Beta by Kristine Thorne
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A/N: reviewers replies with the Voice Of Alexian review from Tuesday.
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Chapter Summary - Severus gives Ron a gift which will change his life, later that day Ron ends up in bed with his old potions teacher in an attempt to show his gratitude. Why is Hermione watching, why is she impressed with his technique and what will Harry think when he finds out?
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Chapter Twenty Two - …And Then Some
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The building wizards came back to begin work within the week; Harry assumed that the prompt attention they were receiving might have something to do with the high profile job and the publicity that they would receive from it. The item Severus had ordered for Ron arrived promptly too, it seemed that the Snape name was the one to serve now that the Dark Lord was gone, usually they couldn't tell whether it had been Harry or Severus who placed the order since they both now signed themselves as Headmaster Snape, so they got good service but Harry was never sure whether it was through adoration or fear.
In the past week they had managed to live through the rest of the wizarding world finding out about the pregnancy, the Daily Prophet had featured an article about Harry, which was alarmingly close to the truth and since the wards kept the security of Hogwarts tight now, neither Severus or Harry had experienced too much trouble over it. Harry found though that he felt less inclined to step beyond the wards when he knew that it would be the same old way beyond them. They lived quite an isolated life, which would no doubt change once they opened up officially as a school.
Severus continued to be ill virtually every day and Harry had pretty much taken on all of the Headmaster duties, including the supervision of the building work. Meanwhile, he was running out of excuses for Severus' absence, so Hermione had found something else to glare at him about. Harry had found himself wondering about Ron however, since they had received no trouble from him at all. In fact Harry could swear that Ron was helping him out, since he always seemed to be counteracting Hermione's rants with additional information about Severus' whereabouts, which Harry himself knew to be untrue. Harry found that he was very glad that they had found a way of helping Ron.
Severus was making one of his increasingly rare appearances in the hall when the owls arrived with the package. Harry was glad about that because he wanted Severus to be the one to give it to Ron. He was sure that it would annoy Hermione immensely.
Severus stopped eating to unwrap the parcel; he had only been taking a small amount of rice pudding anyway. He wanted to check the specification before he handed it over. Harry helped him with it. It was certainly big enough and Harry was impressed with the finish on the wood, it was a smooth and polished mahogany, probably Persian, Harry thought from the colouring.
Severus was far less concerned with aesthetics however and dropped it at his side, commanding it with a sharp "Up!" before it hit the stone. It hovered just below shoulder height and Severus placed a hand on the walker and pushed down, it kept solidly in place.
Harry knew that Severus was satisfied and gestured to Ron who was watching what the two Headmasters were up to anyway.
"What is that?" Ron asked, obviously curious but not understanding what Severus had been testing.
Severus stood up and took the walker over to Ron as Harry had hoped that he would. Ron turned in his chair.
"Place a hand on each side," Severus instructed.
Ron did as he was told.
"Now stand." Severus continued.
Ron didn't stand immediately; his instinct was to not trust anybody with the duty of helping him unless they were a friend, he really hated it when he fell and he certainly didn't feel confident enough about entrusting his safety to a bit of wood. He pushed down hard first and found that the strange curved piece of wood stayed solidly hovering near to him. Ron tried to push it forwards and it wouldn't budge.
Fairly satisfied that it would be safe to try, Ron stood up, the walker raised up with him as he stood, so that his arms weren't quite fully outstretched as he held it. Once he was fully upright it didn't budge an inch.
"What now?" Ron asked.
"Walk forward," Severus instructed, getting out of the way to give him room.
Ron took a step forward and the walker moved only enough to allow Ron to walk, when he wobbled it stood resolutely still to give him something to steady himself with.
"How does it do that?" Ron asked.
Ron was impressed, Harry could tell, though mostly he looked shocked and terrified. When he had got used to walking again and came to trust it more, he would be very impressed indeed.
"It works on the same principle as a broomstick," Severus explained as Ron remained stationary but still standing, "It responds to your will in much the same way."
"Cool," Ron said still looking thoroughly terrified still.
"What happens when there are stairs?" Hermione asked.
Severus didn't turn to Hermione but kept his attention with Ron, "Try it," He suggested.
The teacher's dining table had always been raised on a platform and they were a few steps that Ron could use to try the walker out just by walking a few feet across the hall.
Ron made it across the floor and down the steps slowly but on the way back he seemed to be much more confident and happy. He got back to his chair successfully.
"What happens now?" Ron asked.
"Just sit down, as long as you keep a hold, the walker will guide you down."
"What happens if he lets go?" Hermione demanded to know.
"If Ron lets go then he will fall," Severus snapped back.
Ron successfully managed to lower himself into his chair, "I can go anywhere now," He announced, only just beginning to think of the possibilities, "Even outside, on my own."
Then there was a nervous silence. Ron looked to Severus first and then to Harry. Harry guessed that his plan was all very well but Ron felt uncomfortable about thanking Severus, Ron didn't know what to do, it wasn't as if they could hug like friends.
"It was Harry's idea," Severus suddenly spoke apparently realising the problem himself; he was probably feeling awkward about being thanked anyway.
Despite the apparent admission, Ron knew that Harry wouldn't have come up with an idea that Hermione had never thought of, "Thank you both," He mumbled nervously thinking that it was very inadequate.
It didn't matter to Harry and Severus, they knew how much it meant to Ron no matter how little he said and they hadn't put in the effort for the praise they would receive anyway.
They all finished their breakfast and when Ron had drunk all of his coffee he stood up.
"Where are you going?" Hermione asked, a slight hint of panic in her voice, though she made a decent enough effort to hide it.
"I don't know," Ron answered suddenly feeling very pleased with himself, "I might go for a walk or I might do something else, I haven't decided yet, see you later."
Although his walking was still very slow and Harry could tell that he remained nervous, Ron left the hall on his own two feet and without anybody else's assistance.
Harry chanced a glance at Hermione and she didn't look very happy at all, reward enough he thought. Maybe Ron and Hermione's relationship would improve because of this, Harry thought, maybe it wouldn't, but at least Ron now had his choices back.
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Of course Hermione was now in a bad mood and found herself unable to express it in a constructive and positive way, Severus soon found her catching up with him in his quarters later that morning.
When he opened the door Hermione rushed in without invitation.
"I have just had word that the hospital wing is in urgent need of some more rejuvenation potion," Hermione announced.
Severus very much doubted that they really were running low but he could hardly accuse her of lying, "How does that concern me?"
"I am not going to toil over a hot cauldron all day at this stage in my pregnancy, not when there is a perfectly skilled potions master on hand to help," Hermione snapped.
"You could have just asked nicely," Severus snapped back.
"I didn't realise it was a style that you appreciated," Hermione replied.
Severus sighed inwardly, he really didn't want to spend the only decent day he had had in a week brewing potions with Hermione. Not to mention the fact that it would probably set off the sickness anyway and it wouldn't be a decent day any longer. He really enjoyed being pregnant, wanted it more than anything else; he just wished that he could be more like Harry and not so bloody ill all the time.
Severus wanted to tell Hermione 'no', he really did, but he didn't want to argue with her either on account of his other little problem, which he was very sure would become apparent if he allowed her to push him far enough.
Severus reluctantly allowed Hermione to lead the way to the potions classroom, when they got there he discovered that everything was all set up ready. Hermione had rearranged the benches so that they would be facing each other. Severus hoped it didn't mean that she expected him to talk to her.
Severus didn't feel very comfortable standing up but Hermione had taken the only high stool available and so he had little choice. He began to brew, relieved at least that his brain seemed to be functioning and he had little trouble keeping track of what he was doing.
"Harry seems to be getting quite tired lately," Hermione observed, "I suppose it might be expected considering his condition."
"Hmm," Severus responded sighing inwardly to himself again, he knew this already and was feeling guilty enough as it was. Harry kept insisting that he was all right though and he had been quite determined about things. He seemed to be very enthusiastic about supervising the building at least, Severus supposed that it was because it was his first proper home. Severus didn't answer Hermione any further and a period of silence followed.
They were adding their ingredients in sync with each other. Severus wasn't sure if this was a good thing, if she made a mistake they might both end up ruining their potions if he was tempted to follow her lead, if he made a mistake, he would never hear the last of it. Maybe he was thinking too much about it.
They finally got to the point where Severus knew the fumes would start to billow out of the cauldron when he added the next ingredient and he couldn't help hesitating. His reluctance was pointless however, because Hermione hadn't been following him and she threw in her final ingredients right on time.
The reaction was quite predictable, Severus tried to hold his breath and turned away from the cloud that Hermione had produced but he couldn't do so forever. As soon as he got a sniff of the acrid fumes he had to start running. It wasn't easy to dash away because as soon as Severus felt the nausea come over him his legs seemed to turn to jelly.
He nearly made it though, he managed to get up the steps and into the office but he didn't have time to close the door properly or put up the silencing charm.
Hermione folded her arms in annoyance, Severus had totally abandoned his cauldron and his batch was already completely ruined. She turned off the heat underneath the cauldron; there was no point in leaving it. It appeared that she would have to make both batches up herself; it was just as well that the hospital wing wasn't really running low at all.
Hermione heard some kind of sound coming from the office where Severus had hidden himself but she didn't think about what it could be. The first time this happened Harry had stepped in but he wasn't there now to cover up whatever was going on, Hermione thought, the second time he had run away but this time he wasn't going anywhere without a piece of her mind.
She was quite determined to go up there right away and tell the so-called Headmaster exactly what she thought of his behaviour. He was supposed to care for Harry yet he left him with everything to do despite the fact that he was pregnant. She hadn't been making it up when she had said that Harry looked tired; he had begun to look very tired in the past week and it was all Severus' fault. Of course Harry wouldn't complain for himself, he was quite happy running around all day doing everything. His behaviour reminded Hermione of the house elves. Harry was not in servitude, or at least, Hermione thought, he shouldn't be, it was no life for the saviour of the wizarding world.
Hermione made sure that her own potion was safely cooling and then climbed the stairs to the office. Severus had shown no indication of returning so she was going to him. She pushed the door open and found Severus curled up on the floor, leaning against the back of the desk, a medium sized cauldron on the floor beside him. He didn't look up as she entered which annoyed her further.
"What are you doing?" She demanded to know, "That potion is completely ruined, I would have expected better of you, call yourself a master, it would seem that Albus was the only person keeping you in line all these years. Taking advantage of poor Harry's good nature, after you have taken advantage of him in other ways too. He's exhausted and the poor boy doesn't care, he would run around after you till he dropped down dead. I suppose you're just going to pull out your sword on me and that will be that. Nobody is allowed to say anything anymore around here without being threatened with death. What kind of a way to run a school is that? I'll tell you, it is a Death Eater way. At least the old Snape didn't make any illusions, he was what he was, now you're all pretence and little substance."
Severus didn't respond, no explanation, no retort of any kind, he still didn't even look up.
"Well?" Hermione prompted menacingly, just in case that Severus had not realised that it was his turn to speak, still she got nothing from him. What she honestly wanted to do was go over there and kick him and keep on kicking him till he did say something. She knew it would be more decorous and proper to use her wand.
"Go away," Severus spoke.
"Go away? Is that the best you can come up with? I will not go away."
"Just leave me alone," Severus said pleadingly.
Hermione didn't hear the words and she stepped closer to Severus.
"What ARE you mumbling?" She demanded.
Severus didn't repeat what he had said or say anything further; he lifted a hand to his face and turned his head away towards the desk.
"You are pathetic," Hermione resumed, "To think any of us were ever scared of you."
Hermione watched as Severus body lurched and then did so again. Then he vomited all over the floor, down his robes, in his hair and some of it even managed to get into the cauldron, which appeared to have been the original target. He then slumped back against the desk and wiped his face with his hand, which just seemed to spread it around more.
Hermione wrinkled her nose as the smell of it reached her. Severus was unsuccessfully fumbling for his wand but Hermione reached for hers and cleared the mess away herself.
"Now get out!" Severus growled in his humiliation.
"Charming," Hermione criticised.
"Get out!" Severus tried to persist but his famous voice wasn't behind the words, it was weak and breathy.
"No," Hermione replied, "This is my office, if anybody is leaving it is you."
Severus made no move to leave.
"Fine," Hermione snapped, "Stay there then, see if I care. The way you are behaving lately, you'd thing it was you…"
Hermione suddenly stopped talking and frowned, realising what she had been about to say. She stepped closer to Severus instead. She could tell that his shoulders were shaking and there was wetness on his face despite her cleaning charm. Presumably not realising that she was so close he sniffed quietly but deeply. Severus Snape was crying.
"It isn't Harry," Hermione said almost breathless with the realisation, "Is it?"
"It isn't Harry what?" Severus attempted to snap but it sounded too soft and, Hermione was right, pathetic.
"Who is pregnant," Hermione completed.
Severus initially responded with dry retching but eventually spoke, "It is Harry, he didn't lie to you."
"Then what is all this about then?" Hermione demanded but not as aggressively as she had done only minutes before.
"I am too," Severus mumbled dissolving into himself and wrapping both his arms around his head.
Hermione began to remember how she had felt when she had been going through the sickness phase and she remembered Harry's questions about it, the penny finally began to drop.
"Oh. My. It's true. Harry was worried about you."
"He was?"
"He came to me asking about pregnancy and sickness and stuff," Hermione explained, forgetting to be annoyed, "I told him everything would be fine."
"Will you leave me alone now?" Severus pleaded.
"He's been covering for you because of this, have you been vomiting every day?" Hermione asked.
"Yes," Severus replied.
"Well, you can't go on like this," Hermione announced.
"What do you suggest?" Severus snapped.
"You could do with going to bed and then you need somebody to sort out the sickness for you, I had nobody to do it, difficult times."
"I would have been fine if it wasn't for that stupid potion," Severus snapped.
"You could have said something," Hermione accused back.
"It would be nice to get a word in edgeways."
"There," Hermione said, apparently satisfied, "You're not sounding nearly as pathetic now, stand up," Hermione commanded.
Severus considered remaining on the floor, he really didn't feel very well at all but the alternative to going back to bed was listening to Hermione lecture him some more, so that was an incentive in itself.
Hermione turned to go, "Don't worry about looking a complete mess, I certainly don't want to look at you, your chambers are only along the corridor and nobody else will be down here."
By the time Severus was stood next to his bed Hermione seemed to have calmed down a bit, it may well have been her morning dose of potion kicking in, Severus wasn't sure, the effectiveness of the potion had been more erratic than he would have expected. Certainly her tone was suddenly a lot softer and kinder even.
Severus took his top robe off and lay down on the bed. Hermione loosened his shoes and when he was sufficiently covered and had loosened his pants she pulled them off for him.
The final humiliation seemingly now complete, Severus turned over onto his side and pulled the bedcovers up to his chin. He wished that she would just go.
"You need to lie on your left hand side," Hermione continued to lecture, "Even when the baby is so small it will press on your insides, you have to let the weight fall forward."
Severus decided that the only way out of his predicament was to do as Hermione said and hope that Harry would come back soon. He turned over onto his left side leaning more to the front than to the back.
"Now we need to sort out the healing, I suppose you're already aware that neither I nor Harry can do it since we are both pregnant. I don't think there is anybody else in the castle who can either, so you will have to train someone new, instruct them in the basics first."
Severus sighed, "Who do you suggest? You know the people who live here better than I do." It was a measure of how awful Severus had been feeling that he nearly felt prepared to accept anyone Hermione might suggest.
"I'll go up to Gryffindor and see what I can do," Hermione offered.
Severus readily agreed to the plan if only to get Hermione to go, although he had had to reveal the password to his quarters to her with some considerable regret.
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Hermione didn't know if she was going to Gryffindor or not, it really rather depended on where Ron had got to. She imagined that Gryffindor might be the last place he would be since he had got his new wings. She wasn't going to search all over the castle for him either though; there was something that nobody else knew. Hermione made straight for her office in the dungeon and took out the map from a drawer in her desk. Not the map that Harry had had when he was younger but a new and just as effective one. She quickly located Ron.
"He's in bloody Gryffindor," She fumed to herself.
It seemed that it had taken him less than a morning to end up right where he would normally be anyway.
When Hermione reached Gryffindor tower she found Ron sitting on the floor and at least three children playing with the walker. They were some of the ones that had been caught in the same curse blast as Ron.
Ron noticed Hermione, "We should get some more of these, they're really cool."
"I am sure that can be arranged," Hermione said, "However, I need your assistance with something."
"Do you now?" Ron asked, he had to admit to himself that he was rather curious.
"Yes, a little problem that has cropped up, you're never going to believe this." Hermione said brimming over with the joy of being the bringer of exclusive news.
"Believe what?"
"I need you to train in a bit of psychic healing," Hermione announced.
"Since when has that been an interest of mine?"
"You will be interested, I can't do it myself."
"Really," Ron said beginning to get a bit irritated; Hermione feeling excited was almost as bad as the alternative.
"Really! You'll never guess!"
Ron sighed, "Well as long as it isn't Snape teaching me how to take nausea away so that I can treat his morning sickness, I might agree," he managed to deadpan.
Hermione looked rather stunned for a second and then she gathered her thoughts together. "You bloody knew!"
Ron grinned from ear to ear, really enjoying the moment, "Yeah," He replied, "I bloody knew."
"They told you!"
"No, I guessed," Ron replied knowing that to Hermione that was worse than him being their secret confidant.
"Well will you?" Hermione demanded to know.
"It's not a matter of whether I will or won't, will he let me?"
"Ah, well that was why I chose you," Hermione began to explain, "If he wanted anybody but Harry touching him he would have asked somebody to help by now."
"Is this meant to persuade me in some way?"
"I'm getting to it, most recent events leave you, Ronald Weasley, in Snape's debt. Thus you may both view it as a business arrangement. You are repaying them rather than placing them in your debt."
"I am sure Harry won't view it like that, we are his friends."
"Even so, it makes you more suitable than anybody else."
Ron sighed, "Well let's get on with it then, before I change my mind," He said retrieving the walker back from the children. "I need to ask them for some more of these anyway."
"Oh, Harry isn't down there at the moment, he's attending to Snape's duties, did I not mention?"
"No, Hermione, you bloody didn't," Ron snapped, suddenly feeling like he was about to walk into the den of a lethal and wild creature to meet certain death.
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Hermione let herself into the Snape quarters with a small swish of her robes as Ron scowled from behind her, she awarded herself one point in the 'who's most 'in' with the Kin' competition as a result.
"Just because you have the password doesn't mean that you are their greatest friends you know," Ron said huffily, "It just means that he can't be bothered to get up to let you in and whatever you have to offer is only slightly better than dry retching for hours and hours."
"You, as it happens. 'Ronald Weasley', 'the man who is slightly better than being violently sick'."
"I can turn around and go, I can find a way of repaying them in some other way, just say the word." Ron warned, "Don't imagine for a moment that I don't want to run away from this."
Hermione was silent and stopped near the sofa.
"There has to be a reason why you want to help Snape, what is it? I mean, he's never been your favourite person and you seem to hate him now," Ron demanded to know.
It seemed like Hermione wasn't going to answer for a minute but at length she gave in to Ron's questioning, "If Harry finds out that it was my potion brewing that caused this, he won't be very happy."
"Slight understatement," Ron commented, "Whereas if you help Severus now, he might not mind so much?"
"Maybe not, but what is done is done, it's the least I can do."
"Right," Ron said, stunned at the admission, "Better get this over with then."
Ron entered the bedroom as if he was entering the room where his own execution was to take place. He got closer to the bed, despite the urge he had to turn and go, trying to shrink into a dark patch of the room as he did so. Snape began to sit up and Ron froze to the spot.
"Lie back down, you will just make it worse," Hermione commanded.
Ron thought that he understood her motives a little better now, Hermione had somebody else to boss around, at least for a few hours anyway. Snape was obviously in a bad way, Ron thought, he said nothing and did as he was told.
"Who have you brought me?" Snape demanded.
Ron kept out of Snape's line of sight as he edged round the bed to the other side, so that he could stand with Snape facing away from him.
"Somebody suitable," Hermione said rather vaguely.
"Who?" Snape persisted.
"Hi," Ron squeaked nervously realising that it was pointless to stay quiet. He waited for the outburst that he was sure would come.
Snape sighed despondently instead, "I suppose you will have to do, you have experience after the incident in the library at least."
Ron was quite pleased to see that Snape was as happy to have Ron out of his sight, as Ron was to carry on hiding behind him. "I am enjoying this as much as you are, however I owe you and Harry," Ron said in acknowledgment of the peculiar circumstances.
"Ah, a business arrangement, very well." Snape agreed, "You must obtain skin contact as you know, a comfortable position would be best. Kneeling behind me on the bed I think would be a good position." Snape instructed.
Ron climbed up on the bed and although Snape remained turned away from him, he could now see the man's face. He looked exhausted and pale; it was hard to keep in mind that he wasn't actually suffering from an illness. Ron followed Snape's instructions and knelt on the mattress behind him, pushing the sheets back on his side of the bed as they would tighten over Snape if he knelt on them. Snape pulled up his shirt and Ron could see his bare back, though the sheet remained high enough to maintain decency. His skin was so white that Ron supposed that it must never have seen daylight ever.
"Place your hand on the source of the affliction," Snape instructed Ron, he had raised his arm up over his head to allow Ron easier access.
Ron reached his hand forward, realising that any hesitation was likely to make the situation even more awkward and humiliating, if that were at all possible, and it might cause Snape's patience to snap. Ron pulled the sheets up a bit, not happy to be seeing so much of what was very much Harry's. He slid his hand underneath the bed sheets and it came to rest on Snape's stomach. The skin was warm and soft, not at all hairy; Ron found that the experience wasn't quite so bad after all. What had he been expecting anyway, he thought, scales perhaps.
Snape sighed in an irritated way, Ron recognised, despite his attempts to get it right.
"ON the SOURCE of the affliction," Snape snapped, "In the case of sickness during pregnancy, the source of the affliction is the womb and NOT the stomach."
Ron froze as soon as he heard the word 'womb', Snape was doing a very good job of presenting his scary schoolteacher persona despite the situation that he was in, it was too much and Ron couldn't move. He was rather relieved when he felt Snape's hand lock round his own in an iron like grasp in order to place it lower down. Ron couldn't have moved his hand down there by himself, he would probably have missed and reached too far, Ron cringed, the possible consequences of that were unthinkable.
Ron continued to follow Snape's instructions as closely as he could, very aware of the magnitude of what he was doing. Ron was glad when the session was over, taking sickness away didn't seem like too big a deal but there was a little person inside who would bare the brunt of any mistakes he made. Although Ron didn't perhaps care so much for Snape he did find that he cared about what happened to Harry's developing family and he couldn't help being aware that Harry would care very much too if anything went wrong.
In the end it went very well and Snape seemed a little more relaxed and comfortable when Ron had finished.
"I have every confidence that you will continue to improve with more practise," Snape said as Ron removed himself from the bed as soon as he could discreetly do so, not knowing when was the proper moment in such situations.
Ron took Snape's words to mean that he had just got the job. He couldn't help feeling pleased with himself; a compliment from Snape was a compliment indeed.
Snape acknowledged that he indeed was feeling a lot better before he pulled the covers up to his chin and requested that they both let him sleep. No matter how well things had gone Ron was still pleased to return to the living room. He sat down on the sofa.
"Oh, so we're staying?" Hermione asked sitting down beside him on the sofa.
Ron shrugged, "Harry will probably be down soon, he's never too far away and it's lunchtime, maybe we shouldn't leave it up to Snape to explain the arrangement."
"I'll get us a snack and we'll wait here then," Hermione announced, "You did very well, by the way, for a first time."
Ron was pleased with that too, Hermione wasn't much more expressive than Snape when it came to complements.
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Harry went to the hall for lunch; since Severus had been having a good day he half thought that his Kin might have ventured out of the dungeons to eat. It proved to be a wrong conclusion since there was no sign of him and everybody that was there was already eating.
Harry picked at his own food, eyes wandering the hall. It was as he was nearly halfway through his lunch that he realised something. He had been vaguely aware that Ron and Hermione weren't there either but it was only just beginning to sink in that this was a bit strange.
As nobody else was sat near him Harry took out his map and said the words, "I am a strawberry." As the map emerged on the parchment Harry chuckled to himself, most wizards thought that Severus didn't have a sense of humour. In actual fact the man was absolutely in love with the idea of his Kin having to say 'I am a strawberry' every time he wanted to know where he was.
Harry was surprised to find that, not only was Severus in their quarters, but he was in the bedroom in particular. Lunch instantly forgotten, Harry left the staff table and the hall and headed for the dungeons.
Harry spoke the password and as he watched the door open he shook himself together. He was feeling worn out and ready for a lie down with Severus in the peace of their quarters but he didn't want Severus to notice how tired he was. He had checked on his map, Severus was still in the bedroom and since he was having a good day he might be persuaded to have some lunch now too, if there was nothing wrong of course. He entered his quarters only to find Ron and Hermione sitting together on his sofa. Harry didn't want to think what this meant, Severus wouldn't just have had his friends to visit then leave them while he went back to bed.
Hermione stood up as Harry entered, "You should have told us," She chastised grimly, "We could have helped."
Harry added two and two together and came up with forty-two, his heart sank into the deepest well possible as his head filled with panic. They could have helped but they hadn't been able to.
"Oh no," was all Harry could say as he dashed for the bedroom.
"It isn't that Harry," Hermione attempted to call after him, knowing now that his head had been filled with all sorts of ideas about Severus losing the baby, "He's fine."
Harry burst into the bedroom only vaguely aware of what Hermione had said to him, Severus seemed to be asleep. Harry knelt down on the floor next to the bed and stroked Severus' head. He wasn't deeply asleep and he opened his eyes.
"Harry," Severus said with sleepy affection.
Ron and Hermione stayed in the doorway but Harry wasn't paying them any attention.
"Are you all right?" Harry asked softly.
"Yes, I was just resting," Severus answered.
"What happened? You were doing so well today,"
"I had to make a potion."
"Oh," Harry replied, the pieces that made up the morning's events beginning to drop into place.
"I couldn't get away from the fumes and Hermione saw everything."
"And Ron?"
"Was volunteered to help, to take the sickness away, I am training him."
"Oh?"
"Apparently he owes me."
Harry leant forward and kissed Severus on the forehead, "I will be back in a minute, I am just going to talk to Hermione and Ron."
Hermione and Ron returned to the sofa and Harry closed the door to the bedroom before he joined them.
"He's fine," Harry grinned at Hermione and Ron, "I suppose you both know now then?" he asked.
"Bloody hell Harry, you don't do anything by halves these days do you?" Ron responded.
"He's only pretending to be shocked," Hermione interrupted, "He says that he knew all along."
"How?" Harry asked.
"I just put all the little details together and figured it out, Hermione is just annoyed that she didn't know what was going on," Ron replied, not for the first time that day feeling quite pleased with himself.
"You were helping us," Harry grinned.
Ron looked a little embarrassed even before Harry hugged him.
"Will you come back every morning?" Harry asked letting a relieved Ron go.
"After what you two did today, of course I will," Ron replied finding that he was quite keen to agree to perform the favour, even though the actual performing of the duty was a bit yucky.
"We don't expect to be repaid, that wasn't why we did it," Harry began.
"I would rather think of it as paying off a debt than admit to liking the idea," Ron added.
"Did you do any sensing?" Harry asked next.
"No, just the basics to get rid of the sickness, Severus said he would teach me more though."
"Good," Harry felt relieved, "If you do, he doesn't want to know whether it is a boy or girl or anything like that, so don't say anything and we'll compare notes between the two of us to check how you're doing."
"Fine," Ron readily agreed.
"So what will it be then, do you think?" Hermione asked.
"Not telling," Harry replied.
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"I won't tell you, even when I know, you'll just let it slip if I do." Ron told Hermione as they both walked back to Gryffindor.
"So Snape is really pregnant then? Could you tell that much at least?" Hermione demanded.
"Oh yes, I am sure, I double checked." Ron answered, "Weird, all the years we have known him and he had you know what, up you know where, yuk!"
"It's a wonder nobody ever said anything, the Malfoys would have known."
"I think Dumbledore's arm was long, maybe his power bought more silence than we ever realised."
"Hmm," Hermione replied, thinking about Harry's father and all that had gone on there, "Not necessarily a good thing."
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Harry lay in bed beside Severus a lot later on that day.
"I'm not sure I like the idea of somebody else touching you," Harry announced, frowning as Severus snuggled up against him.
"I don't like it much either," Severus persuaded his Kin, "But Ron was actually quite a quick student, in this subject at least, and it was a rough day after all, I think I would have let Lockhart do it, I felt that bad."
"No you wouldn't," Harry smiled.
"Well," Severus relented, "Maybe not, but it was close and, by the way Harry, I feel MUCH MUCH better."
Severus took Harry's hand and placed it in a position, which was a bit lower than where Ron's hand had been, in order to demonstrate what he meant.
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TBC soon
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Coming Soon - Chapter Summary - A Real Home - Harry and Severus move into their new home and go with Ron and Hermione to Hogsmeade on a shopping trip, unfortunately, before anybody can buy anything, Ron and Hermione get to see Harry in action with his sword for the first time, when some unexpected visitors join them. (summary no where near as misleadingly evil as the last one, it is indeed battle time).
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A/N: reviewers replies with the Voice Of Alexian review from Tuesday.
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Chapter Summary - Severus gives Ron a gift which will change his life, later that day Ron ends up in bed with his old potions teacher in an attempt to show his gratitude. Why is Hermione watching, why is she impressed with his technique and what will Harry think when he finds out?
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Chapter Twenty Two - …And Then Some
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The building wizards came back to begin work within the week; Harry assumed that the prompt attention they were receiving might have something to do with the high profile job and the publicity that they would receive from it. The item Severus had ordered for Ron arrived promptly too, it seemed that the Snape name was the one to serve now that the Dark Lord was gone, usually they couldn't tell whether it had been Harry or Severus who placed the order since they both now signed themselves as Headmaster Snape, so they got good service but Harry was never sure whether it was through adoration or fear.
In the past week they had managed to live through the rest of the wizarding world finding out about the pregnancy, the Daily Prophet had featured an article about Harry, which was alarmingly close to the truth and since the wards kept the security of Hogwarts tight now, neither Severus or Harry had experienced too much trouble over it. Harry found though that he felt less inclined to step beyond the wards when he knew that it would be the same old way beyond them. They lived quite an isolated life, which would no doubt change once they opened up officially as a school.
Severus continued to be ill virtually every day and Harry had pretty much taken on all of the Headmaster duties, including the supervision of the building work. Meanwhile, he was running out of excuses for Severus' absence, so Hermione had found something else to glare at him about. Harry had found himself wondering about Ron however, since they had received no trouble from him at all. In fact Harry could swear that Ron was helping him out, since he always seemed to be counteracting Hermione's rants with additional information about Severus' whereabouts, which Harry himself knew to be untrue. Harry found that he was very glad that they had found a way of helping Ron.
Severus was making one of his increasingly rare appearances in the hall when the owls arrived with the package. Harry was glad about that because he wanted Severus to be the one to give it to Ron. He was sure that it would annoy Hermione immensely.
Severus stopped eating to unwrap the parcel; he had only been taking a small amount of rice pudding anyway. He wanted to check the specification before he handed it over. Harry helped him with it. It was certainly big enough and Harry was impressed with the finish on the wood, it was a smooth and polished mahogany, probably Persian, Harry thought from the colouring.
Severus was far less concerned with aesthetics however and dropped it at his side, commanding it with a sharp "Up!" before it hit the stone. It hovered just below shoulder height and Severus placed a hand on the walker and pushed down, it kept solidly in place.
Harry knew that Severus was satisfied and gestured to Ron who was watching what the two Headmasters were up to anyway.
"What is that?" Ron asked, obviously curious but not understanding what Severus had been testing.
Severus stood up and took the walker over to Ron as Harry had hoped that he would. Ron turned in his chair.
"Place a hand on each side," Severus instructed.
Ron did as he was told.
"Now stand." Severus continued.
Ron didn't stand immediately; his instinct was to not trust anybody with the duty of helping him unless they were a friend, he really hated it when he fell and he certainly didn't feel confident enough about entrusting his safety to a bit of wood. He pushed down hard first and found that the strange curved piece of wood stayed solidly hovering near to him. Ron tried to push it forwards and it wouldn't budge.
Fairly satisfied that it would be safe to try, Ron stood up, the walker raised up with him as he stood, so that his arms weren't quite fully outstretched as he held it. Once he was fully upright it didn't budge an inch.
"What now?" Ron asked.
"Walk forward," Severus instructed, getting out of the way to give him room.
Ron took a step forward and the walker moved only enough to allow Ron to walk, when he wobbled it stood resolutely still to give him something to steady himself with.
"How does it do that?" Ron asked.
Ron was impressed, Harry could tell, though mostly he looked shocked and terrified. When he had got used to walking again and came to trust it more, he would be very impressed indeed.
"It works on the same principle as a broomstick," Severus explained as Ron remained stationary but still standing, "It responds to your will in much the same way."
"Cool," Ron said still looking thoroughly terrified still.
"What happens when there are stairs?" Hermione asked.
Severus didn't turn to Hermione but kept his attention with Ron, "Try it," He suggested.
The teacher's dining table had always been raised on a platform and they were a few steps that Ron could use to try the walker out just by walking a few feet across the hall.
Ron made it across the floor and down the steps slowly but on the way back he seemed to be much more confident and happy. He got back to his chair successfully.
"What happens now?" Ron asked.
"Just sit down, as long as you keep a hold, the walker will guide you down."
"What happens if he lets go?" Hermione demanded to know.
"If Ron lets go then he will fall," Severus snapped back.
Ron successfully managed to lower himself into his chair, "I can go anywhere now," He announced, only just beginning to think of the possibilities, "Even outside, on my own."
Then there was a nervous silence. Ron looked to Severus first and then to Harry. Harry guessed that his plan was all very well but Ron felt uncomfortable about thanking Severus, Ron didn't know what to do, it wasn't as if they could hug like friends.
"It was Harry's idea," Severus suddenly spoke apparently realising the problem himself; he was probably feeling awkward about being thanked anyway.
Despite the apparent admission, Ron knew that Harry wouldn't have come up with an idea that Hermione had never thought of, "Thank you both," He mumbled nervously thinking that it was very inadequate.
It didn't matter to Harry and Severus, they knew how much it meant to Ron no matter how little he said and they hadn't put in the effort for the praise they would receive anyway.
They all finished their breakfast and when Ron had drunk all of his coffee he stood up.
"Where are you going?" Hermione asked, a slight hint of panic in her voice, though she made a decent enough effort to hide it.
"I don't know," Ron answered suddenly feeling very pleased with himself, "I might go for a walk or I might do something else, I haven't decided yet, see you later."
Although his walking was still very slow and Harry could tell that he remained nervous, Ron left the hall on his own two feet and without anybody else's assistance.
Harry chanced a glance at Hermione and she didn't look very happy at all, reward enough he thought. Maybe Ron and Hermione's relationship would improve because of this, Harry thought, maybe it wouldn't, but at least Ron now had his choices back.
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Of course Hermione was now in a bad mood and found herself unable to express it in a constructive and positive way, Severus soon found her catching up with him in his quarters later that morning.
When he opened the door Hermione rushed in without invitation.
"I have just had word that the hospital wing is in urgent need of some more rejuvenation potion," Hermione announced.
Severus very much doubted that they really were running low but he could hardly accuse her of lying, "How does that concern me?"
"I am not going to toil over a hot cauldron all day at this stage in my pregnancy, not when there is a perfectly skilled potions master on hand to help," Hermione snapped.
"You could have just asked nicely," Severus snapped back.
"I didn't realise it was a style that you appreciated," Hermione replied.
Severus sighed inwardly, he really didn't want to spend the only decent day he had had in a week brewing potions with Hermione. Not to mention the fact that it would probably set off the sickness anyway and it wouldn't be a decent day any longer. He really enjoyed being pregnant, wanted it more than anything else; he just wished that he could be more like Harry and not so bloody ill all the time.
Severus wanted to tell Hermione 'no', he really did, but he didn't want to argue with her either on account of his other little problem, which he was very sure would become apparent if he allowed her to push him far enough.
Severus reluctantly allowed Hermione to lead the way to the potions classroom, when they got there he discovered that everything was all set up ready. Hermione had rearranged the benches so that they would be facing each other. Severus hoped it didn't mean that she expected him to talk to her.
Severus didn't feel very comfortable standing up but Hermione had taken the only high stool available and so he had little choice. He began to brew, relieved at least that his brain seemed to be functioning and he had little trouble keeping track of what he was doing.
"Harry seems to be getting quite tired lately," Hermione observed, "I suppose it might be expected considering his condition."
"Hmm," Severus responded sighing inwardly to himself again, he knew this already and was feeling guilty enough as it was. Harry kept insisting that he was all right though and he had been quite determined about things. He seemed to be very enthusiastic about supervising the building at least, Severus supposed that it was because it was his first proper home. Severus didn't answer Hermione any further and a period of silence followed.
They were adding their ingredients in sync with each other. Severus wasn't sure if this was a good thing, if she made a mistake they might both end up ruining their potions if he was tempted to follow her lead, if he made a mistake, he would never hear the last of it. Maybe he was thinking too much about it.
They finally got to the point where Severus knew the fumes would start to billow out of the cauldron when he added the next ingredient and he couldn't help hesitating. His reluctance was pointless however, because Hermione hadn't been following him and she threw in her final ingredients right on time.
The reaction was quite predictable, Severus tried to hold his breath and turned away from the cloud that Hermione had produced but he couldn't do so forever. As soon as he got a sniff of the acrid fumes he had to start running. It wasn't easy to dash away because as soon as Severus felt the nausea come over him his legs seemed to turn to jelly.
He nearly made it though, he managed to get up the steps and into the office but he didn't have time to close the door properly or put up the silencing charm.
Hermione folded her arms in annoyance, Severus had totally abandoned his cauldron and his batch was already completely ruined. She turned off the heat underneath the cauldron; there was no point in leaving it. It appeared that she would have to make both batches up herself; it was just as well that the hospital wing wasn't really running low at all.
Hermione heard some kind of sound coming from the office where Severus had hidden himself but she didn't think about what it could be. The first time this happened Harry had stepped in but he wasn't there now to cover up whatever was going on, Hermione thought, the second time he had run away but this time he wasn't going anywhere without a piece of her mind.
She was quite determined to go up there right away and tell the so-called Headmaster exactly what she thought of his behaviour. He was supposed to care for Harry yet he left him with everything to do despite the fact that he was pregnant. She hadn't been making it up when she had said that Harry looked tired; he had begun to look very tired in the past week and it was all Severus' fault. Of course Harry wouldn't complain for himself, he was quite happy running around all day doing everything. His behaviour reminded Hermione of the house elves. Harry was not in servitude, or at least, Hermione thought, he shouldn't be, it was no life for the saviour of the wizarding world.
Hermione made sure that her own potion was safely cooling and then climbed the stairs to the office. Severus had shown no indication of returning so she was going to him. She pushed the door open and found Severus curled up on the floor, leaning against the back of the desk, a medium sized cauldron on the floor beside him. He didn't look up as she entered which annoyed her further.
"What are you doing?" She demanded to know, "That potion is completely ruined, I would have expected better of you, call yourself a master, it would seem that Albus was the only person keeping you in line all these years. Taking advantage of poor Harry's good nature, after you have taken advantage of him in other ways too. He's exhausted and the poor boy doesn't care, he would run around after you till he dropped down dead. I suppose you're just going to pull out your sword on me and that will be that. Nobody is allowed to say anything anymore around here without being threatened with death. What kind of a way to run a school is that? I'll tell you, it is a Death Eater way. At least the old Snape didn't make any illusions, he was what he was, now you're all pretence and little substance."
Severus didn't respond, no explanation, no retort of any kind, he still didn't even look up.
"Well?" Hermione prompted menacingly, just in case that Severus had not realised that it was his turn to speak, still she got nothing from him. What she honestly wanted to do was go over there and kick him and keep on kicking him till he did say something. She knew it would be more decorous and proper to use her wand.
"Go away," Severus spoke.
"Go away? Is that the best you can come up with? I will not go away."
"Just leave me alone," Severus said pleadingly.
Hermione didn't hear the words and she stepped closer to Severus.
"What ARE you mumbling?" She demanded.
Severus didn't repeat what he had said or say anything further; he lifted a hand to his face and turned his head away towards the desk.
"You are pathetic," Hermione resumed, "To think any of us were ever scared of you."
Hermione watched as Severus body lurched and then did so again. Then he vomited all over the floor, down his robes, in his hair and some of it even managed to get into the cauldron, which appeared to have been the original target. He then slumped back against the desk and wiped his face with his hand, which just seemed to spread it around more.
Hermione wrinkled her nose as the smell of it reached her. Severus was unsuccessfully fumbling for his wand but Hermione reached for hers and cleared the mess away herself.
"Now get out!" Severus growled in his humiliation.
"Charming," Hermione criticised.
"Get out!" Severus tried to persist but his famous voice wasn't behind the words, it was weak and breathy.
"No," Hermione replied, "This is my office, if anybody is leaving it is you."
Severus made no move to leave.
"Fine," Hermione snapped, "Stay there then, see if I care. The way you are behaving lately, you'd thing it was you…"
Hermione suddenly stopped talking and frowned, realising what she had been about to say. She stepped closer to Severus instead. She could tell that his shoulders were shaking and there was wetness on his face despite her cleaning charm. Presumably not realising that she was so close he sniffed quietly but deeply. Severus Snape was crying.
"It isn't Harry," Hermione said almost breathless with the realisation, "Is it?"
"It isn't Harry what?" Severus attempted to snap but it sounded too soft and, Hermione was right, pathetic.
"Who is pregnant," Hermione completed.
Severus initially responded with dry retching but eventually spoke, "It is Harry, he didn't lie to you."
"Then what is all this about then?" Hermione demanded but not as aggressively as she had done only minutes before.
"I am too," Severus mumbled dissolving into himself and wrapping both his arms around his head.
Hermione began to remember how she had felt when she had been going through the sickness phase and she remembered Harry's questions about it, the penny finally began to drop.
"Oh. My. It's true. Harry was worried about you."
"He was?"
"He came to me asking about pregnancy and sickness and stuff," Hermione explained, forgetting to be annoyed, "I told him everything would be fine."
"Will you leave me alone now?" Severus pleaded.
"He's been covering for you because of this, have you been vomiting every day?" Hermione asked.
"Yes," Severus replied.
"Well, you can't go on like this," Hermione announced.
"What do you suggest?" Severus snapped.
"You could do with going to bed and then you need somebody to sort out the sickness for you, I had nobody to do it, difficult times."
"I would have been fine if it wasn't for that stupid potion," Severus snapped.
"You could have said something," Hermione accused back.
"It would be nice to get a word in edgeways."
"There," Hermione said, apparently satisfied, "You're not sounding nearly as pathetic now, stand up," Hermione commanded.
Severus considered remaining on the floor, he really didn't feel very well at all but the alternative to going back to bed was listening to Hermione lecture him some more, so that was an incentive in itself.
Hermione turned to go, "Don't worry about looking a complete mess, I certainly don't want to look at you, your chambers are only along the corridor and nobody else will be down here."
By the time Severus was stood next to his bed Hermione seemed to have calmed down a bit, it may well have been her morning dose of potion kicking in, Severus wasn't sure, the effectiveness of the potion had been more erratic than he would have expected. Certainly her tone was suddenly a lot softer and kinder even.
Severus took his top robe off and lay down on the bed. Hermione loosened his shoes and when he was sufficiently covered and had loosened his pants she pulled them off for him.
The final humiliation seemingly now complete, Severus turned over onto his side and pulled the bedcovers up to his chin. He wished that she would just go.
"You need to lie on your left hand side," Hermione continued to lecture, "Even when the baby is so small it will press on your insides, you have to let the weight fall forward."
Severus decided that the only way out of his predicament was to do as Hermione said and hope that Harry would come back soon. He turned over onto his left side leaning more to the front than to the back.
"Now we need to sort out the healing, I suppose you're already aware that neither I nor Harry can do it since we are both pregnant. I don't think there is anybody else in the castle who can either, so you will have to train someone new, instruct them in the basics first."
Severus sighed, "Who do you suggest? You know the people who live here better than I do." It was a measure of how awful Severus had been feeling that he nearly felt prepared to accept anyone Hermione might suggest.
"I'll go up to Gryffindor and see what I can do," Hermione offered.
Severus readily agreed to the plan if only to get Hermione to go, although he had had to reveal the password to his quarters to her with some considerable regret.
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Hermione didn't know if she was going to Gryffindor or not, it really rather depended on where Ron had got to. She imagined that Gryffindor might be the last place he would be since he had got his new wings. She wasn't going to search all over the castle for him either though; there was something that nobody else knew. Hermione made straight for her office in the dungeon and took out the map from a drawer in her desk. Not the map that Harry had had when he was younger but a new and just as effective one. She quickly located Ron.
"He's in bloody Gryffindor," She fumed to herself.
It seemed that it had taken him less than a morning to end up right where he would normally be anyway.
When Hermione reached Gryffindor tower she found Ron sitting on the floor and at least three children playing with the walker. They were some of the ones that had been caught in the same curse blast as Ron.
Ron noticed Hermione, "We should get some more of these, they're really cool."
"I am sure that can be arranged," Hermione said, "However, I need your assistance with something."
"Do you now?" Ron asked, he had to admit to himself that he was rather curious.
"Yes, a little problem that has cropped up, you're never going to believe this." Hermione said brimming over with the joy of being the bringer of exclusive news.
"Believe what?"
"I need you to train in a bit of psychic healing," Hermione announced.
"Since when has that been an interest of mine?"
"You will be interested, I can't do it myself."
"Really," Ron said beginning to get a bit irritated; Hermione feeling excited was almost as bad as the alternative.
"Really! You'll never guess!"
Ron sighed, "Well as long as it isn't Snape teaching me how to take nausea away so that I can treat his morning sickness, I might agree," he managed to deadpan.
Hermione looked rather stunned for a second and then she gathered her thoughts together. "You bloody knew!"
Ron grinned from ear to ear, really enjoying the moment, "Yeah," He replied, "I bloody knew."
"They told you!"
"No, I guessed," Ron replied knowing that to Hermione that was worse than him being their secret confidant.
"Well will you?" Hermione demanded to know.
"It's not a matter of whether I will or won't, will he let me?"
"Ah, well that was why I chose you," Hermione began to explain, "If he wanted anybody but Harry touching him he would have asked somebody to help by now."
"Is this meant to persuade me in some way?"
"I'm getting to it, most recent events leave you, Ronald Weasley, in Snape's debt. Thus you may both view it as a business arrangement. You are repaying them rather than placing them in your debt."
"I am sure Harry won't view it like that, we are his friends."
"Even so, it makes you more suitable than anybody else."
Ron sighed, "Well let's get on with it then, before I change my mind," He said retrieving the walker back from the children. "I need to ask them for some more of these anyway."
"Oh, Harry isn't down there at the moment, he's attending to Snape's duties, did I not mention?"
"No, Hermione, you bloody didn't," Ron snapped, suddenly feeling like he was about to walk into the den of a lethal and wild creature to meet certain death.
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Hermione let herself into the Snape quarters with a small swish of her robes as Ron scowled from behind her, she awarded herself one point in the 'who's most 'in' with the Kin' competition as a result.
"Just because you have the password doesn't mean that you are their greatest friends you know," Ron said huffily, "It just means that he can't be bothered to get up to let you in and whatever you have to offer is only slightly better than dry retching for hours and hours."
"You, as it happens. 'Ronald Weasley', 'the man who is slightly better than being violently sick'."
"I can turn around and go, I can find a way of repaying them in some other way, just say the word." Ron warned, "Don't imagine for a moment that I don't want to run away from this."
Hermione was silent and stopped near the sofa.
"There has to be a reason why you want to help Snape, what is it? I mean, he's never been your favourite person and you seem to hate him now," Ron demanded to know.
It seemed like Hermione wasn't going to answer for a minute but at length she gave in to Ron's questioning, "If Harry finds out that it was my potion brewing that caused this, he won't be very happy."
"Slight understatement," Ron commented, "Whereas if you help Severus now, he might not mind so much?"
"Maybe not, but what is done is done, it's the least I can do."
"Right," Ron said, stunned at the admission, "Better get this over with then."
Ron entered the bedroom as if he was entering the room where his own execution was to take place. He got closer to the bed, despite the urge he had to turn and go, trying to shrink into a dark patch of the room as he did so. Snape began to sit up and Ron froze to the spot.
"Lie back down, you will just make it worse," Hermione commanded.
Ron thought that he understood her motives a little better now, Hermione had somebody else to boss around, at least for a few hours anyway. Snape was obviously in a bad way, Ron thought, he said nothing and did as he was told.
"Who have you brought me?" Snape demanded.
Ron kept out of Snape's line of sight as he edged round the bed to the other side, so that he could stand with Snape facing away from him.
"Somebody suitable," Hermione said rather vaguely.
"Who?" Snape persisted.
"Hi," Ron squeaked nervously realising that it was pointless to stay quiet. He waited for the outburst that he was sure would come.
Snape sighed despondently instead, "I suppose you will have to do, you have experience after the incident in the library at least."
Ron was quite pleased to see that Snape was as happy to have Ron out of his sight, as Ron was to carry on hiding behind him. "I am enjoying this as much as you are, however I owe you and Harry," Ron said in acknowledgment of the peculiar circumstances.
"Ah, a business arrangement, very well." Snape agreed, "You must obtain skin contact as you know, a comfortable position would be best. Kneeling behind me on the bed I think would be a good position." Snape instructed.
Ron climbed up on the bed and although Snape remained turned away from him, he could now see the man's face. He looked exhausted and pale; it was hard to keep in mind that he wasn't actually suffering from an illness. Ron followed Snape's instructions and knelt on the mattress behind him, pushing the sheets back on his side of the bed as they would tighten over Snape if he knelt on them. Snape pulled up his shirt and Ron could see his bare back, though the sheet remained high enough to maintain decency. His skin was so white that Ron supposed that it must never have seen daylight ever.
"Place your hand on the source of the affliction," Snape instructed Ron, he had raised his arm up over his head to allow Ron easier access.
Ron reached his hand forward, realising that any hesitation was likely to make the situation even more awkward and humiliating, if that were at all possible, and it might cause Snape's patience to snap. Ron pulled the sheets up a bit, not happy to be seeing so much of what was very much Harry's. He slid his hand underneath the bed sheets and it came to rest on Snape's stomach. The skin was warm and soft, not at all hairy; Ron found that the experience wasn't quite so bad after all. What had he been expecting anyway, he thought, scales perhaps.
Snape sighed in an irritated way, Ron recognised, despite his attempts to get it right.
"ON the SOURCE of the affliction," Snape snapped, "In the case of sickness during pregnancy, the source of the affliction is the womb and NOT the stomach."
Ron froze as soon as he heard the word 'womb', Snape was doing a very good job of presenting his scary schoolteacher persona despite the situation that he was in, it was too much and Ron couldn't move. He was rather relieved when he felt Snape's hand lock round his own in an iron like grasp in order to place it lower down. Ron couldn't have moved his hand down there by himself, he would probably have missed and reached too far, Ron cringed, the possible consequences of that were unthinkable.
Ron continued to follow Snape's instructions as closely as he could, very aware of the magnitude of what he was doing. Ron was glad when the session was over, taking sickness away didn't seem like too big a deal but there was a little person inside who would bare the brunt of any mistakes he made. Although Ron didn't perhaps care so much for Snape he did find that he cared about what happened to Harry's developing family and he couldn't help being aware that Harry would care very much too if anything went wrong.
In the end it went very well and Snape seemed a little more relaxed and comfortable when Ron had finished.
"I have every confidence that you will continue to improve with more practise," Snape said as Ron removed himself from the bed as soon as he could discreetly do so, not knowing when was the proper moment in such situations.
Ron took Snape's words to mean that he had just got the job. He couldn't help feeling pleased with himself; a compliment from Snape was a compliment indeed.
Snape acknowledged that he indeed was feeling a lot better before he pulled the covers up to his chin and requested that they both let him sleep. No matter how well things had gone Ron was still pleased to return to the living room. He sat down on the sofa.
"Oh, so we're staying?" Hermione asked sitting down beside him on the sofa.
Ron shrugged, "Harry will probably be down soon, he's never too far away and it's lunchtime, maybe we shouldn't leave it up to Snape to explain the arrangement."
"I'll get us a snack and we'll wait here then," Hermione announced, "You did very well, by the way, for a first time."
Ron was pleased with that too, Hermione wasn't much more expressive than Snape when it came to complements.
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Harry went to the hall for lunch; since Severus had been having a good day he half thought that his Kin might have ventured out of the dungeons to eat. It proved to be a wrong conclusion since there was no sign of him and everybody that was there was already eating.
Harry picked at his own food, eyes wandering the hall. It was as he was nearly halfway through his lunch that he realised something. He had been vaguely aware that Ron and Hermione weren't there either but it was only just beginning to sink in that this was a bit strange.
As nobody else was sat near him Harry took out his map and said the words, "I am a strawberry." As the map emerged on the parchment Harry chuckled to himself, most wizards thought that Severus didn't have a sense of humour. In actual fact the man was absolutely in love with the idea of his Kin having to say 'I am a strawberry' every time he wanted to know where he was.
Harry was surprised to find that, not only was Severus in their quarters, but he was in the bedroom in particular. Lunch instantly forgotten, Harry left the staff table and the hall and headed for the dungeons.
Harry spoke the password and as he watched the door open he shook himself together. He was feeling worn out and ready for a lie down with Severus in the peace of their quarters but he didn't want Severus to notice how tired he was. He had checked on his map, Severus was still in the bedroom and since he was having a good day he might be persuaded to have some lunch now too, if there was nothing wrong of course. He entered his quarters only to find Ron and Hermione sitting together on his sofa. Harry didn't want to think what this meant, Severus wouldn't just have had his friends to visit then leave them while he went back to bed.
Hermione stood up as Harry entered, "You should have told us," She chastised grimly, "We could have helped."
Harry added two and two together and came up with forty-two, his heart sank into the deepest well possible as his head filled with panic. They could have helped but they hadn't been able to.
"Oh no," was all Harry could say as he dashed for the bedroom.
"It isn't that Harry," Hermione attempted to call after him, knowing now that his head had been filled with all sorts of ideas about Severus losing the baby, "He's fine."
Harry burst into the bedroom only vaguely aware of what Hermione had said to him, Severus seemed to be asleep. Harry knelt down on the floor next to the bed and stroked Severus' head. He wasn't deeply asleep and he opened his eyes.
"Harry," Severus said with sleepy affection.
Ron and Hermione stayed in the doorway but Harry wasn't paying them any attention.
"Are you all right?" Harry asked softly.
"Yes, I was just resting," Severus answered.
"What happened? You were doing so well today,"
"I had to make a potion."
"Oh," Harry replied, the pieces that made up the morning's events beginning to drop into place.
"I couldn't get away from the fumes and Hermione saw everything."
"And Ron?"
"Was volunteered to help, to take the sickness away, I am training him."
"Oh?"
"Apparently he owes me."
Harry leant forward and kissed Severus on the forehead, "I will be back in a minute, I am just going to talk to Hermione and Ron."
Hermione and Ron returned to the sofa and Harry closed the door to the bedroom before he joined them.
"He's fine," Harry grinned at Hermione and Ron, "I suppose you both know now then?" he asked.
"Bloody hell Harry, you don't do anything by halves these days do you?" Ron responded.
"He's only pretending to be shocked," Hermione interrupted, "He says that he knew all along."
"How?" Harry asked.
"I just put all the little details together and figured it out, Hermione is just annoyed that she didn't know what was going on," Ron replied, not for the first time that day feeling quite pleased with himself.
"You were helping us," Harry grinned.
Ron looked a little embarrassed even before Harry hugged him.
"Will you come back every morning?" Harry asked letting a relieved Ron go.
"After what you two did today, of course I will," Ron replied finding that he was quite keen to agree to perform the favour, even though the actual performing of the duty was a bit yucky.
"We don't expect to be repaid, that wasn't why we did it," Harry began.
"I would rather think of it as paying off a debt than admit to liking the idea," Ron added.
"Did you do any sensing?" Harry asked next.
"No, just the basics to get rid of the sickness, Severus said he would teach me more though."
"Good," Harry felt relieved, "If you do, he doesn't want to know whether it is a boy or girl or anything like that, so don't say anything and we'll compare notes between the two of us to check how you're doing."
"Fine," Ron readily agreed.
"So what will it be then, do you think?" Hermione asked.
"Not telling," Harry replied.
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"I won't tell you, even when I know, you'll just let it slip if I do." Ron told Hermione as they both walked back to Gryffindor.
"So Snape is really pregnant then? Could you tell that much at least?" Hermione demanded.
"Oh yes, I am sure, I double checked." Ron answered, "Weird, all the years we have known him and he had you know what, up you know where, yuk!"
"It's a wonder nobody ever said anything, the Malfoys would have known."
"I think Dumbledore's arm was long, maybe his power bought more silence than we ever realised."
"Hmm," Hermione replied, thinking about Harry's father and all that had gone on there, "Not necessarily a good thing."
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Harry lay in bed beside Severus a lot later on that day.
"I'm not sure I like the idea of somebody else touching you," Harry announced, frowning as Severus snuggled up against him.
"I don't like it much either," Severus persuaded his Kin, "But Ron was actually quite a quick student, in this subject at least, and it was a rough day after all, I think I would have let Lockhart do it, I felt that bad."
"No you wouldn't," Harry smiled.
"Well," Severus relented, "Maybe not, but it was close and, by the way Harry, I feel MUCH MUCH better."
Severus took Harry's hand and placed it in a position, which was a bit lower than where Ron's hand had been, in order to demonstrate what he meant.
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TBC soon
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Coming Soon - Chapter Summary - A Real Home - Harry and Severus move into their new home and go with Ron and Hermione to Hogsmeade on a shopping trip, unfortunately, before anybody can buy anything, Ron and Hermione get to see Harry in action with his sword for the first time, when some unexpected visitors join them. (summary no where near as misleadingly evil as the last one, it is indeed battle time).