Disclaimer: I do not own HP, though maybe one day if I practice really, really hard, I will write something just as brilliant. Hey, I can dream, can't I?

Thank you to all of you who had read and reviewed and special thanks to my new BETA Messer-Moony-sezs-awhoo

Chapter Twenty One

Surprise

HPOV

It was now the middle of July, wedding plans were pretty much set, the minister has been secured, invitations sent out, dress and tux have been ordered. Remus didn't argue too much when I said I need our wedding to be completely muggle, I wanted to invite family, and other than my parents they don't know about my magic. The only thing left is to find a good caterer. Maybe I could ask Molly? I'm sure she would jump at the opportunity.

Katelyn invited Remus and I over for dinner this Saturday, I wonder what threat she had to use against Professor Snape to get him to agree. Personally I used the threat of sleeping in the guest room until the day of our wedding on Remus, it worked rather quickly.

"Remus, come on, we will be late." I huffed pounding on the bathroom door. He had been in there for almost an hour. Honestly, he was worse than most women.

"Hold your Hippogryphs woman."

I could help but laugh at that one. Hold my Hippogryphs, really. "Remus, you brat, hurry up." I said still snickering.

As he opened the door my snicker turned to a full on laugh as I caught sight of why exactly he was held up.

"Oh Merlin. Remus, wh-what in the world." I ran my fingers across his slicked back, freshly dyed platinum blond hair.

"Don't," he said pushing my hand away. "You'll mess it up."

"Remus." I continued to laugh. "You look like a Malfoy."

My fiancé glared dangers at me before quickly walking away from me and down the hall, I followed.

"Sweetie, please change it back."

"No," he crossed his arms then giving me a very defiant look, "and you can't make me."

"What are you five?" I rolled my eyes at his immaturity. "Is this some sort of mid-life crisis thing?"

His glare hardened, though I believe he was unable to think of a comeback so he simply made a huffing noise before plopping down on the sofa.

"You can't really like the way you look." I said sitting down beside him my eyes drawn to the platinum blob on top of his head.

"Maybe I do. Maybe I like it so much I plan to keep it this way."

Closing my eyes I rubbed the bridge of my nose. He was going to make my head ache come back and I had just gotten rid of the damn thing an hour ago. I know Remus, and he wouldn't do something this…dramatic without a reason.

"Remus, honey, at least tell me why you dyed your hair."

"I didn't dye it I charmed it, and I did it because…well, I-I saw grey." He said the last word so softly I almost didn't hear him.

"Grey?"

"Yes." He shook his head as he sighed. "Three grey hairs."

Grey hair. Oh please. What a drama queen. He was being completely pathetic, and I wasn't in the mood to coddle his pity-party.

"You know you could have just pulled out the grey hair."

"It would have grown back."

"You sound like a five year old child who lost his favourite blankly Remus." I said rising from the couch. "Now fix your hair, and your attitude, so we can go have a nice dinner with the Snape's." Yes I sounded like his mother, but at that point I didn't care.

Thankfully he heeded my directions, though he grumbled as he did.

RPOV

Bloody woman, it's my hair, I should be able to style it anyway I want. However studying my hair in the mirror once again, I have to admit she was right; I did look like a Malfoy. I quickly changed it back and headed back into the front room where my love was impatiently tapping her foot on the floor her arms crossed as she looked at her watch.

"You do realize we are late now, don't you."

"Sorry, dear." I gave an impish grin which she ignored and we then quickly flooed to the Snape's quarters at Hogwarts.

"You're late!" Was the greeting we received from Severus.

"I'm sorry professor; I couldn't get Remus out of the bathroom."

That was mean, and unnecessary, and I'm sure she did it simply to get back at me for my display of childishness. And if it was said just between the two of us I probably would have laughed, but no she had to say it in from of Snape and his wife. Just lovely.

Severus was smirking however it just faded when Katelyn kindly added to the conversation.

"Don't worry about it Hermione, Severus is the same way."

Severus and I both went a bit pink, though we were much too prideful to admit it.

"Lupin". Snape turned to me. "I have something to discuss with you. Let's let the woman gossip."

I nodded and followed him into what I would assume was his library. He motioned to two arm chairs near one or four book shelves in the room and we sat.

"So, what is it you want to talk about?" I asked making myself comfortable as one of the school house elf's hand me cup of tea.

"Wolfsbane." He stated plainly

"What about it."

"I have been working on…improving it." This immediately caught my interest.

"How so?"

"Basically I am trying to create a potion that would terminate transformations completely."

My eyes bulged, my voice momentarily caught in my throat. I almost couldn't believe what I was hearing. He sounded as if he was working on a cure.

"So-so you're working on a cure." I finally managed say.

"Not exactly." He shook his head slightly. "It would not rid the body of the curse, however it would…stabilize it to the point that it would not be able to manifest itself. The potion would only need to be taken once, unlike the wolfsbane which has to be taken every month."

"How close are you?"

"Very. All I need now is to test the product, see if there are any side effects and such."

Now I know why he was telling this entire he wanted to use me as his genie pig, which I was all too eager to do. "You want to test your potion on me, don't you?"

"I do, that is if you are willing."

"All too willing, I assure you."

Severus nodded, a tiny grin forming on the corner of his lips, where as a large smile formed on mine. To be able to rid myself of my 'furry little problem' once and for all, it's like a dream come true, a dream I never thought possible in a million years.

"I hate to interrupt." We both turned to the voice at the door way. "But dinner is ready."

We both rose from our seat, Severus quickly went to his wife wrapping his arm around her waist and kissing her gently on the head. It's almost unnerving to see Snape show such affection towards another human being.

I was lead into the dining room where my fiancé was already seated; I quickly took a seat beside her.

HPOV

"So what were you two being so secretive about that you had to talk in another room?" I asked then taking a bite of me turkey.

Remus grinned widely at me before answering. "Severus is working on a potion to permanently halt transformations."

My jaw dropped in shock. I looked over at Severus who was smirking, Katelyn was giving him a look of pure pride. "Oh my god, Professor, that-that's fantastic."

"He asked me to be his test subject." Remus said. "I agreed."

"Well of course." I took his hand and squeezed it. The news was almost too good to be true. It wasn't a cure, but it was close, and it would allow Remus to live a much more normal life.

"How long have you been working on this." I asked professor Snape beyond curious of the details.

"Since before I invented Wolfsbane. I was actually working on a cure when I 'accidently' created Wolfsbane." We all gave a small chuckle.

"I would be interested in hearing your research professor, that is if you are willing to share."

"I suppose".

His answer surprised me, not only did I expect him to be greedy with his research but also to add some sort of insult concerning my desire know everything.

"You know Sev," Katelyn added. "Perhaps Hermione could assist you in-

For some reason Katelyn stopped mid-sentence, a blank looked filled her face as she placed a hand over her bulging stomach.

"Katie. What's wrong." Professor Snape instantly went to his wife's side.

"Oh God."

"Katie, whats wrong."

"M-My water just broke and...oh, I just felt a contraction."

"Bu-but you're not due for another month."

"I don't think she cares, love." His wife said attempting to rise from the table; Snape was quick to take her hand.

"Professor, would you like me to floo Madam Pompry." I offered.

"She is out of town for the weekend."

Katie gave out another gasp of pain, her husband frozen with fear. Yes, fear. I had never seen my dreaded potions professor show an ounce of it, but it was very obvious that was exactly how he was feeling.

"Severus, you should take your wife to St. Mongo's." Remus suggested.

"Oh, um, right."

But Katelyn suddenly let out a rather loud groan of pain. "Oh Merlin." Her knees began to shake and had Severus not been holding her she would have most certainly collapsed to the floor.

"Professor, there may not be time. Take her to your room and undress her from the waist down." I practically commanded him. At this point he seemed to come out of his shock of his wife in labour and looked at me as if I had completely lost my mind.

"I beg your pardon."

"I have delivered a baby before".

"Miss. Granger you are just a child, how could you-

I quickly cut him off. "I am not a child and as I am sure you are aware I am a bit of a know-it-all. I delivered my cousins baby when I was just fourteen so I am sure I can attend to you wife."

Katelyn gave out another scream of pain, clutching her belly as she did. The contractions were growing close. The woman was going to have a quick delivery.

"Remus." I turned to my fiancé. "Floo to St. Mungos and see if they can send someone over." He nodded and quickly did as instructed.

"Sev, let Hermione help." Katelyn asked her husband.

"You need a healer."

"Well in that I don't have one, so Hermione will have to do." She then headed towards her bedroom; Severus quickly decided to fold to her request and escorted her into their bedroom.

I called for an elf who I instructed to bring me the items I would need in case Remus is unable to get a healer in time I am forced to deliver the baby myself. Yes, I had delivered a baby before, but that was quite a while ago, and I had to admit I was a bit apprehensive about the possibility; I just had to make sure I didn't allow Katelyn or Professor Snape to see my nervousness.

I quickly did a Scourgify charm on my hands and headed into the bedroom. Katelyn was lying on the bed, a blanked covering the lower part of her body. Professor Snape was sitting on the edge of the bed, his hand in hers.

"Okay Katelyn. I am going to check and see if you're dilated at all, okay." She nodded as I lifted the blanket, raising her knees as I did. Looking I could see that she was only about four centimetres dialated, which was a good thing, this gave Remus more time to get a proper healer. "Professor, if you could put some pillows behind your wife's back, it will help when she goes through the contractions."

He nodded and did as instructed, just then Katelyn gave out another scream of pain. "God this hurts." She cried out.

"It's okay, love. It'll be okay." Professor Snape attempted to calm his wife, gently rubbing his long fingers over his brow.

With a POP a tiny house elf appeared in the room with all the necessities I required. I thanked the elf which quickly apparated away.

As time went on her contractions grew closer and closer and I was starting to wonder where the bloody hell emus was with the blasted healer. It had almost been forty-five minutes since her water broke, I knew labour and delivery's could go this quickly, I just wasn't expecting it.

"Okay Katelyn, I'm going to check you again, okay?" She nodded and I lifted the blanked.

"O-kay. You're crowning."

"What the bloody hell does that mean." Professor Snape snapped.

"It means, professor, that you wife is ready to push".

It was at this point I realized that I was most assuredly going to have to deliver this baby.

"Now, on the count of three I'm going to need you to push. 1-2-3."

She screamed as she attempted to propel the baby from her body.

"Good, good, once more and we should have it." Looking up Professor Snape was looking down lovingly at his wife. He kissed her temple and whispered something to her softly causing her to give a small smile.

"Okay ready 1-2-3." She pushed again and out came the head.

"Somebody has black hair." I Put my hand in front of the baby's head and let it come out nice and slowly

The little one let out a loud cry as I cleaned him off. Yes, him, the baby was a boy. Surprise. "It's a boy." I finally announced.

"A-a boy." Professor Snapes face lit up like a Christmas tree. "I have a son. We have a son." Severus looked down at his wife, a smile so wide it split his face in half. "We have a son." He then kissed her lips tenderly.

I wrapped the baby in a pink blanket and handed the newborn to his mother. "I suppose we will be changing the nursery colours." Katelyn gave a small chuckle at her husband's comment.

"Yes, we will".

"What should we call him?" Professor Snape asked his wife as he gently touched his son's cheek with his long finger.

"I don't-

Katelyn eyes widened as her face scrunched up in a familiar look of pain. "Katie, what's-

"Professor, take your son from your wife."

I had a suspicion what was going on, and if I was right Katelyn would not be in the condition to push out another baby with her newborn son still in her arms.

"Miss. Granger, what's going on?" Professor Snape asked as he took his son his arms for the first time.

Checking Katelyn, my suspicions were confirmed. "You wife still needs to deliver another baby."

"What!" They yelled simultaneously.

"It looks like you will be having twins, perhaps you will get your girl after all."

After two more pushes Katelyn delivered a healthy baby girl, who looked the complete opposite of her brother. The boy had his father's black hair and eyes while the girl had her mother's blond hair and blue eyes, they both had their fathers alabaster skin tone, though they were still a bit pink having just been born. Professor Snape held his son, and Katelyn her daughter.

The love in the room was almost overwhelming. This woman, who thought she would never have the joy of having even one child, was now the mother of two.

"So, have you decided on a name for your son?" I asked.

Severus nodded. "Brian Severus."

"That is a wonderful name Professor."

Just as Ariana and Brian Snape had both fallen asleep in their parent's arms the bedroom door opened and in walked Remus and an older woman in blue robes.

"Looks like I'm a little late." The woman chuckled.

"Just a little." I laughed.

A/N: Aww, can you feel the love. Review and I know I will.