STORIES TO BE TOLD - CHAPTER 37 (Beta'd by Snakeyez82)
I own nothing.
Over the next couple of months, everyone in the Order spent most of their weekends at headquarters. The informant hadn't been able to give too much relevant information, other than Lucius and a few highly ranked death eaters would be meeting in muggle London in three weeks. It had been decided that a few of the Order members were to be sent to spy and eavesdrop on the meeting. Severus, Remus, Sirius, and Arthur were to go.
Graduation was a week before the meeting, and Hermione's due date was also around that time. Word had gotten out in the Order that Severus and Hermione were in a relationship and were to be married. So Severus and Hermione had decided to push the wedding forward, so it was done before the baby was born.
Albus was the one to marry the two. Ginny stood with Hermione and Draco stood with Severus. The entire Order, and Severus' sister and family, was in attendance for the ceremony and reception, which were both held at headquarters. Mrs Weasley and Elizabeth transformed headquarters into a beautiful place for the occasion. Hermione and Severus decided to spend the weekend in his house in muggle London. They figured it wasn't safe with the death eaters running around, so they would take a honeymoon once everything settled down and the baby was here. The weekend ended quickly, and everyone had made it back to the castle for the school week.
"Severus, are we going to the Great Hall for dinner?" Hermione asked, coming out of the bedroom. "Severus?" Hermione said again when there was no response. She walked over to the couch, and saw Severus stretched out, asleep. She smiled and decided to call on a house elf for dinner, when someone knocked on the door. "Who is it?" Hermione called out, walking to the door.
"It's Ginny!" She heard coming from the hallway. Hermione opened the door, and saw Ginny bouncing up and down. "I have to tell you something!" she said giddily. Ginny was clearly excited about something, she hadn't stopped moving and was grabbing on to Hermione.
"What is it?" Hermione asked, laughing.
"Harry proposed!" Ginny said grinning. Both girls started jumping up and down, squealing. Severus jumped from the couch, wand at the ready, mumbling something about an intruder. Both girls looked at him and started giggling.
"Severus love, it's just Ginny!" Hermione said laughing. He looked at them strangely for a minute then laid back on the couch. "When did he propose?" Hermione asked.
"It was right before your wedding, but we decided to wait to tell everyone after you guys had left. We didn't want to take away from yours and Severus' day," Ginny said, still grinning.
"I'm so excited! When is the wedding?" Hermione asked, getting giddy.
"We decided to wait until next summer, I will be done at Hogwarts and Harry should have figured out what he wants to do for a career by then," Ginny said. The girls giggled and talked for a few more minutes. "Alright, I need to get back to Harry, I'll see you tomorrow." Ginny said, hugging Hermione then leaving. Hermione walked over to the couch, and sat by Severus' feet, he had his eyes closed again.
"Severus, you cannot possibly be sleeping again!" Hermione said, still excited.
"How could I sleep with two giddy women, giggling in my living room?" Severus said, sarcastically and playful. Hermione smiled.
"Ginny and Harry are engaged!" Hermione said happily.
Severus smirked, "When's the baby due?"
Hermione slapped him playfully, "Ginny is not pregnant."
"Well, if she's not now, I'm sure she will be soon," Severus said jokingly.
"Just because they are getting married doesn't mean she is pregnant or will be soon," Hermione said.
"Yes it does, she's a Weasley. How many children does Molly have, fifteen?" Severus said smirking again.
"Shut up, Severus!" Hermione said, smiling and hitting him.
Two weeks had flown by. Hermione, Harry and Ron all took their N.E.W.T's, and did extremely well on them. All three were offered positions as Aurors working directly with the Order of the Phoenix, all three happily excepted. They would begin training in the middle of the summer, giving Hermione time to have the baby and adjust to her new life.
Severus wasn't too thrilled about Hermione being an Auror, he didn't mind having his wife work, but he would much rather her have a less dangerous career. After discussing it with Hermione, he decided he could live with it, unless she was seriously injured. Graduation was the previous week, and all had been staying at headquarters since then.
"Severus, I don't want you going on this mission, if they see you, you're dead!" Hermione said angrily.
"Love, we have discussed this several times. I will be fine, we are just going to listen to what they are discussing, we're not attacking." Severus said, walking to her and wrapping his arms around her.
"I still don't like the idea," she grumbled, gazing into his eyes.
"I know love, but how do you think I'm going to feel when you're out doing your Auror duties?" He said, placing a small kiss on her lips. She sighed.
"I know, I'm just worried. Be careful please," Hermione said, resting her head on his shoulder.
"I will, don't worry. We will all be fine. I have to go now, I love you," he said, hugging her tighter.
"I love you too," Hermione said, watching him walk from the room.
Severus, Remus, Sirius, and Arthur apparated to an abandoned building. Lucius and the death eaters were to meet there in an hour's time. "Who would have ever thought we'd be using Fred and George's creations to help us?" Remus said, as they placed one end of an Extendable Ear inside the building, then hid themselves a good fifty feet away, taking the other end with them.
"They said we could get at least one hundred feet distance with this, correct?" Severus asked, glancing down at the ear he was holding.
"That's what they said," Arthur answered.
The four sat and waited for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, Lucius and four other death eaters popped into view and entered the building. They listened to the meeting for a few moments. "Severus, do you recognize any of them?" Sirius asked.
"Avery and Macnair are two, I don't recognize the other two voices," Severus said quietly.
"I hear Snape is married, and soon to have a child", Macnair said.
"To a mudblood no less, my traitor son has befriended them. This time around, our side should have some great fun torturing them," Lucius said.
"I still am not aware as to where the headquarters to the Order of the Phoenix is, they have somehow kept that quiet," one of the unknown death eaters said.
"That is something we need to know, once we find that out, we are sure to find all of them, including Potter. For now, we will keep a low profile. But, we will meet here again next week, to discuss where we shall attack first," Lucius said.
Severus, Remus, Arthur, and Sirius watched as the five death eaters walked from the building, then apparated away.
"We have a leak somewhere in the Order. They cannot possibly know of my marriage to Hermione or our child!" Severus said angrily.
"We will have to keep all of this within the inner circle of the Order, until we find the leak," Remus said. Just then they heard a pop from behind them, but didn't see anyone. All four drew their wands.
"Show yourself," Severus growled. They heard running, and then saw Harry fling his invisibility cloak off.
"Harry, we almost hexed you!" Arthur exclaimed.
"Severus, baby!" Harry said breathlessly.
"Really Potter, now isn't the time for you to claim your undying love for me!" Severus said half angry and half amused.
"No, you idiot! Hermione's having the baby!" Harry panted out.
"What!?" Severus exclaimed and jumped up quickly. "Where is she?" Severus asked, grabbing Harry.
"Headquarters, Poppy's there to deliver," Harry said. Severus released his grip on Harry and quickly apparated back to headquarters. The front door to headquarters flew open, as Severus rushed inside.
"Where is she?" Severus asked, out of breath.
"She's in that room, love," Elizabeth said, pointing to a door. Severus could hear Hermione screaming as he pushed the door open.
"I said stop coming in here!" Poppy said angrily until she saw Severus and smiled. Severus went to Hermione's side and cupped her face, all he could do was smile at her.
"Now is not the time for you to be doing that, Severus," Hermione said, having another contraction.
"How long has she been in labor?" Severus asked Poppy.
"Two hours, I believe. Her water broke right after you left," Poppy replied.
"I told you I didn't want you to leave!" Hermione said breathlessly. Severus smirked and wiped the sweat from her face. The door opened again.
"I heard we are awaiting the arrival of our newest little one," Albus said, coming into view.
"Why in the bloody hell does everyone keep coming in here?" Hermione gritted out, having another contraction. Severus smirked, but then winced as Hermione squeezed his hand through her contraction.
It had been a few hours, Hermione was coming very close to the delivery. "Severus, I'm so tired. I don't think I can do this," Hermione said tiredly.
"You're doing wonderfully, love, I know you're tired but you're almost done," Severus said, kissing her forehead.
"Hermione, just one more good push and the baby will be out," Poppy instructed.
"Love, you can do it," Severus whispered into her ear. Hermione bore down and screamed, finally pushing the baby out. They instantly heard cries coming from the baby and then heard cheers outside the door. Poppy cleaned the baby and then walked over to Hermione.
"You have a lovely daughter," Poppy said, handing her to Hermione. Severus and Hermione gazed at their daughter in astonishment, she had pin straight black hair and honey brown eyes.
"Severus, she looks just like you, minus the nose!" Hermione said, smiling at her daughter and then at Severus.
"She's beautiful," Severus said, leaning down and kissing the baby's forehead.
"Do you still want to name her Hannah?" Severus asked.
"No, that name doesn't suit her. I like the other name we picked out," Hermione said tiredly. A moment later, the baby's eyes flashed black, a pillow flew off the bed, and she started to cry.
"I believe she is hungry," Poppy said, watching them.
"Severus, I think she's inherited your temper!" Hermione said grinning. Severus smirked.
"I will go out and tell the waiting crowd of our daughter," he said, leaning down kissing Hermione and the baby. He then walked out the door, and everyone in the hallway fell silent.
"Waiting for something?" Severus asked, smirking. Elizabeth threw a cup at him and he smiled. "In just a few moments, you all will be able to meet mine and Hermione's daughter, Adriana Elizabeth Snape," Severus said, with the biggest smile on his face.
-Review! I know I kind of threw a lot into a short chapter, with graduation, the wedding, Harry proposing, the death eaters, and then the baby. But I didn't really want to drag it all out, I thought the story may become dull if I did that. Hope everyone liked this chapter, let me know what you think.