Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I wish I did... Life would be so much easier.

He walked into his quarters once the day had come to an end, just like he had every other day. She was there, curled up in the couch reading a book. He never thought she looked more beautiful. It wasn't like she was a perfect ten beauty queen, but she looked like it to him.

She was in her sweats, with her hair messily tied in a loose ponytail. The glow from the fireplace illuminated her. He stood there for a few moments admiring her, wondering how it was that he ended up with someone like her.

He did not consider himself to be a good man deserving of such a kind hearted, beautiful, smart woman. She was a goddess.

He did not deserve her.

However, as fate would have it, she was interested in him. She had been for years. They worked together for a few years, her as his apprentice, after she had graduated, during which time they became friends. A year into their friendship, their mutual attraction became obvious. Of course, he was infatuated with her even before she had graduated, but knew it was wrong. He repressed those feelings, and they came at him in full blast once they had begun their friendship.

It wasn't until the annual Christmas party that they had both admitted to their feelings for one another. They had become exclusive soon after that and they were inseparable.

Not even a year had passed that he had felt it right, and asked her to marry him. He had thought it over in his head many times and had prepared himself for the worst. He could not take rejection, but he knew he'd regret it every single day of his remaining life if he did not at least ask. To his surprise, she had said yes. They wed during the spring.

It was now three years after they married. She had finished her apprenticeship and had taken some extra classes to further her studies. He had been very supportive of her and was proud to be able to call himself her husband.

He kept standing in the doorway watching her read, when she suddenly looked up.

"Darling, I didn't hear you come in." She stood up to greet her husband with a kiss.

He held her for a moment and said, "I did not wish to disturb you while reading and was merely admiring the sight of you."

She pulled away from her and went back to her seat by the fireplace. He followed her into the room and sat in the armchair beside her.

"How was your day?" he asked.

"It was fine. Nothing out of the ordinary. I went to the apothecary earlier to pick up some of the ingredients we had been low on. I also picked up some stuff for dinner," she told him while walking over to the kitchen, "which should be ready in a couple of minutes."

She walked back into the room with him and sat back down. "How was your day, dear?"

"Same as always," he drawled, "I can not wait for summer when these dunderheads are out of the castle. I had one of them explode another cauldron today. Reminds me very much of Longbottom. I would not be surprised if they were related." He got up to pick out a book from the bookshelf.

She laughed. He always loved to hear her laugh. It was a magnificent sound. It was angelic. They heard the ding coming from the kitchen and she got up to fix their dinner onto the plates. He walked into the little dining room they had and set the table. He did not mind doing such things. He loved helping her out with the little things that had to be done.

She walked in with a bowl of green salad, which she placed on the table. She went back and came out with two plates of spaghetti and garlic bread.

He moved to get some wine from the cupboard and proceeded to pour two glasses when she spoke, "None for me dear. I have news."

He raised an eyebrow and looked over at her. He could see the joy in her face and the happiness in her warm eyes. He set the bottle down and went over to her.

"Come this October, you will be a father."

She was beaming, and he was incredulous. There had been talk of children, but hadn't really come up with any plans for one in the near future. They had both decided that they would rather focus on their careers first. However, they had not exactly been actively trying to prevent a pregnancy. That being said, it did not come as such a big shock to either one of them.

"Are you sure?" He asked? His heart was pounding; he hoped it was not the first of April and that she was playing a trick on him, though, deep down, he knew she would never do anything like that.

"Yes!" she beamed. "I found out this morning. I hadn't been feeling well, but suspected something else, so I went to the infirmary where Poppy confirmed it."

He rushed to her side, stood her up and pulled her into the biggest hug she'd ever had.

She was laughing with joy while in his arms, and he held her until she was closely blue in the face from lack of being able to breathe. He gently kissed her on the lips and slowly let her out of his arms.

She decided early on that she was tired and wanted to go to bed. He let her go, it was early and he wanted to entertain a cup of brandy before joining her. The only source of light in the room was the fire roaring in the fireplace. He sat down, cup in hand, and stared at the dancing flames. Though he was still ecstatic at the news his wife had given him, he was now consumed with thoughts of his childhood, and his father.

Severus Snape did not have a very happy, or normal childhood by any means. His father was a muggle, and his mother was a broken shell of a witch. Being a pureblood who married a muggle, she was cut off from her family. She was left with nothing. Had Severus ever seen the Prince family tapestry, much like the Black family had, he was certain that Eileen Prince would have been burned out, much like Andromeda Black had.

As a child, Severus had been abused countless times. He learned at an early age to mentally withdraw from his body when his father beat him. It was because of this that he had been able to be a Death Eater and endure what came with that title. There had been many times when his father would use objects against both his son and his wife. Severus' hand traveled to his shoulder where he lightly touched the scar that had been there since his childhood when his father had decided to go at him with a kitchen knife. He had acquired that when he was only five years old—the first time he had used magic in front of his father.

His father despised the fact that Eileen had hidden her ancestry from him and neglected to inform him that she was a witch. He was not a patient man to begin with, and he had lost it when he caught his wife performing a simple cleaning spell. Severus had only been three.

When his father found out Severus also possessed his mother's magic, he freaked. From that day forward, his abuse became more violent. Not only towards Severus, but towards Eileen too; he would beat her and verbally abuse her for tainting his son with magic.

No, Severus Snape had not had a very happy childhood. He had the scars to prove it. His only wish was that he would not be like his father to the child that Hermione was nourishing within her. He was frightened though. He was not a patient man himself, and he only hoped that things would be different. Deep down, he knew he would never hurt his child, or his wife. He had his share of violence through his life. He did not want anymore. Not only that, but he knew Hermione would never forgive him if he ever laid a hand on either of them. He loved her too much to lose her.

With this as his parting thought before finishing his brandy, he stood up and walked to the bedroom he shared with his wife. He undressed to his shorts and carefully lifted the covers and slipped in so as not to wake her. He snuggled up closer to her and whispered in her ear, "I love you." He was determined to make sure he was worthy of her and their unborn child. He quickly fell asleep.