What One Does for Friendship

Chapter Sixteen: What One Does for Friendship

All eyes fell to the figure in the doorway, and Hermione couldn't help but smile at the casual way Severus Snape leaned against the doorjamb. He had a smirk plastered to his face as he watched the exchange between friends.

"How long have you been standing there?" she questioned, rising to her feet to great him.

Severus took his gaze from Ron and the baby as she approached. He blessed her with a half-smile, upper corner of a lip twisting up into a similar version of his smirk, only this time the smile reached his eyes. He snaked out an arm, and with a quick glance at the other two, leaned in and gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze. It wasn't much of a hug, but that was all he was willing to do in front of the others right now. She grinned up at him and gave him a quick hug back, which made his pulse race. She liked his little show of emotion. However, it was one show that the other two didn't fail to notice as well. He gave a mental shrug before replying to her.

"Not long, love. I came to bring you down to lunch. I didn't realize Weasley had made it back as well. I will leave you three alone for a while longer." He turned to head back to the dungeon when she grabbed onto his arm and turned him back.

"Please stay. I can order our lunches to be brought up."

Her eyes locked with his, and he looked uncertainly back to her friends. As much as he would love to spend more time with his family, he didn't think that the other two would cherish the idea, judging by the eye rolls that were going on between the two. "Maybe later, Hermione. I do not think I am a popular person at the moment, and I don't wish to interfere."

She glanced back at her friends and noticed the distrustful look still in Ron's face. He still didn't understand everything, although she knew he was doing his best to try. It was going to take time to get over the past deeds that caused them to hate each other so much. She was glad that Harry seemed to be warming up to the truth. He had many more reasons to hate Severus than Ron did, yet he seemed to be taking it in his stride. It was only a matter of time to win Ron over. She slipped her hand in Severus's and pulled him more into the room, determined to get them all to be friends or at least be civil to each other. "If we are to be together, Severus, you are going to have to try to get along with my friends, as I will try to do the same with yours."

Severus raised his free hand to her cheek, casting side-glances at the boys, but keeping his eyes mostly on her. "As if I have friends that I ever want you to meet, love." His voice lowered for her ears only.

Her stomach dropped at the thought of meeting his friends, friends that would no doubt belong to that club known as the Death Eaters. Not that Severus would ever consider them as friends, but in his line of work, he had to socialize with them and thus... problems arising for the future. She did an inner shoulder roll to lose that thought and bring her mind back to the here and now.

"No matter, I want you all to try to get along. Please?" She tightened her fingers around his hand and was happy to see something in his eyes that passed as resignation.

He couldn't deny her this even if he wanted to. The look in her face bordered on desperation and determination. He had best give in now rather than wait until she was too pissed off to talk about it. "Oh, very well." He wrapped an arm around her waist and steered her back into the room. "If that is what you wish. I can not refuse you anything." His eyes locked to hers, and he was rewarded with a kiss to his cheek.

"Thank you," she whispered. "I really appreciate this."

Letting go of him, she quickly strode to the fireplace and ordered lunch for the four of them before sitting herself on the sofa, allowing plenty of room for Severus to sit next to her.

It was an awkward silence, yet she couldn't help the wide grin that formed on her face. This was a good start. Everyone in one room and no blood shed had to be a good sign. If Severus was willing to try for her sake, surely her friends would be as well.

The minutes ticked away, and the silence that followed Severus's arrival turned deafening. Both boys kept their attention on the sleeping baby, and none tried to speak first. No one knew where to start.

Hermione sighed deeply and looked at each man in turn.

"Look guys, we have to get over this. This is the way it's going to be from now on. Ron, Harry, I am here now. I am back. True, things have changed. I have a child and I am with Severus, kind of..." She felt his hand catch hers and give it a little squeeze. "Under the circumstances, I expect you to do your best to get along. If not for me, then for my... for our... son. You are as close to uncles as Sebastian is ever going to get. I doubt Severus's family will accept us..." She paused to glance at Severus and frowned. That was something that she hadn't even consider. What about his family? Did he even have a family? She was suddenly aware that she didn't know anything about him. That was something else they were going to have to talk about. They were going to have to talk about Sebastian Samuel Snape's family lineage.

Severus caught her look and gave her hand another comforting squeeze. "We will discuss that, and yes, Sebastian does have uncles other than these two." His head tilted to the young men, causing both to exchange curious glances. "We can talk about that tonight."

She nodded before turning her attention back to them. "Anyway, like I was saying, I am going to need your help. It's going to be difficult to continue with classes while with a newborn. I'm going to have to find a sitter for when I am in class and Severus is unable to care for him."

"We can put up notices..." Harry started.

"No, I think Severus and I need to deal with that. There is that one person that I don't want knowing about Sebastian's... parentage. If I start advertising for a baby sitter, he will no doubt realize what had happened and who the baby's father is."

"Malfoy," Harry's voice spat out the name in detest.

Hermione nodded. "I don't know how I will be able to hide Sebastian from Draco. And once Draco knows, it's only a matter of time before Malfoy senior will know. Then..."

"... Then the proverbial shit will hit the fan," Harry murmured.

"I don't know what Lucius had planned at that time, but I don't think it had anything to do with my having a child with Hermione," Severus spoke softly. "Lucius has his own agenda apart from Voldemort's, and sometimes he doesn't think his actions through completely. He made a serious mistake coming to us that night." He glanced at the look on Hermione's face before amending his last sentence. "Not that I would take it back, now that I have what I've always wanted." Her look softened and she smiled at him.

"Do you think Voldemort would be angry?" Ron piped up not wanting to be left out of the conversation.

"Furious... would be the word," Severus sighed.

"What options do we have?" Harry glanced between the two. He didn't like the idea of Hermione and her baby being in more danger than she already was. Snape could take care of himself, but she had a baby to worry about now and wouldn't be able to think on her feet in the speed that would more likely be necessary to their survival if it came down to the wire.

"We need to hide Sebastian's true identity." Severus frowned looking down at the baby still sleeping in Ron's arms. His pale face was still in peaceful slumber, with no awareness of his safety, trusting in his parents' protective dispositions.

"How do we do that?" Hermione questioned, turning her gaze to her baby as well. "It's not going to be easy to hide him from everyone."

"He needs... another father," Severus spoke barely above a whisper. He didn't like the way it sounded coming from his lips, although he had to utter the foul words. Hermione's sharp intake of breath caused him to look back at her. Her eyes widened with surprise and anger.

"I don't think so..."

Severus turned towards her and took both of her hands in his. He hated the words that came from his mouth, but it was for her and Sebastian's safety. "Hermione. I don't like it either, but it's the only way to keep you both safe."

"He has a father. You!" Her eyes started to well up and she sniffed loudly. She felt silly about getting upset about it. She knew he wasn't just trying to rid himself of both her and their son, but it still felt like a rejection.

"I am aware of that, Hermione, love." He tilted her gaze up to meet his eyes wiping at a tear that slid down her face. "I'm not saying I'm giving up my rights to be his father, Hermione. I will never do that. I love you both. But in the eyes of the students, it's safer for them to believe that his father is someone else."

"Lucius will figure it out." she protested.

"Not if Draco thinks it's not of any importance to tell his father. If he thought that Sebastian's father was another student, there is a good chance that he wouldn't deem it newsworthy enough to tell his father."

"True, but I don't want Sebastian to have another father, even if it is fake. He would grow up confused."

Severus leaned forward, ignoring the looks on her friend's face, and kissed her gently, allowing his lips to press hers so tenderly. He was enjoying the way she allowed his small signs of affection. A kiss here, hand holding there... to him it meant that she was warming up to their situation. "This would be only until we can figure out another plan. School starts soon, and with Draco returning..."

Hermione leaned her forehead against his chest, closing her eyes. She could feel his heartbeat beneath his work robes, and without thinking twice, she moved to lean into him, letting him settle his arms around her to hold her close. She needed his comfort.

Severus held her close, relishing in the feel of her willing body pressed up against him. He hated passing on his responsibility of Sebastian to another man, even if only temporarily.

"It won't work, Severus. Who in their right mind would take on a task like that? To pretend to be Sebastian's father?" She raised her head to look into his eyes, fear and confusion swam in her brown eyes.

"I would," two voices popped up simultaneously, causing both to look at them. She seemed surprised, but Severus had a knowing look in his face. He knew one of them would volunteer. Such was their friendship.

"Ron... Harry..." Hermione started.

Harry raised a hand to halt her. "Look, to everyone else it would be a natural deduction. We have always been friends, best friends. It would only be natural to let them all think that we just kicked it up another notch, from friends to lovers. No one would question if I'm fingered out to be Sebastian's dad."

"Or me." Ron smiled down at the sleeping bundle still held tightly against his chest. "It may be the only time I will be able to play dad for a long while. I wouldn't mind putting one over the Malfoys."

Severus watched the two men silently with awe. He was completely amazed by the depths of their friendships. If only he'd had friends like this when he was going through his life here as a child, perhaps his life would have ended up differently. He could have gone on and lived a normal, happy life with no fear of the darkness.

He sighed as the woman that he chose to spend the rest of his life with leaned against him again, and he wrapped his arms protectively around her. If given more time, she probably would have ended up with either Weasley or Potter, but fate was a fickle bitch, and he had somehow managed to finagle himself into her life.

"I think it would be best if Mr. Potter were chosen. With the black hair it would be easier to pass him off as a Potter." Severus tried not to grimace as he spoke his preference. He didn't even like thinking of his son being thought of as a Potter, let alone letting everyone else think so.

Hermione glanced between Severus and Harry. It felt like a betrayal to her, and she didn't like it one bit. She only wanted one father for Sebastian. "I don't know..."

"It's only for a little while, my love. I do not plan on giving up my son." He glared meaningfully to the dark haired boy.

Harry raised a hand to Snape's look and grinned. "Don't worry; I have no claim on either one," Harry spoke quickly, reassuring the jealous man before him. As it was, he was trying his best not to let loose with a bout of laughter that threatened to escape.

"But what about the living arrangements?" Hermione frowned, looking around the chambers she has grown accustomed to. "I don't want to move him again."

"Let me speak with Albus about this, and I'm sure we can come up with a solution," Severus volunteered, feeling a bit put out from the expression of glee on Potter's face.

The group nodded, and Ron's face clouded over with disappointment as he gazed down at the baby he still held.

"I wouldn't have minded playing his dad. It's too bad I have all this red hair."

Hermione grinned and cocked her head to the side as she watched the young man with her son. "You have potential, Ron. You will be a good father, I can tell. You have that 'Weasley' instinct. I think it's in the blood."

"I don't think it's the blood that it's in. It's a bit further... south... I think." A big grin followed Severus's words.

"SEVERUS!" Hermione pulled back from his chest and looked up at him with her mouth gaped open in delighted surprise. She never expected a joke from him in regards to the 'Weasley' sperm.

He raised a naughty eyebrow at her expression and the two boys fell over themselves with laughter, causing Sebastian to waken and start howling in protest.

"Oops... I think he's awake," Harry said with a grin.