Author's Notes: Thank you to all of my readers! All questions, comments and constructive criticism are welcome if you would like to leave a review!
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and the characters and settings from the books in the series are copyright JK Rowling. They are not being used for profit, only for personal enjoyment.
*****
For the remainder of the school holiday, Hermione spent nearly every waking moment at Severus' bedside. She had been pleading with Madame Pomfrey to allow Severus to be moved to their private quarters, as she felt that she was neglecting their son by spending so much time in the infirmary with him, not to mention that the students were due back in a couple of days, and Hermione knew that Severus would not appreciate being in the ward where students would be able to see him as an invalid. Madame Pomfrey refused to let him leave the infirmary, but agreed to have him moved to one of the private rooms at the back of the ward.
In the privacy of that room, Hermione would sit and talk to Severus for hours. Often, she would bring Samuel to visit with his father, and other times, she brought her textbooks and documents so she could work on her research. Her work helped to keep her grounded, rather than allowing herself to wallow in pity. Reading from her notes, she would talk to her unconscious husband about her latest theories.
Sitting by his bedside late one night, she had a bit of a brainstorm, "I think if we make this adjustment to the Wolfsbane..." she began rambling excitedly. When she finished reciting her latest theory, she reached down to squeeze his hand, "I think this might just be the break through that we need to progress with the cure," she sighed, "But I can't brew experimental potions right now... too risky, with the baby."
"I wouldn't want to do it without my partner, anyway," she smiled sadly, "When you wake up, Severus... and I know you will... we'll do it together."
She put her papers aside and moved closer to his bedside, preparing for her nightly ritual of giving Severus a spongebath and a massage. As she gently washed his upper body, she continued talking softly to him, "Wouldn't it be a wonderful wedding present for Mum and Remus if we found the cure?"
Sighing as she gently dried him off with a soft towel, she leaned in to press a kiss to his brow. She reached for a bottle of massage oil and began working her hands over the contours of his torso savouring the feel of his warm flesh beneath her hands, before moving to his shoulders and working her way down his arms. When she reached his hands, she placed gentle kisses inside his palms as she rubbed them gently.
"You have beautiful hands, Severus. So strong... yet so delicate... and so graceful when you are brewing..." she sighed, "I always loved watching how they move when you're brewing. It was so distracting to watch you during our sessions, always wondering how those hands would feel if you touched me. I long to feel them again, Severus. I miss your touch..."
She sniffed back a sob as a tear slipped out from her eye, and she gently entwined her fingers with his. She gasped in shock when she felt his fingers twitch in response.
"Severus!" she exclaimed as she looked down at their hands, turning his over to observe, and frowning in disappointment as his fingers remained slack in her palm, "Please tell me I didn't imagine that, Severus! Please... if you can... squeeze my hand."
Nothing.
Hermione wanted to scream in frustration as she inhaled deeply and closed her eyes, "Wishful thinking..." she whispered to herself as she slowly exhaled. Carefully, and with the aid of her wand, she dressed him in a clean nightshirt before leaning in to kiss him goodnight. As she pulled away and looked down at him, she saw his fingers twitching again as Severus lifted his hand a scant inch off of the bed. She reached down and grasped it tightly as she called for Madame Pomfrey. Realizing that the door was closed, she reluctantly released his hand and ducked her head out the door, calling to the woman who was just entering the ward.
"Madame Pomfrey! Come quick!" she called before ducking back into the room.
*****
Hermione sulked back to her quarters that evening, disappointed that Madame Pomfrey was anything but encouraging. While any movement at all was a good sign, this just wasn't enough for her to assure Hermione that he was coming back to them any time soon.
Quietly entering her quarters, she found her mother asleep on the sofa, nestled snugly in Remus' arms. She quietly sneaked past the two of them as she made her way to the nursery to kiss her son goodnight. She reached into his crib to brush his hair off of his sweaty brow, smiling as she was reminded of just how much he had grown to look like his father. His baby fine hair had grown long in the back, and was the same silky soft texture as Severus', with not a hint of Hermione's curl. His face, while still round with baby fat, had begun to take on the contours of his father's face. His nose, the set of his cheekbones, his chin... he was the image of Severus through and through. Samuel's eyes briefly fluttered open as he rolled over in his sleep. Over the last year, they had indeed darkened to near black, holding barely a hint of the deep blue that they were when he was an infant.
Hermione sighed wistfully as she felt the child in her womb stirring. She reached down to rest her hand on her abdomen as she began to wonder if this child would look just as much like its father as Samuel did. Smiling, she imagined a girl who looked like Severus. She would be a stunning beauty. Or, another son, as handsome as Samuel.
She leaned in to kiss her son goodnight, pulling a blanket over him to tuck him in, and silently walked back in to her own quarters. She smiled as she saw Remus looking at her from the sofa.
"Did I wake you?" she asked.
Remus yawned, "No... I hadn't truly fallen asleep yet. Your mother, on the other hand," he smiled as his hand drifted to Elizabeth's hair, brushing a few tendrils away from her face, "Has been out for hours."
As Hermione eased herself into one of the chairs facing the sofa, Remus asked her how she was feeling.
"Tired... frustrated... hopeful..." she sighed, "Severus moved his hand tonight."
Remus smiled encouragingly as Hermione looked at him, her eyes shining with tears, "Madame Pomfrey didn't seem too impressed."
"Don't get discouraged, Hermione," he assured her, "Severus is strong. He's determined. You know that he'll pull through this."
Hermione nodded as she stood and walked over to him, leaning in to embrace him, "Thank you for helping with Samuel, Remus. I know you must be tired... and you'll need to rest up the next couple of nights before classes begin again. Go... get some sleep."
"What about Elizabeth?" he looked down at the woman who had fallen asleep in his arms.
"Hmph... what about me?" She mumbled sleepily.
Remus smiled down at her as she opened her eyes and sat up, "I didn't want to wake you."
She flashed him an exhausted smile as she stood, "Walk me to my rooms?" she asked quietly as she held her hand out to him.
"It would be my pleasure," he replied softly as he took her hand and gazed into her eyes.
Hermione smiled wistfully at them as they looked lovingly at each other. She only wished that it had been her own husband looking at her that way.
*****
Sitting with Samuel by Severus' bedside the next afternoon, Hermione was suddenly startled to feel an unfamiliar hand come to rest gently on her shoulder.
"Malfoy!" she gasped when she turned to see Draco behind her, "What are you doing here?"
"How is he?" he asked softly.
"No change..." she sighed, "As if you care..."
"I do care, Granger!"
"That's Mrs. Snape to you, Malfoy!" she snapped.
"Excuse me... Mrs. Snape," he sneered and shook his head, muttering, "I can't get used to the fact that he married a mudblood."
"Watch it, Malfoy! You realize that by calling me a 'mudblood', you're calling my children 'mudbloods' as well? And I won't have anybody speak as though my children are filth!"
Draco looked apologetic as he glanced at Samuel and sighed, "Listen, Hermione..."
"How dare you!" she hissed as she shot to her feet and whirled to face him. Her eyes danced dangerously as she advanced on him, "How dare you waltz in here and pretend as though you care! For all I know, you are the one who did this to him!"
He stepped back and raised his hands in a gesture of innocence, "Why? Why would I want to hurt the only person left in my life who believes in me? Believe it or not, Hermione, Severus is my friend! Only, he's more than that... he is the man that I wish my father had been!"
Hermione's eyes were wide as she looked at his face. She could see the grief in his eyes, and knew that he was speaking the truth.
"Hermione, I didn't come here to fight with you," he said quietl.
Hermione smiled nervously as she asked, "Why did you come, Draco?"
He pulled up another chair, stretching his legs out in front of him and crossing them at the ankles, "I have a meeting with Professor Dumbledore."
Assuming that he was there with information, Hermione asked eagerly, "Do you know who did this to Severus?"
Draco shook his head sadly, "No," he rasped, clearing his throat before he continued, "But it might as well have been me."
"What do you mean?" Hermione snapped suspiciously.
"If he hadn't come to the estate that night..." he sighed, "If my father were dead... if he hadn't escaped... if my mother..." he broke off suddenly and averted his eyes to the floor.
"What about your mother, Draco?"
He flashed her a look filled with pain and guilt as he replied, "She's missing from St. Mungo's..."
"Missing!?" Hermione squealed.
"Yes, missing. I don't know how, but it happened the night that Severus was attacked."
"Your father...?" she asked in a hoarse voice, "Did he... take her?"
Draco nodded, "It's too much of a coincidence for him not to be involved in it, somehow."
"Draco... did you know... that your father was alive the whole time?"
"No..." he looked up towards the ceiling and closed his eyes as he inhaled sharply before he continued, "I didn't know anything, until he escaped and Severus came to warn me." He shot to his feet and cursed under his breath before ranting, "If only he hadn't been worried about me, he never would have returned to check on me that night... and this never would have happened."
"Draco..." Hermione paused for a moment before extending her hand towards Draco, who eyed her warily for a moment before reaching out and accepting the gesture. "I'm sorry, about your mother,"
"Nothing for you to be sorry about," he smiled sadly, "she's probably happier now that my bastard of a father has come back for her."
"Do you think she knew?"
"I don't want to think about it..." he sighed, "I love my mother, but I don't think that I could forgive her this if she knew about him all along. If only I had known... I could have done something..."
"It's not your fault," Hermione responded tearfully, "I'm sorry I blamed you."
Draco stood and headed for the door, not looking back at her as he replied hoarsely, "I should go..."
"Draco!" she called after him.
He paused and turned around slowly, "What?"
"Will you come visit again? Talk to Severus... I think he would like to know that you are safe."
He nodded, "I'll return after my meeting with the headmaster."
*****
Severus could hear the voices in his room. So close, yet they sounded so far away. He knew that Hermione was there with Samuel, but it took him a moment to register the owner of the second voice.
"Malfoy!" he heard her hiss.
*Draco!* Severus could feel his heart racing as memories of the attack flashed through his mind. He couldn't remember much about it... but he knew that it had something to do with the Malfoys. He knew he had to warn Hermione... warn her about.... something. But what?
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and the characters and settings from the books in the series are copyright JK Rowling. They are not being used for profit, only for personal enjoyment.
*****
For the remainder of the school holiday, Hermione spent nearly every waking moment at Severus' bedside. She had been pleading with Madame Pomfrey to allow Severus to be moved to their private quarters, as she felt that she was neglecting their son by spending so much time in the infirmary with him, not to mention that the students were due back in a couple of days, and Hermione knew that Severus would not appreciate being in the ward where students would be able to see him as an invalid. Madame Pomfrey refused to let him leave the infirmary, but agreed to have him moved to one of the private rooms at the back of the ward.
In the privacy of that room, Hermione would sit and talk to Severus for hours. Often, she would bring Samuel to visit with his father, and other times, she brought her textbooks and documents so she could work on her research. Her work helped to keep her grounded, rather than allowing herself to wallow in pity. Reading from her notes, she would talk to her unconscious husband about her latest theories.
Sitting by his bedside late one night, she had a bit of a brainstorm, "I think if we make this adjustment to the Wolfsbane..." she began rambling excitedly. When she finished reciting her latest theory, she reached down to squeeze his hand, "I think this might just be the break through that we need to progress with the cure," she sighed, "But I can't brew experimental potions right now... too risky, with the baby."
"I wouldn't want to do it without my partner, anyway," she smiled sadly, "When you wake up, Severus... and I know you will... we'll do it together."
She put her papers aside and moved closer to his bedside, preparing for her nightly ritual of giving Severus a spongebath and a massage. As she gently washed his upper body, she continued talking softly to him, "Wouldn't it be a wonderful wedding present for Mum and Remus if we found the cure?"
Sighing as she gently dried him off with a soft towel, she leaned in to press a kiss to his brow. She reached for a bottle of massage oil and began working her hands over the contours of his torso savouring the feel of his warm flesh beneath her hands, before moving to his shoulders and working her way down his arms. When she reached his hands, she placed gentle kisses inside his palms as she rubbed them gently.
"You have beautiful hands, Severus. So strong... yet so delicate... and so graceful when you are brewing..." she sighed, "I always loved watching how they move when you're brewing. It was so distracting to watch you during our sessions, always wondering how those hands would feel if you touched me. I long to feel them again, Severus. I miss your touch..."
She sniffed back a sob as a tear slipped out from her eye, and she gently entwined her fingers with his. She gasped in shock when she felt his fingers twitch in response.
"Severus!" she exclaimed as she looked down at their hands, turning his over to observe, and frowning in disappointment as his fingers remained slack in her palm, "Please tell me I didn't imagine that, Severus! Please... if you can... squeeze my hand."
Nothing.
Hermione wanted to scream in frustration as she inhaled deeply and closed her eyes, "Wishful thinking..." she whispered to herself as she slowly exhaled. Carefully, and with the aid of her wand, she dressed him in a clean nightshirt before leaning in to kiss him goodnight. As she pulled away and looked down at him, she saw his fingers twitching again as Severus lifted his hand a scant inch off of the bed. She reached down and grasped it tightly as she called for Madame Pomfrey. Realizing that the door was closed, she reluctantly released his hand and ducked her head out the door, calling to the woman who was just entering the ward.
"Madame Pomfrey! Come quick!" she called before ducking back into the room.
*****
Hermione sulked back to her quarters that evening, disappointed that Madame Pomfrey was anything but encouraging. While any movement at all was a good sign, this just wasn't enough for her to assure Hermione that he was coming back to them any time soon.
Quietly entering her quarters, she found her mother asleep on the sofa, nestled snugly in Remus' arms. She quietly sneaked past the two of them as she made her way to the nursery to kiss her son goodnight. She reached into his crib to brush his hair off of his sweaty brow, smiling as she was reminded of just how much he had grown to look like his father. His baby fine hair had grown long in the back, and was the same silky soft texture as Severus', with not a hint of Hermione's curl. His face, while still round with baby fat, had begun to take on the contours of his father's face. His nose, the set of his cheekbones, his chin... he was the image of Severus through and through. Samuel's eyes briefly fluttered open as he rolled over in his sleep. Over the last year, they had indeed darkened to near black, holding barely a hint of the deep blue that they were when he was an infant.
Hermione sighed wistfully as she felt the child in her womb stirring. She reached down to rest her hand on her abdomen as she began to wonder if this child would look just as much like its father as Samuel did. Smiling, she imagined a girl who looked like Severus. She would be a stunning beauty. Or, another son, as handsome as Samuel.
She leaned in to kiss her son goodnight, pulling a blanket over him to tuck him in, and silently walked back in to her own quarters. She smiled as she saw Remus looking at her from the sofa.
"Did I wake you?" she asked.
Remus yawned, "No... I hadn't truly fallen asleep yet. Your mother, on the other hand," he smiled as his hand drifted to Elizabeth's hair, brushing a few tendrils away from her face, "Has been out for hours."
As Hermione eased herself into one of the chairs facing the sofa, Remus asked her how she was feeling.
"Tired... frustrated... hopeful..." she sighed, "Severus moved his hand tonight."
Remus smiled encouragingly as Hermione looked at him, her eyes shining with tears, "Madame Pomfrey didn't seem too impressed."
"Don't get discouraged, Hermione," he assured her, "Severus is strong. He's determined. You know that he'll pull through this."
Hermione nodded as she stood and walked over to him, leaning in to embrace him, "Thank you for helping with Samuel, Remus. I know you must be tired... and you'll need to rest up the next couple of nights before classes begin again. Go... get some sleep."
"What about Elizabeth?" he looked down at the woman who had fallen asleep in his arms.
"Hmph... what about me?" She mumbled sleepily.
Remus smiled down at her as she opened her eyes and sat up, "I didn't want to wake you."
She flashed him an exhausted smile as she stood, "Walk me to my rooms?" she asked quietly as she held her hand out to him.
"It would be my pleasure," he replied softly as he took her hand and gazed into her eyes.
Hermione smiled wistfully at them as they looked lovingly at each other. She only wished that it had been her own husband looking at her that way.
*****
Sitting with Samuel by Severus' bedside the next afternoon, Hermione was suddenly startled to feel an unfamiliar hand come to rest gently on her shoulder.
"Malfoy!" she gasped when she turned to see Draco behind her, "What are you doing here?"
"How is he?" he asked softly.
"No change..." she sighed, "As if you care..."
"I do care, Granger!"
"That's Mrs. Snape to you, Malfoy!" she snapped.
"Excuse me... Mrs. Snape," he sneered and shook his head, muttering, "I can't get used to the fact that he married a mudblood."
"Watch it, Malfoy! You realize that by calling me a 'mudblood', you're calling my children 'mudbloods' as well? And I won't have anybody speak as though my children are filth!"
Draco looked apologetic as he glanced at Samuel and sighed, "Listen, Hermione..."
"How dare you!" she hissed as she shot to her feet and whirled to face him. Her eyes danced dangerously as she advanced on him, "How dare you waltz in here and pretend as though you care! For all I know, you are the one who did this to him!"
He stepped back and raised his hands in a gesture of innocence, "Why? Why would I want to hurt the only person left in my life who believes in me? Believe it or not, Hermione, Severus is my friend! Only, he's more than that... he is the man that I wish my father had been!"
Hermione's eyes were wide as she looked at his face. She could see the grief in his eyes, and knew that he was speaking the truth.
"Hermione, I didn't come here to fight with you," he said quietl.
Hermione smiled nervously as she asked, "Why did you come, Draco?"
He pulled up another chair, stretching his legs out in front of him and crossing them at the ankles, "I have a meeting with Professor Dumbledore."
Assuming that he was there with information, Hermione asked eagerly, "Do you know who did this to Severus?"
Draco shook his head sadly, "No," he rasped, clearing his throat before he continued, "But it might as well have been me."
"What do you mean?" Hermione snapped suspiciously.
"If he hadn't come to the estate that night..." he sighed, "If my father were dead... if he hadn't escaped... if my mother..." he broke off suddenly and averted his eyes to the floor.
"What about your mother, Draco?"
He flashed her a look filled with pain and guilt as he replied, "She's missing from St. Mungo's..."
"Missing!?" Hermione squealed.
"Yes, missing. I don't know how, but it happened the night that Severus was attacked."
"Your father...?" she asked in a hoarse voice, "Did he... take her?"
Draco nodded, "It's too much of a coincidence for him not to be involved in it, somehow."
"Draco... did you know... that your father was alive the whole time?"
"No..." he looked up towards the ceiling and closed his eyes as he inhaled sharply before he continued, "I didn't know anything, until he escaped and Severus came to warn me." He shot to his feet and cursed under his breath before ranting, "If only he hadn't been worried about me, he never would have returned to check on me that night... and this never would have happened."
"Draco..." Hermione paused for a moment before extending her hand towards Draco, who eyed her warily for a moment before reaching out and accepting the gesture. "I'm sorry, about your mother,"
"Nothing for you to be sorry about," he smiled sadly, "she's probably happier now that my bastard of a father has come back for her."
"Do you think she knew?"
"I don't want to think about it..." he sighed, "I love my mother, but I don't think that I could forgive her this if she knew about him all along. If only I had known... I could have done something..."
"It's not your fault," Hermione responded tearfully, "I'm sorry I blamed you."
Draco stood and headed for the door, not looking back at her as he replied hoarsely, "I should go..."
"Draco!" she called after him.
He paused and turned around slowly, "What?"
"Will you come visit again? Talk to Severus... I think he would like to know that you are safe."
He nodded, "I'll return after my meeting with the headmaster."
*****
Severus could hear the voices in his room. So close, yet they sounded so far away. He knew that Hermione was there with Samuel, but it took him a moment to register the owner of the second voice.
"Malfoy!" he heard her hiss.
*Draco!* Severus could feel his heart racing as memories of the attack flashed through his mind. He couldn't remember much about it... but he knew that it had something to do with the Malfoys. He knew he had to warn Hermione... warn her about.... something. But what?