"Who's it from?" Severus asked with a yawn as he brushed his hair out of his face and sat down at the table with a cup of tea.
"It's from Alexxi," she answered as she read the note. "She said that her and Devan have gotten married in a private ceremony at the ministry of magic."
"That's a little sudden isn't it?" Severus asked as he sipped his tea and pulled over the copy of the Daily Prophet.
"Severus, we've been out of school for two years now," Nokomis said with a smile as she put down the parchment she was reading.
"It doesn't seem like it's been that long," he replied as he set the paper down. "What's customary when someone marries? Do you have to send a gift or something?"
"Well, seeing as how they didn't have an official wedding ceremony, we don't have to get them anything unless we truly want to," Nokomis replied as she sorted through the orders that they hadn't finished the previous day. "Do you think that the Polyjuice Potion is about ready to be bottled and shipped?"
"Should be, it's been brewing for a while now. We'll test it later ok?" Severus asked with a smirk. "Did you want to get them a little something? She was your best friend at Hogwarts."
Nokomis gave Severus a little evil grin, thinking of how they would test it. "Not really sure what they would like or need," she said getting up from the table. "We best get to work before more owls come in."
Severus followed Nokomis into the small back room that they used as their work station. It had a window that allowed owls to come in and out and it also provided a private area in order to work. Severus went over to the cauldron that had a large batch of Polyjuice Potion bubbling away in it slowly. He put some into a bottle and examined it against the daylight. "It looks right to me, care to lend me your hair for testing?"
Nokomis smirked and yanked out one of her hairs. "Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked him as she handed it over. "We could have my dad come over and you can take one of his hairs."
Severus put the hair into the potion and looked over at her. "I would rather be a woman than a Ravenclaw love," he said before draining the vial.
Nokomis shook her head and chuckled to herself as she watched Severus change into a perfect replica of herself all the while making sure to transfigure his clothes as his figure changed. "Well, it's obviously successful, shall we bottle it now?" she asked trying to hide the smile on her face.
After an hour of bottling the thick liquid and getting them ready to ship out, Severus and Nokomis started on the rest of the orders they had received that day.
"I need to out for a little while," Severus said to her shortly after they had finished for the day. "I'll try not to be out too late."
"I hope not," Nokomis said as she gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "I think we really need to discuss something."
"I've got something to discuss with you first, so I promise, I won't be too late," he replied with a smile. "Remember, I love you," he said before Disapparating.
Nokomis stared at the ceiling waiting and worrying about Severus. She had expected him to return home hours ago and not knowing where he was was killing her. "Lumos," she said, having heard a noise in the dark room. Illuminated by her wand's glow was Severus, without his shirt, bearing a gash across his chest and the dark mark on his left forearm. "I had a feeling that's where you had been running off to all those nights," she said as he stood there frozen. "So, what's your pathetic reasoning behind this?"
Severus looked down, and let his hair fall into his eyes. "I don't really have any excuses," he said softly. He stood there, his arms down at his sides, looking at the floor.
"Severus, I still love you, but I'm very disappointed in this. Why did you feel this was the way to go?" Nokomis said getting up and walking over to him. "The only thing that could come out of this is Azkaban. I can't bear to see that happen to you."
"It's too late for me, I can't get out now. I've tried actually," Severus said as he put his arms around her and held her tight. "I realize now it's a mistake, but if I don't answer..."
"Go to the Headmaster. He'll be able to help you," Nokomis said as she guided Severus to the bed. "If anyone can help, it would be him. It is worth a try, isn't it?"
"That's true," Severus said, sitting behind her on the bed and putting his arms around her. "Of course, this isn't what I wanted to discuss with you tonight. I wanted to discuss this." He held out a small velvet box that was opened to reveal a silver and emerald ring. "Would you make me the happiest wizard in England?"
"Will you promise me you'll talk with the Headmaster?" Nokomis asked, turning to face him. "If you will, I will be more than happy to be your wife."
"Of course I will," Severus said as he placed the ring on her hand. "I seem to be unable to break any promises made to you."
Nokomis felt a small tug in her chest when the ring was placed on her finger. "Severus, is there a spell on this ring?"
"Yes," Severus said as he held her close again and kissed her on her neck. "There is a simple spell that lets me know if you are unfaithful and will let you know if I am unfaithful. Of course, I don't feel that we need that, but it was the only ring that was beautiful enough for you. At first it just had a charm that would punish you for straying, but I had that changed. The shopkeeper was more than happy to accommodate."
"Well, this makes me feel a bit better about the news that I need to share," Nokomis said as she leaned back against Severus's chest. "You are going to be a father, I'm pregnant."
"You are?" Severus asked, his hand going down to Nokomis's stomach protectively. "How far along are you?"
"Only two months," she replied, putting her hands over his. "I've gotten tested though. So far I'm perfectly healthy and so is the baby. The midwife I spoke with at St. Mungos stated that with my heritage and yours, we have a very good chance of a strong magical child."
"I will do everything in my power to protect you both," Severus said as he held onto her tighter. "We will marry after the child is born, unless you wish to hurry this."
"That's all right. I think we can wait," she answered him as she drifted off to sleep in his arms.