AN: I don't own Harry Potter. If only..

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''Oh, Lucius.'' Helena sighed as she sat in bed rubbing lotion on her elbows. ''We're grandparents.''

''Mm-hmm.'' Lucius agreed as he tried to read his book.

''And on Christmas, too.'' Helena sighed.

''Mm-hmm.''

Helena looked at him and noticed he was just staring at his book. He was off in his own world. ''And did I mention that I've been having an affair with the Minister?'' she asked lightly.

''Mm-hmm.''

''And I'm having his baby.''

''That's nice, love.''

''LUCIUS!'' Helena yelled, snapping him out of his thoughts.

''What?'' Lucius asked, looking at her.

''You haven't been paying attention to a single thing I've been saying!'' Helena said.

Lucius sighed and set his book on his lap. ''I'm sorry, love.''

''Aren't you excited? We're grandparents, Lucius. You should be happy.''

''I am happy.'' he said, reaching for her hand. ''I'm just..out of sorts, I suppose.''

''About what?'' Helena asked, sitting back against the headboard.

''I don't know, really. I suppose I find myself thinking that despite this being a joyous occasion, it should be Hermione's father here to enjoy this, not me.''

Helena sighed. ''Oh, Lucius.'' she said, running her free hand over the top of his hand holding hers.

''I'm sorry, love. I am happy. I just get this way on occasions like this.'' Lucius said. ''Our wedding. Hermione and Severus' wedding. When Hermione announced she was pregnant. Every special occasion since I've become a part of your lives, I think, 'He should be here for this'.''

''In another life, he might be. But, I like to think he sees every special moment, and smiles when he sees that we're okay.'' she sighed. ''I never told you, but I swear I felt his prescence on our wedding day. And Hermione's wedding day. And today. I've felt him each time, and each time I feel that he's happy. For me, finding you. And Hermione, just being happy in general.'' Helena said as she curled up beside him, hugging his arm.

''Yes?''

''Yes.'' she nodded. She reached up and removed his glasses, placing them on the beside table. ''Let's try to get some sleep, love.''

''Very well. Goodnight, love.'' Lucius said, putting his book on the beside table by his glasses.

''Goodnight, Lucius.'' Helena said, turning off the lamp.

''I can't believe that Hermione has a baby.'' Harry said as he and Ron laid in their beds in one of the guest rooms.

''Yeah.''

''She's always been like a mum to all of us, but now she actually is a mum.'' Harry said.

''Yeah. And she'll be great.'' Ron said. ''I kinda feel bad for the kid, though.''

''Oh? Why?''

''Well, if Nicholas inherits the same smarts those two have, he'll probably prefer to be inside reading or doing something educational. You know, a mini-Mione.''

''Ron, that's not fair. You've seen how Hermione is now. She still reads, but now she'd rather be outside doing something.'' Harry said. ''Plus, when we were in Hogwarts, she'd do something fun every now and then.''

''Yeah, when we were breaking the rules or something.'' Ron said.

''She also came to our quidditch games. I know she had fun because she'd be jumping up and down and screaming. Nicholas'll be fine.'' Harry said. ''Plus, with all the other kids around, he'll be a normal kid.''

''I guess.'' Ron sighed. ''Oh, Merlin! What if he turns out to be a mini-Snape?''

Harry laughed. ''Oh, man. Imagine getting 'The Look' from a two year old!''

Ron joined Harry in laughing. ''I can see it now. In two years or so, Nicholas is standing in front of us with his arms crossed, his eyebrow raised and sneering at us!''

''And calling us dunderheads!'' Harry laughed.

Hermione, meanwhile, was sitting up in her hospital bed, gazing at her son in the bassinet in front of her. She had sent Severus, who went very reluctantly, home for the night. She told him to eat, shower and get some sleep before coming back in the morning to take her and Nicholas home.

Nicholas opened his eyes and just looked around. Even though he was only seven-no, eight-hours old, Hermione was thankful that so far he seemed like an easy baby. She wasn't sure if his mellow behavior would last, but she'd just enjoy it for now.

''Oh, hello, my little love.'' Hermione said, gently picking him up. Settling him in the crook of her arm and making sure she was supporting his neck, she smiled down at him. ''You're gonna break a lot of hearts when you're older, aren't you? If you inherit your daddy's good looks, then my money's on yes.'' she said softly.

''He's a good man, your daddy. There's going to be times in your life when you'll hear some not so nice things about him, though, I'm sure. But he is a good man.'' she smiled. ''And I'm sure there'll be times when you don't especially like us. When you're older, and we tell you to clean your room and you want to go play with your friends. When we tell you to be home at a certain time. When you want dessert, but not until you've finished dinner.'' Hermione said, looking down at him, only to see Nicholas had gone back to sleep. She sighed as she gazed at him, gently taking one of his hands in hers and rubbing it with her thumb. ''As strange as it sounds, I'm looking forward to all that. I've been waiting a long time for you to come along. There was a time, not so long ago, that I didn't think I'd ever be here with a husband and a baby. But I am, and here you are.'' she said, tearing up. ''I can't wait to see what kind of person you become. Watching you grow up.''

Hermione was so lost in her thoughts of Nicholas' future, she didn't hear or see Severus standing in the door, listening.

''I know one thing, though. You're extremely lucky to be born into this family. We're mismatched, sure, but we have lots of love between us. You have a whole large, loud, loving, and a bit crazy family waiting for you to come home. Two grandfathers, three grandmothers, uncles, aunties, a bunch of cousins, and a few elves waiting to meet you. We may fight with each other occasionally, but when it comes down to it, we love each other.'' Hermione said. ''You'll never feel alone, or unloved, my angel. Not with all the family and friends we have. Besides, as long as I'm around, you'll know you're loved. And your daddy might show it in different ways, but he loves you, too.'' she said, smiling down at her son.

Severus stood by the door to Hermione's hospital room, and listened to her softly talk to their son. The sight of his beautiful wife sitting there in a baby pink cotton nightshirt with her hair falling slightly out of the ponytail she put it in, holding their newborn baby, was a sight he knew he'd never forget. A sight he knew he'd often revisit over time.

Like Hermione, there was a time when he never thought he'd be a father. During the war, and his Death Eater days, death was always just around the corner for him. Of course, there at the end of the war, in the final hours, death was right in front of him. He was fully prepared to greet his end and go to whatever hell awaited him. He had accepted that he would never have the life he truly wished for with the wife and children and a loving home.

When he awoke in St. Mungo's Intensive Care ward, he knew he'd been given a fresh start. A second chance at a different life. And he intended to make the most out of his new life. He spent the first few years travelling, seeing all the sights he'd always planned on seeing but never had the opportunity to see. Africa, China, Japan, Egypt, India, Mexico and North America. He went everywhere and anywhere he felt like. Once he returned home to Britain, he got busy on his dream of owning his own apothecary. With his war stipend and a generous investment from Lucius, he had it up and running in no time.

Then, a year later, at Lucius' wedding to Helena, he saw his chance to complete that dream when he spotted Hermione at the pre-wedding reception. He remembered her, of course. After all, who in the wizarding world hadn't heard of Hermione Granger? She had changed from the bony, bushy haired girl he had taught into a woman who had curves he found himself wanting to explore. It was a whim to engage her in conversation at the actual reception. It took almost three weeks after that to work up his courage to ask her on a date.

After that first date, however, it took all his self control to hold off on asking her to marry him. He knew as soon as he dropped her off that night that she was the one he wanted to spend his life with. There was no awkwardness throughout the night. Conversation came easily and flowed from topic to topic. He found it easy to laugh wih her, and was surprised to find she was funny, as well. He knew she was the missing piece to his new life.

Looking at his wife and son now, he was sure he made the right choice. The first part of his life was mostly hell, but the second part felt more and more like heaven everyday. This life he was living now, with the loving family, great friends, a job he loved, the house, and now a beauiful wife and son, was his reward for surviving all the crap he'd been through so far.

And for that, he was truly thankful.

Review please.

I hope you guys liked this chapter. I felt like showing some pivate moments between a few of the characters, and this came out.

Til next time!

XOXO - Onyx Obsidian