Chapter Eleven

It was sixteen hours in…and the labor had been long and arduous. Severus went between giving her wet washcloths to cool her sweat-soaked brow, and trying to find out where all the blood was coming from. Hermione was screaming at every contraction, hands holding either side of her swollen belly as it tightened like a vice. He'd tried to fire-contact Mme. Pomfrey, but the moaning, crying, contrary wind blowing this way, then turning into a wild beast the other way scrambled all the words, before her face disappeared like dust.

Cursing inventively, Severus tied his hair back and did what he had deduced from the call to the medi-witch. He needed to discover if it was breach, or coming down feet first instead of head first. Wincing at the thought of giving her more pain, for he had no time to prepare her. Spreading her legs as wide as he could he put as much of his hand as was possible until he felt the head, and shock ran through him when he discovered that the babe was turned diagonally. Thankfully, though, head was down. He knew he had to move fast to save both she and their child.

At this moment, a calm clarity transformed him, and he no longer cared who it was that sired this baby, he would be its father. With a gentle tug, he pulled the child toward the birth canal and told Hermione to push. She pushed with all the primal instinct of all the mothers across time itself, and Severus was there to see the head emerge.

"Hold pushing, my love. You can do this, my sweet one…the cord is around the neck…" He kept up his encouraging prattle while he gently unwound the cord.

"I HAVE TO FUCKING PUSH!" yelled his amazon warrior, and he smiled for the first time since this 'adventure' had begun.

"Then push…that's my girl!" and he caught the infant in one fell swoop. The babe was blue, and floppy, like a rag doll, he remembered…yes, he knew what he must do. He took a blanket and a baster for meat. He wrapped up the babe and used the very end of the baster to clean out the nose and mouth. Then rubbing briskly, he stimulated the nerve-endings until there was a weak mewl, as soft as a newborn kitten. He quickly cinched off the umbilical cord, and cut it.

"Severus, what's wrong, what's wrong with our baby?" He noticed her voice was weak, and there was fresh bright red blood covering the blankets at an alarming rate. Taking no time at all, he settled the infant into its cradle and flooed directly to Mme. Pomfrey.

He grabbed her arm and took her directly to the floo port. "Gracious Heavens, Severus where…" was all she got out before they were immersed in the maelstrom of the storm.

Fortunately, they were blown only a few hundred feet from his front door. Pulling and tugging the medi-witch they found the house curiously quiet…he'd lost them. The only family he'd ever known, HIS family. He stood, just outside the door that Mme. Pomfrey went through only moments before, head hung and heartbroken.

His head snapped up a second later when he heard, not only Hermione talking to the medi-witch, but a strong cry from the baby.

He was at her side as soon as both were cleaned and presentable. He sat on the fresh linens, the soiled ones had been removed, and gazed in wonder at his two girls. The little one had her mouth attached to Hermione's breast, greedily sucking as her besotted parents looked on.

"She has your nose." said Severus with evident relief. Her laughter warmed him.

"She has your mouth." Quipped Hermione.

They were both relieved to find her head covered in silky black curls.

Mme. Pomfrey had a question of her own, as she took the now sated and sleeping child so she could weight her and measure her to ascertain how many inches along she was. "What shall you name her?"

With one voice, they both said… "Grace." Which was a shock, they'd not had the time really to discuss it, yet somehow it fit.

After a long pause, Hermione said "Her name is Grace Lily Snape." And got a stunned looked from Severus. "She belongs to the both of us…we both needed grace to get us through life." Here she gave a sigh, and looked down at their sleeping infant who had a small bubble of breast milk on her lips before it popped.

Looking Snape in his fathomless deep dark eyes she said "I for not standing strong amid horrible abuse, and having the courage to leave sooner, and for you, Severus…Lily, for the girl who stole your heart, yet threw it away for a handsome face and lack of wisdom. We must remember that our pasts helped shape us into who we are right now, and tomorrow will shape us into who we will be." Tears glistened in his eyes as he gently enfolded both in his strong arms. Hermione raised her face to his and, with a grateful sigh he covered her lips with his own.

The weeks after the difficult birth were exhausting, tiresome and irritating. Really, Severus thought, as he tried, apparently in vain, to rock his screaming daughter to sleep This explains why Lupin would often fall asleep at inopportune moments during the time when Teddy was an infant. Snape wanted Hermione to get as much sleep as possible, considering she so nearly died of blood loss when the placenta began to tear away from her uterine wall. She'd been forced to take it easy once more, and he'd expected to hear her complaints and cursing again, but as the weather cleared there had been visitors coming and going to visit baby Grace.

The gifts were so appreciated as little Grace timed her debut to well before their baby shower had been planned. Hermione's sixth week check-up after the birth was highly looked forward to by both parties. Indeed, Harry and Ginny (who was finally expecting a girl) were set to pick up little Gracie to watch overnight so that Severus and Hermione can finally have some badly needed alone time. After hearing that both of his girls had gotten green lights, he flooed to Harry's to let them know, and rustled up a parson from a nearby parish, as well as a wizard to do the hand fasting, wanting this night to be sanctioned and perfect.

***Please forgive the lateness of this post, we had trouble with our internet...so frustrating! I used the time to write though, and hopefully this chapter satisfies! Come on and bring some love, my darling readers. and R.E.V.I.E.W. Thank you!