Since 1970

Chapter 43

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter.

.

Chapter 43:

August 6, 1995

(the present)

Hermione was sitting on the bed, resting her back on the headboard. She put down her book when Severus joined her.

Hermione and Severus were watching memories again. It was a memory months after the wedding, and the other Hermione was heavily pregnant.

Severus ran a hand on her swollen stomach. "Did he stop kicking?" he asked softly.

Hermione smiled and nodded. "Yes... What were you doing in the study?"

"Reading," Sev replied, his eyes still on Hermione's stomach.

"You don't want to read with me here?" she teased. "What were you reading?"

"A book about being an expectant father," he murmured, still avoiding eye contact.

Hermione reached for his hand that was on her stomach. "What are you not telling me?"

Severus finally met her eyes. "I don't know anything about fatherhood," he confessed.

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "And I know everything about motherhood?" she questioned good-naturedly.

"You had an almost perfect childhood twice. Your parents - the four people who raised you - love you fiercely... I only had my mother... and a pathetic excuse of a father."

"You know, Dad will be offended if he heard you saying that," she scolded him. "He loves you. Did you forget?"

Severus shook his head, and his facial expression softened.

"Parents aren't perfect, Sev. There's no training for parenthood, and everything's a trial and error. No matter how kind my parents and Mona and Chad are, they still said some things they didn't mean and eventually hurt my feelings. And I still met accidents, became stubborn at times, and got scolded... My point is, you don't have to be nervous. And you don't have to learn about it alone. We are in this together... and if you need some sort of advice, you know you can always count on Chad... and above all, my dad. You always have my dad."

Severus smiled appreciatively and nodded before pulling Hermione into a hug and kissing her forehead.

The scene faded. Hermione and Sev saw the other Hermione in a rocking chair, holding a newborn baby. She was rocking him to sleep while humming.

"This is Leo's room," she commented, seeing the view outside the window near the cot.

Severus nodded and looked around the room. It was painted in Slytherin green, but the different items of furniture were colourful. The bookshelf had books on it, but almost empty.

The other Hermione looked tired. Her curly brown hair was in a loose ponytail, and there were dark circles around her eyes, but she was smiling. Her brown eyes were on the infant in her arms.

"I love you so much, my Leo," she whispered. "I wonder if you're going to be a great Potioneer like Dada, or be a Healer like me, and your grandparents... But whatever you would want to be, we will support you, my love... And you are such a good boy. Why is it that you don't cry when you wake up? And when you do, you cry softly..."

"Wow. So, Leo's an easy kid," she murmured.

Sev turned to her, smirking. "So perhaps it's a good idea to give him a sibling, don't you think so?"