March blew in gently, as the snow thought about melting and the breezes turned less biting and cold. Hermione had adjusted to her new "sentence," as she called it, and eventually became grateful for the extra time. Her old due date would have been right in the middle of finals at Oxford, and she truly didn't relish the idea of her water breaking in the middle of an exam.

Today found Hermione, Ginny, Molly and Lupin on a rather girlie shopping trip to Diagon Alley and London. Hermione needed some more maternity items and she wanted to "spend some gold" on the baby. Severus gave her the key to his vault at Gringotts with apprehension - considering the group she was shopping with, he'd be overrun with pink things and broke in less than four hours.

However, he would be eternally grateful that Lupin got the short straw that morning. The girls day out was not an event he felt like chaperoning - and neither had Ron, Harry, Dumbledore or Draco. He chuckled, picturing Lupin in a maternity shop surrounded by racks of bras and enormous knickers, as he skimmed Hermione's latest notes on the Mark.

"We owe him, don't we?" smiled Harry, as the two sat alone in the potions classroom.

"Yep. Better him than us. It was going to be an altogether too feminine jaunt for me. Not to mention, I understand Ginny wants to buy Hermione her first nursing bra," said Snape, shaking his head. "The pictures I saw last night looked like a matronly straight jacket with lots of hooks. I think I may be sleeping on the couch more often than I like in the future - by choice."

Harry looked at his professor apologetically. "Maybe you can put a glamour charm on it to make it *look* better."

Snape groaned as Harry laughed good-naturedly. "Yes, but I'll still know it's there, Potter."

The two men grinned at each other; this was the first time the two had a chance to talk alone in weeks. Generally, Ron, Dumbledore, Lupin, Draco or "the girls" were nearby or a part of the conversation. Snape had, to his chagrin, grown closer to the obnoxious Ron Weasley than Harry - mostly due to Harry being withdrawn lately. He looked at the smiling young man for a moment before deciding to plunge ahead with the question that had been bothering him since he returned from the last Death Eater meeting.

"So, Harry," he said.

"Yes?" Harry said, still grinning and waiting for the cutting comeback.

"When is Ginny due?"

Silence fell in the empty classroom as Harry opened and shut his mouth several times. Snape sat quietly waiting for him to stop gaping and answer the question.

"September 12th," Harry said, finally finding his voice. "How did you know? Did Poppy tell you?"

"No, Harry, no one told me. It was just little clues. For example: you are becoming more and more protective of her, like the way you stepped in front of her when Draco stormed into the dungeons that night. Her reaction that night was to be sick, and I noticed the fumes from the potions have seemed to bother her a few times. I've seen Hermione run for the loo often enough these last few months, I know what a pregnant, sick woman looks like."

"And her reaction to Hermione's sonogram last week was strong," continued Snape. "I was suspicious and the tears confirmed it for me, as did her need to 'visit' with Poppy afterwards. The fact that you were hiding your relationship, also struck me as odd. I assume you got pregnant quickly and you are attempting to hide that fact under a clandestine relationship?"

Harry had the good grace to blush.

"Actually, Ginny got pregnant on our first official date, Professor," he said.

Snape looked momentarily awed.

"I'm not being your professor at the moment, Harry. I hope that I'm being a friend, instead, so you may call me Severus," he said. Harry nodded. "Well, Hermione and I tried to conceive for more than a year, so I am reluctantly impressed. I take it, that since it was your first date, it wasn't planned?"

"No, sir -er, Severus," Harry stammered.

"Have you told Molly and Arthur?" Snape asked.

"No. That's why I'm still alive, Severus," said Harry, attempting a small grin. "Dumbledore knows though."

"What *doesn't* Dumbledore know?" snorted Snape. He looked seriously at Harry for a moment before continuing his line of questioning.

"I assume you both want the baby?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"And as soon as I can get to Gringotts and Diagon Alley I'm going to buy her an engagement ring. I thought to give it to her after the Leaving Feast and maybe we can marry over the summer," said Harry, a hint of enthusiasm creeping into his voice at the prospect.

"And what about her seventh year? And college for you?" came the next question.

Harry sighed. "Dumbledore said I could stay on to train as Lupin's Dark Arts apprentice. It's not exactly what I had planned to do, but it will give me a job, albeit low paying."

"And you'll be close to Ginny. Who, by the way, can no longer be Head Girl and will face ridicule and many difficulties as a student and new wife and mother," said Snape, seriously. "Are you sure this is what you both want?"

"I'm positive. I love her, Severus. I would have married her and had a family with her eventually," Harry said. "I just - I couldn't show her how I felt until after Voldemort was gone. And then after he was taken care of, I was too scared to ask. But, we're happy, despite things not going exactly as we had pictured."

Snape sighed and looked at Harry's earnest, young face. He understood what the young man was saying all too clearly.

"I'll talk to Dumbledore," he began. "On Monday, after your last class, meet me down here. We'll apparate together to Diagon Alley and get your Galleons and find Ginny a nice ring. I think before others start to figure things out or she starts to show, she should have a ring on her finger, don't you?"

"Yes, sir," grinned Harry, looking relieved.

"But, tonight -- *you* get to tell Hermione," Snape said, wickedly. "I've spent one night on the couch in the past two weeks. I don't intend to repeat it because *your actions* have upset her."

"Yes, *sir,*" repeated Harry, his smile fading just a bit.

"And, Harry -" said Snape. Harry looked at him questioningly. "I'm glad for you. It is too soon, and you are too young and too irresponsible. But when you find happiness in this life, you have to take it. I think you and Ginny will be very good together and I look forward to meeting your -"

"Daughter. It's a girl." Harry looked prouder than the last time he had caught the snitch.

"I very much look forward to meeting your daughter, Harry."