Because bluefirefly5 asked so nicely and I have been so mean about updating... :) -TGP

"A baby," Severus murmured softly, his thumbs tracing circles on her hips. "I'm sure," Hermione chuckled softly as her hands ran through his hair. "I ran the diagnostics two days ago, I wasn't sure how to tell you without you going bonkers on me."

Severus looked up at her face and smiled, "bonkers eh?" Suddenly he frowned and stood up quickly before running over to his desk and pulling out paper and pen. "Severus?" Hermione said slowly, almost afraid to spook him.

"There is so much to do, you can't be that far along but we will have to find your parents quickly before it is too difficult to travel- although I will not allow you to travel by magical means. And we will need to figure out a way to break this to your friends, I don't suppose they will take this well and we will have to deal with backlash from the public and Molly for that matter." Severus shuddered at the matriarch of the Weasley clan before turning to Hermione with wide eyes. "We will need to find a new house soon. I won't have you or our child have a future here in this corner of hell. How do you feel about making a move to London. Oh why did I ask you to move out of your flat. It is much closer to St. Mungo's in case something goes wrong. Why of why did I ask you to do that for me?" Severus ended on a frustrated note before beating his palms against his forehead.

Hermione looked at Eileen and they both let out silent chuckles before she walked over to Severus as he fell into his rickety chair. "Severus love," Hermione said slowly, trying not to smile as he pulled his fingers down his face and left it covered with his hands save for his eyes that were quite wide.

"Relax."

It took Hermione and Eileen several hours and several cups of coco before they could stop Severus from running out the door to look at cribs and find a estate agent. Time wasn't pressing yet and after explaining that they would have eight months to plan before their little one arrived he stopped jumping out of his seat.

By supper Severus had decided to sit cross-legged in front of Hermione who was munching biscuits and watching telly as he just stared at her stomach in shock. Eileen said to just give him time and get comfortable.

By ten Hermione had enough and decided to take a long hot shower while Severus sat on their bed in his nightclothes. To be fair it was just a pair of flannel pants but he ended up sweating most nights from his nightmares and would be too hot for a shirt. As Hermione came in with a light green vest and short purple shorts, Severus refused to meet her eyes as she stood in front of him. Hermione noticed he was trembling and sat next to him on the bed.

"What if it hates me?" Severus whispered. "What if someone causes harm to you or the baby and I lose one of both of you? What if they are hated by everyone in our world for something that isn't their fault? What if I am a father like him?"

Hermione took his hand. She always loved his long fingers, even as a student she knew there was something magical about them. His nails were flawless but the skin was not. There were knife-cuts and scars from burns and what looked like the remnants from a nasty hex that cut deep across his palm.

"If you asking all that, then you will already be a wonderful father," she said softly as she brushed some hair out of his eyes. "Do you love this baby or I?"

Severus turned to her sharply and searched her face with his eyes, "more than you will ever know Granger." With that she smiled and pulled his lips to hers. "Prove it."

And he did.

Hermione stood outside Grimmauld Place on her tip-toes. She had decided to forgo Severus today although she had a sneaking suspicion he was nearby. She hadn't seen Harry since June and he was the first person she was going to tell about Severus and the baby. At the thought of their tiny one Hermione grazed her belly slightly.

She had asked Harry to meet in the afternoon since he would be off Auror training and her morning sickness eased slightly then. Mornings and evenings were terrible so far. All she was able to hold down was oranges and biscuits. Severus had made eight different meals yesterday alone to try to find something their little one would tolerate but nothing worked. One plate had even been flung out the window.

Taking a deep breath Hermione knocked three times and felt the wards around the house flicker around her. She could hear Harry tear down the stairs and trip over the awful troll leg umbrella stand that was still in the house.

Giggling like mad at the cursing that preceded Harry out the door, Hermione was already smiling as her friend appeared. "Hullo Harry," Hermione squealed as Harry brought her into a hug. "Mione I have missed you so much! Feels like ages since we saw each other last," he said as he ushered her into the house.

It had been transformed from the dark and dusty ruins to a bright and cheery home. The walls were light tan and the hardwood floors gleamed under a sky blue rug. The clutter had been taken away from the baseboards and the horrible house-elf heads had been removed. Magical skylights on the bottom of each staircase flooded the house with sun.

"Oh Harry," Hermione murmured. "It's beautiful." Harry grinned and brought her into another hug, kissing her head gently. "I would have loved to see you earlier, but as you can see this has been taking up much of my time." Pulling away he winked at her as they went into the kitchen, "besides I hear you have been working with the Dungeon Bat himself."

"About that Harry," Hermione started. "Perhaps after you grab some tea and those honey biscuits above the stove you should sit down."

Hermione figured if Harry didn't move soon she should check and see if he still had a pulse. She continued to nibble on her biscuit and took a sip of tea that seemed to break the spell.

"Bloody hell Mione," Harry said in a whisper, as if there were ears listening in. "Molly is going to murder you."

Hermione smiled a small smile. Harry wasn't yelling and he wasn't telling her to get out. "So you aren't mad then?"

Harry turned to her with now familiar wide-eyes with both his hands in his hair while he stared at her. "Not at you no, you aren't in a condition to get mad at. Lord knows Snape would do me in if he found out I did so much as raise my voice at you. But blimey Hermione..."

"Have a biscuit Harry."