Surrogate mother challenge.

Disclaimer: don't own them (counts for all chapters).

Chapters are being reposted due to the fabulous work of MadameMischief, when she offered me her help it would havehuge mistakefor me not to accept.

A/N

Erm, Deebie author of What E'er Therein Is Promised on Ashwinder, your story had inspired me for this approach to the challenge. If you don't like me using your semi-plot please tell me and I will remove the story, if not I hope you like it as much as I like yours.

"Your how old again?" Severus Snape regarded the wrinkled woman in front of him. She looked older than Albus. Severus was sitting in a small conference room in 'Mares For Hire' the wizards response for hiring a surrogate mother. Surrogacy wasn't an unknown answer for childless witches and wizards, it was just a rare occasion for a witch to be unable to reproduce. It was not uncommon for wizards, who want to carry on their family name without the hassle of an annoying woman hanging on at the belt all the time, to seek out other means. This was the reason why Severus was there interviewing the 23rd and final application. His search was limited as he didn't only need a womb to carry a child, but an egg as well to also create the child. So far everyone he had seen was just not good enough to produce a Snape.

"120 at the end of the month sir." The Woman, Karen he thought her name was, he couldn't remember it but it didn't matter anyway. She wore a horrid green crushed velvet robe, which was threadbare and had what remained of her dinner down it. Her hat was a rather large red umbrella-like thing with a stuffed bird on top and the old carpet bag that rested on the floor beside her smelt like a dead animal. Severus hoped there wasn't really one inside it.

"Very well, you may go now. I doubt I will be contacting you again." Severus dismissed the woman. She had said three things in as many minutes to condemn her. She was clearly unqualified for the job. Those were: "You know, we could try it the old fashion way.", "I have a slight deformed hand, see how its looks like a dead spider?" His favorite was "I can put my leg behind my head." She went on to demonstrate with that hat o her head, prompting her to fall off the chair altogether. Her robe was thrown up revealing what she called clean underwear.

Once she had left the room, he looked down at her application form and noticed her last name. He spoke it aloud with no small display of disgust. "Longbottom, I should have guessed." Then he left the small office and made his way back to Hogwarts. The day, he summed up, had been a waste of his time.

Hermione regarded the oak door that held the Devil behind it. Looking around taking notice of the nearest exits, she lifted her hand and knocked soundly on the wood. It had been just over a year since she had left Hogwarts with the rest of her seventh year classmates, but only six months since they had defeated Voldemort in the Great Hall of Hogwarts. Now Hermione wanted to continue her education further. The danger was gone, and her education awaited her. All that stood in her way now was getting her devilish professor to agree to take her on.

"Enter" called a voice from within.

"Good Morning Professor Snape," said Hermione as she complied cautiously. She had far too much experience with the man to not be wary in his presence.

"No, now go away," snarled Snape not looking up from the cauldron he was working over to address her. Still determined to gain his attention, Hermione walked up to her former Professor. Before she could say anything he snapped "I see you still are incapable of following orders."

"It will only take a second and you can carry on with what your doing at the same time." Steeling herself for the snide remarks she knew were coming and ridding herself of the fear that was left over from having been in his class, Hermione awaited his response. He stood still not moving a muscle, then he slowly turned around to face her.

"You silly twit…" Snape stopped mid-sentence as if he only just realized who he was speaking to, and took the whole of Hermione in. He let out a breath of air as he weighed the likeness of her bearing a child worthy of his name. It seemed every woman he come across he would scrutinize in this manner. He had found himself analyzing McGonagall at dinner and still shuddered at the thought that he had even entertained the notion. Hermione wasn't that disagreeable. She seemed to be the best candidate so far. Her OWL and NEWT scores rivaled his own, and her appearance wasn't that of a 120 year old witch. That was a definite plus. If he was going to have to live with a woman for nine months while she bore his child she had better be at least pleasant to look at. He also had to consider that her genes would be in the child as well and he certainly didn't want a hideous heir. The majority of Hermione's time was spent exercising her mind, and she had played an important enough role, though it was less than his, in the defeat of Voldemort. On the down side she was annoying and a Gryffindor. He wasn't going to risk a child of his turning out to be a…Gryffindor. He doubted she was here to offer him the use of her womb and egg anyway. Breaking out of his thoughts he sighed. "Is anything that I might say to put you off bothering me?"

"No and it really will only take a second of your time, I swear." Hermione pleaded.

"That's almost as bad as saying 'Trust me, I'm a Slytherin'." Snape muttered, but not low enough for Hermione not to hear.

"Are you openly mocking your own house?" Hermione asked smiling, as she pulled a stool out to sit on. It was like being in another universe. Snape was being approachable, even pleasant. Maybe the years have finally gotten to him and the fumes from all the cauldrons cant have helped that much either.

"You've have yet to make your point Miss Granger." Snape raised an eyebrow at her audacity in taking a seat without being asked to, it was clear that her manners were diminishing. Yet he didn't say anything about her manners and waited for her continue. He found himself somewhat interested in what she had to say.

"I want to become your apprentice." Hermione spoke clearly and with out any hitch in her voice. Her hands were close to shaking with nerves though. She figured it wouldn't of been so bad if Snape was acting like his normal bat-like-devil-born-beast-of-the-dungeon self.

"Miss being a student that much?" Snape asked. Hermione was relived to hear some form of sarcasm come from his lips.

"No and yes. I don't MIND being a student, and an apprenticeship is the only way to become a Potions Mistress. I've looked at other Potions Masters and Mistresses who offer apprenticeships, and I know that you don't often do so, but the others' teaching methods are just plain stupid compared to yours. Not that there's anything wrong with them, I just mean where's the sense of teaching how to make shampoo and offer cosmetic stuff when there's a lot more important things to be learnt." Hermione stopped herself from going any further, knowing her ranting wasn't going to help the likeliness of her being accepted.

"So you would get an education worth the title of Potions Mistress but I don't see what I could possibly get out of three years of teaching you." Snape sneered the last part. Granger was worth teaching; she would live on to become an accomplished potions mistress. Her intelligence would not do to be wasted, but a Snape never does anything without getting something in return.

"I could take over the first years lessons, do the marking, and make simple potions which will free up a lot of your time." Hermione suggested hopefully.

"Not good enough." Snape answered returning his attention to the potion simmering on the desk, giving Hermione the impression that he was losing interest in her. That was exactly what Snape was aiming for.

"Is there anything at all which will make you consider me?" Hermione asked sighing heavily. She shook her head at the hopelessness of it all.

"There might be one thing." Severus had been milling it over in his mind since he had deemed her worthy of producing a Snape. He had hoped the conversation would end with her offering anything, even the use of her womb and egg. It was worth a shot, it wasn't like he was going to lose a friend or anything by suggesting it. "I am reaching the prime of my life Miss Granger; at the age of 45 my health is just going to go down hill from now. There is one thing I have left to fulfill in my life. Now before I go on are you sure you would do anything to get this apprenticeship?"

"Within reason, tell me what it is you want. The worst thing that could happen would be for me to say no." Hermione sat watching as Snape paused his work on the potion and pulled a stool up beside her.

"Very well, before you say anything listen to what I have to say and the reason behind it." Snape said. "I have been searching for a while now for a surrogate mother. Every witch I have come across has not been suitable enough for my expectations. That is every one but you, Miss Granger."

"Well I—"

"Let me finish." Snape held up his hand and spoke softly to her. "I will be very grateful if you are willing to, for the price of your apprenticeship and additional money as well, become the surrogate mother of my child. It will also mean the use of one of your eggs as well."

"How would it be done?" Hermione asked, this was a good sign for Severus as it showed she was considering the option, or had yet to refuse it.

"Magically of course and discreetly. I do not want people to know that the egg would be one of yours."

"Is that because I'm Muggle-born?" Hermione asked sounding insulted.

"Of course not, it is simply because I don't want the child to have a mother. I don't want a woman playing a part in their life, even though it is half theirs, the child shall be raised as a Snape. It is hard to explain."

"No, I understand. The child is being born for your benefit, you don't want to be tied down to a woman you don't care for just because she bore your child." Hermione didn't look like she hated the idea, she even seemed to understand why it was to be done the way he wanted. "You mentioned payment?"

"A thousand Gallons plus a free apprenticeship." Snape replied. She might just accept he thought gleefully. "You shall also share my quarters for the duration of the pregnancy if only for my reassurance of the health of you and the child."

"When would it happen? the conception, I mean." Hermione's thoughts was all over the place. She would get paid a thousand and get a three year apprenticeship for free just for an egg and nine months of intense agony. The weight gain, vomiting, sore breasts, going to the loo all the time, stretch markers, spider veins and she was sure something happened to the teeth as well, was it worth it? Nine months of hell and living with the Devil.

"If you agree it would be when you feel ready for it, I do not wish to push it upon you." Severus paused and thought for a brief moment before continuing. "If you do agree I would like you to sign a contract confirming that you will have no responsibility for the child, all rights would be mine and also no one is to know it's your child, even the child itself."

"That's understandable." Hermione weighed the points. Nine months of pregnancy, two years watching it grow up and not being able to raise it herself and in return she would have a thousand gallons and a Potions Mistress degree. "But it's the two years of watching it and not being able to play a role with its upbringing that makes me hesitant to agree."

"I do not expect you to ignore the child for those two years, I'm sure there will be times for you to interact with it, just no bonds can be formed." Snape replied, his chest was filling up with hope, she was going to agree. He will have his child.

"Ok then." Hermione agreed, knowing it wasn't the smartest thing she has ever done. "You write up the contract starting from September 1st, which gives me three weeks to prepare and get use to the idea of being pregnant. Send it to me once it's complete and I will sign if its agreeable. I swear, Gryffindor honor, not to tell anyone that the child i'm going to conceive in September will be half mine."

A/N what do you think guys? Please review.