Epilogue

Ginny sat bolt upright. She flopped back, exhausted. "I remember…"

From where they lay on either side of her, Draco and Harry sat up and leaned over her, their faces mirrors of concern.

"Ginny!"

"You're awake! Are you all right? Has the plague—"

"I'm fine." 'Just tired.' "I think… I think it's gone. I was at the Burrow, with Mum." Ginny sniffled. Much as she'd wanted to live, she hadn't wanted to leave there. "Not dreaming, but like when you were at King's Cross talking to Dumbledore, Harry."

Draco caressed her cheek. He'd lost his mother recently, too, to the same thing. Ginny had to look away from him. So soon after seeing her mum, it was painful.

"What did she say to you?" On second thoughts, Draco's grief-stricken empathy was easier to bear than Harry's tactless nosiness.

She paused before replying until she could be sure she wouldn't burst into tears. "Apart from that she loves us all, she had a message for me."

Harry gripped her hand, clumsily offering what comfort he could. "What message?"

"It's not a plague but a curse. You-Know-Who's handiwork, and his body had to be destroyed to stop it. Thing is, I couldn't pass the message on."

Before she'd even finished speaking, Harry rolled out of bed and to his feet. "We've got to find Kingsley and tell him!" He bolted for the door.

"But I'm awake! I feel fine! Someone else must have managed to pass it on, and someone must have got rid of the body."

Harry paused in the doorway at her words. "We've still got to be sure."

"Harry, wait!"

"Sorry, Ginny, the sooner I go, the sooner I can come back." He ran away, his footsteps fading.

Ginny turned to her remaining husband. "Draco, could you go to Malfoy Manor? I'm fine, but… is Hermione?"

Draco shook his head. "I don't want to leave you on your own. Father said he'd let us know if the worst happened."

She sighed. "Then no news is good news."

Kingsley Shacklebolt raised his head from where it had dropped onto his desk with a painful sounding thud. "Lucius Malfoy has the last Time-Turner and Polyjuice samples of me, and you say I can't arrest him?"

Severus resisted the urge to smirk. "Not if you're determined to be a better Minister than those before you. He saved Hermione's life. He saved the lives of all witches, worldwide."

Kingsley looked as though he'd smelled something foul. "Merlin fuck me. I'm going to have to give him an Order of Merlin, aren't I?"

"Look on the bright side. The crisis is over."

"Yes. And the mystery is solved. I had Harry Potter barge in here not long ago to tell me what you'd already told me about the plague-that's-really-a-death-curse, and that his wife had inexplicably recovered. I knew Voldemort's body must have been destroyed, but not who had done it."

"Potter wasn't too disappointed someone had already stolen his thunder?"

"Not when it meant his wife really must have recovered. He wanted to know if Hermione had survived. I think he left to see for himself… When I told him what I last knew from you – that she was dead – he didn't want to believe it."

Hopefully Lucius would have finished with him by the time Severus returned. He didn't feel like dealing with Potter.

"I'll let Lucius off the charge of impersonating me, provided that he surrenders his collection of clippings from me. And that he tells me where he acquired them from."

Severus nodded. "Understood. I'll pass the message on."

"Where is the hero of the day, anyway? I can understand him sending you to do his dirty work, but I'd think he'd want to be here for me to thank him in person, just so he can rub it in."

"He had a letter to write."

Kingsley stared at him. "What letter can be so important?"

"This particular letter orchestrated events so that Hermione would not die. I'd say that's far more important than being here in person."

"He has a Time-Turner! He can be in more than one place at once. Which reminds me, he needs to turn that over to the Department of Mysteries."

"I believe Lucius also didn't want to risk being arrested. And I'll hand it over personally if he does not." Severus turned back to the fireplace and took a handful of Floo powder from the pot on the mantelpiece.

"See that you do. And Severus?"

He paused, hand outstretched to throw in a handful of Floo powder.

"Do pass on my thanks to Malfoy. And tell Hermione I'm very glad she survived."

"As am I," Severus muttered. Again, he wished he could have sent Lucius in his place. He hadn't wanted to leave Hermione's side. The sooner he could get back, the better. Before Kingsley could say anything else, he threw in the Floo powder. "Malfoy Manor!"

That night, finally alone together, Severus settled into bed beside Hermione, pulling her into his arms even as she wrapped hers around him. They lay clinging together in silence. Severus could not speak through the lump in his throat, not that there was any need to. Hermione already knew he'd been afraid that he'd lost her. Seeing him try to throttle the life out of Lucius was proof enough of that.

Finally the stifling emotion passed, and Severus could relax. His mind wandered again to Lucius, and to what Narcissa had said about him in Hermione's memory of her near death experience. Something had to be done, but what? Clearly this was not something he alone could decide.

He pulled away slightly so that he could make eye contact with Hermione. "What Narcissa said about Lucius…"

Hermione looked confused for a moment, before she blushed and looked away. "Oh. You saw that part. I only meant to extract the bit about the plague being a curse and Voldemort's body needing to be destroyed."

"Look at me," Severus murmured. Hermione reluctantly did as he asked when he gently laid his hand against her cheek. "You admitted to finding Lucius attractive, but I cannot hold that against you. He is an attractive man."

"And I'm attracted to you. I love you, not him."

Severus leaned over and kissed her. "I know. My point is that Narcissa's last wishes were that Lucius should not be left alone for the rest of his life. While we are there for him as friends, I do acknowledge that he needs more, or he'll have nothing but the emptiness of memories until the end of his days."

Hermione nodded. "It will be at least seventeen years before there's available witches again. The plague was worldwide, all witches will be married off by now – apart from the new Muggle-borns. But what can we do?"

"Despite his word to the contrary, Lucius does want a more husbandly role. And after all he's done, he does deserve something more," Severus forced out through clenched teeth. "But if we are to give him what he wants – a ménage à trois – it should not be out of gratitude. Or a pity fuck."

"Agreed. It's not something that can happen instantly, either, if it does happen. That sort of relationship can't be built overnight. I might find him attractive, but I need to trust him more than I do. I mean, I obviously trust him to save my life, but I'd trust Harry and Ron to do that, too. It doesn't mean I'd trust them to join us in bed." She caught the thunderous expression on Severus's face and rolled her eyes. "I don't mean I want them to, idiot man! Just thinking of Lucius in bed with us is more than enough. Too much, even, at the moment. I'm not ready. You're not ready. I don't think even Lucius would be ready."

"Perhaps a variation of a marital contract would help build the trust needed with Lucius. Something with clear conditions, signed by all of us."

Hermione groaned. "Let me guess, that means signing with that infernal Blood quill again."

"I'm afraid so. But it is far more comfortable than Unbreakable Vows and secure enough for our purposes."

"What sort of conditions?"

"Nothing Lucius won't agree to. It can wait until morning."

She yawned, triggering a massive, jaw cracking one of his own. "Good night," she murmured, nuzzling close.

"I have two options for you, Lucius. You can either keep your illicit collection of memories of Hermione and me, or you dispose of them and we can discuss further options for you."

Lucius stared at him. "That's it? Not even threatening me with loss of limb? Surely you must know or suspect the content of those memories. I'm not complaining, but the Severus Snape I know would exact his revenge."

"I haven't told Hermione about your collection of Pensieve porn yet. And if you destroy those memories, I will keep your dirty little secret."

Lucius's hand twitched towards his wand, but he casually moved it away again when Severus pointedly drew his own and began to ostensibly polish it with his handkerchief. Obliviate was not an option for Lucius. Even if he somehow managed to get the drop on Severus, not for nothing had he set up safeguards with Dilly.

"What are these options? You can't expect me to make such a decision when there are no clear benefits for me."

Severus reached into his pocket and withdrew a vial. "This is the antidote to your sterility." He threw it at Lucius, who caught it with fumbling hands, almost dropping it. "I've already taken mine. Much as I wish it could be, it can't be your reward for getting rid of those memories. Not when the immediate return of our fertility can be thought to be connected to the breaking of the death curse."

"Thank you." Lucius opened the vial and drained it, grimacing at the taste. "What are the benefits of doing as you wish with the memories, then?"

"As I wish?" Severus glared at Lucius. "What I want has nothing to do with it. This is to your benefit, not mine. I've already discussed the matter with Hermione as much as I could without mentioning those memories."

"Well, spit it out!"

Severus took a sheet of parchment from his pocket and handed it over to Lucius.

"A contract?" Lucius read through it aloud, his eyebrows rising higher with each word. "'We, the undersigned, Hermione Granger and Severus Snape, release Lucius Malfoy from his word that he will not pursue conjugal relations with Hermione, with the understanding that he will not engage in conjugal relations with Hermione alone, as that is for Severus and Hermione as a couple in love. Any possible future sexual activities Lucius is involved in must involve the prior consent and agreement of all parties.'"

Severus moved so that he could see the contract and stabbed a finger at it. "You will note that the possibility of a ménage à trois is only a future option. None of us are ready for that yet. Such relationships must be built on trust."

"Understood." Lucius nodded and looked over at him sharply. "Trust… that's why you haven't told her about that incriminating shelf of memories in my formerly secret room."

"Indeed. It would break what trust she has in you, and she'd never be able to trust you again. She already doesn't trust you enough yet to let you jump into bed with her."

Lucius was staring at him as though he'd grown a second head. "You have the power to ensure that I will never have anything with Hermione, yet you would let that go? You know I have memories of the pair of you that I've taken voyeuristic pleasure in, yet you would let me sign this contract and open up such possibilities… Why?"

"To be perfectly honest, I'd rather that you're not left to your own devices. I have some idea what you are capable of. You wriggled around an oath on your magic not to spy on my bedroom activities with Hermione. And there is the fact that you have changed – you saved Hermione's life. A Muggle-born. There is also Narcissa's last wishes."

"What last wishes?"

"You saw the memory." Severus raised an eyebrow. What had Lucius been doing, if not memorising every word his beloved late wife said? "Or weren't you listening at that point? Narcissa didn't want you to be alone for the rest of your life. Hence that condition." Severus pointed at the contract again.

"'…should the undersigned Lucius Malfoy require more than Severus and Hermione may be able to provide in future – namely the possibility of joining them in a ménage à trois on special occasions – he will be granted an amicable divorce on request as soon as it is legally possible.'" Lucius flipped over the parchment, checking that he hadn't missed anything. "I see that you and Hermione have already signed. A blood quill, I presume…"

"What is it to be, then? Wallowing in memories, or the possibility of something more?" Severus pulled the quill from a pocket and offered it to Lucius.

Unsurprisingly, he took it. "I have other memories," Lucius muttered as he signed, wincing as his signature was cut across the back of his hand as well as scrawled onto the parchment. "And I've never had the opportunity to partake in a threesome before."

"You do understand that it is only a possibility? Not a guarantee?"

"Oh, yes, I know." Lucius smirked. "But I'm also sure I'll be able to seduce the pair of you."

"Trust, remember, Lucius. That is the foundation you need, not lust alone."

"On that note, I suppose you have another contract in mind to ensure that I do dispose of those memories."

In reply, Severus withdrew another sheet of parchment from his pocket and handed it to Lucius, who glanced over the contents, balled it up and set it on fire.

"What are you doing?" Severus raised his wand. Did his friend have some treachery in mind now that he had what he wanted?

"Calm down. Hermione cannot know of this contract. While I could try to hide it, I cannot risk the manor wards accepting her more than me as a certain house-elf already has. I have another idea. I'm willing to make an Unbreakable Vow."

Severus flinched in memory. "Don't be absurd. Unbreakable Vows are not to be trifled with. Besides, who would act as bonder?"

"Not Hermione, as you would not stand for her to be Obliviated, I take it? No, I propose Draco. While I'd rather not modify his memories either, if he knew of my 'dirty little secret' it would harm our fragile father-son bond. Knowing that his father is a voyeur might be too much for his tender sensibilities."

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. He might be one as well."

"Perhaps… but he might take after Narcissa in this respect. She never approved of my voyeurism. Not unless she could be an active participant, and that's not the point of it."

"Very well. If you are so set on an Unbreakable Vow, so be it."

"I am. I'll Floo Draco."

Still glaring at his father, Draco pressed the tip of his wand to Severus and Lucius's clasped hands.

"Will you, Lucius, destroy today all of the memories made of Hermione and myself without our permission?"

"I will." At Lucius's words and the ribbon of flame binding their hands together, the heat in Draco's glare faded slightly.

"Nothing more?" Draco growled.

"No." The tongue of flame tightened around their hands before it faded as Draco reluctantly withdrew his wand. "With the contract, this is more than enough. And the Unbreakable Vow was your father's idea."

"Humph." Draco's glower did not falter. Clearly Lucius was right and an Obliviate was in order so that the reconciliation between father and son was not damaged.

"Thank you, Draco," Severus murmured and drew his wand. "Obliviate!"

Severus settled in on the comfortable armchair and was about to open his book when he registered that Hermione hadn't sat down beside him yet.

She stood frozen, trembling hand outstretched to take a book.

"Hermione?" Of course. Those lethal, threatening books of her personal threshold… "It's all right. The worst these books can do is give you a paper cut, if you keep away from the Darker ones."

"I know!" Hermione snapped. She set her jaw and snatched the book from the shelf. She threw herself down beside him, but still hesitated before opening the book. "I know I'm being silly," she muttered.

Severus laid a hand over hers and gently flipped the book open. "Not to me. Traumatised, yes. But don't let it win."

She glared down at the book. "I won't." She lifted it up and started to read, soon devouring pages at her usual rate.

The Daily Prophet

Friday 5th November, 1999

PLAGUE WAS A DEATH CURSE!

"Lord Voldemort, You-Know-Who, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, Lord Thingy, Tom Riddle… whatever you want to call him, he was responsible for this, his last act. He almost managed to kill all witches.

"A message from the beyond ensured that he failed, although many witches died. A comatose Hermione Granger managed to pass on this vital message to her husbands. It would have been too late for her if Lucius Malfoy had not possessed the last Time-Turner, which he used to go back in time to destroy Voldemort's body and end the curse, saving his wife's life and those of all other surviving witches.

"For this, I present Lucius Malfoy with the thanks of the Ministry of Magic and an Order of Merlin (First Class). He has returned his Time-Turner to the Department of Mysteries, where it will allow our Unspeakables to recreate more of them."

See page 2 for interview with saviour Malfoy!

END OF MARRIAGE LAW IN SIGHT!

The Wizengamot have finally seen sense and have modified the controversial marriage law, permanently revoking the reproductive stipulations.

Why is this, we ask? In the same announcement, our Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt revealed the reason: now that the plague is obliterated, Muggle-born births are replacing the dead witches. Magic itself is righting the balance among the magical population!

The antidote to the gender selection potion will be given to all affected witches, so that new little wizards and witches will be both male and female, regardless of whether they are pure-blood or Muggle-born. But as there already are many new Muggle-born baby girls, we should prepare ourselves for our sons to marry new blood.

The marital element to the law still stands until there are enough new witches of age. At that point, new polyandrous unions will be banned, with only existing ones remaining legal.

LUCIUS MALFOY SPEAKS!

An exclusive interview with the latest recipient of the Order of Merlin (First Class), Lucius Malfoy.

"I did what anyone in my place would have done. And I could not have done it without Severus Snape. He kept Hermione alive this long with his work on the temporary cure, a cure which held the plague-curse in check for many months. I also could not have done it without the message Hermione passed on, which let me know what I had to do: destroy the Dark Lord's body.

"And I took great pleasure in doing so. I was once fool enough to be one of the Dark Lord's Death Eaters, something I could not regret more. He killed my first wife, Narcissa, and almost killed my second, Hermione.

"I am the Ministry's new Muggle-born Liaison. As such, I am responsible for the smooth passage of the increased influx of Muggle-borns into our world, who will enter Hogwarts in approximately eleven years. Once these girls are of age, I do advocate our future sons courting them.

"We should welcome these incoming Muggle-born girls. We should ensure that they are educated in the ways of the wizarding world, sponsor them. But only take them from their birth families if those are abusive. Any adoptions of such abused children by magical parents will be closely monitored. Muggles are not the only people capable of abuse.

"Despite my past views, I now know better. Look at my wife, Hermione Granger. She is a prime example of what Muggle-borns can be. Look at her achievements: the brightest witch of her age. She kept the Boy-Who-Lived alive so that he could defeat the Dark Lord. Fresh blood is to be welcomed.

"Purity should be a thing of the past. Look at what pure-blood mania almost cost us. The Dark Lord believed in it, and he almost succeeded in making witches extinct, regardless of their blood purity. I implore you to think of what he and his beliefs cost us. How many wives, mothers, sisters and daughters have to die before we eradicate the Dark Lord's beliefs like I eradicated his body?"

"Happy birthday, dear Cissus! Happy birthday to you!"

Narcissus, Lucius's ten year old grandson, blew out the candles on the massive cake. His pale red hair stood out from the sea of redheads around him, except where his part-Veela cousins were paler still. His half-siblings, James and Molly, were dark haired exceptions in the mass of next generation Weasleys, but then they were Potters. The concept and reality of a redheaded Malfoy had been hard for Lucius to take, but Severus didn't believe a word of his grumbling. Lucius adored Cissus.

The supervising Ginny magically cut the birthday cake into enough pieces for all present. She slapped Ronald's hand away, before a flick of her wand set the slices of cake onto plates, and another had everyone with some cake.

Various high-pitched cries of "Thank you, Mummy!" and "Thank you, Auntie Ginny!" had Hermione turning away, but not before Severus caught sight of her brittle smile, and the flicker of pain in her eyes. So many children… none of them her own.

Hermione moved so that she could whisper something to Ginny, whose smile faltered, but she nodded in understanding and hugged Hermione. Moments later, Hermione slipped inside the Burrow.

Severus exchanged a worried glance with Lucius.

"I know. It's not just Narcissus's birthday today," Lucius stated. "Go. I'll stay. Cissus will have to be happy just to have his grandfather here, and not his Grand-Snapes."

Severus nodded stiffly and followed Hermione. As he expected, she had gone. He twisted into the squeeze of Disapparation.

Tucked away into a corner of Malfoy Manor's garden were seven small graves, each with a small headstone marked simply with 'Snape' and a date. The last of these shared that of Narcissus's birthday.

Whether these were their unborn sons or daughters, neither Severus nor Hermione knew. Neither had wanted to know exactly what they had lost.

Hermione knelt before the last of these, her shoulders shaking with her sobs. To see these graves was a knife to the heart. To see Hermione's grief twisted that knife. Severus swallowed hard, and swiped a hand across his eyes. It would do her no good if he joined her in tears.

He staggered forward and laid a hand on her shoulder, dropping to his own knees beside her. She turned to him and let him pull her into his embrace, her tears soaking into his robes.

Clinging together, he waited until her sobs quietened and were replaced by sniffles. Good. Not that he resented her right to grieve, far from it… just that in her delicate state, it could add to the risk already there.

"I'm sorry," she muttered.

He pressed a kiss against her brow. "It's not your fault."

"It will be if I don't calm down! I can't help it, though. I fear it will happen again, that I'll lose this one, too." She put a hand between them, to where the child swelling her belly pressed against him.

He tightened his arms around her. "As do I. But it still won't be your fault."

"Fear adds to the risk. I know that, even without the Healers telling me that whenever I see them."

"There is always hope, though. Especially this time. You've never been this far along."

"I know." She looked away, at the graves. She flinched and turned back to him. "It still hurts, Severus."

"I know." He pulled her closer and laid his head against hers, forehead to forehead. He closed his eyes against the threatening sting of tears. "If… if the worst happens. If you never carry to term, or… it ends in stillbirth—"

Another sob escaped Hermione. He turned his head to kiss her gently. They both knew what that would mean. They had one chance for a child, only one. After that, even if it were stillborn, there would be no more.

"If the worst happens, it won't – doesn't – change how I feel about you. I love you, not your fertility."

"Severus," she sobbed, and kissed him, her tears wet against his cheeks.

The Daily Prophet

Friday 20th December, 2013

Births:

Lucius Malfoy, godfather, welcomes Octavia, born on 19th December to Hermione Granger and Severus Snape.

The End

AN: Many, many thanks to Kribu, Septentrion and JunoMagic for betaing. Considering the first chapter was finished on 14th February 2008, it's taken quite a while to finish this story. It was my new year's resolution to finish it this year, and I have managed that. Thanks to my readers for sticking with me for so long, and I hope you've enjoyed the ride.