Disclaimer: Except for some OCs, the characters here and the world they inhabit are the creation and property of JK Rowling.

Emily looked up in surprise to see her daughter back so soon. The child was clearly exhausted, but there was something burning in her eyes that kept the mother from making a comment. Instead, she took the bundle of letters that Hope brought and reached into a drawer for her diary. If she couldn't console the girl's lovesick heart, perhaps she could at least put her other concerns to rest.

“You should know,” began Emily, “that I was always well aware of your Daddy's feelings for Lily. They had been friends for a couple of years before they even came to Hogwarts, and she symbolized some feminine ideal for him. She was his first real friend. I knew, from the first time I asked to study with him, that I would never take her place.

“As we got older and your father became more and more interested in the Dark Arts, Lily started nagging and fussing at him. He became friends with a group that would later all become Death Eaters. Finally Lily couldn't stand it and broke off all contact with your father. He was heartbroken, and it sank him deeper into that circle of friends.”

“Why didn't Daddy join the Death Eaters then?”

“I think he had already started to rethink his interest in the Dark Arts. By seventh year he was looking at spells that would control such magic, or combat it. There was also the offer I had made to him. It became a sort of contest between us. He was under pressure to join the Death Eaters, and I was under a different sort of pressure from Sirius. We were waiting to see who held out longer.”

“Daddy must have liked you an awful lot to want to keep you from doing that.”

“You see? It wasn't quite like what Harry described to Voldemort, was it?”

“I guess not.”

The baby fussed, and Emily rose to pick him up. She checked his diaper and sat down again to nurse him. “I've told you about the circumstances of your birth. When I realized I was pregnant I was delighted, but I was nervous about telling your father. He was shocked at first, but he was never, not for an instant, Hope, angry or upset. The shock had turned to an interest in you within minutes, and he insisted that we get married. By the next morning, he was completely devoted to you. Whatever you believe about your father and me, I want you to know how very much we both have loved you, since the time we knew of your presence in our lives... not that it was all moonbeams and rose petals between us after we got married.”

Emily reached for her diary and found an entry that she showed the girl.

20 October 1979

...he's a besotted father, already. He is more excited by the changes in my body than I am. He spends hours studying me, trying to decide if the bulge that is our little one has moved up to my belly button, yet. He puts his face next to my belly and whispers all sorts of sweet little things to the person within me. He spends hours with his hands over the baby, waiting to feel the first kick. How could I not love a man who is so eager to be the father of my child?

Seeing the smile on the girl's face, Emily continued. “I don't know exactly what happened or why, but right before you were born he told me for the first time that he loved me.”

“So everything was fine after that?”

“No, I guess I didn't quite believe it. The next year I thought I had a reason to doubt your father. I blame my doubts for the death of your brother.”

“Marcus?”

Emily nodded. “I was terribly foolish and insecure.”

“Mum, how did you sort it out?”

Emily came out of her thoughts. “Your father and I did a lot of talking right after then. We learned, that year, to rely upon each other. Whatever two people might feel, Hope, if they are determined to help one another and care for each other, they will find together a love that overwhelms any trouble that could threaten them.”

Emily took the letters and started sorting through them. “Perhaps here you can find some of the proof you wish to find about the true state of your father's feelings.”

---

Severus Snape awoke with his head clasped to his wife's bosom and his arms around her waist. One of her arms was around his shoulders, and the other hand was in his hair. It was the most comforting place in the entire world. She smelled of lavender, verbena, and a new yet familiar smell. He smelled again and realized it was milk.

“Have you died as well, or has Heaven come to Earth?” he murmured.

The hand in his hair stroked his head lovingly, and the other hand rubbed down along his back. “When you're better, it will be Heaven on Earth,” came the reply, along with a kiss close to his ear.

He lifted his head and looked into her eyes. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“Our son sends you his love.”

Emily decided he must still be a bit delirious. She kissed his forehead. “Just rest. All is well.”

“Emily.” He wanted her full attention. She looked into his eyes and saw that he was completely awake and aware. “I saw Marcus. I was lying there, halfway between life and death, and I saw him. He was beautiful.”

“A face like Michelangelo's David, but in color,” slipped from Emily's lips as a faraway look came over her eyes. Her husband looked surprised.

“You've seen him?”

“Not exactly. I've imagined him from time to time as he would have grown up, a nose similar to yours, curly hair like Hope, brighter eyes than Brendon...”

Severus looked at his wife, considering. “He said you had a way of seeing him. He also said he loves you and that you need to stop blaming yourself. You've been a wonderful mother, and even if he only had the one day with us, it was a wonderful day.”

Emily's eyes watered, but she became professional. She stood and reached into a drawer for some supplies. “How are you feeling? Is the dressing on your neck too tight?”

He let her help him to a sitting position, and then let her probe his neck with her fingertips. “I hardly notice the injury right now. I just have this exhausting ache throughout my body.”

“That's not uncommon with venomous bites in general.”

Emily removed the gauze to dab some more potion on the wounds and redress them. When she spoke again, it was a bit tentative. “Severus, I owe you an apology. Almost all of the venom was released into the collar of your coat, before the fangs even broke your skin. Then your shirt collar proved an excellent binding to stem the flow of blood. It would seem that being completely buttoned up has indeed saved your life. I'll never tease you about it again.”

His answer was a laugh. “You must and you will tease me about it, again. It's our joke, Emily, and will be even more dear to us, now.” She didn't answer and he tugged her hand. “Truly, Emily, we must enjoy this small victory.” She smiled, and he released her just as a small cry was heard. Emily hastened to the bassinet.

“I notice that we are parents again. May I meet our new little one?”

Emily changed the baby's diaper and brought him to his father. “A bright and wonderful boy, Severus.”

He gently took the small bundle from his wife and kissed the small forehead before looking down at his son. “Was his birth difficult on you?”

“It was fairly easy, since I didn't have time to realize I was in labor until it was almost over. There were so many patients and there was so much going on, I almost didn't notice it. I do recall wishing I had the midwife I had the last time.” They exchanged a look and a memory.

Severus looked into the cheerful face, looking over the brown hair and the blue eyes that twinkled at him. “You told them Albus, as I asked?”

“Actually, I've been waiting for you.”

“Have you decided upon some other name?”

“No, Severus, it's just...”

He looked into her eyes and understood. “Were you so very worried?”

“We got a message from Poppy that the battle was going to begin, and everything went through my mind at once. Hope used the Floo from your office to mine, and I was in labor so I told her what to do. The baby came quickly, and then it was hours before I heard anything. Hope finally brought you, and you were so weak.”

Emily's voice trembled, and she paused for a moment to steady it. “I didn't say anything to her at the time, but I thought for hours that you had been brought here just so that I could ease your way from this life. You seemed so happy to be with me that I contented myself with that. I couldn't commit to anything else at the time.”

The blue eyes stopped twinkling, and the little mouth started pursing. Severus handed the baby back to Emily. “I believe he wants you at the moment.” Emily sat down in a chair and fed the baby while the child's father looked on in satisfaction.

“Now you can tell me what's been happening out in the world. Clearly the Dark Lord must not have won or you would have taken the children and disappeared.”

A stern look met a mutinous one before Emily answered. “Voldemort has been defeated. Your daughter returned to the school after bringing you here, and arrived in time to see Neville Longbottom destroy the snake.”

“How very gratifying.”

“I thought so. From what I've pieced together, your memories convinced Harry Potter to walk, by himself, into the forest and allow Voldemort to kill him.”

“I hope Dumbledore is happy, sacrificing the boy like that.”

“Well, it would appear that it only destroyed the Horcrux, because Potter showed back up just in time to destroy Voldemort once and for all.”

“And so it's all over.” Emily nodded and Severus thought for a few minutes. “Hope went back?” There was just a bit of accusation in his voice.

“I couldn't keep her. She was wild to be with Neville. She went back and saw him kill the snake and then they somehow fought together until the very end. She's perfectly fine,” Emily hastened to add when she saw the look crossing her husband's face, “just a bit worn down. I sent her to Mum's house to rest, but I don't know how much good it will do. Neville is friends with her again, but not interested otherwise, and she believed Potter's story about the love of your life.”

“Where would she hear that?”

“Everyone is talking about it. Potter made sure Voldemort knew all about your true allegiances, as Potter understood them. There was quite an audience, including our daughter, so now the entire Wizarding world knows of your great passion for Lily Evans.”

“Emily, I knew I should have added something else to those memories.”

“The memories worked perfectly as they were, Severus. Who is to say what even a small difference would have done?”

“I don't want my family hurt by it.”

“It will blow over. I think you might find an opportunity to discuss it with our daughter, though.” Albus detached himself and lay in his mother's arms, looking toward her face. Emily looked down and laughed. “With those eyes, it would be hard to choose a different name for you, young man.”

She held the baby to her shoulder to bring up a bubble and then looked contentedly down as he went to sleep. She put him down for his nap and accepted the invitation in Severus's eyes to join him on the bed. This time he held her to his chest, seeing that she was weary. “One last thing, before you rest, my love.”

She could hear his voice rumble through his chest and into her own body. It was pure joy. She hummed in response.

He asked, “How did I end up a patient in the Maternity Ward?”

Emily lifted her head and smiled into her husband's eyes. “Well, the hospital is crowded, and I wanted you near me... and not many would think to look for you here.”

“Is anyone looking for me?”

“So far only Rita Skeeter and her ilk, according to Mum. They want the details of your star-crossed love affair.”

“More troubles for you, I fear.”

“Not when I can hold you in my arms, alive and nearly whole. Nothing compares.”

He held her and pondered everything as he kissed her hair and held her dear form in his arms. Weary as she was, she fell asleep quickly. Tired as he was from the slight exertion of waking and talking, he followed soon after.