Chapter 37

Hermione was in a daze. She was pregnant. How the hell did she go so wrong in her calculations? She had never really anticipated a marriage while in school, but she had given thought to premarital sex.

Her circumstances were spiraling out of control now. A husband with ,well, for lack of a better description, a split life, an unexpected lover and the threat of madness or Azkaban if discovered.

How would they react to this news? Ron was clearly unstable , and Severus was…. Well, she got the distinct impression that he disliked children. Her head started pounding again as she weakly lay back against the pillows. She had her classes starting soon, and Merlin only knew which ones would be safe for an expectant mother. As she mentally rearranged her classes, schedules and wardrobe plans she also tried to imagine breaking the news to her significant others.

"Severus, I think we should plan on replacing your private lab with a nursery",… maybe she would just blame him since he never once asked about contraception.

Ron was a different story; she knew he wanted children but what if it had dark hair and eyes? What if he got jealous and exposed them all? How in hell's name had she gotten to this point? She had been a teenage girl who was jealous of another teenage girl. Now she was going to be a mum. She automatically pictured Molly Weasley rather than her own business-like mother. Well, if she ran too fat she knew that would cool the ardor of the potions master. It would likely spur on the other one though.

She had fucked up so spectacularly. She turned her head into her pillow and wept.

On exiting the office the trio of Ginny and Harry and Ron Weasley shut the door firmly. Both Malfoys had elected to call a house elf to the office for their meal. Harry lingered at the door but shrugged when it became obvious that a silencing charm had been employed. He started to head to the Great Hall for his breakfast when he observed his wife staring at her brother. She was looking at him as if he was an insect. "I hope that you intend to give me an explanation of this before I have to listen to whatever story you have managed to dream up for the Malfoy's. Harry as you seem to know all about this, I want to hear from both of you! Now! Does Hermione have any idea of this?" Her face had a hardened look which she had acquired after the last year with the Carrows at the school. There was something they had concealed from her and Ginny hated secrets.

Harry looked about and noticed that the corridors were starting to become populated with other students. "Ginny I think we should practice a bit more discretion on where we choose to hold this conversation."

Ron was at a total loss on what information to leave his sister with. However his wife's name reminded him of a different obligation. "Harry you fill her in, I need to check on Hermione." He turned away and headed for the dungeon again. Leaving Harry grinning winningly at his irate young wife.

Ron entered the room immediately sensing that Hermione was the sole occupant. His thoughts were in turmoil once again. Malfoy's! Snape may trust them but he sure as hell did not. Even with life debts and the precarious position the Malfoy family now faced. He hated the idea of Draco needling him about sharing a wife with Snape. He hated the idea of Hermione being taunted even worse. 'That will not even be an issue. I would not expose her to ridicule either.' Snape offered. ' It may be best to imply that you have control as to when I can come out at night. I can always use poly juice if they act as though they don't believe it. I will also refuse to be around Hermione in their presence.'

"That may work with Ginny as well. Oh hell, I told Harry to fill her in. Do you think I should tell the twins? What one knows so does the other. A ghost may see more then we know especially as we can't see him to speak of."

'Why don't we just take out an ad in the Bloody Prophet?' Snape growled.

"It's my family, if you can trust Malfoys then I see no reason not to trust my family." Ron was insistent.

'It was your friend Harry who exposed us. Why the bloody hell was he hexing Draco in the closet for anyway?'

"I don't know, I was concentrating on Hermione, I wonder what the nurse said?" Ron looked down on his sleeping wife and noticed tear tracks on her face. What if this situation was tearing her apart?

'Hormonal teenagers cry for all kinds of reasons. She may miss her mother or someone told her that her hair was looking bad. She looks as though she is just tired; let her sleep. If it is important Poppy will make sure you know soon. She certainly insists on informing the appropriate people regardless of their desire for secrecy.'

At that moment her eyes flickered open and she saw her husband and best friend leaning over her looking so concerned. Hermione gasped out, " Ron, I pregnant!"

A thousand thoughts went through his head in a split second and he could tell that Snape was stunned into silence. Molly Weasley's son was the one who looked into the eyes of the woman he loved and earnestly told her it would all work out and he loved her with all his heart. Any concerns didn't shadow his eyes while she was in his arms.

There was a reason that Ron Weasley was a good chess player: when it was important he could conceal his emotions. He knew being supportive was an area that Snape would be totally deficient. No one in their right mind could picture Snape as a family man. Ron however, was the very definition. He pictured a future child with bushy red hair in a halo of curls all the while soothing her, loving her. He was in his element. Hermione needed the safety of his embrace and security of his love.

Snape, in his horror of the situation, retreated into his childhood memories. He had long vowed never to become a father as Tobias Snape was a vindictively cruel bastard. How could he manage with that type of an example? A ready fist and a cutting tongue was his legacy and while Severus relied upon his wand rather than his fists he knew the cruel barbs and cutting remarks were an integral part of his makeup.

What Eileen had ever seen in the man was totally unknown to his son. The only bright spot in his lonely youth had been Lily. When he had once thought of a future child, he had always hoped it would have red hair as well.