Maternal Instinct

A/N: Ok, this is the last chapter! Thanks for everybody who has read and reviewed this story!

Right, go read this chapter and leave one last review!

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“!”!”!”!”!”!”!”!”!”!”!”!”

Bright flashes exploded overhead, contrasting against the night sky and casting the crowd in first pink, then green, then gold light.

Severus looked down at his pregnant wife and excited daughter. It seemed that Hermione had promised to show Corrin what muggle fireworks were.

Corrin stood in front of Hermione staring up at the sky in awe, while Hermione had one arm resting over the girls shoulders to keep her from running off in the crowd. Hermione's other hand was in her coat pocket. Severus snake his arm around her waist, slipping his hand into the pocket next to hers. Their fingers tangled together.

She looked up at him, smiling, the silver light that was crackling in the sky reflecting in her eyes. Happy eyes.

It had been about a month since they found out she was pregnant and had a high possibility of having the baby. After three miscarriages - and one abortion to prevent her losing another baby - it seemed like a miracle. To both of them.

Severus had been sure that, after Corrin, he wanted no more children - not that Corrin had been planned - but, since the day that she found out she had a chance of having a baby, Hermione had been happier than he'd ever seen her and it made his heart melt.

Corrin was praying that it would be a boy, but Severus wasn't really bothered and neither was Hermione. They were just too grateful that Hermione finally had the chance to have a baby.

Thinking of babies, Severus smirked. Amy, nasty little thing that she was, had claimed her unborn baby was his. Well, Severus was not going to fall for any more of her traps, so he had ordered a paternity test, as was his right. The Wizarding world was more advanced in medical aspects than the muggle world, and it was easy and quick to test the DNA of an unborn child. Lucky for Severus.

The baby, thank Merlin, had not been his. Surprisingly - or, Severus thought, unsurprisingly - it was Lucius Malfoy's child. It made sense that they had to be more than just friends if he had trusted Amy with a potion that could have had him put in Azkaban, had she told anyone about what he was planning to do with it.

Amy had been furious, of course, but Viktor seemed to be happy that it was not Severus' at least. Krum seemed to be more pleased with the idea of looking after Malfoy's child.

Severus had pointed out to Hermione that she could quite easily pick up the charges against them again, but she had refused. Apparently she was just too happy to be wasting her time on Amy and Viktor Krum. She was so pleased about being pregnant that nothing else - nothing that happened in the past few months - seemed to matter.

Severus had married Hermione quickly. It had been nothing fancy or romantic, with hardly any people and no longwinded vows, and she hadn't minded; she knew he wasn't that type of man. But he loved her and she knew it - if she didn't she had to be blind!

The display ended and the three of them turned to go. But some called from behind them.

"Hermione!"

They turned to find Ginny running towards them, pulling Draco behind her.

Corrin squeaked, "It's a Weasley! It's a Weasley!"

The redhead skidded to a stop in front of them and bobbed down, staring at Hermione's stomach intently.

Ginny squealed, "I can practically see it!" She yanked on her husbands arm, tugging him down to her level, "Can't you see?"

Draco scowled and straightened himself up, "Well, considering she has clothes, skin and a good few layers of muscles covering it... No, I can't 'see it'. You must have x-ray vision, darling."

Corrin bent down next to Ginny, "I can see it too! It's a boy!"

Hermione laughed, "Ginny, stop putting idea's in her head!" She stroked Corrin’s hair, "She hasn't really got x-ray vision."

Corrin frowned, "But it's still a boy!"

Ginny stood up and looked around mumbling, "Oh, where is he?" Then she shouted, "HARRY!"

"Harry's here?" Hermione asked.

Draco scowled, "Unfortunately."

Someone hugged Hermione from the side. Harry stepped back to look at her, then turned to Ginny, "You said she was showing!"

Ginny shrugged dismissively, "Well, I meant glowing... She's glowing!"

They all looked at Hermione for a moment, then Harry nodded, "You're right, Gin."

Draco slid his arm around Ginny and pulled her tightly to his side, glaring at Harry. Harry glared back. Ginny just looked happy, though slightly bemused.

Corrin tugged on Hermione's hand, "We've got to go now! The lady at the hospital said lots of rest!" She looked up at her father, then glanced back at Hermione, "You two aren't taking care of my brother very well! You're not doing what the lady said!"

Harry cleared his throat, not looking at Severus, "Yeah, well, I have to go. Take care of yourself, Hermione."

As he disappeared into the crowd, Ginny smiled at Corrin, "You've got some guts. But, then again, I guess he is your dad." She looked up at Severus, her eyes narrow, "You take care of your wife and baby, or I’ll hunt you down and murder you - slowly, painfully, starting with your most sensitive parts..." She turned abruptly; pulling Draco with her, "See you soon, Hermione!"

""""""""""""""""""""

Almost eight months later, Corrin peered into a cot. She stepped back quickly, looking at the woman that was laying on the hospital bed and drinking water.

"Why is he wearing pink?" The girl asked, "Is he gay?"

Hermione choked on the water and put the cup and the table next to her, "Where did you learn that!"

Corrin shrugged, "I heard Ginny saying it and asked her what it meant."

Hermione just looked bemused, then sighed and shook her head, "He's not a he. He's a she."

"Where's my brother!" Corrin cried, crawling up the bed, "Did you lose him? Where is he!"

Hermione smiled, looking over the top of Corrin’s head, "He's right there, sweetie."

Corrin spun around, leaping from the bed. Her daddy was there, looking down at something he was holding in a blanket, "Let me see! Let me see!" He sat down on the edge of the bed and Corrin peeked into the blankets. She frowned, "It's the same baby!"

Hermione laughed, "They're twins, sweetie. A boy and a girl; a brother and a sister."

Corrin stroked her fingertip down her little brothers chubby cheek. He made an odd gurgling sound and reached up with one of his tiny hands, catching Corrin's finger in his fist for a moment, before letting go and waving his fingers around again.

Corrin smiled, "He knows me!"

""""""""""""""""""""

Hours later, when Molly had insisted that Corrin go back to The Burrow for the night and all the visitors were gone, Hermione and Severus were finally alone.

The twins were two weeks early and the Healers had given Hermione lots of strange and colourful potions to make sure her and the babies made it through. It had been touch-and-go, tiring, but well worth it.

Her tired, yet amused voice broke through the silence, "I wanted you to want these babies, but I’m starting to feel neglected."

Severus looked up from the two little sleeping forms, blinking away a sort of trance, "What? Oh..." He got up from his chair and moved to sit beside Hermione, wrapping his arms around her, "I'm sorry. It's just... twins? It didn't sink in when the Healer told me."

Hermione shook her head, "What do you mean? Severus, she told you that it was twins about six months ago. You didn't even have to give birth to them. What was there that had to sink in?"

He shrugged, resting his cheek on the top of her head, "I don't know. I wasn't even in the hospital when Corrin was born and I could say that this was a tiring experience for me, but you would tell Ginny and then I would never have to worry about having any more children."

She laughed, leaning back into his arms, "True. Very, very true." She looked over at her twins, "You know what? If I had another chance, I would go through it all again - every single miscarriage. They're everything I’ve ever wanted..."

Severus kissed the top of her head, "I know. I'll get used to them... somehow."

"I love you."

Severus sighed and held her tight, as they looked over at the little bodies that snuffled softly as they slept. "I love you, too."