Choices: Chapters 87 to 100

Summary: He was a fool to hold Hermione to her original promise. It was time to rectify that mistake. But it seemed fate, and Hermione had other plans. Can Severus learn to live with the choices he's made, even at the cost of his own happiness?

A/N: The story is written in drabble form, one hundred words per chapter. The brevity of the chapters forces the emotions to stand out sharply against the action. The first forty chapters were posted in the drabble collections – Round Nine through Fourteen. Since so many have asked me to post these as their own story, I've decided to compile them here.

Disclaimer: The characters, settings, etc., of the Harry Potter series are not mine; they belong to J.K. Rowling and Co. I promise to return them when I am through. Well, most of them anyway.

The Choices We Make

Chapter 87: The Garden of Snape

Their chamber door opened on silent hinges as Severus lowered the wards for them to enter.

A garden? Hermione's curiosity was definitely peaked. "You put in a potions garden?"

Severus shook his head, his headache now a dull throb behind his eyes. "Not exactly."

"Exactly what type of garden is it?"

He led the way to the side entrance he used during his spying days. The castle had been most accommodating when he requested a slight structural change to allow for a small sun patio and garden space, all surrounded by a high illusion-brick wall.

"Oh, Severus, this is lovely!"

Chapter 88: The Better To See You With, My Dear

A riot of colours met Hermione's eyes. Surrounding the patio on all sides was a wide variety of flowers and plants, both Muggle and magical. A low brick wall, divided by a tall wrought-iron gate, ran around the perimeter of the garden. A stone path meandered through the flowers, ending at the wrought-iron gate. A wrought-iron table and chairs set, complete with an umbrella, sat to the side on the patio, completing the scene.

"I can't believe how beautiful it is, but I'm a bit surprised. There won't be much privacy with such a low wall, doesn't that bother you?"

Chapter 89: As Clear As Mud

Severus shook his head. "It's illusion-brick, from the outside all anyone will see is a solid, eight-foot brick wall. Even the gate is spelled to be visible only to you and me."

"We can see out, but no one can see in?"

"Yes, hence the phrase 'illusion-brick', meaning it gives the illusion of brick on one side and not the other." Considering an Illusion Spell was used on the top six feet of brick to make it transparent, Severus could understand her curiosity.

Hermione strode toward the gate.

"Where are you going?"

"To see what the other side looks like."

Chapter 90: Now You See It, Now You Don't

"It looks like brick."

But Hermione was already through the gate and looking on in amazement at the apparently sold eight-foot brick wall that didn't match the view from the garden side. Stepping back through the gate, she tentatively ran her hand along the invisible brick, slightly surprised at how solid the invisible wall felt.

"That's amazing!"

Severus smiled. "You approve?"

"Yes, but why did you do all this?"

"You've mentioned how much you missed the garden you had growing up, so..." Severus shrugged, unable to finish the explanation. "Would you like a cuppa, or do you have to leave?"

Chapter 91: An Offer Of Shelter

Hermione plopped into the patio chair, her hand massaging the small of her back. "I would love a cuppa."

Severus conjured a tea service, adding a few chocolate biscuits for good measure, and took the seat opposite his estranged wife.

"So today went...?"

"It went," Hermione said with a sigh.

"Not as easy as it looks."

Severus smirked at Hermione's glare.

"Maybe not, but being so tired all the time just makes matter worse. The garden is lovely, thank you. I really think I should get going before I'm too tired to move."

"You could stay here," he said quietly.

Chapter 92: Illusions of A Different Kind

"Thank you, but no." The statement would've carried more weight if it hadn't been cut off at the end by a series of yawns.

Grimly, Severus nodded. "Let's get you home."

"You're not going to try and convince me to stay?"

"I would be happy to tuck you into our bed and rub your back until you fall asleep, but I don't think that's what you want." The calm in Severus's tone belied the inner-turmoil he was really feeling. He wanted nothing more than to wake up next to Hermione again, but that possibility still seemed a long way off.

Chapter 93: Another Day, Another Galleon

The next morning went much the same as the day before, Hermione calling him on the magic mirror when she was ready to come through, Phineas traveling between the portraits in Severus's office and Albus's office.

"Leave the books you need for this afternoon here. I'll bring them to you at lunch."

"All right." Hermione emptied half her book bag onto the desk.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. I have a checkup with Poppy after dinner tonight, would you like to come with me?"

"Do you want me to come?"

"I wouldn't have asked you if I didn't want you there."

Chapter 94: I Want What You Want

"After the way you reacted when you felt the baby move, I thought you might like to hear the heartbeat, too." Hermione watched Severus as she waited for him to answer.

He appeared as controlled as ever, unless you knew what to look for. The small tic, only for a second, below his left eye, the slight clenching of his jaw, the minute widening of his pupils, all added up to restrained emotion.

"Severus, talk to me. Tell me what you want, not what you think I want to hear."

"You really want me to tell you what I want?"

Chapter 95: If Only Want Could Make It So

"Are you sure you want to know?"

Silently, Hermione nodded.

"I want you. I want to go with you to your exam, and thrill in the sound of our child's heartbeat. I want to bring you back to our quarters after, and show you just how much I love you and how sorry I am for all that has happened between us. I want to make love to you and fall asleep with you next to me, and know you'll still be here in the morning. And that you'll be here the day after that, and the day after that."

Chapter 96: My That's A Lovely Desk You Have There

Hermione felt hot and cold at the same time. She knew he wanted her back, but to actually hear the raw emotion in his voice unnerved the witch. Pregnancy hormones were already playing havoc with her mind and body. For the last week, her nights had been filled with erotic dreams starring, none other than Severus Snape. After hearing his desire for her expressed so openly, it was all she could do to stop herself from throwing him down on the desk and shagging him silly -definitely not the move of a woman who is trying to prove a point.

Chapter 97: Feelings

Severus watched the emotions as they played across Hermione's face, pleased as he saw want and desire make their appearance; it meant he still had a chance. Hermione still had feelings for him; all he had to do was get her to act on them. "More than you wanted to know?"

"Well, I can...uh... accommodate part of what you want. My exam is right after dinner tonight. Oh my God, look at the time. I have to go. See you at lunch." And in a flurry of cloth worthy of the man himself, she was out the door and gone.

Chapter 98: Here We Are Again

"Poppy?" Hermione looked around the deserted ward. "She said to come in right after dinner."

"Perhaps she's in the back office."

"Poppy?"

"Hermione? I'll be right out." The matron came bustling out of the office. "Sorry, I was just shelv..." The sight of Severus standing next to Hermione brought Poppy up short, especially when she considered their actions the last time they'd been in the hospital wing.

"We're here for my exam," Hermione said with a smile.

"Of course, why don't you lay down here?" Poppy eyed the Potions master. "Severus, you can stand on that side, if you like."

Chapter 99: Examinations and Advice

Severus watched intently as Poppy performed a series of intricate wand movements.

"Well, you seem to be doing just fine. All the readings are right where they should be. Are you eating properly, getting enough sleep?"

"No matter how much I sleep, it never seems to be enough. I'm always tired."

"I have a potion that can help with that. I want you to start a series of vitamin potions. I think I know of a local Potions master that can brew them for you," she said smiling. "Don't push yourself too hard. Take time to rest during the day."

Chapter 100: Enchantment

"I will, I promise. Before we go, can you perform that charm you did last time? I'd like Severus to hear the baby's heartbeat."

"Of course." Poppy pointed her wand at Hermione's growing belly. A quick series of movements accompanied the spell she chanted. Instantly the ward filled with an odd calliope of sounds. "The clippety-clop sound you hear is the baby's heart beat. It beats must faster than the mother's."

"And that swishing sound?"

"I wondered about that last time, that's my blood flowing."

Severus shook his head, awed by the sound of his son's heart beating. "It sounds...amazing."

TBC

A/N: Thank you all for your well wishes and your patience. I know updates have been a long time coming, but I'm out of the hospital, off the home IV's, and now finished with the last round of medication. Hopefully nothing else will get the way of my writing again. More to come soon!

Pearle