Chapter 2: Waiting
Arthur found Snape sitting quietly in a room that was much too cheerful for the occasion. That was the only problem with the nursery ward, if for some reason you were there and you weren't going home with a baby, it was just too damn perky. He knew from the way Snape was sitting that he had yet to get any information out of the medical staff, and that it was taking every ounce of his self control not to jump out of that chair and run to Hermione's side.
Arthur took a moment to summon some tea, and to fortify it with a bit of brandy, and then handed the cup to Snape while sitting down next to him. Severus took the cup, gulped it down, and handed it back to Arthur without a word. Arthur took the cup, and placed a hand on Severus' shoulder, gave it a squeeze, and just sat quietly with him.
Harry joined them a few minutes later. "Any news yet?"
Arthur shook his head. "What happened?"
Harry explained the feeling of dread, the run to Hermione's office, and the ominous aura that Madame Pomfrey had revealed. Arthur nodded as he listened to the story. Snape continued to sit silent and tense; staring at some distant point.
Arthur watched Snape bolt out of the chair when Poppy entered the room.
"Easy Severus, the Healers are with her. She's going to be fine," Poppy said with a gentle voice.
Healers Arthur thought. More than one, this is not good. The last time anyone around here saw more than one Healer was when I was brought in with that bite.
Severus did not look reassured. "What did you see when you did the diagnostic spell?"
Poppy looked pained. "I don't know. Whatever it was wasn't good, but it's nothing I've seen before."
"Did they stop the bleeding?" Harry asked.
"Not yet, but don't worry, her body isn't done yet. When it is the bleeding will stop. Probably a week or two from now. One of them will be out to see you soon. I'm going to head back to the school, and let Minerva know that it will be a while before Hermione gets back."
Snape nodded dully. Arthur wanted to hug the younger man. Had Severus been one of his boys he would have, but even with as close as they had become over the last year and a half, Severus was still not his son, and Arthur was not sure how he'd take the gesture. So once again Arthur squeezed Snape's shoulder, and offered him another cup of tea.
A young man in disheveled robes burst out from the double doors leading out of the waiting room. Snape jumped, and then collapsed back into his chair when he saw the man head straight for one of the Floos in the room, and begin excitedly calling his parents. "Mum! Dad! It's a boy…" and other joyful words washed over them.
They really need a better waiting room set up, Harry thought. This has got to be killing Severus.
The unknown man continued to call his family and spread the word. Severus, Harry, and Arthur sat and waited.
"I should call Molly."
Arthur was halfway out of the chair when Severus looked at him and quietly said, "Wait. I don't think I could take Molly yet."
"Oh." Arthur sat back down. Arthur could see it in his head, Molly would be there in an instant, mothering Snape, covering him in soft words and hugs and compassion, and it would break him. He'd lose the last thread that was holding his emotions in check, and for a man like Snape that thought was too much to bear. He was suddenly very glad that Molly no longer kept the clock visible. Nothing would have stopped her from finding them and coming if she had seen Hermione's hand pointing to Mortal Peril.
They sat, quiet and tense. Harry wondered what Snape must be feeling. All of Ginny's pregnancies had flowed along smoothly, and it had never really occurred to him that something like this could happen. Hell, he had seen Hermione at lunch and she had been happily eating, glowing over the fact that she had just started to feel the baby move. The two of them had been playing a game they started when Ginny was pregnant the first time, which one of them could come up with the most outrageous name. He had been so proud of his newest addition to the odious name collection, Ithelrayne. It was so perfectly bad that it made her wince. Then she laughed, stood up, stretched, and headed off to teach.
Two hours later he was sprinting out of his classroom and heading towards hers.
"Severus?" Harry asked.
"Yes…" Snape didn't look away from the doors leading to the maternity ward.
"Have you ever heard of what happened with us? The way we were called to Hermione?"
For a moment Snape closed his eyes, and then he turned to face Harry. He silently thanked Harry. Here was something else to think about. Something clinical. Something other than the fear wrapping around his heart as the image of a Healer walking out of that door to tell him Hermione had died filled his mind.
"I thought she had called us." Harry added, feeling some relief that Snape could still focus on a problem other than Hermione.
"I did too, but now that I think about it…" And for the first time he did think about it, and the icy fear intensified, that kind of spell work was bad, the kind of bad he hadn't seen for almost nine years.
"She was in no condition to cast anything. There's no set spell with a wand that will do what happened, and she didn't have the focus to do it without a wand."
"Exactly. So what spell will do that?"
"An extremely unpleasant one I'm afraid." Susan Bones had come to join them while they were speaking. Snape jumped at her voice and whipped around to face her. "We have her stabilized, but, I'm sorry, Severus, she's lost the baby."
"She'll be fine?" Severus had barely heard the second half of Susan's statement as relief flooded over him with the first half.
"We think so. That's what we need to talk with you, and her, about. But for the time being she's asleep, and will be until at least tomorrow. She lost a lot of blood, so we'd like her to stay here, rest, build her back up, and then start trying to figure out what happened tomorrow. If you want to see her you can, but then you should go home and get some sleep too."
Snape's look indicated he didn't think much of the idea of sleeping.
"I'll give you some Dreamless Sleep. You both need rest. It'll make what comes next a bit easier if you aren't exhausted."
Snape followed Susan through the doors leading to the Maternity Ward.
Harry looked at Arthur and asked, "Do you want…"
"No, go home to my daughter and grandkids. I'll stay here and make sure he gets home and gets some sleep."
"Really? It's not a problem for me to stay."
"There are some things I want to say to him anyway. If you feel like sticking your head in the dragon's mouth you could Floo Molly for me and let her know what's going on, and that I'll be home tomorrow morning at the latest."
Harry nodded. "Sure, Dad, I'll let her know. " He then stepped into the Floo to head home, and begin quietly spreading the news.
When Harry left Arthur stuck his head into the Floo and spoke his secretary's name.
"Ellen…"
"Yes, Mr. Weasley?"
"I'd like you to contact Zacharias Smith at Magical Law Enforcement and have him find out which Death Eaters are still alive. Not the usual list either, I want to know each and every single one we didn't find a body for."
"Not a problem. Shall I tell him why he's doing this?"
"Tell him to Floo me at St. Mungo's Maternity Ward if he's got questions."
Ellen nodded and pulled out of the flames. Arthur once again thanked God that she had come his way. He'd gone through three totally useless secretaries over the last six years, but Ellen was always calm, always on top of whatever he wanted, and didn't ask awkward questions until he was alone in his office.
Arthur settled back to think. Who could handle this properly? Most of the Aurors he knew and trusted from back in the days when he was in charge of Misuse of Muggle Object had died or retired. And to make matters more difficult whoever ended up with this case would have to do it fast before Severus got over the shock and went out looking for old enemies himself.
Assuming this was aimed at Severus. Hermione's made some powerful enemies over the years as well. Hell, this could have been aimed at Harry…
No, not Harry…Ginny and the kids are better targets if he's aiming for Harry. Hurting Harry is just a nice side effect of hurting Hermione and Snape. Hermione and Snape? Hermione or Snape?
An hour passed while Arthur pondered what had happened.
Zacharias Smith's proper voice came from the Floo.
"I have the list you wanted Mr. Weasley."
"Thank you Mr. Smith."
"May I ask why the head of the Department of Muggle Relations has his secretary call me and tell me to drop everything to come up with this list?"
"You'll get the case tonight, tomorrow at the latest. I wanted to see the list of suspects and get working on it as soon as possible."
"Is it a Muggle matter?"
"No, it's a family matter."
"Mr. Weasley, you aren't an Auror."
"No, I'm not, and I don't intend to investigate. I do intend to see who can be whittled off this list so that when you do investigate you'll be able to move faster than you would otherwise."
Smith looked annoyed at the lack of answer, but he handed the paper over anyway. It didn't do to ignore the request of a senior Ministry official, even if he wasn't directly in line to promote you.
"Thank you Mr. Smith. I appreciate that you were so quick to collect these names."
"You're welcome Mr. Weasley."
Arthur spent the next hour going over the list, debating each name. Did the witch or wizard have the skill necessary to cast this kind of spell? Or, as he suspected from the small comments he had heard, did the Witch or Wizard have the skill necessary to invent this kind of spell.
After two and a half hours had passed Arthur decided it was time to collect Severus. He folded the list, placed it in his pocket, and then stopped at the desk to find out what room Hermione and Severus were in.
He entered the room quietly. Severus was sitting beside Hermione holding one of her hands in his. Hermione looked like she was sleeping peacefully. In fact, if she had been in any bed but this one he would have assumed she was just having a bit of a nap. The joys of Dreamless Sleep.
"Come on Severus, let's get you home."
"I don't want to leave her."
"I wouldn't think you did, but you need to go home."
"Why?"
"Because in a day or so Hermione is going to go home with you and if you stay here with her the whole time then she'll have to go home to a house filled with baby things."
Which is when it really hit Severus. Hermione had lost the baby. He went limp, and Arthur tugged him towards the Floo like a tired child.