Sweetest Of All

Hermione walked out of the office with a dazed look on her face. Why hadn\'t she known? She had felt differently lately. She smiled. She couldn\'t wait to get home.

***

Severus Snape was pissed. No, it was more than that. Much more than that. First, he overslept. No one could blame him considering how he and his wife had spent last night. Then, when he walked into his class, a few of the fifth years had been going through his private stores. Taking the house points had helped him feel better, handing out detention improved his mood even more.

Then, as Murphy\'s Law states, everything that could go wrong, did. Five melting cauldrons over three classes, four injured students. He had to close his classroom so the houselfs could clean. The break didn\'t help him at all. He had gone to visit Hermione at her research laboratory in Hogsmeade only to find her gone.

Back at Hogwarts, the class room was open again. Classes resumed and so did the accidents. Another three melted cauldrons and two explosions. One set of teaching robes ruined. He knew his teeth were going to crack from the constant grinding.

Finally, finally, the last class of the day came. Surely the seventh years could be trusted to listen to his directions? No such luck. Five ruined potions meant a waste of scarce ingredients. Sometimes, he wondered why he even taught at all.

Now, standing in his living room, things weren\'t looking much better. Hermione wasn\'t home yet. He hoped that she wouldn\'t be working late tonight. All he wanted was to eat, curl up with her in front of the fire and forget the day ever happened.

***

She braced herself as she came out of the floo in her laboratory. She did a quick visual sweep. Nog oug out of place. She nodded and walked into her office. Her desk was just as she left it, except for a note. She opened it. Severus was having a bad day. She had never heard of the potions class room being closed for cleaning. She sighed as she gathered her work. He wasn\'t going to be happy.

***

He was sitting in front of the fire when she walked in, a glass of firewhiskey in his hand. She hung her cloak beside the door. \"Honey, I\'m home.\"

He looked \"W \"Where have you been?\"

She came over and sat beside him. \"I had an appointment in London today. I\'m sorry I missed you. I take it you had a bad day?\"

He sat his glass down and pulled her into his arms. \"Horrible. I was late for my first class and they decided to see what I had in the storage closet. Eight melted cauns, ns, two explosions, one of which ruined my robes. I came to see you and you weren\'t at work, then the seventh years ruined five potions and depleted most of my useful stock.\" He shook his head. \"Sometimes I wonder why I even teach? I despise children.\"

Hermione felt her good mood fading. She chewed her bottom lip as she listened to him vent his frustrations. He didn\'t really feel that way did he? She felt the burning start in her sinuses. She closed her eyes, feeling the tears pool behind the lids. She sniffed, and one tear fell onto her husband\'s hand.

He frowned then looked down at her. She was crying. What happened? What did he do? He turned her so he could look at her face. \"Hermione, love, what\'s wrong? Sweetness? Talk to me?\"

She shook her head and hid her face against his chest. He turned them both and stretched out on the couch, Hermione nestled between his legs, head on his chest. His fingers were running through her hair and he mummered words of comfort.

She sat up. \"Do you mean it? Do you really hate children?\"

He looked at her. \"After a day like today, I\'m beginning to think I might. Are you ok? What brought all that on? Did you have a hard day at work?\"

She shook her head. He pulled her back down to lay against him. \"Tell you what. I\'ll quit my job, you quit yours and we\'ll move to the country.\"

She shook her head against him. \"Can\'t.\" He kissed the top of her head. \"Why not? I want one good reason.\"

She sighed. \"Someone needs to work.\"

He tightened his arms around her. \"We\'ve got enough money the the two of us to live comfortably. Got another reason?\"

She nodded. \"We don\'t have enough money for the three of us.\"

His breath hitched in his chest. She felt it and fresh tears fell onto his shirt front. He pushed her away from him to look at her. The three of them? She didn\'t mean....

She looked up at him, tears running down her cheeks. \"That\'s where I was this afternoon. I went to St. Mungo\'s. I just found out today. I\'m so sorry. I thought we were being safe. I\'m so sorry.\"

He pulled her back against him. \"Hermione....love. My sweet, sweet girl. No, please. Don\'t apologize. Do you mean it? A baby? Our own baby?\" She nodded against him. He sat up, pushing her back to look at her.

He took her face in his hands, his thumbs wiping away her tears. \"Hermione. Love, look at me.\" She opened her eyes and looked into his smiling face. She gasped, then frowned. He asked again. \"You\'re pregnant?\" She nodded. His smile widened. \"We\'re going to have a baby?\" She nodded. He captured her lips in a kiss.

She pushed at his shoulders. He broke away and looked at her. She frowned. \"You\'re not mad?\"

He shook his head. \"Why would I be?\" She looked at him. \"You just said you hated children.\"

He pulled her against him. \"Honey. This is different. This is our baby. Our very own baby. A baby made by our love for each other. Honey, think about it. You are one of the smartest witches I know. I\'m not a stupid man. This child actually has a chance to be better than those dunderheads that I teach.\"

She held onto him tightly. \"Are you really happy?\"

He kissed the top of her head. \"Let me show you how much.\"

***

They were sitting in one of the many wizarding restaurants in London. She couldn\'t keep the smile off her face as she looked at him. Their fingers were entwined on the top of the table, their meals long finished.

He looked at her. \"We\'re really having a baby?\"

She nodded as she laughed slightly. \"Yes Severus. You\'ve asked me that a hundred times tonight. Yes. We are having a baby.\" He nodded, then stood up.

She gasped. \"Severus, what are you doing?\"

He smiled down at her. \"Showing you how happy I am.\" He cast the Sonorus charm on himself. \"Could I have your attention please?\" The restaurant quieted down and turned to look at him. \"Most of you know me. For those who don\'t, I am Professor Severus Snape, Potions Master at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. For those who do know mou kou know of my apparent disdain for children of all ages. Tonight, I am proud to say that my wife, Hermione Granger Snape, has informed me that we are expecting a child.\"

There was a collective gasp from those who did indeed know Professor Snape. He smiled down at his wife. \"I wanted everyone here to know that I couldn\'t be happier. I love this woman with my whole being. I am astounded each and every day when I wake up and find her in my arms. She made me happier than I had ever been the day she married me. I did not think my life would get any better. She proved me wrong this evening.\" He reversed the spell and took his seat.

Her eyes were shining with love. She took his hand and in a broken voice asked, \"Take me home?\" He nodded, laid some galleons on the table and lead her out to the apperation point.

***

Her lips were on his aon aon as their world stopped spinning. He answered her passion with his own as he carried her to their bedroom.

He lay her gently on the bed, removing both their cloaks. He broke away from her mouth and smiled. She ran her hands through his hair as she tried to pull him back down for another kiss. He shook his head and stood. \"No. Tonight is about you.\"

He gently started to undress her, worshipping her body as he did. Gentle kisses on her bare shoulders, down between her beautiful breasts and then onto her stomach. He lingered there for a while. He couldn\'t believe there was a baby growing there. He caressed her, planting kisses all over.

She smiled down at him, her hands in his hair. He looked up at her and smiled. She pulled his shoulders until he was covering her body with his own. With a whispered word, they were laying, skin to skin. She smoothed her hands over his shoulders. \"Are you truly, honestly happy?\"

He nodded. \"As long as he or she doesn\'t inherit my nose.\"

She laughed and kissed the end of said nose. \"I wouldn\'t care. It\'s going to be a beautiful baby.\"

He nodded. \"With you as the mother, how could it not be?\" She stuck out her tongue at him.

He shifted, his body molding to her. She wrapped her legs around him and guided him inside her. He moaned, kissing her gently. She moved slightly, causing friction. He grinned down at her. \"I love you.\"

She kissed him, moving her hips against his. \"I love you too. I\'d love you more of yd mod move.\"

He chuckled and thrust into her. \"Like th"
"

She nodded. \"More of that please.\"

He kissed her and started making love to his wife.

***

Later, his head was against her hip, his finger tips caressing her stomach. She smiled, her fingers in his hair. He looked up at her. \"A baby. I can\'t believe it. I never imagined.\"

She smiled. \"Me either.\"

He slid up her body, kissing her gently as he wrapped around her. He spoke into her hair. \"Excited?\"

She nodded.

\"Happy?\"

She snuggled back against him. \"Very.\"

He kissed her temple. \"Scared?\"

She nodded, \"Terrified.\"

He held her close. \"You\'ll do great.\"

She wrapped her arms over his. \"So will you.\"

He nodded. \"We\'ll do great together. Love you.\" She smiled. \"Love you too.\"

His hand rested on her flat stomach, the knowledge that his child was there evident in the smile on his face as they both fell asleep.

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A/N: Thanks to all that are reading and reviewing! Title comes from Dr. Hook\'s album: Greatest Hits.....And More!

Cat: I\'m glad you like it honey. I knew that we would bring you over to our side eventually! Thank you for your review. I love you and value your opinion. Thanks for being my fan!

Red: Thanks for always reading my stories. You and Cat are always there, even when I\'m pushy! Thanks again honey.

celticwitch: Thank you for your review. I was worried about how it would sound since that is not my religion. Thanks for the encouragement.

Helena: I have a few more chapters line up. Don\'t worry. I hope to improve on it.