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Days of Future Past : Edited & Complete 11/20/11	By : Remarkable Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Hermione Views: 12304 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
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Chapter List
- 5
- 6
Christmas Eve day was bright and cheery in the Malfoy household. Lucius and Narcissa had invited all of Hermione's friends and relatives to their home. It bustled with the laughter of children, clinking of glasses and cheerful music that marked the Christmas holiday. Knowing everyone had their own familial celebrations to attend on Christmas day, they had decided to hold a ball in honor of Hermione's pregnancy. Her due date was the summer solstice, and that being a high pagan holiday in the wizarding world was an extremely lucky omen that foretold a powerful set of children with long life and happiness.

Hermione was ecstatic. She was passed round into the arms of Harry and Ginny and their three children, Ron and Lavender and their four boys, Luna and Neville with their newborn son, her parents, former surviving Order members, the Weasley's, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy and of course, her dear friend Remus.

Taking a break from the gaiety of the occasion, a fully be-decked Hermione collapsed onto a couch in a side parlor. She gulped a large glass of ice water and placed her hands over her stomach. Her twins were now twelve weeks along and growing nicely. The medi-witch was impressed with their progress and advised her to take it easy. All of the stress from early on had her worried it held over residual effects that could hurt their progress but Hermione wasn't worried; she felt better and stronger than she had in years.

Remus took a seat next to her and gave her a funny look.

"What?"

He placed one hand over her small ones. "Is there anything the matter, Hermione?" he asked in a worried tone.

She smiled softly. "Not at all. I'm just a bit tired is all."

"Maybe you should call it a day and retire to your chambers." He continued to frown, rubbing his thumb over her smaller one.

"I'm fine, really. Everyone's been great and fussing over me all day. All I need is a few minutes and I'll be fine."

Lucius chimed in behind her. "I agree with the wolf. You are looking a bit peaked, dear, and it wouldn't be proper to put undue stress on the children."

"Oh, no! Not you too!"

Lucius came up behind her and massaged her shoulders, earning him a warning glance from Remus. He stepped back, duly chastened.

"My dear, it's not often I agree with your friends, but in this case even I can sense you're a bit under the weather. Cissa and I suffered through eight pregnancies before we finally managed Draco. I'm well versed in witches and pregnancy. You definitely should pop off for a kip."

Hermione huffed in irritation. "Fine! I'm outnumbered two to one. Now if I go take a nap will you two leave me alone?"

"Yes. I will be quite content with that. Remus?"

Nodding to the blond, they exchanged knowing looks before Lucius left to attend to other guests.

Remus took Hermione by the elbow and Apparated them to her chambers.

"I'm fine, really. I'll just go lie down. You can go."

Remus studied her. He didn't want to leave but didn't want to invade her privacy either.

"You're sure you'll be alright?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I'm fine!"

"Okay okay! Just checking!" Giving the stubborn witch a peck on the cheek, he left her to go have a little talk with Lucius.

Hermione had to admit she was feeling knackered, now that she thought about it. She climbed into her soft bed and was asleep within minutes.

Remus found Lucius in another lounge entertaining Hermione's parents. When he was able to work himself free without being rude, he slipped out to have a word.

"Well?"

"She's asleep. I slipped around the corner and peeked into her room a few minutes later. She's out."

"Good. That witch is going to worry me to death while she's here."

"Don't I know it."

Both men gave each other a hard stare before laughing themselves half to death. They drew a few strange glances from the adjoining room before finally getting their shared mirth under control.

"Seriously, Lucius. Have you heard anything from Draco?"

Lucius took a long pull from his Cuban cigar and shook his head, charmed rings flying away in the shape of snakes.

"He's not talking. I think there's some progress being made but he doesn't want to jinx it, as he calls it."

Lupin nodded. He was familiar with the Muggle term.

"Right. Well if you hear anything you'll let me know?"

Lucius inclined his head and turned back to the party.

Remus took a chair and Apparated back to Hermione's room and sat outside her door. He didn't care if she got mad at him for standing guard. He was worried about her and was going to be there for her and those babies no matter what.

He must have dozed off because when he jerked awake he was unsure what it was that had awakened him.

A piercing scream rent the air and he was through the suite doors lickety split.

The duvet and sheets were covered in blood. It seemed to be everywhere. Even her clothing was covered in crimson. Hermione was sobbing hysterically, waving her bloody hands in front of her face.

"Remus! My babies! Help me!"

Thinking quickly, he summoned the house-elf that served Hermione.

"Tipsy!"

Pop!

"Master Remus called Tipsy?" One look at Hermione and the house-elf squeaked with fear.

"Tipsy, listen to me! Go and get Missus and Master Malfoy. Tell them I am taking Hermione to St. Mungo's and to meet met here. Hurry!"

In a flash he was by her side, unfazed by the blood covering every seeming surface within reach.

"Hermione, love, stop screaming and listen to me. Ouch!"

She had slapped him in her wild frenzy, mad with grief.

He grabbed both of her wrists and shouted at her. "Hermione! Goddamnit Hermione listen to me!"

At last, after shaking her roughly she seemed to come to her senses.

"Remus, my babies! Please help me!'

"I am going to take you to St. Mungo's, but I need you to calm down so you don't splinch yourself or the babies! Do you understand?"

She nodded and took a few deep breaths.

"Good girl. On my mark. One, two, three."

They Apparated to St. Mungo's and were rushed to the critical care maternity ward.

Hermione was rushed into emergency magical surgery after a Healer pressed a code red alarm that sent a dozen other Medi-witches and Healers scrambling into the operating theatre. Remus was forced down a long hallway and into a sterile-looking waiting room.

"Are you her husband?" asked the too-calm Healer that had to be a thousand years old.

"No, I'm her friend!" Remus was frantic at the sight of so many medical professionals rushing to work on her at the same time.

"Then I'm afraid you're going to have to wait out here. We can't have interference from non-immediate family members. Hospital policy."

"But I promised I'd be there for her!"

"Are you the children's father?"

"No! I-"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Loopy-"

"Lupin!"

"-Mr. Loopy, you're going to have to wait until she is done in the operating theatre and stabilized in a maternity room. There is nothing more I can do."

Remus collapsed into the hard chair and wept. He was losing his second family all over again. First Nymphadora and now Hermione. Teddy was all he would have left and Hermione would blame him for not taking care of her as he'd promised.

His mental berating came to a screeching halt when Severus broke him from his tear-stained misery.

"Lupin."

He looked up, amazed at the stroke of bad luck that sent the very man into his presence that was responsible for this entire mess. Keeping his seat out of respect for Hermione, he merely countered with a tight, "Snape." If it was the last thing he did, he vowed not to let the fucker know why he was there.

"Is everything alright?" Severus frowned, standing stock-still.

Lupin studied him suspiciously. This wasn't the same man who had attacked and practically killed him two weeks prior. This was the man he seemed to remember from Hogwarts; tall, dark, brooding and commanding but professional and caring when the situation warranted.

Not receiving an answer, Severus merely shrugged and headed to the other side of the room where a never-ending pot of coffee in regular and decaf was fresh twenty four hours a day for the hospital patrons. A little station with disposable cups, napkins, cream, sugar, honey and various sweeteners complimented the setup next to another station with pots of hot and iced tea and a water fountain.

He returned the incredulous wolf's look with one of his own, handing him a cup of Joe.

"What? Do I smell?" Severus discretely sniffed his pits. Not noticing an offending odor, he shrugged again and sat next to Lupin, staring into the distance without speaking, randomly sipping his coffee.

Moments later Lucius and Narcissa were escorted to the waiting area as well. Lucius had opened his mouth to speak with Lupin when he spotted the two sat side by side. Closing his mouth with an audible snap, he looked from one to the other. Mouthing to Remus and pointing, Does he know?, he seemed satisfied when Remus shook his head imperceptibly.

"Ah, Severus. Do what do we owe the pleasure?"

Severus looked up and smiled. He was confused by the shocked looks on both the Malfoy's and Professor Lupin's face. Honestly, did he smell? Did he have something stuck on his face? He set his coffee cup down and felt his face for bits of fluff, craning his neck to see if a bit of the bog roll had escaped the loo and trailed out after him stuck to his trousers or boot heel.

No, he was clean. So what the hell were they gawking at? He was beginning to feel uncomfortable with the unexplained scrutiny when his therapist walked around the corner.

"Mr. Snape! Will you follow me? We'll be in a different room this evening as we've had an emergency come through and our normal office is closed off for the time being.

Picking up his coffee and draining its contents, he threw the Styrofoam cup in the rubbish bin and nodded to each of the three before following the therapist from the room.

"What the hell was that all about?" Remus asked of no one in particular.

Lucius murmured, "I don't know, but I bet I know someone who does."

xo xo xo xo

Lucius was holding his head, a migraine beginning to pound like an ice pick at his temples.

"So what you are telling me, Draco, is that Severus has no recollection of his time married to Hermione, nor does he remember anything that has been going on in the recent past?"

"I thought I'd mentioned that thrice over, Father," a weary Draco complained.

"You did. I just find it hard to believe he's not faking it."

"I had the same questions as you at first, but the Healers and cognitive therapist have all confirmed that he retains no memories in his conscious mind pertaining to his recent past. In fact, he has no recollection of anything recent in his life, including his marriage to Hermione. He does not remember the fight with Lupin, and doesn't know Hermione is pregnant, or that she's been brought in. When he saw you, Mother and Lupin he assumed you were there visiting another patient."

Lucius shook his head slowly. It was bizarre. He'd never heard of anything like it in his life. "And they said it was the combination of the therapy and the reversal of the remaining spell damage he'd sustained from the war?"

"Yes, it was suppressing the chemicals that release endorphins into the blood stream. It lowered his pain, patience and stamina tolerances to extremely low levels. It made him quick to irritate and brought out the worst of his personality. It literally altered who he was at a very base level, altering so many parts of his magical, physical and mental being we're not sure what the end results are going to be, or even how he's going to react when his memory is restored and he realizes what he's done."

"Indeed." Lucius didn't know what to think. It sounded a bit far-fetched, but he was financing the best Healers and therapists in the United Kingdom to bring his old and dear friend back to him and more importantly- his wife and children.

"So what now, Draco?"

"We wait. Have you heard anything about Hermione?"

"Yes. The Healers have told me they were able to save the babies, but Hermione has not regained consciousness. She has lost a lot of blood and her will to live seems to have been shocked into submission. They are afraid she is suffering a relapse in her mental and physical health to its prior state due to the stress she was put under in the early part of her pregnancy."

"Is she going to be alright?" Draco looked worried. He had his own family at home with Astoria and couldn't imagine losing his wife or children.

"I don't know, son. But if you can, have them work on getting Severus' memory back. I have a feeling the two of them are going to need each other sooner rather than later."

xo xo xo xo

A tense night was welcomed by a very weak witch opening her eyes to the sleeping form of Lucius, Draco, her parents, Remus and Narcissa sprawled in jumbled heaps amidst the transfigured furniture that took up every spare inch of her hospital room except for a small path to and from the loo and the door.

She tried to laugh and let out a croak instead. Remus was on his feet immediately, a glass of water in his hand, tipping it so she could drink.

"Shhhh, don't try to talk, love. You're alright. The babies are alright. You made it through. Just rest."

Hermione gave him another weak smile and he laughed with joy, waking the rest of the occupants in the room.

"Remind me to buy a private room next time I stay over at this wretched facility," groused Lucius. Narcissa smacked him with a rolled-up Prophet and he shut up.

After the expected caresses and well-wishes and grateful admissions of her returned health, her parents left around noon escorted by the Malfoy's. Remus reluctantly let himself be pulled from the room when Hermione fell asleep again.

xo xo xo xo

Remus stretched, annoyed Draco hadn't bothered to swing by the hospital room yet. It was Christmas Day. Draco had better had something important to say to him or he was going to hex the younger man.

"I have to talk to you, Lupin."

"What is it, Draco? I need to get back to Hermione."

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about."

Remus felt his heart drop from his chest to his boots when he saw the look on Draco's face. "It's him, isn't it? They're connected."

Draco nodded. "Yeah. And not just psychically. You know that during the final battle she saved his life, right?"

Remus nodded. Very few people knew the truth of the matter, but Minerva had told him in the strictest confidence. He had figured Draco would know being the Head Auror.

"The curse he had been hit with before Nagini bit him was of the variety that was carried through the blood. It's old magic. Dolohov was aiming for Hermione again but got Snape instead. It was supposed to solidify the blood but the curse hit another curse and changed before it hit him. We're not sure exactly what it changed to, but upon closer inspection, our Healers have consulted with their Muggle counterparts and found bits of Hermione's DNA embedded in Snape's. I took the liberty of sampling some of her hair from an old brush she left at Ginny's and the results were the same."

"She's got Snape's DNA inside of her."

"Right, which sounds weird, but when she sucked the poison out of him her saliva and his blood mingled. It's probably the reason they were attracted to one another in the first place."

"But…." Remus twirled his hand for Draco to get to the point.

"But, if they're apart for too long, they'll die without one another. Hermione collapsed first because she's pregnant. It would only have been a matter of time before he was in a similar state."

Draco pulled Remus aside, casting a Silencing and Notice-Me-Not spell on them. The echoes of a Medi-witch's crisp steps faded and disappeared around the otherwide empty corridor. He took a deep breath and filled in the details that Lucius had been unable to explain from Draco's initial conversation with his father that had been relayed to him and Narcissa late the night before.

Remus clenched his jaw, working it hard as the situation became clear as mud. It was all so very confusing but made sense in an odd way. As much as he hated to admit it, the effects made a lot more sense than he wanted to admit, but also made him feel that Hermione was still in danger with so much unknown about Snape's maladies. His attention was drawn sharply to Draco's conclusion that shocked him.

"What are you saying?" he asked dangerously, stepping forward.

Draco was not intimidated by the move, lifting his chin and sneering a little. "The Healers were very clear, and I don't like repeating myself. She needs him."

The determined look in Draco's eyes was absolute. The steel grey mirrored that of Lucius when the man's mind would not be changed. Nevertheless Lupin raged against it.

"NO! Absolutely not! Not after the way he's treated her! How can you even consider letting that monster back in to see her much less those babies? He's bound to molest her in her sleep!"

Draco inhaled sharply. "Don't you ever talk about my Uncle like that. He may have been a git, but he'd never rape his own wife."

Taking a calming breath, a disheveled and tired Lupin slumped his shoulders in defeat.

"Do I have a say in the matter?"

Draco shook his head. "I'm afraid not. They'll be under constant supervision while she's here, but when she leaves, he needs to stay with her or she and the babies won't survive."

A stunned Remus sat heavily on the floor with his legs crossed. After everything he'd done, it all came back to the same thing; the bad guy got the girl and he was left empty handed. Life wasn't fair.

Draco extended his hand to the older man. "Go say goodbye to her. Father is waiting for you at the Manor."

Remus went back into the room and shut the door. He stood over the sleeping form of Hermione and smiled at her baby bump. He kissed her forehead softly and patted her stomach ever-so-softly. He whispered to the babies. "Uncle Remus loves you and will always be there for you." To Hermione he simply smiled and projected his love to her and then turned her over to Draco.

xo xo xo xo

Hermione was still sleeping peacefully, unaware of the tumultuous afternoon as wizarding Healers were literally dragged in from their holiday celebrations by Lucius Malfoy, cowed by an exhorbitant number of galleons changing hands with promises of much more. There was an extensive, heated debate headed by Draco and fueled by the insistence of said Healers that Mrs. Snape did indeed need to be in the presence of her husband or her life force would fade. Lucius was livid she'd been denied Severus' presence and fearful of how it would affect her at the same time. Duly chastened Healers elected to have the best among them stay on staff for the remainder of Hermione's hospital stay at Lucius' insistence and a sympathetic, single Auror with no family brought in to supervise the time Snape spent with his wife.

Lucius himself witnessed the return of memories to his old friend, warring emotions battling for dominance in what seemed to be a real display of shock, remorse and determination in the face of a friend he hadn't seen the return of for so long. Draco fought back tears when his father surprised him, the Healer and Snape by bursting into to lounge on the other side of the one way mirror and fiercely embraced the Potions master. The shocks didn't end as Severus hugged him back, holding onto his dear friend tightly amidst choked noises that sounded suspiciously like held-in sobs. Although words were not exchanged between the two men, an understanding seemed to pass between them that was all that was needed for Lucius to nod sharply and leave Draco and the Healer to finish their business.

xo xo xo xo xo

With a few taps of his wand the bachelor Auror brought Severus down a corridor and with a nod from Draco, into Hermione's hospital room.

Draco didn't have to say a word. His godfather's memories had been restored a few hours ago and the situation explained. In the end, it was all like an extended bad dream for the Potions master. He could hardly believe he was married much less going to be a father. The man had broken down and sobbed when told of his crimes and outlandish, horrid behavior over the past ten years.

It would take some time, but a behavior specialist had talked to Kingsley in a special session (also arranged on Malfoy's galleon) and assured him that although rare, it was possible to revert a person back to their former state. No one was going to take the chance Severus would return to the horrible man he'd become and been delivered from thanks to the extensive help he'd received.

Severus had consented to a personal escort for six months in exchange for an even more reduced sentence of house and work arrest, random behavioral testing and two administrations of Veritaserum at six months intervals for the next five years. Lucius had financed all fines and damages with a stern admonishment to his friend on the way out of the hospital that this one was going to cost him before wrapping his best friend in a hug that would have put even Hagrid to shame.

The Auror stood at the door and Draco left to go home and spend what was left of Christmas Day with his own wife and kids.

The Healer took a chair to the left of Hermione's hospital bed, closing his eyes so the couple could have some privacy. He had gently briefed Hermione on her husband's extraordinary situation, reminding her he was, in essence, a different man (more like the one she'd married, she hoped) than the one who had treated her so terribly.

Severus sat down next to his wife of ten years, fresh tears falling down his cheek. He reached for her hands, expelling a breath when a jolt of feeling seemed to pass between them. Their magic flowed into one another as if a spigot, long rusted shut, had been oiled and turned on to flow freely once again. Cell memory reawakened as their souls recognized on another once more, their spirits rejoicing int he magical and physical reunion long denied.

"Hello, love," he whispered. "I've missed you. Oh gods, how I've missed you." Instead of thinking of her as property, he wondered how he was so lucky that she hadn't given up on him years before. If it weren't for her perseverance, he'd never have had a chance at happiness ever again. As it stood he still had a lot of explaining to do.

He placed a gentle kiss on each of her eyelids, a tear finding its way off the tip of his nose and landing on her pert, delicate one. He moved down to her belly and pressed an ear to the bump that protruded from her abdomen.

"Hello, my girls," he said softly, gently, one scarred hand rubbing back and forth over the hospital gown. "Daddy loves you."

"And Mummy loves Daddy," came the lilting voice of his wife.

Severus tried not to startle her but felt her flinch when he raised a hand to touch her cheek. He pulled back, hurt when relief became visible there. It was going to be a long time before she trusted him fully once more, if she ever did.

"Severus?" Hermione's lower lip trembled. She looked a fright, hair sticking up everywhere, ugly hospital gown and blotchy face, but to Severus, she was an angel. His Christmas Angel.

"Yes, love," he responded quietly, not making any sudden moves.

"Is it you- I mean, really you?" Hermione hardly dared believe it. The man before her looked distinctly different than her supposed husband. Gone were the scowl lines that were constantly present on the old Severus' face. In fact, a bit of an amused crease lit up the corners of his lips when he really and truly smiled for the first time she'd seen in nine years.

"Happy Christmas, love," he choked. His love for her was so overwhelming in that moment he was unable to contain it. She should have been having breakfast in bed with a foot massage, then a day of pampering while he cooked, cleaned and entertained with her feet up and the Wizarding Wireless on the Muggle Christmas station on. Her parents would have bought her cheesy gifts and later on they would have exchanged baubles, kisses and tantalizing caresses. Then he would have made slow, sweet love to her and wished her a Happy Christmas, snug in the warm, bright house she truly deserved to be in while discussing their future plans for their gorgeous babies.

Fat, silent tears moistened his cheeks and fell unchecked onto his jumper and trousers.

"Show me," Hermione urged.

Needing no further encouragement, he gently placed a hand on her temple and looked her in the eye. "Legilimens," he mouthed, so as not to alert the guard or Healer to their private exchange.

Within minutes the gentle passing of information was over with. Each had a new understanding of what the other had gone through. Hermione was at last able to reach out for her love and let him give her a gentle but fierce hug.

"I promise to make it up to you, Hermione. I'm never going to let you go. Forgive me, my love. My dear, sweet woman. I love you so much."

"And I love you you big lout!" she laughed, winking when he looked unsure of himself.

Hermione wasn't ecstatic with her situation, but this was a start. Having told her he loved her, if it hadn't been for the Spaniels, she never would have believed him. Her frank conversation with Mandy had showed her how the determined witch had broken through his defenses momentarily. Now, she understood why the change hadn't been permanent. Still, there was much rebuilding to be done if they were to be a family again.

And this was a good start.

"Happy Christmas, Hermione."

"Happy Christmas, Severus, and Happy Anniversary."

Leaning in for a kiss, their hands entwined over her baby bump as Christmas day faded into a day that was not reminiscent of the past, but of the future that had changed for the better, not only for their own children, but for that of all generations of Snape to come.

Fin.
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Days of Future Past : Edited & Complete 11/20/11