"Severus and I are seeing each other," she said simply. Her thumbs were twisting around each other nervously. She swore to herself she was ready to tell them. They didn't really have any choice in the matter now. They'd seen her and Severus holding hands, and knowing them, they wouldn't rest until they found out why. Better this way.

Ron's face turned about as red as his hair. "What is wrong with you? Are you thick? HIM?"

In an instant, Severus was up and in Ron's face. Cowering at the rush of anger from the Potions Master, Ron took several steps backwards, until his back was up against the door. "I warn you, Weasley, don't call her thick again, or you will suffer for it. Do I make myself clear?" Severus hissed in his old evil voice. He stared deeply into Ron's eyes, black fire flaming from his own. Ron gritted his teeth and didn't reply to Severus' threat.

Harry quickly stepped between the two before something happened. "Sorry, sir, Ron has been a little high strung lately. From the Dueling Club," Harry explained. Taking a sideways glance at Harry, Severus inhaled sharply, then let it out slowly, with his anger.

"That may be, Potter, but he will not talk to Hermione like that. Ever again." Severus glared at Ron, who was trying to keep calm and his hand away from his wand. Severus obviously saw the struggle and quickly removed Ron's wand from within his grasp. "Just in case, Mr. Weasley."

Ron looked like he was about to burst from the built up anger. His Potion's Master, the man who could be any of their fathers, the man who was banging his love, had just taken his wand away. Silence followed for several minutes, until Hermione cleared her throat, bringing the attention back to her. "There's one other thing. I'm pregnant."

Green eyes lit up with excitement as Harry ran to hug Hermione. Sure he didn't like Snape all that much, but he was glad for Hermione. Severus couldn't help but remember the last time those eyes, the happy eyes Harry had. Lily's eyes. He'd been invited over for tea with her and Potter. It was the day that she had told him he was going to marry James. She was so happy. Severus had thought that he would tell her that he loved her, but she spoke first. After that, he didn't have guts to take her happiness away.

"Congratulations, Hermione!" Harry said happily. "Snape, ehem, Severus, you too."

Severus tried to see the honesty in Harry's voice, but couldn't. It would take a long time before Severus could look at Harry and not see his father. Nevertheless, he was courteous to the boy. "Thank you, Mr. Potter."

Ron was still back beside the door, disgusted. He wasn't taking it too well. After all, he still liked Hermione, was about to ask her out again. The thing with him and Padma hadn't worked out as well as he had hoped. Now he finds out that she's been banging the teacher. Disgusting.

"Ron, come congratulate Hermione and Severus," Harry told his friend. Ron shook his head, trying to back into the wall. Rolling his eyes, Harry turned his back on his friend and smiled at Hermione, who was trying not to cry.

"What's wrong with you, Harry? Her and him? It's not right and not natural," Ron spat at his friend's turned back. "He's probably got her under her a love potion. The child will be another Voldemort."

Severus gently pulled Hermione close to him as she burst. Tears started to stain Severus' robes, yet he said nothing. He rubbed her back, glaring at Ron with deadly eyes. He really wanted to curse the Weasley for not thinking of Hermione's feelings. Curse him into the next life for accusing him of poisoning her with love potion, for saying that their child will be another Voldemort. Did he not know how delicate a pregnant woman's feelings were? How thick could he really be? Rubbing her back, Severus said to Ron, "Weasley, I think it's time for you to leave."

Scoffing loudly, Ron turned to leave. Then remembered his wand. "I can't leave without my wand, sir," he said disrespectfully. Fuming with hatred, Severus threw Ron's wand at him with one hand. The other still rubbing a crying Hermione's back, trying to sooth her. It bounced off the wall and landed at his feet, to which Ron picked it up and unwarded the door so he could leave. He made sure to slam it behind him on the way.

There was silence for the longest time. Only the small sound of Hermione sniffing into Severus' robes. Harry didn't want to leave. He wanted to find out how this had happened. However, an almost pleading look from Severus had him leaving silently. He expected a full story from Hermione as soon as possible. Now, he headed to find his soon to be ex-best friend.

"RON WHERE ARE YOU!?" he shouted, running up the stairs from the dungeons. He didn't really expect Ron to answer. There was only one place that he knew he would be when he was this angry, and he and Ron both hated the place. But it was the only place that gave them alone time, mostly. Moaning Mrytle's Bathroom.

Harry made sure to look in each room before entering the bathroom on the way. When there was no other choice, Harry went in the bathroom. A lifetime worth of memories followed him inside. The polyjuice potion, the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets, the fifth year plan to make the DA, the sixth year duel Malfoy and he had ending with Harry using Sectumsepra. He still had nightmares about the last one. "Ron, get out here, we need to talk," Harry called after looking under the stalls for signs of human.

At first it seemed as though Harry's orders weren't going to be heeded. However, a lock clicked at the end of the row and out came a very angry Ron Weasley. "What?" he asked, teeth gritted.

"Are you mad?" Harry asked in earnest.

"I'm not the one that's having the Bat of the Dungeons baby, Harry," Ron countered.

Point made. No, wait, point not made. If Snape made her happy, then fine. If they truly were her best friends, then they'd support her. No matter what they thought. "No, but you are the one that is on the verge of losing a friend over something that you can't control," Harry pointed out.

Ron rolled his eyes angrily. "That doesn't mean I can't be upset!" He responded. He went to the sink to turn on the water. Perhaps washing his face would cool him down a little. "Look Harry, Hermione could never stand the sight of that git before. Why is it now that she is suddenly pregnant with his baby?"

"Things change Ron," Harry once again pointed out, walking over to stand by him at the sink. Snape had changed. He wasn't an evil, dark arts lover any longer. He was a normal man that had a past that he'd rather forget. Harry was more than willing to give him a chance. He could do that at least for Snape. After all, his dad was partly the reason why he had such a bad past.

He looked into his friends eyes through the mirror. They were pained, hurt. Of course he would be hurt, Harry thought. He still liked her. He should have done something about it, instead of cheating with Pavarti or Padma, whoever it was. He should have remained faithful to Hermione. Maybe this wouldn't have happened. Harry did have sympathy for his friend. However, not much. All Ron did was push her away. It seemed as though Ron was the cause of Hermione falling for Severus, the basic of it. He drove her to the comfort of Severus, who had been there for her. He understood the pain of loosing someone you love to another.

"It's your own fault for cheating on Hermione in the first place. If you hadn't of drove her into the arms of another man, you two still might be together. Severus and Hermione might not have gotten together. So, don't be mad at her, or him. Be mad at yourself. You did all this," Harry went on, perhaps a little too harshly. Not waiting for a response, Harry turned his back on him, leaving Ron behind looking just a little worse than before.

He had to find Ginny. She would want to hear about this. Otherwise, they all would be in for it. She had been chosen for the Quidittch team as Seeker. Harry, since he wasn't officially a student anymore, couldn't be part of the team any longer. However, that didn't stop him from being a part of the team practices. Ginny had gotten Captain, which meant that Harry had even more right to be part of practices. The two often stayed up late discussing strategies. On weekends, Harry, Ron, and Ginny went out to play Quidditch themselves sometimes. Often joined by Ginny's best friend Willa Percival.

"Ginny," He called out as he saw the red head of his girlfriend just about to enter the pitch. She stopped in her tracks, looking back. Then smiled at Harry. He didnt' say that he was going to be helping today. Not that she mined.

"Harry," she greeted, kissing him.

Harry returned the kiss with a small surge of happiness. "Got something to tell you, Gin," he started, unsure of how to go about it. Hermione and Sna – Severus, would kill him if he told her and they didn't. He would rather like to stay alive. "Uh, is there a chance you could come with me to Snape's office? Now?"

Ginny looked bewildered at him. He made more sense when he had the Felix Felicis clouding his mind in sixth year. "I'm just about to start practice, Harry," she pointed out.

He nodded. "Yeah, stupid, but as soon as your finished, we'll go?"

"Sure we will," she replied, still bewildered. She opened up the door to the pitch. Smiling once at Harry, she mounted her broom and kicked off into the air to start practice. Harry went to the stands to watch, itching for it to be over already.

It seemed like three hours before Ginny called off practice for the night. However, it had only been an hour and a half. Willa, one of the chasers, had caught a bludger in the leg. Roman Samson, the keeper, had taken one in the groin, it had taken twenty minutes for him to get back on the broom. The beaters, Demarcus and Lemarcus, twins, had misinterpreted the distance of both of those incidents. Ginny was at her wits end and called it early, wanting to know why Harry wanted them to go to Snape's office. She had a sneaky feeling that it was about Hermione, the way she's been acting lately.

"Miss Weasley, Mr. Potter, what a surprise," Severus said, sitting at his desk with a different sort of expression than they'd gotten used to over the years. It was lighter, happier.

"Hello, Professor Snape, how are you?" Ginny asked politely.

"Wonderful," he said lightly. Ginny on the other hand was waiting for a snarky comment at the end of it. When none came, she looked at Harry with a shocked expression, not missed by Severus. "Miss Weasley, I'm not at all bad as I was forced to make out throughout your years."

"Yes sir," she said. Turning back to Harry, she shrugged. "What's so important that you wanted to tell me in his office?"

"It's not about me, or us," he reassured Ginny. "Severus, she needs to know as well," Harry said simply.

Severus on the other hand didn't want to tell her. Telling the other Weasley and Potter was enough. However, if Hermione and he didn't tell her, then they would. "I'll be back," Severus simply said, disappearing into his Chambers. Hermione was in the kitchen, craving something odd. "Hermione, come to the office please, Darling," Severus called gently to her.

She walked briskly to the office, one eyebrow raised. "Yes love- – " Hermione broke off when she saw Ginny. Harry and brought her so she and Severus could tell her about them. How despicably nice of him. "Ginny, how nice to see you," she greeted, quickly deciding to tell her by not telling her.

Severus had sat back down in his chair, about ready to start grading essays again. He was going to let Hermione tell Weasley, since she was HER friend. He didn't have any friends that needed to know. If so, he'd tell them. Ethan McBride? He was that beefy, brown eyed, Slytherin fourth year that had made the comment to his friends about Mudblood's being worse than Squibs. He had detention for a month. Briefly glancing at his opening paragraph on Strengthening Solutions gave Severus a sneer to his face that surely was worrisome to the others. McBride wasn't that smart. He saw ten mistakes in his opening paragraph alone. Severus was rather disgusted and ashamed at his student. About ready to correct those ten mistakes, Severus picked up his red ink quill. However, a warm body suddenly blocked the joyous shame ahead of him. Hermione.

She had sat on his lap. Not that he was upset. He liked her scent, her curves. How they melted into his, like they were meant to be. He dropped his quill, heart racing. This was how she was breaking it to Weasley? She had a great arm, though? He'd overheard lots of boys that were scared of her fits of anger, though he never experienced one of her fits. Severus looked at Hermione's face. It was worried, yet determined. She was too brave sometimes. He trained his eyes away from his love, to watch Ginny's face contort in different emotions. She wasn't as dumb or rude as her brother. Severus was glad of that.

"You..you two?" She asked, almost out of breath. As if she'd just raced from the Astronomy Tower.

Hermione nodded with a sly grin. That grin both scared him and slightly aroused him. He placed a hand on her waist, rubbing softly. She took no notice of it. "Yes, us three," she responded with a chuckle. She felt Severus rub a hand over her stomach, helping her tell Ginny.

Half expecting her to get angry like her brother, Severus was prepared to jump up and get in her face. However, instead of anger, the girl started jumping around squealing like a baby. It was a shocking sight to everyone. "Hermione, I'm so happy for you!" Ginny squealed happily, still jumping around. "I'm going to be an Aunt!!!"

"What? You're not mad or anything?" Hermione asked, just as shocked as Severus. Though she wasn't as scared as he was at the moment. She had leaned back into his chest, maybe just a little scared at her friend's excitement. Instinctively, Severus wrapped his arms around her waist, interlocking his fingers. He rested his head on her back, taking in things.

Ron Weasley, her best friend didn't like it. His sister loved it. And Potter was willing to accept it. Roller Coaster of emotions, this bunch.

"Of course I'm not mad. I know you still had a crush on him from third year," Ginny said, laughing.

"What?" Severus asked, head shooting up. Ginny's smile disappeared as she realized what she said.

"Whops," she said, covering her mouth quickly. Hermione groaned unhappily. Ginny wasn't supposed to say that. No one knew, but she had developed a crush on Severus when they were in third year. She hadn't told anyone but Ginny that she was crushing on the Potions Master.

"Third year? Crush?" Severus asked, getting up. Hermione was forced to get up too, head bowed, hiding her embarrassment. Severus went to Ginny, who had tried to back up, but was blocked by Harry, who was quite happy just watching. "Miss Weasley, has Hermione had a crush on me since Third Year?" Severus asked in a smooth voice. A tempting smirk was on his face. Different from the usual smirk that he had in class. It was sly, sneaky, and almost seductive.

Cursing herself, she nodded. Christmas had just come early. Severus laughed loudly, moving back towards Hermione, who had sunken into his chair, still hiding her face. "You two can leave now," Severus told Harry and Ginny. Ginny quickly whisked Harry out of the room, eager to escape the changing atmosphere while Harry was half laughing himself. "Hermione," Severus said, kneeling in front of her. "Darling, look at me."

She didn't want too, but she didn't want to keep her head hidden, either. He sounded a little mad. Because she didn't tell him? However, when she looked into Severus' eyes, they were different than any she's seen. "I'm not angry or weirded out. I'm amused. Since I thought you were pretty, not in third year, but at the yule ball. You were pretty, then, and now, you are beautiful. You are mine, and no one else's."

Tears started falling from her eyes as she heard Severus say that. Then she was angry at him. Angry at him for scaring her. Yet, she was happy that he wasn't really angry. She thought he would be since in third year it would have been extremely inappropriate. At least she thought so. He placed a single kiss on her forehead with a grin. An honest grin that warmed Hermione up.

A sudden wooshing sound followed by a "Severus?" came next. His door burst open to his Chambers. She stood there at the door, soot covering her. His feelings immediately went into hiding again. Drea had news to share. He always seemed to hide his feelings when he saw Drea. He didn't want her to think of him as a weak link. She stumbled around a bit after she floo-ed in. Then once she found Severus she just stood there. Anger was plastered onto her face. Somehow, he knew he was in trouble.

"Did you forget about me?" She asked, hurt and angry at the same time.

Crap.

O0o0o0o0o

Finally another chapter done. Like it so far? Any suggestions? Any ideas of who is behind the Drea's predicament? Think Severus is in trouble?

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