Title: Consequences

Pairing: Willow/Oliver

Rating: PG-13 - just some kissing.

Summary: Sequel to Sweet Loss. It's three months after the Quidditch World Cup and things are about to change...

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters. They belong to Joss Whedon and J.K.Rowling.



It was now three months after Oliver and his Quidditch team had lost their match against Egypt in the World Cup. Not much had changed during that time. After a month long break Oliver had started training for the next World Cup and Willow got herself a job as Professor Snape’s assistant at Hogwarts.

Bill Weasley and Buffy were still going out, though things seemed to be a bit strained between them, probably due to the fact that Mrs. Weasley was urging her oldest child to get married and give her grandchildren.

Tonks had given birth to her first child, Remus Lupin being the father. They had eloped a week before the birth and whenever Willow saw them; they were giggling and touching like teenagers. Personally, she thought it was very cute. If Willow had given it even more thought she might have even said she envied them. Oliver was very busy lately and the fact that she now resided in Hogwarts meant that their meetings were very few and far between.

“So, it’s decided. Professors Snape, Flitwick, Trelawney and Rosenberg will monitor the hallways during the Halloween dance. The other Professors and myself shall be with the students and in the grounds, making sure that nothing goes wrong. Is everything clear?” Professor Dumbledore asked, looking around at the other teachers.

“Oh God.” Willow gasped, clamping a hand over her mouth, standing up and running to the adjoining teachers’ bathroom, where the other could hear her throwing up.

“Oh dear. This is the third time in as many days.” Professor McGonagall said with a worried expression on her face.

“Oh but it’s obvious. The signs are all there. Just this morning while I was reading the cards, I saw Willow. She is-”

Just then Willow walked in, her face pale and drawn.

“Sorry about that. Must have some kind of virus.” She mumbled as she sat down again.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Remus Lupin, the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor again, asked her.

“I’m fine. So, yes. Severus, Filius, Sybill and I will patrol. Make sure nothing too naughty happens.” Willow answered, rubbing her stomach.

“Yes, well, that’s everything I suppose. Goodnight.” Dumbledore said, watching as Willow made her way slowly out of the staffroom. He exchanged a glance with Severus and smiled as the Potions teacher took off after the redhead.

Willow’s friendship with Severus had shocked many people, perhaps Severus the most. He was not known for having friends, only acquaintances, people he merely tolerated or people he hated outright. The fact that Willow, a sweet, innocent and very smart girl wanted to spend time with him had depressed him quite a bit. He feared that he was slipping in his ‘old’ age of 35. He started brooding even more, thinking that his cover as the most evil teacher in Hogwarts was falling apart. He had tried to stop her advances, had even told her to her face that he did not wish to have anything to do with her, but the more he protested, the more she pushed. It took her a while, but finally he came around. They started spending more and more time together when Oliver was busy with his Quidditch practice and they had learned a lot about each other. Severus had been pleasantly surprised when she confided in him that she always dreamt of being a Chemistry teacher and took it upon himself to train her in Potions. He had been very happy when Dumbledore offered to hire her as Snape’s assistant. Quite frankly, Severus considered Willow to be his best friend. He trusted her with his life, and vice versa.

For Willow he was like the much older brother she never had. She didn’t care about the age gap between them, even if Harry took it upon himself to remind her that he was nearly old enough to be her father. In Severus Willow had found a kindred spirit. He was a person who knew what it was like to be bullied. Granted she had never been hung upside down in front of half the student body, as Snape has confided in her to being – by Harry’s father no less - but she understood him. And she never once judged him. She knew that he deeply regretted ever becoming a Death Eater, and while others saw it as a flaw, she saw it as strength of character that he was able to make the right decision and turn his back on the evil that Voldemort represented. He was also a person who loved to learn and while Hermione could also be described as an avid lover of knowledge, her devotion for studying sometimes scared Willow. She felt that the main reason why Hermione studied so much was because she wanted to prove to others how good she could be, not because she actually wanted to gain knowledge that would later on help her. With Severus it was different. He loved to read and to learn new things about the world. She had even persuaded him to start reading Muggle literature and he just couldn’t get enough of the Dan Brown books. They fascinated him.

“Willow.” Severus said softly when he caught up with her. “Allow me to escort you to your chambers?”

Willow smiled weakly at him.

“Sure. Thanks.” She said, linking her arm with his. If Oliver could see her now, he would just burst with jealousy. He REALLY did not like her friendship with Severus, something that Severus enjoyed using against him.

“How are you really feeling? Minerva said this is the third time in as many days that you felt ill.”

“Severus, I’m fine. Really. It’s just a virus or something.” Willow answered as they neared the painting that served as the entrance to her rooms. It was a painting of a willow tree whose branches moved slightly, as if a soft breeze was blowing through them. Beside the tree sat Willow herself, or rather, her vampire self. The whole Scooby Gang found the painting very amusing, especially when Dumbledore told them that the paintings that served as entrance to the teacher’s chambers always depicted the owner’s deepest desires or their personality. It would appear that Willow dreamt of either becoming a vampire or being a dominatrix. Oliver preferred the latter.

“Willow, I think we both know just how terrible you are at lying. Please, promise me you’ll go to Madam Pomfrey about this?”

“Severus.” Willow sighed, stopping to look at him when they reached her room. Vampire Willow looked up and leered at Severus, who ignored her pointedly.

“Please, humor me.”

“You can actually be humored?” Willow asked dryly.

She was rewarded with a harsh glare. Sighing heavily, Willow nodded.

“Alright, fine. If I feel ill tomorrow, I’ll go and see Madam Pomfrey. Happy?”

“Positively giddy.” Severus answered.

“Very funny.” Willow said, standing up on tiptoe and giving him a kiss on the cheek. “Goodnight Sev.”

“Goodnight Willow.” He answered, watching as she said her password, “Puppy”, and walked into her room. The painting swung shut behind her to reveal a smirking Vampire Willow.

“Damn Sevvie, you’re getting soft. You really need to get laid!” she told him cheekily.

“I’d say the same to you, but for you it’s not a possibility.” He said, smirking and turned on his heel, walking down the hallway.

* * *

Willow sat numbly on the cot in the hospital wing, looking at Madam Pomfrey without blinking. It wasn’t possible. How could it be possible?

“I’m what?” She asked after about five minutes of silence.

“You’re pregnant.” Madam Pomfrey repeated.

“Are you – are you sure?” Willow asked in a small voice.

Madam Pomfrey made a ‘humph’ noise, as if insulted that Willow would question her ability to tell whether or not she was pregnant.

“Of course I’m sure. This potion never lies, you are indeed pregnant.”

“But – but, how? I mean, I know how but we haven’t – I mean it’s been so-”

“I can see this has come as a bit of a shock, but-”

“How long?” Willow asked suddenly, looking at the school nurse with wide eyes.

“I would have to say about three months or so. I am surprised you have not noticed until now, but I understand you have been busy with your transition, that is to say your moving here and working with Professor Snape.”

Willow nodded dumbly. She was pregnant. So much for having a virus.

Oh God, what was she going to tell Oliver?

* * *

That Saturday night found Willow pacing her room nervously, wringing her hands and shooting looks at the entrance to her chambers. After a month, Oliver was finally coming to see her. She still hadn’t decided how she was going to break the news to him; they had never even talked about marriage, let alone having children. Though she had to admit, after giving the situation some thought, she was quite excited about having a child that would have her hair and his eyes. A child that would be smart like her and sporty like Oliver. It was a nice image, one that she had been imagining quite a bit lately. Severus had even snapped at her to pay attention during one of their lessons. He had asked her repeatedly if she had been to see Madam Pomfrey, but she couldn’t find the courage to tell him that she was pregnant.

She looked up suddenly when the painting swung open and Oliver walked in. She smiled when she saw him: his dark hair was messy, probably due to the fact that he decided to fly to Hogwarts, instead of apparating. His broom was in his left hand, while his right clutched a bouquet of roses. Her nerves calmed considerably at seeing him walking towards her with his sexy smile firmly in place. He would take the news well, Oliver is great with kids, and he will make a great father. Nothing to worry about.

“Hello gorgeous.” He greeted her, kissing her soundly before giving her the roses. She inhaled their smell and smiled at him.

“Hello Oliver. I’ve missed you.” She said softly, charming up a vase with water in it and putting the flowers in it.

“I met Professor Snape in the hall. He said you were feeling ill.”

Willow almost dropped the vase she was carrying to her desk. Carefully putting on the table, she turned and faced Oliver, seeing the worried expression on his face and sighing. Ok, here goes nothing.

“Yes, I have been feeling ill lately. Not all the time though, just during certain times of the day, which is funny because I mean there’s supposed to be morning sickness, not random time of the day sickness, right? And it’s not like I’ve talked about this with my mom or anything, so maybe it is normal. Do you think it’s normal? No, of course you don’t, you’re not a woman, are you? No, you’re not. But anyway, back to what’s wrong with me. Turns out there’s nothing wrong with me. I mean, I’m not ill or anything, I’ve just been throwing up randomly during this last week. I thought I had some kind of virus, you know? But it turns out I don’t. I went to Madam Pomfrey about it and she told me it’s not a virus and she’s a Medi Witch so I guess we should trust her judgment, right? Oh God, I’m rambling ag-”

Oliver had walked over to her during her rant and placed a finger on her lips.

“Willow, clam down. Just tell me what’s going on.”

Willow nodded. Oliver removed his finger and put his hands on her waist, watching as she took a deep breath.

“I’m pregnant.”

Oliver’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped, opening and closing like a fish out of water. If the situation wasn’t so serious, Willow might have laughed. Oliver just looked at her silently for a few minutes.

“Oliver?”

Oliver let go of her waist and stepped back from her, his fingers going through his hair.

“You’re sure?” he asked in a small voice.

“Well, yes. Madam Pomfrey said so and now that I think about it, I haven’t had my period for two months now.”

“Two months. Two months?! You’ve known about it for so long?”

“What? No! I only found out three days ago. Oliver, this is as much a shock for me as it is for you.’

“Wanna bet?” he mumbled.

Willow glared at him as he started to pace, just as she had done a few minutes ago.

“What is that supposed to mean? Do you not want this baby, is that what you’re saying? Because if you don’t, then you don’t have to help me raise it! I am perfectly capable of doing that all on my own, if that’s what this is about! I can’t believe that you would think that I would keep something this big from you for so long! What do you have me for? I tell you everything, Oliver. I love you and I love this baby, even if it is sudden. I would think you could be a bit more supportive, I mean, you are partly to blame for this happening. If you weren’t such a sore loser, I wouldn’t be pregnant, because believe me, this child was conceived the night of the Final of the World Cup. It’s kind of ironic isn’t it? You were so angry about losing and at the same time you won this! I really don’t see why you have to look at me like I’m a ghost or some-”

“Willow, will you marry me?” Oliver said suddenly, stopping his pacing and looking at her with a perfectly calm expression.

“-because I would have to be dead – what?”

He closed the distance between them and took a little box from his pocket, opening it to reveal a beautiful diamond ring.

“Will you marry me?”

Willow looked from the ring to Oliver’s face in shock, a smile on her face. Then, before Oliver could register what was happening, she slapped him hard across the face.

“Can I take that as a ‘maybe’?”

“You’re proposing to me!”

“Yes…”

“You're proposing to me 'cause I’m pregnant! And you think it's romantic and sexy and, and the only reason you’re doing this is to appear like a gentleman who won’t leave the pregnant woman alone to raise his child!”

“What? Willow, no. I’m proposing to you because I love. Probably from the minute you imbedded my wand in the wall next to the portrait of Sirius’s mother at Grimmauld Place. And I am happy about you being pregnant. Nothing could make me happier than knowing that we are going to have a child together. A child with your air and my eyes, or vice versa.”

“Oh…Okay.” Willow said softly.

Oliver’s eyes widened again.

“Okay?”

“Yes.” She answered with a small smile. “I mean, yes, I will marry you!”

Oliver smiled brightly, taking the ring out of the box and slipping it onto her finger. It was a perfect fit. Willow smiled up at him, before throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him deeply.

* * *

“Oh Sevvie!” Vampire Willow called in a sing song voice, as she occupied the single painting in his room, a portrait of his mother. She looked at Willow and scowled.

“What is it that you want?” Severus asked in a bored voice, not looking up from the book he was reading and taking a sip from his goblet of red wine.

“You will never guess what’s happened!”

“Well then I suppose I needn’t try.”

“Oh stop being such a party pooper! Willow is pregnant and Oliver just proposed! They’re getting married!”

Severus sat up, spitting wine on his new Potions book. He glared at the painting as Vampire Willow flew out of it, cackling loudly.

Oh God, Willow Rosenberg will now be Willow Wood. Hopefully they won’t name their children after trees.