Coming Home

Disclaimer: I own none of this!

A/N: As always, to my reviewers:

MoMalfoy: I agree with you! I think he\'d be such a doting father. LOL!

laceyweasely: I don\'t know many men who aren\'t joyous with their first child, so I thought it would be kind of cool to exaggerate his reaction. Especially knowing that canon Snape is very reserved and unemotional.

Innogen: You get to find out this chapter what happens with Hermione!! YAY!!


ON WITH THE STORY!!


Tears welled up in Molly’s eyes as she spoke these words. Hermione stirred. Her eye lids fluttered once, and then they opened. “Mum, what are you doing here?” she asked trying to sit up.

Molly burst into sobs when she sat up, “Hermione, Severus told us the news. He’s ecstatic about the baby. He’s so happy, he even hugged Ginny,” Mrs. Weasley laughed through the tears.

Hermione leaned forward with her eyes wide. “He’s happy?” she asked.

“You should have seen him, dear. He was about to burst with joy. I’ve known him since he was a teen, and he’s never walked quite as tall or smiled like he has today.”

Hermione sighed with relief. “He’s happy,” she repeated.

Molly wiped her own face, and looked at Hermione, “How are you feeling? Severus said you were dazed when you came in from work. He also said that you were acting like you did before the funerals.”

“I was, Mum. It was just too much for me to take in at once, with not sleeping and these nightmares, and having to work all night, and on top of all of that, still just being married. I’ve only been back at the infirmary for two nights! Oh, what will I do?”

Molly hugged the young woman. “Hermione, you know that Dumbledore will take care of you, all four of you. Don’t worry yourself. Now, are you hungry? Should I call the kitchens and have them bring you something up?”

Across the castle, Severus Snape was searching for Dumbledore. The old wizard was not in his office, and Severus could not find him. He met tiny Professor Flitwick in the hall. The smaller man squeaked as he saw the potion’s master. “Congratulations Severus!! Also, send them to Hermione from me!”

Snape stopped when the smaller man spoke. He smiled and said,” Please, Professor, for now, tell no one else. I’m not sure yet how Hermione is going to adjust.”

Flitwick looked appalled. “I’ll do that Severus.”

Before he found Dumbledore, he met Minerva McGonagall, Professor Sprout, and the astronomy professor, Professor Sinestra. He had to give them all the same warning. Finally, on his way back down to the dungeons after searching the whole castle, Severus found Dumbledore. The older wizard clapped Snape on the shoulder and shook his hand vigorously, “Congratulations again, Severus!”

Snape regarded Dumbledore seriously, though he did let a small smile escape. “Albus,” he said quietly, “I, uh, well,” Severus straightened up, “It’s apparent that most of the staff of Hogwarts knows, and for now, I’d appreciate if nothing was said in front of the students. I am not sure yet, how Hermione is going to take everything, and well, you must understand where I am coming from.”

“Severus, rest assured that it was not I that let this matter slip,” Dumbledore smiled. “Is it not possible that one of the staff heard Hermione mumbling to herself on her way from the infirmary?”

He gave Dumbledore a knowing look. From the sparkle in his eyes over those half-moon spectacles, it was obvious that he’d told someone, Minerva possibly, but she was extremely tight lipped on the best day. He didn’t worry about her knowing. “Now, Severus, Hermione is awake in your chambers. You should speak to her. She seems to be a higher spirits than she was earlier.”

Snape thanked the headmaster and quickly made his way to his chambers. He found Molly sitting with Hermione laying her head in her lap on the couch in the sitting room. He watched the two women for some time before deciding that he must talk to Hermione, even if she was still in shock. Over the edge of the couch, he could see Molly fussing with a strand of his wife’s hair, and the tears gleaming in the young woman’s eyes. “… your parents, dear?” he heard the end of the question.

Hermione blinked the tears away and smiled. “I’m going to wait to tell them this time. I’ll wait maybe another week, until the shock wears off, to travel to London. They feel much the same way about Severus that you did, so they may be worried instead of joyous.”

Snape stepped up to the back of the couch. “We’ll go to London together then,” he spoke.

Hermione, who was on the verge of tears before sat up and let them spill over her cheeks at his words. Molly turned around to face the man, and saw his expression soften as her tears fell. Severus walked around the couch and Molly moved as Hermione threw her arms up in the air to hug him. There was hope in her eyes that had not been there that morning.

“Molly,” Hermione said, “thank you so much for coming here. You really don’t know how much it means to me…us.” With that she looked at Severus and then took his hand.

“I think I’ll be alright. This morning was just unbearable, I suppose,” with that, Hermione looked around. “I’m starving! I suddenly want a Yorkshire pudding and a treacle tart.”

Molly and Severus both laughed. “Looks like you’ll have your hand full this time Severus!! I remember what she was like before and if she wasn’t eating she was crying.”

The three of them laughed at this comment also. “I know a few potions to aid women who are with child. I think we’ll manage,” Severus answered with a gleam in his eyes.

Molly excused herself to the kitchens to find Hermione something to eat and left the two newlyweds by themselves. Severus strode over to Hermione. “Love, I know that you are not ready for another child, not yet, but what are you thinking?”

She stroked his pale face and answered him, “I…I’m really not too sure. It’s true that I wanted to finish my training before I had any more children, but it looks like this plan is going to change too. I’m still freaked out about a child, but I’ve been through it once before. Are you ok with it?”

Severus jumped up and threw his hands in the air. He turned toward his wife with a wide grin on his face. “I could not be more joyous about this unexpected news. Until you brought Ronnie to live here, I could not see myself ever with children.” He sat down next to her. “This is how I felt when Harry came here to be with me, except I found myself brooding all day while I was in class. This is something that has taken me completely beyond any brooding. I fear that the students will see a change in me and want to know what is wrong.”

Hermione sat and contemplated what she had just heard. She smiled. “I wondered why you didn’t wear your wedding ring to class. I thought you put it on your chain because you didn’t want to get anything on it while brewing anything. You do have an image to keep up you dark and brooding man.”

He laughed at her comment and touched her nose. “You are an insufferable Gryffindor!”

She sat a little straighter and proudly said, “Why yes I am, Professor.”