Epilogue
"'Mione!"
She turned around. Harry and Ron came running towards her across the platform, and seized her in a vigorous hug. She pulled away with some difficulty. "Careful now, you two. Suffocating isn't good for the baby, you know," she said, and unconsciously patted her abdomen.
The two boys looked remorseful. "Sorry," Harry said.
"We'd almost forgotten," Ron added.
Hermione raised an eyebrow. She highly doubted that. First of all, her enormous belly wasn't something you could forget easily; and secondly, she was married to her two best friends' sworn enemy – although she had to admit that all three of them made an effort to be peaceful in her presence. "Well, glad that you can 'forget' that so easily. But I'm reminded by the little one every time he kicks me." (She had begun to think of the baby as a 'he' shortly after the first furious kicks – a girl couldn't possibly kick like that!) "And I need to go to the loo," she added. "Wait for me by the carriages?"
The boys nodded. "We'll take your luggage," Harry said, and she watched them retrieve her bags – Molly had packed for her, and it seemed she'd overdone it a bit.
But then Nature silently reminded her of one of the lesser blessings of pregnancy, and Hermione went for the bathroom the sixth time this morning.
+~*#
Severus was unconcentrated. It was the last day of term, and while other teachers were in the habit of letting things slide towards the end of a school year, he was not one of them. So his fourth year Hufflepuff class was busy preparing a cooling potion – highly ironic if you consider the boiling heat that emitted from the many cauldrons.
But that wasn't what troubled him. Hermione'd come to Hogwarts today. 'Actually, she should have arrived by now,' he thought, checking his watch. 'Eleven thirty. The train must've reached Hogsmeade by now.'
Potter and Weasley had volunteered to pick her up. Of course he hadn't been able to do so. First of all he had a class to teach. It would've been suspicious if he suddenly took a day off to welcome back a former student of his – and, that is, a student he never liked. He was tempted to smile – but of course he didn't. He would've liked to see their faces though. Of course everyone would be shocked. And no one would believe she chose him of her own free will. All would assume he'd used a dark spell or even the Imperius Curse to trick her into marriage.
He turned away from his class and walked over to the window. It wasn't a real window, and no one except him could see it. He'd conjured it up this morning. If he couldn't welcome her back, he at least wanted to see her return from afar.
The last three months had been difficult. Hermione had taken her NEWTs in March, as planned, and had – of course – excelled. The marriage in April had been one of the highlights. It had been a very private ceremony, with only few people attending. Hermione's parents, his mother, the Weasley clan (to his dismay) and Potter, Minerva and Albus. And some of Hermione's relatives he didn't want to think of – that one evening had been enough for at least a decade of muggle relatives…
Flashback – April 7th
"Well, you look ready to kill Aunt Sandra should she ever come near you again," Hermione murmured, her head resting against his shoulder.
He tightened his grip and forced a smile in the general direction of his mother, who had by now told every embarrassing childhood story – completely with wizarding photographs – and who was now talking animatedly to said Aunt Sandra. "I put sleeping potion in their drinks. They should all be asleep in ten seconds," he replied, only to be rewarded with Hermione's laughter. He could feel her swollen stomach pressed to his, and smiled the first genuine smile since he'd heard her say "Yes" earlier that day. "You look beautiful," he said.
"I feel dead tired already. And it's only seven," she sighed and looked over to one of the tables. "Cousin Rachel is 'feeding' Bingo again," she said. "It's kind of sad, isn't it?"
"I think it's rather strange," he replied. "You have strange relatives. Very strange. I mean, take Rachel, for example." He nodded to her cousin. "She brings the ashes of her favourite pet to our wedding, and acts as if it were still alive. Then she tells everyone about 'Bingo's' new toy rat, and his last visit at the vet's. The dog is dead! Doesn't she realise that?"
"Well… Okay, so cousin Rachel's strange. What about the others?"
"Your dear aunt Sandra. She thinks I'm her missing husband and tries to lure me into the closet. Right now she's talking to my mother. Should Aunt Sandra say anything like that to her, she won't get out of it without a few boils and bruises." Hermione's laughter silenced him. "What's funny?"
"Your mother."
Severus felt a strange tingling feeling in his stomach. His mother. He hadn't seen her with Hermione all day, and was relieved. But what if they had talked… "She didn't talk to you much, right?" 'Oh, please, say you only saw her for two minutes, when I introduced you…' he prayed silently.
"Oh, I met her in the ladies' room," Hermione said, a wicked grin playing on her lips. His heart fell. He'd tried to keep Hermione from his mother. His mother was old, and irritating, and not very pleasant. She lived in a house in the south of France (because it was warmer than in England), and he was actually glad about the distance between them. Of course, with the wedding and all, he couldn't not invite his mother. But he'd managed to avoid confrontations, both with him and his mother as well as with Hermione and his mother… or so he thought.
"Well, what did she say?"
"Hmmm," Hermione said, her arms circling his neck. "I know about that holiday in Greece where you had rather intimate contact with a jellyfish." He groaned, and Hermione laughed.
"And she told me about the one time when you messed up a potion and ended up with you head in –"
"Alright, stop it. I know perfectly well what happened, and should you ever mention it again, I will… I will think of something nasty, and put it in your bed!"
"Severus! That was weak. And besides, it would be your bed, too." Of course she was right. Damn it. "And she gave me a photo."
"Photo? What photo?" He raised his eyebrows. Photos were always bad. Always.
"This one," Hermione said and waved a photo in front of his eyes. He only got a glimpse of it, but that was more than enough. It looked suspiciously like the one where he was trying to ice-skate. Sufficient to say that he was better on a broomstick.
"Hermione!" She turned around.
"Sorry, darling. I have to go. My mother calls. I'll see you later," she said, and was gone in a second. He just stared. She had a most disgracing photo of him in her hand. That was just more than he could process at the moment.
"Oh, hello," cried someone next to him. "Melvin!" Damn. Aunt Sandra again. He looked around, hoping to find a way out, but everyone was busy. He couldn't pretend to be needed when no one needed him. He would even talk to Potter if he had to. But Potter and Weasley were busy getting drunk. He considered getting drunk himself as Aunt Sandra grabbed his arm and dragged him onto the dancefloor, but decided against it. Aunt Sandra was better than those little monsters… these children; Hermione's little cousins Annabelle and Sophie. They'd clung to him throughout lunch, and he was too glad that their mother had come to bring them to bed an hour ago.
"Oh, Melvin," Aunt Sandra said, her shrill voice hurting his ears, "tell me again how you escaped the Russians."
Severus sighed. This would be a long night.
End Flashback
Severus shuddered at the memory.
After the Spring Break he'd returned to Hogwarts, and Hermione had stayed with the Weasleys. He suspected that Molly had given her all kinds of advice and he could only hope that it didn't involve anything kinky. You could never know with Molly…
A muffled scream brought him back to reality. He turned around and wished he hadn't. "Stupid child," he muttered under his breath and took out his wand, ready to clear off the potion and send the idiotic student up to Madam Pomfrey. Unfortunately, the boy seemed to think Severus wanted to attack him and started to scream some more.
"Shut up," he snapped. The boy closed his mouth. The sudden silence in the classroom, however, was soon interrupted by the boy's hiccups. Severus scowled while the boy's fellow Hufflepuffs tried not to laugh.
"Mr Garrington," he said to the only student who actually managed not to laugh, "would you take Mr 'I'm-afraid-of-the-potions-master-and-too-stupid-to-brew-a-potion' to the Infirmary and tell Madam Pomfrey to give him some Pepper-Up Potion? I think he needs it." And, as an afterthought, he added, "Oh, and twenty points from Hufflepuff."
That wiped away the last smiles. The students turned back to their cauldrons and he to his window. Just in time to see Hagrid lead away the carriage.
Damn! He had missed it. Cursing the stupid Hufflepuff (and any other student in general), he bellowed, "Class dismissed!" and collected the samples. He knew that the exams were over, but he still liked the horrified glances he received while collecting samples of half-finished potions.
+~*#
"Hermione, do you really think you want to go there?" Ron asked. "I mean, I understand it, really, but… but there are Slytherins down there!"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yes, and one of them is the reason I want to go there. And besides, it's not as if anyone could stop me. I have every right to go there!"
"I know," he said, squirming under her staring gaze, "I'm just worried."
Hermione sighed. "I thought you were over your worried phase. After all, I'm married to that man. Honestly, Ron, you don't think he forced me, do you?"
"No, of course not. But you have to admit it's… strange." Ron looked up and down the hallway, as if to make sure that no one was near them. "I mean, did you ever imagine that you'd be Mrs Severus Snape one day? If anyone would have told me last year, I would have laughed and called them 'insane'." He laughed. "And this spring, I actually attended the wedding."
Hermione took one of Ron's large hands in her own, visibly smaller ones. "Well, Ron, maybe, if you want to, you could add one more thing to you 'list of strange things concerning Snape and Hermione I never thought could become true'," she said, looking up to him.
Ron just stared at her blankly. "Huh?"
"Ron, would-you-do-us-that-is-Severus-and-me-the-honour-and-be-the-godfather-of-our-child?" Hermione asked rather hurriedly.
"And I repeat: Huh?" Ron looked at her questioningly.
"I said: Would you like to be the godfather?"
"Godfather? But I thought you'd ask Harry, of Ginny, or anyone else who's not hating Snape!" Ron exclaimed, pulling his hand back towards him.
"Ron, you don't hate Severus! And I wanted to ask you. Not Harry." Hermione bit her lip. "Say yes." And then: "Please?"
Ron rolled his eyes. "Great. If I say no, then I'm a heartless bastard, right?"
Hermione nodded. "Of course. How could you turn down your hugely pregnant best friend, knowing that it would only cause her to burst into a fit of hormonally increased tears and cries, making your life miserable until you finally do say yes?" Hermione grinned wickedly. "Besides, I could still tell anyone it was you who got me pregnant!"
"You wouldn't!"
Hermione just sighed. "Oh, yes, Parvati. It was Ron, and now he doesn't look at me twice. I always thought he was at least decent enough to help me out with the baby and everything, but no – he already got a new lover!" Her smile broadened. "I can already picture her face when I tell her."
Ron sighed in defeat. "Well, as I don't have a chance… I'll do it, I suppose."
Hermione hugged him tightly, planting a kiss on his reddening cheek. "Oh, thank you, Ron."
He grunted. "Well, I suppose I see you at lunch," he said.
Hermione frowned. "I don't think so. I haven't seen Severus for weeks. I won't give up a second of time I could spend with him!"
"Well, whatever," Ron said, obviously distracted as he didn't start arguing about Severus again. "See you later. I have to meet… someone."
Hermione smiled. "Ron, you don't have to be embarrassed. We all know about you and Colin. You can say his name."
"I know," Ron replied, looking uncomfortable. "I just didn't want you to start again."
"Start what?"
"Well, anytime I mention Colin, one of you – be it you, Ginny, Harry, one of my brothers, or even mum – starts on this whole 'Oh, Ron, we're so proud of you, and it's absolutely no problem that you're seeing Colin, and we all love Colin as much as you do, and we are perfectly cool with it, and we -' What?" Ron broke off. Hermione was staring at him.
"You said you love Colin," she said.
"What? I didn't –" But then it stuck him. He actually had said it. "Well, never mind. I'm going now," he said, sure that he was grinning like an idiot – again.
"Yeah," said Hermione. "Me, too. See you later." Then she winked at him, and disappeared down the corridor towards the dungeons. Ron stared after her, and slowly shook his head.
'Completely insane,' he thought as he made his way up to the Gryffindor Common Room.
+~*#
"Well, what do you think?" Harry nervously glanced at the mirror. His black robes were spotless, and the Gryffindor-coloured badge on his chest shimmered slightly in the warm afternoon sun. "My hair's messy," he said, grabbing the brush again.
"Harry! You've tried that already. Four times," Ginny said, taking the brush out of his hand. "Relax. It's just another feast, that's all. Nothing special."
"You're trying to calm me, aren't you?" Harry was still trying to somehow straighten out his hair. "Or do you really think that?"
Ginny sighed. "Of course it's special. The boy who lived and defeated You-know-who graduates from Hogwarts. Everyone will be there. And everyone will be looking at you."
Harry paled. "You're not helping, Ginny."
"Sorry," she said. "I think I'm more nervous than any of you."
Harry held out his arms and she sunk against him. He breathed in the scent of her hair and kissed her head. "Now relax," he said.
Ginny snorted. "I can't. Next year I'll be completely alone. All of you graduate and I'm left here."
"Hey, that's not true."
"Is too."
"Is not. Colin's here."
Ginny was silent for a second, then she started to laugh. Harry soon joined in. "I'm silly. Sorry."
"It's okay." Harry slowly kissed her. "And don't worry. I'm not leaving you. Never."
Ginny smiled. "I know."
+~#*
"Ready?"
"Of course."
"You are really sure?"
"Yes."
"I mean, you don't have to."
"Well, I want to."
"Really?"
"Ron, stop being stupid!" Colin rolled his eyes. He stared at the ceiling above his bed for a second. "I know exactly what it means, and I don't care what everyone thinks."
"But I leave, and I won't come back here after this summer. You do. I mean, they might be mean. What if they shun you?" Ron bit his lip. "I just don't want you to be unhappy here because of me."
"Ron, some of the best memories of Hogwarts are because of you. I couldn't be unhappy here." He stood up and closed the gap between them. "We'll go down there, together. And if anyone thinks of making rude comments or idiotic insinuations, well, I don't care." He slowly took Ron's hand and placed it on his hip, then he put his arms around Ron and pulled him closer. "I want everyone to know how much you mean to me," he whispered.
"Colin," Ron murmured. "I-"
The door flew open. "Aehm?" David Baker, one of Colin's roommates, stood in the doorway, looking a bit shocked.
"Yes, David? Did you want anything?" Colin snapped, never loosening his grip on Ron.
"M-M-M-my, er… my-" he broke off and pointed towards his bed. A Quidditch magazine was lying on the cover.
"Well, then take it and leave." Colin pulled Ron even closer. "We're having a private moment here."
David strode across the room, embarrassed. He didn't lift his eyes once, and nearly tripped over a pair of shoes. He was out within seconds.
Colin couldn't stop himself from laughing. Ron wanted to be reasonable and say something terribly grown-up, but then he just laughed, too.
"You were saying?" Colin prompted after they'd calmed down a bit.
"I love you."
+~*#
Hermione entered the Great Hall and immediately felt all eyes upon her. She hadn't been seen in Hogwarts since March, and although people knew she was married and pregnant, whispers followed her around. She ignored them and sat down at the table next to Ginny.
"Where are Ron and Colin?" she asked.
Harry, sitting opposite her, shrugged. "Dunno. But Ron said something about a big show."
"Big show?" Ginny frowned. "What's that supposed to mean? I hope he doesn't keep up where Fred and George left." She looked around and leaned in closer. "They sabotaged Percy's graduation feast. Set free a bunch of skunks, charmed to attack everyone wearing black robes. Of course that was about everyone – except Dumbledore, I suppose – and Mum was furious!"
Hermione, who had looked around, suddenly smiled. She put a hand on Ginny's arm and nodded over to the door. "I don't think that this is what he had in mind."
Everyone else was staring at the door now. Ron and Colin, hand in hand, seemingly engrossed in their conversation, strolled over to the Gryffindor table and sat down beside Harry.
"Hey everyone," Ron said. Colin only nodded.
"Well, that makes it official." Hermione said.
Ron grinned. "For us, yeas. But I still know someone who's got a secret."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I know, I know, I know. But we wanted to wait till after the birth."
"I know. I just like to tease you." Ron grinned even more. "And you know, you don't have a threat in hand anymore. Tell anyone you like that I got you pregnant, but they won't believe it."
Hermione crossed her arms and stared. "I wouldn't have done it anyway."
"I know." Ron stole the last bit of bread off her plate and chewed, still grinning.
"Anything I should know?" Colin looked from Hermione to Ron. Harry and Ginny looked equally puzzled.
Ron laughed, sending breadcrumbs flying over the table, and Hermione smiled.
"Of course not!" Ron shook his head. "That's just a thing we have. She teases me, and I tease her." He planted a kiss on Colin's cheek and took his hand.
Good," Colin said. "Because -"
He was interrupted by Albus Dumbledore standing up and clapping his hands. "Well well well," he said. "what a year!"
The students laughed, but only a few of them knew the whole story. Hermione exchanged a short glance with Severus, and looked down at her belly. 'Yes, what a year!' she thought.
"Many things have happened," Dumbledore continued. "Good things-" he looked over at them and winked "-but also bad things." Dumbledore paused shortly, and Hermione knew he was thinking about Pansy Parkinson and Lucius Malfoy. "However, it's no use to dwell upon things that are past, especially the bad things. And as usual, I ask the student with the highest N.E.W.T.s to say a few words." He turned to the Gryffindor table. "Hermione, please." He gestured her to come up to him.
Ginny helped her up, and again, everyone was staring. She smiled, and slowly climbed the few steps up to the High Table. Dumbledore made room for her and retreated to the end of the table. Severus, who sat in the chair next to her, didn't look at her. She could, however, feel his hand on her leg, squeezing comfortingly.
"I have long wondered what to say this evening," she began. "Many of you don't know me that good, or like me, for that matter. Therefore, it wouldn't feel right to talk about all the good times we had together, or the many academic problems we solved, the nights spent in the Common Room in front of the fire. So I can only talk about what happened to me, here at Hogwarts." She looked around and found that she had their undivided attention. Draco Malfoy nodded shortly when her gaze skimmed over him.
"I have been attacked by a troll, I was petrified by a basilisk, I was confronted with werewolves, convicted criminals-" (she had to smile at that) "-and Hagrid's many 'pets'." Quite a lot people laughed at that. "The Triwizard Tournament held many surprises for me, and so did the attack in my sixth year. But we – and you all know I mean Harry Potter (Harry blushed at this) – defeated Voldemort." Still, people shuddered upon hearing the name.
"But this last year topped it all. I was the victim of a potion (she had to smile even more), got kidnapped and... er, pregnant." More people laughed. "I found the love of my life." Severus' grip tightened. "And I found… friends where I didn't expect them." Again, Draco nodded. "And…" She paled. But it was too early. "And…" She breathed heavily. 'Not now!' "And I think I'm having my baby."
Everyone stared.
"NOW!"
Severus was on his feet in no time. "Now?" he asked. "But it's early."
"Well, I know that, don't you think?" She grabbed his arm with one hand (an excited whispering started among the students), and her belly with the other. "Severus (- the excited whisper grew and became a noisy chatter -), stop goggling and help me!"
"Of course." He turned around. "Albus? I need someone to tell Poppy. And… er, I don't know."
Hermione raised an eyebrow. Severus admitting that he didn't know something. That was rare. 'He must be more nervous than ever before', she thought, but was interrupted by another contraction. She groaned. "Severus, get me to the Infirmary," she said, biting her lip.
He nodded, paler than ever.
Leaving behind all the conversations and curious glances, they left for the Hospital wing.
+~*#
Severus had started pacing over an hour ago. Or maybe it had been a day. He couldn't think straight.
He felt helpless. And he didn't like. He also didn't like all the sounds that emitted from the closed doors across the hall. Hermione's cries, and muffled screams. Poppy's resolute voice.
Couldn't they give her something?
And why did it take so bloody long?
He looked over to the bench. Potter had his elbows on his knees, his head in his hands. Ginny Weasley was pacing, too, but she didn't get in his way, so it was all right with him. The Weasley boy and the Creevey kid were whispering quietly. Albus had excused himself to inform Hermione's parents.
And why did it take so BLOODY long???
Suddenly, the cry of a baby could be heard. His head jerked up and he stared at the door. Potter looked up, too, and the Weasley girl stopped pacing.
Then Poppy opened the door and looked around. "Severus, you may come in. Everyone else, wait here."
He took a step towards the door, then paused. That was it. If he stepped through that door, there would be no way out. He'd be a father. Determined, he opened the door and stepped into the Infirmary.
The first thing he saw was Hermione. She looked so very alive. Her skin was slightly pink, and her hair was clammy and clinged to her head. And she smiled tiredly, clutching a small bundle to her breast.
"You are beautiful," he told her, slowly approaching the bed.
"Liar," she laughed, motioning him to come nearer. He sat down on her bed, and his heart stopped beating for a second. It was the most beautiful child he'd ever seen. Admittedly, he hadn't seen many new-born children in his life; and he surely hadn't felt so proud before.
"It's…" He was speechless.
Hermione smiled and slowly placed the bundle in his arms. "It's a girl." She looked down at the baby in his arms. "Your daughter."
"And yours," he reminded her, his voice strangely hoarse.
"Ours."
He leaned back, his head resting against the wall. He could stay like this forever. The child asleep in his arms, and Hermione lying by his side, her head resting on his leg. He looked down at her. "Do we have a name?"
She laughed. "Of course we do!" She sat up, took out a roll of parchment and unrolled it.
"Here it is. Paper and ink." She held it up. "'Silvanus' for a boy, and for a girl 'Anastasia'. Signed by the both of us, on April 7th, this year."
"Right. I'd forgotten about that." He was distraced by the child – his daughter, he still couldn't quite grasp it – yawning. And, for the first time, Severus Snape thought something was 'cute'.
Overwhelmed by feelings, he slid down on the bed, until he lay next to Hermione. He placed the baby – Anastasia – between them and kissed his wife. "I love you," he murmured.
"I love you," Hermione replied.
And then, laughing, they both said to the baby, "And we love you."
END
A/N:
[Dec 14, 2003] So, I've finally finished.
I have to give extra credits this time. The Flashback scene (or wedding scene) was written with the help of INVISIBABE, ALRAUNE, MISS KITTY, DIVINE MISS MORTIE, ERIELYA MALFOY, RHIANNON S and IRISH FORCE FIELD over at Fictionalley.
@ Deb and c[R]ud[E]dly, who noticed the "Daily Planet" thing. I have to admit, I didn't intend this. I was watching an episode of Smallville while writing it, and somehow the Daily Prophet became the Daily Planet. I'm sorry if it bothered you, but I've decided to leave it that way. I think it's rather funny.
For more credits, go to the last chapter (it's the real Author's notes).
[15.12.2003] Or don't. As ff.net has a new policy on Author's Notes as separate chapters, I'll have to post them here.
Author's Notes:
Well, first of all, thank you all for reading. And supporting me. And helping me with everything. I'm a bit sorry that it's over now.
Se here's my list of Thank yous, credits and… some other stuff.
First of all, thank you to the people who encouraged me to post this: Maike und Onduril. Maike, du bist genauso bescheuert wie ich. Danke für die endlosen Telefonate und wahnsinnigen Ideen. Onduril, ebenfalls etwas verrückt. Großartiger Sinn für Humor.
Then all the reviewers: ShinHee Tae, cd, Irol, dama-de-tenieblas, Pistol, Tracey Claybon, Hogwarts, A History Girl, Artemis Moonclaw, Pendragon, DragonRose4, milee, Samson, Amber, SSHG F.ing IN THE SNOW, HunnySnowBunny, DistinctVagueness, impressed, Merry the Psychotic Coconut; c[R]ud[E]dly, Nev/Wormtail, MissCrystalix, Lura, Just Jeanette, Tevkins; Samantha Winters, KDarkMaiden, arrow-card; Anarane Aawamane; someone28, Deb, Raclswt; and – on top of all: Maddy-Riddle! Thank you all so much!
If there are still questions, email me, or ask me any other way. I'll be glad to answer them!
I had a great time writing this, and hope you enjoyed reading it as well.
~ donotsrock