STORIES TO BE TOLD - CHAPTER 38 (Beta'd by Snakeyez82)
I own nothing.
Severus was standing over Adriana's crib, watching her sleep. "Severus, what are you doing?" Hermione asked sleepily from the bed.
"Nothing Love, I'm coming to bed," Severus said quietly, walking back over. He climbed in, and cuddled into Hermione. She peered into his eyes and smiled. "What?" he asked, looking at her.
"You're so cute with Adriana, always watching over her," she said, still smiling but nuzzling her head into his chest. He blushed slightly.
"I just can't believe it's been a week since you've given birth to her. I'm worried that Lucius is going to try to get to you both." Severus said, tightening his grip on Hermione.
"I know, it worries me too. But we're safe here at headquarters, and there are so many people here to protect us." Hermione said, trying to reassure him. The next morning, Severus and Hermione woke to their quilt rolling up and down their legs.
"Adriana's awake," Hermione said, getting up. Severus moaned and rolled out of bed.
"This child, and waking us in odd ways..." Severus mumbled, walking to the bathroom. Hermione smiled, picking up Adriana then sitting down with her. Severus walked out from the bathroom a moment later and sat down. "She's hungry," he said, and then got a confused expression on his face.
"What?" Hermione said, watching him.
"I don't know why I said that, or why I thought that," Severus said, still confused.
"Did you use legilimency on her?" Hermione asked.
"No, I don't know where that came from," Severus replied, shaking his head. He stood up, getting a bottle, then handed it to Hermione. She just stared at him as she began to feed Adriana. "Perhaps we should go downstairs soon, Elizabeth claims we aren't bringing Adriana down to see everyone as much as we should," Severus said.
Hermione smiled, "Alright, and Elizabeth told me she was going to watch over her while we are in the Order meeting later." Severus nodded and made his way to the bathroom to shower.
Later that night as they entered the order meeting, Hermione was watching the door.
"Love, she's fine. Elizabeth is not going to let Adriana out of her sight. And, they are only a room away," Severus said, putting an arm around her.
"I know," Hermione said, smiling.
"This is going to be a short meeting," Dumbledore said.
"Why is the entire Order not here, just the inner circle?" Kingsley asked.
"We have a leak somewhere in the Order. Lucius and the other death eaters somehow knew of Hermione's and Severus' relationship, along with their child. I am sure they are probably aware that the child has been born, and she is now a target along with Hermione," Dumbledore said.
"If we keep having secret meetings and no regular meetings, won't the leak become suspicious?" Kingsley questioned.
"We are going to continue with normal meetings, but the inner circle will meet once a week on separate days as well," Dumbledore said.
"Spying on the death eaters has already been leaked. Arthur, Lupin, Black, and I went back to spy on them at the building yesterday and they didn't show," Severus said.
"We will feed false information to certain people we suspect, and narrow it down that way," Dumbledore said.
"A trip to Knockturn Alley will be required, I'm sure we can find something there," Severus said, turning to Dumbledore. The decision was made for Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Kingsley to go to Knockturn Alley in two day's time. The meeting was over, while the inner circle sat around discussing things.
"Hermione, I don't know if it's a good idea for you to go to Knockturn Alley, being a prime target," Severus said, making sure he worded it correctly.
"I know you're worried love, but this is a part of our Auror training. Harry, Ron, and Kingsley will be there as well, I won't be alone," Hermione said, grasping his hand.
"Severus, if I may, this is nothing close to a dangerous mission. I know you're worried, and if you wish you may follow them in Harry's invisibility cloak. But, you will have to start getting used to Hermione going off on missions of her own, as well," Dumbledore said kindly. Severus nodded and glanced back to Hermione.
"Adriana!" Severus said, looking confused and shocked, he got up and left quickly.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, panicked, following him into the kitchen, where Elizabeth was holding Adriana.
"I think she was starting to miss you two. The cabinet doors in here have been flying open for the past ten minutes and she's starting to get fussy," Elizabeth said, handing Adriana to Severus. When Severus took Adriana the cabinet doors immediately stopped moving and she settled down. Hermione walked over to Severus.
"What was that about?" she asked, looking completely confused.
"Well, I'm not sure," Severus said, glancing at Hermione.
"You're lying, you have that look on your face!" Hermione said sternly.
"Look? What look? I've been a spy for some twenty odd years, and you can tell when I'm lying?" Severus said skeptically.
"Yeah, well you weren't married to the people you were spying on, Severus!" Hermione said, getting agitated. Severus eyed her, starting to smile and nodded.
"I believe I am able to communicate with Adriana, with our minds. Well, I know she can communicate with me, and I'm pretty sure she has understood the things I have said to her with my mind," Severus said.
"That's what it was this morning, when you knew she was hungry," Hermione said softly.
"Yes, but I didn't know it at the time. It started this morning and it's been happening all day." Severus said, handing Adriana to Hermione.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Hermione asked, sitting down.
"I wasn't sure what was going on, and I wanted to make sure I was right, before I said anything to you," Severus said, sitting beside her.
"It makes sense with your legilimency skills. Can she read everything you think?" Elizabeth asked curiously.
"No, she can send me messages and I can send her messages, but we both have to be tuned into each other to read the other's mind," Severus said. After spending a little more time with Elizabeth, Daniel, and Samuel, Severus and Hermione took Adriana up to their room.
"Are you ok?" Severus asked Hermione.
"Yes, I'm fine," Hermione said confusedly.
"I just didn't want to scare or upset you with what was going on with Adriana," Severus said while he was feeding Adriana a bottle.
"No, as long as it's only you she can communicate with then I'm fine. I just don't want her to be able to communicate with random strangers," Hermione said, laying on the couch.
"I think she can only communicate with me, maybe even you, because we are physically connected to her," Severus said. He then walked Adriana around the room, trying to get her to sleep, Hermione was dozing off on the couch. Severus was walking by Hermione when their bedroom door flung open. Severus' head snapped up and Hermione jumped from the couch grabbing her wand.
"HERMIONE..GINNY!" Harry yelled breathlessly.
"What, what's happened?" Hermione said, staring at him.
"Ginny's pregnant!" Harry said so low they almost didn't hear him, right before he passed out onto the floor.
"HARRY!" Hermione yelled and ran to him. Hermione looked up at Severus, he had a huge smirk on his face. "Well, don't just stand there, help me!" Hermione said angrily. Severus placed Adriana in her crib while Hermione levitated Harry to the couch.
"He will be fine, he just passed out, give him a moment," Severus said, walking over to him. Severus shook him slightly, "Potter, Potter!" Harry began to stir, and opened his eyes.
"Thank gods!" Hermione said, sitting beside him.
"G-Ginny. B-b-baby.." Harry stuttered out.
"Really Harry, maybe you should try forming sentences," Severus said, smirking, Hermione hit him.
"Leave him alone, Severus! Harry, when did you find out?" Hermione asked.
"We both just did. She missed her period, so we cast a spell and found out she's pregnant. She's telling Molly right now," Harry said dazedly.
"Shouldn't you be with her then?" Hermione asked Harry.
"She said it would be better if she did it alone," Harry replied. While he and Hermione were talking, Severus went back over and picked up Adriana.
"Hermione, what am I going to do? I don't know how to take care of a child!" Harry said, panicking again.
"Harry, you'll be fine," Hermione said, reassuring him but he was still panicking. Hermione looked at Severus, signaling him to help. Severus rolled his eyes and walked over to them.
"Harry, listen, no one really knows how to be a parent, it just happens. You do the best you can, and you will make some mistakes, we all will. But, as long as you take care of your child and wife, and protect them, then you will be just fine." Severus said, placing Adriana into his arms. Harry looked down at Adriana.
"This isn't so bad."
"See Harry, you will be great. And, we are all here to help each other. Our kids will get to grow up together and be friends," Hermione said, squeezing his shoulder gently. Severus rolled his eyes and leaned back into the couch.
"Is she smirking at me?" Harry asked, looking down at Adriana.
"It's a good possibility, she seems to have Severus' personality," Hermione said smiling.
After a good hour of calming Harry down, Hermione and Severus put Adriana to bed, and got into bed themselves. "Well, I believe I was right again," Severus said smirking. Hermione looked at him confused. "I said that girl was pregnant or soon would be pregnant when she announced they were engaged," Severus said with another smirk. Hermione rolled her eyes and smiled. After a moment Hermione was still staring at Severus and smiling. "What now?" he asked, pretending to be irritated.
"You were wonderful tonight with Harry. I think you two will truly be able to be friends," Hermione said, kissing him.
"Mmm, I should be nice to all of your friends," Severus said before passionately kissing her. Hermione did all she could to break the kiss.
"We'd better stop, I'm still not ready for anything after having Adriana." Hermione laid on Severus' chest.
"I still don't understand how Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, defeater of the Dark Lord, and future Auror, is afraid of a child", Severus said.
"Harry never really had any parents, I think he just doesn't want to mess anything up," Hermione said softly.
"Maybe someone should have told Voldemort that, and he would have had a better chance at defeating Harry. Could you imagine Voldemort in a bib and diaper, trying to kill Harry", Severus said smirking.
"Shut up, Severus. You're such a dork!" Hermione said, hitting him and laughing.
-Review!