Changing Destiny

Fifty-Five: The Accident

Younger Hermione

The Grand Staircase of Hogwarts had always slightly intimidated Hermione, even as a first year, simply because they were steep and treacherous at the best of times. Her Aunt and even Severus, had wanted her to take time off school for the child's sake, but she outright refused, and so went around school with her big belly disillusioned to give the illusion that she was still at her pre baby weight. Daphne Greengrass, however, had no such "hang ups," as she called it, and proudly displayed her now big belly. She even made no effort to hide her two engagement rings on both of her hands.

Hermione wished that she could be that brave, but she simply wasn't. The second bell rang for class, and she had to hoof it to get to Flitwick's class. She was running up the stairs, which was bad, but she held on to the stone banister for support. Then, the staircase she was on moved, and just as she was about to put weight on her next step, she felt her body fall back. She pin wheeled her arms, and then gravity did the rest. She began falling down the stairs...hard, and she tried to reach out and shield her disillusioned belly from harm, but she continued to fall, and just before she reached the bottom, her stomach and face connected, and she heard a bone crack in her left arm, and some wetness trickled out from between her legs, and she fell unconscious knowing no more until much...much later....

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Severus

The Potions Master was in the middle of teaching his NEWT class of seventh years when Professor McGonagoll gave him the news. He dismissed his class, and he demanded that he be taken to his "Niece," immediately. She was being attended to by Poppy Pomfrey, and her left arm was in a stiff cast, and her face was bandaged up, but underneath the bandages, her face was bruised and purplish.

Pomfrey looked a bit scared of something, and he soon understood why when she explained what happened, "She was running late for Charms class according to her time sheet, and the staircase moved, as they are wont to do, and she lost her footing. Her left arm broke in three places on her forearm as she tried to shield her belly from being damaged. But...there's something even worse."

Severus kept his face stoic, erasing his emotions like the Occlumens he was. "What could be worse than Miss Rosier falling down the stairs?"

Poppy wringed her hands, not wanting to answer. "Severus...I....I don't want you more angry than you already are but....but..."

McGonagoll answered for the older mediwitch, "What Poppy is trying to say, Severus is that the fall made Miss Rosier miscarry. S-She lost the daughter she was carrying."

Severus felt like destroying everything in sight! Good gods, if she had not been underage, it could have been his daughter, not Draco's! He pinched the bridge of his nose, taking a few deep breaths. "H-Have you told Mr Malfoy yet? Draco, not his father, obviously."

Poppy and Minerva both shook their heads. Poppy brought over a small incubator-type of contraption, and she opened it. Inside, lay a fully developed infant girl with a faint shock of wavy blonde hair on the top of her head. She looked very much like a Malfoy, and Hermione at the same time. He felt a tear slide down her cheek, and he wiped at it angrily. He gently ran a finger down the dead baby's silken cheek, and closed the incubator, which was as cold as ice to the touch.

"The Malfoys will want to see their deceased loved one," He declared. "Especially, Draco, he was this girl's father after all. Look after Miss Rosier, and keep her safe. But will she...will she be able to have children in the future?"

Poppy nodded. "Yes, of course. But, Miss Rosier was afraid something like this would happen months ago when I gave her the positive test result for this pregnancy. Mr Malfoy and her did not bond magically, and I hear Malfoy senior punished him most severely for defending Miss Rosier's honor."

Severus sighed. "Lucius is....It is not for me to say why Lucius decided to do what he did, Poppy, but the scandal to the family meant more to him than the circumstances. May I sit with my Niece for a bit?"

McGonagoll nodded. "Of course, Severus. I feel so terrible that this tragedy happened. I will, of course, inform your wife of this."

He nodded, barely acknowledging her. The two witches left him alone after Poppy placed the deceased baby back in the Hogwarts morgue. Severus sat in the rigid visitor's chair, and took Hermione's good hand in his, and kissed it softly.

"Sweetheart, I'm so sorry," He wept, looking down at her injured, broken body. "But I told you to remain at home! I told you. But, you wouldn't be an insufferable know it all if you let a little thing like pregnancy slow you down. Alright, I won't say 'I told you so,' you would roll your eyes at that and say something equally contrite. But, I suppose our stubbornness meshes well. Rest up, Princess." He kissed her forehead, and whispered in her ear, "I love you."

He dried his tears, and erased his emotions. He had owl letters to write, and essays to grade. He left the hospital wing, and attended to his own affairs, not paying attention to being spied on by Minerva and Poppy....

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Minerva

The deputy Headmistress looked on with shock as she watched Severus interact with his so called Niece. His behavior wasn't that of an Uncle concerned about his Niece's well being, no, he acted more as her lover, which was odd, because was he not married? Did his wife know about this? And if so, what kind of odd family dynamic was that?

Poppy poured her a glass of firewhiskey. Minerva took a sip, and sighed sadly, "I don't want to jump to conclusions, but who is she to Severus? I admit that he's secretive, but what do you make of this situation, Poppy?"

Poppy shrugged her shoulders. "I think this is a case of mind our own business, Minerva. You do tend to meddle in other people's affairs."

"It's because I care!"

"Do you, Minerva?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Poppy drained her glass of liquid courage. "I mean, you weren't the most gracious when in school you found out me and Pomona were romantically involved. You outed us out to Headmaster Dippet, and he wasn't happy with you either. Remember? Maybe you should let this go for now, let the Snapes and Malfoys tend to their own garden. What Severus Snape does in his own time is not Hogwarts business, nor is it how his family will handle the death of this baby."

"Fine. I will let it...for now."

"That's all I ask, Minerva."

Minerva left to finish her nightly patrol, but she decided to do so in her cat form. As a cat, she had always felt more free and able to go places she couldn't as a human. She went to bed late at night, but maybe Poppy had a point: maybe she was too much like her mother had been. She instantly felt bad about herself, and decided that unless Severus was breaking the school rules outright, she would leave him and his family alone...for now....