She woke up feeling disorientated. She didn't remember what else happened after she broke down yesterday. Sitting up in her bed, she looked around herself. Everything was quiet. There was no clinking of the pan in the kitchen. That meant that Severus was out somewhere. She climbed out of the bed and put on her warm dress robe. She didn’t know why she put it on, she just felt like wearing it today. It was cold and she wanted to be a bit warm. Looking around her room she saw that there was a note on her night stand. Picking it up, she read it.

Elle,
I’m sorry I couldn’t prepare your breakfast, something came up. I’m afraid you’ll have to go to the Great Hall to have some. I’ll meet you there as soon as I can.
Yours,
Severus

She sighed. She really didn’t want to be alone right now. Trudging to the bed she picked up the worn stuffed toy that she received the day before and hugged it to herself as she walked out of her room in a slow step. She looked at her feet all the way from the dungeons, feeling strangely lonely. There were no students or teachers in the corridors she walked in. She hugged her Mr Wolfy tighter to her as she quickened her pace. Maybe there were people in the Great Hall.

The next thing she heard was a soft “Oomph,” as she walked right into someone. She quickly apologized to whomever she bumped into and looked up. And froze. She was looking up into those impossibly amber eyes that she loved to watch when she was little. And the eyes watched her in shock as well. She felt her fingers slip as Mr Wolfy fell to the floor. And she threw herself into the man’s arms, sniffling softly but happily. The man suddenly picked her up as if he only just woke up from the trance he was in as he clung to her like there was no tomorrow and then she was heaved higher into the air and she grinned as she remembered the last time they did that. She put her palms on the man’s shoulders as he twirled her around. She squealed in glee and after throwing her arms around the man’s neck once more, cried out happily, “Uncle Moony!”

The hands that were hugging her suddenly tightened around her for a brief second and then she was looking down in his golden eyes again. They were smiling as were his lips. And she was sure that she was the same. Finally, he stopped twirling her and settled her on his hip after he levitated her plushie back in her arms. She was still grinning at the man as they entered the Great Hall, oblivious to everyone in the hall.

“I can’t believe you’re really here,” she said softly as he stopped to put her on the ground again. His arms faltered and she was pulled into a bear hug again. She felt a soft kiss on her head as he whispered back at her, “I can’t believe you remembered me, little one. I was so happy when Albus fire-called me and requested my presence here for the day. I didn’t think that you would want to see me again. And I never even hoped that I would be called Uncle Moony again.”

She punched him softly in the shoulder and pulled away. She saw his hurt look and giggled as she put her hands on his face. “Silly Uncle Moony… Hey! That almost rhymed!” she giggled and continued after seeing his expression brighten, “How could I ever forget you and not want to see you! You’re my Uncle Moony! And I missed you lots and lots!”

She saw his eyes tear up and giggled softly again as she brushed the stray tear away before leaning in and putting a soft kiss in his nose. Only then did she become aware of where they were. Luckily there were no students in the Great Hall, otherwise they would already be whispering about her. Uncle Filius and Auntie Minerva both had handkerchiefs in their hands and were either sniffling in them or brushing their tears away. Grandpa’s eyes just twinkled like there was no tomorrow and Severus was scowling at the floor, not looking at them at all. She tugged at Uncle Moony to let her down and after he did so she ran up to Severus and hugged him around the middle as well. She felt him stiffen and tightened her arms around him. Arms sneaked around her waist suddenly and pulled her up in his arms. She quickly put her legs around his waist so that she wouldn’t fall off and put her arms around his neck as she leaned her forehead against his. She watched his black eyes that were sparkling with something unidentifiable as she said softly, “Are you mad at me?”

His eyes widened for a fraction as his hold on her tightened a bit. He shook his head mutely and she continued, “Then what’s wrong. I don’t like seeing you like this…” Once again she was rewarded with his silence as he moved his eyes elsewhere. She was confused. What was wrong with Severus? A soft cough woke her up from her reverie and she looked up to see Grandpa smiling at her softly and nodding. Suddenly she understood. Severus was jealous. She turned back to watch Severus with wide eyes.

“Are you jealous?” she whispered in disbelief. His eyes suddenly caught hers and even as he went on quickly to deny it, she knew it was true. His eyes could never lie to her. She giggled softly as she brought his forehead to her lips and kissed it softly. That shut him up. She put her forehead against his again and asked him softly, “Why are you jealous? There’s no need for you to be jealous of Uncle Moony. He’s Uncle Moony, but you’re my…”

She bit her lip as she closed her eyes and buried her head in his shoulder. She almost said it. And she will have to tell him, for she knew that he would ask her. And there it was.

“I’m your what?”

His voice was rather husky as she felt his eyes burn into her. She blushed and looked up to him once more, before putting her small hands on his face and kissing his nose.

“You’re my Papa, silly,” she said softly. “And Papas and Uncles can’t really compare.”

She felt several sucks of breaths and one sob as she watched him apprehensively. His eyes were on hers still and his hands were suddenly clutching at her almost desperately as he hugged her to him. She felt his hands tremble a bit as he walked them the short distance between his chair and the spot where they stood. He fell backwards in the chair and buried his head in her hair. She suddenly felt something wet on her neck and realised with a jolt that he was crying. Tightening her hold on his neck she whispered four more words, “I love you, Papa.”

She heard a small gasp from him as he pulled back slowly. His black eyes were still glistening with tears and she pulled her hands back from his neck to fumble for a handkerchief in her pocket before tapping his teary face with it. All the while she felt his black eyes burning into hers, for they didn’t move their eyes from each other. Suddenly the hand with the handkerchief was stopped as his bigger hand encased hers as he pulled her closer to him and kissed her forehead.

“I love you too, little mermaid,” he murmured hoarsely in her ear as she felt her eyes tear this time. She hugged him for all he was worth and they clung to each other as if they couldn’t survive without the other. Suddenly there was clapping and they quickly looked in the direction of the clapping. Arielle saw Uncle Filius and Auntie Minerva sobbing and clapping. Grandpa was smiling and twinkling, and Uncle Remus was watching them with a painful expression in his eyes, yet there was a small smile on his face as he clapped as well. She gave them all a small smile and turned back to her Papa. It was then that she noticed what he was wearing. A smile lit her face.

“You’re wearing my present!” she exclaimed ecstatically as she put her hands around his neck again. She heard him chuckle and she was pulled in his arms again and kissed on her forehead one last time before they both heard her stomach rumble in hunger. Laughter filled the Great Hall as Arielle pouted at them with red cheeks while Severus was busy making her comfortable on his lap as he pulled an empty plate towards them and filled it with fruit. She pulled the plate on her lap as she leaned back on Severus’s chest. She grinned as she felt his arms encase her in their hug again and his head leant on her head. Picking up an apple, she bit into it and munched on it slowly.

ooOoo

Later that night, Severus was contemplating the day that had passed. He remembered when he saw Arielle and Lupin come in, smiling happily at each other. His stomach felt as if it would crumble and his heart felt like it was being squashed. He couldn’t look at them any more therefore he set his eyes on the floor and scowled at it. He couldn’t believe that he was actually jealous of the werewolf. And then he had his arms full of Arielle as she hugged him tightly. He was getting a lot of hugs lately and to tell the truth, he didn’t mind them at all. That girl had warmed her way into his heart step by step until he was sure he couldn’t live without her.

He remembered how she looked when he first set his eyes on her. She was a scared little thing, with barely any skin and vivid bruises on her lithe body. He felt his anger soar at the monsters that did it to her. He couldn’t understand that feeling that rose in his heart after he had seen her collapse. It was fear and worry he now recognized the feelings as. And then in the hospital wing, it was worry again. When they stared at each other he felt one of his masks crumble and he couldn’t set it up again. That girl made more and more if his masks fall through the last few months that they knew each other. He knew that he should probably push her away, at least to protect her from the Dark Lord and from himself, but it didn’t work. For the little mermaid as he had called her today, had took a place in his heart that he knew he couldn’t do without.

He was touched when he saw what she had given him for Christmas. It must have taken her a lot of time to make that jumper. He brushed his fingers over the soft wool and sighed as he contemplated the day. She had called him Papa. He felt his heart soar when he heard her call him that and it did it every time he heard the word. He never believed he would hear those words in his life, for he never believed that he would have children. And now, he was taking care of his mortal enemy’s daughter and he fell head over heals for her. She was just too cute to fight it. And she loved him. He felt his lips tug into a smile as he remembered how she said it. There were no lies in her voice and even though he couldn’t believe her at first, he did anyway. And he told her he loved her back. That itself was a big thing for him to do. And he felt that their relationship would change greatly from this day on. And you know what? He didn’t mind it at all. He was already contemplating the adoption of that specific girl with the name Arielle Lily Potter. He smiled as he thought that this would make a perfect birthday gift, for he didn’t dare ask her before. They still had a lot of things to work through.

And then she was there, staring at him through the doors of her room. He couldn’t believe how cute she looked, wearing that green sleeping gown of hers and clutching her toy in her arms. He gave her a small, but genuine smile, as he waved his hand to invite her closer. Her face lit up in a happy smile and she came running to him, climbing up on his lap and throwing her arms around his neck. He smiled in her hair that was so messy he still couldn’t believe she actually got it to work to her wishes sometimes, as he put his arms around her and pulled her closer to him, giving her a soft kiss on the head. He felt her smile and kissed her again, deciding there and then that she was the only thing in this world worth keeping forever. He brushed his fingers through her soft hair and let her fall asleep on him. He couldn’t bring himself to wake her up or move so that he could take her to bed.

He smiled as he remembered the night before Christmas. He was shocked when she had kissed him on his cheeks and couldn’t help but put his palm on the place he still felt his skin tingle. He had stood up after a few minutes in which he recollected himself, and went to her room, tucking her in softly and kissing her on the forehead. He knew that she wasn’t asleep yet, because he felt her stiffen when he entered and pretend that she was asleep. And he meant what he said back then. She was his child. His daughter now. And he would do everything to protect her.