Disclaimer: This world belongs to JKR, of course.
"This meeting will come to order." Minerva McGonagall was presiding over a faculty meeting in the staff room. "This is just a short meeting to make sure there haven't been any problems with the students returning, and to introduce our substitute teacher, Draco Malfoy. Have the students all arrived?"
Hagrid and Filch assured Minerva that the students were all arrived and that most were in their proper houses.
"That's fine. A few will have meetings tonight and the prefects will be checking on things. As you all knew, Barbara will be leaving us soon--"
"Any day now," supplied Poppy.
"-- any day now. Mr. Malfoy has kindly agreed to fill in for the next couple of months until Barbara is back on her feet."
"Excuse me, Madam Headmistress, but are we now expected to work with two Death Eaters on staff?" Mary MacDonald looked up at the head of the table with narrow eyes.
"Former Death Eaters, Professor MacDonald, and yes. Our staff also contains a former auror and several Order of the Phoenix members."
"But Death Eaters, Professor!"
Minerva put her hands on the table and looked grimly down toward the younger witch. "The war put a lot of people in difficult circumstances, Professor. That will be quite enough." Professor MacDonald looked away and did not answer.
Minerva continued. "Mr. Malfoy is a bit young to be taking on this task, but he will be closely supervised by Professors Merrill and Snape and should do well. I understand that he will be using the Potion Mistress' office and apartments. Are there any other concerns? No? We will adjourn this meeting then. I'm sure the house heads, in particular, will wish to be in their offices in case students have need of you."
Severus helped his wife get up and took her arm to assist her from the room. "Draco, join us, please, as I walk my wife down to her office."
"Draco's office, for now, Severus," Barbara said quietly. Then a bit louder, "I trust you had an easy journey, Professor?"
Severus watched several thoughts play over his former student's face. "I hadn't thought of myself as a professor, yet, ma'am."
"Well, Draco, you have about twelve hours to get used to the idea," said Severus.
"Don't scare him, Severus, we need him too much."
"Right as usual, dear lady. I'll be back for you at curfew?"
"That sounds good."
"Stay out of trouble."
"Likewise."
"Draco, she is not to lift anything or try to reorganize the stock room, or really do anything more than sit in her chair until I return. Watch out, she's sneaky." He kissed her hand and was gone.
Barbara turned to Draco, who was trying not to smirk. "So, Professor Malfoy, why don't you look around the classroom and reacquaint yourself and then join me in the office here? We can discuss lesson plans and that sort of thing. It looks like I have a quick meeting with my prefects right now, anyway."
"Professor Merrill?" The Ravenclaw prefects had left and Draco was walking back into the Potion Mistress' office.
"Yes?"
"I need to apologize. I know you've overheard some of the things I've said about you. I've made the Professor pretty mad."
"I wouldn't know about that, Draco. Severus tells me that you had a difficult time during the war and have been trying to readjust to what your world is like now. I cannot imagine it's been easy."
"No, ma'am."
"Let's give each other a chance, if you don't mind. I trust my husband and he trusts you, and that's all the assurance I need to know this will work well." She arranged tea on the desk and started to pour. "We will start by your not mentioning that I actually made tea in here this evening. For that matter, the elves would be furious, too. And why don't we also start by you calling me Barbara when we're not in front of students?"
"Yes ma'am...Barbara. It's clear to see that the Professor enjoys you."
"Excuse me?" Barbara skipped pink and went straight to red.
Draco started. "Oh, no, ma'am! I meant your conversations together. The little comments back and forth. He really seems to enjoy that, and watching you just now, well, I'm just glad you have each other."
She smiled. "Thank you Draco. Let's go over my plans for the next few weeks and then I'll let you settle into the rooms."
Classes were working well with the new Professor Malfoy. He understood and enjoyed the subject, he was, for the most part, even handed. Difficulties with Professor MacDonald were handled, so far, although Barbara didn't know exactly how. She saw the two of them discussing something very intently and quietly in a hallway and backed away.
A couple of evenings into the winter term, Draco and Barbara were grading papers and going over the next day's assignments when Barbara suddenly blanched. "Prof-- Barbara, are you all right?"
"I'm fine, Draco, but someone else is not. I'm afraid I need to leave you for the day. Feel free to continue that grading or not as you see fit. I have some things I need to do, and I'll see you, tomorrow."
"Do you need my help?"
"No thank you. I'll be fine." Barbara smiled and patted his arm. She waited until she was well on her way toward the stairs before her eyes narrowed and her face set with purpose. She had several things to do this evening and she hated to admit it, but she was not at her best.
She knew this time that Severus was injured. Someone had tried to cruciate him but he had been able to throw it off and get away. She stood at the doorway, absently staring at a student's cat while waiting for him to make his way through the school hallways. Finally she saw him and rushed to his side, walking him back to their rooms with her arm around his waist.
"I'm sorry I can't support you very well. I hope that this helps."
"All you have to do is touch me, Barbara, and everything feels so much better. You saw what happened?" He looked for anger in her eyes but saw only concern. "Tonight, I yield to your care, Barbara. I'm not going to fight you. Do you have the proper potions?"
"Everything is ready. Come, darling." She sealed the door behind them and drew him to their bed. She gave him a healing drought to drink and started working on his clothes. When she found where the curse had hit him, she rubbed the other potion into the wound. Finally she simply held his hand and watched him, willing him to get better. Eventually his color returned to normal and his breathing became easier. She helped him into his nightshirt.
"I'm feeling so worn out, tonight. I just want to hold you."
"Of course. I'm pretty tired tonight, myself." She took off her own dressing gown and slipped beside him in her nightgown.
"There's something different going on but I'm not sure what, yet. This group are going almost straight to Azkaban. I don't like the direction things are taking, now."
"Maybe we should just concentrate on helping the children for a while?"
"Hmm... maybe... is there anything better than coming home to a dear wife?" He remembered something. "Weren't you supposed to meet with this specialist that Poppy has coming? What did he have to say?"
"Healer Petros is a sweet man. Quite jolly and kind, really. He looked me over in just about every way he could and asked me every possible embarrassing question there is. He spoke with Poppy for a minute or two and finally he came and spoke with me. He said I'm in perfect shape and that labor should start within the next week or so."
"So no problems?"
"Poppy always said there weren't any problems. Then he showed me something." She took his hand and held it to her belly. "This is our baby's head, and back." She took his other hand and held someplace different. "This, Severus, is our other baby's head, and back."
"Hmmm...two...this week..." He mumbled off to sleep as the potion took effect.
"Good night, Severus." She kissed him and then tried to go to sleep. When that didn't work, she got up to knit. Sometimes she could hardly form a coherent thought while at other times they flew around her like pixies. Knitting helped to sort her thoughts and by the time she had gone very far, she was tired enough to return to the bed and sleep.
Barbara woke the next morning to find that her husband had pulled her nightgown up. He was murmuring to and kissing her tummy. "Whatever are you doing down there?"
"They were kicking and jabbing. You did say there are two? I'm telling them to be good for the next week or so, that I look forward to meeting them face to face, and that I love them and Mommy."
Her eyes prickled. "You should know better than to do things like this when I'm an emotional wreck from being pregnant. I love you."
He moved up to kiss her lips. She turned her head aside and kissed him on the cheek.
"So," she said, "enjoy your day off."
"I have classes every period today."
"Actually, you don't. I canceled them all as soon as I saw what was happening to you."
He sat up and glared at her. "You dared to cancel my classes?"
"Hmmmm... one of the spouses of this marriage made plans that affect them both without consulting the other... Wait a minute," she sat up and glared back at him, "it was both of us."
He looked abashed. "It wasn't like that."
She sighed. "It never is. Let me guess. You discussed it in your office the night of the party and I was too tired to hear about it that night and there was one reason or another not to bring it up for the following two weeks?" He couldn't quite look into her eyes.
"Severus, I have to know about this before you go. It's too jarring to think you're just in your office or something and then see you in danger like that. And then last night, when you were hurt..." Her eyes became unfocused.
He pulled her head to his chest. "I cannot excuse it; I shouldn't have done that. I could have at least told you yesterday why I wouldn't be able to be with you when you went to see Poppy. Forgive me, Barbara, please?"
"I had to stop being mad when I saw you in such pain. Of course I forgive you. But, dearest, why do you do this?"
"I forget how strong and capable you are and I want to protect you and the baby—babies, now. I cannot stand the thought of anything bad happening to you. I don't think I could survive that, Barbara."
"Oh, Severus, don't you think I have the same worries? I would be in your office every free minute just to see you if I could stand the stairs that much. Worry with me, Severus, not so much about me. Better yet, can't we have some time together with no worry at all?"
"It would seem that I have all day to not worry. What are you doing today?"
"I have several classes to sit in on. Draco has taken over completely, but I'm trying to keep an eye out while I can. He may also want some help with the seventh years when I'm not able."
"Are they giving him trouble?"
"I wouldn't say that."
"You are leaving me something to puzzle over, I see." He sat back against the headboard. "So, my dear, am I to be left alone here today with nothing better to do than consider names for the soon to be impressive Snape twins?"
"I didn't say that, either."
"What did you say?"
"I didn't plan to say anything." She took his face into her hands and gave him the kiss she had withheld before.
A/N: There will be a little less of a Polyanna vibe eventually, but for now it's hopeless.
Thank you, reveiwers!