Saved By Grace

Chapter Seven

Severus was nothing if not truthful. When Hermione woke, and had immediately stumbled to the bathroom to vomit the soup she'd forced down before she'd napped, he was there to hold her curls out of the way and give her sips of water. When the hormones overrode emotion, he was there with his sarcastic wit to entertain and make her laugh.

He told the most wonderful wizarding stories, tales of honor, of friendship, of battle. Some tales came from Lily, he told her matter-of-factly. She'd snuck him wonderful books, like Treasure Island, The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. Tom Sawyer and the Swiss Family Robinson were more than just written words, they became portals for the young boy to see how families are supposed to work.

Far from leaving him more withdrawn and lonely, they gave him hope that one day…perhaps…he'd have that family he wanted. Now that it was within his grasp, he'd be damned if he'd allow The Weasel, the true parentage of Hermione's child, or what society may say, he meant to keep his family close, protected and safe.

As the first trimester passed, so did the exhaustion and nausea. Hermione was her joyful and energetic self again, and was chafing at the bit to be set free from her confinement to the bed or couch. She wanted to help Severus in the laboratory, she wanted to walk the beach and put her feet in the sparkling water. She wanted to swim through the bottomless waves and to finally feel weightless. Mme. Pomfrey gave her the green light, happy with Severus for lifting the load off of Hermione and helping her be stress-free for the first time in ages.

Mme. Rosemurta had helped Hermione keep sane during her long confinement by working closely with her designing a line of Maternity Wear and Robes to sell at her shop. Hermione could have her pick of the merchandise and the Madam herself created several exquisite baby outfits that were so tiny, and charming, that Severus had misty eyes as he helped decorate and stock the nursery. By silent agreement they decided that she should put her cottage up for rent and move into Severus' more spacious home.

For the time being, they put off any discussion of the dubious parentage of Hermione's child. As far as Severus was concerned this baby was his because he was there during the ups and downs of her hormones, through the frightening weight loss and possibilities of miscarriage during her first months, and through the joys of being able to see their child move about in the womb and listening to the heart beat.

Hermione will never forget the first-time Severus went with her to Mme. Pomfrey, to see if her baby was growing well. He looked sick with worry, due to all her health troubles, but when he looked upon the moving picture of their child for the first time…tears began rolling silently down his cheeks. Incredibly moved, she reached out and placed her small hand into his, yanking gently so that he sat beside her. She placed his hand onto her growing bump and giggled at the look of wonder on his face when a tiny foot made contact with his touch.

Together they burst into laughter, finding joy in the midst of trials and tribulations.