Chapter 5

A/N: FINALLY! I know it has been a while since I have updated this fic. I have had a severe case of writer's block for which there is no cure. I am so sorry. Please, forgive me. The fabulous RobisonRocket sent this back to me less than twenty-four hours after I sent it to her. I am such a lucky-ducky to have a beta like her.

ADDITIONAL WARNING: I am aware that our beautiful professor is not a fluffy sort in canon. However, we have never seen him as a father. One can never describe what comes over us when we become parents. I believe that even Snape could spout sonnets if JKR would have allowed him to become a loving father. We can never prepare ourselves enough for the love we have for our children--it's a love that is completely incomprehensible and uncompromising.

Chapter 5

Ginny poked her head into her youngest daughter's room. Five-year-old Jasmine was sitting up in her bed, giggling hysterically. Harry was sitting on the edge of her bed, grinning mischievously and waiting for his daughter's laughter to subside.

Between fits of giggles, Jasmine said, "Then what happened? Tell the rest, Daddy."

Harry, who still hadn't noticed his wife's presence, grabbed his own wrist animatedly and said, "Then he said, 'I'm dying. It's killed me.' And you know what the prat did? He tried to get Hagrid sacked. He was such an idiot, Jas, you should have seen him. Hagrid pick him up and ran all the way to the castle with him. Draco looked like a rag-doll – bouncing around, crying the whole way."

Harry and Jasmine were both hysterical now. Harry had tears rolling down his cheeks, and he tried mercilessly to compose himself to continue his story, but to no avail.

"Ahem."

Harry jumped. Ginny was standing at the door with her arms crossed and one eyebrow raised at him.

Harry coughed. "Oh, hey, Gin. I was just telling Jasmine a bedtime story."

"I see," Ginny said.

"Oh, Mummy, Daddy is so funny. Did you get to see Mr. Draco flopping around like a rag-doll?" Jasmine asked innocently.

"Um, no, I wasn't in their year at Hogwarts, so I didn't get to see Mr. Draco flopping around." Ginny said and then fixed her eyes on her husband.

"Harry, Severus is downstairs, and he would like a word."

Harry stood and kissed Jasmine on the forehead after tucking her in. "Now, you go to sleep, little one. If you don't, Mummy won't let me tell you anymore bedtime stories."

"I promise, Daddy."

Before Harry reached the door to the bedroom, Ginny stopped him. "Hang on a minute, Harry."

He waited for Ginny to kiss their daughter, and they both walked out together. "What is it, Gin?"

"I can't believe you! Why would you tell Jasmine that story? You and Draco are supposed to be friends."

Harry gave her an innocent grin. "We are friends. But, when we were kids, he was an evil wanker. Come on, Gin, he'd be the first to admit it. I like making Jas laugh, and stories about Malfoy are funny."

"But, Harry, you know she's going to say something to Draco."

"So? Have you completely forgotten what Devon called me when he was just learning to talk? He called me 'Potty.' Do you honestly think that was a coincidence?"

"Oh, for Merlin's sake, Harry, you are an incorrigible three-year-old. Ugh! Now I know why the fates didn't give me any sons. The overgrown child that I'm married to is all I can handle, and that's saying something as I have Fred and George as brothers."

Harry stuck his bottom lip out in a mock pout. Ginny giggled.

"Go on, you silly child. Severus is waiting, and he didn't look happy," Ginny scolded.

"I'd be more concerned if he did look happy," Harry mumbled more to himself than to Ginny as he started down the hallway toward the stairs.

As Harry reached the bottom of the landing, he was unsurprised to see his former nemesis standing there, tapping his fingers on the banister.

"It took you long enough, Potter. I don't like to be kept waiting," he said.

"Well, hello to you too, Severus, to what do I owe the pleasure of your delightful company at such an indecent hour?" Harry asked dryly. "Surely Lily hasn't landed herself into so much trouble that you felt it necessary to make a house call."

"Neither of your twins has anything to do with this. I would like to speak to you about my daughter. I would like to know why you felt it necessary to encourage her wishes to become an Auror."

Harry sighed. He had been expecting this visit at some point. "Come into the sitting room, Severus. I'll pour us some Firewhiskey, and we'll discuss this."

Without a word, Severus swept from the room and headed toward the sitting room. Harry rolled his eyes at the billowing of Severus' robes. Some things never changed.

Harry closed the door of the sitting room behind him and took a seat in the large armchair next to the fire.

"Have a seat," Harry said, indicating the chair opposite from him.

"I'll stand."

Harry shrugged and poured two glasses with generous amounts of Firewhiskey. He took a sip of his and gestured toward the second glass for Severus.

Severus took the glass, but remained standing.

Harry sat back in his chair and allowed the silence to stretch between them.

Severus frowned at him. "Well?"

"Well... what?" said Harry.

"What have you got to say for yourself, Potter? I want to know why you put the idea of being an Auror into my daughter's head."

"Oh, come off it. I didn't put the idea into her head. She told me she was interested in becoming an Auror, and I told her she needed to talk to you and Hermione about it first – end of story," Harry said calmly.

"End of story? Why didn't you talk her out of it? For some insane reason, Grace likes you and would have listened to you. You could have talked her into teaching or something like that. You know, something that wouldn't get her killed." Severus' words were spoken softly, but still laced with anger.

Harry eyed his companion for a moment while trying to choose his words carefully. "Look, Severus, please sit down so we can talk like adults and not as if I'm still your student."

After a few moments, Severus gave up the battle of wills and took the seat. "Fine, I'm sitting, now start talking."

"Well, first of all, you know that I would never encourage Gracie to do something that would put her into immediate danger. I should hope that I don't need to defend my concern for my own godchild's safety and well-being. That being said, I would never give her the impression that her wishes and dreams are foolish. She was adamant, Severus. This is what she wants, and if you would stop seeing her in nappies and start seeing her as the bright young witch that she is, you might have a better understanding."

Harry paused for a moment and waited for an interjection, but none came, so he continued.

"I know she's young, but she's not going to start hunting criminals tomorrow. She's still got two years of school. There's still plenty of time for her to work toward her goal, and it's also time for her to change her mind."

"She loves you, Severus. She knows how hard it will be for you to let her go, but this is important to her. You've been a great father to her; I think Ron would even agree to that. The best thing you can do for her now is support her and help her if she needs it. That's what I plan to do. I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that she's at the top of her game. She'll be the best damn Auror the Wizarding World has ever seen, you'll see."

Severus heaved a defeated sigh. "I just – I don't know what I would do if something were to happen to her."

Harry shifted uncomfortably in his chair. An angry, scowling Snape he could deal with, but a helpless and worried Snape – well, that would take an entirely different level of understanding.

"Severus, I... "

"Listen, you don't know what this is like. I feel so useless right now. I am in such a precarious position with her. From the day Grace was born, I have felt an overwhelming sense of protection over her. It's a feeling that comes from deep within. Even before I courted Hermione, I felt drawn to the child. I would even go so far as to say that it was Grace who brought me and Hermione together. I don't know what it was about her or why I let myself become so attached to her. Perhaps it stems from my time in the forest clearing with young Mr. Weasley. I will admit it, I didn't want to be the one to hear his last words nor did I want to be the one to carry out his requests."

Harry looked at his hands. "We appreciate everything you did. But, you didn't have to do it, you know. You had sacrificed so much already. You could have just walked away and started over, but you chose to do what he asked you to. I have always wondered about that. Honestly, Ron was far from being one of your mates." Harry's last statement was punctuated with a questioning look at his companion.

Severus contemplated Harry for a moment. He fought the inclination to remind Harry that he wasn't exactly one of Ron's top ten favorite people, either, but that argument was for another time. Severus rubbed the bridge of his nose and said, "If you had asked me then why I chose to stay with Mr. Weasley in that dreadful forest, and subsequently deliver his messages, I don't know that I would have had a suitable response."

"And now?" shrugged Harry.

"At the time, I didn't feel it to be a burden, therefore I just did what I felt had to be done. I felt I owed the Weasleys some sort of closure. Arthur and Molly had always been kind to me, even though I was a bastard to their children. They accepted that I had a... purpose in that God-forsaken war, and they never questioned my actions. But, now that I look back on that night, it would be foolish for me to say there wasn't more to it than that."

"What was it, then? What sort of answer did you come up with, and what does it have to do with the precarious position you are in with Gracie?" Harry asked.

Snape looked toward the fire and took a deep breath before he began his explanation. "Alright, I'll tell you. You see, I had been a pawn in someone else's game for so long that when the war was over, I vowed that I would never live in servitude again. When Ronald Weasley's dying wish became my responsibility, I accepted it without regret. I imagined that I would deliver his last words to his family, check in on Hermione and the baby from time-to-time, and then go back to teaching dunderheads. I was finally going to be at peace with my life. I had accepted that I would always be alone, but I was free so I was not despondent."

Harry listened in silence. He gave his full attention to Severus, hoping to gain some understanding from the most complex man he'd ever known.

"I did my job, Potter. I did what Mr. Weasley had asked. I delivered his messages, and I checked in on Hermione. We became friends quickly. She was a breath of fresh air to a man who hadn't had an intelligent conversation in a very long time. On the day that Grace was born, Hermione was at the castle. She had borrowed a book from my private collection, and she had come to return it. I invited her to stay for tea, and we were having a delightful disagreement over the effect peppermint had when mixed with dragon's blood. She is a stubborn witch. She was in mid-rant when she went into labor. I carried her all the way to Poppy."

Severus grinned to himself. "I remember pacing the corridor like an expectant father. When I heard Grace's wailing, my heart skipped a beat. Poppy opened the door and told me that Hermione wanted to see me. I will never forget that moment for as long as I live. When I walked into the room, Hermione was sitting up in the bed, beads of sweat rolling down her cheeks, frizzy hair standing on end, and Grace wrapped in a pink blanket in her arms. It was the most beautiful sight I had ever laid my eyes on. She had asked me if I wanted to hold the baby, and I panicked. I had never held an infant in my life, but I felt an inexplicable pull from the child. From the moment I held her in my arms, I knew that I would never want to let her go. I was paralyzed by her. Suddenly, everything that I had ever done made sense. Those things had brought me to that moment, and I felt... cleansed."

"I couldn't get through a day without thinking about Grace. I would Floo call Hermione every night to check on them. Naturally, the more I thought of Grace, the more I thought of Hermione. I woke up one morning and realized that I had fallen for both of them. The rest, as they say, is history."

"The precarious position that I'm in is due to the fact that I am not her biological parent. I may be made of sterner stuff than some, but contrary to popular belief, I am human. If I were Grace's real father, I would probably have stamped on the idea of her becoming an Auror immediately. As much as I consider Grace my own, I am not prepared for her rejection of me as her father. I don't ever want to push her to the point of reminding me that I am, in fact, her stepfather. As many horrors that I have seen in my lifetime, the prospect of her hating me would top them all. I never deserved her, and I am always waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop, and I would lose a precious gift."

Severus sat back in his chair and stared thoughtfully into the fire. Harry watched him for a moment. This was a man who Harry had known for years, but he realized that he hadn't even scratched the surface where Severus Snape was concerned. He actually felt sorry for the man who had dealt him so much hell. He knew he had to say something, but he was at a loss. As the silence stretched, Harry cleared his throat, hoping his words wouldn't tumble disgracefully out of his mouth.

"Severus, I thought you knew Gracie better than that. If she heard you refer to yourself as only her stepfather, she would probably never speak to you again. I loved Ron. He's the best friend a bloke could have ever had. I never thought I deserved him or Hermione as friends, but there you are. Yeah, he probably would have been an excellent father, and it's regrettable that he never had the chance with Gracie. But, the fact of the matter is, Ron isn't here. You are her father – the only father she will ever have. She didn't need your approval, you great prat. She went to you because she wanted your approval. If you had told her that you didn't want her to become an Auror, of course she would have been angry. She's a bloody teenager for Merlin's sake; that's what they do. But, she would still love you, and she would still look at you as her father. Unfortunately, she would also have let go of her dream out of fear of letting you down."

Severus was stung by Harry's last statement. He closed his eyes as the painful truth of Harry's words washed over him.

As Harry watched Severus, the thought hit him that there was a time, long ago, that Harry would have taken great pleasure from the Potion master's despair. But, this wasn't the evil bat of the dungeon. The man before him was someone he had great respect for. He needed to say something to lighten the mood.

"You know, Grace becoming an Auror should be the least of your worries," Harry said matter-of-factly.

Severus looked up with his eyebrows furrowed.

Harry grinned. "How on earth did we let her become involved with Devon Malfoy? I mean to say, it's not like we were blind-sided by it. The boy didn't come out of nowhere. He and Grace have been spending far too much time together for years. I think you should have put a stop to that a long time ago, old man."

Severus smirked. "You are supposed to be her protector, are you not? Why, you're the Savior of the Wizarding World, couldn't you have done something about young Malfoy? My, my, after all this time, you have proven to be... lacking. I am most disappointed in you, Potter. Most disappointed indeed."

"You know, maybe you should give me a list of things I'm allowed to do as godfather. I seem to have missed something," Harry said.

"I don't know that I could write a text fit for someone with the academic capacity of a flobberworm, however, I shall try," Severus deadpanned.

Harry laughed out loud at this last statement. He was hoping to get the sarcastic wit out of his old professor, and he did. Only seconds ticked by, however, before the air became thick once again.

Severus put his drink on the table next to the chair and stood. He watched the fire dance over the embers as he let the silence penetrate the air. He finally let out a deep sigh and turned back toward Harry, who was now standing behind him. He nodded his head toward Harry and turned to leave.

"Severus," Harry said.

Severus stopped, but didn't turn around.

"For what it's worth, I think you were the best man for the job – you know, by raising Gracie. Like I said before, she loves you, and nothing you ever say or do will change that."

Harry noticed Severus' slumped shoulders straighten a small fraction, and Harry smiled to himself. Severus did not respond to his words, though. Silently, they made their way through the house. As they walked, Severus regarded Harry out of the corner of his eye for a moment and then cleared his throat.

"Potter, be sure to clear your calendar for the next two summer holidays."

Harry gave him a questioning look. "Oh and why do I need to do that?"

"Because you will be busy helping me train the best damn Auror the Wizarding World has ever seen," Severus said, raising the corner of his mouth in what Harry perceived as the closest he would ever get to a smile.

Harry grinned widely, though. "You're on."

Severus didn't say another word. Harry followed him to the foyer, and when they reached the front door Severus turned to face him again. He gave Harry a brief nod and left.

Harry locked the door and looked out the window. After watching Severus Disapparate, he turned to go back upstairs and came face-to-face with his wife.

"What on earth was that about?" Ginny asked.

Harry smiled. "All these years, our old professor has thought of Gracie as belonging to him. But, I think the great, bloody git has finally realized that he belongs to her as well. And, he thinks I'm thick."

A/N: I know you were all hoping for a Harry/Snape showdown. I hope you're not too dissapointed.