Title: Hermione's Helping Hand

The Lupin's Return

While Severus and Hermione were plotting how to make Draco Malfoy really mad, the Lupin's returned from their honeymoon. Tonks at once told Minerva all about the different places that they had gone and all the different witches and wizards that they had met.

" It was wonderful!" she commented. " So anything happen while we were gone?"

Minerva told Tonks all about the unexpected marriage between Severus Snape and Hermione Granger, about Draco coming and harassing Severus, Hermione getting mad, and her feeling that they were plotting how to pay Draco back.

" Well he does deserve it!" Tonks pointed out. " So I wonder what plan their going to come up with."

" I've got no idea!" Minerva stated.

The next morning Hermione granted Severus permission, though Hermione made it clear that she hated him asking, to help Madam Pomfrey fill up her stock of potions and tonics for the coming term. Severus seemed a lot happier doing something that reminded him of normal life. Once he was finished, he returned to his quarters to a nice hot Hermione had made meal, which was unlike what the house elves brought up.

" I needed something to do," she told him, as he settled down to a clam chowder that Hermione had made from scratch. " Anyway my clam chowder is the best in all London!"

One bite told Severus that this award was dewily deserved.

After the chowder she served a strawberry cheesecake, telling Severus that she had gone to great lengths to insure that he wasn't allergic to it. Severus told her that he was grateful.

" I asked Minerva and she informed me that you weren't allergic to cheesecake or strawberries," Hermione pointed out as Severus dived into the slice that he had cut.

" Well now that I know what you've been doing all day, can I ask why you decided to make dinner for me," Severus said, pushing the empty plate away from him.

Hermione smiled.

" Well my mother told me once that being married means that sometimes you have to fix dinner for your husband and I didn't want you to believe that I couldn't cook. So what did you think?"

Severus patted his stomach, which told her all she needed to know.

The next morning Severus worked on a potion that Madam Pomfrey needed, but had failed several times in being able to brew. Hermione watched him at work, daring anyone to come in and tell her husband to stop. He bottled the potion then cleared up, with a little help from Hermione.

" Hello!" came the cheery voice of Remus. " Are you finished?"

" Just finished now!" Severus stated, drying his hands. " So what do you need?"

" Got a message from Arthur, he said to tell you that the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, along with what Minerva reported, as informed you that Draco isn't allowed to come over just so that he can harass you."

" That's great to hear," Hermione stated. " At least we'll have some peace and quiet. Now could you guys excuse me, I've got to go and see Madam Pomfrey."

And she was gone.

" So I heard that you're planning on having a family," Remus said, when he knew Hermione was out of earshot.

" That's what Hermione wants," Severus said. " Though I must admit that I'm nervous."

Remus looked at him.

" Because of her age?"

Severus shook his head.

" Because I don't know if I'll make a good father," Severus told him. " I didn't have a wonderful childhood and I didn't want to inflict that upon another person. But Hermione wants to have a child and I can't stand Draco making cracks at the fact that he's going to be a father and I'm not yet trying. It also hurts Hermione's self-esteem and I can't bear watching it. Draco is just like his father, he loves to inflict pain and he's doing a lot better then his father did."

It was Remus's turn to shake his head, and then he sighed.

" I feel sorry for all of us when it's his child's turn to come to Hogwarts," Remus said. " Evil doesn't know when to quit!"

" I agree, but Hermione says that there might be a chance that his child might not have magic. Any child born by Hermione would have the greatest chance of having magic. I guess my mum had the idea all down pat when she married my father. He might have not been the nicest person, but at least I'm not going to have to worry about my child being a Squib."

" You've got a point there!" Remus stated. " Lets just hope your right."

Severus looked at Remus, and then said, " Me too, old friend, me too!"

When Hermione arrived in the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey was waiting on her. She smiled at her and Hermione returned the favor.

" Well lets get this over with," the Matron said, helping Hermione over to a bed and drawing the curtains around them.

Madam Pomfrey took out her wand and started to mutter different kinds of spells. Hermione could feel the magic working through her. She had come to the Matron to find out if she could get pregnant, because that had always been a worry for her, especially since the war had ended and she had gotten hit with a number of different spells. She hadn't had the chance to look them up, to see if some Death Eater had decided to hit her with something that would cause her problems.

" Well?" Hermione asked.

Madam Pomfrey smiled at her.

" There is nothing that will keep you from having a family," Madam Pomfrey told her. " And I would advise that you do it on Sunday. That's when you can conceive."

Hermione felt a huge bubble blowing up in her stomach. She could have children; she wouldn't end up like a spinster, despite what Trelawney told her.

When Hermione left, she took a bottle of a powerful lust potion with her. She didn't know if she would need it, but she wasn't going to take any chances. Lust Potions and Love Potions were the ones that the Ministry had said that Severus couldn't make, but they didn't say that Madam Pomfrey couldn't brew them and give them to her. She grinned at loopholes, glad that they existed.

When she arrived back, she noticed that Remus had left. She figured he wanted to spend time with his wife. She put the bottle in front of her husband, making him look. She sat down and started to look content with the world.

" So what did the Matron tell you?" he asked her.

" She said that I can have children, which is wonderful for my downward self-esteem," Hermione reported. She smiled. " And she said that we should do it on Sunday."

Severus grunted his response. Hermione looked at him, wondering why he had done that.

" What's wrong with you?"

" Nothing, nervous," he answered.

Hermione smiled, fully understanding. She was nervous to, but the vision of the expression on Draco's face when he found out that she was pregnant, was enough to calm her nerves.