A/N I'd like to thank the academy, (ducks head to listen to someone) I'm sorry ladies and gentleman, wrong show. Well here's another chapter, like I had hoped. I think the chapters after this will be beta-ed (I hope I hope I hope). Thanks for the kind reviews, and in response to Helen's review Jamie is Harry's son, Arabella is Severus's son. I hope that clears it up.
Last Time on The Workshop: The results were all the same. Hermione was pregnant.
"Yes, I was pregnant. I couldn't believe it either. I was so happy though, I thought it was Harry, giving me a little piece of himself from heaven. I went through all the usual pregnancy stuff of course, but knowing it was my child and Harry's, made it all worth it. Nine months later I gave birth to a baby boy"
~*FLASHBACK*~
"Oh Hermione, he's so beautiful," Ginny proclaimed. Her incessant cooing was interrupted by a knock on the door.
"And how are my two favorite little girls?" it was Sirius, he was the only one who would ever get away with calling Hermione and Ginny little, and it did wonders for his ego. He bent down to kiss them both before picking up his grand-god-son. "And how is baby Harry today. He looks just like his father when he was a baby."
"I am so glad you told me that Sirius," Hermione said before hugging him.
"Still miss him hun?" Sirius said rubbing her back.
"Yeah,"
"It'll get easier as time goes on, I promise." Sirius smiled at her.
"I know it does, but it still hurts you know?"
"I know babe, I know."
~*END FLASHBACK*~
"I really thought everyone was going to abandon me, but boy was I wrong. By the way, an hour has passed, if you wish to leave now you may." Needless to say, no one left.
~*FLASHBACK*~
"Good morning, little one. And how are you this morning?" Hermione was talking to Jamie; she had taken to calling him Jamie, instead of Harry. She said it was hard to call him Harry. As she was musing over breakfast an owl swooped in through her kitchen window. Pulling the letter off the owl's leg, she sent him on his way.
The letter read:
Hermione Potter,
I trust this letter finds you and baby Harry well. I am writing you, interested in offering you a position here at Hogwarts. Due to my retirement, Minirva is taking over the position as Headmaster and giving up teaching her classes, Professor Snape is becoming Deputy Headmaster, and I wish for you to become Transfiguration Professor before I leave. I know what you are thinking, and yes you can bring baby Harry. There have been teachers in the past that has had children. There is a nursery area in the infirmary, Poppy has already offered to baby-sit during the day. There will be a nursery adjoining your quarters as well. I do hope you consent to come Hermione, truly I do.
Headmaster Dumbledore
PS Tell baby Harry I said Hello
"Huh, will you look at that. Jamie, Albus wants me to teach. So what do you think? Should I?" Jamie gurgled his answer, "I'll take that as a yes. Jamie, we're going to Hogwarts."
~*END FLASHBACK*~
"That's how I ended up working here. I've been working here for, several years now."
A Ravenclaw raised her hand, "But the story's not over yet, is it Professor?"
"Oh no. The story is far from over. As I was saying I have been working here for five years now." A girl named Ashley, a Hufflepuff, interrupted Hermione. "Professor Granger? That doesn't make sense, it's only been eight years since you graduated. You're telling me you were married, had a baby, and lost your husband all in three years?"
Hermione smiled gently at the girl. "Yes Ashley, that's exactly how it happened. Harry and I married right after we graduated, two years later he died, a year after that I came to Hogwarts with Jamie. In the real world, things happen very fast. I was amazed at just how fast my life was turned upside-down. It startled me at first, but I grew to adjust."
At that moment Professor Snape walked in, carrying their two-year-old daughter, Arabella. "Someone wanted to see Mummy,"
Arabella jumped out of her father's arms, running towards Hermione. "Mummy, dada, story?"
Hermione laughed, "Yes dear, you and dada can listen to my story. Where's Jamie at?"
"With Poppy. Where are you at?" Severus asked.
"I just arrived at Hogwarts." She answered calmly, no small feat considering Arabella was climbing on her. "Would you like to tell them your side?" she asked.
"I think I would, they'd enjoy it." Severus smiled. "I was the one to meet her at the train, and to get her settled in. She was a mess." He smiled at a glare Hermione sent him. "I was amazed at what life had done to such a smart and pretty girl."
~*FLASHBACK*~
"Mrs. Potter, Over here!" Severus yelled out.
"Oh There you are," Hermione stumbled coming down the stairs. "Thank you. I thought Minirva was going to meet me here." Hermione looked up at him with a questioning look.
"She was, she was called to Albus's office just before she could come here, so I took over for her. Where are your bags?"
She felt like she was still in school, the way he was towering over her. Picking up her son, she said. "Over here."
They got her bags and took a carriage back to Hogwarts.
~*END FLASHBACK*~
"That was the easy part, when we got there, things got a lot more difficult. Albus had decided to place her quarters directly next to mine. Adjoining mine actually. However, we didn't know this at the time. Our quarters are situated so if you go into my quarters, through a connecting door, and out hers, you are in a completely different section of the castle. We found this out the hard way." Severus continued.
Hermione took over from here, "I was exploring my quarters. I found a cupboard that led to the kitchens, a section of the floor that lifts up and leads to the lake, and a bathroom, but no nursery. I stumbled upon a trick section of wall however, that I thought led to the nursery. Well, it didn't. Instead I found a small kitchenette, not unlike the one just inside my front door. Exploring a little I also found a bedroom, a bathroom and a weight room. I looked in and saw a man who was wearing a pair of tight black jeans, and nothing else. I didn't know who it was until he turned around. It was Severus."
~*FLASHBACK*~
"MRS. POTTER, May I ask what you are doing in my quarters? How did you get in here?" Severus was livid.
"Uhm, I had no idea they were your quarters, and I got here using a door in my quarters." Hermione said, her face heating at the sight of Snape without a shirt. They were beginning o argue again when Hermione heard a small cry, "I have to go, Jamie's crying. Would you like to see the door I used to get in here?" she asked moving through to his kitchen.
"Yes I would, I'd like to lock it." He said sarcastically, following her.
~*END FLASHBACK*~
The story was interrupted by lunch. "Meet back here after lunch to hear the rest of the story!" Hermione called out as the students left. After putting the tables and chairs back where they belonged she sent Severus to get Jamie for lunch. Gathering her daughter in her arms, she made her way to her seat at the head table.