AN: I don't own Harry Potter. Wish I did, but I don't.

I am on a roll! Just updated a story about an hour ago, and now this one is ready to go! And a day earlier than I thought! Yay, me!

Moving on. Thank you so much to those readers who reviewed, followed or favorited this story. It means more to me than you know to know you guys like this story.

That said, go read!

Enjoy!

''Any ideas for his name, Hermione?'' Severus asked softly as he watched his wife hold their newborn son.

Hermione cleared her throat. ''Well, I had a few in mind, but now..'' she drifted off.

''Now?'' Severus asked, reaching one finger out to run along his son's cheek.

''Now, I don't know if any of them fit.'' she said, frowning.

''What were they?'' Severus asked.

''I know it's probably silly, but I had a couple Shakespeare names picked. My grandmother was Isabella, my mum is Helena, and my name, which all come from one of his stories. I thought about maybe Brandon or Simon, but now..again, I know it's silly, but I was thinking Nicholas?'' Hermione said, looking at Severus.

''Wasn't there a Nicholas in one of his plays?'' Severus asked.

Hermione nodded. ''Yes, in 'Taming of the Shrew', but that's not why I was thinking of Nicholas.'' she said. She looked back down at the sleeping baby, and back to Severus. ''Today's Christmas, and I wanted to name him after St. Nicholas.'' she said, biting her lip.

Severus was silent for a moment. He was considering the name, and decided it was an appropriate name. Just as he was about to answer her, Hermione started talking again.

''It's just..I've gotten a lot of great presents over the years, but'' she said, starting to cry again, ''this year, I got the best present ever!'' Hermione said, with a little chuckle.

''I think it's a fitting name, love.'' Severus said, kissing her head. He looked down at the baby in his wife's arms and smiled. ''Welcome to the world, Nicholas.''

''Nicholas Severus Snape.'' Hermione said. ''Happy Birthday my precious baby boy.'' she smiled.

''Oh, my!'' Molly said as she, Lucius, Helena, Ginny, Draco and Eileen gathered in Hermione's room. Harry, Ron and the rest had gone back to the Manor to deliver the good news and help with the kids. ''He's gorgeous!'' she said peering at the baby in Helena's arms.

''Awww.'' Ginny cooed. ''You guys..'' she said, tearing up and leaning into Draco as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind her.

''Thanks.'' Hermione said, smiling.

''Eileen, would you like to hold him?'' Helena asked, still looking down at Nicholas. She looked up as Eileen stopped in front of her. ''Here, love.'' Helena said, gently passing Nicholas to his other grandmother, who started crying as she looked down at him.

''Oh!'' she gasped. ''You are gorgeous, aren't you?'' she said. ''Looks just like you when you were born, Severus. Only not as angry.'' Eileen said, smiling. ''Even as a baby you were always grumpy.'' she said, making everyone chuckle quietly.

''So, not much has changed?'' Lucius asked, laughing.

''I assure you, I am much less 'grumpy', as you say, then I used to be.'' Severus said, smirking.

Eileen held Nicholas for a bit longer before she passed him, reluctantly, to Ginny. ''Oh, my. You are a handsome little guy, aren't you.'' she cooed.

''He is. Let's just hope he gets Hermione's nose.'' Severus said.

''And Severus' hair.'' Hermione said, smiling tiredly.

''And Hermione's temperment.'' Helena said. ''When you were a baby, you were always very happy. Rarely cried at all.'' she smiled, looking at Hermione. ''I remember once, I took you to the hospital because you didn't cry. You were about a month old at the time, I think. Well, the doctor just looked at me like I was crazy.'' she said, laughing and shaking her head.

''Not Severus. He cried for anything.'' Eileen said, laughing along with Helena. They continued to trade baby stories back and forth as they moved to one side of the room.

''How much did he weigh?'' Molly asked as she held him.

''Seven pounds, nine ounces.'' Hermione said.

''Well, you had it easy. All my children, except Ginny, weighed over nine pounds. Bill was the biggest at ten pounds six ounces.'' Molly said.

''That makes me glad Nicholas was fairly small, then.'' Hermione grimaced.

Not long later, everyone decided to leave so Hermione could get some rest. They all went back to Helena and Lucius' house at Hermione's insistence, with everyone staying over. They would be having Christmas tomorrow after the kids all woke up.

''Hermione, we'll be fine. Get some rest.'' Severus said as she fought going to sleep.

''Are you sure you'll be okay?'' Hermione asked sleepily.

''Yes, we will.'' Severus said, kissing her cheek. ''How hard could it be? Nicholas is only four hours old, plus we're in hospital.'' he said.

''Mmmmm.'' Hermione agreed, already drifting off.

Severus walked over to the bassinet where his son lie sleeping. His son. He still couldn't believe he was a father now. Looking down at Nicholas, he felt his eyes gets teary. Contrary to what his mother thought, he thought Nicholas looked more like Hermione than him. And he would be eternally grateful if that were true. Although, now that he looked, he could tell his son was going to have curly hair, as the little he was born with was already curling. Severus couldn't help but smile at that.

As if he knew he was being watched, Nicholas woke up and began to whimper. Severus very gently picked him up and began to sway back and forth.

''Shhh. We don't want to wake up your mummy.'' Severus said softly to Nicholas, who was looking up at him and calmed immediately. ''She's a special person, your mum. She gave me a chance when I was nothing but nasty to her when she was younger.'' he said, still swaying. Nicholas was still looking up at him, so Severus kept talking. ''You're going to understand this a lot more when you're older, but you're incredibly lucky to have her as your mum. I guarantee you'll be proud to call her your mum.'' Severus said. ''You'll be less proud to have me as your father, though, once you hear some of the stories about me. But, I promise you, here and now, I'm not like that anymore.'' he said, looking down at Nicholas, who had drifted back to sleep.

Severus gently placed him back in the bassinet, and went back to his chair beside his sleeping wife. He reached out and grabbed her hand, leaning his head back. He decided to try and get some sleep, as well, like the rest of his family.

Unknown to him, Hermione had woken up when Nicholas started whimpering, and she heard everything he had said to the baby.

''You're a good man, Severus. And you'll be a great father, too. I just know it.'' Hermione whispered after he fell asleep. She let his even breathing soothe her back to sleep.

Review please.

What do you think about the name? Too corny, or a fitting name?

I know there wasn't much Harry or Ron in this chapter, but they'll be back in the next one.

Til next time!

XOXO - Onyx Obsidian