"Potter, do you intend to use this contraception potion on your blasted owl? Because that will be all it will be fit for if you add ...Arghh!"

Professor Snape collapsed to the floor mid-rant and wrapped his arms protectively round his stomach. He had been having cramps all morning and put it down to the anticipated false contractions that were supposed to start during the week before the birth. He had noticed that his body had changed that morning and had informed Poppy, who had estimated that he would go into labour in about 5 days time. As his water's broke and gushed across the classroom floor during 7th year potions, he realised that she was wrong. He was panting, his students were all staring at him, but there was nothing that he could do about that. The baby was coming and if the pain was anything to go by, it was coming fast.

He tried to think. Remus. Poppy. Help. In class. Oh God this hurts. He cried out again. Someone sensible.

"Hermi –arrrrrrrrgh –ne" he looked straight at her but could say no more. Gratifyingly Hermione leapt into action.

"It's alright Professor. Don't worry." She turned to her friends, "Harry – get Remus" she mouthed NOW at him. "Ron – get Madame Pomfrey, be quick. Pansy – go and tell the headmaster."

Pansy looked blank, "Tell him what?"

Hermione took a deep breath. Severus gripped onto a table and heaved himself upright.

"TELL HIM (breath) that I am in LABOUR you stupid girl"

Hermione tried to offer physical support but it just wasn't possible. Thankfully Remus came skidding into the classroom and grabbed Severus, holding him up and helping him move to the door. Harry hesitated and then took his Professor's other arm – no better time to make peace he supposed. They were nearly to the infirmary when Ron came rushing up with Madame Pomfrey. They moved as quickly as Severus was capable of.

Once inside Poppy Pomfrey took the couple into a private room and shooed the students away.

"There's nothing you can do for him now, so get out and let me do my job." They shuffled slowly away but as the mediwitch rushed straight into the private room, none of them actually left. Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall quickly joined them. They tried to usher them out, but they didn't move until Dumbledore promised to let them know as soon as there was anything to know, after all – it could take hours yet.

----------------------------------------------------

Remus and Poppy helped Severus into a comfortable gown – Remus had dyed a hospital gown black especially for the occasion, he thought that it might make all the difference. Judging by the furious scowl that met Poppy's faded blue offering, he had judged right. Thank the Gods he had thought ahead and kept a bag in the DADA classroom.

Poppy checked out her patient.

"You are fully dilated and the head is fully engaged. You should feel the need to push any moment..."

"Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" Severus Snape gritted his teeth and pushed.

An hour later he was still pushing. How long could this go on? Sweat coated his whole body. It felt surreal but he could think about nothing else. He was focused so intensely on what was happening to his body. He had no more energy left; it felt as though he was completely used up. He had never felt more useless in his life. Nothing seemed to exist outside each current moment. He couldn't have anymore anti-pain charms because Poppy said that he needed to feel what was happening so that he could push the baby out. But he couldn't push it out; all he could do was feel. He felt full, packed unnaturally and trapped in a nightmare that didn't seem to be ending. Did this baby not want to come out?

"I I I can't. Not any more."

Remus was sitting on the bed with him. One hand being crushed and the other kept trying to move around Severus' shoulder before it was pushed off again.

"Don't... touch... me." Remus looked hurt. "Didn't... mean... oh... god...just...can't... not touch...too... much... arrrghhhh" he pushed again with strength that didn't seem to be in him but came out anyway.

Poppy smiled up at the frustrated man, "The head is crowning. Remus, do you want to see your baby being born?"

Remus moved to the other end of Severus without removing his hand from Severus' grip.

Dumbledore chose that moment to pop his head round to see how things were going.

"Is everything...oh my..."

Severus screamed as he bore down as hard as he could. Then new cries filled the air – those of...

"A little girl!" announced Poppy cheerfully. She passed the baby straight into the waiting arms her mother. "Congratulations gentlemen."

Dumbledore stood just inside the door completely awed, "Oh my" he repeated.

Remus finally got his arm around his partner's shoulders and cradled the other around the naked bundle in Severus arms. Severus gazed in wonder at his daughter and felt the earth shift. He glanced up at Remus and they shared a kind of smile that they had never shared before. This was what complete harmony felt like, perfection shared.

It was punctured by the announcement that the afterbirth still had to be delivered, eliciting a groan from the tired man on the bed. Dumbledore stepped forward, "Perhaps I could help" he twinkled, and took the baby – briefly – from her parents.

Delivering the placenta didn't even register with Severus, he pushed and he felt the pain but he didn't care. His sight fixed firmly on the tiny red miracle lying in his friend's arms. As soon as the placenta was out Dumbledore passed the little girl back to her mother, who didn't notice as cleansing charms were cast nor as the blankets were tucked up around him, covering his previous nakedness.

He curled up in the bed cradling his daughter and as Remus leaned in to gaze at the pair, he found himself being pulled into the most amazing kiss. He was no longer simply a lover to Severus, he was his partner and their daughter's father and that made a whole world of difference. This was not something that Remus had trouble understanding, he had felt life shift noticeably too and his admiration and adoration of Severus Snape doubled, tripled, doubled again and kept on rising. He had a daughter, they had a daughter. My God, could life get anymore perfect than this? He wrapped himself around his family, kissed his daughter on the head and pressed his forehead against that of his daughter's mother and stayed like that till they all fell asleep together.

Poppy and Albus snuck quietly out of the room and left the tired new family to rest.