"Hermione, it's a boy. We have a boy, Hermione. I have a son." Ron Weasley's voice was full of wonder and he seemed to be struggling to hold back tears as he walked to his wife's bedside, with their newborn baby in his arms.
"He's beautiful, Hermione. Thank you." Ron whispered, placing a kiss on Hermione's forehead as he handed the baby to her.
Hermione gave a weary smile as she took the baby in her arms. It had been a long labor and she was exhausted, wanting to do nothing more than sleep. Before she slept, however, she wanted to see her baby. As she prepared to look at her baby for the first time, Hermione whispered a silent prayer. Please..Please God…please let it be…
Hermione pulled back the wrappings that obscured the baby's face and closed her eyes for a moment.
"Isn't he beautiful, Hermione? And look at that dark hair! He'll be the first Weasley without red hair, that's for sure. Takes after his mother, he does." Ron beamed from his chair next to Hermione's bed.
Ron was right. The baby was beautiful. He had soft, velvety skin and a small rosebud mouth that was puckered in his sleep. His dark hair, so dark it was nearly black, stood straight up, instead of laying down flat against his head. He had a tiny, pert little nose and ten perfect fingers and toes.
"Ron, we have to think of a name." Hermione stared at the tiny baby in her arms, trying to imagine a name that would suit him. A name from long ago flashed through her mind and she quickly brushed it aside.
"We could name him after Dad."
Hermione wrinkled her nose. She loved Arthur dearly but she couldn't picture the baby is her arms as "Arthur".
"What about Stephen?"
Ron shuddered. "I have a cousin named Stephen. He used to eat his own boogies when we were kids. I could never name my son Stephen."
Hermione looked up from her intense study of the baby. "I've never met him."
Ron gave her a look. "Right. And I intend on keeping it that way. He's a very distant relative, if you ask me. Distant as in he's half out of his mind." He muttered.
"Well…what about William? And it's Bill's name. And he's always been very good to us. We could honor Bill."
Ron grinned. "He'd love that. Long as it's not George, that'd just serve to inflate his head even more. So William it is." He frowned suddenly. "We still need a middle name."
"Hugo. Hugo William." Hermione said suddenly, the name falling gracefully out her mouth.
"Hugo William Weasley. I like it. Where'd you come up with 'Hugo', though?" Ron asked.
"Oh…name of a very old wizard I read about in a book." Hermione mumbled, focusing her gaze on the baby. "Hugo William. " She whispered, trying the name on for size.
As she said his name, the baby suddenly opened his eyes, as if he already knew his name.
"Oh my.." Hermione gasped, staring at her son's eyes.
"Hermione, what's…Bloody hell." Ron said, peering over Hermione's shoulder at the baby.
Speechless, Hermione traced a fingertip over her son's face, trying to avoid looking into her baby's open eyes.
"His eyes are so dark! They're almost black!" Ron exclaimed, still staring into the baby's eyes.
And it was true. Little Hugo's eyes were such a deep brown that they were almost black.
"Hermione! How can his eyes be that dark?"
Hermione sighed, biting her lip. "They'll probably lighten up as he gets older, Ron."
"I hope so. I don't like his eyes being that dark. Remind me of Snape, that greasy git." Ron muttered.
Hermione didn't respond. Instead, she lay the newly named Hugo in the bassinet next to her bed and turned over. "I'm tired, Ron, and I don't want to hear you talk about how our baby looks like Professor Snape. Why don't you go to your parents' house and check on Rose? And then you can bring her back here in a little while so she can meet her little brother."
Ron nodded. "Yeah, that sounds good. I'll see you in a bit, love." He bent down and kissed Hermione softly on the lips and then looked into the bassinet next to Hermione's bed.
"Bye Hugo." He touched the baby's tiny hand and then headed towards the door. "I'll be back with Rose in a bit, Hermione."
Hermione turned over to face the baby and looked at her son, sleeping soundly, his little fist clenching and unclenching in his sleep. He was beautiful. He looks just like him, Hermione noted.
"You look just like your father," She whispered. "He would be so proud of you if he could see you now." At least, I hope he would, Hermione thought. Really, it didn't matter either way.
Severus Snape would never know that he was Hugo's father.