By popular demand – the fluff returns next chapter!

Five months passed. Hermione was rapidly approaching her late August due date and she could not be happier. Pregnancy was not a state of being that she enjoyed. She had lost her beautiful slim figure, her ankles had swollen to the size of what felt like tree trunks and she was so bloody tired. She was seeing a Mediwitch whom she had acquired through another witch that she had met living in Los Angeles. A charm had been placed on her gigantic stomach so that as soon as the labour process began, a magical medical team from Saint Alphonso's (St Mungo's sister hospital) would transport her to the hospital.

The great search for her had ended when she had finally dredged up the courage to send an owl (borrowed from her new witch friend) to Harry, explaining everything and begging him not to say a word to anyone else. He promised, and sent a surprisingly large amount of money, which Hermione was eternally grateful for, as her only employment had been in the wizarding world, and to billions of Muggles that world did not exist. Since then, they had conversed through only through letters, and she had asked him that if anything ever happened to her, would he raise her child?

Sitting on the couch, watching reruns of Friends, and feeling very alone, Hermione felt her baby kick again. As tired as she was of being a huge monster, she loved the idea that the thing causing her so much grief was a little tiny person, and at any point within the nextsix to eightweeks that little person would be here with her. She had already bought or transfigured all the necessary baby items, and she was quite confident that she could take care of her child on her own.

Suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen, a new one – not gas or kicking. Was this it? As the medical team arrived Hermione realized that yes, she was indeed having her baby.


Dear Mr Potter,

We at Saint Alphonso's Medical and Magical Hospital regret to inform you that while Hermione Granger was giving birth there were some complications. She is currently in a comatose state. On her waiver, you and a Ronald Weasely were named as her next of kin and due to the fact that she is incapable of caring for her child, one or both of you are officially temporary legal guardians of her child.

Please respond via owl or preferably visit our branch in California.

Regards,

Lilith Farrow, Head of Hospital

Harry's heart leapt into his chest as he read the letter for a third time. Hermione was in a coma, and she had a baby that was lying in some hospital in California. He quickly Apparated to the Burrow, where he knew Ron would be.

Upon appearing in the kitchen with a crack, Harry was nearly bowled over by the flying fury that was Ron Weasely. "Bloody hell! Did you get the owl?" the red haired man's eyes were wide and shocked. "Hermione's in California! And she had a kid and now–"

Holding up his piece of parchment, Harry replied quietly, "I know. I think it's best that we go straight to that hospital, so we can do whatever is needed."

Ron cast him a slightly confused glance, and began to settle himself down. "What about Snape? He should know, after all he is the" cringe "father."

Harry thought for a moment. "No, Hermione made it very clear she didn't want him involved, I think we should just go."

And that was how the two young men appeared at Saint Alphonso's, and were sitting in a waiting room, awaiting the appearance of Lilith Farrow on the hard plastic seats. Ron was pacing the white-walled room silently, brows furrowed with nerves, while Harry Within a few minutes, a petite, middle-aged woman called them up from where they were waiting and into an office.

"Hello there," she smiled at them. "Lilith Farrow, and I assume Harry Potter," she gestured towards Harry, who quirked his mouth up nervously, "and Ronald Weasely?" Ron nodded gravely and she gestured for them to sit on two more plastic chairs.

"At six forty-two PM yesterday evening, Hermione went into cardiac arrest, not even ten minutes after her baby had been born. We managed to resuscitate her, but she remained unconscious and has been so ever since. At this point, she could wake up in a minute, in a year, or never. Are you ready and willing to accept the responsibility of the child that she has left in her wake?"

Ron and Harry exchanged a look, and with faces set in stone the replied. "We are."

Lilith led them to the nursery, which was surprisingly full of squirming newborns. "Wait here," she murmured, and entered the dimly-lit room. Meandering through the rows of babies, she stopped at one bassinet and picked up a very tiny bundle. Returning to the hallway, she handed what appeared to be a mass of blankets to Harry. Only when he moved and the blankets shifted did Harry realize that in his arm was an extremely small baby. He gasped slightly, and Ron leaned in to see what caused the shock in his best friend.

The baby, or at least its head, was tiniest little thing either of them had ever seen. It had a tiny nose, that very much resembled Hermione's. Before they could further observe the appearance, Lilith cut in. "It's a girl by the way." Both men's eyes misted over as they observed the miniature Hermione.

Her eyes were closed, and the blackness of her fine eyelashes stood out boldly against her almost translucent skin. There were but a few wisps of black hair on her head, and her hand was pressed to her cheek as she slept and her tiny fingernails were perfect, only her tiny hand. Lilith continued explaining, "She's nearly two months early, so that's why she is so small." She then led Harry and Ron to where Hermione was staying.

She looked so frail in that giant hospital bed, with her chestnut brown hair splayed out on the pillow, and the harsh white of...everything making her look thin and tired. Ron observed his best friend, whom he loved more than anything in the world, in a coma, lying in a bed while he held her daughter. The feelings that were running through him were more than he could take, and he let a few tears slip down his cheeks. Looking towards Harry, Ron saw that he was more than a little choked up himself.

The baby began to cry and their attention was drawn to her. Lilith handed them a bottle and told them that they should return to Hermione's apartment, to get everything they would need. She thanked them and informed that they were just wonderful young men, and bid them goodbye, promising to owl any news on Hermione's condition as it progressed.


Upon returning to the apartment, they observed that Hermione had been very prepared for her child. There was a crib, a changing table, and lots of diapers and baby clothes and every other piece of infant paraphernalia imaginable. While Harry held the baby, Ron picked up a sleeper and eyed it skeptically. "This will...fall off her. I think we need smaller clothes." So he whipped out his wand and performed a shrinking spell. Harry proceeded to unwrap the baby from her hospital blanket and he saw, that no matter how small she was, she most definitely had her father's long, gangly limbs. He managed to manoeuver her unresisting body into a small yellow sleeper, and laid her in the crib.

Ron returned from exploring the dreary apartment. "Merlin, Harry, I don't see how Hermione could stand this place. Do you like the lovely view of the raunchy video store across the street, and I believe that's a hooker!" he exclaimed, staring out the tiny, cell-like window. Harry gave him a look and he quieted down. There was the baby to think about of course. "Sorry mate. You know that she needs a name right? What do you think Hermione would like?"

Sticking his head up from a cupboard in the kitchen Harry said, "I think I found a list of names that she would like. Take a look."

Boy Names

Sage

Hewitt

Zander/Xander

Girl Names

Laurel/Lorelei

Aubrey

Norah

Syndey

As they looked at the list, Harry and Ron attempted to pick a first and middle name that they thought Hermione would like. "You know, perhaps Snape should pick this. She is...his you know."

Harry thought it over. "You're right Ron. I suppose we should pack all of this up and return to England. Although surely he would be more than a little offended if we showed up on his doorstep with a baby in our arms."

"It's his kid!"

"You know who we're talking about Ron! This man hates all things living and cares for no one! She's probably better off with us!"

"He's her bloody father!" Ron screamed, causing the baby to wake up and wail. Harry shot him a 'look what you did now' look, that oddly reminded him of Hermione, and went to pick up the baby, attempting to soothe her.


Four hours, two bottles and three diaper changes later – it was decided. They would return to England with the baby. Harry was still a little wary of this decision, but there was always a good chance that Snape would not want this baby, which may be for the better. After the way he treats students, how would he take to a screaming, demanding infant?

After shrinking all the necessary baby things to pocket-size, Harry, Ron and the baby (who they had decided to let Snape name) Apparated to Hogwarts. Their first stop was Dumbledore's office – they decided to leave the baby with him while they explained the situation to Snape.

Wrapping up the story, Harry said, "So Headmaster, could you do us the favour of watching Hermione's daughter while we talk to Professor Snape? I hope it will not take too long."

Dumbledore smiled and reached out, taking the thankfully sleeping bundle of blankets from Ron's arms. "Go on boys, just try not to be too blunt with him," he replied, eyes glittering.

Quickly heading to the dungeons, Harry and Ron hoped that Snape would still be awake, it was nearly midnight. Rapping loudly on the door, they waited for an answer. When nothing came, they turned to leave, but the door swung open behind them.

Severus scowled down at the two mischief-makers gracing his doorstep. He raised one eyebrow and asked. "Do you want something?"

Ron spoke up first. "We got a letter earlier from a hospital in California. Hermione was in there. She ummm... she..." He lost his courage as he stared in to the foreboding visage of his ex-professor.

Harry picked up the story. "Professor, we'll be honest with you – Hermione had a baby and she had some kind of complication. Now she's in a coma and because she put me and Ron as her next of kin, the hospital gave us her baby to take care of until she recovers. We thought you should know, since it is your child and all. If you don't want to see your baby or don't want anything to do–" he shut up as he watched the rainbow of colours Snape turned. His face went from pink to red, back to pink and settled at death-white.

"Err... Professor?"

Inhaling audibly, Severus attempted to recover himself. He had a baby, Hermione's baby, and it had been left in the care of those two? He felt the oddest instinct run through him, something that he had never felt before, protectiveness. "Where is the child?"

"With D-Dumbledore," Ron stuttered. With a flourish and sweeping of robes, Severus bolted upstairs to the Headmaster's office.

The old wooden door banged open. "Well?" Severus demanded, squaring his shoulders and staring Albus straight in the eyes.

The Headmaster remained silent, and simply pointed to a crib that Ron and Harry had left with him. Severus could see blankets poking out the side. Apprehensively, he approached the crib and saw an extremely small baby, sleeping soundly inside. His heart leapt – was this runt of a thing really his child? He reached down and ran a long, white finger down the baby's tiny face. Judging by all the pink that the baby was surrounded by, he guessed it was a girl.

He turned to Albus, who was staring expectantly. Just to appease the old man, Severus leaned into the crib and picked up the small pink bundle. A pink knitted cap fell off her head, and he drew in his breath sharply – her hair was black. What little of it there was, was as dark as a January midnight. Another strange emotion, the second that night, swept through him, but he could not place it.

As he stared down at her, she began to awaken a little. A small mew escaped her lips, and her eyes twitched. She opened them wide, and Severus saw Hermione's eyes staring into his. Remaining stone silent, the unnamed infant stared up at her father in recognition, as if she knew who he was.

Albus interrupted this tender moment. "She was nearly two months early, hence why she's so small. She doesn't have a name, Harry and Ron told me that Hermione never got a chance to name her. They mentioned though, that she did leave a list of names. I was looking through the things and found it." He handed a small piece of foolscap to Severus.

Gently laying the baby back in the crib, he perused the list. He had hoped for a slightly more regal name, such as Selina or Seraphine, but he did not want to disrespect Hermione by choosing a name other than one that she would like.

After a few moments of thought, he had made his decision. "Aubrey Norah Snape," he stated simply. It was a nice enough name, and he thought it fit. He walked back over to the crib as she began to cry. "Hello Aubrey," he let the corners of his mouth twitch upwards and he picked her up and cradled her in his arms. "I am your father and you are going to be the most brilliant witch this world has ever seen."