Finding You Again by jjjm0808

July 31st, 1980

“Oh my god… okay… everything will be okay Lils,” said James to calm down a very frazzled Lily. “Just take deep breaths it will be okay,” said James once more. Lily completely ignoring James, screamed out in pain and gripped his hand even tighter, almost tight enough to break every bone in his hand. “Lily bloody hell woman my hand!” She glanced up at him with a somewhat apologetic look as another wave of pain took over as she cried out “James! Where the hell is that bloody bastard!” James sighed, “Hopefully he’ll be here soon,” he said as calmly as he could while his thoughts were running wildly in his head ‘I swear if he doesn’t get here soon…’ he thought to himself.

Suddenly, the door to the hospital room at St. Mungos burst open, and in came a very frayed-looking Severus Snape. “Lily!” he exclaimed “I am so sorry! Those damn anti-apparition wards at Hogwarts.” He looked over at James and Severus gave him a small nod and a quiet “thank you”. James nodded back and took a step back from Lily’s side so Snape could take his place.

Lily immediately reached for Severus’s hand and squeezed as she cried out again from another contraction. Severus sat down next to her and kissed her forehead “I love you so much, it will be okay my love, not much longer” he said gently to his wife. He turned around to look at James “Potter! Do something useful and go get someone to help!” Snape snapped at him, but before James could even leave the room, Healer Frida Smith walked in and smiled “Let’s see how far along we are now” she said calmly and walked over to examine Lily. “Okay Mr. and Mrs. Snape, looks like your baby is ready to meet you guys. How does that sound?”

Lily just let out another groan whereas Severus gulped. He wasn’t sure how to feel at this moment, but he knew he had to be strong for his wife. Taking one glance in her direction and slightly smiling he turned back to the Healer Smith.

“We are ready.”

“Alrighty then let’s get started, shall we?” replied Healer Smith. “Mrs. Snape, when I tell you to push, you have to push as hard as you can okay?” Lily simply nodded and then looked up at her husband with tears pooling in her emerald eyes. Severus kissed her forehead again and then motioned for James to stand on the other side and hold her hand. Severus honestly hated seeing the man touch his wife, but he knew they were close friends, and he was extremely thankful for the man for keeping Lily and his unborn child safe while he was away. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard Healer Smith tell Lily to push. Severus never once took his eyes off his wife; she looked stunning. He ran a hand over her forehead brushing the few strands of strawberry blond hair stuck against it from all the sweat and allowed himself another soft smile for his wife.

After what seemed like forever, Lily finally collapsed back onto the pillows and let out an exhausted breath as a piercing cry broke through the room. “Congratulation’s mum and dad!” exclaimed Healer Smith, “you have a beautiful baby boy!” Severus thought his heart stopped beating for a few seconds as the words from Healer Smith’s mouth rang through his ears. ‘A boy… I have a son’ he thought. Severus would have been happy with either gender but hearing he had a son gave him a warm feeling in his chest as a few tears of his own pooled in his eyes. After Healer Smith cleaned off the newborn, she handed him over to Lily who had tears streaming down her face and she let out a happy cry and cradled her small son to her chest.

Without either Severus or Lily noticing, James slowly backed away from the side of the bed and pulled out a camera, and took a picture of the new family of three huddled around the bed smiling and gazing at their little boy wrapped tightly in a blanket. As much as James didn’t like to admit, he was incredibly happy that Lily and Severus have come this far in their relationship. He would never admit it or let it be shown, but he was beginning to respect Severus and promised he would do everything to keep his wife and son safe to keep Lily happy.

Lily looked up in James’ direction and motioned him to come back to her side. She gave a glance in Severus’ direction, and he gave her a small nod. “James” Lily began, “Severus and I… we want you to meet Harry James Snape.”

James’s jaw dropped. He knew the name Harry came from Lily’s father, but he never expected them to bestow his name as their son’s middle name. It was a tradition in the wizarding world for the first-born son to take the name of their father. He looked up at Severus and then back down to Lily and the small bundle in her arms and smiled. He knew he was going to love this boy like he was his own son.

“Obviously the copy of the birth certificate that will be submitted to the ministry will have to have Potter as the last name for the time being” Severus cut in with his smooth voice, even though James could detect a hint of animosity in it. James nodded and kissed Lily’s cheek and placed a hand on Harry’s head before straightening up. “I can go and get the paperwork started for you guys and give you three a moment alone,” he said and walked out of the room.

After James had left, Lily looked up at Severus and smiled. “I love both of my boys so much already,” she said quietly. Severus leaned over and gave her a long kiss on the lips. “I can never thank you enough for giving me one of the best gifts I could ever ask for… a son.” He sat back down in the chair and watched as Lily fed their son, the smile he hardly ever let anyone see aside from Lily, stayed plastered on his face. After Harry seemed to have his fill of food, Lily covered back up and laid back on the pillows letting out a big yawn. “Here Lily,” Severus said reaching out his arms, “let me have him so you can rest.” Lily simply nodded and handed Harry over to his dad and fully laid down in the bed closing her eyes. Not before long, she seemed to drift off into a light sleep.

Severus now sat in the chair with his son cradled tightly to his chest. “I know we have just met but I love you so much already my son,” Severus said quietly to the little bundle squirming in his arms. Harry opened his eyes and looked up at the man holding him and Snape held his breath. ‘Lily’s eyes’ he thought to himself. He raised one hand and started stroking the baby’s cheek with one long, thin finger as Harry then wrapped his little fist around his finger and held it tight. Severus felt his heart swell in his chest at the sight of his son and felt a few tears pool in his eyes as he then stood up and gently swayed back and forth with little Harry.

Snape was so caught up with his son he neither heard nor saw James entering the room again. James smiled softly and grabbed the camera again, capturing the moving picture of Severus Snape, the greasy git, the evil bat of the dungeons, the arsehole of a man, kissing the forehead of his newborn son and gently swaying him while whispering to the tiny baby in his arms. Snape looked up and saw James standing there and cleared his throat. James simply smiled and held up a file. “This is both of Harry’s birth certificates; the real and the fake” James stated. He walked over to Severus and opened the file to show him the real one.

“Harry James Snape, Born on the 31st day of July in the year 1980 to a Severus Tobias Snape and Lily Jade Evans-Snape”