Chapter 7: I Know He's The One Daddy!

Severus looked up as a very disgruntled Tiffany came through the door of the dungeon classroom. He paused in his grading of papers and watched her. The look on his daughters face was positively murderous and he could only guess at the reason for it. He had a sinking suspicion it has something to do with a certain half-breed that she was in puppy love with.

"EW! I can't believe he…" Tiffany stopped in her tracks and drew a deep breath then let it out just as quickly. It was quite obvious that she was not paying attention to her surroundings or she would not have let her father see her so upset. Over the past few months Severus and Hermione had became increasingly worried about their daughter and her ex-best-mate. It was plain to them that Tiffany had been the one to end their friendship and no amount of begging or bribing had convinced her to talk to him at their annual Christmas Party. Hermione had been rather upset by the whole ordeal and Severus had spent many nights alone with her trying to get her to see that it was just a phase. But as the days and weeks wore on he was beginning to think that he may have been wrong. Something he didn't like to admit.

"What's the matter with you?" He asked from behind his desk. She gave a started and turned around to look at him. It seemed for a moment she was confused about her location. She looked around quickly before muttering under her breath. Severus pretended not to hear the rather foul language and watched as she moved closer to his desk.

"Its nothing." She said as she flopped down into one of the seats in the front row. He raised an eyebrow and looked at her. She shrugged and slouched down in the seat, crossing her arms over her chest. She didn't want to talk to her father about her boy problems, especially since the advice that he and her mother had given her had worked so well. She closed her eyes for a moment and tried to get some sort of control over her riling temper. She had hoped to find her mother in their office but as luck would have it her father had intercepted her and diverted her from her path. Sure he hadn't told her to sit down but the implication was there. He had always said she could talk to him about anything but the things that had been designated as Hermione's territory.

"Fine, Teddy threatened Brad Bilbro from the Gryffindor Quidditch team after Brad invited me to go to Hogsmade and now Brad won't even get within three feet of me because he's scared that if he does Teddy'll do something to him. And to make it worst," she continued when Severus would have interrupted her, "Brad's told everyone what Teddy did and now no boy in Gryffindor or any other house will come near me." She opened her eyes and stared at him. What was he supposed to say? He was pretty sure this was one of the things that was designated as Hermione's territory. But he had given her advice when it came to Teddy before so...

"Well, I'm sorry that that happened sweety but maybe it was for the best. From what I hear Mr Bilbro had quite a reputation among the ladies of an assortment of houses for certain...qualities." Tiffany shot him a look that said she wasn't a baby and could say what he really meant but Severus wasn't comfortable discussing such matters with his twelve year old daughter.

"Whatever," she said shortly and sat up folding her arms across the table in front of her before dropping her head to them. She hadn't slept last night. She had stayed up pacing the confines of the girls dormitory trying to think of a way to get back at Teddy for being a such a...boy!

"Don't take that tone with me young lady and sit up straight. If your mother saw you slouching in that chair she'd have your head and mine." With a bit of grumbling she straightened up and took a deep breath before tears burst into her eyes. Severus was up and around the desk before the first one even began to roll down her cheek. He sank into the chair beside her and took her into his arms. She burrowed into her chest and wrapped her thin arms around his waist. Laying his cheek against her crown he smoothed a hand down her back and rocked gently. She sniffled and sobbed and hiccuped. Neither noticed Hermione poke her head out the office door to see what was going on and neither noticed her smile before going back inside and closing the door behind her gently.

When she finally had cried her fill she pulled back and Severus pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it too her. She mopped up the moisture from her tears and sighed. She cast a side long look at her father before looking down at the hanky in her hand. It was one from a set she had bought him for his birthday a few years ago. She smiled as she saw the green SS embroidered on one corner. Running her fingers over the embroidery she thought about her childhood and how her father had always been there. He was only one of the men in her life that had been so consistent and loving. She thought that all men were that way but apparently thirteen year old boys were not like men.

"Felling better?" The short question made her laugh a little and shake her head.

"I don't think I'll ever be better again in my life." She looked up at him and gave him a sad smile. He shook his head and smiled back at her. She would be find, she just needed time.

"I know you feel that way right now but very few people ever stay with their first love. Sure Teddy will always hold a special place in your heart but you'll meet someone, someday who will be more than Teddy ever was and then you'll be happy forever." She dropped her gaze back down to the handkerchief. Maybe he was right but maybe he was wrong. She didn't know anymore. She just felt so lost and heartbroken. "Look sweety, I know that you feel like life as you once knew it is over but its not. You'll grown out of this and move on eventually. You just have to tell yourself that there is someone else out there who will make you happier than Teddy."

"And what if I never find that guy? What if Teddy is it? What if I know he's the one?" The emphasis on the last word made Severus shake his head.

"You can't know that Teddy is the one. You're too young." Tiffany pulled away from her father and rose, walking the aisle between the desks. She drew a hand through her thick black hair. Severus had a moment where he saw Hermione as she must have looked when she was Tiffany's age. He smiled but Tiffany never noticed it, she was to busy trying to be an adult and straighten things out that were beyond her ability to process. "Tiffany, you need to slow down. You're only twelve honey. Maybe you should just enjoy being a kid and stop trying to grow up too fast. You're only young once you know." He reasoned and watched as she stopped in mid-pace and looked at him.

"I might be only twelve but I'm far more mature than most people at this school." She snapped and turned beginning to pace again. She brought her hand up and began to chew on her thumbnail, something that Severus had never seen her do before. She wondered around the room for a few more minutes before she came back to stand in front of the desk where he was still sitting. She felt a bit guilty for snapping at him and she knew that he was waiting on her apology and she knew that no matter how much she didn't want to she would apologize.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you. It's just that...well, I'm tired of being told that I'm to young for this or too small for that. I know what I know and I just wish that people would see that. I know that I don't know everything but I also know that I know more than more people." She paused and watched her father. He didn't show any sign that he was going to interrupt or really that he was listening. It didn't surprise her, he rarely did. But somehow he heard everything she said, heard every problems or complaint. "Please Daddy, just let me grow up." She whispered as tears filled her eyes again. Severus looked up at her and watched her as she looked down at her hands. She had them clasped in front of her as if she were waiting for a blow.

"Honey, I have no problem with you growing up but when you start trying to do things that are...beyond your years and...er, comprehension than I start worrying. It doesn't matter what you know or what you think you know. You are too young to be in love." He reached out and tilted her head up so she was looking at him. She seemed so sad and he could understand that. He had been about her age when he'd found Lily but she hadn't been the one, Hermione had and it had taken him much longer to find her and to come around.

"Maybe you're right." She said and reached up to whip the tears away from her eyes. "It's just a crush, right?" She waited for her father to nod before she continued. It took him a moment, he actually hesitated, before nodding. He wasn't sure that he liked where this was going. "I'll get over it. I always do and besides, not everyone marries their first love. It's just a thing, it'll pass." Severus felt a huge sense of relief but at the same time something in the back of his mind told him that something was off. "It has too," she whispered and turned away so he won't see the tears that threatened to fall but he heard them in her voice. Rising he walked toward her but she quickly side stepped him and headed for the door.

"Tiffany wait..." But as she turned back he noticed something different about her. The sparkle that had always been present in her eyes was gone, completely extinguished. He felt his heart slip. He'd extinguished that light. With his careless words and his harshness he had extinguished the light of youth and mischief that had always shined there. He'd finally done the one thing that he had feared doing since she was born. He'd broken her. "Tiffany, I didn't mean that it was as easy as just saying you were letting him go. You actually have to let him go. You can't let what I said break you down. It's up to you. If you want to continue to pan after someone who may or may not love you then that's your discussion. I'm going to love you either way and I will always stand behind you one hundred percent. No matter what." The tears that had threatened to fall came streaming down her face. Dang it, it seemed all she'd done lately was cry for one reason or another. She ran toward her father and let him scoop her up into his arms. He held her tightly against him as he sank back down onto the stool. Hermione once again opened the door and saw the two of them and walked out. She stepped behind Tiffany and put her hand on her back. She raised her head and looked at her mother before leaping over into her arms.

"It's okay baby. Nothings ever as bad as it seems remember that." She looked at Severus over Tiffany's shoulder and he shook his head. Maybe it was as bad as it seemed.

"I don't want to be over him Mum." Tiffany whispered softly as she buried her head against her shoulder and squeezed her tightly. Hermione sighed and patted her back.

"I know honey, but its up to you if you get over him or not. Me nor your father can make that discussion for you. But you don't need to be worrying about Teddy. Focus on your school work and making new friends. It'll be good for you. You're too young to be putting yourself through this. Give yourself some time and then try again. I'm sure that Teddy will forgive you if you say your sorry." Hermione watched as Tiffany pulled back and sat down on the desk. Hermione took a seat on the stool beside Severus completing their little family circle.

"He'll never forgive me for what I did." She said as she let her legs swing and squeezed her hands together in her lap. She looked down at her lap and sighed. "I didn't just tell him that I didn't want to see him again and that I'd never be his friend again I kind of...well, it was sort of...I just wanted to...It's not like I couldn't have just walked away but...Oh God! I kissed him." She brought her hands up and placed them over her face waiting for the explosion of temper from both of her parents. There was total silence for a moment and she spread her fingers slightly looking at them through her fingers. Her mother and father looked at each other and then laughed. She dropped her hands in utter surprise and watched as the two laughed themselves too tears. Pursing her lips she crossed her arms and legs and narrowed her eyes at them. She couldn't believe they were laughing at them.

"Oh honey," Hermione said and reached out to touch her daughters arm. "It's okay. I'm sure that Teddy didn't mind you kissing him. You've kissed him before haven't you." Tiffany looked at her mother wide eyed and shook her head furiously. Hermione laid a hand over her mouth to keep from bursting out laughing again. Severus was still chuckling but he to was trying to stop.

"No, I've never kissed him before. Well, on the cheek but that's totally different. This was on the lips mum. I've only ever see you and daddy do that." Hermione shot Severus a look and they smirked at each other. Oh, their little girl was something.

"Baby, its completely normal for a girl to experience her first kiss with her best guy mate. Uncle Ron was my first kiss. We were at the Burrow and we were playing Quidditch and I'd fallen off my broom, again, and he flew down to see if I was okay. It was in this really pretty peach orchard, we were laughing about me falling and he just bent over and kissed me." She watched as Severus stiffened and gave her a look. He hated it when she talked about her past relationship with Ron but it was something that he would just have to get used to.

"You and Uncle Ron kissed," Tiffany looked absolutely mortified. She looked at her father who didn't look at all pleased with her mother talking about it. "That's disgusting. He's like your...brother or something." Hermione chuckled and nodded.

"Yeah, well, he wasn't back then. I dated Uncle Ron for a while. I told you that." She said and heard Severus snort. She looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "I don't suppose you want to share your first kiss experience do you?" She challenged and watched as he raised his eyebrow to accept the challenge.

"Well, if you must know, it was with Lilly Evan." He started but was interrupted by his daughter.

"Harry's mum?" When he nodded Tiffany shook her head. "You two have some real problems you know that." She muttered and watched as her parents turned to look at her. She shrugged and looked expectantly at her father.

"Anyway," he said, "It was in the backyard of Spinners End, my family home. We were laying outside and counting the stars that night and I said something that made her laugh. She rolled over and looked at me and I just leaned in and kissed her. It was only that one time though. I never got the chance to kiss her again because we had a falling out and she started dating James." Tiffany looked at her father and tilted her head to the side.

"How old were you?"

"I was thirteen." Hermione answered and looked at Severus. Tiffany didn't noticed it but Hermione did; he was blushing just a bit. It was incredibly cute.

"I was seventeen." Tiffany whipped her head around and looked at her father.

"Wow dad, didn't want to rush into things did you?" Severus swatted at her legs and she giggled for the first time in months. It was a truly happy sound and he felt his heart swell to bursting. Slowly she was coming back to him. Slowly she would be the way she had been before, just a little scar where her heart had been broken. And though scars were always present and never really faded they only made you stronger, he had plenty to prove it.

"I believe the reasons I waited to kiss Lilly are irrelevant." He said in a tone he hadn't used in years one that had Hermione laughing at him. He reached over and swatted at her butt but she just smiled and reached out to grab his hand. Tiffany watched them and smiled, knowing that she wanted the same kind of love her parents had, the kind that lasted forever and was never questioned or faded. And she found herself not caring if it was with Teddy or someone else. For the first time in months she felt happy, like a child again. She wouldn't let adult feeling bog her down again. She was going to be a teenager soon and she wasn't going to try to grow up any faster than she had too. She would make it through this and when she came out of it she would be no worst than she had been. Yes, a part of her still wanted to wake up and find Teddy waiting for her in the Common Room. But she also wanted to make new friends, take a chance and see what she could find without him. And the thought of being without him didn't hurt as much as it had a few days ago. She watched as her parents exchanged a look she had seen them exchange several times before. One that said "I love you" without the words.

She'd get over Teddy, one way or the other.

THE END THAT'S REALLY ONLY THE BEGINNING...

(The sequel to the sequel will be up soon, I promise. And in the next one I think I'm going to make them actually have an adventure. Oh, and there is going to be a surprise too. Hope for lots of reviews.)