#9 ~ The Snapes in the Family Way or Oh Baby!

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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Chapter 7 ~ And Baby Makes Three

Exactly two and a half hours later, Hermione went into labor proper. The witch’s contractions became more intense and closer together. Severus did his best to comfort his wife, coaching her breathing, massaging her and trying to help her visualize a calm place to run to. But as the pain increased, it was more difficult to make her focus on anything other than the aching waves pain washing over her. Her piercing shrieks made her husband’s heart go cold. He felt so helpless as he cradled her, helding her securely, whispering he was with her as she cried out in pain.

Hermione was soaking wet with perspiration, and Severus’ hair was sticking to his head. As Hermione screamed, the Potions Master heard a gushing sound. He stood and looked over his wife, and was horrified to see what looked like a mixture of blood and water pooling beneath her.

“I feel like I have to go to the bathroom, Severus!” Hermione half-screamed, and half panted

Terrified, Severus quickly piled pillows under her and ran for Pomfrey’s office.

Pomfrey and Dr. Digmon had been comparing notes of child birthing. He was fascinated by the marvel of painless, bloodless magical childbirth, and Pomfrey was horrified by the idea of cutting a woman open and removing her child. But Pomfrey could not provide the doctor with the information he most needed, and that was how a witch delivered a child without the aid of magic. Pomfrey had never witnessed or heard of a birth like that in years. Dr. Digmon was concerned there was no precedent. Hermione had carried her child fine, but as a magical being, the usual methods might not turn out the usual way.

Severus slid past the office, startling both Pomfrey and the doctor before he reappeared in the doorway, his black eyes wide with terror.

“Doctor, come now, please!” he said, before disappearing again, running back to his wife’s side. Hermione found that if she pushed, there was a tiny bit of relief. There was such pressure inside her, she felt as if she were badly constipated, and really, really needed to go. Severus reappeared, followed by Dr. Digmon and Pomfrey. The doctor looked at the blood and quickly grabbed two towels, lifted the witch’s buttocks and slid them under her length-wise to absorb any more

He placed his hand on her belly. It was soft.

“She’s delivering…the baby is moving through the birth canal,” the doctor said, taking the seat in front of Hermione.

Severus pressed his lips against her head, whispering, “The baby is coming Hermione. You’ll be a mother soon, my sweet.” Hermione crushed his hand.

Pomfrey clasped her hands together, her eyes wide.

“Lady Snape, when your next contraction comes, I want you to push as hard as you can,” Dr. Digmon said, laying several towels across his lap and rinsing his hands in the bowl of boiled water. He needed to be able to feel what was going on. He slid two fingers inside her.

“Yes, I can feel the crown. Now when the contraction comes, push!” he said to Hermione again.

Suddenly Hermione screamed, then bore down, pushing as hard as she could, her face turning red and contorting with her efforts. She stopped, panting loudly. Then she began to push again, the blockage inside her moving forward slowly. Severus held on to her, his brow furrowed and features contorted as if he too were struggling to push their child into the world.

No one noticed the privacy curtains beginning to sway, back and forth, the fabric rippling with increasing force.

“Push Lady Snape!” encouraged Dr. Digmon.

Pomfrey felt something wash over her. A kind of pulse. A magical pulse of energy.

“Doctor, I think you’d better get that child out as soon as possible,” she said moving closer to him. “I think there are going to be magical repercussions if you don’t.”

The doctor turned to look at her questioningly, when suddenly a powerful, roaring wind whooshed through the area, whipping through the privacy curtains and lifting them, as well as the curtains of the surrounding cots. Books were blown off the small tables next to the beds, sent sliding and tumbling across the infirmary floor and the bed sheets of the surrounding beds were pulled loose, and went flying to settle against the walls, held up by the wind. Bandages and rolls of toilet rolled wildly across the floor, leaving streamers of fabric behind them.

Dr. Digmon had been afraid of this. He thought there might be some kind of magical release due to Hermione’s current state. He hadn’t imagined this, however.

Dr. Digmon leaned into Hermione like a man caught in a hurricane, squinting, his white hair ruffling

“Push, Lady Snape! Push!” he yelled as the wind increased. Pomfrey’s cap was torn off her head, and her carefully wrapped bun torn loose, her long hair blowing about wildly as she held on to the back of the doctor’s chair. Severus wrapped his arms around his wife, urging her to push, his hair whipping about his face so strongly, it stung. Hermione seemed oblivious to the mayhem around her as she grunted, and bore down as hard as she could, drawing back, catching her breath to begin again. She felt the blockage moving downward, and it was such a relief.

There was a loud rip as a tapestry tore from its pole and flapped across the infirmary loudly. The cupboard doors where Pomfrey stored her supplies rattled loudly, and the sound of breaking glass crashed under the howling wind. Hermione gave a great push, screaming, more blood and water flowing, splashing the doctor. He was splattered with crimson.

“The head! I see the head, Lady Snape. One more big push!” the doctor screamed, leaning forward against the wind.

“One more push, Hermione!” Severus shouted over the noise. A piece of parchment flew into his face blinding him for a moment before he ripped it away.

Dr. Digmon grabbed a flapping towel and held it as close to Hermione’s parted legs as he could. A small black bubble was bulging between her thighs. Pomfrey’s eyes were wide as saucers as she saw the baby’s head.

Hermione bore down harder than she ever had, using a scream to power her push. The pressure between her legs was terrible. She huffed, and screamed her husband’s name as she gave her final push.

“Severus!!!” she cried, bearing down, feeling the blockage passing out of her body. She fell back in relief, as the whipping wind around them died down.

Dr. Digmon caught the baby in the towel. He quickly turned it upside down and gave it two hard pats on the bottom to clear the breathing passages. The baby coughed wetly, and began to cry.

Severus looked up at the sound, his heart clutching in upon itself. That was the first cry of their child, his child. He kissed Hermione’s forehead.

“You did it. You did it, Hermione. Our child is born,” he said.

Hermione smiled weakly, still gasping, exhausted.

Dr. Digmon handed the baby to Pomfrey, who set about cleaning it up, as he cut the umbilical cord and set about removing the placenta.

Pomfrey wrapped the squalling, raging child in a towel, and brought it to Severus.

“It’s a girl,” she said softly, placing the crying baby in his arms.

Severus stared down at his screaming daughter. The tiny eyes were squinted together in the small red face. A full head of black hair covered her head. The Potions Master reached into the towel and gently pulled out her small, fisted hand, which waved about angrily. He brought the screaming child to his lips and kissed the tiny forehead.

“Shh…shh,” he said softly, looking down at his daughter, “Now we’ll have none of that. You know who I am. I’m the one you talked to all night long. Remember?”

The baby suddenly fell silent, her tiny head shifting toward the familiar voice of her father.

Severus smiled.

“That’s right. Now you remember. I’m your father, and I’m so happy you’re here,” he said to her, rocking her softly. He wasn’t aware of anyone else in the room but the miracle he held in his arms. His child. The baby’s eyes opened. They were dark as night. She had her father’s eyes.

“You and I are going to have a long history together. I love you and will protect and cherish you all the days of my life, daughter. Whatever I have is yours. Whatever you need, I will provide,” he whispered. He turned the baby toward Hermione.

“And that’s your mother. Isn’t she beautiful?” he asked the baby, who made a small, gurgling noise.

Hermione smiled softly as she watched her husband interact with his child for the first time. Pomfrey stood smiling at the smitten Potions Master, her hand resting on Dr. Digmon’s shoulder. The doctor was smiling at the dark wizard.

“That child’s going to wrap that man around her finger like string,” he thought to himself as he watched Severus talking to his newborn daughter.

“She’s intelligent too,” Severus continued. “She is going to teach you amazing things,” he whispered, bringing the baby closer to Hermione, who reached out her arms.

“Say hello to your mother, Desmona,” he said, placing the now gurgling child in Hermione’s arms. The witch looked down at her baby, her amber eyes filling with tears of joy.

“She has your eyes, Severus,” Hermione whispered, “and your hair.”

“And your nose, thank the gods,” Severus said, slipping one long leg behind Hermione and sliding behind her in the little hospital cot. He pulled her and his daughter back against him, wrapping his arms protectively around them both.

They sat there a long time, Hermione, Severus and Desmona.

There, amid the shambles of the infirmary, oblivious of everything around them except the beautiful child in Hermione’s arms, Severus and wife felt thankful for the wonderful completion of a dream, even as they planned for the dreams still to come.

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With his wife and child settled securely in the nursery built off of their bedroom at Hogwarts, and safeguarded under the watchful eye of Eli, Severus and Dr. Digmon walked across the landscape of Hogwarts toward the main gate. Severus held an empty vial in his hand. It was a port key, prepared previously by Hermione for the doctor’s safe return to the muggle world.

“Thank you, doctor,” Severus said, looking at the white-haired man with genuine friendliness, “you did your job admirably. My wife and daughter are both fine. I am in your debt.”

Dr. Digmon nodded.

“I was glad your wife consented to let Pomfrey handle her aftercare. She would have been down and out for at least six weeks otherwise. What a wondrous thing magic is,” he said admiringly. Then his face darkened. “Though, if such powers were available in our world, they would fast be distorted and used for evil ends. War, destruction, self-gain. I think…it is better if our worlds stay as they are.”

“I agree,” said Severus as he unwarded the gate and walked the doctor through. Reluctantly, he pulled out his wand. The doctor looked at him.

“I’m afraid I am going to have to obliviate you, doctor,” Severus said.

Dr. Digmon raised his bushy white eyebrows. “Obliviate?” he asked.

Severus sighed. “Remove all memory of you coming to Hogwarts, and the wizarding world.”

The doctor looked at him, consideringly.

“I see,” he said shortly.

Severus raised his wand, then hesitated. He looked in the doctor’s eyes. The doctor returned his gaze steadily. Severus hated to do this. He didn’t think the doctor would be a threat to the wizarding way of life. The doctor noted the dark wizard’s hesitation.

“There’s always those situations where we are forced to do things we would not do, for the sake of others. I think, Professor, that this is one of those times. You must do what you know is right and proper to do. I will be fine,” the doctor said, smiling at the Potions Master.

Severus handed Dr. Digmon the vial, and raised his wand. Then he lowered it and offered his hand. The doctor took it, and shook it firmly. Severus stepped back and raised his wand again.

“Good-bye, doctor,” he said.

“Good-bye, Lord Snape,” the doctor replied, using Severus’ title.

“Oblivate!” Severus said. The doctor’s eyes went glassy.

The Potions Master then invoked the port key. “Portis” he said.

The vial glowed blue, and the doctor disappeared.

Severus sighed and turned, heading back for the castle. Along the way his pace quickened. His wife and child were waiting for him.

He’d be sure to be there for them. Always.

THE END

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