Chapter Two

Disclaimer: JKR owns it all. I'm just having fun.

Chapter Two

The room was silent in the wake of her revelation, and Hermione shifted anxiously in her seat. This lack of reaction was not what she had anticipated, and she was not certain what to say or do next. She simply waited.

Harry appeared pensive, Ron looked utterly perplexed, and Bill ... Bill was visibly shaking with rage.

"What did you say?" he asked tightly, his hands clenching into fists as he struggled to maintain control.

Hermione blinked. She hadn't expected that from Bill. Ron, perhaps, but not Bill. She cleared her throat. "I wanted to have his child."

Ron laughed nervously. "Well, he said no, of course." His tone suggested that there was no possible way that Snape could have agreed to such a thing.

"I..."

Before she could finish, Harry softly interrupted, "Are you pregnant?"

She turned to her dearest friend, her eyes imploring him to understand. "Yes."

Harry's eyes closed as though he was in pain, and Hermione rushed to explain. "But you have to understand that..."

Bill was on his feet in an instant, his anger nearly palpable. "I trusted him with you. Against my better judgement, mind you. And this ... this is how he repaid that trust? That miserable, sodding bastard! If he weren't already dead, I'd kill him myself! How could he have done such a..."

Bill's rant was brought to a swift halt when Hermione rushed forward, poking her index finger into his chest.

"Don't you dare talk about him like that! He was my friend, and I...I loved him," she said, tilting her chin stubbornly, "the same way I love all of you."

"Must have been a bit more than friends," Ron muttered, sulking now that the initial shock had worn off.

Hermione's gaze snapped to Ron, her hands moving to her hips. "Don't be crude. It didn't happen that way."

"It didn't?"

Hermione returned her attention to Bill. "No. We used a spell."

Bill slowly released a breath, and his fists unclenched. Nodding, he said, "Right. Okay. A spell. That's better than ...." His cheeks turned as red as his hair, his eyes anywhere but on her.

Hermione blushed as Bill returned to his seat. "That may be true, Bill, but even if the conception had occurred the ... the normal way, it's not any of your business!"

She stood in front of the three men, her expression earnest as she attempted to explain the circumstances that had led her to making such a momentous decision.

"You have to understand. We were friends." She turned to Harry. "The things you saw in his memories, I already knew about, because he told me." She looked around to include the Weasleys in her plea. "Can't you see? Severus sacrificed his life for the wizarding world ... for Lily ... for you, Harry. And I'm not just talking about his death, although that would certainly have been enough of a sacrifice. I'm talking about living." Her eyes filled with tears. "He existed, but he never truly lived. Never."

Her temples throbbed, and Hermione rubbed her forehead, hoping to stall the impending headache. Suddenly, she felt a wave of exhaustion sweep through her from head to toe, and she sank down into her chair. Her voice was fainter now. "We talked about everything. He was absolutely convinced he was going to die before the war ended. I think it was the reason he opened up to me so completely. He wanted someone to know the real Severus Snape before he ...." She sniffed and shook her head slightly as if to clear her mind.

"One afternoon, we were discussing regrets...that's when he told me about your mum, Harry. But he mentioned one other real regret. He was the last in his magical line, and that really bothered him." She stared down at her hands, unconsciously cradling her still-flat tummy. "He regretted that he had never been able to have a family, to leave that kind of legacy. It was just a casual comment. I'm certain he had no idea that I would even remember it, much less want to do something about it." Her chin lifted, and she looked up at them, an odd pride in her face. "But I couldn't stop thinking about it. He'd given so much and yet received so little. It didn't seem fair. Finally, I realised I had to do something ... anything ... to make it right."

"Hermione," Harry breathed. "What did you do?"

"I did what I do best," she replied. "I thought things over, I researched, and then I made a decision."

Ron grimaced. "Yeah. Sounds like you."

Hermione gave him a withering look and a saccharine smile. "Ha ha. Yes. I researched. I researched spells and wizarding law. I made lists of every consideration, of every way this would change my life. I turned it inside out and then back right side again. I considered every angle, every possible circumstance ... and then I took my lists to Severus."

Bill whistled, and three heads turned as one to face him. "I'm sure that went over really well."

Hermione fidgeted, her fingers plucking at a nonexistent bit of lint on her trousers. "Yeah, well. You'd be right about that. It went down like a lead balloon. He was furious that I would even suggest such a thing." Her voice lowered as she mimicked his reaction. "'You silly little girl. I have neither the time nor the patience to deal with such an absurd idea. Now get out.'"

The men all laughed at her spot-on imitation, and even Hermione cracked a small smile.

"I should have known it wouldn't be so easy. Weeks went by, and I made sure I mentioned the idea at least once every time we spoke. I was determined to do this for him. He fought me tooth and nail: I was too young, he was too old, it would ruin my life, what if by some miracle he didn't die ...."

She sighed as she reviewed the memories. "I finally just wore him down. The more I talked about it, the more the idea intrigued him. It gave him hope that he could have his legacy, that it wasn't too late. And who better than me...his friend...to raise his child? Can't you see? He gifted me with his friendship...something so rare that only one other person had ever even had a glimpse of it...and I had to do this for him." One hand absently caressed her stomach. "I had to."

"Okay, fine. So you convinced him he could still be a father." Harry pulled a face and shuddered. "Why did it have to be you? Wasn't there some other way?"

"Don't you think I considered everything? I was the only choice. Who else could have done it? Narcissa? Bellatrix?" Hermione scoffed at the absurdity. "Hardly!"

Ron let out a bark of laughter, startling everyone in the room. "What? It's true," he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

Hermione sighed again. "You know what? It doesn't matter why, anymore. What's done is done. He didn't ask this of me...I asked it of him. I wanted to do this for him. Like it or not, agree with me or not, this child is coming, and I'm going to need your support!"

The room was silent for several minutes, each person lost in his or her own thoughts, until finally Harry stood and spoke.

"I won't pretend that I understand why you did this Hermione. You're too young, and you're not even in a relationship. What about school and your future? This is ... this is a huge thing you've done. But you're my friend, and I love you." He approached her with a resigned smile. "Whatever help you need, you can count on me."

"Oh, Harry." Tears sprang to her eyes, and she rushed to embrace him. "Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you."

"Oi! What about me?" Ron said, shuffling his feet as he stood off to one side. "I'm your friend, too, right?"

Hermione laughed and moved to hug him as well, the tears falling even faster. She knew this was especially hard for Ron, given the feelings she knew he harboured for her.

Bill ushered Harry to a corner, giving the two friends a moment of privacy.

"Wow, Hermione," Ron said into her hair. "You're gonna be a mum."

She laughed. "I know! It's unreal."

He held her for a moment longer, then pulled away before reaching for her hand. His thumb lightly stroked her palm, and his gaze was more serious than she had ever seen. "You loved him, didn't you? That's why you didn't kiss me back ... you know, that day in the hallway. You were in love with him."

"Oh, Ron." Hermione's heart broke for him, but she couldn't lie. He knew her too well. "I'm sorry."

He lowered his head to stare at their hands and shrugged. "It's all right. Well, it's not, but you know what I mean. We already talked about it. You were excited about what I said about the house-elves, and I ... well, I took a chance. Thanks for not saying anything then, by the way. Would've been hard to handle that kind of rejection in the middle of a battle."

Hermione smiled briefly and squeezed his hand. He looked up at her and said, "Maybe if I'd asked you out back in sixth year, things would be different. By the time I got around to it, you'd moved on. I just wish I hadn't been such an idiot and waited so long. You know?"

She nodded sadly. "Yeah, I know."

He nodded as well and then asked, "Did he ... did he love you?"

Hermione shook her head. "No. No, of course not. Don't be ridiculous."

Ron looked sceptical but said nothing.

"Don't look at me like that. You were there. You saw. His last thoughts weren't of me or his child," she said with downcast eyes. "Even then, after everything ... his last thoughts were only of her. Why do you think he wanted Harry to look at him? Because he wanted the last thing he saw on this earth to be Lily's eyes."

Ron brushed away her tears with his thumb. "Hm. Guess the git and I had something in common after all."

Hermione looked up at him quizzically, and Ron's lips quirked into a small smile.

"We were both idiots for not seeing what was right in front of us. He was a fool, Hermione, if he didn't love you."

Hermione felt her eyes fill with tears again. Stupid hormones.

"Everything good here?" Harry said as he and Bill moved back to the centre of the room. He was obviously worried about how things had gone between his two best friends.

Ron rolled his eyes, bringing a smile to Hermione's face. "Sure, mate. Never better."

"I think I'd like to hear more about this spell," Bill said as he moved away from the corner and back to his chair. "You know, how you found it, what exactly it does ... that sort of thing."

"Oh. Okay," Hermione said as they all sat down again. "Well, it took me a while to find it. I knew Severus would never agree to a normal conception ...." She shot a warning glare at the boys in case they decided to snigger, snort, or make some other rude noise. "So I decided a spell was really the only alternative."

"Where did you find it?" Bill asked, his eyes sharp and intent.

"Olde and Forgotten Bewitchments and Charmes. Are you all right? You seem a bit odd."

Bill's eyes had closed, and a stifled groan escaped his throat. His head dropped in his hands, and then he rubbed his mouth with his palm. "Given the nature of the spell, I assume Snape was the caster. Tell me ... what was the incantation?"

Hermione's brow furrowed. "Ingravesco iugo, and yes, Severus cast the spell."

"Oh, fuck."

Three pairs of eyes widened in shock, and three mouths dropped open as the oldest Weasley son stood and began pacing the room, muttering to himself and pulling at his scalp.

"Hermione," he said after several minutes, his voice strained, "did you look at all the literature regarding that spell or just what was in Olde and Forgotten Bewitchments and Charmes?"

She stared at him. "You mean that's not the only book it's listed in?"

Bill kicked his chair. "Damn it!" He kicked it again before looking at Hermione. "At any point during the ritual, did you kiss him?"

Hermione blushed. "I really don't see how that's any of your business."

"Please, Hermione," Bill said tightly. "It's important."

"Fine. Yes, there was a kiss. But I don't see how that could possibly be important!"

"Damn it, Hermione! Of all times to decide to slack off on the research ...." He ran his hands through his long red hair before he moved to kneel in front of her, his hands on her shoulders. "Did you feel a sharp pain in your neck, near the top of your spine?"

"Yes. Now would you please tell me what is going on?"

"Bloody hell, Hermione, you don't even know what you did, do you?" Bill began to laugh; it was not a pleasant sound. "You married him!"

Hermione felt her jaw go slack, and she stared at him blankly, unable to form more than a single word. "Married?"

"It's as simple as looking at the incantation," Bill explained. "The first word is the part of the spell that causes conception between the two participants. The second means "binding" or "couple," for Merlin's sake! You sealed the binding with a kiss. For all intents and purposes, it's a marriage and is considered such by the Ministry."

After several tense moments, Hermione said, "I just assumed it had to do with binding the pregnancy to me ...." She paused and then shook her head. "Even if you're right, it doesn't change anything. I'm still pregnant and on my own. It changes nothing." Except I'd be a grieving widow, instead of a grieving friend.

"You don't believe me?" Bill asked. "Fine. I'll prove it. This pain you felt in your neck...did it leave a mark?"

Hermione stared at him; dear gods, she had married Severus Snape. "Yes. I suppose now you want to see it, right?" she asked irritably.

Bill's entire body seemed to freeze, as though he had been petrified. "The mark...it's still there?"

She shrugged. "I think so. It's on the back of my neck, so I can't really see it. I've felt a tingle a few times, though, so I guess it's still..."

Before she could protest, Bill had pulled her out of her chair, spun her around, and lifted her hair. Harry and Ron quickly manoeuvred themselves behind the older wizard so that they, too, could see.

"I don't believe it. It just can't be ...."

Hermione had enough. "What is the problem?!"

Bill gently lowered her hair and turned her around. His face, which had been red with frustration, was now deathly pale. "Hermione. The mark is still there."

She sighed exasperatedly and crossed her arms under her breasts. "So?"

"Maybe you ought to sit down."

"No, you tell me this instant...what is going on?" she demanded, even as she allowed him to lead her back to her seat. Bill seemed completely out of sorts now, his hands shaking slightly and his posture rigid. It was scaring her, but she did not show it.

"All binding marks work on similar principles," Bill said. "Tell me, what happened to the Dark Mark when Voldemort died?"

"It disappeared." Then, she gasped, one hand moving to cover her mouth, the other gripping the arm of the chair as if her life depended on it. "No. That's not possible ...."

"It's true, Hermione."

"What's true?" Ron asked, his eyes rapidly moving from person to person. "What's going on?"

Bill sighed. "Snape is alive."

A/N: Canon does not say what happened to the Dark Mark after Voldemort was killed, but for the purposes of this story, we'll say that it disappeared.

My unending gratitude to my very own golden trio, Subversa, DeeMichelle, and LettyBird, my beta readers and Brit picker. I also owe a huge debt to GinnyW for her cheerleading and brainstorming, as well as the lovely banner she created for this story. Thank you so much, all of you!