"It's gorgeous," his rough fingertips caressed the swell of her bare stomach.
"You're gorgeous," he stood up from where he had been kneeling in front of her.
She blushed unconsciously as she slipped on one of her large T-shirts that acted as a nightgown.
She slipped her bra straps over her shoulders and pulled it skillfully through her sleeve shirt, throwing it to the hamper.
But now she was ready for bed and he would be leaving.
She didn't want to be alone again.
"Sirius," she stopped him mid-step as he headed for the door.
"Will you stay, just for tonight..." she gestured to the darkening sky visible her open window.
Remus had left hours ago. It was a full moon.
"I can't sleep and well ... it used to work before."
"I remember," he smiled gently as he moved over to her.
She looked confused for a moment before he bent to scoop her up.
She laughed as he carried her bride-style to the bed.
She almost fell out of his arms as he tried to both carry her and pull back the bed sheets.
"I'll have to work on that one," he chuckled as he laid her on the bed and proceeded to tuck her in.
He jumped to the other side of the bed and slid in beside her, tucking the sheets around himself so that no cold air could reach her.
They moved simultaneously towards each other; Hermione's back snuggled against his soft cotton shirt and his hands wrapping softly around her middle, cradling their extra companion.
"I'm worried about Harry," she whispered to him in the darkened room.
"I know, but I'm here to help him now too... we've got one less down now don't we?"
It was true. After Harry's rash decision to tell Sirius about the horcruxes, one of which Hermione was at first completely scandaled by but now secretly wished to kiss Harry for, Sirius had immediately recognized the writing of the letter, having been the script of his younger brother. The locket was found to be right under their noses and they proceeded to destroy it, a dark mark in the carpet the only sign that a part of Tom Riddle's soul once resided in the Manor.
But they still had far to go.
"Mmm," was her noncommittal reply.
"You'll be here," he annoyingly read her worries easily. "I'll say it's mine."
"Sirius!" Hermione turned as much as his firm hold would allow, trying to make out his face through the dim light offered from the window.
"I'm not arguing on it Hermione." She couldn't see him but she could imagine his face was set in that adorable stubborn expression.
"How Sirius," she said softly. "You impregnated me when you were trapped in the veil? The math is obviously wrong, no one would believe it. How could it be yours?"
"Magic, darling."
She laughed, "You're simply impossible Sirius Black."
"Impossibly handsome?"
She snuggled back down into his hold.
"Mmm, maybe that too?"
He laughed into her hair and she fell asleep listening to his soft breaths.
"Aaahhhh!"
She jumped out of bed fumbling for her wand on the bedside table beside her.
"Oh Severus!" She breathed a shaky sigh of relief as she brushed her hair away from her face looking down, baffled at the still sleeping form in her bed.
"And here I was expecting you to jump out of there naked; I guess Black isn't as lucky as they all think." His sarcastic voice filled the empty room.
"You stunned him?" she poked Sirius confirming her suspicions when he did not move.
"You know Severus I really wish you would stop doing that swooping thing, seeing you hovering outside of my window really lives up to that rumor of you as a Vampire."
"Severus?" she turned back to the tall dark figure on the other side of the room, his unusual silence somewhat unnerving.
His gaze was settled on her, but not at her face.
She looked down to see the large shirt sticking to her skin, held close to her curves by the mold of Sirius' arms. Her pregnancy was undeniable.
She pulled on the material so it wouldn't stick so much, but it was superfluous actions, he had already seen all he had too.
"You ... you didn't mean to come back did you?"
She smiled bitterly, "Do I really need to answer that?"
They stood in silence. She shivered slightly not sure if it was because of a cool breeze or his cold gaze.
"I lost them too you know," she whispered daringly to the carpet at her feet.
A warm arm was at her shoulders and she was being pulled into his chest.
She closed her eyes, his touch meaning more to her than she could ever find words to express.
"I'll kill that fucking bastard," Severus whispered harshly above her.
She didn't quite understand but was just so glad to have her friend truly back.
He walked her to the bed but she stopped him before they could reach it her hand coming over her mouth as a bout of nausea threatened.
She held up a hand to stop him as he tried to move to help her.
"I'll be okay ... just give me a second."
"Hermione," his voice was rich with concern.
"Severus, I'm fine, it's just some dwindling morning sickness; it comes and goes."
He didn't seem satisfied. "You're too far along for this to be morning sickness Hermione. When was the last time this happened?"
Hermione's brow furrowed in annoyance; since when was Snape a midwife anyway?
"A few weeks I guess," she muttered as she steadied herself against his outstretched arm.
"Maybe around four weeks?" He prompted.
"Perhaps," she snapped.
"You do realize you doubled over right when you walked through the stream of light coming from your window? Moonlight to be precise."
Her hand clapped over her mouth as her eyes found the round orb glowing through the glass planes.
She shook her head. Nononononono...No!
"Severus!"
"What can that mean? It isn't ... the baby ... it won't ... please, no?"
He sighed as he helped her move to the edge of the bed.
"I can't tell. No one can. But if it is ... it's awfully dangerous for you and the child, not to mention those around you."
She sniffled as she held her stomach in her hands.
"I'll make you a watered down Wolfsbane. If the baby isn't ... affected with the condition it won't be affected by the potion. The danger is if the baby is actually transforming inside of you -"
He stopped to check if she was ok but she waved for him to continue needing to know it all now.
"If not sated it could do some horrible damage inside of you. There is also the possibility that it could turn you too.
"Keeping Black with you is a good idea." He shot a brief glance to the unmoving body behind them.
"He can stay with you in his animagus form during your vulnerable days. The potion should help enough though. Let's just hope you don't deliver across a full moon..."
He looked to the clock in the corner of the room and swore softly.
"I'm sorry Hermione, I have to go," he pulled out another large scroll of parchment and tapped it with his wand before placing on her nightstand. "I'll be back with the potion next Moon."
"You will be okay," he hesitated for a second before quickly bending down to place a soft kiss on her head.
Like the bat that he was always said to be his cloak spread out like wings as he stepped out of her window and into the night time sky.
"Snivelus should really work on his stunning spells if he's going to make a good Death Eater one day."
She gasped as she turned to watch Sirius sitting up.
"How - how much did you hear?" she asked cautiously as she wiped the few tears that were growing under her eyelids.
"Enough. Come here, kitten." She crawled up to him and curled into his lap as he wrapped his strong arms around her.
"You'll be fine. And so will she," he smoothed a hand over her stomach. "Although lycanthropy might make it a bit harder to pass her off as mine ... Can we just say Remus bit her?"
She couldn't help but laugh at his serious posed question.
"You called her a 'her'."
"You just did too you know?"
She watched his hand rub small circles where the baby rested.
"I hope she's a girl ... you're far prettier than Remus."