Forgive Me

A/N: I hope you all like this chapter. I'm dedicating this one to i3luebyrd. Enjoy! Thanks again to my wonderful beta, MadBrilliant.

***

His son was going to be fine; they told him at St, Mungo's. It was a good call for Poppy to have revived Diana. Mother and baby had been close to death. Severus went to see his son. He looked exactly like him. Damn! Even in infancy, he could tell he'd have his cursed nose!

Molly and Andromeda came with him to see his son. They were taking turns with Fleur, Ginny, and Hermione to watch over the baby and feed him. Diana had been in very critical condition, but The Blood-Replenishing Potions had stabilized her. She was in a coma, due to her blood loss, but the Healers could not account for why she was not coming out of it. Snape was beside himself with grief. He could not stay there, just watching her body limp and lifeless. Molly told him to go back to The Burrow; they would take care of him and the baby.

He Flooed back and found Potter waiting for him at the table.

"Fuck off, Potter," he mumbled.

"Sit down, Snape," he retorted in a commanding voice.

Snape sneered at the whelp. "Think you can take me on, boy?"

"Nope," he said noncommittally. "I just thought it would be as good a time as any to get pissed."

Snape snorted.

He sat across from the boy as he produced a bottle of firewhisky from his side. Ginny came from behind Snape, making him jump as she set down two glasses.

"Sorry, sir, didn't mean to startle you," she apologized.

She then set down two bowls of stew, one for Harry and one for Snape, and told them to tuck in.

"I want something in your stomachs before you start your binge!" she ordered.

"Bossy wench," Snape muttered.

"Yeah, but she's my bossy wench, Snape, so you'll mind your tongue."

The two men ate silently. And once they had put away enough stew to satisfy Ginny, the drinking commenced.

At first, the talk centered on Defense Against the Dark Arts, since that was the subject they had both taught and had the most in common. They spoke about Snape's old Half-Blood Prince Potions book and Harry told him the time he tried the non-verbal "Levicorpus" just to see what it would do and had Ron up dangling by his ankle right out of a deep sleep. Snape was just drunk enough to chuckle at that one.

They spoke about the war, about the losses: Fred, Lupin, and Mad-Eye.

"Tonks... that was sad," admitted Snape. "There were times at the meetings she'd try to make people laugh with those crazy faces. Once, she almost broke me into a smile."

Harry laughed. "I loved how she's get so ticked off when anyone called her 'Nymphandora.'"

"You the godfather, aren't you Potter?" asked a very drunk Snape.

"Yeah, I hope I'll be a better one than mine was."

Snape's eyes snapped and bored into Harry's. "Well, Potter, I think that is the first time I've ever heard you say anything about Black that I could reasonably agree with."

"I was wrong, Snape."

"What?" he snapped.

Harry took a large gulp of firewhisky and said, "I was wrong. I acted in a manner that was inappropriate towards your witch. I thought I had to protect her from you, for Sirius' sake. I didn't trust you. But I never saw Diana that way. I love Ginny. But I realize that I didn't make things easy for you. I'm sorry."

Snape poured another drink and swallowed it down in a hurried gulp. He was at a complete loss for words. He realized then that he had been a total prat. He kept nursing and feeding his pity and hurts from the past and then bitched about why he couldn't just be happy. He had completely unleashed his unstable nature on the one woman who had given him everything, and he had basically called her a whore! He was a coward. What wizard treats a loving witch like that? Only a coward!

"I'm going to name him Septimus," he announced. "After Molly's father. I figure Diana would like it."

"To Septimus Snape!" Harry cheered as he raised his glass. "Another generation to strike fear into the hearts of dunderheads everywhere!"

Snape laughed a hearty laugh now. He was completely pissed. Harry, who wasn't far behind, laughed as well.

"The poor, unfortunate lad looks exactly like me. Nose and all!" admitted Snape.

The two men burst out laughing.

Ginny sat on the stairs, tears running down her face as she laughed silently with them. She was happy for this moment, although it was a possibility neither of them would recall it in the morning, or at least if Snape did, he'd probably Obliviate Harry's memory on sight...

***

Two weeks later, Snape had become a fixture at The Burrow. The fall term was to start, and he desperately needed someone to take care of Septimus. Molly and Arthur had been good to him. Ginny was the only child left in the house so, The Burrow was quite empty normally. Molly told him she'd love to have a little one to look after during the day.

So Snape packed up his rooms, the rooms he had lived in for so many years...for twenty odd years...and officially moved to The Burrow to be near his son.

Diana was still at St. Mungo's. After a month, the Healers decided to move her into a more permanent room with a normal sized bed and furnishings. Snape hated it. It was as if she were moving into her own flat and this was her new bedroom. On the whole, they had given up hope she'd ever recover. Severus came once a week and talked to her about their son, how much he missed her, and he'd always end up in tears by the end of his visit.

He would talk about their last words to each other and how he regretted that they had been angry words. He would confess his guilt and feelings of responsibility, that what she had said was an omen. He felt he had indeed lost her, not to a man, but her sickness, and it was entirely his fault. He told her of his conversation with Potter and how civilly they were getting on. He still thought he was an irritating whelp, but he saw the love he had for Ginny, and he felt sad every time she smiled at him or hugged him. He would say he observed how Potter treated her, and how Arthur treated Molly. There was so much freedom there...trust and freedom. He would admit at each visit how so wrong he had been. He had allowed his fears and hurts from his past to control his life with her. He would tell her he wished she would wake up, so he could start making up to her about how badly and childishly he had behaved. Then, he would talk to her about how much he wanted to have that same freedom and trust with her, that he wanted to learn with her how to gain those things. Lastly, he would beg her to wake up. He would cry for her to wake up...

One day, he came for his visit and saw her bed was empty. He dropped the flowers he had brought for her and sank to the floor.

No, please, no! he thought over and over.

"Severus, what you doing on the floor?" Diana cried out.

He turned, and there she was, up and walking with a medi-witch. He jumped up and grabbed his lovely Diana in a desperate embrace.

"Careful, careful!" said the mediwitch. "She woke up four days ago like she'd been sleeping and wanted to shower, eat, and get up. We wanted to contact you, but she wanted to be more herself and get moving around on her own. But, she'll have to stay a few more days so we can monitor her. So, be gentle with her. We all understand, Mr. Snape, you love your wife so very much."

He shooed the nurse away and helped Diana into bed. "We still haven't gotten married," he said sadly.

She smiled brightly at him. "How the baby? Where is he?"

"He's at The Burrow. I've been living there since I brought him home. He is happy and unfortunately looks just like me."

She snuggled up against him and breathed, "Hold your wheesht, old man."

Severus Snape smiled. He had never heard anything so wonderful in his life.

"I love you so much!" he told her as he held her. "I wish I could make love to you right now and make up for all the times I hurt you. I'm so sorry...I wish I could take it all back!

"Severus," she whispered. "That was so sweet."

He flicked his wand and warded the door to the room. Diana watched in amazement as he turned off the lights with another flick, placed his wand on the bedside table, removed his shoes, and then drew her into his strong arms.

"Severus," she begged. "Here? I-I don't know. My hair is still wet from my shower."

"Shhh, you have nothing to do. Let me love you."

He kissed her slowly and gently. His hands glided down her nightgown and slid up underneath it. His hands were warm as he wound his way around her stomach. Diana tried to stop him.

"Please, I am all flabby and pudgy there!" she said embarrassed.

He looked her in the eye and said, "I love you, every part of you. You are the most beautiful woman in the world, and I want to love every bit of you. Just relax," he murmured as he captured her mouth again.

She dropped her protests as he carried on, making his way up to her breasts. Finally, the gown was up and over her head, and she shivered from her nakedness in front of him.

She wanted to protest that she was ugly, fat, and ungainly from being stuck in this bed for over a month, not moving. But it did not matter to him. He began to massage and kiss every part of her body. His hands felt wonderful, as if he were siphoning his own magic and giving it to her. She felt invigorated and alive. Her flesh tingled with each touch and kiss. Finally, he gently parted her legs and kissed her ever so lightly on the insides of her thighs. She was burning up with heat. She wanted him to kiss her there, but was embarrassed to ask. He finally placed his hands on each side by her waist and bent down and licked at her nub. She shuddered and moaned at each flick. It was so slow and torturous. Her nipples were hard now, and she felt the familiar build up of her climax growing stronger and stronger. But he was moving so slowly...she didn't know how it would happen. She felt herself gushing fluid from her as her arousal built stronger and stronger.

"Please, Severus, please, please, please!" she moaned.

She was panting and groaning, needing release so badly. He finally captured her swollen nub into his mouth and sucked on it greedily. She grasped onto his hair and released a sharp, keening cry.

"Ohhhh, Sev-er-us! Ahhhh!

She came back down and watched him slowly rise over her. "Diana," he whispered. "I love you."

She felt a finger slip inside her. She had no idea what she was like down there. Obviously, enough time had passed since the birth that they could, but she didn't know.

"I don't know how I am down there," she finally said.

"Believe me, Diana," he said reassuringly. "You are normal and perfect," he reassured her.

"Okay," she replied. But she was still scared.

She was still so wet from her climax he slid in easily. He placed her legs on the top of his thighs as he knelt at her entrance. She was instantly propped up. He leaned down and kissed her face and throat, making his way to her ear. He whispered his love to her and his desire to be with her as he delicately moved his fingers in and out of her, slowly and lovingly. His voice was so silky and sexy, she sighed in contentment.

"That's right, just relax, Diana. Let me love you."

He continued to move slowly and gently inside her. It felt like a loving caress. He continued to hover over her. She watched him as he slid in and out of her at an agonizing slow pace. She was sweating and panting with an aching need deep inside that demanded satisfaction.

"Diana," he murmured. "I'm so sorry I hurt you. I love you so much. I couldn't have borne it if you'd died."

Finally, he placed his hand on her nub, pleased to find it engorged with blood and again desperate for his touch. A few strokes and she came again, melting into him. Then the build up deep inside exploded. She cried out again and again. She gushed around him and Severus felt he was in heaven. She never looked lovelier.

She was looking at him with glassy eyes, deep in her afterglow.

"What about you?" she asked softly.

He leaned over her again and kissed her neck. "I just wanted to make you happy. It may be too soon, and I just wanted you to be pleased. Did I hurt you at all? Were you pleased?"

She was shocked at his concern. "No, you were so gentle and controlled. It felt wonderful. My whole body felt caressed and loved. Now, I am so tired. Must. Sleep." She said as she closed her eyes.

Then she slept as Severus covered them up, and he held her gently to him. She was so perfect; he was enthralled with her. This is real love...I know it must be, he thought.