A Secret worth Keeping
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, only those that I created myself. Please do not harm me in any way. I only do this for fun.
Chapter Two: The Meeting
Hermione was a wreck. Sebastian wouldn't stop crying. Somehow, she felt that he had picked up on her apprehension about Snape coming to see them. Her hands sweated profusely as she tried to rock the baby into slumber but he was having none of it.
She was still a so new at being a mother at such a young age she felt helpless. She had fed him, burped him, changed and rocked him but the child continued to cry, loudly. She was beginning to reach the end of her tether. That single threadlike strand of sanity that was almost frayed beyond repair.
" Don't cry.... Sebastian.... Please don't cry."
She spoke softly as she rocked him, tears falling down her black rimmed eyes, falling onto his worn out baby blanket she had found for him in a thrift store. The new tears mixing with the tearstains of several days' worth of crying.
She was so tired.... just so tired.
~~~
Severus paused at the door marked as number four. Inside he could hear the sounds of a baby's cry. The jolts of the tiny cries cascades across his spine and made his stomach curl. He had to stop and lean into the wall for strength. He still couldn't believe it when he discovered those letters between Albus and Hermione. Even if Albus did *accidentally* leave them on his desk in full view when the old man knew full well that he would be using his office today. The Headmaster, in one of his most obvious sense of pretend senility, left them there for him to discover making it easier for him to discuss the situation with the horrified teacher.
He remembered reading the first letter from Hermione and felt the jolt of disbelief reading of his own son, a son he had no idea existed until this morning and had no memory of conceiving either. But, he knew that Miss Granger would never stoop so low at to accuse anyone of fathering their child, especially one from a man who she thinks despised her.
She was wrong about that. He never despised her, just her friends and their ability to put everyone around them in danger without a thought of consequences. He was constantly after her to work harder hoping it would keep her and others out of harms way when the Potter brat and the Weasley idiot got into more trouble. Unfortunately, Miss Granger always seemed to be right there in the middle of it all, to his and the other teacher's dismay.
No, He didn't hate her. He just wanted her and everyone to be safe from the horrors that laid beyond the protective haven that was Hogwart's.
He sighed and approached the door once more. Obviously, the Haven wasn't safe enough from him. He was the one that ended up hurting her after all.
Severus paused again listening to the crying coming from inside. The soft cries were slowly turning into very loud howling. Concern at his child's distress almost convinced him to force his way into the room to see what the problem was. However, the only thing that stopped him from doing a foolhardy thing like that was the faint words of comfort, which he caught coming from beyond the wood. She was trying to soothe the child and that made him calm down a bit.
He raised and rapped three times on the door trying not to shift from foot to foot. A deep sense of foreboding ate at him making him uneasy at this meeting. Maybe he shouldn't have come. When he read those letters he felt like it was the right thing to do, meeting her here, away from Hogwart's. It was just an odd turn of events to be meeting Hermione like this. Hermione Granger, of all people to mother his child, it had to be her.
The sounds from inside moved closer and after a moment the door opened to the sight of a very disheveled Hermione Granger jostling a bundle of squalling faded blue blanket. His first though as he cast his eyes on her was. 'She looked like Hell.' From the look in her eyes, he then thought that she probably hadn't slept in days. Probably since the baby's birth.
" Professor Snape.... " There was a look of combined relief and fear in her eyes as she acknowledged him. He nodded to her as she took a step back to allow him entrance in to her room. "Come in, Please. I'm sorry for my appearance... " She paused as the baby continued to cry and she began to bounce him again speaking over the wailing.
Severus watched her wobbling the infant and spoke just enough to be heard over the howling. "I do not concern myself with your appearance, Miss Granger, however.... you do look like something Hagrid would adopt."
She gave him a glance not too sure if he was joking or not. She was on the verge of replying with what she hoped was a smart-ass comment but a especially loud howl erupted from the bundle of blanket and her brows creased with concern. She began to walk around in a circle trying her best to quiet him down. Finally she stopped and looked up at the man watching them silently, her eyes shining as she was so close to crying again. "He won't stop crying. I don't know what to do.... What am I doing wrong?"
Snape quietly watch as Hermione stood staring up at him obvious dismay written all over her exhausted face. The baby's howling rang throughout the room and, he was sure, could be heard down in the tavern. It was indeed a rarity to see this woman at such a loss. The Hermione he had known had the answers to any problem. Any question that he could throw at her during classes was answered in a calm intelligent way. Now as he watched her, seeing so plainly that she was scared, he felt something give. Maybe it was because he had never seen her so terrified. He had witnessed her do some very scary things in her few short years at Hogwart's. Who would have guessed that motherhood would be her downfall?
He finally took a step forward and reached out to her. "Let me take him, you look like you could use some respite."
Hermione looked between the two, debating whether to just hand Sebastian over or give it a bit of time first. In truth, the thought only flickered through her mind in a fleeting concern. "Thank you.... I'm just so.... tired." She said as she gently passed the baby over to his father's outstretched arms. Severus took up the child and held it close to his chest. Immediately the child ceased crying filling the room with a deafening quiet. Hermione stared widened eyes in amazement at the miracle
"He.... He's.... Stopped. I don't believe it." She whispered moving closer and gently moving the blanket away from the baby's face. She smiled as she saw that Sebastian was staring up at Severus with a look of peace on his face. She blinked back tears as she moved away. "It seems he prefers you.... over me.... " She sniffed back tears of abandonment and sat down heavily on the threadbare sofa. " I'm an awful mother.... "
Severus looked up from the face of his son and frowned at her. " Don't be ridiculous, you are simply tired. I suggest you go and take a nap while my son and I get acquainted." He indicated the small bed by the window.
Hermione's eyes flew between her son and Severus, fear and doubt etched into her expression causing Severus to sigh loudly.
" We both shall be here when you wake, Miss Granger. I will not be taking him away. You will feel better when you wake, I assure you."
Embarrassed that he knew she was worried about him taking his son from her she gave him a timid smile and stood to her feet.
" I'm sorry for doubting you Professor, I haven't been thinking clearly lately. I don't think I have ever been so tired." Bringing her hand up to cover a big yawn, she felt every bone in her body shaking with exhaustion. If she didn't get some sleep soon she thought that she was going to crack under the strain. "Thank you again, Professor. His diapers are in that bag over there." She pointed to a very large blue bag by the door.
" Bottles?" He raised an eyebrow causing her to blush.
" Uh.... Breastfed.... just wake me when he gets hungry, which will be in about two hours."
Severus nodded and sank down into the sofa she vacated, father and son both eyeing each other in awe. Hermione gave them one more glance before sprawling out on the bed. She was fast asleep before her head even made it to the pillow.
Severus watched the young woman fall into sleep with mixed emotions. Because of her, he was now a father.... Sebastian. He wondered if she knew that was his middle name. Knowing Hermione, she probably did. Leave it to her to do what she thought was right. But should this baby have the name of Snape? Perhaps he would be safer if he went by Granger instead.
Sebastian Samuel Granger
He smiled and shook his head. No, Snape fitted the boy. Severus watched, intrigued, as the baby seemed to study him just as much as the older man was studying him. Black eyes meeting black. Severus moved aside the blanket to get a better good look. Examining each finger and toe, chuckling in amusement as the infant kicked in protest.
"It's all right, 'Bastian, Daddy's not going to hurt you." The baby immediately fell still again from the soothing words of his father. Severus paused in his examination to gaze into his son's eyes. "Daddy, Father, Papa.. what are you to call me in time?" He sighed at that thought and finally, satisfied with the overall toe and finger count, Severus covered his son back up, resting him against his chest as he leaned back into the sofa.
For the first time in his life, Severus Sebastian Snape felt content.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, only those that I created myself. Please do not harm me in any way. I only do this for fun.
Chapter Two: The Meeting
Hermione was a wreck. Sebastian wouldn't stop crying. Somehow, she felt that he had picked up on her apprehension about Snape coming to see them. Her hands sweated profusely as she tried to rock the baby into slumber but he was having none of it.
She was still a so new at being a mother at such a young age she felt helpless. She had fed him, burped him, changed and rocked him but the child continued to cry, loudly. She was beginning to reach the end of her tether. That single threadlike strand of sanity that was almost frayed beyond repair.
" Don't cry.... Sebastian.... Please don't cry."
She spoke softly as she rocked him, tears falling down her black rimmed eyes, falling onto his worn out baby blanket she had found for him in a thrift store. The new tears mixing with the tearstains of several days' worth of crying.
She was so tired.... just so tired.
~~~
Severus paused at the door marked as number four. Inside he could hear the sounds of a baby's cry. The jolts of the tiny cries cascades across his spine and made his stomach curl. He had to stop and lean into the wall for strength. He still couldn't believe it when he discovered those letters between Albus and Hermione. Even if Albus did *accidentally* leave them on his desk in full view when the old man knew full well that he would be using his office today. The Headmaster, in one of his most obvious sense of pretend senility, left them there for him to discover making it easier for him to discuss the situation with the horrified teacher.
He remembered reading the first letter from Hermione and felt the jolt of disbelief reading of his own son, a son he had no idea existed until this morning and had no memory of conceiving either. But, he knew that Miss Granger would never stoop so low at to accuse anyone of fathering their child, especially one from a man who she thinks despised her.
She was wrong about that. He never despised her, just her friends and their ability to put everyone around them in danger without a thought of consequences. He was constantly after her to work harder hoping it would keep her and others out of harms way when the Potter brat and the Weasley idiot got into more trouble. Unfortunately, Miss Granger always seemed to be right there in the middle of it all, to his and the other teacher's dismay.
No, He didn't hate her. He just wanted her and everyone to be safe from the horrors that laid beyond the protective haven that was Hogwart's.
He sighed and approached the door once more. Obviously, the Haven wasn't safe enough from him. He was the one that ended up hurting her after all.
Severus paused again listening to the crying coming from inside. The soft cries were slowly turning into very loud howling. Concern at his child's distress almost convinced him to force his way into the room to see what the problem was. However, the only thing that stopped him from doing a foolhardy thing like that was the faint words of comfort, which he caught coming from beyond the wood. She was trying to soothe the child and that made him calm down a bit.
He raised and rapped three times on the door trying not to shift from foot to foot. A deep sense of foreboding ate at him making him uneasy at this meeting. Maybe he shouldn't have come. When he read those letters he felt like it was the right thing to do, meeting her here, away from Hogwart's. It was just an odd turn of events to be meeting Hermione like this. Hermione Granger, of all people to mother his child, it had to be her.
The sounds from inside moved closer and after a moment the door opened to the sight of a very disheveled Hermione Granger jostling a bundle of squalling faded blue blanket. His first though as he cast his eyes on her was. 'She looked like Hell.' From the look in her eyes, he then thought that she probably hadn't slept in days. Probably since the baby's birth.
" Professor Snape.... " There was a look of combined relief and fear in her eyes as she acknowledged him. He nodded to her as she took a step back to allow him entrance in to her room. "Come in, Please. I'm sorry for my appearance... " She paused as the baby continued to cry and she began to bounce him again speaking over the wailing.
Severus watched her wobbling the infant and spoke just enough to be heard over the howling. "I do not concern myself with your appearance, Miss Granger, however.... you do look like something Hagrid would adopt."
She gave him a glance not too sure if he was joking or not. She was on the verge of replying with what she hoped was a smart-ass comment but a especially loud howl erupted from the bundle of blanket and her brows creased with concern. She began to walk around in a circle trying her best to quiet him down. Finally she stopped and looked up at the man watching them silently, her eyes shining as she was so close to crying again. "He won't stop crying. I don't know what to do.... What am I doing wrong?"
Snape quietly watch as Hermione stood staring up at him obvious dismay written all over her exhausted face. The baby's howling rang throughout the room and, he was sure, could be heard down in the tavern. It was indeed a rarity to see this woman at such a loss. The Hermione he had known had the answers to any problem. Any question that he could throw at her during classes was answered in a calm intelligent way. Now as he watched her, seeing so plainly that she was scared, he felt something give. Maybe it was because he had never seen her so terrified. He had witnessed her do some very scary things in her few short years at Hogwart's. Who would have guessed that motherhood would be her downfall?
He finally took a step forward and reached out to her. "Let me take him, you look like you could use some respite."
Hermione looked between the two, debating whether to just hand Sebastian over or give it a bit of time first. In truth, the thought only flickered through her mind in a fleeting concern. "Thank you.... I'm just so.... tired." She said as she gently passed the baby over to his father's outstretched arms. Severus took up the child and held it close to his chest. Immediately the child ceased crying filling the room with a deafening quiet. Hermione stared widened eyes in amazement at the miracle
"He.... He's.... Stopped. I don't believe it." She whispered moving closer and gently moving the blanket away from the baby's face. She smiled as she saw that Sebastian was staring up at Severus with a look of peace on his face. She blinked back tears as she moved away. "It seems he prefers you.... over me.... " She sniffed back tears of abandonment and sat down heavily on the threadbare sofa. " I'm an awful mother.... "
Severus looked up from the face of his son and frowned at her. " Don't be ridiculous, you are simply tired. I suggest you go and take a nap while my son and I get acquainted." He indicated the small bed by the window.
Hermione's eyes flew between her son and Severus, fear and doubt etched into her expression causing Severus to sigh loudly.
" We both shall be here when you wake, Miss Granger. I will not be taking him away. You will feel better when you wake, I assure you."
Embarrassed that he knew she was worried about him taking his son from her she gave him a timid smile and stood to her feet.
" I'm sorry for doubting you Professor, I haven't been thinking clearly lately. I don't think I have ever been so tired." Bringing her hand up to cover a big yawn, she felt every bone in her body shaking with exhaustion. If she didn't get some sleep soon she thought that she was going to crack under the strain. "Thank you again, Professor. His diapers are in that bag over there." She pointed to a very large blue bag by the door.
" Bottles?" He raised an eyebrow causing her to blush.
" Uh.... Breastfed.... just wake me when he gets hungry, which will be in about two hours."
Severus nodded and sank down into the sofa she vacated, father and son both eyeing each other in awe. Hermione gave them one more glance before sprawling out on the bed. She was fast asleep before her head even made it to the pillow.
Severus watched the young woman fall into sleep with mixed emotions. Because of her, he was now a father.... Sebastian. He wondered if she knew that was his middle name. Knowing Hermione, she probably did. Leave it to her to do what she thought was right. But should this baby have the name of Snape? Perhaps he would be safer if he went by Granger instead.
Sebastian Samuel Granger
He smiled and shook his head. No, Snape fitted the boy. Severus watched, intrigued, as the baby seemed to study him just as much as the older man was studying him. Black eyes meeting black. Severus moved aside the blanket to get a better good look. Examining each finger and toe, chuckling in amusement as the infant kicked in protest.
"It's all right, 'Bastian, Daddy's not going to hurt you." The baby immediately fell still again from the soothing words of his father. Severus paused in his examination to gaze into his son's eyes. "Daddy, Father, Papa.. what are you to call me in time?" He sighed at that thought and finally, satisfied with the overall toe and finger count, Severus covered his son back up, resting him against his chest as he leaned back into the sofa.
For the first time in his life, Severus Sebastian Snape felt content.