Unexpected Comfort

Rhythm of My Life

Sirius looked at her pale face, the bruises standing out in stark contrast. He couldn't believe that someone would do something like this to his daughter. She looked so small in the hospital bed and the erratic but strong "thump thump" of the monitoring charm had hope and worry waring in his chest.

The groan of pain Iris let out had Severus jolting awake and moved over to her hospital bed in a flash. Her eyes fluttered in waking, the "thump thump" of the monitor quickened noticeably and panic filled the now wide awake eyes.

"Hush, my beautiful flower, hush," the smooth voice called over her panic and a warm hand cupped her bulging stomach. "See, our child is still safe. Still nestled warm and secure in your womb."

"Hear that Faline?" a new voice chimed, that's the baby. Iris turned her head in the direction of the voice. She smiled tremulously at her papa. "Hear how strong that heart is beating? That little one is happy and safe right in mummy's tummy."

Both men sighed in relief when a small smile graced her lips as tears of relief ran down the sides of her face. She couldn't bring herself to say anything to the two men and closed her eyes trying to pull her worry back and let the men's reassurance fill her.

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... Two weeks after her marriage, to Professor Severus T. Snape, the Girl-Who-Lived was attacked on her way back to their shared quarters by an unknown assailant. All that is known about the attack currently is that the assailant aimed an abortifacient hex before running off in the opposite direction. Again, the Headmaster was unavailable to comment on these happenings...

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Dumbledore looked over the rim of his half-moon glasses at the witch on the other side of his desk. For so long he toiled with this game, most of his Pawns had been masterfully played, but Voldemort had turned all of his hard work to nothing more than withered dreams. This witch was his last hope for putting all of his plans back in line and what did she go and do; try to kill the only one who stood a chance at taking out the Dark Lord.

"Ms. Granger, explain to me what you were thinking?" He spoke in his calmest voice, but the ever-present twinkle was missing from his eyes. "I'm certain that I told you to do nothing, NOTHING," he shouted, his anger taking over for a brief moment, "against Iris. That I had everything well underhand!"

Hermione cringed at the waves of angry magic that flowed from the aged wizard. She hadn't meant for Iris to be physically harmed, just for the child, she carried to die. "No one knows who shot that spell at Iris." She straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin, "My research of spells like this show that they work on just the fetus and that no harm comes to the mother."

Albus slowly rubbed his suddenly tired eyes, 'This is what I get for employing far too many Gryffindors.' "Ms. Granger, it occurs to me that you are clearly not as smart as you think yourself to be," was his pithy reply. "Every member of this school has been privy to your very public falling out with Ronald and Iris since the Start of Term Feast when they agreed to a truce with young Malfoy."

Hermione had the good graces to blush at the Headmaster's not so subtle rebuke. "Had you thought to bring your plan to me first, I could have told you that those spells are only meant for natural pregnancies, not magically induced, which Iris' most assuredly is!" He stood from his chair while slamming his hands down on the desktop. "Get out Ms. Granger, and for both our sakes you better pray to whatever gods you hold dear that no one finds out what you have done!"