Chapter 27

All canon characters belong to JKR.

Thanks to June for all of her help and for being my beta.

Chapter 27

Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close to her. She inhaled the spicy amber scent in his hair. It had been so long since she had held him this close to her, and now, she never wanted to let go.

He rubbed her back gently and stroked her hair, as he pulled back to look into her eyes.

"When I saw you that first day you arrived to be my assistant, I thought my eyes were playing tricks with me. I had never truly looked at you before that day. I did not allow myself to believe it could have been you, but now I know it was. I know now that it was you, as you are now, that I most desired." He ran his fingers through her hair, noticing the different shades of brown in each strand.

"I'm sorry for not telling you about the baby," she said, as she pulled away from him slightly.

"I gave you no cause to want to come near me," he stated.

"I'm such a fool, Severus. I haven't been taking care of myself; I could have killed our child," she said, rubbing her belly lightly.

"From now on, I will make sure you are both taken care of. The potion gave him the nutrients he needed, his heart is strong again, and Poppy told me he would be fine." Severus smiled and kissed her forehead.

"We're going to have a boy. I can hardly believe it," she said, as she tried to get out of bed.

"What do you think you are doing?" asked Severus, in his most stern Potions Master voice.

"Severus, I feel fine. I can't stand being in this bed any longer. Besides, poor Crookshanks must be wondering where I am." She took the arm he offered her and stood up.

"Crookshanks is in my rooms."

"Oh no, what has he been up to?" she wondered aloud.

"Not he, they. He is watching over Osiris," Severus said.

"What? He didn't hurt Osiris, did he?" asked Hermione frantically.

"Hermione, it was Osiris' blood that enabled me to finish the potion for our child," he said.

She looked at him and fell back onto the bed. She knew the potion he was speaking of, and knew just how much blood was needed.

"But, oh Severus, is Osiris all right? Please, tell me he's not going to..." her voice gave away, and she grabbed his forearm, pulling him towards her.

"He is fine, Hermione. Please, calm down, Osiris is fine. Crookshanks was there, and I...I used his life force to help Osiris recover. They are both fine, I assure you. I don't know what matter of havoc those two have been up to, but they seem to be friends." Severus chuckled, and sat down on the edge of the bed, next to her. "I... we owe Osiris a great debt. Had he not offered himself, our child would not have lived." Severus placed a hand on Hermione's belly and smiled.

"You used Voldemort's potion, didn't you?" she asked. Severus nodded, "I'd like to see Osiris. Do you think Poppy will let me leave? I really do feel much better, please," she begged.

"Wait here, let me speak with her." He stood and walked into Poppy's office. After he promised the Medi-witch that he would make sure the patient got plenty of rest and ate her three meals a day, Poppy sent Hermione to her rooms. Instead, however, Severus took Hermione to his rooms. As they walked slowly to the dungeons, Hermione looked up at Severus.

"Have you told Osiris and Crookshanks about the bond?" she asked.

"Yes, just before I came to see you. They took it quite well. I don't know if I should be happy or worried about that."

"Why worried?" she asked as she looked up at him.

"Hermione, Osiris was sorted into Slytherin when he attended Hogwarts. He is a notorious practical joker, and we both know cats are forever causing mischief. Can you imagine those two together for the next hundred or so years?" They both shuddered as they approached the dungeons. When they arrived in Severus' quarters, they found Crookshanks and Osiris curled up with each other in the corner of the couch.

Severus sat down next to them and shook Osiris gently. "Osiris. Osiris, wake up. Hermione is here to see you," he said.

Osiris lifted his head and peered at him. "Hermione is here? Does that mean you two made up?" he asked as he spat away at Crookshanks' tail, which had been wound up around his neck and partly in his beak.

"Yes, we have cleared up the misunderstanding," Severus answered.

"What the bloody hell happened anyway? It was something that red-headed little shit did, wasn't it?" said Osiris, as he tried to stand.

Hermione came and sat down next to Severus, leaning over to caress Osiris' head.

"It doesn't matter anymore," she said. "What's important is, it's all cleared up. Thank you; I can never repay you for what you have done." She smiled, then looked at Crookshanks. "Now, tell me, just what have you two been up to anyway?"

"What have we been up to?" Osiris turned to look at Crookshanks, "What have we been up to, she asks. What do you think? We've been trying to figure out how to get you two back together, that's what. I swear, you two better get married, because I don't think my fragile little raven heart can take much more of this drama." Osiris began to stretch his wings, as he approached Hermione.

Severus looked at her and smiled.

"Osiris, you shouldn't be getting yourself all worked up," said Hermione, "You should still be resting."

"Hermione is right," said Severus as he checked on his cousin's neck. "Stay here a moment; I'll go get some Pepper-Up potion. Perhaps that will speed up your recovery." Severus rose and walked to his bathroom, then came out with a small yellow bottle. He uncorked it, and instructed Osiris to take a beak full. Osiris sat back down against Crookshanks, and then allowed the potion to take effect.

"How do you feel?" asked Hermione.

"A little better." Osiris turned to Crookshanks. "What's say we leave these two lovebirds alone for a while?"

Crookshanks stood and jumped off the couch.

"You two can communicate?" asked Hermione, in amazement. "How?"

"I'm not sure how, we just can." Osiris looked at Crookshanks, then approached Hermione. "Sometimes I can't get him to shut up."

"I heard that!" said Crookshanks, waving his tail. "Come on, lets go torment Mrs. Norris for a while." Osiris hopped onto Crookshanks' back. "Ugh! Claws, damn you!" said Crookshanks.

"Oh please, you're such a baby, I barely nicked you. I'm the one who had his throat slashed, and you don't see me complaining." Osiris settled himself on Crookshanks' back as the cat shook his head.

"I can't believe I'm going to have to listen to this for the next hundred years. You are just going to milk that for all it's worth, aren't you? I probably gave up one of my lives for you." They walked out the door, which opened on its own to allow them to leave.

"Oh, shut up. You're going to live longer than any cat in existence, and still you're complaining." The door shut automatically behind them.

Once alone, Hermione realized Severus was nowhere in sight.

"Severus? Severus, where are you?" she called out.

He came out of the bedroom carrying a small velvet pouch.

"I'm right here," he said as he approached her, and pushed her gently down to sit on the couch. He then kneeled in front of her and opened the pouch. "This ring belonged to my mother. She placed it into my hand on her death bed." Hermione looked at the ring he held in his fingers. It was made of white gold, and had a large emerald solitaire, which was surrounded by clusters of diamonds. Severus placed it on Hermione's left ring finger. "She wanted me to give this to the woman I planned on marrying, and spending the rest of my life with." He looked into Hermione's eyes and saw they were glittering with unshed tears.

"Twas partly love, and partly fear," he said as he brushed the first tear from her cheek. "And partly 'twas a bashful art," as he brushed away the second. "That I might rather feel, than see, the swelling of her heart."

"Severus," her voice was but a warm caress against his hand.

"I calmed her fears, and she was calm," he said as he kissed her forehead. "And told her love with virgin pride," as he kissed her gently on her lips, now tasting of the salt of her tears. "And so I won my Hermione, my bright and beauteous Bride."

"Yes."

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One more chaper and then an epilogue for this particular story.