A/N: Hello My lovely readers, I love that you enjoyed Wormtail's torture. I meant to have this posted yesterday but I got sick…blah I hate being sick. However it lead to me having today off so I was able to finish.. Also, I was reading through my story, noticed I gave a shout out to review 100. So shout out to Blue Night Fairy for being review number 200! This is a gigantic mile stone for me. Btw, the spells Hermione used last chapter are as such. Fregerunt eius crura means "break the bones". Vis ad dimidium reformabit. Means "force half transformation." Præcipitate means "throw." Also if you have a chance, and 7 ½ hours of your life to spend, you should watch "The 10th Kingdom" it's a fantastic mini-series. Also, I noticed a typo while rereading, I said she was due late march early February, so I simply updated that to say early april.

Chapter 37

Severus stood at the doorway, watching Hermione as she slept. He wondered how she could sleep after what had just happened, but he saw her furrowed brows, and knew she wasn't sleeping well. He found it impossible to sleep and instead crawled into bed next to her, gently rubbing his thumb across her shoulder until she relaxed a little. After a little while she even cuddled up against him, and she murmured something under her breath. She was lying on one of her arms with it curled up over her stomach in a protective manner, and her other arm was draped across his lap. He thought about how much things had changed. Had anyone told him that he'd be married to and expecting a child with the Gryffindor know-it-all before this point, he would have hexed them into next year. Since it was happening though, he found a certain level contentment.

A few hours later, Hermione began to stir from her sleep. She stretched as she began to sit up and wipe the sleep from her eyes for the second time that day.

"What time is it," She mumbled out.

"Twenty after nine, just in time for breakfast if you just to through on your robes."

She nodded and slowly moved out of the bed. He smiled at her as she groggily moved about.

"I miss coffee."

"I wasn't aware that you were a big coffee drinker, Mrs. Snape."

"Severus, coffee was a huge part of the equation of me being able to work for long on my assignments throughout the years. I might not have a true addiction like some folks, but quitting cold turkey is not fun."

"I'll take your word for it. Now are you ready to go up to breakfast?"

Hermione nodded, shooting him a dirty look. He only chuckled and offered her his arm as they headed towards the great hall.

Hermione was happy to be able to take her seat at the head table and sit next to Minerva. The old woman was very much like a second mother to her. And even though it killed her to not tell the woman the truth, they were at least able to talk.

"How are you doing, Hermione," Minerva asked.

"I'm alright. I've been banished from schoolwork on the weekends though."

"Thank goodness," The old witch laughed, "I am running out of things to give you to work on."

"Well, I have been promised that we'll start the nurseries soon. I'm actually rather excited now."

Minerva did her best to conceal the worry she felt and give Hermione a smile. But they both knew given the circumstances, it was not a good time to have hope. But a child had a way of bringing that out in people.

"Do you know what you're having yet?"

"OH YES! Poppy told us last night. We're having a girl."

"Any names coming to mind yet?"

"Not yet, but I did threaten to name her Delores because Severus was kind of in a state of shock."

"Now that would be a cruel fate."

Severus stole a glance at Hermione, seeing her light up with Minvera. He heard them talking about the baby, and his heart clenched for a moment. He was both excited and heartbroken. He never thought he could be a father, and he always knew he would die for this cause. He never realized how much he wanted to have a family until it was in his grasp.

"Severus? How do you feel about everything," Minerva asked, bringing him out of his own thoughts.

Hermione had hoped that maybe someone other than her could see his softer side but then he opened his mouth, "It is what it is. I only made the offer so she would stop stressing about school."

Hermione sighed. Maybe one day he could lose the façade, maybe one day he could be proud to call her his wife, and be proud that they were having a little girl together in a public setting. Until then, she still enjoyed their private moments in their quarters.

The rest of breakfast went without much happening. Hermione conversed some with Minerva, Filius, and Hagrid. When breakfast was done, she waved them goodbye, and once again took her husband's arm as they went back to their quarters.

Hermione sat down on the couch, kind of just curling up with a pillow.

"Hermione, how are you?"

"I am doing well I suppose."

"I mean after this morning. You tortured a man, almost on the same level as Bellatrix. You might have given her idea's for merlin's sake."

Hermione sighed heavily, "I want to forget that it happened, but I know I can't. I did what I did to protect the three of us. If I didn't do something harsh he would have punished you and me thereby punishing our child. I did it because I had to, but I knew I couldn't cast an unforgivable."

Severus sat down and pulled her into his arms, "Did you have to go that far?"

"Severus, I might be a goody-two-shoes Gryffindor, but I'm also a rule breaker, and I happen to hold grudges against those who wrong the people I care about, and Peter has done several of those people wrong."

"Remus is probably going to be mad that he missed that."

Hermione chuckled, knowing how hard it must be for Severus to make a genuinely nice comment, "I'll make sure to put that memory in a pensieve for him."

"How did you know those spells, not a single one of them is in your books."

"Severus, you haven't exactly been teaching me, I took some of the dark arts books. I might not be in the class, but I knew, given our situation, they would be helpful."

"I wish you would have told me."

"I had planned on telling you when I felt proficient, but I wasn't sure if I was given that I only had the Room of Requirement to practice in."

"Well, I would prefer you studied with me, ask me questions, tes-"

"Don't even finish that statement. You can get a dummy in here that I can practice and test everything on, but not on you."

Severus pulled her in for an unexpected kiss, "You ridiculous witch, you should let me finish my sentences. I was going to say test them AROUND me, make sure your execution is correct. Believe me, after seeing that, I have no desire to be on the receiving end of your hexes. You put the Weasley girl to shame."

"Her name is Ginny."

Severus laughed and accio'ed a couple of books of their shelves for them to read.