"Oh, Morgana, Hermione, she's perfect," Ginny said.

"She is, isn't she?" Hermione said. To some that would sound conceited, but she didn't mean it like that. She was truly astounded that she and Severus had … created something so perfect.

"You doubted you'd create something perfect?"

"Well, yes," she said with a shrug. "It's all DNA and genetics, Severus and I really have nothing directly to do with the process. I mean, well," she said and blushed profusely. Ginny laughed.

"So, are we matchmaking little Evelynn and James before they even know what hit them?"

"I think not," Hermione said with a soft laugh. "I should tell Severus that, though, just to see his reaction. Could you imagine my telling him I want to marry our daughter off to Harry's son."

"I can almost picture how that conversation would go," Ginny said. "I fear he'd never talk to Harry or me again! So, let's not."

Hermione chuckled softly.

"How are you?"

"Ready to be done!"

"Yes, I remember that feeling well." It was only a little more than ago and as much as she enjoyed being pregnant overall, those last few weeks. It wasn't the discomfort, though that was certainly part of it.

She wanted to meet her daughter.

"I can't believe Mum did this seven times!"

Hermione snorted. She snorted because in truth she couldn't imagine doing it more than twice herself. She would absolutely try one more time for a boy, only because she knew Severus wasn't hung up on having to have a boy for their child to matter. She knew, though, that after having Evelynn he'd want another. There was a look in his eye the first time he actually held Evelynn that told her so.

"So, you're all settled then in both places?"

"We are."

Ginny was babysitting today so that Severus and Hermione could do one final cleaning of the building before turning the keys over to the new owner. All of their existing belongings went to the rental house they'd found not far from campus that would suit their needs (that being primarily a fireplace and a room big enough for his potions equipment). It was temporary, and while Severus felt she was being shortchanged she truly didn't plan on spending much time there so she wasn't bothered by it being a little small. She was fairly certain he would never use the potions equipment there, but he'd wanted it just in case.

Their rooms at Hogwarts were all set for them. The floo was connected to their house and only Hermione and a few others knew what it was named to access it. It all happened so fast. Her only concern was with and about him. That it would be too fast for him. That he'd get back to Hogwarts and realize he wasn't ready to be back so permanently and visibly. She was worried for him not for herself.

"Are you excited or sad?"

"I'm excited. Minerva has assured Severus that he can continue his business. Professor Robillard was not interested in supplying St. Mungo's or the infirmary, so it worked well. No toes were stepped on in the process. For all that we both needed some time away, he missed it. I saw it on the day of the memorial service." It was that knowledge that made her think this wasn't a bad idea.

"It's good it has worked out then."

"I agree."

"And you'll be helping him?"

"Probably. I enjoy it, too. I'd never make a career out of it, but I do enjoy watching him work."

"Do you now?" Ginny said.

"I do. Honestly, he's so good at it. So precise. I don't know if you've ever been to an orchestra's performance. As a child I loved the music, but I would watch with my eyes glued to the conductor as he worked. I could do the same with Severus when he's working."

"That's sweet. I was so jealous at the memorial service."

Jealous of her? Ginny? She was married to Harry Potter! What was there to be jealous of Hermione about? "Why?"

"Harry would never do that in public."

"I think Severus doesn't particularly care what anyone else thinks, but he also spent so long having to play a role that he realizes he will have to prove that he's not truly like that. Plus," she shrugged. "He is good to me."

"That's all that matters."

"It is," Hermione said. "If there had been hundreds of people sitting there at that moment I'm not sure he would have done it. He was," Hermione shrugged. "I think he was feeling vulnerable, needy. He wanted me without telling anyone else he did because he can't be weak in front of anyone. He was asked to do a lot for many years with no one being the wiser."

"And blamed for a lot."

"He was."

They were both quiet for a bit after that. No doubt thinking about all that Severus was blamed for. All of the names he had been called. All of the times he'd risked his cover as a spy to save their lives. If it had gotten back to Voldemort that he'd helped them in the Shrieking Shack, for instance. That could have been very bad. Of course, that had happened before Voldemort had returned, but there was the possibility it could have been reported back to him eventually.

"Harry gets so angry with Dumbledore when he thinks about it all."

"Me, too," Hermione said.

She wasn't going to speak for Severus on this point, but she knew he wasn't too keen on his former boss either. Anger was an understatement. She knew that one of the conditions of his return was that he would only meet with Minerva in the headmistress' office if Albus was gone from his portrait. And that their daughter was not to be brought into that office for any reason.

Ginny shrugged, handing Evelynn back after giving her a soft kiss. She knew this subject was still uncomfortable for people. Guilt. Embarrassment. Both played a role.

"I want a girl," Ginny said.

Hermione laughed. She wasn't surprised to hear her friend say that. "You will have another chance I'm sure."

"I know. I just," she said. "I think about Mum. I don't want to have seven and have a girl last."

"I can't imagine," Hermione said. She truly couldn't. She supposed after two it probably got easier.

"Well, no, you wouldn't. I don't want seven either."

"Thank goodness. I'd never judge you if you did, but I'd like to have my friend when we're older. You know, forty and we can go out to the bars because our kids are old enough."

"Is that what we're going to do?"

"Of course it is!"

"I'll mark it on my calendar then."

They laughed then. The idea of them barhopping at forty was rather preposterous, but she wasn't lying completely. She was glad they were having children at the same time, which meant their oldest would be done with school at the same time (assuming James was born before September first). That meant that they'd be "free" at the same time. Presuming Ginny didn't end up with seven children anyway.

As it happened, Andromeda knew someone willing to babysit for Evelynn until Ginny felt comfortable doing it. If she never did, well they'd deal with that. Ginny had promised her that she would be honest if she decided she didn't want to. Neither witch saw that happening, especially with Ginny already seeing her at least a dozen times in six weeks and falling in love with her. The sitter would come to Hogwarts, which meant that they didn't have to worry about a babysitter seeing any accidental magic (by Evelynn or them doing something not realizing they were seen).

"And three more years you think?"

"Yes. This is my first year for my postgraduate doctorate, which should be another three years. Maybe if I work hard, but honestly with Evelynn I'm not sure I want to. It was sort of the reason we thought it'd be a good idea to have Evelynn now. And then possibly after postgraduate, before I start a practice, a second one. We'll see."

"And are you going to start a practice?"

"I will talk to Minerva when the time comes. She's in favor of it, so I know she'll give me some insight and ideas on how to go about it. I don't want people to rebuff or laugh at it, especially parents thinking their children don't need help. We don't need Evelynn being told her mum is a quack."

"A what?"

"A fake doctor."

"Ah. But if you're already working with them at Hogwarts and their child says so…"

"That's kind of what I'm hoping. Then again, Hogwarts may be interested and pay me enough to make it worth my while not to look elsewhere. I may also have to go the route I originally planned, and setup an office somewhere that both muggles and magical can find."

"Well, if Minerva has anything to say about it, considering you're her favorite."

"I am not."

"Hermione, it's okay. You were and still are. It's always been so obvious, and rightfully so. No one hated you for it or anything."

Hermione wasn't sure what to say to that. She really never thought of herself as being Minerva's, or anyone's, favorite. Not really.

"Oh," Ginny said, standing slowly from the sofa.

"Yes," she said, standing and positioning Evelynn before she followed Ginny. She followed Ginny.

"Harry wanted me to show this to you," she said, removing the sheet that had been hung over Walburga Black's portrait.

"It's gone," Hermione said. That made her … smile.

"It is. Harry had her brought to the attic and told her if he heard one word out of her he'd burn her."

"He didn't!"

"He did."

"Wow," Hermione said. In Walburga's place was a nice landscape. It certainly was more welcoming than Walburga's face had been. It seemed to be magical as the water flowed and birds could be seen flying. It looked at the moment like a breeze was passing through as the blades of grass  and visible flowers were swaying gently.

"So that means you no longer have an excuse not to come over anytime that you want."

"Ginny, that's not why I didn't come here."

"I know, Harry knows. He wants you to know, though. We've been trying to do what we could to keep the home the way it was while making it our own. It's a nice house, but Morgana it was awful in some places."

"It was," Hermione said, remembering that from their time staying here years ago.

She could still picture bringing Yaxley with them when they retrieved Slytherin's locket. She shuddered thinking about it. How different those months might have been if they'd been able to stay here even just a little bit longer. She sighed. There was no use thinking about it. The three of them knew they'd have to leave eventually.

"Hey," Ginny said, setting her hand against Hermione's shoulder. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I was just thinking about something. It's okay, Gin. Memories, you know?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't even think. You seemed fine at Christmas. I should have brought Evelynn back to you at your place."

"No, it's okay. It's just when we came here for Christmas I didn't really stop to think about things like that. I was so nervous about seeing you all for the first time and telling you that we were married." She reached for Ginny, grabbing her hand and squeezing tight. "I'm fine. I promise. We were so young, though," she said, thinking about the three of them contending with that evil locket. She shuddered.

"Next time…"

"Next time, Evelynn and I will come here!"

"Okay. Some friend. I didn't even think."

"Harry's okay," Hermione asked.

"Yeah, for the most part. He'd hate us talking about him, but our husbands are alike in that I guess. He has dreams sometimes, but there have been fewer with time."

"Good," Hermione said. Her nightmares were dwindling, too. Severus still had them fairly regularly, but they didn't seem as intense as they were when they'd first gotten married. "And Ron?"

"I don't know. Mum hasn't said and if he's not sleeping no one says anything to me about it."

"I guess of the three of us, he'd be the one to be better faster." She held up her hand. "I don't mean that in a bad way. I just think he's less serious than Harry and I are so he probably has ways to cope that we don't."

"I get it, and I'm not offended. Don't worry, it would take more than that to make me mad at you."

"Okay," Hermione said, running a fingertip along the frame of the landscape that was in Walburga's place. She smiled wickedly.

"I see that look," Ginny said. "There's that vindictive streak we all know is there. You're thinking about her in the attic, aren't you?"

"I am," Hermione said.

It was time to go, Evelynn would be waking up soon most likely and hungry. Hermione knew people who did it, but she wasn't comfortable feeding her outside of their rooms yet. She imagined once she started school that might change, but for now she did what was comfortable for her. 

"Okay, thank you for tea and for watching her while we finished. Evelynn's going to need me soon so I'm going to head home. You let me know as soon as little James makes his presence known."

"One of us will."

Ginny reached in and ran her thumb along Evelynn's forehead and sighed softly.

"Have a good night."

"You, too. Tell Harry hello," Hermione said, making her way to the fireplace so she could return home.

"I will, of course."

Hermione waved before tossing the floo powder in and calling out their quarters.

"So are Evelynn and James to be married as soon as they graduate Hogwarts? Or are we giving them a year or two afterward to find their footing in the adult world first?"

Hermione laughed softly, kissing the top of Evelynn's head as she moved to sit on the sofa nearest Severus. He, of course, had chosen not to accompany her to Grimmauld Place to fetch Evelynn from Ginny. He used the excuse of staying behind the building to ensure everything was in order but she knew.

"Neither. I figured maybe Evelynn will be really cutting edge and go for their daughter when she comes."

"Oh, I see, a younger woman."

"Well, it would keep in line with her parents, wouldn't you say?"

"Ouch," he said.

"What's hurtful about that? I am, in fact, younger than you."

"Yes, but I didn't go for you. Not in the proper sense anyway."

"Mm, so you would have proposed marriage to anyone?"

"Of course not. You were tolerable company."

"Glowing endorsement for wedded bliss."

"This isn't going to turn into an argument, is it? I was teasing, Hermione. Truly."

"So was I, so no argument. We are not betrothing them to one another before either of them can walk."

"That is shockingly fantastic news. I will sleep easier tonight, for certain."

"You'll sleep easier because I'm still not comfortable using you as an outlet for these hormones."

He chuckled. "You act as though we have engaged in no activities."

"Well, no, but I know it's frustrating."

"You just had a child, Hermione. I realize there are physical limitations as a result of that. I am not frustrated. You have been more than accommodating. If you haven't noticed, I enjoy touching my witch."

"I have."

She just felt exhausted and not at all attractive. She had of course done for him the same as he had for her the past couple of weeks. She knew it wasn't the same.

"How is she?" he asked, taking a moment to peer at their daughter.

"Sleeping, but she'll be awake soon I'm sure."

"Did you want to rest until then? I can sit with her while you do."

"Are you sure? You're not busy?"

"I think I can manage," he said wryly.

"I know you can, but I know you're preparing."

"I can prepare some things while she's sleeping just fine. Go, rest."

"Should I be worried that you're going to use her to get Sybil's affections even more?"

He scoffed.

"Yes, that is indeed my plan and has been all along. You've caught me. I mean, I wouldn't want to have a child with that crazy bat, but letting her raise someone else's would work out incredibly well I'm sure."

"I swear every time she sees me that she's going to hex me, or spike my drink."

"She wouldn't dare."

"No?"

"No, she's seen me angry."

"That would make you angry?"

He snorted with a shake of his head. "Only slightly, yes."

"Well, it's better than barely."

"She will not hurt a hair on your head so long as I have breath in my body. Now go rest, Witch. I will bring her to you as soon as she needs the sustenance only you can provide."

"God, if you could find a potion for that!"

He chuckled no doubt realizing she was joking. "I'll be sure to work on that."

"I mean, there's formula, of course…"

"Go, now, or I will do it for you."

She huffed. "Excuse me for wanting to talk to you."

"This isn't talking, Madam Snape, this is rambling. Go! You are still healing and need your rest. If you truly wish to discuss potion options for nursing or some such later I will of course do so."

"Fine," she said, but she smiled cheekily and left to go to their room.

She loved their bedroom.

They'd worked on it first to make it a little more … comfortable than it had been. He had not scrimped on his bedding, though. She imagined when you were getting little sleep you would want to ensure what you did get was sufficient. The bedding was still green, she couldn't talk him out of that. It was new and there were signs of life here where there hadn't been when he'd first shown her the rooms.

A picture of them from their vows at her church by their bed. A picture of her he'd taken unbeknownst to her on campus one day shortly after they'd married. A picture of her very pregnant by the lake. A picture of him holding Evelynn for the first time. He'd refused for the first day or two, saying he was too rough. True, he wasn't accustomed to being gentle, but she knew from their months of foreplay before they'd actually gotten to sex that he could in fact be tender and soft.

Now, he still wasn't overly comfortable but he no longer insisted on her being nearby when he took her.

She slid onto his side of the bed. She never rested well if she tried to use her side without him anymore. His pillow smelled like him and she could pretend while she closed her eyes that he was there instead. The first time she realized this she tried figuring out when it had happened. When had she become reliant on him for something as basic as sleep! She had no idea.

She drifted off to the sounds of Severus reading from one of his journals to Evelynn. The child didn't stand a chance of not knowing what beetle eyes were used for before she could walk. (He certainly couldn't read from the Defense Against the Dark Arts texts he reasoned when she'd asked him about his choice in reading material.)

Story ©Susan Falk/APCKRFAN/PhantomRoses.com