Author's Note: Thank you again for reading my story. All questions, comments, and constructive criticisms are welcome if you would like to leave a review.
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Disclaimer: Harry Potter and the characters from the books in the series are copyright JK Rowling, and are not being used for profit, only for personal enjoyment.
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Chapter 6 ~ Revelation
No longer bearing the burden of her secret, Hermione finally fell into a deep sleep. Only waking when the baby needed fed, she slept until late morning. She woke to the sound of footsteps approaching the bedroom. Severus, too, had fallen asleep in his chair, and was roused by the approaching footsteps. They both looked up in time to see an exhausted and disheveled Remus entering the room.
Remus glanced back and forth between the two of them, "I wanted to check in on Hermione and the baby before heading back to the school for a few hours. Is everything well?" he asked as he smiled lovingly at the sleeping infant.
"Never better," Hermione replied with a smile.
"Lupin, would you please ask Madame Pomfrey to stop by this afternoon? Hermione and the baby should both be examined as soon as possible. That is, if Hermione is agreeable to letting Madame Pomfrey in on the news," he looked at Hermione and continued, "I assure you that you can trust her to be discreet."
"I think that would be for the best, Severus," Hermione replied nervously, "As much as I would like to keep this private for a while longer, I'm not going to endanger our son's health by refusing the nearest help available."
Remus unsuccessfully tried to hide his surprise at Hermione's words. She had said "our son".
Noticing the look on Remus' face, Hermione took his hand and replied, "Remus... Severus is Samuel's father. I am sorry that I didn't tell you sooner, but I didn't know how..."
"We can talk later," Remus replied as he squeezed her hand, and smiled, "So, his name is Samuel? After your father?"
Surprisingly, it was Severus who replied, "Samuel Remus Granger."
"Hermione! I don't know what to say..." Remus stammered.
"You have been a second father to me these past few months, Remus. When I was wallowing in despair, you comforted me. You were a friend when I had no one to turn to. And because of your concern for me, you probably saved my life, and Samuel's too, yesterday. I don't know how to thank you for all that you have done," she added tearfully as she continued, "I wanted to show you how much you mean to me, and couldn't think of a better way than to give my son your name, along with that of my own father."
"I am honored... " Remus replied in a choked voice as he leaned over and embraced the young woman. Hermione finally remembered something, "Remus! My mother! Could you... would it be too much to ask of you to make sure that she knows about Samuel?" she fretted.
"Not at all," Remus smiled as he assured her, "I'll see to it personally."
A few minutes later, after fussing over the sleeping infant one last time, Remus regretfully excused himself, promising again to send word to Hermione's mother and assuring them that he would return with Madame Pomfrey that afternoon.
"Lupin, can I have a word?" Severus called just after Remus had walked out through the door. He caught up to him in the living room and extended his hand, "Thank you... Remus."
Remus reached out and accepted the gesture, "Anytime, Snape!" Remus smiled, as he turned and walked out the door.
*****
True to Remus' word, he returned with Madame Pomfrey a few hours later.
"Hermione Granger! What do we have here?" she exclaimed as she entered the room and approached the bed.
"Madame Pomfrey," Hermione smiled, "Thank you so much for coming."
"Child, you should have come to me!" Madame Pomfrey scolded her gently, "But I'm sure you don't need a lecture from me. Now, tell me, what happened last evening?"
"I don't know exactly. It came on so sudden. I was in so much pain, and I began to bleed. I'm afraid I lost consciousness, and the next thing I knew, Remus and Severus were here. They helped me to deliver the baby."
Madame Pomfrey looked at the two professors curiously, as she began to examine Hermione.
Severus continued, filling in the blanks, "She was unconscious and had lost a lot of blood by the time we got here, and her water broke just as we arrived. The labor progressed quickly and there was no time to send for help," he explained, "there were no problems with the delivery, and afterwards, I applied a healing salve and administered a blood replenishing potion along with a mild pain reliever. Hermione seems to have regained much of her strength today."
Madame Pomfrey nodded in approval as she moved on to examine the baby.
"The baby came nearly six weeks early. Please, Madame Pomfrey... is my son going to be OK?" Hermione asked worriedly.
"He is quite healthy, Hermione, considering how early he arrived. Are you nursing the child?" she asked, and Hermione nodded, "Very well, then. That is the best thing that you can do for him now. It will strenthen his immune system, which I suspect is a bit underdeveloped at this stage. Feed him often, as he will not likely be ready for long nursing sessions yet, but will need as much nourishment as he can get. As he grows stronger, he will feed for longer periods of time, and less frequently."
"I would like to keep a close eye on him over the next few weeks, to make sure that he does not develop any problems that many preemies are prone to, and see that he starts gaining weight quickly. But aside from his size, I do not forsee any problems."
"And you, dear, are in excellent condition considering what Professor Lupin had told me earlier about your ordeal last evening. You are very fortunate, Hermione, to have such capable friends," she smiled as she looked at Remus and Severus.
Severus shot a questioning glance at Hermione, and she nodded in approval before he addressed Madame Pomfrey, "Poppy, there is something you should know."
"What is it, Severus?"
"I am... Samuel's father," he replied hesitantly.
Madame Pomfrey tried to cover her shock, but couldn't hide the smile that was creeping up on her face. She stepped forward and embraced Severus, whispering, "I never would have guessed... but I couldn't be happier for you!"
Severus's face flushed as she placed a motherly kiss on his cheek, and she laughed as she teased, "For once, I know something that Albus doesn't know!" She winked at them as she prepared to leave.
Severus frowned at her for a moment, before winking back at her and whispering, "Not much gets past Albus. Enjoy it while you can."
*****
Hermione was up and about later that day, and stepped into the role of a new mother with an ease that would not have been possible without the company of Remus and Severus. Shortly after Madame Pomfrey's visit, Severus had excused himself to return to Hogwarts, where he planned on paying a visit to the Headmaster.
It was true, what he had said to Madame Pomfrey... not much gets past Albus.
When he approached the Headmasters office, it seemed as though the old man had been expecting him.
"Severus! I wondered where you might have disappeared to with Professor Lupin last evening that you did not return."
"Albus, I have some.... surprising news."
"Indeed?" Albus questioned with a twinkle in his eye. Severus began to suspect that nothing had gotten past Albus, after all. He wondered if Albus had known about Hermione's pregnancy all along.
"Professor Lupin asked me to assist him with a friend who was... dealing with a difficult situation last night. This friend happened to be Hermione Granger," he paused, gauging Albus' reaction.
The older man sat back in his chair, templing his fingers under his chin before replying, "I see..."
"Miss Granger has spent these many months concealing a pregnancy, and last evening she went in to premature labor. Lupin and I assisted in the birth."
"And how are Miss Granger and the baby doing?"
"They are doing fine. She is now a the mother of a healthy baby boy... Samuel Remus Granger."
"What wonderful news!" Albus beamed at Severus, "Is there anything else you need to tell me, Severus."
"Albus. Somehow, I get the feeling that you know the answer to that question. Even though I did not know until late last evening myself." Severus shook his head ruefully, before continuing, "But yes, there is something else... " he inhaled sharply, and his voice dropped to a near whisper, "It appears that I am Samuel's father."
"And you were not aware of this?" Severus couldn't tell if Albus was asking a question or a stating a fact. He groaned, and began telling Albus the story of the night that the child was conceived. He bowed his head in shame as he finished reliving the flashes of Hermione's memory that he had witnessed the night before.
Albus paused in deep thought for a few moments, before replying, "Severus, all may not be as it seems. While I do believe that what you saw was true, I think there may be some facts that you are not aware of. Do not be so hard on yourself until you have the whole story."
"What more could there be to know? I know what I saw, and I don't see any way that I could have misinterpreted what I did to that poor girl!"
As Severus excused himself from the Headmaster's office, Albus sat back and smiled knowingly, quietly saying to himself, "In time, Severus, I believe you will realize just how mistaken you may be."
*******
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and the characters from the books in the series are copyright JK Rowling, and are not being used for profit, only for personal enjoyment.
*************
Chapter 6 ~ Revelation
No longer bearing the burden of her secret, Hermione finally fell into a deep sleep. Only waking when the baby needed fed, she slept until late morning. She woke to the sound of footsteps approaching the bedroom. Severus, too, had fallen asleep in his chair, and was roused by the approaching footsteps. They both looked up in time to see an exhausted and disheveled Remus entering the room.
Remus glanced back and forth between the two of them, "I wanted to check in on Hermione and the baby before heading back to the school for a few hours. Is everything well?" he asked as he smiled lovingly at the sleeping infant.
"Never better," Hermione replied with a smile.
"Lupin, would you please ask Madame Pomfrey to stop by this afternoon? Hermione and the baby should both be examined as soon as possible. That is, if Hermione is agreeable to letting Madame Pomfrey in on the news," he looked at Hermione and continued, "I assure you that you can trust her to be discreet."
"I think that would be for the best, Severus," Hermione replied nervously, "As much as I would like to keep this private for a while longer, I'm not going to endanger our son's health by refusing the nearest help available."
Remus unsuccessfully tried to hide his surprise at Hermione's words. She had said "our son".
Noticing the look on Remus' face, Hermione took his hand and replied, "Remus... Severus is Samuel's father. I am sorry that I didn't tell you sooner, but I didn't know how..."
"We can talk later," Remus replied as he squeezed her hand, and smiled, "So, his name is Samuel? After your father?"
Surprisingly, it was Severus who replied, "Samuel Remus Granger."
"Hermione! I don't know what to say..." Remus stammered.
"You have been a second father to me these past few months, Remus. When I was wallowing in despair, you comforted me. You were a friend when I had no one to turn to. And because of your concern for me, you probably saved my life, and Samuel's too, yesterday. I don't know how to thank you for all that you have done," she added tearfully as she continued, "I wanted to show you how much you mean to me, and couldn't think of a better way than to give my son your name, along with that of my own father."
"I am honored... " Remus replied in a choked voice as he leaned over and embraced the young woman. Hermione finally remembered something, "Remus! My mother! Could you... would it be too much to ask of you to make sure that she knows about Samuel?" she fretted.
"Not at all," Remus smiled as he assured her, "I'll see to it personally."
A few minutes later, after fussing over the sleeping infant one last time, Remus regretfully excused himself, promising again to send word to Hermione's mother and assuring them that he would return with Madame Pomfrey that afternoon.
"Lupin, can I have a word?" Severus called just after Remus had walked out through the door. He caught up to him in the living room and extended his hand, "Thank you... Remus."
Remus reached out and accepted the gesture, "Anytime, Snape!" Remus smiled, as he turned and walked out the door.
*****
True to Remus' word, he returned with Madame Pomfrey a few hours later.
"Hermione Granger! What do we have here?" she exclaimed as she entered the room and approached the bed.
"Madame Pomfrey," Hermione smiled, "Thank you so much for coming."
"Child, you should have come to me!" Madame Pomfrey scolded her gently, "But I'm sure you don't need a lecture from me. Now, tell me, what happened last evening?"
"I don't know exactly. It came on so sudden. I was in so much pain, and I began to bleed. I'm afraid I lost consciousness, and the next thing I knew, Remus and Severus were here. They helped me to deliver the baby."
Madame Pomfrey looked at the two professors curiously, as she began to examine Hermione.
Severus continued, filling in the blanks, "She was unconscious and had lost a lot of blood by the time we got here, and her water broke just as we arrived. The labor progressed quickly and there was no time to send for help," he explained, "there were no problems with the delivery, and afterwards, I applied a healing salve and administered a blood replenishing potion along with a mild pain reliever. Hermione seems to have regained much of her strength today."
Madame Pomfrey nodded in approval as she moved on to examine the baby.
"The baby came nearly six weeks early. Please, Madame Pomfrey... is my son going to be OK?" Hermione asked worriedly.
"He is quite healthy, Hermione, considering how early he arrived. Are you nursing the child?" she asked, and Hermione nodded, "Very well, then. That is the best thing that you can do for him now. It will strenthen his immune system, which I suspect is a bit underdeveloped at this stage. Feed him often, as he will not likely be ready for long nursing sessions yet, but will need as much nourishment as he can get. As he grows stronger, he will feed for longer periods of time, and less frequently."
"I would like to keep a close eye on him over the next few weeks, to make sure that he does not develop any problems that many preemies are prone to, and see that he starts gaining weight quickly. But aside from his size, I do not forsee any problems."
"And you, dear, are in excellent condition considering what Professor Lupin had told me earlier about your ordeal last evening. You are very fortunate, Hermione, to have such capable friends," she smiled as she looked at Remus and Severus.
Severus shot a questioning glance at Hermione, and she nodded in approval before he addressed Madame Pomfrey, "Poppy, there is something you should know."
"What is it, Severus?"
"I am... Samuel's father," he replied hesitantly.
Madame Pomfrey tried to cover her shock, but couldn't hide the smile that was creeping up on her face. She stepped forward and embraced Severus, whispering, "I never would have guessed... but I couldn't be happier for you!"
Severus's face flushed as she placed a motherly kiss on his cheek, and she laughed as she teased, "For once, I know something that Albus doesn't know!" She winked at them as she prepared to leave.
Severus frowned at her for a moment, before winking back at her and whispering, "Not much gets past Albus. Enjoy it while you can."
*****
Hermione was up and about later that day, and stepped into the role of a new mother with an ease that would not have been possible without the company of Remus and Severus. Shortly after Madame Pomfrey's visit, Severus had excused himself to return to Hogwarts, where he planned on paying a visit to the Headmaster.
It was true, what he had said to Madame Pomfrey... not much gets past Albus.
When he approached the Headmasters office, it seemed as though the old man had been expecting him.
"Severus! I wondered where you might have disappeared to with Professor Lupin last evening that you did not return."
"Albus, I have some.... surprising news."
"Indeed?" Albus questioned with a twinkle in his eye. Severus began to suspect that nothing had gotten past Albus, after all. He wondered if Albus had known about Hermione's pregnancy all along.
"Professor Lupin asked me to assist him with a friend who was... dealing with a difficult situation last night. This friend happened to be Hermione Granger," he paused, gauging Albus' reaction.
The older man sat back in his chair, templing his fingers under his chin before replying, "I see..."
"Miss Granger has spent these many months concealing a pregnancy, and last evening she went in to premature labor. Lupin and I assisted in the birth."
"And how are Miss Granger and the baby doing?"
"They are doing fine. She is now a the mother of a healthy baby boy... Samuel Remus Granger."
"What wonderful news!" Albus beamed at Severus, "Is there anything else you need to tell me, Severus."
"Albus. Somehow, I get the feeling that you know the answer to that question. Even though I did not know until late last evening myself." Severus shook his head ruefully, before continuing, "But yes, there is something else... " he inhaled sharply, and his voice dropped to a near whisper, "It appears that I am Samuel's father."
"And you were not aware of this?" Severus couldn't tell if Albus was asking a question or a stating a fact. He groaned, and began telling Albus the story of the night that the child was conceived. He bowed his head in shame as he finished reliving the flashes of Hermione's memory that he had witnessed the night before.
Albus paused in deep thought for a few moments, before replying, "Severus, all may not be as it seems. While I do believe that what you saw was true, I think there may be some facts that you are not aware of. Do not be so hard on yourself until you have the whole story."
"What more could there be to know? I know what I saw, and I don't see any way that I could have misinterpreted what I did to that poor girl!"
As Severus excused himself from the Headmaster's office, Albus sat back and smiled knowingly, quietly saying to himself, "In time, Severus, I believe you will realize just how mistaken you may be."
