Dedicated to my Rickman chicks InsufferableKnowItAl & Alex379

"Are you feeling nervous, my love?" Severus smiled stroking Hermione's cheek. "I just don't know how they are going to take this Severus..." She sighed, Severus could see the worry in her Golden brown eyes. "They cannot deny us, you are with child. There is no other choice for them but to except us." Severus tried to soothe, but it was falling on deaf ears. "I know, I just couldn't bare to see them disappointed in me. They were so unimpressed when I got my Hogwarts letter. All I've ever wanted to do is make them proud." Hermione explained, a single tear falling and landing on the cold dungeon floor beneath her. Severus grasped Hermione in his arms, "Now I see why you have always been so obsessed with your grades... Just hear reason, your parents are proud of you. How on this earth would not be proud of such a beautiful, intelligent and talented young woman?" Hermione smiled slightly, Severus always knew how to make her feel better.

They left the castle grounds after breakfast and walked as far away from Hogwarts as possible. Once they approached the perfect distance Hermione grabbed hold of Severus' arm. Hermione spoke the address aloud and after a short yet blurry twist they arrived outside her parents home, her family home, her home. Or at least it was....

Hermione marched towards the door proudly and reached for the door knocker, she froze with her arm mid air and Severus sighed as he saw her stop in her tracks. Severus grabbed the door knocker and struck it against the dark wooden door. "You can do this." He smiled, planting a gentle kiss upon her forehead. The door swung open and there stood Hermione's mother, a huge grin sat on her slightly aged face, it quickly disappeared when she rested her gaze upon the strange looking man beside her daughter. "Hermione.... Sweetheart...." Her mother beamed, after shaking off her feelings of apprehension. "Mother, I have missed you." Hermione smiled, her mother ushered them inside and offered them a seat, Hermione's father ran down the stairs and into the front room and was taken aback by what he saw. "My angel!!" He cried out, launching himself at Hermione and squeezing her so tight she wondered if she would suffocate.

"Oh this is the best day!" He cried and looked towards his wife, "isn't this just the best day? She's home darling!" He seemed beyond excited and Hermione wouldn't help but smile. Hermione's mother scurried off into the kitchen to fetch some drinks and nibbles, and returned nearly as fast as she left. Once they were all seated Hermione began. "Mother, father... This is professor Severus Snape, he is the potions master at Hogwarts." Hermione's father reached out his hand and Severus took it uncomfortably. "Is she excelling Professor Snape?" Hermione's mother asked. Severus nodded "indeed she is, she is my most talented student. I have no doubts that her owls will be graded at a high level." Severus explained politely, starring at Hermione with a glance that said 'get in with it, please!' Hermione cleared her throat.

"Severus has brought me here today, to tell you about a relationship I'm in at Hogwarts." Hermione sighed. Her father arched an eyebrow at his daughter. "Could you not concentrate on your studies before loosing yourself to the beast of love?" He sighed. Her mother scowled at her husband and smiled at her daughter. "What is the boy's name? please tell me you are ok sweetheart?" "Im fine mother, I'm happier than I ever could have imagined.... His name is....." Hermione stopped in her tracks.

"It's me." Severus explained very matter of factly. You could cut through the tension in the room, Hermione's mother just sat there, speechless at what we had heard. Her father however was beyond furious. He rose from his seat and closed his eyes, sighing and walking slowly and calmly towards Severus and Hermione. He grabbed Severus by the collar of his robes and dragged him to his feet, before knocking him out. "Father!!! No!!!!" Hermione cried rushing to Severus' aid. "DON'T YOU TOUCH HIM!" She shrieked, Severus placed a hand on hers and told her that it was quite alright. He understood how it must have looked.

"This will end immediately!" Hermione's mother spat, "it certainly will!" Her father added.
"We are to marry! And you cannot stop us!" Hermione cried, "They can, we need their permission my love." Severus cried taking his fiancé into his arms. "Please, calm down you cannot get stressed." Severus soothed hopelessly. "You will never have my permission to marry my daughter! She's 17!" Hermione's father seethed into severus' face. "When I'm 18 I can do what I wish! He loves me and I love him, all I wanted was to marry him now. I don't want to bare bastards!" Hermione screamed and her father backed away from Severus instantly.
He looked at his daughter and down to her small bump, he dragged his eyes back up to meet hers and saw the pain that was held at ransom by her eyes. Calmly, he returned to his seat and sat down without saying another word. The silence was deafening.

"It wasn't meant to be like this, I never intended to fall in love again. I have spent the last 20 years alone after I lost someone i loved deeply. It's your daughter who saved me from a life of misery. She loves me despite all of my flaws, her heart is true and selfless. I cannot make you except me nor give me your blessing, but I'm not afraid to beg or prove myself. Hermione needs your support, stress is dangerous while pregnant, she's carrying YOUR grandchildren." Severus had his eyes closed throughout every word he spoke.

"I'm having twins." Hermione explained and the shock on her parents faces was priceless. "I don't know what to say." Her mother stammered nervously. She rose from her chair and walked towards her daughter placing a gentle hand on her stomach. "I cannot say that I'm pleased my daughter wishes to marry a man at least twice her age... Nor can I say I'm impressed that you're already pregnant - you should be enjoying yourself before being tied down. However I can see that you are happy, and that Severus loves you. You have my blessing, however I cannot speak for your father." She said sadly.

Hermione's father walked towards the door and called Severus to follow, Hermione felt nervous watching her lover leave the room. Her mother squeezed her shoulder to reassure her that everything would be fine. Severus walked along the homes garden with Hermione's father, it was a little uncomfortable to say the least. "I can imagine how hard this is from your perspective  Mr Granger." Severus spoke quietly. Hermione's father arched an eyebrow at him in response. "Please know, that Hermione has the intelligence and maturity of a woman twice her age, and that's exactly how I see her." He continued. "Why have you been alone all this time Professor Snape?" Mr Granger inquired, "The girl married another, and then she died." Severus sighed hopelessly. "Oh, so my daughter is the back up plan of desperate man." Hermione's father sneered. "Never! It's true that I didn't love again for a long time, it's also true that I never thought I could love another, but i do. I fell in love with your daughter and she will never be second best, Lily was merely an infatuation that remains unwarranted. I have never, loved anyone as much as I love your daughter. She's truly the most beautiful and amazing woman I have ever known. Do not refer to her as a back up plan Mr Granger, it infuriates me beyond belief." Severus snapped, and recoiled at the thought of the disrespect he had just shown his would be future father in law.

Hermione's father stood and pulled Severus to his feet, he looked him dead in the eyes and sighed, "You have shown me how protective you are of my daughter, and I can see that you would do anything for her. As much as I find it hard to comprehend I must say that you have proven yourself. I offer you my blessing, welcome to the family Severus." Mr Granger told Severus with a stern face, his hand held out to shake. Severus shook it gladly and nodded, he could not believe Hermione's father called him Severus..... He felt accepted. And it felt good.