Babies grow like real bitches.

                                    

                                          
The pair were sat on the sofa and Athena still felt uncomfortable. "Severus, I don't know." Minerva huffed and felt the same confusion as the younger girl in front of her. "I know why he did it but how could he?" Minerva tried to soothe her but could think of no words to do so. "For a month now I have sat on a fence and I need to decide. I will respect his wishes a little more than he thinks. I will forgive him and forget not just his rude behaviour but also our relationship. I will also not expect him to play a fathering role but instead, I will tell other people including the baby that I do not know who the father is. A one night stand if you will." Minerva knew that she had no reason to correct her as everyone who knows her knows that she would have to remove herself from the whole relationship in order to accept the truth. "So, Minerva, Horace." A smile was tugged at her lips as she sipped at her tea.
                          
"Yes, what is there to say?" Athena looked disbelievingly at the woman and started.
                          
"I see no evidence yet you and he tell me that you shall be moving in together." Her tone was playful but a few times she tried to rub her growing belly to stop the constant pain. A loud clank showed that lunch had arrived and so the two women quietly discussed the matter with each other. When they sat in the hall Athena felt her hunger boil as she tucked into the food that was on her plate. A sudden jab occurred in her stomach and after a second she realised the cause. "Minerva, the baby is kicking." There was a degree of discomfort as the baby kicked at the stomach forcefully. The black dress was tight to her body and although it caused a little pain she kept wearing it and at that point, she was pleased as the feet were visibly poking out from her. All of the professors looked that could and Severus felt a strong desire to be there with her, to feel the baby but he kept to himself. No hands touched her stomach aside from the caretaker's assistant Matt, one of Severus' old students. His smile was wide and genuine. Snape forced himself to not look as he felt hatred bubble and burn from within.
                          
'Your fault there Severus.' Bitter thoughts echoed in his head as he sat there.
                          
The meal passed as well as the day and so brought Monday. "Great," Athena sighed and mumbled some expletives as the day began. Her hips were stabbing at her and her back felt like it was on fire. The morning sickness had stopped but that morning it came back with revenge. She felt like dying but she craved food too much to die. The hall was filled with students but they all looked absolutely exhausted. Her belly was large enough to support a few cookies and so it did. Her plate contained food that she devoured and then she walked away still with the cookies. When she reached the classroom she saw Severus. "I have thought on your words and decided that it would be best to not only remove you from their life but also their knowledge. They will believe their father is some random man and so will everyone else. Also despite your actions, I will forgive you as long as you pretend that WE never happened." He didn't want to but still, he nodded.
                          
'It is better this way,' was all he told himself. Soon the classes began and ended as the two worked alongside one another. The students all excelled and studied vigorously as they were sat there. The good cop bad cop idea was accidentally in place but it worked for the pair. No detentions were given out but a few house points were. Athena even took some from Slytherin.
                          
"How was today?" Minerva asked as they sat in the teacher lounge.
                          
"I felt like death all day. This is karma. I must have been a bitch to someone and now it is showing its ugly head." She laughed at the thought and rested her hand on her stomach. "It hurts but when doesn't life hurt?" The professors had all assumed that Severus wasn't the father as the two hardly spoke but Poppy, Albus and Minerva knew as well as the father himself.
                          
"So when will you have the baby?" A slow huff showed her thinking deeply.
                          
"Poppy said about the 25th of May but I will bet I will go two weeks over so 8th or 9th of June." The pain was continuous as Christmas approached in only a day. Athena had brought all of her coworkers presents and she also brought her remaining family some. The children would enjoy it.
                          
"Only..." Helena started in a mocking tone but was interrupted with the joking tone of Athena. 
                          
"Only five months. Joy." Her tone showed the pure pain she was in as the sarcasm brought the others to laugh. "Poppy said that in a week or two the pain should be less intense but I would suffer from a bad case of the hormones instead." The adults spoke merrily as a grumbling man in black sat separately. "I am going to get some air. I feel claustrophobic and warm." When she had finally escaped the castle to her utter dismay a body arrived not all that far away.
                          
"Where are you going?" She pointed to the path all the way down to Hogsmeade. They walked in silence as the path slowly became shorter and the village arrived closer to them. As they walked in a few friends were stood about.
                          
"Annie, Florence, Leah." The group all hugged and began talking about the baby too quickly for either professors liking.
                          
"So, who is the father?" Athena looked at the man in black beside her.
                          
"I don't know. One night is all." They all showed disbelieving looks.
                          
"Athena Amara 'I will only sleep with the one person that I couldn't handle living without' Flint had a one night stand. Whilst working at the best magic school in history. I will be damned." The blond spoke jokingly.
                          
"So a boy or girl?" The stunning brunette asked and Severus realised that he himself didn't know.
                          
"Baby wolf." They all understood but still, he remained in the dark on the matter and she knew that. "Well if I knew I would see you now then I wouldn't have sent your presents by owl. Anyway, I will leave you three to it." They all gave their loving goodbyes and Severus had to hold back on making a 'touching' comment directed at the poor witch.