Snape smirked at her comment but, slowly stalked back over to the bed. "At first I thought you were going to say you wanted me to take advantage of you," he laughed, slipping a hand into her robe and over her shoulder, moving his wrist so that the robe slipped off to bare her shoulder.

"I like it," Dani said, seriously considering the question for a moment. "I don't think I get what exactly it means to be a witch yet, but I can't hate a place that has dragons and unicorns and a castle and Oompa Loompas that bring you whatever food you want. What's not to like? I think I can be happy here, even if my mum doesn't want me around..." Dani looked a bit guilty at her statement, but she trusted Draco.

"A witch is a girl who can... do extraordinary things that normal m - people can't. A wizard is a boy who can do the same things, like me." Draco bit his tongue as the word 'muggle' nearly slipped his mouth. That wasn't a word that settled well with him ever since the whole Dark Lord thing had consumed him. Not to mention, it would be a bad influence on her.

But since when has Draco Malfoy EVER been concerned about children?

"Ever since NOW", he firmly told his mind.

"Why do you say your mum doesn't want you around? She's letting you live here with her rather than with someone you don't want to be around, right?" He inquired, his voice a softer drawl.

"And what in Merlin are Oompa Loompas?" His brows furrowed in perplexion.

Tara's smile was almost wicked as she rose to her knees and reached for Severus's robes. "It isn't taking advantage if I welcome your advances, Severus. I think its a bit too late in the game for us to go through the dance steps again. I want you in my bed." She watched his robes and shirt fall to teh floor.

Snape needed no further encouragement. After slipping off the rest of his clothing, he slid beneath the covers next to Tara and enjoyed the physical aspects of their relationship. When they were finished, Tara lay in the crook of his arm while he ran his fingers through her hair.

"You know... an Oompa Loompa? Those little orange guys from Charlie and the... Nevermind." Dani shook her head. If she were a wizard or a witch before now, she probably would have been much too busy playing with unicorns and doing extraordinary things to sit around and watch that long movie. Draco probably hadn't even seen it, and he was a grown up.

Dani fiddled with her hands, not looking at Draco right away. "I lived with my Aunt Alanna for a long time, and my mum only came to visit me a few times a year. She must not have wanted me with her, and now she has to take me because she found out I do the weird things and Alanna gets mad..." Dani looked up at Draco. "I don't mind. I"d rather be here."

Tara traced the contours of Snape's face with one delicate fingertip, enjoying the intimacy of the moment and feeling of Snape's warm arm holding her to him. "I wish we could stay like this," Tara's voice was low, and she let Snape take her comment as she wished. She didn't have the emotional energy for pretence in that moment.

"Weird things... like this?" Draco shook out his wand and murmured, "Lumos" under his breath and the tip of his wand glowed.

"Wizards and witches like you and me are... different from the regular people because we can do... special... things. And these people are sometimes scared or jealous and some think it's a bad thing. But here, these special gifts ARE special and in a good way." He felt a sort of anger towards the way she had been treated before.

"That's probably where the abuse came from..." he thought.

He raised an eyebrow when she mentioned the Oompa Loompas. "No, please tell me about Charlie and the... whatever." He now realized she had been living with the muggles and that her aunt was a muggle herself. He realized that he should feel some sort of repulsion or at least feel condenscending, but somehow he didn't.

To feel condescending towards this child didn't seem right and so he kept his thought to himself.

But that would mean she probably wouldn't get into Slytherin House either...

Snape leaned over and kissed Tara's forehead. "Yes, life seems more bareable in these short moments of intimacy," he responded. "But, the feeling is temporary and the world comes back to haunt us. To lay here forever would be far easier than facing the world. But, your daughter is waiting for you but, I believe she fears she is unwanted and I'm afraid I did not say anything to alleviate those fears."

Dani giggled and launched into a detailed explanation of the movies plot as well as she could remember, considering she had seen it last when she was six, which was quite young and very much still a baby! "And the Oompa Loompas were the little orange men that worked for Willy Wonka, only if you read the book you get to find out a lot more about them and where they are from. And in the next book you even go to where they lived and see the terrible animal Willy Wonka saved them from." Dani looked curiously at Draco. "Have you ever gone to see a movie?"

Tara rolled from his embrace, knowing that this was as much of him as she would ever really get. She'd have to come to terms with that if she wanted to continue this relationship and retain her sanity. She sat on the edge of her bed, pulling on her clothing.

"Well, it is not surprise she feels that way, considering I left her with Alanna for so long without a word about why. She must think I did it because I didn't want to be with her. She knows nothing of this world and its dangers, nor of a young mother's fears for her daughter."

Draco was amazed at the detail of Danika's explanation, and he found himself listening raptly.

"No, I never... had the chance to. I do read a lot, though. I would love to see this... movie and read the book. From what you described I can understand how you think the elves look like Oompa Loompas."

"Children never seem able to comprehend the actions fo adults," Snape said, draping his legs off the other side of the bed to pull on his own clothes. "But, now that Danika is here to stay, you'll have plenty of opportunities to explain things to her. She's probably waiting for you in the kitchens for supper right now."

Tara rose to her feet and crossed quickly to the door, knowing she still looked a bit rumpled but much more approachable in her trousers and blouse than in the voluminous black robes. She hoped Dani would think so. Snape was right behind her. "Perhaps I'm biased, Severus, or perhaps I'm just lacking experience as a mother, but I think Dani is kind of wonderful," Tara admitted as they left the tower.

"She's more tolerable than most of my students have been," Snape replied as they descended the stairs.