Saved By Grace

Chapter Four

After getting over the uncomfortable, embarrassing, memories of their night of shared passion, Hermione and Severus settled into an easy routine. On pleasant days, she would take a walk down the shoreline to Snape's cottage. On the not so pleasant days, she would apparate into his laboratory. They would work together amicably and, when finished for the day, they would eat supper together. Severus thoroughly enjoyed their repartee as he and Hermione mixed, poured and watched as several cauldron's bubbled away making medications to handle certain magical maladies. They had regular tea time together, and took turns cooking supper.

She was surprised at the skill he had at the stove. She was equally a good cook, but with only the 'comfort' foods like omelets, hamburgers, fried chicken, and homemade mac-n-cheese. Severus, however, treated her to chicken marsala, chicken curry, veal and other exotic dishes that helped her gain a greater appreciation for this multi-talented man. After dinner, they started a new custom. Severus had a love of poetry and had, in his collection of the printed word, a large selection of poetry. They began a tradition of sitting in his parlor with coffee while Severus read verse

Over the course of the next several weeks, Severus became very worried about his young apprentice, noting that the smell of certain potions turned her green, causing a race to the water closet where sounds of desperate retching would occur. Hermione began to shed the much-needed pounds that she'd begun to put on when she finally felt safe from Ron. She was tired all the time now, He'd leave the room only to return to her sleeping soundly, head on her arms. Once he was just in time to save her from dunking her head into a full cauldron of bubbling brew. Time for a long talk.

Hermione felt so wretched and exhausted these days. Deathly ill some moments, and nearly causing herself to severely burn her face by falling asleep over a boiling cauldron. Taking a day off she stepped out of the Leaky Cauldron and into Muggle London, as it was still called. Walking a block, she found the nearest Apothecary and purchased several items. On the spur of the moment she walked the distance to her parent's house…there were times when a girl needs her mother. Besides, her head was beginning to spin and she felt that all too familiar ache at the base of her skull heralding a migraine.

An hour later she was sitting on the couch in the upstairs drawing room, in stunned disbelief. Her mother sat next to her, ineffectually patting her daughter's back, and saying all the wrong things. Hermione looked down again and read the results of the myriad of tests…they all said the same thing…

POSITIVE…and she had no idea who the father was.

***Author's Note: Oh, dear. What a pickle Hermione's in! After suffering rape by Ron, and a passionate night with Severus, who is the father of her baby?