Come What May

Chapter 24

Hong Kong bustled around them, the early morning sunlight filtered by the haze of the city. Hermione and Severus carried their bags, standing at the curb to wave down a taxi. Hermione studied the skyline before her, awed at the glimmering lights hidden behind the smog. Severus held his leather duffel at his side, reaching out one arm to wave at the passing cars.

The witch blinked slowly, shaking the sleep from her eyes. Exhaustion had overwhelmed her, a cause Hermione was not sure of. Pregnancy, the stress of traveling, or perhaps, both? She watched as Severus beckoned her to the door of a taxi, opening it for his wife. As they moved into the backseat, Hermione and Severus were bunched together uncomfortably. His knees were pressed against the back of the passenger seat, the top of his head grazing the roof of the vehicle.

"Where to?" The driver asked, turning around so that he could face both Hermione and Severus. She peered up at him through her messy, long hair that had fallen down to curtain her face.

"Aberdeen, please."

"Going to Lamma Island?"

The witch nodded, pressing the hiking backpack between her legs as she glanced up at Severus. He had his elbow resting against the window ledge, his head propped in his palm.

"Hiking. Our honeymoon." She leaned her head over on his shoulder and grinned back at the man.

"Congratulations!"

Cars honked around them, the air thick with pollution and voices of excitement. The driver turned to face forward, putting the car into drive and racing out of the line of parked cars.

Sitting back up straight, Hermione slipped her hand over and gently caressed Severus' knee. He turned his head downwards and slipped her a tight smile, the corners of his eyes wrinkling slightly.

"How did you find the flight?" he asked her softly.

"It was fine. I'm just exhausted. As soon as we get where we need to, I'd like to go to a hotel and rest," she replied. Straightening, she let out a long sigh. Severus repositioned himself to face her straight on, sweeping the hair from her face.

"Are you ill?"

Hesitation filled her, Hermione's eyes wide as she held back the words she so desperately wanted to let out. "Just tired, I think."

With his brow furrowed, Severus waited a few moments for Hermione to finish her sentence. To his surprise, she did not continue speaking, but instead laid her head back and closed her eyes. What was she getting at? Rarely did his wife complain of being tired, or run down. Perhaps she was getting ill. Severus felt himself growing frustrated at the thought of Hermione keeping something from him. Even if it was a silly little head cold, or something.

The taxi drove them further into the heart of Hong Kong, swerving through multiple lanes of traffic. Through the morning drive, he studied the massive greenery surrounding the stark, cloud-brushing skyline. Never, in all his years, did Severus Snape ever believe he would be travelling to Hong Kong. Even so, going to Hong Kong for the intent that he was. Glancing back down at his sleeping wife, Severus studied her in disbelief.

Hermione Granger, now Hermione Snape, his wife. A woman who had shown her true colors: A fiery crimson when she fought for what she was passionate about, an icy arctic blue when she was holding back her angry words. Despite all her colors, Severus held his favorite at the very front of his mind. Her soft, ballet slipper pink. Hermione, a sweet, loving woman. One who had sacrificed so much for him.

Guilt filled him, brimming Severus with a sick feeling that nestled deep in his abdomen. They'd come all the way to Hong fucking Kong, and he might still die anyway. What a massive waste!, he thought. But then, what if they did? A cure. A fire stirred inside him. He would not leave the island without the answer.

Nearly an hour later, the taxi stopped abruptly, pulling up to a curb parallel to a busy sidewalk. Next to the car was a widely spread fish market, bustling with customers and salespeople. Severus roused Hermione from her sleeping state, the witch lifting her head up and closing her mouth. He grabbed ahold of the duffel between his legs, and Hermione did the same.

The taxi driver turned to them, his hand remaining on the wheel. "504 dollars."

"Keep the change." Hermione had unzipped her backpack, reaching into a hidden pocket to use a bit of magic and convert her British muggle currency to the Hong Kong dollar.

The driver accepted it graciously, nodding his head at them and smiled. "Have a nice vacation!"

As the couple crawled out of the backseat of the car, the overwhelming scent of the bay filled their nostrils. Hermione gagged, covering her mouth. The fish market had overpowered her, nausea sweeping through her. Oh Merlin, was she going to be sick? She felt the bile rise in the back of her throat, and she dropped her bag suddenly to race towards a street light. Leaning against the pole, Hermione hunched over and began to heave. There was nothing that emptied out of her, but the sickening, icy feeling continued to roll through her.

At once, her hair was swept backwards from her face, strong hands clutching her long locks in a ponytail. Hermione closed her eyes for another moment, and stood up straight. She turned around and plunged right into Severus' chest, her arms reaching around his torso to cling to him.

"I think you're ill... Once we find the shaman, I can brew you a potion that'll help." he uttered, leaning over slightly to rest his chin on the crown of her head.

"Honestly, it's just nerves. Let's get on the ferry and get to the Island. The quicker we get there, the quicker we can get an answer."

Once on the ferry from Aberdeen, the couple stood at the front of the large ship, surrounded by muggle cars and the chilly morning air. Hermione's hair was whipping about in the wind just as Severus was turning up the collar of his wool coat that he had pulled from a compartment in his duffel.

Hermione felt propelled to tell Severus about the pregnancy. If she didn't and they left Hong Kong empty-handed from the Shaman, she would never forgive herself. On the other hand, she found herself angry at the thought of telling him and with the answer being found, Severus would leave to fulfill his dreams alone. She was damned either way... Might as well be honest, she thought. It was one of her biggest rules in their new relationship terms.

"I am ill, but not in the way you think." Hermione began, her voice low. As her hands gripped the chilled railing of the ferry, she let her eyes lift to meet Severus'. "I didn't want to tell you until after we'd seen the shaman, but I can't wait. The uncertainty of it all... I just, I have to. Severus, I'm pregnant."

His mouth opened ever-so slightly, his dark eyes opening wider with the realization. Severus squeezed the railing, his jaw clenched. "How long?"

"I think only a few weeks. I've not even been to a healer or even Madam Pomfrey. I... I took a muggle pregnancy test in the airport. Plus, I'd missed my period."

The honesty felt like a breath of fresh air to Hermione, both her shoulders and her conscience lighter. But Severus appeared to have taken on the burden of this. Had she just given him another worry, another fear?

"Thank you for telling me."

That was all he said. Nothing else? Hermione let her eyes rest on his face a moment longer, and then they fell to study the choppy waves of the bay.

"Will you be happy?" she asked softly, speaking with just enough volume that Severus could barely hear.

"You care about my happiness right now? Perhaps we should concern ourselves with the fact that if we don't find the cure, I will not live to see the day when my child is born." he uttered, exhaling heavily.

Hermione nodded her head while she bit her lip to fight back tears. The baby, the small tiny bean growing inside of her, was insignificant. It didn't matter to him. Not right now. And perhaps, it wouldn't ever.