snape's daughter, harry's sister

building relationships.

"I'm gonna try to sleep some more," Haley told the professor with a yawn. He'd been strangely quiet after her apology for having awakened him and she didn't have the brainpower at the moment for figuring out just why that was.

Severus' eyes bore into his child's thoughtfully. At her almost inaudible words, he realized he'd waited too long in making his decision.

"I could provide you with a vial of dreamless sleep," he offered, knowing it was all he could do to help her in the meantime. Until he officially met the bastard named Coleman, the potion's master would simply wait to bring this subject up again. At least by that point he would have a reason for knowing about her past...well, a reason aside from having eavesdropped on her earlier conversation with Potter. "It would prevent the nightmares from returning," the man elaborated at Haley's curious expression.

"Oh," she perked up at the very idea of a potion that would stop these terrible dreams. "I would like that," she smiled shyly, hoping he wouldn't pry any more answers from her and would just fetch the antidote.

Two things surprised her after that: one being that he actually did as she'd wished; two being that he had done so with magic rather than retrieve the potion by muggle means.

"Thanks," Haley said gratefully, thereafter downing the liquid. It was once she'd done so that she no longer felt grateful. The substance tasted of everything disgusting. "Ewww!" she gagged, shoving the empty container back into her father's hands. "You could have at least warned me," the eleven year old complained, her mouth still coated with the vile aftertaste.

"Had I done so, would you honestly have taken it?" he inquired, raising a brow.

She smiled weakly and admitted, "Probably not."

Severus ever so slightly smirked before responding vocally, "Sleep now," he instructed, "You shall be rising early tomorrow."

Haley rubbed her eyes, feeling more tired than before she'd taken the dreamless sleep potion. It was probably a side effect, she guessed. "Are you going to keep me from seeing Harry?" she wanted to know, not bothering to ask why she was being forced to get up earlier than usual.

Severus stood from his previous place, "No," he replied simply, "which is why, the following morning, you will be up sooner rather than later."

"Why?" she asked, too sleepy to compose a better question.

"To start on the six-hundred lines you have yet to begin," he let her know bluntly.

Haley yawned again, fighting to stay conscious. "But I thought it was only five-hundred," she managed to recall in her sleepy state.

"Indeed it was," Severus agreed prior to explaining, "however, that had been previous to your choice of disregarding curfew," he reminded her of the mistake she'd made.

"I didn't mean to," the girl mumbled, her heavy eyelids closed now.

Realizing that she wouldn't likely be aware of whatever else he chose to say that night, her father opted to merely exit the room. The girl was quite obviously no longer coherent enough to comprehend anything.

"Don't leave," Haley suddenly called out for him through the dark. Her voice came across as shaky and frightened, as if, were he to go, the nightmares would return despite the potion she'd just had.

More so taken aback than irritated, Severus returned to his seat at the edge of the bed. It was once he did so that his daughter contentedly re-shut her eyes, feeling more at ease with him close by.

Why she wanted so desperately for him to stay, the professor could not fathom. Typically, Haley would never behave in such a way towards him...not since the first day he'd upset her. Yet, even then, she didn't show any desire to be with him, exactly. She simply did not want to be placed back at Wool's.