Chapter 4

Severus took a breath in, his heart racing as he paced back and forth in the threshold of the room, his dark eyes drawn to the floor, as it moved beneath him. his heart felt as though it would jump from his throat, and onto the floor if he didn't stop, but his body remained in constant motion, feeling the pressure within his body build. The heavy oaken door opened, revealing the small, frail body of Narcissa, her eyes tired, her shoulders slumped, bearing the weight of the world on her shoulders.

"How is he?" asked Severus, his voice tight, straining with emotion.

Narcissa frowned slightly, straightening her shoulders in an effort to look strong. "Remember your lessons, your a Slytherin, act like one. We can't afford to have anyone get past our ranks." She reminded him gently, walking further into the atrium.

Severus straightened up, his shoulders rolling back, his chest broadening, his dark eyes seemingly darkening even more as his mask fell into place. "How is he?" he asked again, his deep voice sliding over the woman's nerves, soothingly.

Narcissa sighed, rolling her shoulders as she looked into the dark eyes of the young man, feeling his apprehension as he looked at her. A small smile spread onto her face, as she reached up to cup his cheek, her eyes glowing with a parental pride at this young man that stood before her, feeling like she had had a part in his education, had a part in what he had become.

"Congratulations, Sev, you now have a son." she whispered, her smile widening as she watched the tall dark man break into a run.

Sighing, she leant back against the wall, feeling her heart beat, listening to the quiet of the snow outside, shivering slightly as her thoughts turned to the oncoming war, her heart constricting with every breath her body drew into itself, fear outweighing the happiness she felt at the arrival of the new child.

Severus slowed his pace as he entered the room, his heart pounding against his ribs painfully, his excitement and fear palpable as he lifted the heavy oaken door. He looked about the large bedroom, tunnel vision forming as he zeroed in on his lover on the bed, his long legs eating the distance between them. Standing next to the bed, the young man felt tears pulling at his eyes, as he laid eyes on his child for the first time.

The little creature was nestled in Lucius's arms, his tiny head laying in the crook of this lover's arm, the light dusting of blonde hair just visible against the little head, the sweet cherubic cheeks and face peaceful in sleep, as the tiny baby lay, against the blonde's slightly opened shirt, revealing the slight unnoticeable curve of his chest.

Severus felt his throat constrict, as he reached a shaking, potionstained hand out to touch the tiny being that was sleeping quietly in the pale arms, his heart filling with love as the little creature snuggled against his hand, whimpering slightly when the hand was withdrawn, only to be replaced with the man sitting down next to his small family.

Lucius smiled slightly, leaning back against the dark haired man, feeling the tension from the birth leaving his muscles as the darker man settled his arms around him, taking his weight, baring his burden. "Hello, Love." Lucius whispered, his smooth voice, hoarse from his screams.

Severus held him all the tighter, his dark eyes staring with an intensity only award to the man in his arms."How do you feel? Any pain?" asked the potions master, rubbing his face into the neck of his love.

Lucius shook his head, turning his head slightly in order to plant a kiss upon his dark haired companion's nose, shaking his head. He allowed Severus to kiss his head, he knew that his lover needed to feel him, needed to know that he was there, know that he was his. The potions master's hands glided over his, those deceiving arms strengthening around his now small waist, his nose breathing in the slight scent of sweat, that dampened his lover's magical essence.

"What shall we name him?" asked Severus, placing a kiss on his lover's neck, caringly, gently brushing away the light colored hair.

Lucius smiled, ever so gently running his knuckles over his new born son's cheek, watching lovingly, as those little arms flailed for a second before settling, a tiny whimper escaping the little creature. "I don't know." he said, revelling in the feeling of the tiny baby against him."He's so tiny, Severus." Lucius whispered brokenly, his body seeming to crumple around his baby, tears escaping his grey eyes, his fragile body shaking with the effort."How will he survive this? How will he survive the war he was born into? How?"

Severus held him all the tighter, burying his face into the blonde tresses of his lover, choking back his sobs."I don't know...the most we can do is try our best, to protect him as best we can." said Severus.

Lucius could feel his lover trying to hold back his sobs, trying to hold back the pain that he was feeling through his bond with his mate. At that moment, he knew, that the pain that they were feeling at this moment, would never go away. As he looked at the little creature in his arms, he understood that this what being a parent was all about.

Severus sat silently in a chair, his head leant back against the back, his body relaxed in sleep. His chest moved rhythmically, raising and falling in time with the clock, his dark eyes shut against the soft light in the room. A small cry from the corner woke him, startling him from sleep, causing him to jolt awake.

Rubbing his tired eyes, the potions master stood, his dark eyes immediately falling on to the dark cherry crib, where his new son was supposed to be asleep. Peering over the rim of the crib, he looked at the newborn, his dark eyes fixed on the charcoal grey blue that stared back at him. Surprised, he shifted slightly closer, gently poking his son's small perfect nose, watching in fascination as his son crinkled it in confusion, dragging a deep chuckle from the dark man's chest. The baby looked in his direction, blinking, those large orbs searching out the figure making that sound with his newborn eyes. Whimpering when the source could not be found, the baby's huge eyes began to fill with tears, distress marking his new face as he looked for the source of comfort that had left it.

Severus gently shushed the him, reverently lifting the child out of the crib and into his arms, marveling at the way the child fit in the crook of his arm. The infant settled, nestling closer to the warm body that held him, cooing slightly as he got comfortable. Severus looked closely at the baby, his heart thrumming in his chest, as he settled the tiny being closer to him, next to his heart. He sat gently in his chair, feeling its support but not really, as he looked into his eyes, watching as those dark eyes shifted, focusing in on his face, those little lips yawning, sleepily. Severus couldn't stop looking at the tiny creature, his eyes watering with tears as the small infant lay in his arms, innocence radiating off the little one.

"I'm sorry you don't have a name yet, little one. We haven't really been expecting you for that long, and to be honest you were a surprise. We thought that you were a flu for the longest time, then we got so fed up with your bearer being so grouchy, that we made a test. Apparently, you are very persistent and like to be acknowledged, because you stop making your bearer sick after we found out. You're so small. I never thought you would be this small. I'm rather surprised, everything on you is like a scale model of a larger person." Severus rambled on, gently stroking the small cheek.

The baby yawned again, stretching against his sire, before settling back into the warm arms that held him, sleep claiming him once again.