So, I think one or two more chapters max. I hope you still like me after you read this (and no, I didn't do it to anoy you. It was planned like this from the beginning.)
Have fun. i am eager awaiting your reactions
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Two weeks later was a Hogsmeade weekend and Hermione went shopping with Ginny.
Three weeks before, Hermione had told her friends about the baby. The boys hadn't been so happy about it at first but the thought of how much they could tease Snape with being Uncle Harry and Uncle Ron soon lifted their spirits.
"Are we really happy about this?" Ginny asked.
Hermione beamed at her. "Yes, Ginny. We definitely are happy about this!"
Ginny nodded. "That is all I need to know."
Hermione reached out and squeezed her hand affectionately. "Thanks."
"My pleasure."
The morning seemed to rush by as the girls continued their shopping. After a quick lunch, they went to a few other shops until they were finally tired out and decided to return to Hogwarts. Chatting happily, they started on their way back.
Halfway between Hogwarts and Hogsmeade, they were suddenly surrounded by Death Eaters. Before they could draw their wands, the Petrificus Totalus spell hit them both.
Ginny had to watch as two Death Eaters stepped out of the circle to beat up her friend. When Hermione was lying on the ground, bleeding, they pulled out their wands and shouted a few curses at her. It didn't last long, maybe ten minutes. Ginny wasn't touched once.
The spell was lifted when the Death Eaters Apparated back where they had come from. Ginny rushed over to Hermione, praying while she searched for a pulse.
Hour's later, Severus was watching over Hermione's sleeping form. Moments after the attack, students had found them and immediately called for the professors. As soon as he heard about it, his heart stopped. He rushed to the hospital wing just as Poppy finished her examination. He waited for her to speak but the woman just looked at him sadly.
"For heaven's sake, speak woman!"
She shook her head. "I'm sorry, Severus. I don't know if they will make it."
Snape nodded.
During the night Hermione's body had started to convulse. Soon afterward, she lost the baby. She didn't come to her senses once.
Severus hadn't left her during this first night.
The next morning, he made preparations for the funeral before he went to Dumbledore's office. A weeping Ginny Weasley was lying in Potter's arms.
Severus kneeled down before her. "What happened?" he asked her gently.
"We went shopping for the baby. And then..." new tears started to toll down her cheeks and Severus counted silently to ten. If he wanted to get anything useful from the girl, he needed to be calm, so he patiently waited for her to recover enough to speak.
"Death Eaters. There were so many of them. They surrounded us and we couldn't move," she whispered while she clung to Harry's arm for comfort. "They went straight for Hermione. They totally ignored me. But I couldn't move. I swear, oh, Professor. I couldn't help her…"
Severus reached out and cupped her cheek gently. "I know. It's not your fault."
She met his gaze and her eyes again started to shine with tears. "Oh, Professor. They beat her. Two of them beat and cursed her. There was so much blood…so much blood." Ginny's voice trailed off and Severus stood up. He went over to Dumbledore.
"Severus, I…"
"Don't say it. That was a strike against me. Somehow, they must have learned of the baby. Voldemort doesn't want his Death Eaters to have half-blood children."
Dumbledore observed him with concern. Severus seemed so calm. His face was completely stern. Not one emotion played on his features.
Later, Severus returned to his place by her side. Her beautiful face was covered in bruises and the roundness of her belly was gone. He laid his hand on her belly and watched it lightly rise and fall with her breathing. She had been right. Hermione had been right. They had, indeed, expected a girl. The beating had caused early labor and Poppy had delivered the little one but it just had been too small. Not able to live. Severus had demanded to see the corpse. Poppy had wanted to say no but one look in his eyes had changed her mind.
Silently, she had brought him into the room next door. He had to swallow as he saw the tiny pink figure for the first time. The little girl wasn't as big as his hand but she was perfect. Severus didn't know how long he stayed in that room looking at his firstborn.
Although Hermione was still unconscious, he decided to have the funeral the next day. His daughter would be buried among her ancestors in the Snape Manor graveyard.
Later that day, he Apparated to his home and gave instructions to the house-elves before he went to see his brother. He entered without permission, took the surprised Ernestus by his sleeves, and pushed him against the wall.
"Severus! What are you doing?" Ernestus asked dumbstruck.
"Hermione." Severus looked closely at his brother. "My wife. She lost our baby. You wouldn't happen to know anything about it, would you?" he snarled with an ice-cold voice.
Ernestus faced showed near relief. "Oh that. You don't need to thank us. Just the thought of Muggles in the family was ridiculous."
Severus tightened his grip on his brother and his eyes narrowed to slits. "Thank you?" His voice was barely a whisper. "I should kill you!"
Ernestus eyes went wide and his face paled. "What are you talking about? Are you saying that you actually wanted the child? That half-blood?"
Severus caught the irritation in his brother's voice but he ignored it. "Indeed, I did!" he said.
In that moment, something broke inside of Ernestus. His beloved brother was choosing a Mudblood over his own flesh and blood. "Who are you? I don't know you any more, Severus. What has happened to you?" he whispered, shocked.
"Life happened to me. I grew up! And so should you. From this day on I don't have a brother, any longer. Because of our shared blood, I won't kill you." His gaze lowered to Ernestus. "But be aware that I won't hesitate should you over come near me or my wife again!" He let go of his brother as if the contact would physically hurt him.
Ernestus looked brokenly at him. "Severus?"
But his brother refused to look at him again. "Go, before I change my mind."
Ernestus stumbled to his feet and ran out of the room and straight into the arms of waiting Aurors who brought the screaming and crying man to Baredy, a wizard prison far away from Severus and Voldemort.
-
Lucius Malfoy didn't know what hit him. One moment he was working in his office and then he couldn't move at all.
"Do you like the feeling, Lucius?" Severus snarled as he became visible. "No? Well maybe you should have thought about that before you attacked my wife!" He raised his voice and shouted: "Crucio!"
Severus slowly circled the man lying on the ground before he kicked him in his abdomen. "Is that better? Tell me Lucius, did it feel good to beat a helpless girl? I'm sure it did to you, you sick bastard. It's different to be on the receiving end, isn't it?"
Of course, Severus didn't expect an answer.
"You slaughtered my heir, Lucius. On my way to you, I played a dozen scenarios in my mind about this and about what I would to make you realize what you have done. And I soon came to the conclusion that there is just one thing I can do. Just one thing to make you feel like I do at the moment."
Severus bent down and his cold, hard gaze found Lucius's fearful one. "An heir for an heir. What do you think, Lucius? That's a fair trade, isn't it? A life for a life. A child for a child. Blood for blood."
Severus noticed with satisfaction the fear that crept over Lucius's face. He stood up again. "But then, I wouldn't be any better than you, would I? Instead, I decided to kill you, my friend. Why should I blame your behavior on the boy? That would hardly be fair, would it?"
A last time, Severus raised his wand and pointed it at Lucius. "I won't grant you the honor of dying in a fair duel, Lucius. You will die as you lived - worthless!" Without another word, Severus cast the Killing Curse and observed with satisfaction how the life left Lucius's body. Severus left the Manor, not looking back.