AN: I don't own Harry Potter. If only...
Because of a marriage law, Severus and Hermione are due to become parents. This is just a short little one shot featuring Hermione and Severus as they go through the final stages of having their baby. Needless to say, not even born yet and the little baby already has both of their stubbornness.
AN2 - This has been sitting in my documents list for the past year or more, getting edited bit by bit every now and then. So I decided to finally finish editing it and post it. Extremely nervous to be posting this, so let me know how I did.
So, my lovelies...go! Read and enjoy!
Hermione growled as she threw down her fork. "This isn't working, Severus!" she exclaimed.
Severus sighed. "I know that, Hermione." he said, leaning back against the sofa in their quarters. He reached over to the empty portion of the sofa beside him and picked up the list of labor inducing activities they could do that the Healer gave them, wondering what else they could try.
"What else is on that damn list? There's got to be something we haven't tried yet." she said, grabbing the list out of his hands. Severus winced as he was sure he had just received a few paper cuts. "Oh, here's one. Wait...no, we've done that." she said with a frown. "How about...no, done that, too." she said.
"Put the list down and try another pepper, love." he said, handing her a red pepper.
"I've already had four, Severus. They don't work!" she yelled, tossing the paper to the coffee table in front of her.
Hermione was frustrated beyond belief. She had been ecstatic, of course, to be pregnant, but being over two weeks past her due date was awful. She was constantly uncomfortable no matter what she did, she was having trouble sleeping, and she was sick of being the size of a baby hippogriff. Not to mention Hermione was sick of having to pee every twenty minutes. She and Severus had gone to see Healer Pierce at St. Mungos who gave them a list of ways they could help induce labor. So far, nothing on the list had worked. She had tried almost everything that was recommended to her, and nothing had worked.
"Why don't you go have a lie down, love? Rest up a bit and we'll go for another walk later." Severus suggested.
Hermione glared at him from the chair she was in. "Don't make me come over there and sit on you, because I'll do it!" she exclaimed.
"Hermione..."
"Nononono. No. Don't Hermione me, buster. I know why you're suggesting I go lie down and you're not getting rid of me that easily! If I have to suffer and be miserable, well then SO. DO. YOU!" she yelled.
'Fuck, I've angered it.' Severus thought with a mental sigh. Hermione had been exceptionally moody this last week, and despite his best efforts, he managed to irritate her what seemed to be every few minutes.
Severus sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I am not trying to get rid of you, I just thought you'd be more comfortable and relaxed if you were lying down." he said. "Would you like a cup of that herbal tea that Healer Pierce suggested?" he asked.
"No, I'm sick of tea." Hermione said. She sighed as she leaned back in the chair, feeling somewhat comfortable for the first time that day.
"Here. Have another pepper." he said, leaning over the coffee table to hand her a fifth red pepper. "The fifth one has to work." he said hoarsely after he swallowed his pepper. "I need milk." he said, going into the small kitchenette.
"Severus, we've been through this. These damn things don't work." she said, taking a big bite of said pepper. "If anything, I think the baby is enjoying the taste of them."
"Well, my stomach feels like I'm getting ready to give birth here, so why the hell isn't it working for you?" he growled as he poured himself a glass of milk.
Hermione laughed a bit at that. Leaning forward as much as she could in her condition, she picked up the list from the coffee table and looked it over. 'No, done that, didn't work. No, that either. Or that. Castor oil? Eww, no. Sex? Hmmm...'
"Hey, Severus?" she called.
"Yes?" he asked as he walked back into the sitting room.
"There's one more thing we haven't tried." Hermione said casually.
Severus raised one eyebrow. "Oh? And what might that be?" he asked.
"Sex." she said.
Severus shook his head. "No." he said as he sat down on the sofa.
"No?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.
"That's right, no." he nodded.
"Why the bloody hell not?" Hermione asked.
"I am not going to risk hurting you when you're in this condition." he said.
"Oh, come on, Severus! I'm not talking about swinging from the chandelier kind of sex here!" she said.
"No, Hermione. I am not going to make love to you just so you'll go into labor."
"Make love? Gods, grow a pair, would you? I said sex. You know, a good final shag to get things moving?" she said, making a circular motion with her hand.
"Absolutely not, Hermione." he said.
"Come on, Severus! You started this now you get to finish it!" she yelled, pointing at her belly. "Come on you big pansy!"
Severus managed to ignore Hermione's taunts for the next few minutes, but finally he couldn't take it anymore. Getting off the sofa, he quickly went over to the chair and planted a hard kiss on her lips.
Hermione pushed against his chest when she couldn't breathe properly anymore. "Wha...we're going to do this?" she asked in a pant.
"One way or another, that kid's coming out of you!" Severus growled, moving to kiss her neck.
"Ahhh, oh, Merlin!" Hermione exclaimed. "Oh, Severus!" she said, tensing as she felt a stream of wetness between her legs.
"Mmmmm...like that, do you?" he asked.
"No, stop, stop, stop." she said, pushing on his chest.
"What is it?" he asked, pulling away and looking at her.
"I think...I think my water just broke." she said in shock with wide eyes.
Severus' eyes got wide as he looked down. Sure enough, the chair she was sitting in was now sporting quite a large wet spot. He quickly stood and grasped her hand to help her up. It was time to go to St. Mungos and have a baby.
'Thank Merlin. Maybe now she'll go back to being sickeningly nice.' he thought as he walked her to the floo. 'I'm sick of being married to a bloody dragon.'
"Okay, Hermione." Healer Pierce said as she walked into Hermione's room. "Let's check and see how far you, alright?" she asked. After examining Hermione, she stood from the stool she was on and gave Hermione a small smile. "You're coming along rather slowly, aren't you?"
"How far now?" Hermione asked. She had been in labor for over six hours and had only dilated two centimeters. Needless to say, she was getting upset again, but was directing her anger toward the Healer instead of Severus.
"Still two, I'm afraid." Healer Pierce said sympathetically.
"So, in the last hour since you last checked, I've had three contractions and made no progress?" Hermione asked in a voice that made Severus think she was about to start spitting fire.
"Absolutely none. It looks like it's going to be a while." Healer Pierce said as she took off her gloves. "I'll come back in an hour and check you again." she said before turning to leave.
"For fuck's sake!" Hermione yelled as the door shut.
"I'm sorry, love." Severus said, handing her a cup filled with ice chips.
Hermione gave him a small smile. "It's not your fault, Severus." she said. "I guess we know who she's going to take after in the stubbornness department, though, huh?" she asked with a smirk.
Severus chuckled as he stood to remove his robe. "Indeed. I think we may have a little you on our hands, Hermione."
"Uh...I was talking about you." she laughed. "You have a stubborn streak a mile wide, love." she added. "Help me up, would you? I need to stand up for a bit." she said before he could retort.
Severus set the cup of ice chips on the table beside her bed and grasped both of her hands to help her stand, kissing her forehead as he made sure she was steady on her feet.
"I think I should inform you the waiting room is filled with people waiting to meet the little one." he said.
"Oh, thank Merlin." Hermione sighed as she bent over the bed. "I can't believe I forgot to owl everyone."
"Yes, well...I sent my patronus while you were changing into the gown." Severus said as he rubbed circles on her lower back.
Hermione stood up and grabbed for his hands. "Oh, here comes another one." she said. "Oh, son of a..."
"Breathe through them." Severus said in her ear as he breathed with her.
"Ow, ow, ow." Hermione grunted, gripping Severus' hands with all her strength.
Severus winced as he felt the bones in his left hand cracking. He knew it wasn't broken, though. So far. But if she kept squeezing them as tight as she had been, he'd be bound to have a broken bone or two before this was over.
Hermione sighed as the contraction passed, letting go of Severus' hands. "Thanks, love." she said, her voice filled with gratefulness.
"No worries." Severus said, knowing she was thanking him for all he had done, and was doing, for her.
"You've got to have some good news this time, Healer Pierce." Hermione said as she finished examining her. "I've been at this for eighteen hours." she whined.
"Congratulations, Hermione. You're up to five." Healer Pierce said with a small smile. "I'm afraid it's still going to be a while, though."
"Can't you do something to get her out? Summon her, or smoke her out? Anything?" Hermione asked, making Severus and Healer Pierce chuckle.
"Sorry, no." Healer Pierce said. "I'll see you in another hour, Hermione." she said before leaving.
Hermione turned her head to the door as she heard the cry of another baby from the room next to hers fill the air. "That's ten, Severus." she said.
"Ten?" he asked, confused, handing her the cup of ice chips.
"Ten babies have been born since I've been here." she explained. "Why doesn't she want to come out, Severus?" she asked as she lay back, turning her head to face him.
Severus cleared his throat as he gave his wife a small smile. "Well...maybe it's because you've made a nice home for her in there these past months." he said, gesturing to her stomach.
"What a load of shite." she grumbled, chomping on more ice chips.
"Twenty six hours, Hermione." Healer Pierce said as she examined Hermione. "And I think you're finally ready."
Hermione's head popped up from the pillow. "What?" she asked.
"You're ready to have your baby." Healer Pierce smiled, summoning a Medi-Witch to help her with the delivery.
"Seriously?" Hermione asked, her heart speeding up. She could not believe she was finally fully dilated, and going to be having her baby.
"Would I lie to you?" Healer Pierce asked with a little laugh. "Now, I'm just going to lower the bed here a bit and have you sit up and put your feet in the stirrups, okay?"
Hermione nodded. "Okay." she said, suddenly a little nervous. "Severus, I need you." she said, holding her hand out toward her husband.
"I'm right here, love." he said, standing beside her.
"Okay, Hermione," Healer Pierce said from her spot below, "when you feel the next contraction, I'm going to need you to start pushing." she said.
"Alright. Yeah, I can do that." Hermione said in a breathless voice, nodding furiously. "I got this." she said just before she felt a contraction.
"Push, Hermione." Healer Pierce said. "Push, push, push." she chanted as Severus counted. "Okay, take a breath."
Hermione took several deep breaths, waiting for the next contraction. "Ow, ow, ow!" she exclaimed as it hit.
"Hermione, you're going to have to push harder." Healer Pierce said. "Nothing's happening."
"I'm trying!" she yelled, leaning her head back onto the pillow as the contraction passed.
"When you feel the next one, push harder than you think you can, Hermione." the healer instructed.
"I can't do this, Severus." Hermione panted.
"Yes, you can." he said. "Come now, Hermione. Where's the brave little Gryffindor I married gone to?" he goaded.
"She left when your pig headed daughter started not moving!" she exclaimed, glaring at him. "Oh, shit!" she yelled, leaning up when the next contraction hit suddenly.
"Come on, Hermione! Push, push, push, push, push, push, push, wait." Healer Pierce said from her perch. "Alright, dear. The next one should hit in twenty seconds, and then I'm going to need you to push even harder."
"Harder?" Hermione asked, astonished. "Oh, you so owe me a present for this, Severus Snape!" she panted. "Ah! What the hell happened to twenty seconds?" she yelled as she felt the next one.
"Push, Hermione, push!" Healer Pierce exclaimed. "That's a girl. Stop, stop, stop." she said. "Severus, would you like to see your daughter?"
Severus moved to stand beside the healer, eyes widening. There, partially birthed, was his daughter. He let out a breath of relief seeing that she already had Hermione's small nose.
"What? Is something wrong?" Hermione asked, looking between her husband and the healer. "Severus?"
"She's breathtaking, Hermione." he said quietly, blinking rapidly as he felt his eyes well up with tears.
"Oh? She's out?" Hermione asked, trying to look where he was before a cry broke in the room, making her cry in happiness.
Severus nodded. "Yes. And she's beautiful." he said. "Or, she will be once they clean all the slime off her." he amended.
"Okay, you two. We're just going to clean her up. Severus, would you like to help while Hermione gets cleaned up a bit?" Healer Pierce asked, wrapping the baby in a blanket.
"Of course." he nodded, not wanting to be away from his daughter, and knowing his wife would be fine in the meantime. He watched with hawk like eyes as the healer cleaned the slime off her, weighed her, measured her, and then wrapped her in a pink blanket.
"Okay, Severus." Healer Pierce said, turning. "Here's your little girl." she smiled, gently passing her to him.
Severus looked down at the bundle in his arms in absolute awe. Never in his life did he think he'd ever be here, watching his wife give birth to their child. And, while he may have put up a small fight in the beginning of their relationship, holding this little baby in his arms, he knew he wouldn't change a thing. Slowly walking over, he reluctantly handed the baby to Hermione, watching as her eyes lit up.
"Do we have a name for this little girl yet?" Healer Pierce asked.
Hermione nodded. "Serena. Serena Eileen Snape." she said, never looking away from her daughter.
"Alright." the healer nodded, writing it with her wand on the birth certificate. "I'll leave you three alone for a bit." she said, smiling as she left the room, knowing neither of them had heard her.
"Oh, Severus." Hermione sighed, running her finger softly down the side of Serena's face. "Look at what we made." she whispered.
Severus leaned over and kissed Hermione's head. "She's beautiful. Just like her mother." he agreed, looking back to Serena.
Review please.
XOXO - Onyx Obsidian