Okay everyone this is the last chapter before the epilogue. It's shorter than planned but I am busy and this story has gone on longer then I had originally planned. I hope you enjoy because this is my last Harry Potter story for a while. If you are interested I also write for the Supernatural, General Hospital, Smallville, Phantom Of The Opera, and Bones fandoms. I have stories up for all of those fandoms.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter…damn it!

Chapter Sixteen

Severus awoke with a start. He rolled over to cuddle Hermione, only to find her side of the bed empty.

Than he heard it…a load piercing scream coming from the sitting room. Than all was silent. He shot out of bed, grabbed his wand and ran out of the bedchamber and into the outer rooms.

He found Hermione on the floor in a full body bind with Draco and Harry standing over her, their wands raised. Without a second thought and without speaking a word he pointed his wands at the two of them and in under a minute he had both of them in body binds similar to the one that they had placed Hermione under.

Severus went and kneeled next to Hermione and lifted the spell.

Hermione sat up gasping.

"Are you alright?" Severus asked holding her face in his hands.

Hermione clutched her stomach "Something's wrong!" She cried "The baby's coming!"

"Hold on love, I'll get some help."

Severus ran to the fireplace and threw in a handful of floo powder.

A very sleepy Madam Pomfrey appeared in the grate. "What is it Severus?"

"Hermione was attacked and I think she has gone into premature labor! I need you to contact Constance and get her here now! Than go and get Dumbledore and tell him that Draco and Harry are here in our chambers and subdued. I'm on my way with Hermione." He barked than closed the floo call.

He rushed back to Hermione's side. "Alright love, can you stand?" He asked

Face scrunched up in pain Hermione nodded.

Severus went and put his hands under her arms and helped stand.

Very slowly they started their trek to the infirmary.

IN THE INFIRMARY

As Severus and Hermione arrived in the infirmary they were met with Constance.

"Okay Severus, help Hermione up onto the table here and let me have a look at her." Constance said.

She helped Severus get a crying Hermione up onto the table. Constance than removed Hermione's under things with a wave of her wand. After a quick exam she looked at Hermione and Severus with a sullen expression.

"Hermione you water has broken, there is no way to stop labor. This baby is coming now."

"Will he be okay?" Hermione panicked.

"I'm not going to lie to you Hermione, your son is two and a half months early. His lungs might not be fully developed. It's 50/50 that he will survive." Constance delivered the heartbreaking news. "Severus I am going to need you to leave the room. I'm going to prep Hermione and than surgically remove the baby."

"I'm not leaving them!" Severus argued.

"Sev, you can't be in here for this. Go check and see what's been done with the bustards that caused this." Constance told Severus.

Severus reluctantly nodded. He went to Hermione's side. "I have to leave for a little while love. I promise I will be here when you wake up. I love you." He placed a kiss on her forehead and walked out of the infirmary.

IN DUMBLEDORE'S OFFICE

Severus didn't bother with knocking; he just barged into Dumbledore's office.

"What did you do with the bastards?" He demanded.

"Draco has been taken back to Azkaban and is awaiting the dementor's kiss, while Harry is under high security as St. Mungo's while they try to reverse the spell that Draco placed him under." The old man calmly explained. "Justice will be served my friend."

"It better be!" Severus growled.

A knock came on the office door and in walked a man who looked a lot like Remus except with dark brown hair.

"What can I do for you Justin?" Dumbledore asked.

"Constance asked me to come and retrieve Severus." Justin said.

"Are Hermione and the baby alright?" Severus asked with a hitch in his voice.

Justin smiled in a way that reminded Severus of Remus. "Why don't you go and see for yourself."

Severus pushed past Justin and started on a run down to the infirmary.

BACK IN THE INFIRMARY

Severus hurried into the infirmary to find Hermione unconscious. Constance was leaning over a cradle next to her bed. There was a red light shinning over the cradle that was coming out of thin air.

"Connie?" Severus approached.

Constance looked up and smiled. "You have a strong little boy here Sev. He's breathing on his own. He's a little small, but that's normal for being born so early. We are going to have to keep him here for a few days to make sure everything is working properly. Right now I have a heating spell keeping him warm."

Severus looked into the cradle and was happy to see that his son took after Hermione and not Draco with a speck of brown hair. His eyes were closed but Severus suspected that once they opened they would be the same colors as Hermione's.

"How's Hermione?" Severus asked looking over at his slumbering fiancée.

"She's well. The surgery went off without a hitch and I was able to make the surgical incision completely disappear. Right now she is just sleeping off a sleeping potion I used to put her out for the surgery."

Severus breathed a sigh of relief. "So they are both alright?"

"They are both fine. Would you like to hold your son?" Constance asked gently picking the child who could not weigh more than five pounds up.

"Yes, of course." He took the small child and took a seat in the chair next to Hermione's bed.

"I'll leave you two alone." Constance smiled and walked out.

Severus looked at the small boy in his arms and allowed a tear to run down his cheek. "Welcome to the world Eric. You gave us quite a scare son. Your mum is sleeping right now, but once she wakes I bet she won't be able to keep her hands off of you." The baby opened his eyes to reveal chocolate brown eyes of identical to Hermione's. "I have to be honest son, you weren't conceived in love. But because of you your mother and I found each other and I will forever be grateful to you for that. You're our little miracle. I may not be your biological father, but never doubt that I love you. You are my son no matter what. And no matter how many children your mother and I have after you, I will always love you just as much as any biological child. You and your future siblings will always be loved the same." Little Eric grabbed pinkie finger and Severus smiled. "And most importantly no matter what your mother tells you The Phantom Of The Opera is not the best book ever written and I am NOTHING like the your name sake."

"I heard that." Came a groggy voice in the bed next to them.

Severus looked up at Hermione "You're awake."

"How's Eric?" Hermione asked sitting up a little.

"Healthy. A little small but healthy." Severus said setting Eric down in the cradle and going to her side."

"I want to hold him." Hermione said.

Severus helped her sit up against a few pillows and then went and picked Eric up and placed him in her arms.

Hermione ran a finger down her son's cheek. "He's beautiful." She whispered.

"Just like his mother." Severus placed a kiss on Hermione's forehead. "I love you Hermione."

"I love you too Severus.

TBC

Next chapter is the final chapter and you will FINALLY find out Harry's fate.

Also I do not know much about medicine so forgive any mistakes I made when it came to the delivery of the baby. I do however know for a fact that a child can be born 2 and a half months early and survive and be ready to go home just days later. I am living proof. It happened when I was born. I was 2 months early and went home 5 days later. So don't review and say that it is impossible.