As the end of March melted into the beginning of April, the students began to get anxious. The fifth years worried themselves over OWLS while the 6th and 7th years busied themselves with preparing for NEWT exams. The forthcoming examinations also strained the staff to quicken their lessons and cram everything in. In general, the mass majority of the Hogwarts population felt frenzied.
�I don�t want to get up,� Karina moaned sleepily as Severus shook her gently.
�You�re going to miss class,� he said.
�I don�t care. I�m tired,� she grunted and rolled over as best she could.
�Tired? You slept for 9 hours how can you be tired?� he inquired.
�You try carrying around 33 pounds of baby and see how you feel!� Karina sniffed.
�Oh,� he replied simply.
�I�ll talk to Minerva and try and get you out of class then,� he added and walked out of the room.
�Thanks,� she mumbled as she fell back to sleep.
Severus briskly weaved his way through the masses of students headed for classes and arrived at the Transfiguration classroom. He knocked and then entered. The sun shone cheerfully through the open windows, spilling into the classroom.
�Minerva,� he said closing the door behind him.
�Yes?� she answered from behind the morning issue of the Daily Prophet.
�I just wanted to let you know that Karina isn�t feeling well today and will not be in class,� Severus said.
�Well I can imagine she�s getting fairly hefty with two of them,� she said, raising an eyebrow.
Crimson leapt onto Severus� pale cheeks. He felt more like a parent than a spouse at the moment and wasn�t sure he liked it.
�When is she due?� Minerva questioned jovially.
�Next month,� Snape answered.
�Oh. Well I don�t believe she�ll be able to have them with her during examinations,� McGonagall stated, more to herself than Severus.
�That�s what spouses are for,� Snape countered with a smile.
�Somehow Severus I can�t see you with children,� Minerva said laughing.
�Well the same to you,� he replied, emitting a small laugh of his own.
Just then, students began filtering into the classroom. Remembering that he had an annoying horde of second years to teach, he swiveled around and exited the room. As Ron, Harry and Hermione took their seats, they exchanged nervous glances.
�Wonder what he was doing in here?� Ron whispered.
�Yeah. I heard a few weeks ago he attacked her. Just starting hitting her,� Harry whispered back.
�I wouldn�t put it past the filthy louse,� Hermione added.
�Is there something you three would care to share with the class?� McGonagall inquired of the trio with a glare.
�No Professor,� they said in unison.
�Alright then let�s begin. Only five weeks until NEWT exams,� she stated tersely.
�Don�t remind us,� Harry groaned.
The rest of the class went by in a blur. They covered quite a large quantity of information which none of them would remember the next day. Both Gryffindors and Slytherins alike let out a sigh of relief when the bell rang.
�I wonder where Karina was?� Hermione muttered nonchalantly.
�Who ca---,� Harry began but was interrupted by Ron.
�Look!� Ron exclaimed while his two companions followed his gaze.
Not twenty yards away, Karina stood, fully robed sipping a mug of coffee and talking with Professor Snape. The trio swapped confused glances as they proceeded towards the Potions classroom.
�I thought you were sleeping in today,� Snape stated calmly.
�I did,� Karina muttered as she took a long swig of coffee.
�I see. Well then you should be well rested for today�s lesson,� her spouse continued.
Karina just nodded. She was trying to hone a new skill she had been learning. It resembled Legimency but did not require a spell. She was quietly sifting through her husband�s thoughts when one particularly persistent one almost jumped out at her. She stifled a snicker but not before Snape gave her a sidelong glance.
�What is so funny?� he whispered.
�You�ve got to stop thinking about sex darling,� she answered quickly before disappearing into the classroom.
He was speechless. Masking his unnerved emotions he turned on his heel and followed Karina into the classroom. Outside the doorway, the trio stood about as baffled as Snape.
�What was that all about?� Harry asked.
�Did she say �stop thinking about sex�?� Hermione gasped.
�She called him darling. There is something wrong with that,� Ron muttered, looking rather green around the mouth.
�You alright Ron?� Harry and Hermione asked simultaneously.
�I�m fine,� he managed, taking several deep breaths.
�We�d better get in there before he goes on a point docking spree,� Harry sighed.
Hermione nodded and they walked in. As they took their seats, the bell rang. Immediately Snape tapped the board with his wand and sat behind his desk. An awkward silence came over the room.
�Don�t just sit there looking like idiots. Get to work!� he ordered harshly.
As if called from a trance, everyone began working diligently. Ironically they were making Weight Shielding Potion. Karina had to laugh. She knew he�d slip anything into the lesson plan to focus on sex these days. As usual, he perused the student�s cauldrons, docking points for mistakes and praising those who were completing the potion correctly. When he got to Karina�s table, he paused and looked at the substance bubbling in her cast iron cauldron.
�Looks right to me,� Karina muttered quietly.
�Well you should know,� he whispered back to her with a sigh.
�Hey its your fault you know. Men create the situation; the women just have to deal with it. So don�t come crying to me when you�re sex deprived for � of the year,� she teased.
He just grunted and continued on. Karina knew she�d hit a nerve but kept it to herself. No doubt he�d give her hell about it later.
�Potter what are you doing!� he screamed angrily.
�Well sir, making a potion and making sure Ron doesn�t hurl into it,� Harry stated calmly, deliberately hiding a smile.
�Weasley go to the hospital wing if you feel the need to�� the Professor trailed off.
Suddenly there was a loud �crash� as several girls screamed. Snape whirled around, glaring at the girls. He glared menacingly at them.
�What are you going on about?� he snarled.
�Karina just passed out,� a slender Slytherin girl exclaimed.
A sudden look of panick came over him. He rushed over to the girl�s body and scooped her up. This scene was all to familiar in his mind.
�Stay here until the end of class. Forget the potions,� he ordered as he rushed out of the room.
As they made their way up the stairs Karina came to but was very disoriented. She was very pale and was covered in cold sweat. Suddenly she convulsed in excruciating pain.
�Oh god!� she gasped.
�Hold on,� he murmured as he rushed her into the hospital wing.
He placed her down on a vacant bed and ran into Madame Pomfrey�s office. She was reading by the fire.
�Get out here quick!� he demanded.
Without waiting for a response he turned and was at his wife�s side. He thought he would be ready for this moment but it had taken him completely by surprise.