Not a Monster
Hermione unwrapped the small parcel and gasped, attracting Severus’ attention. His breath hitched when he saw what she was holding.
‘Severus, it’s so beautiful! Was it yours?’
‘Yes, it was,’ he said evenly, reaching to touch the smooth wood of the carved toy horse. ‘My father made it for me, the last gift he gave me before he found out the truth.’
Hermione’s brow pinched in disbelief. Severus took the toy from her hands and carefully wrapped it again.
‘The man was not always a monster, Hermione. He was made one by circumstances and bad choices, just like his son.’
***
‘You have never hit me,’ she said quietly.
‘Tobias never killed anyone,’ he sneered.
‘Killing someone because you need to is not worse than beating up your own son in anger, because you don’t understand him!’ Hermione growled fiercely.
Severus laid his hand on her stomach and rubbed the small bump.
‘You know I will never do that,’ he said softly. Hermione intertwined her fingers with his and sighed.
‘And you keep saying that you are a monster. Come on, let’s go home now; and take the horse, we will have a good use for it in a few months.’
‘Severus, it’s so beautiful! Was it yours?’
‘Yes, it was,’ he said evenly, reaching to touch the smooth wood of the carved toy horse. ‘My father made it for me, the last gift he gave me before he found out the truth.’
Hermione’s brow pinched in disbelief. Severus took the toy from her hands and carefully wrapped it again.
‘The man was not always a monster, Hermione. He was made one by circumstances and bad choices, just like his son.’
***
‘You have never hit me,’ she said quietly.
‘Tobias never killed anyone,’ he sneered.
‘Killing someone because you need to is not worse than beating up your own son in anger, because you don’t understand him!’ Hermione growled fiercely.
Severus laid his hand on her stomach and rubbed the small bump.
‘You know I will never do that,’ he said softly. Hermione intertwined her fingers with his and sighed.
‘And you keep saying that you are a monster. Come on, let’s go home now; and take the horse, we will have a good use for it in a few months.’