her hair as she slipped into slumber.

Just as she was falling asleep, she heard Severus whispering in her ear, "She is so much like you. She is perfect...such a little lady. I wanted to take you both into my arms...steal you both somewhere...where we could be a family.

"You looked so right with her, Hermione. You were beaming, and your face was shining at just being with her. You had never looked lovelier. My girls, my little women..."

Admins' Note: We report with great sadness that shortly after submitting this chapter, Livvy died suddenly (February 22, 2012). She leaves behind her husband, six-year-old daughter, and the many stories she so loved to write. Requiescat in pace, Livvy.