Since I have been procrastinating on this a bit I figured I would make it longer than normal. Sorry for the delay, I just couldn't get this quite right in my head. Once again Severus and Hermione belong to JK. -TGP

Sept 19 9:00 AM

"Granger get your lazy lovely arse out of bed!" Severus shouted as he stomped in the door. "We have things to do today girl and I am not going to let your sleeping in ruin my wonderful plans I have for- Hermione?" Severus placed the box of pastries down on the counter, he wasn't the best cook and on his loves birthday he had no intention on making her swallow burned eggs and chewy bacon.

The nest of bedding they had slept in on the floor was empty and Severus had to strain his hearing before following the sound of Hermione's coughing led him to the bathroom. Knocking softly he called her name and asked her if she was alright. The door opened and Severus peered down at her, her face flushed and eyes slightly watery. "I think not eating and stress of the last few days caught up to me love, nothing to worry about," Hermione said while giving a weak smile.

Severus took her face in his hands and studied her with a teachers eye. It hadn't been the first time he had dealt with a young lady being ill. First time it had been outside of his dissection lecture though, he thought with a small smile.

"If you don't feel like doing anything today, I can just pop your things over to the house while you lay down," Severus said gently. His lover looked up at him with a smile, "It's my birthday Sev. I want to do exactly what you had planned for us today," she said before planting a wet kiss on his lips.

"Well first I am going to ask you to brush your teeth before you knock over anyone in a ten foot radius with your morning breath woman..." Before he could continue his list of plans Severus had to duck the smacks landing on his shoulders.

Sept. 19 11:30 PM

Hermione planted a kiss on Severus' shoulder as she climbed out of bed, attempting to not wake him in the process. As she shuffled downstairs in one of his oversized shirts for a glass of water, Hermione recalled the wonderful birthday she had.

They had started with the wonderful donuts he had picked up from the little shop across from her flat, a nice palate cleanser after being ill a few minutes prior. Eventually they had popped the remnants of her flat into the Floo to Spinners End with a promise to finish it later, followed by a whirlwind exploration of London.

She of course had been to many of the places Severus had taken her but there was something different about doing it with him. They had attracted a few old ladies glares when Severus had kissed her soundly on the bank of the Themes under the shadow of Big Ben, attracted a few "aww's" from young couples as they walked through Kensington Gardens and a knowing smile from a short man in a purple robe who Severus assured her would never tell a soul.

The coffee they had stopped for before lunch had turned her stomach (Hermione had opted for tea in the end) and yet the waffle covered in chocolate sauce couldn't be devoured quickly enough. For lunch she had asked for simple fish and chips all while trying to pry the afternoons plans from her lover.

Severus had pulled her across Piccadilly and down a small ally before she realized where they were going. How he had known she had loved this place was beyond her imagination. Hermione had never told him about this place and she had good reason. Within the rustic building her love of books had started. Beneath the black exterior her parents had introduced her to Homer, Shakespeare, Stoker and Dickens. She had been planning on stopping in for a while now, but knowing her parents wouldn't be a shelf or floor away brought too much pain to her heart.

Severus had seemed quite proud of himself as he turned to look at her before his smile flew off his face. He thought she would enjoy the surprise, it didn't take a genius to figure out where to take a fellow bibliophile such as himself for her birthday, even if it was a Muggle store. The tears however were not quite what he had expected. He had simply wrapped his arms around her and brought them home without another question, holding her in his arms in their front entrance before she managed to explain in a few wobbly words that her parents had taken her there every Sunday she had been home.

After another couple cups of tea and a whole roll of chocolate biscuits she had asked to go back if he hadn't minded. They had stepped through the entrance with Hermione grasping his hand, not letting go the whole time. Every time she gave him a sheepish smile Severus simply squeezed her hand and kissed her forehead. At one point Severus had his chin on Hermiones shoulder as they read the first chapter of The Odyssey, one of his hands on her hip and the other turning pages as she held the spine gently. Eventually they had left after purchasing several books each and dinner had been just beef stew instead of the Weasley dinner she had been invited to. Opting instead to just receive her well wishes in card form.

Hermione smiled out the kitchen window. The yellow sunflowers beamed out to her even in the darkness of the cloud covered night.

Eileen had been watching her silently all day, she hadn't spoken much since Tobias had come by the other day. But as she looked at the young woman in her son's shirt who was smiling slightly while lost in memories, Eileen couldn't help but smile herself. There was no way Hermione knew yet. It was too soon to tell for a Muggle and even magical folk if they weren't looking for it.

"Happy birthday little one," Eileen said quietly. Hermione gave her a wide smile and walked silently over to the portrait in the library. "I am sorry I haven't come over to you the last few days," Hermione said quietly. "I can't imagine what it was like for you the other day. Severus..." The understanding look between the two women spoke the words that didn't make it past Hermione's lips.

"I am glad he has you little one," said Eileen. "I have no doubt he would have killed that urchin if it hadn't been for you."

The two women spoke of her day for a while before Hermione noted the time. Severus was going to be dragged out to the jogging trail the next morning, like it or not.

"Goodnight Eileen," she said softly as she began to ascend the stairs too quickly to hear Eileen's reply.

"Goodnight little ones."

"Come on Severus, just another half mile and we will go home," Hermione panted to her taller companion. If he hadn't been injured, Severus would have left her in the dust a mile into their run. "Granger I don't care if you are my healer or if you think I need physical therapy," Severus bit out. "It doesn't mean I get to be bossed around by you all the bloody time."

It took him twenty yards to realize he was the only one jogging on the trail now. "Bugger it all," he said before apparating out of the dense woods. The pops making the nearby swallows screech into the sky.

Severus landed roughly on his back porch in the middle of a wretched rainstorm. The slamming of their kettle on the stove could be heard through the door and Severus winced. Hermione had been in a shite mood for the last week. Since the weather had been nice the entire week after her birthday Hermione had dragged him out to the running trail every single day for a four mile jog. He needed the exercise and she claimed to be needing more fresh air since she had been feeling ill for the past week. Severus had told her that he was more than happy to stay inside if she was feeling ill but that suggestion had been met with trainers being thrown at his head.

After taking a deep breath Severus stepped inside before noting the room was empty. The stomping up the stairs and over his head guided him to the room Hermione had been in before they started being together.

"Granger would you please talk to me," he growled out after rasping on her door. Severus rested his head on the cool door-frame. He would never tell Hermione this but their runs were taking a toll on him. The venom was still in his veins and although he claimed to not need to exercise, his body was telling him otherwise. Severus knew his voice was still scratchy but his hair was slowly fading back to black, even though just at the temples.

After a moment of no response Severus turned the knob quietly and slowly opened the door and peering inside in case of more flying trainers. He pushed the door open more with sagging shoulders as he took in the sight.

His wonderful and brilliant and loving woman was sitting cross-legged in a storm of her clothes and empty luggage sobbing into her hands. Silently and wandlessly Severus cleaned her muddy trainers before more shirts were coated in dirt. Neither of them enjoyed doing laundry and Hermione had been having more household disasters lately, not that he would ever tell her that of course, he didn't have a deathwish.

"Is it so horrible I want you to be strong for me?" Hermione whispered through the tears. "Is it so bloody horrible that when I want you to help me find my parents I won't be so afraid of you dying?"

Severus snarled. The tears no longer mattered. Of course this is why she wanted to be his healer. Of course this is why she laid with him.

She wanted his help.

"Little Granger needing help from teacher," he snapped at her. "Lord knows you would do anything for help with an assignment, let alone this. Getting into bed was a bit extreme though Granger."

Severus tried to ignore the pang in his heart when Hermione looked up at him with a horror in her eyes before it swiftly turned to anger.

"You think I did this to get your help Severus? You think I gave blood, sweat and tears to you just for a little help?" Hermione yelled at him while following him downstairs. "Heaven forbid I want you strong enough-"

"Strong enough for what Granger?" Severus spat at her and whirling around at her in the library. "Strong enough to drag me to Diagon Alley and let our world tear me back to shreds? To have me be mocked and torn at for all I have done for them? For you?"

Eileen looked at them both from across the room. Severus was flushed and panting, clenching his hands as his limp hair framed his face and dripped onto the carpet. Hermione was swiping at tears the flowed freely down her face and it was a horrible mix of red and white.

"No you bloody idiot-"

"Why you insolent little-"

"It's because I want my parents to know I am loved and I want them there for every bloody first we go through with this bloody pregnancy and baby and if we get married for that too if you want. I know you are supposedly bloody infertile as it says in your records but apparently you are as fertile as a potato field in bloody Ireland."

Severus felt his mouth open in shock as his hands fell to his sides and his gaze dropped to Hermione's belly. He walked slowly over to her and dropped to his knees. His eyes never waiving from her stomach and placed both hands on her still narrow hips before Severus felt his ebony eyes fill with tears and turned them up to her as she finished quietly.

"You know... after the whole... famine thing..."