A/NThank you so much to everyone for your reviews! I'm finally finishing the story. There's just one more mini-chapter after this. As a thanks to Fairy of Fire and Fury for her reviews and so that she can chill after Calc tomorrow, I present you with another chapter! Also, so that people know, there is a different version of this chapter featuring a higher rating with more graphic content. It is available upon request.


When One Door Closes

Severus took his cloak from the back of a chair in her room and left the house that night for the first time in a week, the roll of parchment in his hand. Quietly, the Potions Master made his way to the hotel he knew Potter had been living in since the separation from his wife.

He was greeted at the door by a tired, but sober looking Seeker. Good. This would have been a great deal more difficult if Potter had been drunk, "I wanted to speak with you about this." Severus proffered the Divorce Proceedings to Harry.

Harry stepped out of the way and let his former professor enter, "She's going to want it, isn't she?" His eyebrows went up at the question as if it were not a question at all.

Severus nodded as he sat in an exceedingly uncomfortable (and pink) hotel chair, "Yes, I believe she is. That's not why I'm here."

Harry closed the door and leaned languidly against the frame. Snape had been the last person he'd expected to see tonight. He'd figured the Potions Master would be dancing for joy at the prospect of Hermione's impending divorce. He waved a hand as if suggesting that Snape get on with it.

"I wanted to give you all the facts before you decided that Hermione should receive this scroll." Severus looked at the room around him. Wasn't Potter quite wealthy? Why was he living in a place like this? Probably so he could wallow…

Looking back up, Snape saw Potter waving him on again, "Hermione's pregnant."

Harry could feel the cold invading him. It could be anyone's, right? She'd slept with enough of them, "And?"

Severus raised his eyebrows, "And it's yours."

Harry barked out a snide laugh, "How can you tell?"

"You never did pay attention in my classes, did you?' Snape shook his head, "No matter. Just know that I can. The move is yours, Potter. What do you want to do?"

Harry stared at Severus. This really wasn't something he'd seen coming. Once again, he was reminded by just how young he was, just nineteen. He should've known better than to get married so soon, but he'd so desperately wanted a wife, a real family finally. Hermione would be twenty in a few months…

He looked sharply at the Potions Master, "Do you love her, Severus?"

Snape nodded without even needing to think about the question, "Yes."

"What are you going to do when this is all finished if Hermione and I divorce?"

Severus leaned back in his chair and eyed the Seeker, "Marry her, if she'll let me."

There was a frankness about his teacher that Harry could not ignore, "Tell her it's yours, Severus. Tell her that the Infertilis didn't work or something."

Snape's brow wrinkled, "What are you saying, Potter?"

Harry leaned forward from his spot on the door, "I want you to take my child, if you're willing, and raise it as your own. Do I need to be more clear than that?" His eyebrows went up, opening honest, green eyes to Snape.

Severus shook his head, "No. You don't." He rose and walked over to Potter, his hand extended.

Harry took it, shaking it once before opening the door, "Take good care of her, Severus. I never wanted things to turn out like this."

Severus nodded and left. He spent a long time walking the streets in London that night, thinking. He watched the moon finish rising and then set and the sun begin to take its place before he returned to Hermione.

He found her where he had left her, curled on the bed, still sleeping. His entrance, however, woke her, "Severus?" She looked up, her eyes wide and unseeing for a moment, reminding him of a child.

"I'm here, Hermione." He moved to the bed and sat beside her, slowly running his fingers through her thick, messy curls, "Are you feeling better, Love?"

She nodded and reached for him, "Hold me?"

Standing, Severus moved to a chair and took his black pajama pants, changing into them before sliding into the bed behind her. He wrapped his arms protectively around her small body, a hand resting on her bare stomach. They fell asleep like that, waking hours later only from hunger.

Severus accio'd a few muffins and apples from the kitchen for them to eat. Somewhere in the midst of their repast, he produced the scroll for her, letting her now active mind pore over the terms set, "It's pretty basic…" It was wonderful to see the beginnings of health in her.

She nodded, crumbs falling onto the page as she read, "He gave this to you? It's what he wants?"

Severus nodded, "Weasley brought it."

"Ron." Hermione corrected automatically before reaching for a fountain pen in the bedside table. She quickly signed her name at the bottom next to where Harry had already done so, "Now what?"

"Tomorrow, or later today, you take it to the Ministry to be processed." Snape wasn't looking at her, but instead down at the paper that had suddenly made her fair-game.

"And after that?" She raised her eyebrows to Severus leaning in close to him.

"After that?" He seemed almost confused, "After that it's up to you. You can do whatever you want."

Hermione nodded, thinking deeply for a moment. Severus noticed an adorable little wrinkle forming between her eyebrows. He leaned in and kissed it, "Not too hard. You're still getting better."

Hermione, however, pulled his face down and kissed him soundly, "I want you, then."

"Me?" He was almost amused at her girlish frankness.

"Yes." She nodded and kissed him again, "If you'll have me."

Snape grinned and leaned in, taking her chin in his fingers, "If you'd have waited, there's a ring in my pants pocket over there for you, if you want it." He grinned mischievously and leaned across her body, "But now you're going to have to wait for it."

No more words were spoken for a long while between them (well, none that count, anyway). Severus took her gently into his arms and kissed her, trying without words to tell her how much he loved her and would take care of her.

They made love to each other that afternoon. It seemed like forever and yet, somehow, forever came so quickly. There was no violence this time, no hateful words to look forward to. It felt like healing to Hermione. It felt good. She could feel her strength slowly returning to her body as her hands roamed across the expanse of his pale back and through his thick hair.

Finally, both exhausted and after having caught his breath, Severus pulled away from her, resting on one elbow as he wiped hair and sweat from her forehead, "I love you, Hermione."

Smiling, she looked up at him, "I've waited so long to hear that."