Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Unquestionable Love	By : CRMediaGal Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Hermione Views: 3380 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: Harry Potter is copyrighted to and belongs to JK Rowling. I own none of her associated characters. New characters belong to me. No money/profit is made from this story.

Chapter List
- 21
- 22
- 23
A/N: A long-awaited conversation between father and daughter. Not that everything will be settled, but it's a good start.

Many thanks to my wonderful beta reader, Brittny.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is copyrighted to and belongs to JK Rowling. I own none of her associated characters. New characters belong to me

Chapter 22: The Third Snape's Admission

Hailey ran down the spiral staircase towards the dungeons as fast as her short legs would allow. She simply could not handle the tension, stress, and awkwardness of the situation anymore. The fact that Scorpius Malfoy now knew of the incident did not help matters either.

How did Scorpius find out? He wasn't around when it happened. It was just Dad and I. Hailey's mind raced, panic tracing her round features, and she scuffed the stone floor as she reached the bottom, shaking her head furiously. No, Dad certainly wouldn't have said anything. That's ridiculous! So how did that foul git find out?

Hailey halted in front of the door leading to the Potions lab. Her assistantship did not start for another hour or so, but the flustered girl could hardly wait. She had so many desperate thoughts running through her brain that she would undoubtedly explode if she did not get them all out of her and fast.

Hailey yanked on the door and trampled into the room, only to find it dark and deserted. Where was her father? Why was he not in the Potions lab like always? She scanned the gloomy room, sweeping it over before sprinting out and down the corridor towards Severus's office. She reached it in no time and inhaled a deep breath before knocking on the door.

Hailey could hear some low mumbling coming from inside, so she paused, waiting for Severus to reply or let her in. To her surprise, nothing happened, so she tapped the door again with her fist, only much louder than before. This time, a faint growl echoed from within, causing Hailey to inhale again.

"Dad!" she exclaimed, too excited to worry if now was a bad time. "Dad, it's me! Can I come in? Please?"

She could hear footsteps growing louder and drew back as the door creaked open. Severus's tall, dark frame reared over her, and Hailey's triggered state turned to dread when she gazed into her father's face.

He was extremely white as usual, but his lips were blue again, and the deep circles under his eyes were changing color, making them appear more like bruises than wrinkles. His flesh was translucent and unnatural, much like the day of Lily's accident. The sight made Hailey's stomach lurch. She momentarily forgot why she was there and could only gawk up at him with alarm.

"Hailey?" he rasped, his voice abnormally worn. "What are you doing here? You're early..."

Hailey swallowed and tried to gather her composure. "I - I'm sorry... I wanted to talk to you, if that's all right?"

Severus sighed and inched the door open wider to allow her through. "Of course, come in."

Hailey offered him a meek smile and entered into his office, which was dimly lit but warm, on account of the burning fireplace opposite his desk. It had been quite a long time since the young Gryffindor had seen the place, having visited occasionally when she came to the castle with her mother and Jeannie in the past.

Lily admittedly found her father's office a bit creepy, Surina less so, although she hardly ever ventured into it for whatever reason, but Hailey found it fascinating. Artifacts encased in jars lined the walls, filled with unusual creatures—mostly dissected portions of animals—as well as potions, all labeled in Severus's handwriting and colored different hues of purples, reds, blues, greens, and yellows. His collection had grown considerably since she was a child, and any time she entered she allowed herself a moment to speculate over his newest additions. Sometimes she asked about them, but tonight she had far more pressing things to discuss.

Hailey walked several feet into the Potions Master's space and turned around, placing her belongings on the floor and lacing her hands together awkwardly as she often did.

Severus closed the door and peered over at her, looking quite put out. He blinked several times before addressing her.

"Is everything all right?"

"Yes," Hailey fumbled, biting her lip, "I - I hope this isn't a bad time?"

Severus ran his elongated fingers through his black tresses and progressed towards her slowly, delicately, with calculated precision. "Not at all. What is it?"

Hailey was unsure how to begin, so she glanced hastily over at his desk, which was piled high with various letters and papers. The place was unusually messy and not like the particular, organized mind who occupied it. Hailey willed herself to ignore the unsettling notion of that realization.

"Erm, should we sit down?"

She stumbled over to a nearby chair and plunged into it, gazing up at him with restless anticipation. Severus raised an eyebrow but followed her lead and took a seat in a large, leather chair behind his desk. Hailey watched his stark, rigid body shift around several times, as if trying to get comfortable, and hoped he was not as nervous as she was. Why was this so difficult?

"So, what is it, Hailey? What's wrong?"

"I - I wanted to talk to you about what happened..."

Hailey paused, observing her father for a long moment, but his pale visage was unreadable. He only gazed back at her with his extremely tired eyes, which made her feel quite awful for bugging him at the present. But she pressed on.

"I - I don't understand what happened, and I'm feeling more confused by it all the time. I'm not sure how to, um, well, begin..."

"Yes," he replied softly, "well, it has been a lot to digest for you, I'm sure."

"I know you said that you would offer me an explanation? If I wanted it? And... I'd like to know now. I - I want to know why it happened, Dad..."

"Why I scolded you or why I got angry?"

Hailey's quizzical brow rose beneath her unruly bangs. "Um, both, I guess."

Severus nodded, his demeanor still inscrutable. He let out a prolonged sigh, placed his hands in his lap, and scrutinized her for a long moment. Hailey knew that he was trying to choose his words carefully, considering his unfortunate habit of not always saying what he truly meant, something she often heard her mother complain about. She waited as patiently as she could for him to give the long-awaited answers to her questions. He licked his blue-tinted lips and gave an odd grunt.

"Hailey, that day in Potions, I overheard your laughter during my lesson, and I heard it more than once. I thought, at the time, that perhaps you were testing me, but I know now that I was gravely mistaken. Your immediate response to my reprimanding attested to my misgivings but my anger was outside of my control by the time I realized what was happening."

Hailey scrunched up her nose, confused. "Outside of your control?"

Severus's scowl deepened, and sadness penetrated through the blackness in his eyes. "Yes."

"Erm, what do you mean?"

Severus remained still in his chair but examined his hands in his lap. "There is more to my ill-temper, Hailey, than I feel comfortable talking about at length..."

Hailey pouted, disappointed with the response she received. "Can't you try? I... I think you owe it to me."

Severus peered up at her with a forlorn expression that caught her unprepared. "There are a lot of complicated factors involved, but it really comes down to the reality of where we stand, Hailey, where our relationship must lie whilst you are here."

"What do you mean?"

"I should have had this conversation with you before you came here. It is something I should have done with your sisters as well, but I never did. You need to understand your place in my classroom, Hailey.

"In Potions, you are not my daughter, you are my student, and I must treat you the same as everyone else. There can be no exceptions to that rule, and that is both my own doing but also the school's. It is a regulation I cannot break; I cannot let my guard down, and I know that that has been a struggle for you. I hope, given more time here, you will find it less frustrating than you do now. I wish it could be different, sweetheart, but I cannot compromise my position any more than McGonagall and the staff have already risked to keep me here."

"Keep you here?" Hailey was surprised, and it showed in her eyes.

"There are many wizards who, given their way, would not hesitate to have me removed from this school."

Hailey's mouth fell in shock, a clear amount of feeling surfacing on her round features. "Why on earth would anyone want to do that to you, Dad?"

Severus knew he was treading a very thin line now, and the dark days of his past were seeping into his consciousness again: all of his dreadful mistakes; the ugly deeds he performed and preferred to forget; the loneliness, isolation, and sheer madness of his days as a spy; and having to tread between two very different worlds. The young, intelligent girl before him knew very little about that former life, and he desired to keep it from her and her siblings as much as he could help it.

"Wizards who know of my past, who have not been able to see beyond my former transgressions. People who don't know the whole truth, Hailey."

"But that's ridiculous!"

Severus gazed at his daughter unmoved, though an inner warmth permeated his chest at the regard Hailey bestowed on him. "It is what it is, my dear. Treating you like the rest of my students may be a large matter to you, but it is small in light of what anyone could bring against me and my teachings if they so desired."

"Is that why you can't teach Defense Against the Dark Arts? Because of your past?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so."

Hailey grumbled unhappily. "That's not fair. I think you've paid enough, Dad. Why don't you fight them on it? On everything?"

Severus shook his head and gave a dark sneer. "That would be counterproductive, Hailey. I do not have the power to change every wizard's mind about me. It does not matter to me, and it shouldn't to you either, so don't fret about it."

Hailey's face sunk, unable to grasp the supposed ill-regard the public felt towards him. She had never considered until the start of term that anyone could dislike her father, and her mind berated her for what a naive fool she had been.

"Getting back to my point though, can you understand now why I must treat you like your peers, Hailey? I don't think you would appreciate your Uncle Neville, for instance, showing Tessa favoritism in your Herbology class, would you?"

Hailey reluctantly shook her head, acknowledging a reality that, up until then, had seemed unfair. "No, I guess not," she confessed with a sigh.

Severus leaned forward in his chair, squinting and buckling a little in discomfort, and spoke again before Hailey could say anything. "Sweetheart, I'm not trying to push you away or make you feel insignificant. I hope that, despite what may seem very confusing to you now, you don't think that my treatment towards you in class is any reflection of how I truly think and feel. You are my daughter, and I love you very much."

To Severus's surprise, Hailey smiled and her face brightened a little, although only momentarily. Her dark brown eyes, much like his own, searched him inquisitively, many questions still spinning in her mind.

"I know you do, Dad. I - I don't doubt that. You don't need to worry. I guess I just don't understand why you instruct us so unforgivingly?"

Severus cocked his head slightly, considering Hailey's question with caution and a bit of shock. It was not an inquiry the brilliant man expected, and he belittled himself for not suspecting it. It was only natural, after all.

"Potions is a very dangerous practice, Hailey. I don't mind allowing you to assist me with these orders because I am there to look over your shoulder and guide you through the process safely. It may all seem relatively innocent to you now, but the more potions you brew, and the more complicated they get, I think you will discover for yourself what you and your classmates are really up against, what I work with every day. It is an exact art, make no mistake, and there is very little room for error without terrible consequences.

"I cannot afford to allow mindless banter and amusements in my classroom. It is precisely that kind of foolish, irresponsible behavior that gets kids sent to the Infirmary, or even to St. Mungo's on occasion. I have no tolerance for it, Hailey. My attitude may seem 'unforgivable' to you, but I am only trying to get you and your friends to focus, to be cautious and precise, and to make the least amount of mistakes you possibly can. It is not out of spite. I want you to learn, Hailey. Some of your peers cannot be helped in that regard, I'm afraid, and that irks me to no end."

Severus smirked, and Hailey responded with soft laughter. "Yeah, that's true." She nodded her shaggy head. "I guess you just seem to hate it so much. You teach as if you don't even like it, Dad."

Severus gazed at the Gryffindor thoughtfully, a rare smile still outlining his face. "I don't dislike teaching, Hailey, but I confess that I have never cared immensely for it. I became a Potions Master partly because I wanted to, but more out of necessity at the time. It was also at the request of the former Headmaster, so it was not necessarily of my own choosing. Nevertheless, I am grateful now that the post was given to me."

"Then you are not unhappy here?" Hailey asked, her voice filled with a concern that was unexpected and touched Severus deeply.

"No, Hailey, I'm not unhappy. I miss your mother and sister very much, but we have always known that this is my second home. Just as it is yours, your sisters', and was your mother's for a time. I'm glad that I'm also at a close enough proximity to look after you girls and be available, should you need me for anything."

Hailey nodded in agreement, her mood slowly improving as their talk progressed. "Me, too."

As she stared at the weary man across from her, she sighed and released the words she had wanted to say to him for a long time. "I - I'm sorry for hitting you, Dad..." She waited anxiously for his reaction, but it was not fast enough so she pressed on in haste, desperate to get the words out. "I - I don't know why I did it. I was just so angry and shocked and scared. I didn't mean to hurt you and it wasn't right. I'm really, really sorry..."

Hailey wanted to go further, to say more about her actions, but she stopped herself, allowing her apology to sink in and fill the void between them. Severus abruptly looked away from her, his dark eyes fluttering a few times, and the muscles in his jaw tightened. Hailey was not sure what to make of his silence and leaned forward in her chair, bracing her fingers against the leather fabric. After an agonizing moment, he finally met her gaze with an abated, yet still evasive, response.

"I am relieved to hear that, Hailey, thank you, and I apologize for frightening you. It was never my intention to inflict the damage I caused. It was, again, outside of my control, and it should never have happened. You did not deserve it, and I hope you know that."

Hailey's shoulders collapsed with relief, though she continued to stare at Severus rather intensely. "Dad?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"What's wrong?"

Severus's brow furrowed, unsure of her insinuation. "What do you mean?"

"That day when you came at me with the wand... There was something else going on... Your eyes, they were so angry and unlike you. I've never seen you like that before. And then when you drew back from me and almost fell, you didn't look like yourself at all."

Severus remained stiff in his chair and stared at Hailey, seemingly unprepared for her to bring up the incident again. His bluish lips finally parted, and when he spoke, his voice was a hoarse whisper.

"It is as I've said before, Hailey. A matter outside of my control, and it took a moment afterwards to recompose myself. That is all."

Hailey gave a disappointed grunt. Her father was not giving his secret up willingly. What was he keeping from her? She already had her suspicions and quickly decided that now was as good an opportunity as any to confront him with her theories.

"Does it have anything to do with what happened to you?" When Severus did not answer immediately, Hailey plunged ahead. "You know, the night you almost died. The snake bite..."

Severus gave an unexpected low hiss and looked away from her, clearly disgruntled by her inquiries. "I wish you didn't know about that," he mumbled, clasping his hands tighter in his lap.

"Why?"

"Because I'm sick of being reminded of it!"

Hailey swallowed and cast her eyes to the floor, not sure what to say. Severus inhaled and attempted to calm himself before addressing her again.

"I'm sorry, Hailey. I know you are asking from a good place, and I do appreciate it, but let's not talk about that anymore, please. You need to put that out of your mind. It was a very long time ago and isn't worth worrying over, all right?"

Hailey reluctantly nodded but did not meet his gaze. Severus scowled in response and leaned forward again in his chair, flinching at the burning aches throughout his body.

"Hailey, look at me," he insisted, to which she obeyed. "No more of that, understood? Promise?"

"All right..." she hesitantly muttered.

Stillness fell over the room as both father and daughter examined one another, listening only to the crackling fire that provided the dungeon office with much needed heat and coziness. With questions still brewing in her astute mind, Hailey continued, changing the subject even though she was not necessarily ready to give up the previous topic.

"These poisonous incidents," she began, peering up at Severus impishly.

"Yes?"

"Um, you don't think that..."

Severus's eyes narrowed. "What is it, Hailey?"

Hailey bit her lip as usual, much to the professor's dissatisfaction, although he refrained from giving her any sort of reprimand. "Well, with St. Mungo's and those wizards that were poisoned... We've sent a lot of potions off to them the past few weeks, and I can't help but be a little worried about, maybe, mistakes that we, erm, I might have..."

It took Severus a moment to gather what his daughter was getting at, but then he drew back and the harsh outlines of his face became less severe. A smile migrated across his unnaturally colored mouth, and, to her surprise, he actually stifled a chuckle.

"Hailey, you don't seriously believe that you or I had anything to do with that, do you?"

Hailey blushed, just as she had when she confessed her reservations to Lily earlier, and her small lips came together tightly. Was she really so foolish to be as concerned as she was?

"My dear," Severus stated with thoughtful consideration, "I think you are taking these incidents to a level of hysteria."

"Don't tease me, Dad!" Hailey huffed, her red cheeks flushing brighter than before. "I'm being serious!"

"So am I," he mused with a dark smile.

Hailey shifted, ruffled by her own self-doubts. Severus whisked a few raven hairs away from his drained face and sighed.

"Sweetheart, don't worry about what's happening. There is no need to be preoccupied with those matters. They are being taken care of by the Ministry. You have your classes and friends and plenty of other things you should be focused on right now."

Hailey knew her father was right and uncrossed her arms, toying with her fingers in her lap for a moment, her bangs covering her eyes. "Yeah, I know, Dad. Sorry, I was just curious; couldn't help myself."

"That's quite all right."

Severus gave a faint smirk and placed his hands on the armrests of his chair. Hailey peered up at him again just as he leaned his head back against the leather chair and closed his eyes momentarily.

Hailey watched him for a moment with curiosity, growing nervous when he did not address her again or open his eyes. She rose quietly from her comfortable seat and stalked around his desk, her stance still awkward but more confident than earlier. Severus's eyes fluttered open as she reached his side, and his fuzzy vision took in her raised eyebrows and look of genuine concern.

"Are you all right, Dad?" she whispered before he could interject.

Severus grunted uneasily and shifted his upper body, gazing up at her with indifference. "I'm fine," he breathed, waving his hand dismissively. "Just a little tired is all."

"Should I go?"

Hailey folded her hands together and waited patiently for his response, her voice both hushed and respectful. Severus surveyed her for a moment before reaching out and taking her delicate chin in his hand. He had not had any contact with her in weeks and was grateful when she did not back away or flinch at his touch like she had on previous occasions. He had no idea if she minded the contact, but he no longer cared.

"Not unless you want to?" he whispered back, waiting for her to decide.

Hailey gave him a tame, endearing smile and allowed him to stroke her cheek. She had missed their close bond and was relieved to see it gradually coming back.

"Can we get started?" she asked with a hint of eagerness in her voice, something she had been displaying more and more over the weeks she had been brewing potions with the professor. It brought private joy to Severus to hear.

"Sure," he complied, and Hailey skipped around the desk in much happier spirits, content with how the conversation had gone.

Severus winced and took a considerable amount of time getting to his feet. This did not go unnoticed by Hailey, who scrutinized him, but did not bug him with any further questions, much to his alleviation. She turned towards an oak door along the wall next to the fireplace that connected his office to the Potions lab and opened it. She then whisked her wild curls around and stared up at him with a pleasant disposition.

"Thanks for the talk, Dad. I know I should have come to you sooner."

"I'm glad you did," Severus replied, bowing his head agreeably.

"Can I ask you something else?"

"Yes, of course."

"Um, did you happen to say something about what happened to Scorpius Malfoy by any chance?"

Severus's eyebrows came together and his pupils widened slightly, taken aback by her very odd question. "No, of course not. What happened between you and I is nobody's business but ours, Hailey. Why would I share something like that with a mere boy, and one of my students at that?"

Hailey shrugged. "I don't know. It's just that he mentioned it to me earlier, and I have no idea how he would have known. He told me he thought it was pathetic that I was the assistant you chose."

To her surprise, the dark wizard snarled and curled his upper lip in an angry fashion. "Well, he had no right saying that, Hailey. It's none of his concern whom I choose to assist me. Don't let him get to you. He sounds a little too much like his grandfather for my taste."

Hailey giggled, satisfied with her father's answer, trampled into the unlit Potions lab, and began lighting the candles with her wand. Severus sauntered in after her, his mind still vexed by the Malfoy boy's less than friendly remarks to his daughter.
- 21
- 22
- 23
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Unquestionable Love