If the Crime Fits the Punishment

ok, the cover my ass bit....although i wish i had been the one to dream up this wonderful universe, sadly i\'m not. i am, however, borrowing some of ms. rowlings imagination and bending it to suit my needs

more cover my ass bit..... if you don\'t like things raunchy, don\'t proceed any further. my fingers are as dirty minded as my mind is, and they have no problems spewing forth smut and filth. ;p

now some plain, old fashioned pleading...... please review and let me know what you think!

Chapter Fifteen: Three\'s A Crowd
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\'Ah, I see you\'re awake,\' Poppy\'s voice was cheerful as she came over to stand beside the cot Kendra lay on. The younger girl looked up at her with wide eyes. There were questions swimming in them. \'Go on, then. Ask me anything you need to know.\'

\'Are you sure, Madam Pomfrey? Completely sure that I\'m pregnant?\' Kendra asked, her voice low. Poppy sat on the edge of the girl\'s cot and smiled at her gently.

\'Of course, I\'m certain,\' she nodded. \'And you can go ahead and call me Poppy. You\'re no longer a student. I think I can allow the familiarity. I\'m surprised you didn\'t know yourself.\'

\'The thought never occured to me,\' Kendra admitted sheepishly. A faint blush stole over her cheeks as she continued. \'My mind has been so preoccupied for the last few months, I\'m afraid I haven\'t been paying much attention to me.\'

\'Well, that\'s plain enough to see,\' Poppy snorted in a very unladlylike manner. Kendra felt like she\'d done something wrong. \'Now, now.... don\'t worry about it. Sleep for the night, and things will be better in the morning.\' When Kendra made to sit up, a hand pushed her back into the cot\'s mattress. She turned confused eyes on the medi witch. \'You\'ll be staying here this evening. You and Severus both need time away from each other to completely sort this through. In the morning is soon enough to go back to those depressing dungeons.\'

\' I\'m sorry to be such a burden, when you should be on holiday with the rest of them,\' Kendra felt she needed to apologize. Poppy chuckled and stood up.

\'Nonsense, girl,\' she chided. \' I wouldn\'t have missed the look on Severus\' face for anything in the world. It was worth all the holidays I could ever want to take. Besides, Hogwarts is my home. Now get some rest. It\'s been a trying day and....\' her voice trailed off as they heard foot steps echoing up the aisle. Poppy turned to look behind her, then looked back at her patient. \'You have a visitor, it seems.\'

Kendra looked past Madam Pomfrey to see Dumbledore standing behind her. The girl\'s face flushed a shade of deep crimson. The Headmaster\'s smile deepened. The medi witch left the two of them, disappearing up the aisle toward her office. \' I\'m so sorry, Professor,\' Kendra began, but he lifted a hand and stopped her words.

\'Do not apologize to me, Miss MacLeod. It did my heart good to see Severus concern himself with someone other than himself. He\'s been too long alone, and I honestly feared for his sanity. He\'s done and seen so much more than many of us, and he\'s never truly felt like he belonged anywhere. Now he has someone else to worry over,\' the older gentleman said quietly.

\'I feel there is something I should tell you,\' she began, ready to confess the entire plot to him. He gave her a gentle smile that stopped her words.

\'You do not owe me any explanations. Only know that I\'m grateful he\'s taken such an interest in you. His life has been terribly bleak. But it appears that you have given him reason to hope again,\' he heaved a sigh, as if there were a terrible weight on his shoulders. The feeling passed as he gave her another smile, then spoke again. \' I understand that congratulations are in order.\'

\'Poppy told you?\' she asked, then flushed again. He chuckled at her, then shook his head.

\'No, my dear. Peeves happened to overhear the conversation she had with Severus. He gleefully reported it back to everyone else,\' Albus told her. She groaned loudly.

\'Just what I need! Peeves will make my life hell. And as for Severus, I shudder to think what will happen,\' she told him. The dry tone of her words, and the expression on her face, were enough to make him laugh aloud. \' I\'m only surprised that Peeves was the only one to overhear it, he was shouting loud enough.\'

\'Severus very rarely shouts, so I\'m sure that was what captured Peeves\' attention in the first place. And you would be surprised by what does and doesn\'t make it\'s self known in these halls. I only worry that Peeves will attempt to make Severus\' life a little more hellish than usual. Well, my dear,\' he sighed. \' I will leave you to rest. Have a pleasant night.\'

\'Thank you, sir,\' she returned and watched as he walked off for the doors. It was only about ten minutes later when Professor McGonagall came up the aisle toward her bed. The older woman was smiling as if she knew something that would be of great importance to the rest of the world. McGonagall deposited herself on the edge of Kendra\'s cot and smiled down at her in an almost motherly fashion. \'Good evening, Professor.\'

\'Please, Kendra. Call me Minerva. How do you feel?\'

\'A little better and alot confused,\' she said truthfully. McGonagall chuckled and nodded. \'Madam Pomfrey insisted I stay here for the night. She said it would give Severus time to sort the whole thing out.\'

\'He\'s had a nasty shock, I imagine,\' Minerva nodded her head. \'And you, from the looks of it. You gave us all quite a thorough scare back there in the Great Hall. I\'ve got to admit, I never thought I would see Severus move in such a manner. There was concern all over his face for you. While I\'m here, is there anything I can get for you?\'

\'Yes, I should like to....\' Kendra began. McGonagall cut her off with a soft chuckle, already knowing what she would ask.

\' I\'ve already sent an owl to your mother. I expect she\'ll be here in the morning,\' she replied. Kendra nodded wordlessly. A yawn stretched her mouth wide, and Minerva stood. \'Pardon my lack of sense. Any one can see this has been a most trying day for you. I shall make sure to come visit you tomorrow. Get some rest, dear.\'

\'Thank you, Professor,\' she smiled, closing her eyes. She was rather tired. She drifted off, a gentle smile on her face and visions of Severus\' baby in her mind.

~*~*~*~*~

The door to his dungeon chambers slammed loudly under his hand and Severus shoved the wooden panel closed. As soon as he had left the hospital wing, something that was entirely not by choice.....Poppy could make a man fall to his knees and beg mercy with one of her tirades, he had been beset by Peeves. The prank playing ghost had floated above his head, making rather lewd comments about Snape and Kendra. He had even gone so far as to make comment about the child she was carrying. Severus had merely scowled at the pain in the arse poltergeist, trying to dissuade any further comments. It had carried on through every stretch of hallway until The Bloody Baron had filtered through a near by wall and taken Peeves to task. Then had turned to offer Severus a mocking congratulations. It had done a fine job of putting Snape\'s nose right out of joint.

A baby! Kendra was pregnant. The thought made his anger disappear, and a faint smile tugged at his lips. That certainly explained quite a bit of her behavior. Severus tried to imagine her with his child. With his luck, the babe would be born with the same nasty disposition as he had. If the child were truly blessed, it would look like it\'s mother. It would be a horrible twist of fate to allow an innocent baby to look like him. He knew he was not attractive, no matter what she said to him. He\'d seen just how unappealing he was when he\'d been a student. All of the girls in Slytherin had flocked around Lucius, much as they had his son. The Malfoy men were notoriously handsome, and he.....

Malfoy! The thought struck him like a bolt of lightning. Kendra had been with not only himself, but both Lucius and Draco. What if the babe wasn\'t his? The thought made him snarl loudly in the silence of his chambers. Surely Fate wouldn\'t be that cruel a mistress. But he\'d never had much luck with Fate. Had never really believed in Fate. It seemed to him that Kendra giving birth to a child fathered by another man would be Fate\'s way of punishing him for his lack of trust in it.

He really did want to believe that the child was his. Some small part of him wanted a family of his own. One he wouldn\'t make the mistakes with that his father had made with him. But the seed of doubt had been planted. She had been with the Malfoys as well as him, and there was always the possibility that one of the two had deprived him of that small dream. However inadvertantly. The idea that he would have to live with someone else\'s child made the bitterness ball up inside him. He threw some good old fashioned anger into the mix as well. He had just found a path that he could set his feet upon happily, one that had Kendra by his side. And now, the path was blocked to him. Damn the Malfoys! He detested the whole sodding lot of them. Their continual spouting of \'pureblood\' shite was enough to nauseate him properly.

He should have remembered to cast a contraception charm. Each and every time he had bedded the silly chit. It would have prevented the hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach. He would be certain then that the child she was carrying was one of the Malfoy\'s spawn. It would be no problem to send her packing if he knew for sure. Let one of those smarmy prats take care of her. He didn\'t need any one else\'s baggage to carry. He bloody well had enough of his own.

Tossing himself down into the worn cushion of his leather couch, he slouched down and glared hatefully at the other side of the room. He should never have gone after the girl! She had found a way to torture him yet again. He should have let her take her extended holiday. Then he wouldn\'t have had to suffer a humilation like this. Knowing that she was carrying a child that was most probably not his own. He should throw her little arse out of his chambers first thing when she got back. He should..... He had no idea what the bloody hell he should do!

~A trip to The Three Broomsticks sounds in order,~ his mind offered the suggestion with a faint sneer that he didn\'t catch. He was wallowing in self pity once again, and he was in no mood to have his smug brain go on about anything. Until the words it had said actually registered. The Three Broomsticks seemed like a fine place to spend his evening. Any other plans he might have had were now completely dashed. His decision made, he stalked from his chambers, intent on once again getting thoroughly pissed.

The pub was only about half full when he swirled into the main room in a well practiced billowing of his robes. Madam Rosemerta was behind her well polished bar, and she noticed Severus as he scowled at no one in particular and strode purposefully to an empty table. As he sat, she approached him with a smile. \'The usual, Severus?\' she asked as he settled himself in the chair.

\'Not this night, I think. Bring me something decidely heavier than brandy. I feel the need to drink myself into oblivion this evening,\' he remarked hatefull, turning lose his anger on any one who chose to cross his path. The woman at his elbow ignored his temper tantrum and went to fetch him a bottle of something. She brought it back, setting it and a glass on the table silently. Then she turned and left him alone with his thoughts. He glared at the bottle for a moment, then lifted it and poured the dark liquid into his glass until it was full to the top.

\'Here\'s to one of us,\' he said dryly, then put the glass to his lips.

~*~*~*~*~

Kendra was surprised to find Mcgonagall waiting for her outside the doors of the hospital wing. The Transfigurations Professor was beaming at her as she smoothed her flame colored robes into place. Kendra stopped before her, waiting for the woman to say something. She was completely surprised when the normally cool teacher pulled her into her arms for a spontaneous hug. The girl was left standing with her mouth gaping open. \' I\'m terribly happy for you.\'

\'Thank you Pro....Minerva,\' she returned, her tone accurately expressing her disbelief at the impromptu action that had just taken place. \' I\'m still in a bit of shock over it myself. I can only imagine how Severus has taken this.\'

\'Well, I can\'t speak for Severus, as I\'m not privy to his every thought. But I can tell you that the rest of the staff is happy for you, as well. Hagrid is already going on about what it will be like to have a baby in the castle. I swear he\'s had tears of joy in his eyes since last evening when Peeves told everyone. If you would allow it, I\'m here to escort you to the Great Hall for a morning repast.\'

\' I\'m not so certain I can face everyone just yet. Last night was rather embarrasing for me,\' she blushed as she thought about how she must have looked to everyone, just falling over the way she had. McGonagall patted her arm affectionately.

\'Don\'t worry over it. The staff is terribly understanding, given the fact that you are expecting a child,\' she assured her while linking her arm through Kendra\'s. As the older woman began to walk, the younger one had no choice but to follow. Minerva remained blessedly silent as they made their way at a leisurely pace to the Great Hall, where everyone would be gathered to eat. Kendra wasn\'t entirely certain that she wanted to talk to anyone at present. Her thoughts were still whirling in her head at a dizzying speed. She didn\'t think she would prove to be good company to anyone just yet.

The doors of the Great Hall stood open, and she waited a moment before stepping through them. Minerva seemed to understand her hesitation and waited just over the threshold for her. The two women moved silently up the long aisle between the House tables toward the staff. Her eyes drifted to the end, where Severus always sat. His place was empty, bringing a frown to her face.

Kendra was seated in the chair she had occupied the previous evening, a plate sitting emtpy before her. The glass goblet was filled with cold milk. The teaching staff seemed to be waiting for her to say something. She merely offered up an uncertain smile. Dumbledore turned to her, obviously ready to say something when a faint gasp swung all attention to the doors directly across from them. Kendra\'s eyes went wide as she watched Severus stagger into the Hall.

He was a mess. His robes were wrinkled and utterly disheveled. His hair was actually sticking up in places, and he looked ill. As he stalked toward where she sat, she couldn\'t help but notice that he seemed a little unsteady on his feet. Her eyes narrowed as she realized he was fully snockered. She stood, making her way toward him. He stopped a few feet from her, his gaze black and hateful.

\'You look like shite!\' she told him without preamble. He cocked his brow before a low snort of disdain rolled up his throat. \'What brought this on?\'

\'The news of your happy condition, no doubt,\' he sneered at her. She was tempted to slap him. Maybe it would serve to not only wipe the condescening look from his face, but to knock him straight onto his bottom. She was in no mood to deal with one of his tantrums. And certainly not in front of the entire teaching staff.

\' I should hex you properly. You\'re carrying on like a total git,\' she hissed at him. In all the years she\'d been in his company, she\'d never seen him act like a fool in front of other people. His scowl deepened at her words, and she saw the desire to take her over his knees and spank her swimming in his eyes.

\'Yes, well....\' he began, but was interrupted when a voice cleared itself from behind his tall frame. She stepped around him, then gave a cry of delight. All eyes turned to follow her. Including Snape\'s.

\'Da!\' she squealed, throwing herself into his arms. Aengus MacLeod was a big man, built like a tree. His arms were as big around as Kendra\'s head, his legs like two thick trunks. He was barrel chested and sported flaming red hair that matched his daughter\'s, despite the gray that threaded through it. He enfolded the petite girl in his embrace, hugging her to him tightly. \' I thought you were away in Turkey on business?\'

\' I got home last night, when yer Mum got an owl from Minerva. I decided tae tag along and see ma baby girl,\' he told her, his r\'s rolling about like marbles on a spinning platform. He set her back from him and studied her with a sharp eye. \'Ye\'re looking ill, ma wee one. Is there something the matter?\'

\'No, I\'m fine,\' she assured him.

\'Your Da\'s right, Kendra,\' Morgaine said as she gave her daughter a good once over. \'What\'s going on here? Minerva only stated that you requested my presence. Not why. Why did you send for me?\'

\' I believe Kendra has some news she would like to share with you,\' Dumbledore stood out of his seat. All eyes turned to him for a moment. He gave his usual smile and nodded to her parents. \'Aengus, Morgaine. It\'s good to see you again.\'

\'Likewise, Albus,\' Aengus agreed. His gaze moved back to his daughter and she offered him a half hearted smile. She wasn\'t certain how she was going to tell them this. She wasn\'t sure how her father would react. Her mum, she had no such uncertainties. \'What is it, ma wee one? Ye can tell me,\' he encouraged, using the pet name he\'d had for her since before she could actually remember.

\' I doubt you\'ll be able to call me your wee one for much longer,\' she said with a soft chuckle.

\'Why? Do ye expect tae be gowing?\' he gave her his own chuckle.

\'Um, after a fashion, yes,\' she nodded, wishing she wasn\'t being watched so closely by everyone. Especially by Severus. It was difficult enough as it was. \'Suprise! Mum, Da, you\'re going to be grandparents!\' she finally blurted out. Her mother stared at her for a few moments before throwing her arms around her and hugging her tightly. When she was released, her da pulled her into his embrace. He squeezed her in a bear hug, then let her go and stepped back.

\'And who\'s the lucky bastard?\' Aengus asked. A faint chuckle rose up from the table behind the group, and she had to duck her head to keep them from seeing her blush. Instead, she turned to the dark man standing behind her and gestured with one hand.

\'Da, meet Severus Snape. Severus, this is my da. Aengus MacLeod,\' she stepped back to allow the two men to size each other up. Severus wobbled on his feet, but stayed in one place. Her father looked him up and down, then a puzzled frown came to his face.

\'Snape? Now where have I heard that name before?\'

\'He was her Potions Master when she was in school,\' Morgaine supplied. The big man turned to look at his wife for a moment, then swung his head back around to look at the man before him. His gaze then settled on his daughter and she knew what was coming.

\'This mon is the father of yer child? I seem tae recall ye hated him! What was it ye used tae call him?\' Aengus bellowed. She saw Severus wince at the noise and thought, though it was childish, that she was glad someone else was sharing in this with her. Who better than the man who was responsible?

\'Greasy git,\' her mother supplied with a quirk of her lips.

\'Aye, that\'s the one! Ye\'re having his bairn? Are ye out of yer mind?\' Aengus shouted at his daughter.

\'Believe me, it wasn\'t planned!\' Severus snapped, the excessive shouting making his head pound fiercely. Two pairs of bright green eyes latched onto him, both full of anger.

\'Ye stay out o\' this!\' Aengus ordered. Snape opened his mouth to say something more and Kendra felt her nerves snap.

\'Stop it! Both of ye!\' she snarled at them. The two men turned stares of disbelief on her. She glared at both for a moment, then stepped past her parents and left the hall. There was stunned silence for a moment or two.

\'Well, I think that went over rather well,\' came the amused voice of the Headmaster.

~*~*~*~*~

Kendra\'s parents made their visit brief. After taking a walk around the grounds and calming herself, Kendra returned to the castle and went straight to the dungeons. She found Severus sprawled across his bed, still fully clothed and deep in sleep. Some of her anger at him melted seeing him lay there, prompting her to steal into his Lab to brew him a draught of hangover potion for his wooly head when he came round. She left it on one of the bedside tables, a note propped against it. Then she went in search of her parents and spent the rest of the time they were there with them.

When she finally closed the door behind her as she entered Severus\' private chambers, she was practically worn out. Severus was sitting on the leather sofa, his nose once again buried in one of his Potions handbooks. He didn\'t look up as she walked into the room. As far as she could tell, he wasn\'t even going to acknowledge her. She heaved a sigh and made her way to his bathroom to clean up. \'And just where have you been?\' his tone was flat, the one with which he taught classes.

\' I was with my parents,\' she replied steadily, watching him for some sign of the mood he was in. His eyes never left his book.

\'You will be sure to inform me the next time you go anywhere,\' he ordered. \'And I\'ll thank you to stay out of my Labs. As you pointed out to me, you are no longer my student. And that means you have no business going into my class room. Do you understand me?\'

\' I\'m sorry. I was only trying to help. I thought you could use the....\' she began but he interrupted her.

\'Do you understand me?\' his voice was louder, sharper this time. Her lips thinned as she frowned, but she nodded her head.

\'Yes sir! I understand you perfectly! May I go take a bath, sir? Or do you require my body with which to service your needs?\' she demanded angrily. The comment brought his eyes snapping to hers, his gaze boring into her with the burning black fire they held.

\'Do not be snide with me. You\'ll not like the consequences,\' he warned. She shrugged and laughed, then turned and strolled into the bathroom. She felt loads better after slamming the door behind her.....

end chapter fifteen.
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my heartfelt thanks to madam shark for all her help. she\'s a godsend, and i don\'t know what i\'d do without her. and to kenly, cos she\'s so supportive. i love them both bunches. big smoochies to you! mu-wah!

to all of you who read and review and email and tell me how much you like it, loads of thanks. i wouldn\'t still be doing this if not for you guys. you\'re my groupies, and you know who you are! ;p

don\'t worry, sixteen is already started. stay tuned......

* a note i\'d like to share..... i hope every one knows where the name morgaine came from. if not, think arthur, merlin, camelot. yes, it\'s another name for morgan lefay. almost always considered a catalyst in the destruction of arthur and camelot, but still a powerful woman in her own right. this chapter introduces her father, aengus macleod. i felt, since her mother was named after a half goddess of the old religion, it was only fitting to do the same for her father. aengus macog was the harpist for the tuatha de danann ~the faerie folk~ and the god of young love...... and the way he feels about kendra, it fits.....