Yes or No?

Zelda stared into Severus's black eyes, alarmed by his intensity.

"What's wrong?" she asked, caressing his haggard cheek.

"Zelda, I thought you had some simple ailment, but after you went to sleep, Phineas asked to speak to me. He watches us at times. It's probably not true, but he suggested… Phineas believes that you're pregnant," he said, scowling. "Can it be?"

She froze, staring into his eyes. "No. I don't believe it. I'm not close to menopause, but I'm over forty. Besides, you told me witches and wizards must choose to conceive, and you don't want kids. You wouldn't choose it."

"No, not if I were aware. But…" he paused, forcing the words out. "Zel, when you took the potion to regain your memory, I had a flashback. Do you remember? I didn't know you; I didn't know anything until afterward. It's possible that I, without knowing, chose blindly to procreate."

She was confused. She saw fear and regret in him, but they didn't know, so it was probably all a mistake.

"Don't worry, Sev, I don't think it's true."

She glanced toward the two men washing dishes and asked suspiciously, "Do they know what we're talking about?"

He nodded. "Michael thought it was useless to remain in ignorance, so while we were together, he and Kingsley went to buy a kind of Muggle pregnancy test."

It suddenly seemed real, if they'd gone this far. She quivered, afraid to grasp what it would mean.

"Goddess," she said shakily, "Sev, I don't know what to say."

"I love you," he said. "I'll always love you. If it's true, we'll do whatever you think is right."

Her previous experience of marriage had not included a generous and honorable husband, so knowing he meant what he said filled her with emotion. Tears filled her eyes as she looked into his. When he lifted her into his lap she buried her face against his neck and cried as he held her.

Michael returned to them, unsurprised to find her in tears. In contrast to his usual bracing mockery, he sat down by them and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Zel, it'll be okay," he said stoutly. "We don't even know it's true, Phineas may just have been trying to ruin our day, babe."

"I suddenly feel pregnant, which is stupid. But Severus said you bought one of those home test kits. Where is it?"

"In my room. You're supposed to use it first thing in the morning, though."

"Why?" Severus asked curiously. "That sounds like a magical concept. How does it work?"

A watery chuckle escaped from Zelda. "Basically, when a woman's pregnant, hormones flood her body. I've known many women that used the kits. You pee on a little stick thingy in the morning, because the urine is most concentrated. The damned thing turns some color if you're pregnant. Very early in pregnancy, HCG levels aren't consistently high, but the tests have improved as time goes on. Go get it, Michael."

She looked very determined, so without arguing, he went and brought out the box.

She wanted to cringe when she saw the dainty pink box. Slipping off of Severus's lap, she sat next to him.

"Lights, please," she ordered, breaking the seal and pulling out the contents and beginning to read the instructions.

Kingsley came and sat quietly in the armchair to watch. As a gay wizard, he'd never seen this particular drama play out.

"Okay, if it happened, we know the date of conception," she said briskly. "It's a double kit. I'm going to try it now and again in the morning. In my friends' experience, false negatives are more common than false positives."

She rose, feeling horribly shaky inside, but pride kept her moving as she headed for the bathroom that was in their bedroom.

The three males sat still, glancing at each other and away from each other as the minutes passed.

"Severus, if it's true, what do you want?" asked Kingsley quietly.

"How can I know? I never thought this would happen," he hissed, feeling sourer by the moment.

The crackling of the fire sounded very loud as they all fell silent again.

"Severus! Please come here," called Zelda from the bedroom.

Feeling as though on the way to his own execution, he looked briefly at his companions as he rose to his feet.

"Zelda, where are you?" he said, entering the bedroom.

The bedroom was dark when he closed the door behind him.

"Here on the bed," she gasped, tears pouring down her face.

He pulled out his wand. "Lumos," he murmured.

One look at her face told him that it was true. He sat beside her and put his arm around her waist.

"Was the test accurate?" he asked.

She sighed. "Let's turn the lights on and I'll show you, but, yes, I think it's right."

Waving his wand around the room, he lit all of the lamps before following her to the bathroom.

"If there's not enough hormone present yet, or if the result is negative, nothing should show on the stick," she said. "But as you see…"

The tiny white stick she held up had a bright blue plus sign on it. He stared at it, but the sign only seemed to grow brighter as he looked. Finally he tore his gaze away and looked at his wife. His pregnant wife, he thought, as panic washed through his body.

"I'll do it again tomorrow," she said distractedly.

"All right," he replied, feeling stupid.

He steered her back to the bed and they sat down side by side.

"Kingsley just asked me what I want to do. I cannot say, because it's for you to decide," he said weakly.

"At my age there's a much higher risk for birth defects," she said. "I won't have a child that can't live long or develop normally."

"I agree."

"If what I've been feeling on and off this week was morning sickness, I think it would be a hard pregnancy. I don't know if I can do it."

He wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back, trying to grasp reality. Trying to imagine his child and hers. A tiny demon whispered in his mind that if she had his child, she'd stay with him forever. He imagined their child, an infant with her sweet blue eyes and loving nature. Then pride spoke to him. He, Severus Snape, having impregnated her, would be a father. The entire world would know he had a wife who adored him enough to bear his child. He felt an incredible rush of power. Then suddenly, reality was before him in the face of his frightened Zelda. Her blue eyes were full of grief.

"If only I weren't so old," she said sorrowfully. "If I were younger, I'd have loved to have your child, if you wanted it."

"Come lie down," he said. "You'll make yourself ill if you fret so much."

Holding her helped him to put aside his own ego and think of her. He didn't know what would happen, but she must decide. Whatever she chose, as long as she was with him, would be acceptable.

&&&&&&&&&

Severus woke suddenly, feeling cold and stiff. He was alone in bed, wearing yesterday's clothes. His mouth tasted vile. He felt as he had at times when he was spying for Dumbledore, but he was in the bed he shared with Zelda. He was confused for a moment, but then remembered.

Zelda was sitting on the bathroom floor, staring at another tiny white stick. She turned and looked helplessly at him and he realized they had a second positive result.

"Sweetheart, come here," he said, holding out his hands.

His loving gesture brought a faint smile to her face as she tossed the stick on the floor, took his hands and rose to face him.

"It's not really the end of the world, is it?" she asked. "I'm pregnant, so now we need to decide what to do and then do it. Will we be okay?"

"Can you forgive me and promise you'll stay with me?" he asked. "It's my fault, you know."

"Why do you think I'd leave you?" she asked, appalled. "Sev, I married you forever, as long as I live, no backs! Unless you've realized you'd be better off without a Muggle wife."

"No! I couldn't bear life without you. But I still fear that someday you'll grow tired of me and want to leave," he said painfully.

"Sev, we're the most needy people on earth, I think. Forever, remember?"

She flung her arms around him, squeezing him tight, and he felt able to think again.

"Wait here," he said softly.

He began running a bath, filling the room with warm, faintly scented steam. Then he turned to her with a quizzical look.

"We both slept in our clothes, my girl, and I neglected to brush my teeth. I feel as disgusting as I did in my spying days."

"I didn't realize, but you're right. I feel nasty," she agreed. "Life will go on today and I plan to face it clean."

He put toothpaste on his toothbrush, and with a mocking smile passed her toothbrush to her. Thus they began preparing for the day to come.

&&&&&&&&&

As they dressed after their bath, Zelda found herself watching Severus. Since she'd met him, she didn't feel her age and she was fighting the urge to tell him she wanted this child. It was mad, she thought, sitting down sadly on the bed. She didn't notice immediately that he was watching.

"Zelda," he whispered, "I wish you'd told me."

Shocked, she realized he was kneeling before her while she was lost in her unhappy thoughts and, using Legilimency, seen her sad wish. She strove to be angry, but knew he deserved honesty from her.

"Even though I'm so old, biology makes a fool of me," she said earnestly. "Since the first time we were together, my body's screamed to get pregnant. But my rational mind knows it's a terrible idea. And I didn't want anything to distract me from taking care of you."

"But?" he asked gently, sitting down beside her.

"But it's yours," she said, her eyes filling with tears. "Ours, and if it were to be healthy… I never imagined this could happen, but…"

"But?"

"It might kill me to have a baby at my age, but…" her voice dwindled wistfully away.

"I'm touched that you wish to have our child," he said. "Zelda, your love is a miracle in my life."

Lightly he kissed her forehead. It was as impossible as before, but knowing her feelings made whatever would happen bearable.

&&&&&&&&&

Facing Kingsley and Michael was the first test and they marched out of the bedroom as though going to battle. They were taken aback, however, by the presence of a complete stranger seated at the kitchen table, and a magical stranger at that.

"Zelda, Severus, this is my colleague at St. Mungo's, Dilys Smethwyck," said Michael, beaming at them encouragingly. "Dilys, this is Professor Severus Snape and his wife, Zelda."

Dilys Smethwyck was a very short, hefty witch with frizzy gray hair and bright hazel eyes that studied Zelda with interest. She held out her hand and shook first Zelda's and then Severus's hand.

"I'm happy to meet you," she said in a musical voice. "Michael told me I might be of assistance to you."

Kingsley turned around and offered a mug of coffee to Zelda, saying, "Sit down, please, everyone. Breakfast will be ready soon."

"What has Michael told you?" asked Severus coolly.

"Don't be difficult, Sev," said Michael fiercely. "Everything you say will be confidential, but Zelda needs to know the facts before she makes any decision."

Reluctantly, Severus pulled Zelda's chair out and seated her, and then sat down next to her, glaring at Michael.

"Zel, Dilys is a Healer and the celebrated author of What Every Witch Should Know," said Michael. "She's also the best poker player we've got on staff at St. Mungo's."

Zelda chuckled slightly, drawing a beaming smile from her old friend.

"Did he mention that I'm not a witch?" she asked. "I'm a pregnant old Muggle and I can handle this."

"Michael did say you two would be as hard on yourselves as possible," she said with a slight smile. "Since I've never had breakfast cooked by a Ministry Auror before, let's enjoy our meal and then we can talk a bit."

Zelda reached under the table and put her hand on Severus's knee. When he took her hand in his and clasped it firmly, she sighed faintly.

"The Auror's a decent cook, but the Deputy Headmaster of Hogwarts is better," she murmured with a sweet smile at Kingsley.

"Ah, Hogwarts," murmured the Healer. "I've known Minerva McGonagall since we were at school together. Albus Dumbledore was a dear friend of mine too."

They talked of generalities during their meal, and Zelda could see why Michael liked this Dilys so much. She was clever, quick-witted and a practical person.

After breakfast, Zelda turned to the witch and said, "Let's get this over with, Dilys."

They went to a couple of chairs near the window, where they could watch thick snow swirling past the cabin.

"Well?" she said rather defiantly.

"Michael said you're unexpectedly pregnant, you're forty-two and he thinks under your tough talk, you might want to have this baby."

"Ouch. He's good, isn't he?" acknowledged Zelda. "It wasn't until this morning that I could admit it. But I know it can't happen."

Hazel eyes probed hers relentlessly, not with Legilimency, but with the eyes of an experienced woman. Zelda looked back at her cautiously.

"You're not that old," said Dilys appraisingly. "You look very healthy, and of course there are ways to see if the baby is healthy and normal."

"I haven't been feeling well already, and I'm afraid I don't have the stamina, for pregnancy or for a child. My own kids are grown up, you know."

"Michael talks about them frequently," she replied. "He loves your children dearly."

"I know," said Zelda, chuckling. "Dilys, Severus doesn't want a kid and he needs me, he needs my attention. He's had a rough time."

"I read the Prophet, so I know something of what he's gone through," she said quietly, noticing that Severus was glowering at them from the kitchen. "I see that he's very protective of you, but, Zelda, do you really believe he wouldn't welcome your child?"

"I don't want to make his life any harder," she said. "Everyone's ready to load him up with burdens and responsibilities. I can't stand the thought of adding more worry. He worries all the time."

"He's lucky to have such a generous woman," said Dilys, smiling. "Why don't we ask him?"

"Severus," called Zelda, "Please join us."

He came quickly, Levitating a chair that he set down next to hers.

"Well?" he asked as he sat down and reached for her hand.

Dilys studied him closely. "Severus, I must tell you that I don't believe Zelda is too old to bear a child now and she seems in excellent health. How do you feel about her pregnancy?"

He spoke slowly, obviously choosing his words carefully. "We didn't want this, or plan it. But I didn't plan on finding Zelda, or even surviving the war. If this is meant to be, I'll welcome and care for our child. If it does not happen, I'll love my wife and be grateful for everything we have together."

Zelda squeezed his hand gratefully.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yes," he said, the faintest of smiles lighting his black eyes as he looked at her.

Dilys Smethwyck watched this exchange of glances closely. The moment when a couple accepted the prospect of a new life was always moving. These two mature, wounded people would be good parents, however, this was only the beginning.

"May I examine you, Zelda? I suppose this is early, but Michael mentioned that you were taking a potion when you conceived. Sometimes that changes things a bit."

"Can Severus be there?" she asked.

"As much as he wishes to be," replied the Healer. "I've found that wizards generally prefer to remain in blissful ignorance of the process."

"This wizard wishes to be with his wife," replied Severus. "Will our bedroom be an adequate examination room?"

When she nodded, he went ahead of them and waved his wand. The comforter arranged itself neatly; discarded clothing flew into the hamper in the corner and then the place looked acceptable.

Zelda went over to Michael and he smirked when she asked to borrow something. He went to his room and came out, throwing her something. When she joined Dilys, she went into the bathroom and came out wearing a very large man's shirt.

"Come and sit down," said Dilys kindly. "First I'm going to examine your breasts."

It was all precisely like a Muggle obstetrical exam, thought Zelda, trying to relax into the familiarity of it.

Severus was nervous. It disturbed him to see a Healer treating his wife's body in such a familiar, yet impersonal manner. When the woman examined Zelda's pelvis and prodded her belly, he cringed a bit, although he maintained his passive expression.

Dilys looked at both of them speculatively. Having done extensive research on this precise subject, she wondered how her next words would be taken.

"Zelda, you seem fine," she said. "I must ask Severus a question now. Do you know the effect of taking a potion at the time of conception?"

His eyebrows rose thoughtfully. "There must be an effect, varying with the kind of potion administered, but I know nothing of it. Why?"

"I don't normally travel with my book, but Michael suggested that you might like to read it, so I brought one along. There's an extensive section on these effects," She paused and added, "In Zelda's case, she is significantly farther along than normal. I estimate right now it's the equivalent of seven or eight weeks."

"It's only really been three weeks," said Zelda, her eyes wide with wonder. "No wonder that pregnancy test worked like a trooper, I must be flooded with hormones."

The Healer looked interested, but she simply said, "Lie back again, please."

She took out her wand, placed the tip low down on Zelda's belly and said, "Sonorous."

She moved the wand around and suddenly Zelda heard the miraculous sound of a fetal heartbeat. She froze as the reality of it struck her and tears rolled down her cheeks.

"What is it?" asked Severus, alarmed by his wife's emotion.

Dilys smiled. "The heartbeat," she said simply.

The sound echoed in his head as Severus grasped for the first time that it was no longer about himself and Zelda. There would be a third person, a child.

After another moment, Dilys murmured, "Quietus," and the sound ceased.

"Get dressed, Zelda, and when you're both ready, come back out," she said. "I'll be looking something up."

The door closed softly behind her and they were left staring at each other.

Zelda sat up and said, "Are you all right?"

He nodded and climbed onto the bed, enclosing her in a tentative embrace.

"It will take time to truly grasp. Are you happy?" he asked quietly.

"I still don't believe it, but I'm really pregnant and it's ours and I love you," she said. "Are you afraid to hug me? Don't be."

"I don't want to damage you, or the fetus."

She wrapped her arms around his waist firmly.

"No worries, my boy, except I'll hate it if you won't hug me any more."

"We should go back out," he said, giving her a loving squeeze. "There's more about potions that we should know, and Dilys Smethwyck is the best person to ask."

"I'll put my own clothes back on," she said. "Michael laughed when I asked him for this old shirt, but he's fat and has plenty to spare. I couldn't button one of your shirts around me."

"Do you detect an unseemly delight radiating from our two companions?" he asked sardonically. "I do."

"Michael loves babies and kids," she said, tying the belt on her robe and brushing her hair.

"If we get to that point, I suppose there is no question about choosing the godfather," he muttered with a cynical smirk.

"I suppose not," she replied. "But Sev, how do you feel about becoming a father?"

He stared at her. No one had said the word yet to him. When he imagined applying that word to himself, words failed him. He pulled her close and held her, feeling ill.