Child of New Beginnings

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Chapter 16



“You wanted to speak with us Albus?” Severus asked as he and Hermione stepped into the Headmaster’s office. They had left Sebastian down stairs in the nursery being watched over Dobby until they would soon after.



“Please do sit down, the both of you,” Albus told them as he gestured to both seats across from his desk.



Being the gentleman that he was, Severus held onto Hermione’s seat, allowing her to sit. After, he sat himself down on the other seat.



“Hermione,” Albus started, “we cannot hide Sebastian forever. The rest of the Order and the staff here, when they arrive back from their vacations will eventually have to know of him. I know how you feel about others not knowing, but they must. And after, the rest of the wizarding population will know about him as well.”



Hermione gulped. She didn’t like it.



“We will protect him, that I can assure you,” Albus said.



“And how about me being his father, and Hermione being his mother? Everyone else would kill me if they knew what I did,” Severus stated.



Albus raised his hand up so as to calm Severus down. “I have thought about that, and there is only one solution, and that is to come up with a simple white lie.”



“And what would that be?” Severus asked.



“To pretend that the both of you,” he nodded at Severus and then Hermione, “were a couple before and still, are a couple. And in the end, perhaps marry.” His eyes twinkled with a slight smile on his lips.



“What?” Severus jumped from his chair shocked. Albus was indeed a crazy old man, with preposterous ideas. “Have you gone insane? I would still be get killed or hexed into next century.”



Hermione was in shock, but didn’t say a word.



“What else can you both say? One night stand? You seduced a student? Pretending that you are a couple will allow you to hide the truth and save face Severus, for the both of you.”



“No Albus! I will not get into something so stupid! I refuse-“



After letting Albus’s words sink in, Hermione finally spoke. “He’s right,” she said as she turned to look up at Severus.



“What?” Severus asked as he snapped his head to face her.



“I said, he’s right,” she said again. “We both aren’t stupid enough just to jump in bed and shag each other for no reason. It wouldn’t make sense.”



“And faking that we are in a relationship now makes sense to you?” Severus asked in anger.



Hermione nodded. “It’s not just for Sebastian, but for the both of us. We both have been hurt by the situation, and wouldn’t want to get hurt any further by it.”



“And living a lie doesn’t hurt you?”



“I don’t like the idea either, but it’s the best option that we have—the only option. And like I said, it’s for Sebastian. How would you feel if he knew about how he was really conceived? How would you feel if you were walking down the street and people called you a rapist?” Hermione shook her head and stood up. “If you’ll excuse me Headmaster,” she said sadly and left his office.



Severus watched as Hermione walked out of the office.



“Severus, Hermione is still coping with the past, and what has happened. She’s learning to move on. Can’t you see that she has never blamed you? You must learn how to move on, and try to find it in you to forgive yourself. It may have never been consensual before, but the both of you must learn to move forward, together, for Sebastian,” Albus explained.



Severus looked at Albus with sad eyes. His anger had gone when Hermione had walked out of the room. He knew he had done or said something wrong as soon as she walked out, but didn’t know exactly what. He said his goodbyes to Albus and left, needing to talk to Hermione.



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Severus walked in Sebastian’s nursery, and as he expected, Hermione was there. She was standing right next to the crib, looking down at Sebastian who was sound asleep.



“Say it again. Say that it’s a stupid idea and that you don’t want to do it,” Hermione said softly, not turning to face him. She knew he was there when the door opened.



Severus didn’t say anything, and just stood far away from her, letting her speak, for he needed to know where Hermione was getting at to understand her.



“These past two weeks have been too sudden for you, I understand. I can leave if you want and try to disappear again. Cleary, Sebastian isn’t enough of a reason for you to go on with Albus’s plans. I don’t want to force you into anything you don’t want to do. Like I told Lucius, I respect you for who you are. Always have and always will.” Hermione shook her head and sobbed softly.



Severus walked towards her, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He felt her somewhat stiffen, but then relaxed. With his chin resting on her head, he started to speak. “I would do anything for Sebastian, and you as well Hermione, make no mistake. However, I don’t want to hurt you by forcing and faking yourself to be with me, after what has happened.”



Hermione was very touched by Severus’s words, and felt relieved. She wrapped her arms around his waist and listen to his heart beat beneath her ear. “It’s not your fault,” she told him. “I knew you really didn’t want to do it, by the look in your eyes, and way you were whispering to me, apologizing. It hurt yes, but I knew I wasn’t alone. Not like I was alone…”



“Alone where Hermione? Muggle London?” Severus asked when she didn’t continue.



“I was in labor with him for almost twenty-four hours, in a public hospital. No one was with me. Once in a while, the nurse would just come and check on me. It took me forever to get dilated. Most of the time though I was alone, until the actual delivery. I cried and cried when a contraction hit. That was one of the worst moments in my life, when I actually felt alone.”



“If you told me before, I would have been there for you,” he told her, wishing that he could’ve been with her then.



“I know.”



“I promised that I wouldn’t let anything bad happen to you. And I won’t leave you either,” Severus murmured against her brow. “If you want to go on with Albus’s plan, then I will too. I just didn’t want to hurt you.”



“I understand, and I know that you would never intentionally hurt me.”



Sebastian then started to whimper and then cry loudly.



“Sounds like he’s hungry,” Hermione said as she pulled away from Severus’s embrace. She then reached down into the crib, and carried Sebastian.



“Then I will leave you be with him,” Severus said. He never watched and stayed when Hermione was breastfeeding.



“No, Severus,” Hermione called him before he walked out. “Please stay.”



Severus hesitated before nodding.



Later, all three of them were all on the couch in the nursery. Severus was leaning back against the arm, with Hermione between his legs. Sebastian had his eyes closed, but was greedily sucking on Hermione’s nipple.



Severus was hypnotized and thought that Hermione breastfeeding their son was the most beautiful, innocent thing that his eyes ever laid eyes on as he watched over Hermione’s shoulder. “I never got to say thank you Hermione,” Severus whispered softly into her ear. “Thank you for giving me a son.”



Hermione turned her head to face him. She smiled at him with a nod. “Thank you as well.”



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AN – Tears… Tears… Tears… Next, everyone else will know of Sebastian. Review!