Hi, guys!

I nearly thought I won't manage this before the year's end but it looks like I did!

I hope you all had the greatest Christmas ever :-*

Dedicated to sandracddy for the first Spanish review I have ever received! It's so cool to see that you guys are not all English natives as well and still take the time and efforts to read this story! Thank you all so much!

CHAPTER 78

"Hell," Neville said breathily a few seconds after Severus' back had disappeared through the door.

"How do you feel, Neville? Are you alright?" Hermione asked him again, placing her hand on his shoulder and worried.

"I know I told you this before, but the man really loves you, Hermione," Neville said instead of answering. It explained everything though, she supposed.

"I am aware of that now. Sorry for not believing you the last time," she admitted, shy and feeling her cheeks getting hot both at Neville's confirmation and her own admission.

"Tea?" she asked to mask her discomfort and change the topic.

Fortunately, he was only happy to agree.

"... and then there grows so much Gillyweed that you could spend ages underwater! Just last week I was diving and spotted this plant, it looks a bit like dittany but not quite and I have never seen it before anywhere! Do you think it could be a new subspecies of it?" Neville asked, his eyes bright as he was fully immersed in his description and Hermione had to smile at that.

"It is quite possible. Maybe you could look in the books here? Severus had amassed quite a library for himself in here. Or bring it the next time you come to visit and I will look it up for you," she offered.

"You really would? So can-"

The door opened at that moment, revealing Severus, still in his Death Eater robes and she stood up as fast as her heavy belly would permit, startled but still pleased that he returned to her again.

But then he told her to start packing and she convinced him to agree to the likely worst idea that she had ever had.

"Neville?" she called her friend who stood there in their living room, uneasy and nervous as he watched them when they had packed what they needed and agreed on a plan of what to do once they would be at the Fortress.

She saw the boy flinch at being addressed unexpectedly - it was a sort of habit for him - and smiled a bit to calm him down.

"Neville, would you stay there till we return, please? It is possible - quite certain even - we would need a messenger to let Harry and Ron know of the outcome, both if we fail or succeed. Are you willing to help us with that?" she inquired, hoping she had not asked too much. They didn't really have anyone but him to count on.

"Sure, no problem. I guess I won't be missed for some time yet," the boy answered, shy and quiet as usual as he lowered his gaze to his boots.

Hermione could see that he was unsure of what to say to them or if he should talk at all and for a moment she felt like she was back in class with him, watching as he struggled to express himself. She felt a wave of sympathy, gratitude and friendly affection towards the young man, so brave at times and so much like a small boy who acted as if he didn't belong anywhere at others, and couldn't help herself to smile again and go to hug him although it was granted to put him into even more unease.

"You have always been a great friend, Neville. Thank you," she told him quietly and listened with content nostalgia as he stumbled over his words again, his cheeks pink and eyes averted.

She was staring at Severus, scared to death and still unable to comprehend how her life changed from so very idyllic to this nightmarish mayhem.

Severus was bleeding, heavily. Voldemort cut his throat. Just cut his throat like this, with no reason other than some stupid wand allegiance. And it was her fault; she made him arrive here, she talked him into this course of action. If not for her, he would live now. They would spend the rest of their lives happily, together and-

A cold and rough hand touched her belly, both startling her out of her shock and adding to her panic. Voldemort was after their baby. That was why she was supposed to be brought; it was not about her but about the baby...

Severus' and her little child, Little Man as she liked to call him. All that was left from the man in this world. Half her, half him...

And Voldemort was about to steal it, hurt it, hurt her in the process, she realized when she saw him conjure a knife.

He was about to cut the child and her!

She could do nothing. Nothing when Severus was so far from her, dying. She was alone here, petrified...

Only she was not alone. Not yet, she realized with a stark clarity. She had the baby. She loved the baby and she touched it all the time, as much as anyone can possibly touch another person!

Not wasting single more second, she focused all her will and magic to protect the child that was everything for her.

Adducere mihi mens suggesserit, she pronounced in her head, directing the magic towards the man's hand on her belly and instantly she could see him stagger as he was hit by the spell.

God, let it be enough! Let it chase him out! Let it chase him out of his body! she prayed, watching in horror as Voldemort fell to the floor, inartuculate and terrifying sounds of pain leaving his wide open mouth.

In horrified fascination, she stopped breathing for hours - or at least it seemed that long in her mind before she saw tendrils of dark smoke detach from the convulsing and crying body, the sound nearly deafening as the ghost floated only a few feet away from her.

Unconsciously, she placed her hands across her belly, protecting the child as she remembered the loose soul could create a Horcrux from babies too - it had happened to Harry, hadn't it? - and it took a few seconds for her to realize that she had been able to move.

The binding spell had been broken then as its caster - or his physical part - had all but died.

Tearing her eyes away from the black tormented spirit that fortunately seemed uninterested in her, she ran to Severus.

Still panicked and not truly seeing anything else than the newly forming Horcrux and the dying father of her child, she stumbled over a limb body, nearly falling.

Damn! There were Death Eaters scattered all around the chamber, unconscious but still dangerous as they could wake up at any moment!

She would have to disable them as soon as possible.

But first, there was Severus.

Severus!

Hurrying to the man, she searched his pockets for his wand with one hand while she tried to slow down the bleeding from his neck by pressing at it with her other.

"Fuck!" she swore aloud - uncharacteristically - when she cut herself by something sharp in his pocket. Shards from an empty bottle.

Damn, she didn't need this on top of everything when-

Bollocks! She is so stupid! Severus alwas kept his wand in his holster!

How did she let her panic eat her brain again!?

Finding the wand finally, she felt the Mark on her shoulder stinging.

No! NO! NOOO!

It wasn't the same pain that rendered the surounding dozen or so Death Eaters unconscious - probably due to the potion she had digested - but still she knew it was here and that it was burning even though the sensation felt rather dimmed. It meant Severus died.

Died! He cannot die! He and their baby were all she had! Her family! She loved them with her whole heart!

"Severus! Severus, you can't!" she told him, her voice shaking and unable nor caring to form the order properly.

Her hands still at his neck, she felt a pulse of magic seeping through one of her hands towards him and immediately a wave of dizzines and nausea washed over her. Her belly hardened, all her insides feeling tighter and painful. Still, for some reason the slight pain in her mark abated to nothing.

Having no clue as to what happened, the first outward change she noticed was that Severus' bleeding had worsened, the blood pouring out of his neck as much as it was when his neck was just sliced. There was no time to waste so she hastened to close the wound, chanting the words while she made the skin seal with her wand, disregarding her own lack of strength and faintness.

It took several long minutes, but finally, the gaping wound on Severus' throat was gone, the tissue sealed and unmarred, and she dared to cast the diagnostic charm.

A massive weight was lifted from her shoulders as she saw he was alive and relatively fine - oddly enough, even the huge blood loss seemed to be not affecting him that severely. Not questioning her luck, she craddle his head in her lap, suppressing her urge to start crying in relief.

She had done it, she managed it in time once again. They would be fine again! The spell worked! She had vanquished Voldemort!

A contraction went through her belly again, even stronger than the previous one.

Maybe not all of them are fine then, she thought as she tried to breathe through it, her joy somewhat diminished.

Damn, of all the possible moments and places! She really hoped the baby didn't insist on being born here after all!

She heard a moan from nearby - not her own this time - and suddenly remembered her plan to disable the Death Eaters.

Severus was stable, so she placed him gently back on the floor, put some cushioning and warming charms underneath him and got to work as quickly as she could while still very weak and with horrible spasms bothering her every few minutes.

Finally, all Death Eaters in the room were immobilized and she went to cast that dome spell on the Horcrux so that the soul couldn't escape. Then she sealed the door closed so that she could not be easily surprised by some other Death Eater arriving.

Drained, but finally feeling somewhat safe, she had to sit for a moment to rest. It made her stop to think as well.

She knew she should be happy at defeating the most evil wizard of the century but for some reason it wasn't coming. Everything felt empty and unreal instead. She was probably in some kind of shock.

Merlin! They have done it! They defeated Voldemort! They won! Severus is going to be fine! she tried to remind herself to gain some strength back while looking at Severus, still resting on the floor. It wasn't working that well.

Somehow, she still didn't feel like a winner, alone - or the only one conscious - in this building full of horrors, after narrowly escaping being butchered by the maniac and having Severus killed in front of her.

It will get better, she told herself again but still felt rather apprehensive and uneasy.

Her belly hardened once again, all her muscles clenching and making her moan aloud in pain. She was not supposed to feel pain - she had taken the potion.

Except...

She was about to give birth. These were no idle contractions - they were arriving way too frequently and getting stronger.

A sheet of sweat reappeared on her forehead as she panicked again, unsure as to what to do next.

What is she to do now? Go to the Daily Prophet to announce herself as the Chosen One who defeated Voldemort? Or to the Ministry, standing in the middle of the Atrium?

Damn, she would be hexed and arrested before she took one breath as both institutions were controlled by Death Eaters.

Go to Hogwarts to say the same?

Same problem there - there was still Umbridge and Carrow whereas Severus was currently out.

Her worries for the man renewed, she made herself rise from her seat to go to the man to check on him even though it was highly uncomfortable to bend over to him.

Oh Merlin, she is so glad he made it! she thought while she was stroking the man's cheek just to make sure it was indeed warm and living as her diagnostic charm had suggested.

Another contraction made her brace herself with both hands against the floor so she would not fall over. Then she focused on surviving the increasingly excruciating spasm, trying to breathe though it.

God!

What was she to do?!

Arrest the Death Eaters? And take them where? By herself, moreover?

What about the Horcrux? Is she supposed to hide it or take along? She was in no shape to destroy it and they didn't take the sword with them as it would be bound to be noticed. There was no way to summon it from this far away...

Damn, she needed help and fast.

Severus was still unconscious and he would probably stay so for some time yet. He had nearly died a few moments ago, for Merlin's sake! It was a miracle he had made it at all.

She will have to research what had actually happened that he got back to life, she decided even as she caught her mind wandering and forced it to focus on the topic at hand again.

Neville. Neville stayed at Spinner's End. She would just go there and tell him; he would help. He would fetch Harry, that was what was needed. Harry would kill Voldemort's body and get rid of the soul piece, he knew how well enough. Then the boys could fetch the Order to take care of the Death Eaters.

Yes, that is the safest way.

She tried to stand up only to be forced to sit down by another overwhelming contraction.

Bollocks! She knew it will hurt but this?! How was she supposed to get home by herself in this condition?

Taking deep breaths, she tried again, successfully this time.

Her eyes lingered on Severus, new worries stealing into her thoughts.

She was not by herself. She had to take Severus too - she couldn't leave him there and risk him being arrested with the rest of the Death Eaters...

Holy Merlin, how is she supposed to manage THAT?

Desperate, weak and on the brick of her strength, she gritted her teeth forcibly together to brace against another contraction that she felt coming, she invested the rest of her will and power to levitate the man and find her was out.

The Fortress was eerily silent, nothing hinting at the drama that had happened there only a few moments ago, her labored puffs of breath and weary footsteps the only sounds that she could hear. It was rather creepy and didn't help her condition in the slightest as she glanced over her shoulder nervously every few seconds.

Finally, she could see the boundary where the Anti-Apparition wards ended and fought with her weakened knees to carry her here.

Casting one last look at he horrific Fortress and hoping it is the last time she would ever see it, she collected the cloak she had hidden there for herself and draped it over her shoulders. Then she took Severus' hand - so warm and comforting in hers - and focused on her destination.

Praying for the upcoming contraction to wait a bit so that she would not Splinch them, she felt being sucked in the telltale tight tube.

They landed hard and she immediately went down to her knees even she she tried to soften Severus' impact as much as she could.

A contraction seized her then and she felt irresistible urge to push.

She knew what that meant.

Fuck! It was too soon, she would hurt herself is she succumbed to it!

Trying to fight both the compulsion and the pain, she didn't notice a pair of hands wrapping around her.

The first things she really noticed were their Living room and Neville's worried eyes watching her from very close up.

"Are you alright, Hermione?"

She tried to smile but was too weak to manage even that small movement.

She nodded. Now the hard part; sending the only help she had at hand away. She wanted to cry.

"It's done. You have to go. Fetch Harry and the Order," she rasped with difficulties.

Then she saw Neville's face light up brightly, the first genuine joy at their victory. Not felt by her but still it would nearly make her happy if her other emotions weren't so jumbled and insecure.

"Wow! It's just... WOW! Hermione! Was it Snape? That's why is he out? Or what-?" he started to shower her with questions, enthusiastic in his mirth.

There was no time for that though. She shook her head at him and he immediately quietened, sensing something was not right.

"You have to go. Now. The Death Eaters are unconscious but they'll wake up soon. You have to arrest them before they come around. Voldemort needs to be killed as soon as possible or they will hide him," she hissed, cringing as another contraction made her curl into herself and moan aloud.

"Hermione? Are you sure you are fine?" She heard Neville ask, his voice worried.

"I will be. Go," she said, not believing her own words.

Fortunately - or not? - Neville did believe them. He squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"I will return as soon as I can," he promised and she heard him leave the house to Apparate.

Now she is truly alone.

Damn her to seven hells.

She had imagined what it would be like to give birth; in pain, possibly, but with Severus - and maybe even a Mediwitch - at her side, holding her hand, helping and calming her down if only by their presence and knowledge that they would be able to intervene if something went wrong.

She didn't really expect being left alone with her suffering, desperate and tortured while worrying about Severus and the baby both, unable to take anything to help her with the pain for her fear of it causing her to make bad decisions and not think clearly while everything depended on her.

She turned her wand on herself again, casting the diagnostics for about the tenth time that minute. Still not ready. She braced for another wave of pain that was bound to come.

Oh, holy...!

Merlin, why exactly didn't she let Voldemort kill her and cut the baby out? In that order! That was sure to hurt much MUCH less than this!

She struggled to breathe and not push yet and it took all her willpower and strength to not yell aloud too loud. Severus needed to rest and the Silencing Charms she had been able to cast covered only that much.

Then she felt - and even heard? Was it even possible? - her water break and finally the diagnostics showed that she was more or less ready to start the labor.

Thank God! She couldn't stand this a second longer!

She rested while she could to collect the last remnants of strength and when the next contraction came she was only too grateful to finally do something other than worry and suffer.

She pushed as her body urged her to.

That was when the true pain started.

She felt stretched and torn from inside, the baby obviously way bigger than she thought it to be. She couldn't stop now though. The baby couldn't get stuck; it was very dangerous, even life threatening.

Forgetting all about her decision to stay silent, she screamed with full lungs as she pushed again, the pain making her vision blur.

A few seconds later, a pair of strong warm hands gripped reassuringly her shoulders and she knew immediately what they were.

Severus.

He looked like hell - dark circles under his eyes, pale and shaking - but was watching her with clear and worried eyes.

"You should be resting, Severus. I am sorry to wake you up but now you should go back and-" rasped weakly as soon as she could find her voice.

"Hush, Hermione. I feel better than you do, evidently. I will stay here," he told her.

"Can I stay?" he asked hesitantly a few seconds later when no answer from her was coming and she smiled even through the pain.

Instead of saying anything, she took his hand and gripped it with all she had while another contraction made her scream aloud.

She felt the baby tearing its way out of her, the pain only lessened by Severus' proximity and knowledge that it would all end soon. So she pushed once more, crushed Severus' hand in hers and then...

Cries. Small, baby cries, whimpering and demanding attention.

The pain was gone all of sudden, no contractions, no tearing, no pressure whatsoever. She saw Severus' face shine in happiness in the very same way that hers probably did as he went to take the baby, wrapped his hands around it ever so carefully and lifted it to bring it to her, covering them both in a blanket to keep them warm.

"You are so beautiful," she heard him whisper and knew it was both for her and the baby.

It was a girl.

She felt her eyes brim with tears and she sobbed quietly as she stroked her daughter's cheek for the first time, marveling at her tiny perfect face and dark hair.

So here it finally is - I hope I didn't make anything too far-fetched here.

The "resurrection" of Severus will get explained shortly (it happened already to Hermione in chapter 13 if you don't remember that well by now so it's nothing new in this story), no need to worry about being left in the dark :-)

Any comments are most welcome! Even in your own language if you feel like it - you don't have to worry about not being understood as I will not rest till I decipher every last word you write :-)

Thank you for reading, guys!