9 months

Hermione was a mess after her nightmare. She refused to go back to sleep after her nightmare. She spent the rest of the night reading. She wasn't even tired. Her body and mind were too shocked by her dream to fall asleep.

During the rest of their week there Hermione suffered through two more terrifying nightmares.

In one she was back in the forest. Nagini was almost always there. The snake seemed to be aware someone was watching them but she couldn't see her.

She nearly got a real clear view of Voldemort or his servant. She was sure it was him. She knew his voice anywhere.

In other dreams she was in an old house following the snake around it. It would go through the whole house checking things over. Hermione could never tell exactly where she was.

The dreams were bothering everyone. Severus was worried that Hermione's dreams were real. He was worried the Voldemort was back. It wouldn't surprise him. The dark lord was very powerful.

It was clear from her dreams that he wanted their daughter. His daughter. The thought was still foreign to Severus. He was having a hard time seeing himself as a parent.

It was their first night back at Hogwarts and Hermione was sleeping peacefully. Severus was grateful for that. She needed her sleep.

Severus couldn't sleep. He was thinking over everything. He then did something that he rarely did. He pushed up the sleeve of his shirt and stared at the dark mark.

He really thought he was getting his life on track. The war was over. He could lead a normal life. He got married. His wife became pregnant. He finally put the past behind him. Why did the terror have to start again?

Hiss

Severus' head jerked up. He thought he heard something. He waited a few minutes and there was only silence.

Hissss

There it was again. It was a snake for sure.

Severus jumped out of bed and tried to find the source of the sound. It was silent again. He sat down on the bed and waited. This time the noise did not repeat it's self.

"You're losing you're mind," he said rubbing his eyes.

Hiss

Severus was sure he heard it that time. He jumped up from the bed. He took a few steps away from the bed.

The hissing noise came again. This time it was weaker. Severus turned his attention back to the bed. Something was moving under the sheets near the foot of the bed.

Severus picked his wand up from beside table and held it ready. With his free hand he yanked the blankets off the bed.

A good size green snake was lying on the bed. Inches from Hermione's feet.

"Stupefy!" he shouted.

The snake who had raised it's head froze. Hermione's eyes popped open and she began to scream at the sight of the snake.

"What's going on?" she asked jumping up from the bed.

"It's stunned," Severus explained. "Get me a pillow case."

Hermione picked up one of their pillows and dumped it out onto the bed. She handed the empty case to Severus. She shivered as she watched Severus pick up the snake and slip it in the pillow case. He spelled it shut.

"What is it doing here?" Hermione asked pulling on her robe.

"I don't know," Severus said. "I'm lucky I even heard the damn thing. A snake just does not wonder into someone's bed. My best guess is that it was put here."

"Put?" Hermione asked with a shocked look on her face. "Who would want to do that?"

"Again I don't know," he said shaking the bag slightly. "But we're going to find out. I need a Parselmouth."

---

Harry Potter was the only Parselmouth that they knew and they knew he was their only chance at talking to the snake. Chances were the snake wouldn't talk but they had to give it a chance.

It was three in the morning but they couldn't wait. When they arrived at the house the door was locked. Hermione began to knock rather loudly.

After a couple of minutes a very tired looking Harry opened the door.

"Thank Merlin," Severus said. "We need your help."

"Come on in," Harry said stepping out of the way. "What's going on?"

"Do you have a fish tank Harry?" Hermione questioned.

"I think we have an old owl cage," he explained yawning. "Would that do?"

"It might," Severus said. "We have to see it first."

Harry nodded and left them in the hallway. He returned a few minutes later with a large owl cage. It was rather big but the small between the bars was tiny.

"Perfect," Severus said. "Now lets get him in there before he wakes up."

"Who?" Harry said leading them into the kitchen.

"It's a snake," Hermione explained. "He just showed up in our bed tonight. We want to know what he was doing there."

"In your bed?" Harry asked in a shock setting the cage down on the kitchen table.

"That's right," Severus said putting his hand in the bag.

He pulled out the still stunned snake and slipped him in the cage.

"Wow," Harry said as the cage was snapped closed. "That is one big snake."

"Will do you it Harry?" Hermione asked. "Will you ask it what is was doing there?"

"Of course," Harry said looking back at the snake. "Of course."

They didn't have to wait long for the snake to wake up. It stired and lifted it's head. It let out a long hiss.

"It's not happy," Harry said.

The next noises to come out of Harry were long hisses. This seemed to catch the snake off guard. It rose up and looked at Harry.

Hisss. Hiss.

"Uh," Harry said. "She says that she was sent by a friend."

"Who?" Hermione said focusing on the snake.

She was so focused on the snake that she didn't notice Harry and Severus staring at her.

The snake turned it's attention to Hermione. It was staring into her eyes. Something about her stare made Hermione feel like she would go mad.

"Who sent the snake?" Hermione repeated.

Hermione was supposed to be speaking to Harry but she wasn't looking at him anymore. She was drawn to the snake. She was looking into it's dark eyes.

Lord Voldemort.

Hermione gasp and jumped back. She had understood the snake. She nearly fell to the floor.

"Hermione!" Severus cried catching her.

"How did I understand it?" Hermione demanded. "I...I don't understand."

The snake almost seemed to laughing at them. It's eyes were shinning and his head was bobbing up and down.

Harry began to hiss at the snake. The snake hissed back.

"It says you aren't a Parselmouth," Harry said. "It's saying...it's saying one of the babies is. It's says that is one of the reason Voldemort wants the baby. He already knows what is going on inside you."

That was too much for Hermione. She bolted from the kitchen. Severus was after her as she ran but she was out of his reach. She ran out of the house.

Severus tried to keep up with her but she was soon out of his eye sight. He cursed as he headed back to the Harry's house.

His wife was gone. She was pregnant and in grave danger.