(A/N: Okay, I think this chapter is a little farfetched, but meep. Thanks
for all the reviews.this is a respost to try and fix my formatting.I hope
it works!)
Chapter Twenty
Hermione woke up, wrapped from head to toe in warm, dark blankets. She looked sleepily to her right, and was pleased to see that Severus was lying next to her still. As she watched him sleep, he opened his eyes and turned his head toward her. Hermione smiled, and struggled to free herself from the blankets so she could kiss him good morning. She did so, and soon found herself trapped in his strong embrace. "I'm sorry for waking you," she whispered.
He shrugged. "I wasn't really asleep anyway." Severus rarely slept for more than a few hours each night, at best. She grinned at him, and her long hair fell into her face. He gently pushed it back, wondering what he had done to deserve this woman. "You are so beautiful," he murmured.
Hermione blushed, and shook her head. "Don't say that," she responded. He propped himself up on one elbow and surveyed her, puzzled. "Why should I not? It is true."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I was never one of the pretty girls at school, and you bloody well know it. Not like Parvati Patil, or Lavender Brown.now they had all the guys they could ever want. But I," she shook her head slightly, "I was never like them. I never thought myself beautiful."
Severus was amazed that she didn't see what he did. "Hermione," he began, "You cannot possibly be serious. You're telling me that you cannot see your perfection? Beautiful chocolate eyes, truly the window to your soul; soft brown hair framing your face; a perfect body, soft skin.I can't praise you enough, Hermione."
She pushed him down onto the bed, and laid her head down onto his chest. "Thank you, Severus." she sighed. "It really means a lot to me to hear you say that."
He chuckled softly, sending pleasant vibrations all over her. "Not at all. I always thought you were rather more attractive than Miss Brown and Miss Patil.especially at the Yule Ball when you showed up with Viktor Krum.you know, you had every man's eyes on you that night, including mine."
He felt her smile against his chest. "You know what? I had somewhat of a crush on you when I was a sixth year.do you remember when we were collecting potions ingredients at the lake, and Neville fell and accidentally pushed you into the lake? Your robes stuck to your body, and I thought," she blushed rather prettily, "that you were more attractive than Ron, whom I was seeing at the time. You know, with your hair all wet, and.After you threatened us all with death or disembowelment if any of us moved, I watched you on your way back to the castle. You took off your robes and shirt when you thought no one was watching, and walked back to the castle in your jeans. That was the beginning of the end for me."
Severus shook his head, amazed. "I had all but forgotten about that incident," he said.
Hermione grinned. "I hadn't," she said mischievously. "To see the look on your face.it was absolutely priceless."
"I'm sure," he agreed dryly, and silenced her with a kiss. Pretty soon, their mouths were too preoccupied with other activities to reminisce anymore.
*~*
The Defense Against the Dark Arts professor sighed, and stared at her calendar. She could hardly believe that it was already the first day of the Easter holidays. The year had just flown by, Hermione reflected. She thought about Severus, and how she had gotten to know him in a way that she never thought was possible. Hermione softly placed a hand on her stomach and sighed, remembering her - no, their - child. She closed her eyes wearily. She wished that she could carry a child to term; she wished that she could carry Severus's child to term. She felt inadequate, and on top of that she was worried about Severus. She didn't know when Voldemort would return full-force, and she didn't know what would happen to him. Although he had never said the words "I love you" to her, she knew that he did. When he looked at her, she knew it.
Hermione was snatched from her reverie by a sharp knock on her door. She called, "Come in," to her visitor. The door swung open, and there stood Albus. He came in, and sat in a chair in front of her desk.
"How are you, Albus?" she asked, conjuring some tea and pouring it into two cups.
He smiled slightly and took a sip of his tea. "I can't complain, m'dear."
Hermione spread her hands. "To what do I owe this honor?"
Albus took a deep breath. "Erm, I wondered if you had had any luck convincing Severus not to return to Voldemort."
Hermione sighed and shook her head. "No, not at all. He can be most stubborn, you know."
He nodded. "Yes, I do." Silence reigned in the office for a few moments. Albus still had not gotten to the point of his visit, and he told himself wearily that he had better get on with it. "Hermione, I didn't come here to ask you about Severus."
"Oh?"
"I came here because of an ancient prophesy, and because of a vision Starling told me about." He plowed on before she could interrupt. "The prophesy was made by Slytherin's daughter.it speaks of the favored of Slytherin loving the favored of Gryffindor. Starling told me of her vision, which shows a small child defeating Voldemort. Again. Like Harry Potter - only this time, the child was a female. And it was yours. Yours and Severus's."
Hermione raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Headmaster, I cannot carry children. There must be some mistake."
"I don't think so," Albus shook his head. "And now, Starling's had another vision.Hermione, do you think there is any way you could be pregnant?"
Hermione stopped, and thought. She and Severus and been together again for about a week now, but she wasn't due to get her period for another week and a half or so. "I don't know," she responded. "I'll take a test, though, if it will put your mind at rest."
He smiled at her, obviously relieved. "Thank you Hermione - it will."
*~*
Hermione stood in her bathroom, staring at her Muggle pregnancy test, charmed to work much earlier than intended originally. "Damn you," she hissed at the test, which seemed to be taking an abnormally long time to show a result. Hermione gasped as she saw her result finally appear: She was pregnant.
"Oh, my god," she whispered faintly. She felt a little dizzy.did this mean that she was going to be able to carry this child to term? Hermione staggered into the hallway, and hurried to the Headmaster's office.
"Password. Oh, crap.Jelly beans." The gargoyle didn't move. "Jelly rings, starburst, skittles.lollipops." At that last word, she saw the gargoyle swing aside and she was allowed entrance. Hermione hurried into the Headmaster's office. She stopped short when she saw the other person in the room with Albus. It was Severus.
He nodded to her in greeting. "Hermione, do come in. Sit down, my dear."
She did so, looking nervously at Severus, who raised an eyebrow at her, puzzled.
"Albus, I.erm, I did what you asked, and - " Hermione looked rather green now - "I am. The answer is yes. But I don't know how."
Albus smiled. Inwardly, he was relieved. This was now their best chance in five years to defeat Voldemort! "My dear, we have much to discuss. But I shall leave you now for a few moments. You ought to tell Severus." And he swept from the room, knowing that he had given her no alternative but to tell the Potions master then.
Severus sat down in a chair next to Hermione's. "What's all this cryptic 'Tell Severus now' nonsense?"
She took a shaky breath. "Severus, I'm pregnant." Before he could respond, she plowed onward. "And Albus thinks our child is going to fulfill some ancient prophesy, and be the bloody Girl Who Lived." A small tear rolled down her cheek.
Severus was thunderstruck. He didn't think he had ever been so surprised in his life. He didn't quite know what to say or do. So he opted for what seemed to be the safest option: he said nothing.
"Aren't you going to say something - anything.?" she asked quietly, unsure what his silence meant.
"Frankly, I don't know exactly what to think. You - how is it physically possible for you to carry this child? I think that Albus must be mistaken.I think that you will miscarry within a few days, so there is not much sense in worrying about it."
Hermione's voice grew slightly shrill. "It's bloody Slytherin's daughter, Severus! I don't think she's mistaken."
Severus sighed. "Maybe its not us the prophesy is referring to."
Hermione grew thoughtful. "Perhaps."
*~* Alan Rickman: Oh, will she miscarry.I can't wait for the next chapter!
Tom Felton: Why am I not in this fic? hmmm.maybe I'll be in the next chapter.if you review!
Alan: You're dead!
Tom: oh, yea.I can be a ghost, though!
Chapter Twenty
Hermione woke up, wrapped from head to toe in warm, dark blankets. She looked sleepily to her right, and was pleased to see that Severus was lying next to her still. As she watched him sleep, he opened his eyes and turned his head toward her. Hermione smiled, and struggled to free herself from the blankets so she could kiss him good morning. She did so, and soon found herself trapped in his strong embrace. "I'm sorry for waking you," she whispered.
He shrugged. "I wasn't really asleep anyway." Severus rarely slept for more than a few hours each night, at best. She grinned at him, and her long hair fell into her face. He gently pushed it back, wondering what he had done to deserve this woman. "You are so beautiful," he murmured.
Hermione blushed, and shook her head. "Don't say that," she responded. He propped himself up on one elbow and surveyed her, puzzled. "Why should I not? It is true."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I was never one of the pretty girls at school, and you bloody well know it. Not like Parvati Patil, or Lavender Brown.now they had all the guys they could ever want. But I," she shook her head slightly, "I was never like them. I never thought myself beautiful."
Severus was amazed that she didn't see what he did. "Hermione," he began, "You cannot possibly be serious. You're telling me that you cannot see your perfection? Beautiful chocolate eyes, truly the window to your soul; soft brown hair framing your face; a perfect body, soft skin.I can't praise you enough, Hermione."
She pushed him down onto the bed, and laid her head down onto his chest. "Thank you, Severus." she sighed. "It really means a lot to me to hear you say that."
He chuckled softly, sending pleasant vibrations all over her. "Not at all. I always thought you were rather more attractive than Miss Brown and Miss Patil.especially at the Yule Ball when you showed up with Viktor Krum.you know, you had every man's eyes on you that night, including mine."
He felt her smile against his chest. "You know what? I had somewhat of a crush on you when I was a sixth year.do you remember when we were collecting potions ingredients at the lake, and Neville fell and accidentally pushed you into the lake? Your robes stuck to your body, and I thought," she blushed rather prettily, "that you were more attractive than Ron, whom I was seeing at the time. You know, with your hair all wet, and.After you threatened us all with death or disembowelment if any of us moved, I watched you on your way back to the castle. You took off your robes and shirt when you thought no one was watching, and walked back to the castle in your jeans. That was the beginning of the end for me."
Severus shook his head, amazed. "I had all but forgotten about that incident," he said.
Hermione grinned. "I hadn't," she said mischievously. "To see the look on your face.it was absolutely priceless."
"I'm sure," he agreed dryly, and silenced her with a kiss. Pretty soon, their mouths were too preoccupied with other activities to reminisce anymore.
*~*
The Defense Against the Dark Arts professor sighed, and stared at her calendar. She could hardly believe that it was already the first day of the Easter holidays. The year had just flown by, Hermione reflected. She thought about Severus, and how she had gotten to know him in a way that she never thought was possible. Hermione softly placed a hand on her stomach and sighed, remembering her - no, their - child. She closed her eyes wearily. She wished that she could carry a child to term; she wished that she could carry Severus's child to term. She felt inadequate, and on top of that she was worried about Severus. She didn't know when Voldemort would return full-force, and she didn't know what would happen to him. Although he had never said the words "I love you" to her, she knew that he did. When he looked at her, she knew it.
Hermione was snatched from her reverie by a sharp knock on her door. She called, "Come in," to her visitor. The door swung open, and there stood Albus. He came in, and sat in a chair in front of her desk.
"How are you, Albus?" she asked, conjuring some tea and pouring it into two cups.
He smiled slightly and took a sip of his tea. "I can't complain, m'dear."
Hermione spread her hands. "To what do I owe this honor?"
Albus took a deep breath. "Erm, I wondered if you had had any luck convincing Severus not to return to Voldemort."
Hermione sighed and shook her head. "No, not at all. He can be most stubborn, you know."
He nodded. "Yes, I do." Silence reigned in the office for a few moments. Albus still had not gotten to the point of his visit, and he told himself wearily that he had better get on with it. "Hermione, I didn't come here to ask you about Severus."
"Oh?"
"I came here because of an ancient prophesy, and because of a vision Starling told me about." He plowed on before she could interrupt. "The prophesy was made by Slytherin's daughter.it speaks of the favored of Slytherin loving the favored of Gryffindor. Starling told me of her vision, which shows a small child defeating Voldemort. Again. Like Harry Potter - only this time, the child was a female. And it was yours. Yours and Severus's."
Hermione raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Headmaster, I cannot carry children. There must be some mistake."
"I don't think so," Albus shook his head. "And now, Starling's had another vision.Hermione, do you think there is any way you could be pregnant?"
Hermione stopped, and thought. She and Severus and been together again for about a week now, but she wasn't due to get her period for another week and a half or so. "I don't know," she responded. "I'll take a test, though, if it will put your mind at rest."
He smiled at her, obviously relieved. "Thank you Hermione - it will."
*~*
Hermione stood in her bathroom, staring at her Muggle pregnancy test, charmed to work much earlier than intended originally. "Damn you," she hissed at the test, which seemed to be taking an abnormally long time to show a result. Hermione gasped as she saw her result finally appear: She was pregnant.
"Oh, my god," she whispered faintly. She felt a little dizzy.did this mean that she was going to be able to carry this child to term? Hermione staggered into the hallway, and hurried to the Headmaster's office.
"Password. Oh, crap.Jelly beans." The gargoyle didn't move. "Jelly rings, starburst, skittles.lollipops." At that last word, she saw the gargoyle swing aside and she was allowed entrance. Hermione hurried into the Headmaster's office. She stopped short when she saw the other person in the room with Albus. It was Severus.
He nodded to her in greeting. "Hermione, do come in. Sit down, my dear."
She did so, looking nervously at Severus, who raised an eyebrow at her, puzzled.
"Albus, I.erm, I did what you asked, and - " Hermione looked rather green now - "I am. The answer is yes. But I don't know how."
Albus smiled. Inwardly, he was relieved. This was now their best chance in five years to defeat Voldemort! "My dear, we have much to discuss. But I shall leave you now for a few moments. You ought to tell Severus." And he swept from the room, knowing that he had given her no alternative but to tell the Potions master then.
Severus sat down in a chair next to Hermione's. "What's all this cryptic 'Tell Severus now' nonsense?"
She took a shaky breath. "Severus, I'm pregnant." Before he could respond, she plowed onward. "And Albus thinks our child is going to fulfill some ancient prophesy, and be the bloody Girl Who Lived." A small tear rolled down her cheek.
Severus was thunderstruck. He didn't think he had ever been so surprised in his life. He didn't quite know what to say or do. So he opted for what seemed to be the safest option: he said nothing.
"Aren't you going to say something - anything.?" she asked quietly, unsure what his silence meant.
"Frankly, I don't know exactly what to think. You - how is it physically possible for you to carry this child? I think that Albus must be mistaken.I think that you will miscarry within a few days, so there is not much sense in worrying about it."
Hermione's voice grew slightly shrill. "It's bloody Slytherin's daughter, Severus! I don't think she's mistaken."
Severus sighed. "Maybe its not us the prophesy is referring to."
Hermione grew thoughtful. "Perhaps."
*~* Alan Rickman: Oh, will she miscarry.I can't wait for the next chapter!
Tom Felton: Why am I not in this fic? hmmm.maybe I'll be in the next chapter.if you review!
Alan: You're dead!
Tom: oh, yea.I can be a ghost, though!