Four years later

Hermione and Polly were working together in the kitchen, fixing the traditional Christmas Eve dinner that the Snape family had begun in their first year as a family.

There was a bit of a struggle in that first year between Hermione and Polly. Hermione's stance on house elf rights—as well as her desire to prove herself as wife and mother—and Polly's eagerness to serve her family caused many arguments. Severus intervened one day and made Hermione and the elf sit down and actually discuss their roles. Since that time, they worked happily together, giving Hermione insights about house elves she'd never known before. She still planned to fight for their rights, but this time with a more educated mindset.

"Are we ready to take the trays in, Polly?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, Missy Hermione," the elf replied.

The pair only got as far as the door when they stopped, Hermione's hand staying the elf's progress. Silently the pair looked at each other and then at the tableau in front of them.

Severus was holding Leonida in his arms as she reached up to jam the star on the top. He was encouraging his little lioness to be careful. Once the star was in place—and Hermione knew Severus would discreetly straighten it later—he set Leonida down, and she dashed to the ornament box.

"Daddy! There are still some blaubles in the box. Can I puts dem on?"

"Baubles, my lioness, baubles, and yes, you may."

Leonida carefully picked one up and placed it next to the clump of other ornaments that were set no higher than she could reach among the branches and no wider than her arms could span.

Hermione bit back a giggle; the poor tree. This was the first year Leonida was really into Christmas. She begged to be able to help decorate the tree, and of course her parents gave in. Severus helped by decorating the upper half of the tree and Leonida the lower half. As a result, the upper half was arranged neatly and precisely, no bulb placed so that it touched another. In pride of place, Severus placed 'baby's first' ornaments, including the wee hand print ornament Hermione had given him for their first family Christmas together. The lower half was a mish mash of whatever Leonida could get a hold of and placed more or less all in one spot. As a result, middle of the tree was bare, except for the lights, as well as on either side of Leonida's clumps of decorations.

"Do yous want me to fix the tree?" whispered Polly.

"Oh, no, Polly. It would crush Nida's spirit to see that we fixed it. And Severus would not be happy. He really looked forward to doing this with her. No, the tree will stay the way it is. However," she looked at the elf and smiled mischievously, "we will take pictures so that we can embarrass Nida to tears when she's older!"

Polly smiled and giggled. "Yous is naughty, Missy Hermione."

"Come on, let's get dinner to them. We'll need to tuck Nida into bed soon."

Hermione sang as she entered the room, letting her husband and daughter know that dinner had arrived. The pair turned and went to help her and the elf. Severus cleared the coffee table, and Leonida moved whatever empty boxes she could manage.

"Oh, Mummy! You're just in time; I'm starving!" Leonida said with emphasis.

"I doubt that, Nida," said Severus. "Come and sit like a good girl while Mum and Polly set the trays down. There's a poppet."

There was a small bustle of activity as the trays were set in place and plates were passed around. Leonida, in her excitement, reached out to grab a pasty and burnt her fingers as a result. When she cried out, Severus admonished her.

"Leonida Jean Snape! How many times have I told you not to be in such a hurry?"

Tears welled in her eyes. "I'm sorry Daddy," she sniffed, putting her fingers in her mouth.

"Come here, little lion," he soothed. Leonida crawled into his lap. "Let me see your fingers." He placed the wet, injured hand next to his lips and murmured a healing charm. "All better?" he asked, and Leonida nodded. "Let me wipe those tears now." He used his thumbs to carefully wipe her face. "Now, get down and have your dinner, but more carefully, yes?"

"Yes, Daddy."

Hermione watched the exchanged, and smiled. How her life had changed in so short a time. She and Severus had tumbled through their first year as parents and lovers with little sleep and quite a few arguments. On Christmas Day, one year after Severus had asked permission to court her, he formally asked her to marry him, and she said yes with no reservations.

They married in the summer of the following year and spent a week away for a honeymoon. That was all the more time they could bear to be away from their daughter. In the fall of that same year, Hermione asked Severus to officially become Leonida's father and adoption papers were drawn up. Hermione had always considered Severus her child's father, and told him so, since her birth.

Father and daughter were devoted to each other. He always called her his little lion or lioness, and only recently, as she was old enough to be taught manners, would he call by her full name if he needed to correct her. Hermione could see that it devastated Severus to do so, for although he was stern and consistent in his parenting, he would also cuddle her later so that she knew she was loved. He was very cognizant of his upbringing and had vowed to himself and Hermione that Leonida would never know an angry hand.

As they ate, Leonida chattered away about all the things they were going to do on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, such as visiting The Burrow, Granny's Poppy and Minnie, and Granny and Grandpa Granger.

"What would you like Father Christmas to bring you?" asked Hermione.

"Um…some toys, a cauldron so I can make Potions wiv Daddy, a wand, and a baby," she said as though she were reading a list.

Severus chuckled. "I'm sure Father Christmas can manage everything but the baby. You don't want too much, do you, little lion?"

"Well, Albus got a little sister last year! Why can't I get one?" Leonida stamped her foot in frustration. "And Unca Won said Father Chwistmas is bringing him a baby this year!"

Severus saw that he needed to forestall a temper tantrum in the making. "Leonida…" he warned.

Hermione reached over and pressed her hand on Severus' arm. "Severus, please. It's Christmas Eve. Let's not have a battle of wills just now. Besides," she moved her hand from his arm to her midsection, "Nida's wish will come true."

Severus was confused at first by Hermione's gesture and meaning, but the knut dropped and he gasped. "You mean?"

Hermione nodded. "We've been trying for so long. I had an appointment last week because I wanted to know what might be wrong, why we weren't conceiving. I found out my question was a moot point."

Severus dropped his plate on the table and drew Hermione to him. "Oh, love; you've made me so happy. I thought I had everything I needed in the world right now; my daughter, you, a loving home, but you've added to my wealth. I love you!"

He pulled her face to his and kissed her long and passionately, only stopping when a little voice said, "EW! Mummy, Daddy is slobbering all over you!"

They laughed as they drew apart, Severus reaching for his daughter. As the trio cuddled together, Severus began to tell the traditional Christmas stories; the Muggle Christmas story and the tale of Father Christmas, both Muggle and Wizard versions.

Polly popped into the living room as quietly as possible. She used her magic to snap a picture that she would later frame and leave as her gift to them. She loved her family, and had, of course, known that Missy Hermione was going to have another baby. Elves just knew these things. Master Severus would be delighted to know the child would be a little master, but Polly knew she must not tell.

With a snap, she returned to her nest, where she started to go through the wool that Missy Hermione had given her, wondering how many booties a boy would need.