Unexpected Places

Harry and Snape stopped when they reached the small antechamber that led to the manor. Of everything that they had thought to expect, finding Hermione grieving for Draco while Lucius lay dead feet away was not even close. It gave both a sense of déjà vu and they remembered coming upon a similar scene six months before. Hermione had been grieving over Ginny’s broken body then, with the bodies of a dozen Death Eaters around her.

“Hermione!” Snape called out and she looked up, her face tear streaked. When she saw him, she stood on shaky legs and threw herself into his arms still careful of the child in the sling around her chest. Snape held her closely while Harry examined the scene carefully to figure out what had happened.

“Lucius was going to kill us, me and Alex because he wanted to destroy Severus. He cast the Killing curse and Draco stepped in front of us. I killed Lucius with Draco’s wand.” Hermione said tonelessly. Harry nodded and moved over to her.

“Is Alex alright, Hermione? Are you hurt?” he asked gently and she shook her head.

“No, we are fine, except for being scared. We put a sleeping spell on Alex so we could sneak down here but it didn’t matter.” She said. Snape picked her up and took her out of the cave with a quick nod from Harry. It seemed like forever to Hermione but they reached the end of the cave quickly. Snape told Moody and the others where to find Harry and the bodies and then he apparated them outside of Hogwart’s wards.

Habit made him choose the hidden door outside the field of Moonflowers and he carried her through the dark hallway to his private rooms. When he reached them, he realized Hermione was asleep so he carefully laid her on the bed and took Alex from her wrap. He transfigured a nearby chair into a crib and laid him inside, deciding to leave the sleeping spell on him for a bit longer. It wouldn’t hurt him and it would give him a chance to talk to Hermione without interruptions.

He sat on the bed next to her and gently shook her. She opened her eyes and when she saw him, she gave him a brilliant smile.

“I’m safe.” She said sitting up and throwing her arms around him and began crying again. He held her while she cried, stroking her hair. She told him what had happened and he felt the urge to cry along with her when she told of Lucius’s actions from before towards his daughter and then Narcissa but held them back.

When Hermione finished, she sobbed until she fell asleep again. He knew it wasn’t just Draco’s death she was living through but also what had happened six months before. He lay next to her on the bed, holding her close to him and wondering what would have happened if she had been the one to die. He wasn’t sure he could have lived through that. Soon he had fallen asleep as well.


A knock at the door woke him up. He looked around, forgetting for a moment where he was and who he was with but when Hermione murmured in her sleep, he immediately remembered. He kissed her on the cheek and slipped out of bed. Harry was waiting patiently at the door and when Snape let him in, he sat down heavily on the sofa in Snape’s sitting room.

“I took care of it all. I said Lucius kidnapped Hermione and Alex and Draco went to save them. Because she used his wand, I was able to tell them that Draco and Lucius killed each other. I left Hermione out of the deaths except as a witness because I am sure they would have loved to prosecute her for something. Where is she?” he said tiredly.

“I’m here. Thank you Harry. I want people to know Draco was a hero. He was bringing me home when we realized that Lucius had trapped us. I would have died if it hadn’t been for him.” Hermione said from the door. She was holding Alex and he was wide awake.

Harry nodded. “There was another reason I came by… Do you have the potion?” he asked Snape and Snape nodded.

“I was going to bring it to you but I was distracted.” He said this with a glance at Hermione who remembered what Draco had done. She flushed. They would have a lot to talk about later. Snape pulled out the vial of Paternity Potion and handed it to Harry. Hermione gave him a surprised look.

“I have something I have been keeping from you and Ron, Hermione. I don’t think it should be a secret now. Will you go somewhere with me? You are welcome to come too.” He told Snape. They both immediately nodded. Harry led them out of the castle and told them to apparated to 12 Grimmauld Place.

When they did, Hermione marveled at the changes that had been made. It was almost a completely different house. Sunlight shown through the windows and some of the furniture had been changed giving it a lighter look. She turned to Harry and he shook his head.

“This isn’t it. Come with me.” He said and led them upstairs to one of the rooms that Hermione had never seen used. She vaguely remembered that Sirius had said it was once the nursery and when Harry opened the door she saw that it still was. The room was painted white with pink and purple decorations. There was baby furniture and in the center of the room there was a crib.

Hermione walked over to it, almost in a daze and found a sleeping child inside. It was obviously a girl because she was dressed in pink. She had red fuzz and looked to be a few months older than Alex’s two months.

“I would like you to meet Susannah Jane Potter. She is Ginny’s daughter.” Harry introduced, stroking her hair with a loving smile.

“But you and Ginny weren’t…” Hermione said with a confused look and Harry shook his head.

“She was pregnant when we got together. She wouldn’t tell me who the father was, only that it had been a one time thing. She had her in June after school ended.”

“When you and she disappeared for those two days? But how did she hide it?” Hermione asked softly.

Snape answered this. “There are many charms that will hide a pregnancy, even if you were to touch her stomach, it would still feel flat. Many pureblood women use them so they don’t loose their looks while pregnant.”

Harry nodded in agreement. “From what Ginny told me, her parents would have killed her if they had found out she was pregnant at sixteen and also when they found out who the father was. She wasn’t ready to face that. Later when we got together, I was afraid people would think it was mine and it would be another target for Voldemort to use. I agreed with her that she could have it at the orphanage and when Voldemort was killed we would return for her.”

He gazed down at the little girl in the crib and Hermione could see the love in his eyes. Despite the child not being his, he loved her with his entire heart.

“She is Draco’s isn’t she?” Hermione guessed astutely. Harry nodded.

“Yes, she had his grey eyes. I knew the moment I saw them and Ginny finally admitted it to me. I didn’t care though. I didn’t want her taken from me. You can’t do the blood adoption without the parent’s permission. You had Narcissa’s in a way, but I didn’t have Draco’s so I could do it. Now I don’t think I will. Draco deserves to have part of him live on.”

Hermione nodded. “She will inherit the Malfoy estates. It’s all done magically, you know. As soon as she was born she was added to the list as an heir. The only way to stop that is to have them disowned and from what you say, he didn’t even know.”

Harry nodded and smiled when he saw his daughter was stirring. “Remus stays here with her and I have another house elf. I come when I can and during the full moons.” Harry explained and Hermione laughed.

“I thought you were just coming to help Remus. Our children will grow up together Harry.” She told him warmly as the little girl in the crib opened her mouth and screamed. Harry picked her up and rocked her, talking to her. She quieted down some but a moment later, Remus burst in the door. He took in the scene, smiled and left with a nod to Snape, who had watched with no expression.

Hermione turned to Snape and handed him his son, who had been watching them intently. She winked at him and turned back to Harry.

“So let me hold her. Susannah means lily doesn’t it?” Harry nodded, not surprised that Hermione knew that.

“And Jane is after you. You mean a lot to me and you meant a lot to Ginny too.” He said passing her over to Hermione. Susannah stared at Hermione with interest. Harry motioned for them to go downstairs. Remus was waiting in the sitting room. He had a pot of tea made. Snape sat next to Hermione on the sofa and held Alex while she played with the little girl.

“I wouldn’t let it known that she is Draco’s daughter, if you are not going to do the blood adoption. The Ministry has enough power to take the child and place it with someone else.” Snape finally said and Harry nodded.

“I know. That is why the name is Potter and when she gets older I will tell her about Draco and give her the choice in which name to use.” Harry said watching Hermione with his daughter.

They stayed for almost an hour before Hermione decided it was time to leave. Harry told them he was staying with his daughter so Snape and Hermione apparated to Hogwart’s. Despite having not coordinated their destination, they found themselves together on the edge of the Moonflower field again.

Hermione stared out at the beautiful glowing flowers in amazement. It seemed they were more beautiful each time she saw them. Snape watched her and thought about everything that had happened. It didn’t take him more than a moment to make a decision.

“Hermione? Do you know what a field of Moonflowers represents in the Wizarding world?” he asked tentatively. The questions surprised her and she gave him a blank look, which he interpreted as the negative to his question.

“Well, in the Wizarding world a moonflower is the ultimate symbol of romance, like the rose is for Muggles.” He said the last with a little distaste and she smiled at the obvious dislike he showed for the pretty, fragrant flower.

“Love, even in darkness. I know what they represent, Severus.” She said softly. He gazed down at her, holding his son and a deep wave of love almost overwhelmed him.

“Then you know that by asking you here the first night, I was making my intentions clear?” he asked in a low silky voice that made her shiver. She turned to him.

“I… I didn’t know. I mean some men are just…” she trailed off, not knowing how to finish without insulting him and was surprised when he smiled.

“I wasn’t sure if you understood because you are Muggle-born. There are so many differences… But yes, Hermione, my intentions were serious.” He said with some amusement. She was surprised when he knelt down.

“Hermione, would you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?” he asked and she gasped. She squeezed Alex, who had been sleeping peacefully and he squirmed in protest. She loosened her hold with a small laugh.

“Oh Severus, I love you. I would be so honored to become your wife.” She told him and he stood quickly and pulled her into his arms, with Alex between them and kissed her deeply.

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Well? Let me know what you think? Did anyone expect Harry’s daughter??? Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed and I know I have said this before… I love you!! It's not over, I have one or two more chapters in my head and then of course the sequel.... hehehe