Headmaster's Secret

A Gift

I'm home sick right now so I decided to write a little in hopes it would help my immune system. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense but hey yall get a new chapter. Also I had to do a quick edit of the last chapter. I forgot the ceremony was on May 2, so I fixed it. 

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Severus was angry with himself. He let his guard drop and now Minerva knows. He sneered and punched his desk. Pain shot through his hand and he cursed loudly. Minerva had just left his office, leaving him alone with his thoughts. He had no choice but to tell her about them. She'd already guessed. 

The door to the office opened again, no knock. He knew it was Hermione. Glancing up at her, he gave her a small smile. She obviously knew something had transpired between Minerva and himself by their departure from the table. He had no idea how she'd react when he told her that Minerva knew about them. 

Not wasting any time, he said, "Minerva knows."

Hermione stopped. "What will she do?"

He shrugged. "She didn't say."

She went to him and embraced him, his head falling to her shoulder. "It will be okay, Severus," she stated, kissing his head. 

Over the next month leading up to Christmas Holiday, Severus and Hermione got together and spent as much time as they could. While they always knew Minerva knew, she did nothing except keep an eye on the two while they were in public. Behind closed doors, the two were hardly ever out of bed. 

It was the morning of Christmas Holidays, Hermione had spent the night again. At five in the morning, she jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom, where Severus could hear her vomit. He knew how that sounded. He got out of bed himself and went to his medical cabinet. He got out a pink and blue box. Since they were having sex, he went to a muggle drug store and decided to be careful. 

He handed it to Hermione, who had just sat up on the toilet, wiping her mouth. She froze when she saw it, shaking her head. "No, not happening," she said furiously. 

He continued to hold it out to her. "Humor an old man," he said insisting. 

She sighed and took it. He left the bathroom and closed the door softly. He really hoped she wasn't. They didn't have time to worry about a baby now. She didn't want a baby this soon, and he wasn't sure if he wanted one at all. He went to the couch to sit and attempt not to have a coronary. 

Nearly five minutes later, Hermione came out of the bathroom with the test. Some things were best done as a muggle, this was one of those times. She waved it around a bit. He looked expectant at her. "I'm pregnant." 

Severus wasn't sure if he heard her at first. His ears were buzzing with anxiety. He inhaled deeply, hand covering his mouth, teeth gritted. She went to sit beside him, equally worried. "What do we do?" 

He didn't know. Shaking his head, he answered, "I'm not sure, Hermione." He grazed her cheek with his hand lovingly. He never expected he'd have a girlfriend let alone a baby on the way. He actually expected to die in the shrieking shack last year. Perhaps somewhere, in some other universe, Severus Snape did die. 

She wouldn't start showing until around the time she was to graduate, so there wasn't much of a problem there. The morning sickness and cravings would be the main thing they'd have to deal with. Possibly the questions from Narcissa and a couple of her other teachers that had kids would be a problem as well. However, Severus decided that was best left alone until that time came. 

He was so lost in thought, he didn't notice that Hermione had gotten up to pace the room, thinking herself. He watched her for a second before he cleared his throat to get her attention. She stopped in front of him, her body shadowed by the fire behind her. Yet, he could still see the worry on her face. 

"We will keep it and around September of next year, our child will be born." He said it with such determination that she burst out crying and rushed to him. He wrapped his arms around her as she settled on his lap and cried. 

If it was a happy cry, he had no earthly idea. The noises she was making would surely call Minerva here from her own room to find out what he was doing to her. Honestly it did sound like he was torturing her. They stayed like that for a while, her sniffling and he just holding her. It was their last day together until next year.  

It sounded longer than it was. However, Severus kept on telling himself it was only two weeks. He'd gone that long without her before. He patted her back a couple times, letting her know it was time to get dressed. Silently, they got dressed and headed into the office. Her trunk had been packed for days now and just sat at the foot of her bed in Gryffindor tower. The only thing she brought with her was the program lessons and such for an excuse. 

They held hands as they walked to the door. He held onto the doorknob and leaned down to kiss her before he let her go. He then opened the door and let her go. He didn't dare write to her, in case Weasley oversaw it. Speaking of Weasley, he sneered. That boy hadn't spoken to Hermione since that day at Hogsmeade. 

She's sent multiple letters, even allowed Ginny to send a howler to her brother and still nothing. Hermione even stated she guessed that Ginny had gotten Potter involved to try and get the boy to speak to her. To no avail, however, Potter stated that he still says Weasley has received no letter from Hermione. He wanted to curse that boy. 

He just could imagine the fights that would be going on at the burrow this Christmas holiday. He'd loved to be a fly on the wall. Chaos at its finest. Watching her round the corner and out of sight, he closed the door and leaned against it. 

Christmas came faster than Severus expected. He didn't expect much from people. Some Firewhiskey and rare potions ingredients from the staff. One present he didn't expect was from Hermione. It was a black and white photo that Severus could not tell heads or tails of. He turned it over a few times, eyebrows furrowed deeply. The letter was on his bed, probably telling him exactly how to read it. He wanted to try himself though. 

He hissed to himself in anger and grabbed the letter. Dear Severus, I know you probably don't know how to read this picture. Honestly I barely understand. However, that little dot in the middle of the picture, is our baby. This is called an Ultrasound picture. Muggle mumbo-jumbo. Anyway, the baby will be born on, get this, September 1st. Of course that is just an estimation. Who knows when this baby will be born. 

Ron has been a total arse to everyone. He won't even look at me. More than once, George, Bill, and Charlie warned they'd curse him into next week if he didn't act right. That just made him more angry. While everyone's either camping in a tent out in the yard, or doubled up in a room, Ronald mostly just stays in his bed. He's drawn a sheet up to give himself privacy. I have no idea what is going on with him. 

I want to end it with him. However, I want to speak to him like a human being first. A friend like we were before the war happened. Every time I go near him he gives the worst look of disgust. As if I made him swallow nasty skel-grow. Well, I hope this is a nice present for you. It was all I could get without people getting suspicious of me. I'll give you a proper present once I'm back. 

Only a couple more days until I'm back in Hogwarts with you. Hope you are doing well, Love Hermione.

He took the picture and studied it again. He did see one small dot in the center of the picture. That was his baby? He could hardly believe it. He took the picture and went to his bookshelf. Towards the top was a book that he kept from his mother. Tales of Beadle the Bard, a first edition copy. Not as rare as what Hermione said Dumbledore left for her, but still. The memories from it were still the same. He placed the picture in the book safely and returned it to the bookshelf. 

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I have a fever and should be sleeping...