Well, Everyone, this is the final chapter for Moonlight Healing. I'd like to especially thank dristi, sjrodgers108, Dracoginnylover24, Mahsa FF, Electryone, SilverAngel99 and icerelief2004 for their many reviews. They put a smile on my face as soon as I see them waiting in my email, and these guys have given me a lot of smiles! You all are fabulous!

I hope you all have enjoyed this story because I've certainly enjoyed writing it. I would love to hear from all of you!

Hogwarts was a different place without its beloved headmaster. The absence of Albus was noticeable in every hallway and in every classroom. His portrait had been added to the collection in what was now Severus' office, but it just wasn't the same as when he was there. Minerva's presence was missed terribly, as well. Hermione and Ginny decided to share her role of confidant and custodian to the students. It would obviously be some time before the dust settled from such huge adjustments, but the new headmaster, deputy headmaster and their significant others tried to make the transitions as smooth as possible for the students and faculty.

Three weeks after the funeral found Ginny at her wits end. Not only did she have more scholastic responsibilities demanding her time, but Remus was still continually making excuses for why he couldn't go to the orphanage with her. She'd blown up more than once, and she had decided to stop rescheduling appointments because it made her look like a fool to give ridiculous reasons for the cancellations over and over. She spent more time with her son, and she concentrated on her classes to try to keep her mind occupied. It wasn't always successful, though, and she'd lost her temper more than once with both William and her students. Her misguided consternation had caused many tears to fall.

Hermione approached Ginny after class one afternoon. She'd noticed her friend's constant irritation, and she had decided to find out what was really going on with her.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"I'm in a bit of a hurry, Hermione."

"Well, I just had to console another student of yours that was crying from being yelled at and –"

"Miss Lockley wasn't listening to me, and she nearly fell, all right?" Ginny snapped, her agitation obvious as she shoved class paperwork into her satchel.

"Since when did you start yelling at your students?" Hermione asked incredulously. "You've always been patient with them while they were learning."

"Yeah, well, that was before my life started falling apart," Ginny spat, stiffly brushing by her friend, her bag slung over her shoulder.

Hermione grabbed her arm to stop her. "Ginny." Her voice was soft. "Please talk to me." She knew that provoking her friend would accomplish nothing, and she opted for a more demure approach.

Ginny's shoulders slumped, and she dropped her head. A lump swelled in her throat as tears filled her eyes. When she looked into Hermione's pleading irises, she couldn't stop the salty droplets from falling. She might as well tell her. They'd been through way too much together the past number of years for Ginny to think that she could keep anything from her.

"I'm pregnant," she whispered, looking up and trying to blink away her tears.

Hermione immediately pulled her friend into a hug, not at all surprised by her admission. She'd had a nagging suspicion the past few days as Ginny's anger had become more explosive and unreasonable. She'd been that way when she was pregnant with William. "Have you told Remus yet?"

Ginny shook her head and pulled from Hermione. "No," she answered, using the back of her index finger to wipe tears. "Come on. Let's face it. It isn't working out between us. We're just kidding ourselves."

"Remus loves you," Hermione reminded her.

"I know," Ginny sadly agreed. "But sometimes love isn't enough. He's done nothing but make excuses for not going to the orphanage. He doesn't want a child. He's not even the same with William. I can't…my son deserves someone who will be there for him…who'll love him."

"You have to tell him," Hermione encouraged, squeezing Ginny's hand in support. "Give Remus a chance with this. It's his child, too. It might make all the difference in the world."

Ginny shrugged, but she was not convinced. "We'll see."

Ginny thought long and hard about her relationship with Remus, and she decided to tell him about the baby in the hopes that the reality of his own child might help him see reason. She'd come to a conclusion, too. If Remus reacted negatively towards her news, she'd have to end the relationship. It would devastate her to do so, but they couldn't keep going like they'd been the past few months. William deserved better, and so did she.

Saturday morning, after hastily sending William to play in the snow with Severus and Malachai, Ginny hesitantly approached Remus, who was grading tests at his desk.

"Can I talk to you a minute?"

He looked up, and when he noticed the trepidation on her face, it made his heart beat a little faster. "Of course." Something told him that he wouldn't like this conversation.

Ginny nervously played with her fingers. "Well, I'm not sure how to tell you, so I'll just say it. I'm pregnant."

Remus blinked twice and allowed his head to drop as his stomach instantly twisted into knots. This was not what he needed. He'd all but decided not to adopt, and there was no proof that a biological child wouldn't be affected with lycanthropy. This was beyond horrible. This was nightmarish.

He looked away from Ginny as tears filled his eyes. This wasn't fair to her. He couldn't be what she needed, either for her or her son, and certainly not for the child growing inside of her now. His own lycanthropy was dangerous, not being competent enough to care for William properly was even more dangerous, but now her pregnancy was most dangerous of all. What if the baby was infected? She could be infected, as well, and if that happened, he might as well Kedavra himself. He would never survive the guilt that would slowly eat away at his very soul if she became inflicted with that horrendous disease. Never.

Having nothing to say in response to her, Remus stood up, reached for his coat and silently walked out of their chamber. He needed some time and space to think about the serious implications of her news and how to handle it. Years ago, he'd seriously contemplated having himself spelled sterile so that exact catastrophe would never have a chance to happen. Now it was too late.

After the heavy wooden door softly clicked shut, Ginny slumped to the chair in a heap of sobs. That was it then. They were over. His reaction, or lack of, told her all that she needed. She knew what she'd have to do.

**

As Severus helped the children with the oversized snowman that they had insisted on making, he noticed Remus leaving the castle, and he watched as he slowly walked towards the lake like a man sentenced to life in Azkaban. Severus shook his head, assuming that he had been informed of Ginny's pregnancy. Apparently, he had not taken the news well. Damn wolf! What the bloody hell was his problem? If it hadn't been for the children, Severus would have followed the foolish man to try to knock some sense into him, figuratively and, if necessary, literally. Perhaps it was time to have a little chat with his deputy headmaster.

Later that night when Remus finally returned, Ginny had just put William to bed. When he walked in, she didn't even look up.

"You need to find somewhere else to sleep," she informed him curtly from where she sat at her desk sorting through the quizzes that she'd just graded. She was trying to try to keep herself calm, but she wasn't successful.

Remus knew that she'd be upset with him, and rightly so, but not upset enough to make him leave. The numerous knots in his stomach tightened to the point of physical pain.

"Why?"

Ginny stood up so quickly that the chair she'd been sitting in skidded backwards and fell over. "Let's see," she seethed as her angry green eyes hurled daggers at him. "I think one reason is because you've practically ignored William ever since he fell off of that damned broom, but I'm quite sure that the main reason is because when I told you that I was pregnant with your child, you walked out on me and avoided me all day long. So, why don't you just go back to wherever you've been and leave us the hell alone?"

Remus gritted his teeth and flared his nostrils at her hurtful words. "Do you really have no idea why I might be a little upset about this?" he asked, his pent up fury ablaze in his tired eyes. "I guess I'm just supposed to be ecstatic about having possibly created one more werewolf in the world? Do you even begin to understand the potential repercussions from this?"

Ginny took a deep breath and stomped over to him, fighting the urge to slap him. "You know what? It doesn't matter anymore. I'm positively done. Tonight, you can stay in the room that was supposed to be for our adopted child if you can't find another place. Tomorrow, one of us is moving out."

He stood numbly as he watched her stalk towards the bedroom, her red ponytail swaying from side to side, keeping time with her hips. "What about the baby?"

"Not your problem," Ginny snapped before slamming the door behind her.

The next day, while a dejected Remus moved his few belongings back to his original chamber, a determined Ginny visited Severus in his classroom as he prepared for his upcoming classes.

"Hi Severus."

He looked up and inclined his head towards her. "Ginny."

She walked across the room to his desk and took a deep breath. "I need your help."

Severus lifted his eyes from the stack of parchments that he'd been grading to search Ginny's troubled irises. He knew, but he asked, anyway. "With?"

Ginny shifted where she stood, briefly feeling like she was back in her potions class trying to explain why a draught had been brewed incorrectly. "I can't…I'm not keeping the baby," she announced.

Severus nodded, unphased by her statement. He'd expected it. "I see."

"So, I need a potion to terminate the pregnancy," she quickly added.

Severus sighed and shook his head. "Have you thought this through?"

"He doesn't…he can't handle children," she explained, devoid of any emotion. She'd done enough crying. "His fears and insecurities…it's just too much. And I don't need another child if I'm going to be alone, especially one that could be infected with lycanthropy."

"I'm sure that Madame Pomfrey – "

"Severus, I trust you," Ginny admitted quietly, taking a step closer to his desk, her eyes pleading with him. "I know that you would never say anything about this to anyone. And I know that you could have helped Hermione years ago when she was in a similar situation. Please help me now." Her shaky voice reflected the desperation that pained her.

Severus couldn't miss the hurt flickering in her emerald eyes, and he was forced to remember when his wife had tried to abort the Malfoy spawn during her seventh year. He certainly did not wish that ordeal on Ginny. He was well aware of the fact that she was just as headstrong as his wife, and he also knew that if he didn't help her, she would more than likely set about doing it anyway, one way or another.

"Very well," he reluctantly agreed with a frown as his eyebrows furrowed together. "How far along are you?"

"Four or five weeks, I think." She was relieved that he hadn't turned her away.

"You know that I cannot hide this from Hermione and that she will more than likely be quite apoplectic about the situation."

"I know."

"Is Lupin aware of your decision?"

Ginny looked away and then down at her shoes. "No. I told him that it wasn't his problem."

"I understand. Friday night then?"

Ginny nodded. "The sooner the better. Thank you, Severus."

"You're welcome," he replied stiffly. He watched as the young lady left his classroom and inwardly groaned. His wife would not be happy about this.

"How could you even consider such a thing?" Hermione bellowed.

"I thought you of all people would understand!"

Ginny had stopped by Hermione's classroom the next day to tell her about her decision, since she knew Severus would tell her anyway, but she didn't think that her friend would scream at her.

"My situation wasn't the same, and you know it! I didn't love Malfoy! You love Remus!"

"Well, love isn't enough," Ginny replied coldly, narrowing her eyes. "I've already got one lycanthropy affected child to raise alone. I don't need two."

"I don't know which one of you is more exasperating!" Hermione exclaimed, her eyes wild as she threw her arms up in the air. "I give up!"

Thursday evening, there was a knock on Remus' door. He waved his hand to open it and then walked over to greet whoever it was.

"May I come in?"

"Sure," Remus replied curiously and closed the door. Severus had never visited his chamber before, not of his own free will, and something told Remus that he would wish he wasn't there now.

"I'm here on behalf of your unborn child," Severus stated, choosing to stand near the door, after all, this was not a social call.

"And what does that have to do with me? Ginny kicked me out and ended our relationship."

"Tomorrow evening she's ending the pregnancy, as well," Severus informed him. Neither Ginny nor Hermione knew that he was there, and he didn't plan on telling them. Severus had decided to give Remus one last chance before it was truly too late.

"She's aborting the baby?"

"Yes."

Remus ran a hand through his unkempt hair. He'd assumed that she would do that. "Well." He shrugged. "It's her decision. I have no say." It pained him greatly, but truth was truth. It was better in the long run.

Severus was quickly losing what microscopic particle of patience he had. "Am I safe to conclude, then, that you no longer love her?"

Remus sighed and hung his head. "I love her like I've loved no other," he admitted sadly.

Severus shoved Remus hard in the chest with the palms of his calloused hands, eliciting a grunt and sending his staff member staggering backwards a couple of steps. "Then what the hell is the matter with you, Lupin?" he growled, ignoring the panicked expression on Remus' face and allowing his anger free reign for once. "Don't you think that everyone is bloody terrified of becoming a parent? I was terrified! But I didn't walk away from the woman that loved me!"

"She kicked me out!" Remus yelled, completely caught off guard by Severus' physical aggression. He briefly wondered if he should Accio his wand. "What was I supposed to do?"

"She's scared!" Severus continued, his dark eyes glittering in exasperation. "You've been acting more like a child than her son. Ginny needs a man! Can't you comprehend that? She needs a husband and a father, not a whiney, petulant child!"

"I'm not a –"

"Yes, you are!" Severus prodded on, shoving Remus hard in the chest again and sending him another couple of steps backwards. "You always have been! You've always used your lycanthropy as an excuse, and everyone is tired of it. No one cares about your damn problem anymore!"

"But I hurt –"

"No, you didn't," Severus interrupted, stepping closer and invading Remus' personal space. "Children get hurt. It's how they learn. No parent can save their child from every little scrape and fall, nor should they. You've got the potential for a beautiful family, Lupin. A family! Does that mean so little to you?"

"Ginny could get infected, Severus!" Remus exclaimed, taking a step backwards to reestablish his comfort zone, though he felt little comfort at the moment. "There is no proof that the child won't have lycanthropy!"

"There is also no proof that it will!"

Remus was silent. He couldn't argue that point. Truthfully, there was no definitive proof either way, and that is what made the whole scenario so dangerous.

Severus sighed and then closed his eyes briefly. He usually kept his past locked up tighter than his personal store of potion ingredients, but he thought that this might be one of the rare occasions when revealing one of his darkest secrets might do more good than harm and might possibly help Remus see reason, as well.

"Do you remember Lilianna Davies?"

Remus thought for a moment before he nodded. She had been Severus' only girlfriend in school. They'd dated his seventh year, but Remus didn't see what relevance she had to their conversation.

"Do you remember what happened to her?" Severus asked, crossing his arms.

"I believe the family moved to France, and she transferred to Beauxbatons."

Severus snorted and rolled his eyes. "A well-executed fallacy. I killed her."

Remus' mouth dropped. "You…what…"

"I was under the Imperius curse," Severus explained, the pain from so many years ago darkening his already black irises. "I was forced to sacrifice her in front of Voldemort and all of the other Death Eaters as punishment for not carrying out a direct order. I was made an example of what happened to those who did not do as they were commanded."

"I…how did…when…" Remus didn't know which question to ask first. He'd had no idea that Severus had had to do something as ghastly as murder his own girlfriend. How in the name of Merlin did he ever get past the avalanche of guilt that had to have nearly buried him alive?

"I also know about Livia."

Remus felt as if he'd been punched in the gut, and he took a couple more steps away from Severus. His eyes pooled with instant tears as his thoughts of Lillianna instantly changed to Livia. Only Albus had known. "No…how…"

"It's irrelevant," Severus quickly stated with a slight shake of his head. "The point is that we both have a past that easily could have prevented us from ever loving again. After helping my wife with her botched spell years ago, we began to spend more time together, and I did everything to push her away because I was afraid of hurting her. What I didn't realize was that by pushing her away, I was hurting her. She scared me. Loving her terrified me because I thought for sure that she'd end up dead by my hand somehow, but my brave Gryffindor wife refused to be pushed away. I still remember the day that she told me she loved me. I cried, Lupin." He smirked and shook his head at the absurdity of his confession. "Severus Snape, the mean ol' potions professor and known Death Eater, actually cried. It was in that moment that I knew my life would be better with her then without her. Yes, I was still scared that I'd hurt her, but I was more scared of losing her. So, if you want to continue on as a lonely, insecure little wolf," he taunted purposely, leaning towards Remus. "Be my guest. But if you'd like to join the adults and even have a family, then you'll get your wand out of your ass and stop Ginny tomorrow night." He huffed. "And to think that I was beginning to respect you. What a fool I was." He turned away, reached for the door and slammed it behind him.

Remus stood still, rooted to the floor, for some time.

Friday night, Ginny nervously headed for Severus' private lab after leaving William with Professor Sprout. A little part of her wished that it didn't have to be this way, but she'd had enough. It was time to move on, and the sooner the better.

"Are you prepared?" Severus asked.

"Yes," she answered, laying down onto the couch that he'd transfigured for her. "I'm ready."

Hermione was there only because Severus had asked her to be due to the feminine nature of the situation, not because she supported Ginny's decision. She was still furious with Remus and Ginny for their childish behavior, and she wanted to hex them both.

Severus glanced at the door, having hoped that his chat with Remus the night before would have had some effect on him. Apparently it hadn't. Damn wolf.

"Drink all of this," Severus instructed, handing her the vial. "Your uterus will begin to cramp, and then it will shed the lining and attached embryo. There is a bathroom over there if you need it. I also have an elixir ready if the pain becomes too great."

"How long will this take?" she asked, fingering the smooth glass tube. Her heart was racing, but her decision was made.

"Twenty minutes, more or less." Severus glanced at the door once more. "You will not be able to reverse the process once you swallow the potion." He'd hoped that she'd change her mind, but obviously her fortitude was stronger than he thought it was. He both respected and despised her for that trait.

Glancing at Hermione, who was gnawing on her bottom lip and looking like she'd cry at any minute, Ginny met Severus' unreadable eyes. "I understand." She took a deep breath before placing the vial at her mouth and tipping the thick blue liquid down her throat. She handed the empty vial back to Severus and then closed her eyes, forcing away the tears that wanted to form. It was done. Now she just had to wait.

When the door burst open a few minutes later, Remus rushed in looking as if he hadn't slept in days. "Ginny, don't do it!" he exclaimed frantically.

She sat up in shock and immediately noticed his frazzled and disheveled appearance. "What –"

"Please don't do it," he begged, as he hurried over and knelt on the floor in front of her, his voice scratchy from hours of crying and his breath smelling of firewhiskey. "Please! I've been a right foul git, and I don't expect you to believe me, but I promise that I'll do everything that I can to –"

"It's over, Lupin," Severus informed him, his voice cold and monotone. "She's already taken the termination potion." A distant part of him that he didn't acknowledge very often was relieved that Remus had shown up.

More tears fell from Remus' bloodshot eyes as he stood from the floor only to slump to the couch. "I'm sorry," he sobbed, shaking his head in defeat. "I'm just so sorry, Ginny. I love you so much, and I've just ruined everything. I always ruin everything."

Ginny wiped away angry tears, trying not to care, but failing miserably. "You don't want children, Remus," she reminded him, wrapping her arms around her body protectively. "It's better this way."

"But I do," he cried, leaning towards her and palming his chest above his heart. "I want a family with you. I want to be your husband and William's father and…and now it's too late for anything." He stood up dejectedly and turned to head for the door. It was really over this time, and he couldn't blame anyone but himself. Severus and Hermione had been right. They'd tried to warn him. He'd lost everything that he'd cherished. He was a complete failure.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Ginny asked, standing and grabbing his arm to make him turn around and face her. "How could you do this to me? How could you let me go through with this? You know that I wanted a family with you!"

"Severus, can't you do something?" Hermione asked, tears sliding down her cheeks as she watched her friends' sadness and frustration shatter around them like shards of broken glass. "There has to be –"

"The potion is not reversible," he reminded them. "I told her that."

Ginny glared at Remus. "I don't want to be alone," she cried. "I wanted you. But you haven't wanted anything to do with me or my son or –"

"I love William," Remus told her, wiping tears. "Please, Ginny. I want to be with you. I know that I've behaved horribly lately, but give me one last chance. I know that I don't deserve it. But please. I beg you. Don't give up on me yet."

Ginny wanted to hate him, wanted to tell him that she'd rather be alone, but it would have been a lie. Instead, she slammed into him and wrapped her arms around him tightly. He cradled her in his embrace and rocked them slowly from side to side as they cried. She might regret it, but she still loved him, and she was willing to allow him just one more chance.

They murmured to each other quietly as tears spilled down their faces, both lamenting the loss of the child.

"I wanted the baby," she sobbed against his chest. "I was willing to take the chance."

"I know," Remus soothed, hugging her tight. "And though it terrified me, I'd decided to take the chance, as well. Maybe we could go to St. Mungo's and have some tests done to see if they can determine the actual risk. Maybe some studies have been done the past few years that we don't know about."

"Okay, Remus," Ginny sniffed. "Let's do that."

"And I promise you," he whispered, his head leaning against hers. "As soon as you're ready, we'll try again and -"

"There's no need for that," Severus interrupted, unfolding his arms from across his chest. He'd heard enough. Remus had finally grown up.

Ginny pulled from Remus to look at her previous professor in confusion.

"What?" she asked.

"Why?" was Hermione's question.

"Because she's still pregnant."

"How?" Ginny asked in shock, glancing at Remus who was just as surprised as she was. "I took the potion!"

Severus sighed and rolled his eyes. "The only ingredients in that vial were gillyweed water and armadillo bile," he explained in a bored tone as if he'd said it a thousand times. "The pregnancy remains intact."

"You gave her a wit sharpening potion?" Hermione asked, and then she realized the beautiful thing that her husband had done. "You were hoping that she'd change her mind, weren't you?"

"Or that Lupin would come to his laggard senses," Severus muttered snidely.

Ginny smiled and looked at Remus as she wiped tears from her face. "I'm still pregnant," she said in relief, her hand absentmindedly on her belly. "Were you serious about everything you said, Remus? Because if you weren't –"

Wiping the last of his own tears away, Remus reached for her trembling hands. "I meant every word," he assured her. "In fact, tomorrow, let's go down to the orphanage and then start planning our wedding. The sooner the better. I don't want to wait. I've waited long enough, I think."

"I don't want to wait, either," Ginny agreed and turned to Severus. "Thank you for being wiser than the two of us and for saving our child."

He offered a tight-lipped and reluctant smile. "You're welcome, Ginny. Now both of you, get out of my lab."

Ginny and Remus quickly left, ready to give their relationship one more chance.

Hermione walked over and slipped her arms around her husband's waist. "That was an amazing thing that you did tonight," she commented, giving him a squeeze. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I wasn't sure what would happen," Severus answered, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "It was better to hope for the best and just allow the events to unfold."

"I hope it lasts this time."

"As do I, Wife," Severus genuinely agreed. "As do I."

Epilogue to follow...