Hermione lay back on the cold stone ground and cast a warming charm around her. She still hadn't returned to Severus' sleeping quarters. Instead she had come up the astronomy, where she always used to go to think. It was so peaceful up here with the stars winking down at her. She loved the feeling of being the only person in the world, of being completely relaxed. She moved her hands over her stomach and felt the cool silver of the ring brush up against her. Severus asking her to marry was the most outrageous thing…..yet in some small obscure corner of her mind she was delighted at the prospect of spending the rest of her life with him. She still had to think about it and wasn't going to answer him until she was completely ready, she still had some things to talk with him about to. Like where they were going to live? She didn't want to live in the castle the rest of her life, did she? She hadn't really given him a chance to tell her that. She had been so overwhelmed she had just needed to walk away and get some time to think.

Severus was feeling just the same. He was lying awake under his black sheets and thinking. He was worried where Hermione was but felt he shouldn't go looking for her. He didn't want to press himself on upon her. She would come to him when she was ready. Oh Hermione…

Just then there came a creaking from his door and Hermione walked in. She was still wearing her dress robes and her hair was rumpled, falling out of its perfect style and down her back in unruly waves. She glanced at him, thinking he was still asleep and went to her bedroom to change into her pajamas. She then slipped into bed and neither said a word as she put her arms around him.

One week has passed since Severus had asked Hermione to marry him and she was still contemplating it. One minute she was leaving toward the obvious reasons of no I am too young and no it's too soon and then the next minute she was thinking about throwing her arms around him and telling him yes yes and yes. Severus had not mentioned it or asked her about it, but Hermione still kept his ring. She had taken to wearing it around her neck with her half moon necklace so she could tuck it into her robes and other people. She didn't want people asking her who gave it to her. That would cause an uproar.

It was a Tuesday afternoon when classes had already been let out that Hermione thought it was time to bring up the obvious with Severus. She approached him in his study, where he was already poring over numerous papers and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Severus I have some questions to ask you about….what you asked me. Really important questions."

Severus knew this time would come and was ready to ask anything that came to her mind. "You have a right to know everything about me. Ask anything you want and I will answer it."

"Okay….well first I was wondering where we would live? I mean I don't want to be rude but I don't want to raise a baby in a castle. I want my baby to have a real home, where they have plenty of room and can go play in the yard and stuff……you know…..like other kids do." She trailed off feeling a bit silly about talking about her child playing the yard.

Severus looked at her seriously and said "I would not expect you to raise the baby at Hogwarts in my small chambers. What most people don't know is that I own the cottage on the edge of Hogsmeade. It's a little small….but big enough for two people and a child I believe."

Hermione was surprised "Really? Everyone always assumed that cottage was abandoned."

"Yes, well I don't bandy it about that I own a cottage…."

"Oh. Well I have another question. How are you going to work when you are trying to help me raise a baby? I mean what will we do for money? How will I work? You can't pay for everything?"

He actually laughed at this. "Believe me Hermione. You won't ever have to worry about money. To put it lightly I am rather well off. And as for you working, you won't have to work, taking care of a child is enough work. I can easily provide for you and the baby.

Hermione looked affronted. "No I won't live off of you. I need a way to help pay for my things! I mean….I won't be just some little housewife who does nothing."

"Hermione haven't realized by now that I take enjoyment in buying things for you, in taking care of you?"

"It doesn't matter. I won't leach off of you."

"It wouldn't be like that. You are carrying out child. Me providing a home for your is not leaching" He was starting to get irritated with her stubbornness.

"Maybe…but I still will want to pay for some things!"

"Hermione why must you be so stubborn? If you must, I will allow you to pay for some things…but don't think you will be buying the whole house or something like that. Like I said, I have enough money to set our affairs in order."

Hermione nodded a bit at this "Okay, just so you understand that I am an independent woman and I won't live off of someone."

"Hermione, I could never see you living off of someone."

"Alright well I am glad that's settled. I have one more question. What are you going to do about your duties to Dumbledore? Aren't you still working as a double agent for Voldemort and Dumbledore?"

Severus' face tightened. "Those are duties I cannot ignore. There is so much at stake. I do promise you this, I will do everything I can to always come back to you."

Hermione took his face in her hands, her eyes welling up with tears. "Severus how can I bear the thought of losing you? What if you never come back? What will I do without you?"

"You will not have to worry about that. You have forgotten that I now have something to live for."

She fell onto his chest, sniffing slightly. "I love you so much"

"I love you too."

She pulled away and looked at him seriously. "Yes" was all she said.

Severus knew what that one little word meant and thought his heart would burst. He no longer felt cold, bitter, resentful and angry. Every feeling that wasn't his love for Hermione washed out of him. He clung to her small body, breathing in the scent of her skin and hair. He wanted her so badly. He wanted to take her for his own, right here but he knew he had to wait.

Hermione knew she had made the right decision. She trusted Severus and knew he would never leave her and the baby. Her heart had just felt right when she had said that one small word "yes"

"Oh gosh. I can't believe I am getting married" She said suddenly overcome with giggles.

He looked at her warily. "Yes, believe me. I though this day would never come for me."

"How am I going to tell Ron, Hermione and Ginny? They are going to go insane. Well maybe not Ginny so much. But Harry and Ron…."

"Frankly I couldn't care less about what those two idiots do."

She swatted him on the arm "I care though! They are my best friends and if we are going to get married then I want them there."

"If you insist….I think we should tell Dumbledore first."

"Will he be angry? Do you mean now?"

"Well knowing him he probably already knows and yes I do mean now."

So they both gathered themselves and up and walked to the stone gargoyle where Severus whispered the password "jolly ranchers" and the staircase started its spinning rotation upward.

Hermione was very nervous. She didn't know how the headmaster would take a student being married to a teacher. But Severus didn't seem nervous at all. He actually looked happy, which of course was very odd for him. His features were normally fixed into varying shades of anger or boredom.

Severus knocked on Dumbledore's door and heard softly "Come in Severus and young Hermione."

They opened the door and saw Dumbledore sitting at his desk, his eyes twinkling with knowledge as usual. "Sit down, sit down" He said.

Severus and Hermione each took a seat, side by side, in the plush comfy chairs that Dumbledore preferred.

"Well, what is it you wish to tell me?" He said calmly.

Severus was starting to feel a tiny bit uncomfortable. "Well as you know Headmaster, Hermione is carrying my child (Dumbledore nodded and smiled at Hermione) and as you also know of my feelings for her…..I have asked her to marry me."

Of all the things Hermione expected Dumbledore to do, it was not this. He spread his arms wide and his face lit up with radiant joy. "Wonderful! Wonderful! I see that you have finally let all of your true feelings out you too?"

"Umm. I suppose so." Said Severus, looking at Dumbledore like he was mad.

"So, when is the wedding date?" Dumbledore said.

"Oh" Hermione said, surprised. She hadn't even thought about this. "Well, we haven't really set one just yet."

"Hmm well we can't wait too long considering you are already nearly five months pregnant. So how about sometime in February? Maybe the 22nd?"

Hermione and Severus were both a bit shocked by Dumbledore's reaction to all of this and just stared at him a bit blankly. Finally Severus spoke "Well I don't really see any problem with that. Do you Hermione"

"Umm, no I don't. That sounds just fine. I mean that gives me enough time to tell people and invite my parents and stuff" She cringed at the thought of having to tell her parents. She hadn't even told them she was pregnant yet!

Dumbledore seemed to read her mind. "I am sure your parents will not be too angry with you Hermione once you have explained the situation. They might even like Severus if you are lucky!"

Severus looked at Dumbledore coldly. "Thank you for that Albus."

Hermione giggled and she and Severus got up to leave. Dumbledore waved them off still smiling, his eyes twinkling more than ever.

When they were out of his office and back in the school hall Hermione turned to Severus "February 22nd? This is all going to fast. I didn't expect Dumbledore to be so happy. It seemed as if he already knew something like this would happen.'

Severus snorted "Oh you can always expect Dumbledore to know everything."

"I think I am going to tell Ron, Ginny and Harry as soon as possible. I want to attend the wedding and I know they will need ummm how shall I put…..cool down time. I don't want to spring it on them at the last minute."

"Fine. We know what pity it would be if the Weasley's and Hero boy didn't come."

Hermione decided that she was going to tell the three of them that night. So she had gathered all three of them and they had met in Ginny's empty dormitory. They were all three looking at her warily wondering what else she was going to spring on them. After all what could be bigger than being pregnant?

"Okay guys. I have something else to tell you. And like I said before, I trust you to support my decisions because you are all my best friends."

She took a deep steadying breath "Severus asked me to marry him and I said yes." She braced herself for the storm that would come but heard nothing. She looked up and received three blank, stunned faces. Ginny was the first to speak.

"Marriage Hermione? Have you really thought this through? I mean being pregnant is one thing. And loving Snape is one thing, but marrying him."

Ron seemed to snap into speaking now and he looked hurt and angry "Yeah Hermione what are thinking. This is your life, why are you going to throw it way."

Hermione took his hand and looked into his eyes "Ron, you are my best friend and I love you so much. Just please trust me on this and accept it. I love Severus. I really do and I actually want to spend the rest of my life with him."

Ron still looked hurt and angry but shrugged. She didn't press him. She knew that's as good as it would get now.

Hermione then turned to Harry who was avoiding her gaze, but he spoke before she could. "I love you Hermione, you know that. But don't think I will accept you marrying Severus. I will support you, because you are my best friend and have always been there for me but I don't accept your choices."

He then turned and walked away. Hermione was hurt but she had expected this from Harry. She knew he would eventually come to her and apologize though.

Ginny then took her hand "Oh don't worry about him. He'll come around. I'm just glad you're happy even if it is with…..Professor Snape."

Ron made a disgusted sound at this but actually smiled a little "Ugh Imagine living with him! Oh and Ginny's right about Harry. He will come around. I'll talk to him."

"Thanks guys" She was truly grateful for her wonderful friends. "The marriage date is February 22nd also, and I accept you to attend, both of you." She pointedly looked at Ron.

"Wow that's really soon. That's in a little over a month." Ginny said.

Hermione nodded. "I know. I was a bit surprised too, but Dumbledore set the date. Ginny I want you to be my maid of honor."

Ginny squealed with delight "Ooooh I have always wanted to be in a wedding!"

"Invite your parents too. I want both of them to be here."

"Okay." Ginny said giggling.

Ron said his goodbyes while the girls stayed, giggling and talking about the plans for the wedding.

Author's Notes: Please don't forget to review.