Rating:: G
House:: Astronomy Tower
Characters:: Hermione Granger Severus Snape
Genres:: Romance General
Era:: Multiple Eras
Spoilers:: Philosopher's Stone Chamber of Secrets Prizoner of Azkaban Goblet of Fire
Stats:: Published: 12/12/2002

Updated: 12/12/2002

Words: 1,269

Chapters: 1

Hits: 875

When You Look Into The Eyes Of Your Child

honey666

Story Summary:: Severus Snape is in a tremendous hurry. But where is he rushing of like a maniac? Nothing mattering to him except getting there on time.

Posted:: 12/12/2002

Hits:: 875

Author's Note:: Thank you! To my wonderful beta-reader Xan! It wouldn't have been possible without you. This is another challenge response to WIKTT to the 'First Time challenge' About the first time Severus Snape holds his child.

Severus Snape was running.

He wasn't a man who ran much, not unless there was a dire need for him to do so. But if this wasn't an emergency, then he couldn't imagine what was.

He had been in the middle of a potions class, when a frantic post-owl delivered the message. He'd been scolding a careless boy from Hufflepuff, who had been on the verge of botching his Shrinking Solution- it would have resulted in the whole class (including himself) to have had an extended stay in the hospital wing.

He stood a little, trying to catch his breath, and grabbed the old Nimbus from the broom-shed, taking off toward Hogsmeade. Even if he was only wearing his robes, the chill winter weather did not bother him.

'Well, those simpering brats will probably wonder what had happened to make me run off like that, but then again, they might not.' He must have dropped the letter in the class room on his way out, because it was no longer in his possession. 'It'll be the talk of the whole school by the time I get back,' he resignedly thought.

He almost toppled off the broom. In his frantic haste, not noticing the owl in his way. It didn't slow him down though, he was soon back on course, flying fast enough to have impressed Harry Potter.

Finally, he reached the anti-apparation wards that protected Hogwarts borders. A quickly muttered phrase landed him in the Three Broomsticks. In his mind he was cursing Saint Mungo's, 'Damn it, why did they have anti-apparation wards as well?' He hated traveling by floo-powder, but he couldn't spare time to get a port-key, or wait for a train to London. He needed to have already been there!!!
'Bugger!'

He hurried over to Madame Rosmerta. She looked at him with a confused expression, noticing his hard breathing, she poured him a glass of water. He gulped it down greedily, that turned out to be a bad idea. When he finished gasping, and coughing he shakily implored,

"Rosmerta can I use your floo-connection?"

"You know you can always use the floo Professor. It's for public use," she answered him sounding befuddled.

"I know that," he snapped, "but,I forgot to take any powder with me, I was wondering if you could lend me enough for one use?" he rasped out.

"Sure if it's such an emergency I'll be happy to give you some," she said while pulling out a small pouch containing the silvery powder. She handed him the pouch, and in a second he was already heading for the fireplace.

"Severus! Where are you in such a hurry to in the first place?" she called out after him, but he was already gone in a whirlwind of flames after shouting out,

"Saint Mungo's!"

"I guess that there's someone in the hospital then," Rosmerta mumbled to herself dejectedly.

When Severus stumbled out of the fireplace he looked around in a confused frenzy. "This certainly doesn't look like Saint Mungo's to me..." After looking around at his surroundings he found that he had come out a few grates early. He was in Madam Malkin's robe shop.

"Damn!" he swore, quite loudly.

Madam Malkin looked at him with disdain.

"May I help you, sir?" she asked him sounding disapproving.

"No!" he sneered at her, and hurried out of the shop. Exiting he heard Madam Malkin muttering something like "That rude man!"

He turned to his right, and sped toward Gringotts. On his way he bumped into many people, but kept going all the same. It seemed as if he didn't even hear what the many witches and wizards shouted after him as he knocked them down. He was lucky that someone hadn't sent a hex flying after him. After he'd passed Gringotts he tensed to a sudden halt in front of a seemingly non-existent building. Indeed, it was very easy to ignore the small building, when overshadowed by the hulking form of Gringotts. From the outside none would guess how important it really was- especially for our potions-master.

During Voldemort's second reign of power, which had ended just a few years ago, St. Mungo's had been under attack by Death Eaters trying to get to some of the victims that had miraculously survived their gruesome ministrations. Though why they needed to do that considering the state most of them were in, was still a mystery to most people.

Due to those attack St. Mungo's had taken extra security measures to protect further attacks from occurring. It had worked very well, and even after Voldemort's downfall they had kept the new system.

Which is why Severus Snape was where he was at the moment. He entered the small building. and approached the reception table in the middle the hall. The witch currently on duty put down the book she had been reading, and turned to him, her blank gaze raking him over.

"Please state your name and reason for visiting St. Mungo's," she asked him in a monotone voice.

"My w- wife is ha- having a ba- baby," he stated, voice rough with emotion.

The woman behind the desk didn't even change her expression, and continued in the same unchanging voice.

"And your name please, sir,"

"Sev- erus Snape"

She waved her wand over a big book which was in front of her. He didn't see anything written there, but it must have meant something to her. She nodded, and handed him a bottle.

"Drink this Mr. Snape, it'll take you straight to your wife's room," she intoned, eyes already on the next page of her book.

Severus uncorked the bottle and drained the contents. He started shimmering, and felt a feeling similar to the discombobulation of apparating.

*~*~*

When he stopped, he found himself in an almost painfully white hospital room. Predictably, he'd always hated the whiteness of hospitals. This time he didn't even notice it, all of his attention was riveted on a figure lying on the nearby bed.

She looked tired and worn out, but to him she was still as beautiful as ever. Even more magnificent was the little bundle of blankets in her arms.

His child.

She looked up, and noticed him in staring at them in awe. Gracefully, she raised her free hand to her lips, signaling for him to be quiet. That wasn't really necessary, Hogwarts feared Potions Master was so captivated by the two of them that he couldn't even remember how to talk.

The woman on the bed crooked her finger for him to come over. His brain must have registered it on some subconscious level, for his legs started to move over. When he reached her bedside, and looked down at the little wonder in her hands, his heart melted.

"Do you want to hold him, Severus?" she asked looking away from the little boy in her hands and up to her husband.

"It's a him?" he asked finding his voice again.

"Yes. This is our son, you're a father now," she answered smiling.

"Hermione... I don't know what to say, I wouldn't know how to hold him. I might drop him-" he told her hesitatingly.

"Shush! Severus," she cut him off. "I'm sure you won't drop him."

She handed the precious little boy over to him gently. When she removed her arms the child woke, but didn't make a sound, somehow understanding that this new person was safe. Severus looked down to the small miracle in his arms, and felt his face breaking out into a huge smile.

He was looking down into the eyes of his son...