A/N: I know I've been gone for a long time, but I had some bad writers block (caused in part by my new job which gets me up every morning at 5 am), and it got me to start thinking. I think it's time to start wrapping this story up. I'm afraid too much longer and it's going to get repetitive and annoying. So I wrote out a final outline for the story, focusing on the main things I wanted to happen before the thing ended. After this, there will be three more chapters, including the epilogue. I'm going to do my best to get those three chapters written in a much more timely fashion, but I can't make any promises.

So, thanks to everyone who hasn't abandoned this story, and who has left a review. Enjoy!


Severus came home after he had finished cleaning his lab after his final class for the day. The first thing he noticed was Aiden's diaper bag, dropped haphazardly on couch, which was not normal behavior for Hermione. Then he noticed the bag of books from Flourish and Blotts, which had been dropped on the floor, the books had tumbled out into an untidy pile. Definitely not Hermione's behavior. He started towards their room, but noticed the door to Aiden's room ajar, a small bundle visible in the crib through the crack. Using the fact that he had learned to stalk Hogwarts castle completely quietly he entered the room. Aiden was lying on his back, hand clutching the tiny green teddy bear Molly Weasley had made for him. Severus cracked a small smile as he looked down at his son, but decided quickly that he had to find Hermione and find out what was bothering her and causing her odd behavior.

Striding into their room he found her lying across the bed, curled into a ball, sleeping. Tears had stained her cheeks and a few spots on the pillow she was lying on. She was clutching her jacket around her, despite the room being warm. Her favorite picture of her, Harry, and Ron was overturned on her nightstand. Anyone with eyes could see that something had made her extremely upset, and he had bite back a flash of rage as he thought that Potter or Weasley had done something to upset her so much.

"Hermione?" he called softly, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Severus!" she shot up, startled. "When did you get home? Is Aiden awake? Is everything alright?"

"Calm down, Hermione," he said, sitting on the bed next to her. "Everything is fine, Aiden is asleep, I just wanted to check on you."

"I must have dozed off," she muttered, pulling her knees to her chest and staring at the blanket in front of her.

"Hermione..." he said, lifting her face to look her in the eyes. "What happened?"

She bit her lip long and hard enough that he was worried about it starting to bleed before she answered, "I had a bad day while I was out today," in a low whisper. Tears sprung to her eyes.

"Anything you wish to talk about?"

"Oh, Severus," she sobbed, throwing herself into his arms. "First it was Ron being... well, Ron. He asked me to get back together and said that you wouldn't treat me right, even though I told him you were wonderful. And then I tried to get into my dress for George and Angelina's wedding, and it was too small, and I know it's stupid of me to be upset over that, not many people can just drop their baby weight, but it made me worried that I'm not as pretty as I used to be and..."

"Now why would you think a silly thing like that?" he interrupted.

"Excuse me?"

"Have I done something to make you feel less attractive, love? Because I assure you that I still consider you the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes upon."

"That's nice of you to say, Severus, but I know I'm not as beautiful as I was before I was pregnant, when I didn't have stretch marks and baby weight..."

"You are still beautiful, Hermione, even more so because you gave me my son. How I could see anything but radiant beauty is beyond me."

"Really?" she said, looking deep into his eyes.

He was silent for a moment, then stood, straightened his robes, and sunk to one knee on the floor.

"Severus?" she whispered, hand flying to her mouth.

"This is something that I have been wanting to do for a while, but as you will not take my words as the truth, hopefully you'll believe me after I show you my devotion," he said, taking her other hand, took a deep breath, and continued. "Hermione Granger, I have known you for a long time. I will be the first to admit that for the longest time, our interactions were... less than pleasant. But Albus once told me that there is purpose behind everything, and I know the purpose behind our first night together. Not just to give us Aiden, but to give me a chance with a beautiful, charming, intelligent woman who deserves a man who will love her and promise her everything he can give her. Hopefully you realize the depth of my feelings, my love for you. Not 'the mother of my son', but you as a woman. Will you do the honor of becoming my wife?"

"Yes," she smiled, swiping at a tear on her cheek. "Of course I will, Severus."

He stood and pulled her to him for a kiss. "You'll have to apologize for my lack of a ring. I was going to go shopping later in the week when I was going to be able to go alone, hopefully without you finding out."

"Don't worry about it," she said, pulling the necklace with the ring from around her neck. "If it's alright with you, I'd like to wear this."

"It's been yours for a while," he nodded. "I was just thinking you might want something a little more extravagant than a simple Prince family heirloom."

"It's perfect," she said. He took the ring from her, and slipped it onto the ring finger of her left hand. She looked at it with a wide grin before launching herself at him, kissing him furiously before the sound of a soft cry broke them apart. She wiped the tears of happiness and stood to go get Aiden.

"Allow me," he stopped her. "I daresay you have a phone call or Floo you wish to make."

"Just one, I promise," she said, having to suppress a laugh as she kissed him one more time and scurried out of the room, making a beeline for the phone in the kitchen. He walked into Aiden's room, where the boy was busy banging his teddy bear against the bars and fussing. He reached into the crib and carefully picked the wiggling baby up. From the other room he could hear Hermione talking excitedly on the phone to Danielle.

"It looks like we're going to be a proper family, young one," he muttered as he changed Aiden's diaper.

Aiden replied with a crinkle-nosed smile and a bubble of spit. Severus picked him up and clutched him to his chest. He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but those little smiles made his day, even though this particular day had gone quickly from ordinary to extraordinary. He knew he had opened a huge can of worms, that Hermione would be an unstoppable force of nature while planning a wedding, not to mention a marriage afterwards, but it was a relief to know that soon enough she'd be his wife. For so long he was sure that he would be going through life alone, and he never realized how much he would be missing if he had given up on finding someone.

"Danielle is coming over to pick him up," Hermione's voice sounded behind him. "She said that we should be able to spend some time celebrating tonight by ourselves. She'll drop him back off in the morning."

"That's very nice of her," he replied. "Where would you like to go?"

"Dinner and then home to enjoy our night off?" she said with a sultry smile.

His eyebrow lifted. Hermione had gotten her checkup and subsequent all-clear to resume sexual activities a few days prior, but so far she hadn't felt up to resuming said activities. And he was not willing to push her. But just the thought that she was willing to do that again was making it difficult to think of anything else.

"How's my little boy?" she cooed, lifting Aiden out of his arms. "You took a good nap, didn't you? You let Mommy get a nap herself, yes you did."

Severus snorted. While Hermione usually spoke normally to Aiden she was also a fan of the occasional cooing, but he found it asinine. And he had made his opinion known on more than one occasion.

"Daddy isn't going to say a word, or I'm going to rescind my offer and spend my night off watching the telly," she told her son in a firm, yet playful voice.

"Manipulative girl," he purred in her ear.

"I know when to play my cards," she smiled back at him. "Do you need to get ready?"

"Are we staying in the wizarding world?"

"I think we could. I've heard great things about that new restaurant that opened up in the magical sector of Paris."

"I've heard it's quite popular."

She sighed. "I hate using who I am, but I have to say I've never had a problem getting a table at a wizarding restaurant."

"Of course," he muttered. "I'll probably only need a couple minutes, then. But there is something that I want to do before we go."

"Why don't you go ahead and do that? I need to feed him before Danielle gets here."

"It shouldn't take long," he assured her before going to the other room to Floo to the Leaky Cauldron. Without pausing to say hello to Tom he strode into Diagon Alley, passing the shops which were slowly starting to close down, heading towards number 93. As it came into view two red-headed figures and a black-haired figured clutching a baby became visible.

"Professor Snape," Harry smiled as he approached.

"Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Potter," he said curtly.

"How are you?" Ginny asked.

"Well, and yourself?"

"We're all good," she replied, glancing at Albus. "How are Hermione and Aiden?"

"Hermione and Aiden are well and happy. She's ready to go back to work, though. She has another month, but I think she's been having files sent over for her to look at when I'm not around."

"That sounds like Hermione," Harry smiled. "I don't think she's happy without a couple dozen things on her plate."

"And I am in no mood to fight her on it. If she is happy, let her sneak in a file or two. She's very attentive to Aiden, but I think she's craving some adult responsibilities, ones that involve reading or speaking about things not in diapers."

"I know what that's like," Ginny beamed. "What brings you out tonight?"

"I have need to speak to Mr. Weasley, if you don't mind."

"What's going on?" Ron said, suddenly looking nervous.

Snape's features distorted from pleasant to menacing. "I just came to remind you that it is still legal and acceptable for me to propose a wizard's duel should I ever hear that you spoke to my betrothed like that again."

"Betrothed?" Harry and Ron said in unison. Ginny squealed in glee.

"Yes, Weasley, betrothed. Not an hour ago Hermione agreed to be my wife, so unless you think that you'll be able to defeat me in a duel I suggest you not discuss a reconciliation between you anymore."

Ron challenged him with a glare of his own, but only managed a second or two before he was forced to look away.

"You're going to hate me, but..." Ginny stated, but she wrapped her arms around Severus in a quick hug. "Congratulations, Professor. You'll be so happy, I know it."

"Thank you, Ginevra," Severus replied.

"You can thank me by never calling me that again," she said, pulling a face.

"So noted. Have a pleasant evening," he said in the general direction of Harry and Ginny before turning to leave. But he found his way blocked by a very angry looking Lavender Brown.

"What was that you said about Ron and Hermione?" she said, her voice an octave higher than normal.

"That he proposed a reconciliation between them?" he replied with a smirk. Without waiting for a reply he started off down the street, hearing Harry and Ginny bid a hasty goodbye and leave as well, and felt satisfied as he heard Lavender's shrieking voice start to echo down Diagon Alley.