Thank you so much for the reviews. Fanfic did not send the 'new chapter alerts' out until about 36 hours after I'd posted, and some of you on Hotmail may not have received it at all, so thank you, thank you all of you whofound itand reviewed. If you haven't read 'Wedding Night' yet, you might want to before reading this next chapter.

My thanks as always to JessiokaFroka for betareading. She has loads of work on at the moment, so I am extremely grateful to her for giving me some time.

This next chapter is quite long (for this author) - you might want to get a coke or something before you start!

Thouandl - you might find some of this a bit familiar!

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

ENDINGS AND BEGINNINGS

July the following year:

"Mmmmmm..."

She woke as he kissed her, enjoying the sensation until her hands stroked around his back and instead of meeting with warm naked flesh, she felt cloth.

"No!"

"I have to go."

Awake now, she pulled herself to a sitting position.

"You've only been back a few days. It's three in the morning. This is too much. You've done your fair share. Let someone else go..."

"You know there is no one." He leaned forward and stroked the side of her face. "Andrea," he whispered. "Listen to me, this is important. If anything happens, I want you to promise you'll call Poppy, and she will come to you."

"You say that every time you leave me," she smiled. "The baby isn't due for another two weeks."

"I am not referring just to the baby." He gave a resigned sigh. "The war situation is not under control as much as the Ministry would have us believe. Things could get desperate very quickly. If Hogwarts is attacked-"

"Attacked! But... but Hogwarts is the safest place... that's why I'm still here..." Her hands went protectively to her stomach.

"And it still is the safest place for you to be. Do you think I would let you stay here if it was otherwise? Just promise me if... if anything should happen, you will call Poppy straight away. Hopefully, I shall be with you again tomorrow."

She threw her arms around him, desperately wanting to keep him here. She stifled her sobs, knowing how unfair it would be for him to leave, seeing her in that state. He had to go. Oh but every time he did, it felt as though her heart was torn from her breast and went with him.

He kissed her lips, kissed her swollen stomach, and left.

The rest of the night was sleepless for Andi. She worried for his safety more than he suspected. She had never dared mention that each time he said goodbye under these circumstances, she felt the heat from his arm as he caressed her. The arm that bore the Dark Mark.

He didn't come back the next day.

She spent the day sorting out her wardrobe and dusting the bookshelves - something the house-elves did, but she needed something to occupy her mind. She could hardly spend the day playing the piano.

She finally went to bed, tired and exhausted.

It wasn't the explosion that woke her. When she had time to think about it, she realised she'd been in a semi-wakefulness for some time, tossing and turning, rubbing her swollen belly and sleepily wondering what she had eaten to give her stomach cramps.

When the thunderous noise came, heavy enough to shake the bed frame, she had sat up with a gasp, terrified for a moment that her insides had been blown apart.

Andi clutched the distorted mound that was her stomach as a frightening pain squeezed her. It took her a few moments to realise what that meant - it had started.

OK, what did she have to do?

Panting, she thought.

Time the contractions and if they were ten minutes apart or less, she was to call Poppy.

Andi turned her head to look at the empty space in the bed. She wished he were here.

The noise outside was not loud but frightening in that she could hear it at all. Their sleeping chamber was usually quite soundproof.

Climbing out of bed, she pulled on her dressing gown and waddled to the outer door.

First she listened.

Shouting, screams, glass shattering, explosions.

Heart hammering, she opened the door a fraction and peered out. Nothing down in her corridor in the dungeons, but the shadows on the wall at the base of the staircase told of the chaos and frantic activity up in the Entrance Hall.

Quickly she shut the door and leaned back against it, eyes wide, blood pumping. It was happening, just as Severus had feared. The war had exploded. Hogwarts was under attack. What on earth should she do?

Andi's breath was snatched away with another tight pain across her stomach. How long had it been since the last one? Surely not ten minutes?

She took out her wand, pointed it to the lock on the door and double-warded it. Then she staggered to the table and sat, picked up parchment and quill and wrote:

"Poppy,

Contractions ten minutes apart.

Please come.

Andrea."

The parchment was rolled up and sent to the Hospital Wing by floo.

What a time to be having a baby.

What a time for Severus to be absent.

In the two years since she'd been at Hogwarts, Andi had been generally accepted by all except the Slytherins, who had hexed her, played tricks on her and generally given her a hard time. Then, when she and Severus had married last summer, his House members had begrudgingly accepted her too; until it was discovered that the Headmaster wasn't always aware of Severus' whereabouts; that when Severus was supposed to be away working for Dumbledore, there were periods of his time unaccounted for, and whispers had begun that he was, once again, answering the call of the Dark Lord.

The rumours had spread that Severus had changed his allegiance and was now fighting on the dark side. Rumours she had fought verbally tooth and nail to quash.

How strange that a few rumours could turn the tide of opinion so rapidly within the school.

Now there was an unspoken suspicion of her amongst the students she had considered the 'nice ones' and a buoyant camaraderie towards her from the House she'd had most trouble with - the Slytherins.

Another contraction.

Nine minutes later, another.

The noises outside were getting more violent.

Where was Poppy?

Andi paced the room, breathing her way through the pain of another contraction.

Where the fuck was Poppy?

The noises outside got closer. Shouting and crashes told her they were down the stairs.

Trying not to panic, trying not to hyperventilate, she went to the fireplace and stared at it, willing the medic to appear.

There came a rattle at the door. Andi stepped into the fireplace and grabbed a handful of floo powder. She wasn't supposed to use the Floo at this late stage in her pregnancy, and she knew there was every chance the internal Floo system might be shut down all ready, as a precautionary measure during an attack, but...

The door to the quarters blew inwards. She threw the powder down and prayed. She didn't want to see who was on the other side. She knew damn well it wasn't anyone she would wish to see.

The sight that met her eyes at the other end of the Floo appalled her. She'd clattered into the fireplace in the Hospital Wing, feeling as though she had gone one way and her stomach the other. Under her hand was her rolled parchment lying, unread, in the grate.

The dizziness was sickening, but as her head cleared and her eyes focused, she gazed before her in horror.

There were beds crammed side by side and injured people sitting or lying on the floor; some even suspended in makeshift hammocks from the ceiling. The smell and sound of pain was suffocating.

Poppy was flying about everywhere, not stopping when she spotted Andi.

"Andrea, thank the heavens! There's a girl over there with a broken leg who needs a pain killing draft and another in the next bed who needs her head bandaged..."

Andi, who had pulled herself to standing, opened her mouth to answer, but instead fell back against the fireplace gasping as another contraction took her breath away.

Poppy took one horrified look that at last stopped her in her tracks. "Oh good Lord!"

"I'm sorry," whimpered Andi.

"I simply haven't got the resources..."

Andi began to cry - she couldn't help it. Here she was, about to have a baby, frightened and in pain and no one, she realised, was going to be able to help her.

She surveyed the agony of those not yet treated.

"I'm in Gone With The Wind," she thought, fearfully; only she wasn't brave, resourceful, capable Scarlet - she was helpless Melanie, having a baby when the Yankees were coming.

A sob escaped her.

Poppy came over. Andi glared at her.

"If you say 'there's nothing much to birthing a baby' I'll hex you," she hissed.

The nurse put her hands on Andi's shoulders. "Sylvia knows what to do. I will have to spare her and make do with the House Elves."

Poppy left her and came back with Sylvia, who was changing a blood-splattered apron for a fresh clean one.

"Come on, love," Sylvia put an arm around Andi's shoulder and led her away. "We can't stay here, Poppy needs all the space and we don't want your little one arriving in this chaos, do we?"

"Where are we going?"

"There's only one place to go...and we've got to go on foot - they've closed down the floo for traveling, apart from the fireplace Minerva and Filius are using to evacuate the students."

Carefully, Sylvia led her through corridors, hiding when the noises got to close for comfort, shielding Andi when there was an explosion or a window smashed in.

They reached a tiny dark passageway whose wall on the right was covered entirely by a painting of Nostradamus.

"There are more things in heaven and earth," commanded Sylvia to the painting. It swung forward revealing a little cubby hole with an iron spiral staircase inside and nothing more.

"Come on," said Sylvia, helping Andi through the hole.

Andi looked up. The steps seemed to go up into infinity.

"This is a joke, isn't it?" she spluttered. "I'm having a baby -I can't climb that!"

"I'll put a featherweight charm on you," said Sylvia, drawing out her wand. "You won't feel your own weight."

"Sylvia, I shall haemorrhage or something..." There was a blast, too close for comfort. "But I'm going to have to, aren't I?"

Slowly they began climbing the stairs, going round and round and up and up. It was interminable. Every now and then they stopped whilst Andi dealt with a contraction.

"Bloody stupid time to be having a baby," Sylvia panted.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," snapped Andi, coming off the crest of the pain. "I'll ask it to stay inside for a while, shall I?"

Sylvia just put her hand on Andi's back and helped push her up the stairs.

Through the walls they could hear the fighting going on. The cries of pain adding to Andi's fear.

"How much further?" she gasped. It felt as though they'd been climbing for ever.

"We're about half way."

Andi groaned and twisted so she could sit on the step. "I can't do it. Please...I can't go any further."

"Look, Andrea, I know it's hard but there's a fucking war going on just a few feet from us and unless you want to give birth on a fucking staircase-"

Her sentence was cut short. Sylvia's eyes opened wide and then she crumpled, sliding down the stairs on her back until her legs caught in the railings and her bulk stopped her going any further.

Andi gave a terrified cry and looked past her friend's body to see someone just below on the stairs, pointing a wand at her.

"Well, well. What have we here? Escapees?"

"Draco!"

Draco Malfoy stepped over Sylvia's body and began walking up the stairs towards Andi, his wand aimed at her constantly. He was much bigger than her now, and she knew full well where his loyalties lie.

"Mr. Malfoy now, I think," he said.

She watched carefully as he approached. There was nowhere to run, even if she could, and she knew her magic was no match for his.

She swallowed. "Draco-"

"Mr. Malfoy," he corrected her.

"Mr. Malfoy. I can't harm you or fight you, you know that. Please just let me go."

"Give me one good reason."

"It would be too easy. I'm not worth the trouble of killing."

"Not worth killing the granddaughter of Minister Fudge?"

Andi breathed heavily and looked at him. "I'm also the wife of your Head of House - Professor Snape - remember?"

"And about to produce the soiled-blood heir to that name."

Andi was sweating profusely. Only the fact he hadn't killed her instantly gave her hope.

"Mr. Malfoy," she said, her voice trembling. "I've all ready lost one child because of your family; please don't take this one too."

He just looked at her.

"You were injured as well in that attack, remember?"

Still he looked at her.

"And you took part in the show just to spite the people who'd attacked us. And you played Sky so brilliantly, you had the whole school on your side that night - I know because I watched their faces as you sang. I was so proud of you-"

"Shut up! Just...shut up!"

Andi let out a loud gasp and clutched her stomach again, half standing as she grappled at the railings.

"Well, Mr. Malfoy," she spluttered through the pain. "If it'll...make you feel...proud of yourself...best kill me now while I'm...in pain and looking for a release." She looked at him through clouded eyes as she gasped and breathed her way through the contraction.

She sat back down as the pain diminished. They stared at each other.

"I'll consider letting you go," he said. "On one condition."

She waited.

"You admit Snape's on our side. That he's betrayed Dumbledore."

"He hasn't. He would never."

Malfoy grabbed hold of her robes and pulled her closer.

"Oh yes he would. As soon as my father broke out of Azkaban, Snape was at his side. I know because I was there. I poured the firewhisky they put away late into the night."

"You're lying."

"You know I'm not."

She looked at his face and saw that, no, he wasn't lying.

"The Headmaster trusts Severus. And I trust both of them," she told him.

"Does he? I haven't heard Dumbledore say anything about Snape lately. Don't you think that if Dumbledore knew Snape was innocent of the rumours, he'd defend him? But he hasn't, has he? Dumbledore is speechless, because he knows Snape has betrayed him." He gave her an evil grin. "I couldn't kill the wife of a Death Eater, now could I? So say it. Admit it. Severus Snape is a servant of the Dark Lord."

She kept mute. Malfoy pulled on her robes, pressing his wand against her stomach.

Tears fell from her eyes as she felt the little innocent kick of the baby. She crossed her fingers in the folds of her robes.

"Yes. Yes he is."

"My husband, Severus Snape..." Malfoy prompted.

"My husband, Severus Snape, is a servant of the Dark Lord," she sniffed.

Sylvia gave a moan behind them.

Malfoy's eyes darted over Andi's face and then with rapier speed, he pulled her closer and kissed her fully on the mouth, his tongue forcing its way in, probing and darting until, with a disgusted twist of her head, she managed to pull away.

He grimaced as he wiped his mouth on his robes. "All the fuss the boys made about you when you first arrived," he sneered. "Can't say you're really worth it."

It was at that moment Andi felt a kind of release within her. She clutched at her stomach.

"OH!"

"What the fuck...?"

Draco let go of her and jumped down two steps as liquid splattered over the iron stairs.

"My...my waters have broke," she gasped. "The baby's coming." She looked up at him, desperately. "You have to help me..."

Draco backed away, terrified.

"Please, don't leave me. I can't give birth on my own. I need someone here..." she pleaded. "Oh, God! It's coming! Please Draco..."

With the nimbleness of a gazelle, Draco jumped over Sylvia.

"You're on your own," he said, and then hesitated, glancing back at Andi, obviously fighting with a stab of conscience.

She heard him whisper a surrendering 'fuck' under his breath before he pointed his wand at Sylvia.

"Enervate!"

He then disappeared through the door from which he came.

Andi dropped her head in her hands, breathing heavily, having just acted for her life. Her waters had broke and she'd grabbed the only chance she had of getting rid of him. Luckily, he turned out to be the coward everyone had always accused him of being.

She scuttled down the steps to Sylvia, who was regaining consciousness.

"Ward the door," Sylvia stuttered. "It'll delay the wanker if he changes his mind."

Andi did so.

"Don't you want to rest?" said Andi, as Sylvia pulled herself to her feet with great effort.

"If you can do this while you're having a fucking baby, I'm sure I can do it with a little bit of pissing dizziness. Come on..."

"Sybill! Sybill open the fucking door, it's Sylvia."

They stood below a trap door in what felt like the highest tower in the castle. Andi's stomach felt strained to the limit. God knew what that climb had done to her poor stretched muscles.

"Sybill! If you can stop playing with your crystal knob for a moment and open the fucking door. Sybill!"

The trap door opened just a fraction and the eyes of a fruit bat peered out.

"I sense you are not alone," came an ethereal voice.

"I've got Andrea here. We need shelter - she's in labour...she'd about to drop...let us in."

The ladder was lowered. Andi didn't think she could walk another step, let alone climb a ladder.

"Last bit," said Sylvia with an apologetic smile.

"It isn't easy climbing a ladder, full term."

"Love, I carry the same bulk as you permanently. I do understand. Stand on the bottom rung - I'll take you up with a spell. Up you go."

Sybill Trelawney had been at the wedding, but that was the only time Andi had ever seen her. She fluttered around like a trapped moth, unsure whether to go near the flame or not.

"She's not poisonous, for the Gods' sakes Sybill. Now grab hold and help me get her to your Zen room."

"A baby! In the Zen Room! Oh my dears, no - the karma-"

"Fuck the karma. This baby is going to be born away from the crap that's going on downstairs, now come on!"

Andi was really struggling now. The climb had aggravated the contractions. They were now more frequent and more painful so that she moaned with the sheer force of them.

Despite Sylvia's assurances to the contrary, there were more stairs to climb. One led to a gallery bedroom, with lots of chiffon and silk in aqua shades, and then on, up through a door invisible to the naked eye until Sybill flashed her wand at it.

Inside the room, down five steps from the door to the floor.

Andi lowered herself onto the deep red counterpane of the bed and felt slight relief in the comfort underneath her back, and now she had arrived at the place where her baby would be born, she had time to think of other things. Such as, what the hell was going on down through the rest of the school? Who had been injured, who had been killed? Where the hell was Severus in all this? She wanted him here.

Even as high as they were, the noise from the grounds reached their ears. Sylvia looked out of the window, her face openly fearful.

"What's going on?" demanded Andi, struggling off the bed.

"Nothing for you to worry about," said Sylvia, stepping back from the window and starting to bustle around.

"Ooooohh!"

Andi bent over and supported herself on the bed, while Sylvia came over and rubbed her back.

"Bad one?"

"Uh hu." Andi waited until she'd regained her breath. "Sylvia - you can fly a broom, can't you? If...if they come for us, promise you'll take the baby..."

"They're not going to come for us."

"Just promise," Andi said impatiently, as another wave of agony gripped her.

"The child will be safe whatever the outcome," wafted Sybill. They both stared at her. "If the evil one is victorious, a Death Eater's child will be spared."

"Severus is not a Death... owwwwww..."

"Sybill, you're not helping," snapped Sylvia as she supported Andi through the contraction, and when it had passed, she whispered "Listen love, I'm going to have to examine you; see how far you are, OK?"

"Half way! I'm only half way!" wailed Andi, when told the result of the examination. "I can't be, it hurts too much. I want my epidural now." She looked at Sylvia. "No epidural?"

"Muggle medicine," she replied.

"Well then, give me what you do have. How do witches have babies? Give me the potion or the lotion. Night Diamond!" she cried, triumphantly. "I remember - it's Night Diamond the Wise Women use for childbirth." She saw the two women exchange glances and a great fear descended on her. "We haven't got anything, have we?" And as that realisation hit home, she closed her eyes and said, "I'm going to die, aren't I?"

"Andrea, you are not going to die. I'll have you know I delivered my first baby at the age of thirteen."

Sylvia didn't know that Andi's clarity, which was erratic at best, was spluttering into life.

"And how many babies have you delivered since then?" she asked.

Sylvia pretended to straighten out the bed covers. "Strangely, there isn't much call for midwifery in a boarding school. But I do know what I'm doing."

Time ticked by. The fighting continued. The pains got stronger. Andi's cries got louder, but still she was not ready.

Sybill announced the trauma was damaging her inner eye and left the room, only to let out a little cry when she arrived downstairs.

Andi and Sylvia exchanged glances. Sylvia went striding to the door and listened before opening it and peering out, calling cautiously,

"Sybill?"

She opened the door wider and Sybill came in with a wooden stool in her hands and a white box tucked under her arm. She was clearly having trouble carrying them.

"These have appeared in the fireplace," she announced as Sylvia relieved her of both. "Poppy must have received my telepathic messages to send them."

Sylvia dropped the stool and ripped open the box.

"Night Diamond," she announced with a sigh of relief, and quickly administered it to Andi.

The relief was immense. The pain was still there, but manageable.

"What's the stool for?" Andi asked.

"It's a birthing stool," Sylvia told her, picking up the horseshoe-shaped stool and running her hands over the smooth wood as she examined it. "Amish by the looks of it. (Where on earth would Poppy have got it from?) You sit on it, someone supports your back, gravity helps you push the baby out. Simple."

"Oh, simple is it? You want to do it for me then?"

The castle walls stood strong, but the explosions were now so violent the vibrations could be felt in the furniture and rattled the windows. They were now loud enough to cause Sybill (and Andi, when she was aware) to scream, and the flashes of light were so frequent, it might have been a firework display.

Andi was pacing the room forcefully, the pain now constant. On her last examination Sylvia had told her perhaps another hour to go.

"The Night Diamond isn't working," she wailed.

"Yes it is. It would be much worse if it wasn't."

"Ohhhhhh... fuck this for a game of soldiers..."

"Just think," said Sylvia putting an arm around Andi's shoulders and smiling. "A little while longer and you'll be holding your baby."

Andi grabbed her hand and smiled. "Thanks, Sylvia."

Andi had turned away to begin pacing the room again when she heard Sylvia say,

"Sybill! What on earth...?"

Andi turned to look at the door where Sybill was standing petrified, a dirty piece of parchment in her hands.

Sybill opened her mouth, but it seemed an age before any sound came out.

"Albus is dead."

Cold fear gripped at Andi. Albus, dead? No. No, that couldn't be right. There had to be some mistake, because if Albus was dead then the war might just as well be lost...

Sylvia strode over to Sybill and snatched the parchment from her.

"It's an official notice," she said, and Andi could hear the dread in her voice. Sylvia cast her eyes over the message. "At 5:42 AM Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Order of Merlin, First Class, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was killed in battle..." Sylvia's words died.

Andi looked at her. "What? What else does it say?"

"Nothing," said Sylvia thickly, rolling up the parchment.

Andi eyed the roll of parchment with fear. Sylvia didn't want to read on for some reason. Was it how Albus had died - was it horrific?

"What does it say, Sylvia?" she demanded.

Resigned, Sylvia unrolled the parchment. "Was killed in battle by Severus Snape, last surviving heir to the House of Snape."

Andi felt the bottom drop from her world. There must be some mistake; a huge mistake. Albus dead? By Severus' hand? No, it wasn't true. It couldn't be true.

The two women were looking at her.

"It's a lie," she said, forcefully.

Silently, Sylvia walked towards her.

"Severus is on our side. He is! He is!" Andi insisted.

Sylvia put her hand on Andi's back and began rubbing.

"I don't want to believe that message either," she said, gently. "But let's face it, love - it's not looking good, is it?"

Andi staggered away from her friend's touch, clinging onto the furniture for support. Severus hadn't turned traitor, she was sure, she was sure.

Ah, but hasn't he been a little distant with you lately?

Said the little demon in her head. Hasn't the Mark been burning on his arm? He's kept that from you, hasn't he. Why? Didn't Draco say he'd served whisky to Severus and his father? Wasn't he correct when he'd said that Albus would have defended Severus against those rumours if he'd believed in him?

"It's not true." she whispered.

Albus- her dear friend and protector- dead. She owed him everything. Without him, she would never have stayed at Hogwarts, never had those precious few days with Severus that had forced them into each other's company, giving them time to discover each other and forge the bonds that had grown into love. Without Albus, she would have missed the love of her life; without Albus, she would never have had the privilege of being the one person Severus allowed in; to help him see some light in his darkness and begin that long, long journey of healing he so badly needed.

She owed Albus everything. And he was gone.

The grief aggravated the pains.

Andi was in the grip of a very powerful contraction, so she didn't hear the commotion in the room below. Sylvia was helping her through it and didn't move from her side. Both women looked up as the door opened.

Vincent stood there, wavering in the doorway, his clothes torn and bloodied, his face glistening with sweat, one eye covered with a patch.

"Poppy sent him," said Sybill, coming up behind him and watched with her mouth open as Vincent slid down the door post to sit on the floor.

"It's over," he spluttered. "The war - it's over. Potter did it; he just blew the bastard apart - never seen anything like it - just, POW! and he shattered into a million pieces... quite pretty, really; and you could feel he was gone. The air seemed... cleaner... as though we were allowed to breathe again..." Vincent gave a huge sniff and a tear trickled down his cheek.

Andi could barely take it in. Her whole body was concentrated on the powerful contractions that seemed to be going on and on. Sweat was pouring off her. She felt she could easily slip into delirium. She tried to breathe through the pain and could only just hear Vincent as he spoke again.

"After that,the Death Eaters seemed to lose power. The Aurors - those that are left - rounded them up easily. There're just a few unaccounted for."

"Vincent- is it true about Albus?" asked Sylvia, quietly.

"Yes."

Andi was clinging onto the bed frame, gripping it with all her might as she spluttered and spat with the pain.

"I saw it happen," he said.

Andi turned her head to look at him; her eyes asking, but not wanting to know. Vincent looked at her with his one good eye.

"I'm so sorry, Sweetie."

"It isn't true," her protest came as a whimper, she felt so weak and tired, but with her last breath she would defend her man.

"I was there. I saw it with my own eyes. Severus killed Albus-"

"No," she gasped. "It was... someone using... Polyjuice Potion... it wasn't him."

"He was wearing your ring. Andrea, I'm sorry - it was Severus."

Andi let out a great scream of pain and rage that seemed to go on and on.

"WHEN ARE YOU MORONS GOING TO LISTEN TO ME? SEVERUS DID NOT KILL ALBUS. I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU SAW. SEVERUS WOULD NEVER BETRAY..."

The pain overwhelmed her and she fell down, squatting on the floor, clinging to the bed frame for dear life. Sylvia crouched and put her arms around her.

"Love?"

"I've got to push," she gasped.

"Sybill, help me get her to the stool." There was an urgency to Sylvia's voice now, that even communicated itself to Sybill's languid demeanor as she hurried down the steps and into the room, grabbing Andi's other arm and guiding her to the stool.

"Vincent, you're going to have to leave; you're too full of dirt and germs."

Half leading, half dragging, they got Andi to the stool.

The urge to push was overwhelming, all consuming; Andi could think of nothing else.

"Let's get this night-gown off you..." said Sylvia, tugging the robe over Andi's head. Sybill whimpered.

"Oh for fuck's sake, Sybill, stop being such a wimp and get behind Andrea, support her back... that's it. Now love," she smiled up at Andi. "Let's get this baby out and into your arms, hmmm?"

It was hard work.

Bloody hard work.

If she wasn't pushing, she was panting, waiting for the next need to push and the more she pushed, the less progress she seemed to be making. She was going to burst a blood vessel soonand she began crying in frustration.

"I... can't... I just can't... do it anymore..."

"Yes you can," urged Sylvia. "Just a bit more and the baby'll crown... then we're almost there."

Sweat was running in rivulets down Andi's body, down her face, into her eyes. She wasn't exaggerating; she really didn't have the energy to go on. She panted and flopped back against Sybill in despair.

"ANDREA!"

Now she was hallucinating - that was Severus' voice.

Sylvia was staring past Andi at Sybill, and even in her haze of pain and tiredness Andi could see by the expression on her face that she had heard the voice too.

"Severus?" she gasped, as though the name were a lifeline.

"No love - don't!" warned Sylvia. "We don't know if he-"

"ANDREA!"

The voice came from the room below.

With a wail that seemed to come from the depths of her being, she let rip...

"SEVERUS!"

There was the sound of running footsteps, the door flew open and Severus stood on the threshold, his wand in his hand. His shirt and trousers were filthy from battle and his hair was plastered to his face with sweat.

His eyes locked with hers immediately and he swept down the steps and across the room even as Sylvia's voice bellowed,

"SEVERUS SNAPE, DON'T YOU DARE COME IN THIS ROOM!"

"Sybill, go and make yourself useful for once in your life," he commanded. "Poppy is in dire need of help."

"You're going nowhere, Sybill," snapped Sylvia. "Severus, leave - if nothing else, you are filthy."

Severus shot her a killer look, took hold of the buttoned edge of his shirt in both hands and ripped, until the shirt was undone, buttons scattering everywhere. He wrenched it off his body and threw the filthy rag aside.Then his hands returned to his clothes and began ripping at his fly as he kicked off his shoes in the general direction of his discarded shirt. Sybill gave a horrified shriek as more and more of his flesh was exposed, and scuttled from the room.

Almost naked now, Severus swept over to Andi and knelt behind her, supporting her. She could smell him, feel his heat, appreciate the solidness of his body to push back against, rather than the bony, wavering form of Sybill.

"Hold my hands - squeeze as hard as you need to," he said, taking hers and holding her as the next need to push overwhelmed her. She must have hurt him, but he didn't make a sound, even when, by the third time, she drew blood.

"You must... be exhausted," she managed to pant.

"If you can continue, so can I."

His mouth was close to her ear, as he began murmuring encouragements and words she'd never heard before, magical words that had a soothing effect on her, fortifying her with the strength to go on; and now he was here, she knew it would be all right.

Very soon, Sylvia glanced up at her.

"Here we go," she said "Ready..?"

Three pushes later Andi was staring down at her little baby lying against her stomach, all warm and wet and mewling, tiny arms and legs moving angrily.

Sylvia finished up, and then took the baby.

"Severus, you carry Andrea to the bed... that's it... get her comfortable... make sure she's warm... I'll just clean this little beauty... and... here..." she said, handing Andi the precious bundle wrapped in a white sheet. "...is your baby girl."

"Oh my God..!" Andi took one glance at the little face with huge obligatory blue eyes staring back at her, a thin layer of night-black hair on her head, and began to cry. She couldn't believe it was possible to love something so much. "Thank you so much, Sylvia."

"I'd like to bet she's the first baby born in victory," smiled Sylvia. "Why don't you call her Victoria?"

"If she'd been a boy, I'd have wanted to called him Albus..." said Andi without thinking. With a gasp, she turned her face to Severus, her heart in her mouth.

He sat beside her, tweaking the cloth to see the baby better.

"Albus is not dead," he said, gently.

"But the notice..." spluttered Sylvia.

"Yes, the everyone believed he was dead - as they were supposed to. All a ruse. The Headmaster knew that if the Dark Lord thought him dead, he would become complacent. Albus Dumbledore was the only one the Dark Lord feared; with him gone, the Dark Lord believed himself invincible and that is where Potter gained the advantage - along with having Albus as an invisible ally."

"You planned it?" spluttered Sylvia.

"Yes. We also knew that if the Dark Lord believed I had returned to him; had never actually left him, then Andrea would be safe, whichever side won."

There was a small silence.

"Well, well. Harry Potter, hmm?" mused Sylvia. "Now there's a thought. How about calling the baby Harriet, after him?"

Severus turned his face slowly to look at Sylvia with an expression that made Andi wince.

"Um... well..." spluttered Sylvia, backing out of the room. "I'll just... go and see if I can get some tea brought up here... or something, shall I..?" She closed the door behind her.

"You've always called Albus 'Headmaster' before. I don't think I've ever heard you use his name," she said.

"He was not a Headmaster today," he replied, quietly and with reverence. "He was a warrior. More powerful than even I suspected. I have always held him in high regard, but today..."

He was peering at the baby all the while he was speaking.

"Would you like to hold your daughter?" she beamed, and handed her over, watching in delight as the Professor every student feared, gazed down with velvety eyes at the tiny bundle in his arms.

"I suppose we ought to inform my mother and Rupert that they're grandparents," she smiled. "And Cornelius that he's a - goodness! - a Great-grandfather. Oh, and Liz that she has a goddaughter. She and Bruno are in Austria - can we get an owl there?"

"Hmmmm?"

She laughed.

"You're not listening to me, are you?"

"I once told you, you have the ability to unearth my weaknesses," he said softly, not taking his eyes from the baby. "I believe you have just unearthed another."

He put an arm around her as hers came round to share the baby, now asleep.

"I thought we might call her Imogen, after your sister," she said. "Imogen Josephine Snape."

He turned to look at her, his eyes shining.

"Thank you," he said quietly. "...for everything."

And kissed her.

THE END

Epilogue to follow

A/n - Yes, yes, I know Severus could have removed his dirty clothes with a wave of his wand, but wasn't it a lot more exciting this way!

2. Jess wanted to put an 'e' at the end of Imogen, but (just for once!) I have spelt something correctly. The end of the name is pronounced as in the beginning of Genevieve. I thought I ought to mention this as Imogen does appear quite a bit in the epilogue.

flamethrowerqueen - Thanks so much. I'm glad you liked it. Severus Snape uttering those three little words? I hope I got him far enough down the path for it to sound plausible.

Kerichi - Had no intention of going graphic on the wedding night - pure romance is called for, I think (with a pinch of spice thrown in - hehehe)

Queen of the Faeries - Liz and Vincent? Just good friends and sparring partners. I do confess that before Bruno came into the story it was going to be Liz and Kingsley, but I thought he might be too old (I think he's older than Severus), and Liz was more likely to go for the young, handsome hunk, I think.

Mark Darcy - Always romance on a wedding night - no gory details. My version of 'The Nearness of You' is sung by Bobby Short. So sad to hear he died recently. He was my biggest reason for wanting to visit New York.

Emma Barrows - Thanks for reviewing, as always.

May-Luna - Thanks for taking the time to review in your 'tipsy' state. Hope you didn't have too much of a hangover in the morning. I'm glad I made you smile, lol. And I believe you were my 300th reviewer.

Intelligent Witch - You double as Hysterically? I never guessed. Hmmmm. I'll think about writing you your own private episode if you like, hehehehe. I loved the music room too. I wish I had one.

Thouandl - Yes, I think they all deserved a happy ending, too. Only sorry I couldn't find a mate for Vincent. Perhaps he went off with Tonks. Or Kingsley. Or both!

josie - I never made the connection that you were a Josephine. Well, well. How about that? I'm so glad you enjoyed the chapter.

Penelope S. Cartwright - Thanks so much for reviewing. Hope you'll stay for the epilogue.

Music Is My Muse - Sev sexy? Tell me about it! You know, I'm British but I can't make out AR's accent. It's just a bit posh, but with a touch of common thrown in. Thanks for the warning. I watched 'Blow Dry' where he does a North Yorkshire accent, and I have to say the voice did lose that sexy edge.

Aries1 - Thanks for your review. Hope you enjoy the epilogue. lol.