A dark-clothed man held a squirming child in his arms. The child, a girl, was no more than five-years-old with long, dark brown hair, chestnut eyes, and a warming smile. However, it seems that today, this little girl wasn't going to settle for a nap and the dark-clothed man was getting a little irritated.
"Hermione! She's not cooperating!" He yelled as the little girl kicked his shin hard and ran to her mother.
"Natalia Severin Snape," Hermione scolded gently, "tell Uncle Severin you're sorry."
"Sorry, Uncle Severin." The intelligent little girl said not looking at her favorite uncle. She looked up at Hermione and asked, "Mama, when's Daddy getting home?"
"Soon, my darling, very soon." Hermione picked up her daughter and said, "Daddy will get here sooner if you take your nap!"
"Really?" the child squealed, "Daddy will come home if I take my nap?"
"Yes," she kissed Natalia's forehead and handed her to Severin, Severus' oldest brother. "Severin, can you tuck her in? I still have a load of stuff to do before Sev gets home."
"Sure thing, Boss-lady," he chuckled as Natalia urged him to hurry up and take her to her room so she could see Daddy soon. Hermione smiled, Natalia was her first born but certainly not her only child. Tonight she had planned to tell Severus of their next child. Nervous she may be, but she was ecstatic to tell her husband the happy news.
Hermione hurried into the kitchen to finish the preparations on her husband's favorite meal, steak grilled with honey barbeque sauce and baked potatoes. Hermione chuckled as she remembered the first time she cooked for Severus. It was six years ago and it was about their third date and Hermione nearly burned the steaks. She saved them before they had a chance to get charred and, in the process, knocked over a bottle of wine. The bottle crashed and splattered the bottom of Hermione's lavender sundress. She quickly put the steaks on the table and began the muggle way of cleaning up. Severus was sitting in her living room when he heard the crash and immediately ran to see what had happened. He found Hermione sitting on the floor crying with a pile of broken glass in her lap.
Severus rushed over to her, took his wand out and cleaned up the mess. He sat next to her and pulled her into a tight embrace and made soothing noises to calm her enough to tell him what had happened. Hermione explained how she was cooking and knocked the bottle over by accident and forgot, again, that she was a witch and began bawling like a baby. Severus simply held her until she stopped crying.
She immediately began apologizing for ruining everything and that she had not meant to cry on him like she did. Hermione was rambling and Severus did the only thing he could think of to quiet her. He kissed her lightly on the lips, as he pulled back to see her reaction, she had a bright blush over her entire face.
"Hermione, you're cooking again?" Severus interrupted her memory. He stood behind her and gave her a kiss on her cheek. "There's a lot of food, who else is here?"
"Your brothers and sister." She turned around in his arms and placed hers around his neck and kissed him sweetly. "You don't mind, do you? Nati hasn't seen them in ages and Severin suggested that Shane, Sean, and Bethany come with him."
"No, I don't mind," he said with his eyes lit with excitement. "I haven't seen the twins and Bethy since last Christmas."
"I know, that's why I agreed to have everyone come over." Hermione kissed him lightly again. "You know what I was thinking right before you came home?"
"Hm?"
"I was thinking about the first time I cooked for you. Do you remember when I knocked over the bottle of wine and forgot I was a witch?" she giggled, "Again."
"Yes, I remember," he chuckled lightly, "and wasn't that about a month before I begged you to marry me?"
"You didn't have to beg, and it was three weeks before you asked me to marry you." Hermione kissed Severus again. "I never tire of kissing you. I love you so much, Severus Salazar Snape. I don't know what I would do without you."
"I love you, too Hermione," he kissed her forehead. Just as he was going to say more, the high-pitched squeal of his sister reached their ears.
"Severus! I haven't seen you in forever!" Bethany ran to hug her older brother. "Oh sweet Merlin! 'Mione has some news for you!"
"Beth! Shut up!" Hermione dragged her sister-in-law outside onto the patio. "I was going to wait until after diner." Hermione glanced over Bethany's shoulder, "Great! Now he's expecting something! I wanted it to be a real big surprise. Good going loud-mouth."
"Oh come on, 'Mione! He'll be really surprised anyway!" Bethany told her, "Now, calm down, breathe, fetch your daughter and lets eat."
"What about the twins and Severin?"
"I'll get them," Severus called.
"Snoop." Hermione accused. "No, I'll get the boys, you get Nati. She wouldn't take her nap unless she knew you were coming home soon."
"All right," Severus chuckled again, "Oh, and for the 'big news', I'm sure it's something small. It's not like your pregnant again, is it?" When Hermione failed to answer, Severus walked up to her, pushing his sister out of the way gently, and picked up Hermione's hands. "Are you?"
"Would you be angry if I said 'yes'?" Hermione said quietly.
"No, of course not!" He kissed Hermione to prove his point, "I love you, my darling, and nothing will ever change that." He kissed her again. "Are you really pregnant?"
"Yes," she smiled, "I am pregnant. I found out this morning."
"How far along?"
"Two months."
"Two months?" he smiled and scooped Hermione in his arms, "Oh, my love, I'm so happy." He kissed the top of her head.
"Daddy!" A little voice squealed. "You're home! You're home!" Natalia ran to her father and clung to his leg. "I missed you!"
"I was only gone for two hours!" Severus picked up his pride and joy and hugged her to him. "I missed you, too, Little One."
"Two hours is forever!" Natalia pouted. "Uncle Severin, Uncle Shane, and Uncle Sean played tea party with me!"
"They did!"
"Uh-huh! Uncle Shane took more cookies than he was supposed to!" She explained excitedly, "Uncle Severin said he was a piggy!"
"Uncle Shane is a piggy!" Severin called from the kitchen as he led his two younger brothers to the group assembled outside. "And Uncle Sean is a kneazle."
"Really, Severin? What are you? A puppy dog?" Bethany joked.
"No, you're the puppy dog, I'm the lovable kitty cat. Right, Nati?"
"Yeah!" Natalia squealed excitedly. "Daddy! Did you know Mama has a baby inside of her! She told me to ask you where they come from. Where do babies come from?"
"Uh..." Severus stared at Hermione, then his sister, then his brothers, and, finally, back into the expectant eyes of his daughter. "Perhaps today isn't a good day to tell you that, Little One. I promise I'll tell you when you get older, okay?"
"Okay!" she hugged her father, "Mama, when are we gonna eat?"
"We're going to eat just as soon as you all stop horsing around." Hermione glared at everyone except Severus and Natalia. "All right, wash up, the lot of you. Go!" she said in a very Molly Weasley type of way.
"Mama! Can you help me wash my hands?" wiggled to get out of the grasp of her father and fell into the arms of her mother. "Please, Mama?"
"Of course, Sweetie." Hermione kissed the tip of Natalia's little nose. "Sev, you better wash up, too. Where were you anyway?"
"Um, well you see..." Severus blushed a tiny bit. Hermione snorted as she entered the kitchen and turned the taps of the sink on and held Natalia close enough for her reach.
"Well, it's not like there's another woman." She grinned at her husband, whom had come beside her.
"No, of course not," he kissed her, "I was out getting something for someone's twenty-seventh birthday."
"I've always loved the way you wait until the very last minute." Hermione giggled as she began to dry Natalia's hands.
"I didn't wait until the last minute this year. You're birthday's tomorrow."
"You're right. I'm proud of you, Honey," She blew him a kiss as she helped Natalia off the counter. "So, what did you get me?"
"You have to wait until tomorrow, 'Mione." Severus gently scolded. "You Gryffindors are all alike! So impatient!"
"Oh, you want to see impatience?" Hermione grabbed his collar and kissed him roughly. She smirked against his lips. When she broke the kissed, she was greeted with the most hilarious of sights. Her Severus was grinning like a fool. 'My darling, sweet, lovable Severus.' She thought. 'Mine.'
"I just thought of something," Severus said, "I was thinking that eleven years ago, no one, including Albus, would have thought that I could have ever ended up like this."
"Actually, Love, it's more like nine years ago. I wasn't sure if you were even interested in me."
"I guess you're right," he chuckled, "I thought you would have slapped me in the face with one of your light readings."
"Well, if I was still your student, then yes, I would have slapped you with one of my 'light readings'. Well, if I was sixteen or under," He laughed. "Because that means you would have been a pedophile. And I'm sure Albus would have killed you. Lusting after a student and all."
"Your seventh year."
"Pardon?"
"I fell in love with you during your seventh year, just after the final battle."
"Really?"
"Yeah." Severus kissed her soundly. "Now, I believe we have an audience of five."
"Mama! Daddy! Can we eat now!" Natalia inquired impatiently.
"Of course we can, Little One." Severus told his sweet, little girl.
As everyone sat at the large table in the dining room, Hermione brought in everyone's meal via Wingardium Leviosa. Severus cut Natalia's steak for her and they began to eat. There was polite conversation during the meal. Mostly about what the new baby's name would be. Natalia suggested George, because her favorite book was Curios George. Hermione said she would consider it and Natalia said "Okay." In her cute, five-year-old manner.
After diner, when all the dishes were cleared and everyone had their dessert of Devil's food cake with their choice of ice cream, the party of seven went outside on the patio to watch the sun set. Natalia chased after fireflies with Sean, Shane laughed every time Sean fell on purpose to make the little girl laugh, Severin and Bethany were in a deep discussion about Herbology, and Severus and Hermione were discussing what the baby might be and possible names.
Around 8:30 in the evening Natalia came running up to her mother crying. Hermione's mother mode immediately kicked. She picked up the crying child and asked her what was wrong. "Uncle Sean fell and he won't get up!" the child cried hugging her mother. Severus, Shane, and Severin immediately ran over to where their fallen brother was; Bethany stayed behind with Hermione and Natalia.
"Sean!" Severin yelled as the three brothers approached him. Sean was out cold and sweating all over. Shane, an experienced Medi-wizard, quickly cast a charm that would tell them what happened.
"Did you know he has a heart condition?" Shane looked faint. When it came to family, a medi-wizard had a hard time keeping himself in check. "He's had a heart attack."
"What?" Severus hissed, "We need to get him to St. Mungos!" Severin levitated him to the house, Severus quietly told Hermione the situation and kissed her and told her to meet them at the hospital. Hermione clutched her still crying daughter and nodded as her husband and brothers-in-laws took the emergency floo to St. Mungos.
"Bethany, you should go, too. I need to owl my parents to see if they can watch Nati." Hermione carried her shaken child in the house.
"No, I'm not leaving without you two." Bethany looked every bit a Snape as she was. Bethany had the traditional black hair, black eyes, and thin lips, but her nose was smaller, much unlike the boys. They all looked basically the same. Severin had blue eyes, Shane had green eyes, and Sean had a small scar under his left eye, other wise, it was nearly impossible to tell the four brothers apart. Mostly, the big difference was in their age. Severin was the oldest, he was 45, then came Severus who was 42, and the twins were 35. Bethany was only 29.
"Fine, but don't you think Nati's crying would disturb the other patients in the emergency ward?" Hermione cradled her daughter.
"No, we came put her in the nursery at the hospital. I know a really good nurse there, I'm sure you remember Lavender Brown."
"Of course! How could I have forgotten about Lavender?" Hermione handed Natalia over to Bethany. "I need to get Nati some things, go on with out me. Tell Severus I'm getting things for Nati and will be there shortly."
"All right." Bethany grabbed a handful of regular floo powder. "Hurry up." She adjusted Natalia in her arms and firmly stated "St. Mungos Emergency Ward." And disappeared in a whirl of green fire.
Hermione rushed upstairs, grabbed a small bag, put Natalia's blanket and stuffed animal (Tomas the Turtle), and warded and locked the house. She, then, went to the fireplace and imitated Bethany's previous actions. When she came through the floo, Severus rushed over to her and hugged her tightly. He was crying, this was the second time Hermione had ever seen Severus cry; the first was when Natalia was born.
"Severus? What happened?" Worry evident in her voice.
"He had three heart attacks in a row and if Nati hadn't come and warned us, Sean would be dead." Severus sobbed in a horse whisper. Sometime during the exchange between husband and wife, Bethany came and collected Natalia's things from Hermione. Severin ushered them to a comfortable looking leather couch. Hermione held her husband as if he were the only thing keeping her from slipping from reality. She could only imagine how Shane was.
After an hour or so, Severus cried himself into exhaustion, and, after much coaxing from Severin and Hermione, he reluctantly feel asleep in Hermione's lap. She absently stroked his hair in a calming manner. "How's Shane doing?"
"Much better than Severus is." Severin explained. "Bethany suggested her go and talk to Nati to see if she wanted to talk. I flooed Jessie and told her what happened. She said that when her mother gets there to take care of the kids, she'll come over to see how everything is."
"What about Vanessa?" Hermione asked, Vanessa was Sean's girlfriend.
"Vanni said she'll be here as soon as possible, but her boss isn't letting her get off."
"What?" Hermione hissed much like her husband does, "I'm going to kill him!"
"'Mione, what are you going to do?"
"Here, take Sev, when he wakes up, tell him I'm going to fetch Vanessa and drag her here. If her boss fires her, I'll hire her to baby-sit for me. Merlin knows I'll need help." As Hermione tried to ease Severus off her lap, he gripped her legs and mumbled for her to stay put. "Sev, honey, I need to get Vanessa, she needs to be here."
"No," he gripped her tighter, "I need you."
"Sweaty, give me five minutes and I'll be back. I promise."
"OK, I love you," he sat up just enough to give Hermione a kiss and let her stand up.
"I love you too, honey." She kissed him again. "I'll be back in five minutes." With that she left to go retrieve Vanessa. Severus fell back onto the couch and hugged the cushion that his beloved had recently occupied.
"Severus, are you ok?"
"Severin, you know very well that I am not. He is my brother and now my wife just left to go find a woman I simply cannot stand."
"She'll only be gone for five minutes. Vanessa is perfect for Sean, and he needs her right now."
"Five minutes is too long."
"How much do you love Hermione?"
"More than life itself. I'd die for her and Nati. They're my life."
"Don't forget the new life Hermione's harboring in her womb."
"Never will I forget my new baby."
"OK, I'm back!" Hermione fell on Severus. "I hate that man with a passion."
"Did you get Vanessa?" Severus asked and he clutched his wife.
"Yeah, one of the medi-witches took into see Sean. I asked about his condition and they said he's stable, but they're only letting two visitors at a time. Shane went in with Vanessa, then it'll be you and Severin, then Bethany and me."
"OK," Severus kissed the top of her head. "What about Nati?"
"They said she could see him tomorrow unless he requested to see her."
"He will."
"I Know."
"Hermione, Sean wants to see you," Shane said as he guided a bawling Vanessa into the waiting room. "He wants to see you, too. Severus."
"All right." the couple stood up and walked into Sean's room.
"Hey," Sean said softly, "the doc said I'll be OK."
"That's great, Sean." Hermione gently grabbed his hand, Severus was on the other side, holding Sean's other hand. "How are you feeling?"
"Well, after they gave me some lovely potions, I feel really good!"
"That's great, Tinkle-berry," Sean chuckled lightly as he heard his big brother use his nickname. Hermione raised an eyebrow. "It's what we called him the first time we went muggle camping in our back yard."
"Dare I ask what happened?"
"I pissed all over my sleeping bag." Sean told her.
"Well, I know never to go camping with you." She said gently. "Did you want to see Nati?"
"Yeah. Hey Sev, think you can go get her for me. I want to talk to your wife for a sec. And no, I won't steal her from you." Sean chuckled.
"Sure, Sean. Whatever you say, baby bro." Severus kissed the top of Sean's head. When Severus was out of the room, Sean told Hermione, "You're lucky, 'Mione. He's a great man."
"I don't deserve him." She smiled slightly.
"You know very well you deserve him, it's just, well, it pisses me off to see you guys fight."
"When have you ever seen us fight?"
"The first Christmas before Nati was born. You actually got him to play in the snow and he put some in your jumper and then you got in an all out snow ball war, then you started yelling at each other, then you weren't talking to each other for, I believe, two hours."
"But we made up."
"True, but you guys really shouldn't have fought."
"And I shouldn't have put snow in her jumper." Severus chuckled as he brought Natalia over to Sean's bed.
"Uncle Sean," Natalia whispered, "Are you OK?"
"Yes Nati," Sean whispered back, "I'm OK now that you're here. I missed you, my darling!"
"You did?"
"Yes, I most certainly did." He grabbed her hugged her while she giggled away.
"Mr. Snape. No horse-play!" snapped the medi-witch that entered the room to check his vitals. "And your other brother and sister wish to see you, as well."
"OK, Nati, let's leave uncle Sean alone for now," Hermione picked Natalia up and have Sean a kiss on the cheek. Severus ruffled his hair and kissed the top of his head and said goodbye.
"Hey, you guys get that little princess home, she looks tired, and you two should get to sleep as well."
"OK, we'll go home after Severin and Bethany visited you."
"All right..."
Severus, Hermione, and Natalia walked into the waiting room as Severin and Bethany were walking into Sean's room. Severus pulled Hermione back over to the couch they occupied twenty minutes before. Vanessa took Natalia and cuddled her, and being only five, Natalia fell asleep in her soon-to-be-aunt's arms. Hermione gave Vanessa an approving look and snuggled against her husband.
"Sev, what if there's something wrong with the baby?"
"Hermione?" he gave her a look, "There is nothing wrong with our baby, or Nati. Don't worry, our babies will be perfectly fine." And, as if on cue, Natalia sneezed and Hermione was by her baby's side almost instantly. "Oh brother." Severus said under his breath.
"Oh, my little baby," Hermione cooed. "Are you OK?"
"I'm OK, Mama." Natalia said trying to wiggle out of her mother's protective grasp. Severin and Bethany came out of Sean's room and told the family everything was fine and that Sean could come home in a week. Severus, Hermione, and Natalia flooed home first. Everyone else followed suit, except for Vanessa who insisted on staying with her intended.
When they got home, Hermione carried Natalia to her bedroom, changed her, tucked her in and gave her a kiss on the tip of her nose. Natalia insisted upon hearing Mama read her Curious George because Mama made funny voices. Hermione agreed and read her the story. As she was reading, Severus had walked in and decided to wait by the door until Hermione had finished. About, five minutes later, Hermione said 'the end' and watched her daughter sleep.
"She's just as beautiful as you, she has your face and eyes." Severus said from the doorway.
"She has your hair and attitude." Hermione got up and walked over to her husband. She hugged him and laid her head on his chest.
"It's nearly midnight." he put his strong arms around her.
"I'm almost twenty-seven. I'm so old." She laughed lightly.
"I'm old. Almost too old to have a twenty-seven-year-old wife, a five-year-old daughter, and another child on the way."
"You're wrong for a change, Professor Snape."
"Oh, really Miss Granger." They both chuckled. It had been ten years since Severus had called Hermione 'Miss Granger'. It seemed like a million years had passed since they acknowledge each other's love. It was only a matter of time before they could acknowledge the love of another baby Snape.
"What do you think it is?" Hermione asked.
"Maybe, another girl."
"You want another girl?"
"Doesn't matter to me. As long as it's mine."
"Why wouldn't it be yours?"
"There's no reason." Severus yawned, "Can we go to bed, now?"
"I was waiting for you to drag me." Hermione chuckled and Severus picked her up and proceeded across the hall to the master bedroom.
"Honey, what would you do if there was more than one child in there?" Severus poked her stomach.
"Pray it's less than three."
"I suppose if we had twins they would end up like my brothers."
"I'd rather they be like the Weasley twins! Your brothers are worse!"
"Yeah," Severus changed into large flannel pajamas, "it was fun growing up with them, even if my parents were Nazis."
"I thought they were death eaters..." Hermione grabbed the top to a maternity set of pajamas and put it over a pair of ridiculously short shorts.
"Nazis, death eaters, what's the difference?" he climbed in bed and pulled the cover up to his chest. "They both followed complete losers that had nothing better to do than say 'I'm God, listen to me!'"
"True." Hermione crawled in the bed and snuggled up to Severus. "I love you."
"I love you, too. Good night." He kissed her lightly.
"Good night." Severus waved the lights in their bedroom off with a flick of his wand and pulled his wife closer to him. "Sev?"
"Yes?"
"After this one, do you want more children?"
"I want as many as you want. If you want more, then I say let's turn into bunnies."
"You and bunnies don't going in the same category, my love."
"Hm, think I could scare quite a few students with that one?"
"I think you can kill a lot of them." Hermione giggled.
"I think I'll add it on to my 'no foolish wand waving' speech to the first years."
"Knowing you, you would."
"Merely for the reaction."
"You would."
"Of course. It would give Albus a kick."
"Yeah." Hermione yawned and rested her head on Severus' chest. "'Night."
"'Night, 'Mione."
The couple fell asleep, and back at St. Mungos, Sean and Vanessa were currently discussing their upcoming wedding. It was to take place a little after the New Year at Snape manor, of which Severus had inherited since he was the one that currently needed it the most. As time would go on, all the Snapes and their families would live together under the rule of one Severus Salazar Snape. He was the first married, the first that had fathered a child, and the most responsible out of all the Snape children.
Silas Snape had made the right decision on making Severus the sole heir of the manor and all that it contains. Severus would dish out money to his kin as needed. There was only one thing that had Silas turning in his grave, Severus had married a mudblood.
A/N: While I know that after one has had a heart attack or three, i know they cannot do much but this is the wizarding world, so I thought about the whole potions and silly wand waving thingy...lol Well, the story is sooo ooc and clearly more American than it should be, I'm begging for a cannon specialist to be my beta. Ashwinder currently tossed out this story because of my horrid spelling errors, gramatical errors, and a multitude of other things, sooooooooo pretty please will some one help! oh, and they also said Snape was too nice...:( well, at any rate I hope you'd enjoyed yourself and please reveiw, I really want to know what I did wrong. I'm much better at strange ooc's containing a crap-load of humor...this is kind of my first drama/angsty thingy, and I'm not too pleased with it.
much love and happy r/r,
Sammy
