Disclaimer: Don't own the stuff J.K. does. I'm not going to miss writing disclaimers though I can tell you that!

Review Responses:

number seven - I've noticed that people don't seem to be updating as fast lately, I guess it's a busy time of year for all the student writers out there! Sadly! Narcissa had to wait to see the child's character or else I wouldn't be able to surprise you all with the name! I like your suggestions but unfortunately the child's already named. I hope you'll like the name though, I'm rather pleased with the idea. After all it couldn't just be any old name this child's the product of a long and difficult life struggle for Narc so hopefully the name will be fitting. Anyway, read on and then you can let me know what you think of it. Thanks for the review!

Bonezz - Work is evil isn't it? I mean we should be busy with important things such as fanfic but these people keep demanding essays and the like! I think it's atrocious! LOL! I hope you do manage to get down to your story again soon, I have a feeling I didn't actually review your last chapter so I'll go and take a look at it when I get the chance sorry about that I'd forgotten, I'm just not on fanfic often enough anymore! I'm sad this is ending as well, I mean I was sad when I finished writing the story but this really is the end, well it will be with the epilogue. I've been writing about Narc for so long it's hard to let go but I'd rather bow out gracefully while people still like it and besides though her story's kind of just beginning, the chapter of her life I was writing about really closes with the end of this chapter. Thanks for the review!

SiriusWillBeMissed – Glad you enjoyed the chapter, more is now here! Also the streamers and cheering were much appreciated! You've got your way I'm posting the epilogue as well! I simply haven't the time to update twice this week and I promised you them both so they will have to come together! Thanks for the review!

A/N: Ok so it's pretty fluffy this chapter but it had to be as it's the last one! There's an epilogue which I've posted as well but that's very different that just tells you what happened to everyone in the fic and I don't know if people will like the way it's written or not but I still posted it. I hope you enjoy this last chapter!

I Found a Little Courage to Call it Off

**Narcissa's Thoughts**

***Severus' Thoughts***

_emphasis_

Chapter 26

Labour just _had_ to start at three in the morning when Narcissa was alone, a week before it was supposed to. Narcissa would later reflect that she really should have had some sort of contingency plan that went beyond a mad search for floo powder and flooing alone to St. Mungo's, but at the time she was just remembering how much it had hurt the first time she'd done this and was beginning to wonder how long it would take before they broke out the drugs!

When Severus was roused by a very excited Dumbledore he knew instantly what must be happening and went straight to the Slytherin dormitories to wake Draco. He unfortunately woke most of Slytherin in the process and it took the two of them several minutes to escape the Slytherin well-wishers!

Once at the hospital they were instantly taken to a small private room from which cries of, "Are you sure you know what you're doing?!" were emanating. Severus was shown in while Draco took a seat outside.

Apparently Narcissa was not proving the easiest of patients, but she cheered up a little at the sight of her husband and managed a weak smile before crying out in pain.

He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and said calmingly, "Just breathe Narcissa."

"I am breathing!" she snapped, apparently not appreciating the encouragement, "What do you think I'm doing! It's your fault I'm in this mess in the first place!"

"Don't worry mate, they all say that!" a man in a medical uniform informed him cheerily.

"Don't you 'they all say that' me!" Narcissa sent a hex flying, putting the man in a full body bind.

"Ok, Narcissa, drop the wand!" Narcissa looked about to hex the nurse who'd spoken when Severus slipped her wand from her fingers.

"Hey...argh!" Narcissa grabbed hold of her husband's hand as she felt the pain of another contraction. "Bloody hell! If I'd remembered how bad this was last time I'd never have done this again!"

The next contraction was the worst yet and she clamped down on Severus' hand so hard that a sickening crack was heard and he gasped in pain. The medi-witches and wizards were too busy with the delivery to notice as he went pale.

"One more push Narcissa!" a mediwitch encouraged.

"That's Mrs Snape to you!"

"Alright, but just one last push."

"I can't!" she sobbed in exhaustion.

"Yes you can," Severus brought his head down to be level with hers, "Come on, squeeze my hand and push. Come on love."

Severus was hardly aware of the medi-wizard holding up a small, wet bundle because of the pain in his hand.

"Oh, she's beautiful!" he heard Narcissa gasp and start crying and he pulled his hand from hers as she took the child.

"Er, could someone help me, I think she's broken my hand!"

A plump medi-witch ran her wand over his hand, "Four separate fractures, that's a new record for this month!"

"This is common then?"

"Oh yes," the witch cast a spell and Severus felt the pain in his hand subside.

Narcissa was too busy sobbing and smiling at the baby to have noticed. Severus stepped closer to the two of them and perched on the edge of the bed. He reached out a hand and stroked the tiny little nose, smiling as the little creature reached out and caught hold of his finger and refused to let go.

Narcissa was still sniffing but smiling through her tears, "Sorry I yelled at you."

"That's ok," he whispered still in awe of the tiny bundle in her arms.

She laughed softly, "You want to hold your daughter?"

He nodded and took the small child from her mother. "Well, at least this one isn't pulling my hair."

"Give her time," Narcissa chuckled then, as the medi-witches and wizards went to leave, she said "Excuse me, my son's outside, can you tell him to come in."

A minute or so later Draco poked his head round the door, "Can I come in?"

Narcissa reached a hand out in his direction, "Come here sweetheart!"

He crossed the room and took hold of her hand, sitting next to Severus on the bed, "Is that her?" he teased back the edge of the blanket the baby was wrapped in.

Narcissa just nodded and Severus turned to smile at Draco, "Do you want to hold her Draco?"

"Ok," he said uncertainly, "But I'm starting to understand what you meant when you explained why you didn't want to hold me when I was born, she looks so delicate."

"Don't worry, just support her head and you were smaller than that!" Narcissa said tiredly.

"Really? I must have been tiny!"

"You were."

Draco was holding his new sister and giving her an odd look, "Hey mum?"

"Yeah sweetie?"

"We're ok, she got _your_ nose!"

Narcissa laughed and Severus turned to fix Draco with a mock glare.

The baby began to fidget and Draco passed her back to her mother. "So what are you going to call her?"

Narcissa frowned and stared hard at the little girl, "How about..."

"What do think about Morgana?"

Narcissa looked up at Severus, "Oh," she choked on her words, "Sev, it's things like that that remind me how much I love you. I think it's perfect." She turned back to her daughter and whispered, "Hello Morgana."

*******

Later that day Molly Weasley arrived with Arthur and an armload of gifts, ranging from a very large pink teddy bear to a very large bar of Honeydukes finest chocolate for Narcissa.

The two Weasleys cooed over Morgana while Narcissa slept obliviously, exhausted by labour and lack of sleep. Draco and Severus went to get some lunch, having not yet eaten that day. When they returned Narcissa was awake and Dumbledore and McGonagall were waiting in the corridor with congratulations and a large fruit basket and card from the Slytherins.

It turned out Narcissa had refused to let them in until she was what she considered presentable. Severus went inside and saw the woman, tired but happy, trying to brush her hair and hold up a mirror at the same time while Molly searched through her bag for a dressing gown a little more flattering than the grey/blue gown the hospital had provided. Smiling affectionately, Severus took the brush from his wife's hands and gently stoked it through her long hair. She smiled at him and put on the robe offered by Molly before sitting back down on the bed and saying, "Well, go on, let them in. I think I'm ready to face them!"

McGonagall was clearly enchanted by the little girl and perhaps even more enchanted by the way she got her name. McGonagall of course remembered teaching the child's namesake and she and Narcissa were soon happily chatting in a way Severus would never have thought possible.

Dumbledore was allowed to hold Morgana against Severus' better judgement but no disasters occurred and Albus was in fact very well behaved, only offering them a sherbet lemon once the whole time he was there. He said that Hagrid had wanted to come but he had put him off as babies made him cry almost as badly as weddings did. The idea that the man might have brought Fang with him was enough to make Narcissa and Severus rather glad his visit had been post-poned. Besides anything else the room was rather crowded as it was. Eventually they all left for the night and the nurse shooed Severus and Draco out saying that Narcissa needed sleep.

Narcissa didn't sleep though, she sat watching the child by her bed and smiling. **Not a year ago I sat in my study, scared and alone, thinking that if someone had told me I'd be in that position when I was eighteen I'd never have believed them. Well I'd never have believed this either. Particularly a year ago, I'd never have believed that things could work out in the way they have. I'd never have believed I'd be this happy again.** She smiled and glanced at the flowers by her bed which were from her husband, **God, I love him.**

"You know Morgana," she said quietly, "You're very lucky, your daddy's a wonderful man. Actually we're both very lucky. We've got a wonderful family, and your big brother's going to look after you and so am I and your daddy and we need to look after Daddy and Draco too, after all they're only men they don't think about things in the same logical way we girls do." She giggled and talked to her new daughter long into the night, desperate for the day when her daughter would answer her, there was simply so much to tell but most of it boiled down to one simple thing: she loved her.

*******

As Severus walked through the hospital corridors the next morning he too was dwelling on how things had changed, ***How did this all happen so suddenly? A year ago I was alone and in love with a woman who would never feel the same way, but then she did. And now, oh God I'm a father.*** He couldn't stop thinking that, it was so strange and yet so wonderful, he had a beautiful new daughter, a talented stepson (who had not been too pleased to have to go back to lessons when Severus had got some time off!) and a wife he loved. Yes Severus Snape felt that life was definitely pretty good sometimes, and he hoped more of those times would come.

As he opened the door and saw his wife sitting on the bed with their daughter in her arms and she looked up and smiled at him he knew that more of those times _would_ come. He thought about trying to tell her all of this but then realised by the look in her eyes that she already knew so simply kissed her and said, "Good Morning Narcissa."

*******

Just the epilogue to go now. So what do you all think? Was it a good ending? Review and tell me what you think, it's your last chance.