Disclaimer:- I neither earn nor own anything from this story except my plot. Harry Potter and his world are the intellectual property of JK Rowling and her associates.

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A/N:- Thank you to my beta, Golden Asp, for her work on this chapter, as well as everyone for your wonderful continuing support for this story.

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Chapter Eleven – Prince Manor and Gringotts

While Hermione and the Malfoys were in their meeting with Mandrake and Celia Doyle, Severus had loaded Helen and Serena into one of the Malfoy cars and had driven them the short distance to Prince Manor. The black S class Mercedes sedan was the car he drove when he needed to drive somewhere, and he knew that Lucius considered it to be Severus' car. The Potions master even had his own set of keys for it, and so he also thought nothing of borrowing it.

He'd fitted the baby seat that Hermione had transfigured in the limo the day before, and off they went.

Prince Manor was only a five minute trip from Malfoy Manor, and so they were soon parked in the driveway of the estate.

"My goodness," Helen gasped. "It's almost as big as Malfoy Manor."

"Yes, it certainly is," Severus replied. "Although, we do not have the menace of those confounded white peacocks, and the Prince family were not quite as obscenely wealthy as the Malfoys," and he chuckled. "They did build an estate to rival most of the other pureblood families."

They got out of the car, and Helen collected Serena while Severus extracted his girls' luggage from the boot of the car. He had also taken the precaution of shrinking Serena's cot to bring with them, and he was pleased he had when Helen straightened up with a sleeping little girl in her arms.

He smiled and ushered his family into the house through the door that was being held open by a well-dressed house elf.

"Tippy, this is your new mistress," Severus told the elf.

"Hello, Tippy, I'm Helen," Helen said.

"Mistress," Tippy insisted, and held out a long-fingered hand to greet Helen.

"Later," Severus instructed, watching Helen trying to work out how she was going to shake hands with the elf while she was holding Serena. "We will summon you, Tippy," he went on to say. There was another reason that he did not want the elf to bond with Helen yet.

"Very good, master," Tippy. "Will Tippy summon Hetty for Mistress Snape?"

"Yes, Hetty can bring the luggage up and unpack, as long as she does not disturb Miss Serena while she sleeps."

"Yes, sir, Tippy is being very pleased to serve," and the elf popped out to do as he'd been instructed.

"Come," Severus said, and started guiding Helen towards the central stair case that wound up to the next level.

The manor was very gothic in appearance, with stone window frames and mullioned casement windows either side of the entrance way, as well as in every room along the front of the house. A good deal of the front façade was covered in ivy that was trimmed to expose the windows, and as soon as she'd seen it, Helen had loved the place.

She was still getting used to house elves, but so far she liked the little creatures, and both Severus and the Malfoys seemed to treat them very well. She remembered Hermione being horrified that the elves were treated like slaves when she'd been about fourteen, but she'd since learned that the little creatures thrived on the work they did. It was true to say that some of them were badly treated, and Helen suspected that her daughter would be doing something about that once she was a solicitor.

She smiled as Severus guided her into a suite of rooms. "These are our personal rooms," he told her.

They walked through a huge sitting room and into an equally huge bedroom.

"My goodness, what a decadent bed," Helen said.

"Yes," Severus said, chuckling wickedly. "And I can't wait to see you spread out on it," and he bent down and kissed her.

Helen smiled and a little pinkish tinge lit her cheeks as she watched him walk into an adjoining room and place the cot on the floor and enlarge it.

"This will be Serena's room until she's older," he said. "Make Serena comfortable, I have something I wish to speak to you about. I shall return in a moment."

Severus strode from the room, intent on accessing his private safe in his study, and Helen occupied herself in making Serena comfortable. She placed the little girl in the cot they'd brought with them, and then put the baby bag on the chair beside the cot. She went about taking off Serena's shoes and hat so she'd be more comfortable and then covered her and quietly slid the side of the cot up to keep Serena safe.

Standing at the door gazing at her sleeping daughter, finally she turned and went back into the bedroom. She wandered over to the bed and sat on the edge of the beautiful burgundy silk bedspread. My how life has changed, she thought.

Having only just reconnected with Severus before she'd returned she'd been genuinely frightened that he wouldn't want her when he found out that she'd gotten pregnant. They'd talked so little in the time they'd had before she'd left for Australia, but she'd already been able to tell that he'd been the man for her.

There had been a spark between them almost immediately, and it had happened again when they'd reconnected, and now this. She looked around; it was a beautiful room, and after a moment she got up and walked to the windows that faced east. The view was magnificent, and she gasped at the beautifully laid out formal garden and the rolling hills of Wiltshire beyond. There were two elves currently occupied in cutting the lawn beyond, and she wondered how many of these creatures lived here.

Then her eyes moved to the only other door beside the bed, and she saw a vast dressing room, and she walked in and found that through the next door was a bathroom. She didn't care what the rest of the house looked like, she was happy, this was the kind of house she'd always wanted to live in, and it was as she was thinking this that Severus came back.

"Helen?" he questioned, unable to see her.

She came out into the bedroom. "This place is perfect, Severus."

"I'm pleased," he said. "Come, I've organised tea, and I wish to asked you something."

They walked into the sitting room, and Severus sat Helen on the lounge. He took her hand and immediately dropped lightly onto one knee in front of her. "I know this has been a whirl-wind of a few days, but your return has cemented a need in my mind. I know this is very quick in Muggle standards, but in wizarding terms it is not, as our magic tells us when we've met the person or persons who will be our life partners." He looked up to see her nodding her understanding to him. "I love you, and my magic has told me that you are the one for me. Helen, I'm hoping that you will do me the great honour of becoming my wife?"

"Oh, Severus. I love you too," and the hand he was not holding came up to caress his face. "Yes, I would be honoured to be yours."

Severus' smile grew, and he pulled a ring box out of his pocket, and produced a stunning diamond and emerald ring from it. "Then I seal our pledge with this ring," and he placed it on her finger, and came up to sit beside her.

She instantly melted into his arms, and their lips met. "I can't get enough of you," she murmured, between kisses.

"Well, now is the perfect time for us; our little love is asleep and we can't go anywhere until she's ready to go."

Helen giggled, and rose from the lounge, shedding her clothes as she walked. The tea was forgotten and by the time Severus had followed her, she was laying in the middle of the bed, naked, and with a come hither look in her eyes.

He removed the remainder of his clothes and climbed on after her. "Minx," he murmured, settling between her open knees. "You are so beautiful," he murmured, and his lips arrived at the inside of her knee and he started kissing and licking up towards the top. However, when he was almost there, he chuckled, and started at the inside of her other knee.

This time when he reached the top, his tongue started working.

Helen cried out, and just in time Severus remembered to place a silencing charm around them so they wouldn't wake Serena. Then she was encouraging him, wrapping her legs around his hips, and he obliged, easing himself into her, and started thrusting once he was sheathed inside her.

It was over all too soon and Helen lay there bonelessly happy. Severus was so different to her first husband, Edgar. In fact, they were like chalk and cheese, Edgar had been very proper, and he was definitely not sexually free, he'd had many hang ups that Helen had had to live with, but she had loved him regardless.

Then she realised that she loved Severus now, and she caressed his face to get his attention, and watched him slowly open his eyes and look at her. "We'll have to marry before Saturday, won't we?"

"Yes, that would be best. We can't have anyone judging Hermione or Serena because of our oversight." He kissed her between her breasts. "As unintended and delightful as the arrival of our daughter was," he added, so she knew he didn't think that Serena was a mistake, she would never be that.

"No, we cannot, and we cannot have anyone saying that the headmaster of Hogwarts is anything but above suspicion either."

Severus settled his head onto her soft stomach and her nuzzled her with his cheek as he sighed and said, "I'm not planning to remain as headmaster. Filius can move up. I think he deserves that, he has worked tirelessly towards it for years."

"Filius, that's the Charms professor?"

"Yes," but as Severus answered they heard Serena waking in the next room. "You stay here, I'll get her," he said, and leaning down he kissed her mons before he got to his hands and knees to get up as she giggled at him.

Severus quickly summoned his black silk robe and went to get Serena. He had helped change the little girl's nappy twice so far, and he was certain that it wouldn't be that hard. He lay her on the change table after remembering to pull the chair with the bag on it closer so he could get what he needed from it.

He knew he may have been in over his head when he undid the disposable nappy and was faced with a very smelly mess. "My goodness, Madam, what has your mother been feeding you?" he asked the smiling squirming Serena.

"Everything all right in there?" Helen asked from the bedroom.

"Yes," Severus called back, still confident that he could manage. He vanished as much of the mess as he dared, and held Serena's legs up as he used the wipes to clean the rest. Finally, he placed the clean nappy under her bottom, and set about fitting it.

He looked rather pleased with himself when he carried the freshened Serena in to her mother. He glanced at Helen and smiled seeing her sitting there examining the ring he'd given her. She'd pulled the quilt up to her waist, and she looked up and smiled when she saw them.

"Managed?"

"A doddle," Severus replied.

"Really?" she questioned, looking fairly sceptical.

Severus looked to Serena. "She doubts us, little one."

The meaning of Severus' words went over Serena's head, but she laughed and captured his cheeks in her chubby hands. "Da," she said, kissing him.

That was the moment that Severus Snape realised that everything he'd ever been through to get to this point was worth it. He was going to have a wife and he had a daughter who'd just called him dad.

He quickly handed Serena to Helen as he was very overcome with emotion.

Helen looked up at him. "I love you," she told him. "Come and sit with us," she encouraged.

He took her offered hand and squeezed it, but then thought to what he'd been thinking as he changed Serena's nappy. "I love you both, but I will be back directly. I must send a message to Lucius with our news." He took in Helen's questioning expression. "If Celia Doyle is on her game—which she always appears to be—then Lucius needs to know that we've got our wedding in hand so he can tell her to stick her beaky nose somewhere else."

Helen nodded as Serena attached herself to Helen's breast, and then she glanced up at him and smiled. "Good plan," she said.

xox

When Severus returned from his errand, he brought them a mug of tea each, and climbed in beside his girls again. He'd had a smoke while he was in the sitting room writing his note. He didn't know what Helen would think of him smoking around Serena; he hadn't tested that boundary yet.

Helen thanked him for the tea, and carefully took a sip before sighing and placing it back away from Serena's reach. "I needed that," she murmured, bringing Serena up to pat her back.

"When I leave Hogwarts, there is someone I'd like to bring here with me," Severus said quietly.

Helen tilted her head in question.

"The school matron has been like a mother to me. She now wants to retire as the rigors of running around after over four hundred students is starting to become too much for her. She's alone, she has no one else, and I was wondering if you would allow her to be Serena's live in nurse. We will require a nurse for our little girl, and I believe Poppy would be perfect. She has always been there for me, and I'd like to be there for her now she needs a home. I haven't said anything to her yet, as I wished to speak with you first."

"Thank you. Yes, I agree that we may need a live-in nurse, but I'd like to meet her before I comment further."

"That is reasonable," Severus said. "I'll take you both to Hogwarts to meet her."

"I didn't think I'd be able to go to Hogwarts," Helen said, swapping Serena to the other side.

"I'm very aware that you have a portion of innate magic coursing through your veins. I will apparate us to the gates and we shall see," Severus said, smiling. "Now, I'm going to have a quick shower while you finish feeding Serena so I can mind her while you have a shower."

"Okay," Helen agreed.

xox

It was almost ten thirty when Lucius, Hermione, and Draco stepped out of the Floo and into The Leaky Cauldron. They wasted no time in making for Diagon Alley and walking towards the bank.

Hermione was still angry at Luna for her lack of judgement, and even angrier at Ron for allowing his mother to dictate his thoughts. She had no doubt that this had come from Molly, after what Molly did to try and get Harry to marry Ginny. She was proving herself to be every bit as manipulative as the stereotypical Slytherin. Only Hermione was finding out that Slytherins were nothing like what she'd been told they were by people like Molly.

Walking with her arms through Lucius and Draco's offered arms, they made a particularly wide group of people, and Hermione did what she always did as she approached the bank, she stopped and glanced up at its vivid white facade.

Lucius and Draco obligingly stopped with her, but almost as soon as they did an angry voice from within the bank doorway said, "Oi! Get out of the way, Ferret. People are trying to get out."

It was true that Draco was the one closest to the middle of the steps, but there was still plenty of room to get by him.

Ron had only commented because it was Draco, and he and Ginny now walked around them, but Ron shouldered him as he did, and then looked back at them, sneering. "Oh sorry," he stated insincerely, and then added to his sister, "Hey look, Gin, it's the whore and her two of her Death Eaters."

Lucius caught Hermione as the force of Ron's actions pushed Draco backwards before he managed to catch himself.

Hermione was saved from damage by Lucius, and she was straightening and livid as she glared back at them. "Hasn't your mother told you that you shouldn't lie, Ronald?"

"It's bloody true," Ginny proclaimed to the gathering crowd. "And she's broken my brother's heart."

"It is utter nonsense, that's what it is," Hermione replied coolly. "We have never had an agreement about anything; we very rarely even saw eye to eye as friends. I would never entertain the idea of anything else with you. Excuse me," Hermione said, and she went to turn away from them before she said something she'd regret, but she didn't see Ron pulling his wand from his sleeve.

"You bitch!" he yelled.

Luckily, Lucius and Draco saw what he was about to do, and both their wands arrived to defend her.

"I think that comment puts out any thoughts that you've got a broken heart, Weasley," Draco told him.

"And I would back away," Lucius warned, "or we'll summon the Aurors."

"The Aurors are already here," said a voice, and Kingsley, flanked by Harry and two uniformed Aurors, stepped out from the shadows near the bank's entrance. He looked straight at Ron and Ginny and said, "And we heard every word. Detain them both," he commanded to the Aurors. "They will be charged under the new Muggleborn anti-discrimination laws."

"What? You must be joking. We fought to get rid of scum like the Malfoys," Ron said.

"Shut it, Ron," Harry told him, wading into the argument, and he turned to the gathered people. "Unity is the only way forward. Hermione Granger is not being forced to marry these men. She is entering this esteemed form of wizarding marriage because she wants to, and she is marrying for love, as I will when the opportunity arises."

Having said his piece, and seeing those present lapping it up, he noted that the Malfoys had ushered Hermione away while he'd been speaking, and he turned to look after Ron and Ginny. He wished there was something he could have done to nip this sort of behaviour in the bud, but while they were being encouraged by their mother, no one had any chance of making them see reason.

Harry and Kingsley entered the bank, and Harry asked where Hermione had been taken, and he was directed towards a private room. He knocked. "I won't be long," he told Kingsley.

Lucius answered the door. "Hermione's a little upset at the moment, Mr Potter," he said.

Harry looked past Lucius and saw Hermione being held by Draco, and she was indeed upset. He looked back to Lucius. "It's Harry, remember, and I'm pleased you've realised that she not as bomb-proof as she tries to tell people she is."

"Don't worry, Harry, we're both devoted to her happiness. We'll see you this afternoon."

"Right you are," Harry replied. "Have a good day."

Lucius inclined his head in answer and then turned away, shutting the door. He walked back to Hermione and Draco. "Harry wanted to make sure you were all right."

As he spoke she looked up at him and nodded her understanding, before sighing. "Yes, I'll be fine," and she looked to Draco. "Thank you," she told him.

"You're welcome," he replied, given her a peck on the lips. "Now let's go and see what you now own," he cackled.

She smiled despite how angry she still was. "Lucius," she said, reaching for his hand.

"You did well out there, little witch. You will be reported in a positive light, and I have no doubt that it will be reported in this evening's paper," he stated pulling her into his arms and kissing her head.

Hermione nodded against his chest, inhaling deeply. She loved how both of them smelt; it represented comfort now to her, and even after such a short time she didn't think that anything would ever be so delicious to her.

Lucius rubbed her upper arms he knew they had to keep going or they'd miss their appointment with Armando. "All right?" he murmured.

"Yes, I'm fine," and she pulled a mirror from her pocket and dispelled the evidence of her tears.

Lucius walked over and pressed a button next on the other door of the office and a goblin called Jacknip came in. He did not say anything but gestured for them to follow. He opened the door of a carriage, that to Hermione's surprise resembled a small Muggle cable car, and Lucius welcomed her into it, sitting her down beside him. Draco touched her knee as he sat opposite, and the goblin shut the door and stepped into the driver's compartment.

"I had this car installed just after Draco was born," Lucius explained as they started off. "It's a long journey to the levels containing our vaults, and I reasoned that it should be taken in comfort. The idea of coming back up from a visit to ones vaults and looking like you'd endured a hurricane was ridiculous."

Hermione giggled at his accompanying hand movements and actions, but then reality set in and she realised that they would most likely be going deeper into the bank that where she'd been the day they'd broken in near the end of the war.

She began fidgeting as she nervously looked around. They were moving very fast, and her stomach lurched in protest making her clear her throat, but she managed to hide her discomfort from her attentive wizards this time, unlike when she'd first arrived in their house.

Then they were stopping, and the goblin was opening the door. Unlike other vaults she'd visited here, there was a little bay, and the car was right next to the landing, there was no hideous gap to traverse to get to the walkway.

Draco alighted first, and she took his offered hand and stepped onto the walkway. Lucius followed her out, and both men wrapped an arm possessively around her waist as Lucius handed over his key.

The door that opened was massive, and Hermione could not help the gasp that escaped her lips as she stood there looking at the cavernous room in front of her. Every surface was piled high with galleons, and the room was vast. The men ushered her inside, and she saw that not only was there this huge room but there were side rooms as well.

"You see," Lucius whispered close to her ear. "I could dress you in galleons if I choice to, but I much prefer you in silks and satins I think," and he chuckled decadently.

His laugh went straight to the pit of her stomach, and she moaned softly, leaning in closer to him as she asked, "What are the side rooms for?"

"They are for my different interests in life." He walked her to one in particular near the back. "See, this one is new, can you guess what it might be for?"

She shook her head, and he smiled.

"It's the new trust fund for your orphanage."

"Oh," she gasped.

"And I have a surprise for you in my vault too," Draco put in.

He'd been silent up until now, obviously allowing his father his moment, but now he claimed centre stage.

"Come, it's my turn," and he turned her back towards the carriage, eager for her to see his vault too.

However, Lucius stilled her progress. "I would like you to choose which jewels you want to wear over the next week before we move on," and he led her into one of the side rooms further towards the front, and guided her inside.

The room sparkled so much that it almost hurt her eyes, and she had no idea what to choose. "I'm not sure," she said, her lip slipping between her teeth.

"Well, perhaps choose a selection that can be taken to the house, and then see what you buy at Harrods," Lucius suggested.

So she did, she chose several sets of the less ostentatious jewels available, and Lucius seem happy. He handed them off to Jacknip, and quietly ushered her out, handing her on to Draco. He followed quietly as they swapped positions in the carriage and Draco sat with Hermione and he sat opposite. He was also the first one from the carriage this time, and he assisted Hermione onto the walkway.

Draco's vault was not as extensive as his father's yet, but it was still incredibly impressive. She watched as Draco collected a set of deeds while they were looking around, and saw him place them in his pocket. She wondered what they were, but before she could ask they went back out onto the walkway.

They walked to another door, and Lucius said, "This is your new vault."

"Mine?"

"Yes, I had Jacknip here move your vault down here with ours, and you will find that you have many more things now, if you would just give him your key," Lucius told her.

A very bemused Hermione dug in her bag for her vault key, and handed it to the goblin. He opened the vault and Hermione gasped. "Where did all this come from?" She knew she only had a modest amount in her vault.

"We've both made certain that you have an allowance to spend on whatever takes your fancy," Lucius told her.

"And we know that you would wish to earn your money," Draco added before she could speak, "but we also wished to make this available to you on top of that."

"It is in some ways a measure of our regard for you, and for what you're doing for our family," Lucius added.

She considered this and them for some moments, but eventually she nodded and smiled at them. "Thank you," she said, and drew them both into a hug.

After that they all piled back into the carriage and headed once more for the upper levels, and by the time they were walking back out into Diagon Alley, she'd forgotten about Ron and his stupidity, and she was very ready for some serious retail therapy.