"Seventy points, Severus? Seventy?" Minerva McGonagall questioned her younger colleague. The witch looked anything but pleased.
The Potions Master didn't look any happier. "Am I not allowed to eat a meal, Minerva, without you pestering me with something? Now it's the points, yesterday it was the detention with Filch, the day before it was Hermione. Should I start taking meals in my office to be able to digest them properly?"
Minerva was not the least bit intimidated by his tone or the quirked eyebrow and returned his look with a stern look of her own.
"You do realize, Minerva, that that look of yours ceased to have any effect the moment I graduated?" Severus quipped with a smirk. While that was not entirely true, he enjoyed annoying her just as much as she enjoyed annoying him.
Truthfully, he had still found Minerva rather intimidating the first three or four years he had taught here. It had been amazingly difficult to stop feeling like he was in trouble for something when she gave him that look!
"Seventy points is terribly harsh, Severus, even for you."
"And how many points would you take, Minerva, if my Slytherins were attempting to break into your office?"
The older woman scowled, knowing that Severus was right; however, just because he was right didn't mean that she had to be happy about it!
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Hermione and her four charges entered the Great Hall. Balancing Adam, she still managed to give a slight wave in Severus' direction. "Now girls, let's not run—Too late," the governess said with a sigh.
Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables looked over at the suddenly quiet Slytherin table, wondering what was wrong. Most students didn't care any longer about Hermione and Severus, but today there was something definitely catching their attention.
"UNCLE!!" Three small girls screeched the word at the top of their lungs before running full force towards the teacher's table.
By this time, Severus had stood up, intending to find out what was distracting nearly every one of his Slytherins. He heard the screech and just barely saw the girls before all three of them launched themselves at him.
Seconds later, a loud "OOF" was heard as the Potions Master fell over in a rather undignified manner, having been bowled over by his nieces that he had been attempting to catch. Snape's neck began to grow red at the entire situation and grew redder still as nearly everyone in the Great Hall began to laugh.
Who would have imagined a scene like this? Severus Snape lying on the floor on his back, with a child sitting on his chest and two others sitting beside him, gazing eagerly at him.
"Hello to you too," Severus grunted. "Hailey, get off my chest please."
"Why?" the precocious girl asked.
"Because you are making breathing rather difficult at this precise moment!"
"Ooh!" Hailey giggled and got up. She promptly sat by his head and planted a kiss on his cheek.
Severus sat up, finding it very difficult to look evil with his nieces crawling all over him! "What the bloody hell are you girls doing here? If you came all by yourselves, I swear…"
Lynessa gasped. "You swore Uncle Severus! You're gonna get your mouth washed out!"
Rolling his eyes, Severus stood up, ignoring her comment completely. "Answer the question, young ladies!"
Maisie frowned at him. "You are really cranky Uncle."
"Hermy brought us of course silly billy!" Hailey giggled, hugging his leg once more.
"Hermione's here? Thank Merlin!" Severus scooped Hailey up and looked at Lynessa and Maisie. "Come girls, let's go find her." He began to stalk towards the back of the Great Hall, causing the girls to run to keep up at him.
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Hermione's jaw had dropped as she watched the scene unfold near the teacher's table. As Severus stalked back towards her, she looked a bit sheepish. "Sorry Severus," she said quietly. "I tried to tell them not to do that. They took off before I could even finish."
"Apparently," Severus said with a sigh. "Come on, let's all go to my chambers. I'll have supper brought there."
"Don't be mad Uncle," Hailey said with a pout. She put her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "We just love you lots and lots."
Another sigh escaped the grumpy man's lips. "I know Hailey. You just took me by surprise, and embarrassed me a bit," he explained.
"Sorry," Lynessa piped up. "We didn't mean to. We just missed you." Her sisters nodded their heads in agreement.
Severus wanted to be upset, wanted to scold them, but damn it if they just weren't so cute! That and they were rather little. Maisie was the oldest at seven, the other two younger. They didn't understand that he had a reputation to uphold here.
"It's alright girls," he said softly. Severus didn't miss the beautiful smile that Hermione shot him. "Now, what brings almost all my favorite girls and my favorite boy here tonight?"
"Aralyn had a friend come and get her for a nice evening of shopping and dinner, so we decided to come visit you," Hermione explained. "Your favorite girls missed you very much," she added softly.
Little Adam gurgled in her arms. "And Adam missed you too," Hermione laughed.
"He's grown quite a bit, hasn't he?" Severus said, looking at his nephew. "Awfully big for someone that's not even a year old."
"They grow very fast, like little weeds," she commented.
Maisie shook her head. "Not uh, not like weeds. Girls grow like little flowers. And boys grow like… uh… grass! Yeah, grass!"
Severus laughed out loud, than looked around the hallway to make sure no one was seeing him be happy. Wouldn't be good for his image.
"Alright little flowers and little boy grass, let's have something to eat. Inside with you lot." Severus opened the door of his chambers and held it open for them. "Find a seat, get comfortable. Don't play with things unless you ask first; I don't want to have to get after you girls."
His three nieces nodded their heads and took a seat on the couch, looking as angelic as they possibly could. Severus nearly snorted, but of course he didn't, as that would be rather undignified. As much as he loved his nieces, he knew darn well that they weren't angels; no child was.
After briefly discussing what everyone wanted to eat, Severus summoned a house elf that was more than happy to bring a large meal to Master Snape and his nice guests.
"So how old are you, young Mr. Adam?" Severus questioned, taking the gurgling little boy from Hermione. "Nearly three months, I believe."
Hermione smiled and nodded. "October first will be three months. And someone else has a birthday coming up…"
"Me! Me! I'm gonna be FIVE!" Hailey practically shouted with excitement. Her birthday came just before All Hallows Eve, on the twenty-eighth.
"Oh my, you'll be quite the grown up girl," Severus said indulgently. "What would a five year old girl like for her birthday? If I have to go buy dolls, Hermione is coming with me."
Laughing, Hermione shook her head. "I think I can manage that. What would you like, love?"
Hailey beamed at the adults. "A PONY!" she shouted excitedly. "Please?"
Severus and Hermione both chuckled. "I'll have to talk to your mum first, so in the mean time you think of some other things you'd like in case she says no."
She nodded, thrilled at the idea that her uncle was going to try and get her a pony!
The food arrived just a moment later and distracted everyone other than Adam (as he didn't get any yummy grown up food!) for several minutes.
"Are you glad we came, Uncle Severus?" Maisie asked.
Severus winked at her and nodded. "I am. It was a nice surprise, even if you three did run me over."
This time everyone, even Severus, laughed at what had happened in the Great Hall. "I can only imagine the questions people are going to have and pester me with after tonight. Oh well, I'll merely frighten them away with my scowl as always!"
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It was hardly surprising as the evening went on that the little ones grew sleepy. Severus smiled down at his nephew that was sleeping soundly in his arms and looked at each of his nieces. Hailey and Maisie were cuddled together on the couch and Lynessa was asleep on Hermione's lap.
"I think I might need help getting these sweethearts home," Hermione commented.
Severus chuckled quietly. "I think that you will. I'll help you get them home, maybe even stay for a cup of tea if a beautiful woman were to ask me to stay."
Hermione smiled at him. "I would love to invite you for tea. I'm not sure when Aralyn will be home, but its not like she'll mind. It's only 9:15, but definitely bedtime for the girls."
"Did you bring one of those… carrying contraptions for Adam?" Severus asked, looking around.
"It's shrunken down in my pocket." Hermione retrieved the shrunken baby seat and handed it to Severus. She watched the Potions Master enlarge the seat to its proper size and carefully put the baby boy into it and cover him with his blanket.
"I'll have to wake Maisie," Severus explained. "She is old enough to hold on and hold on tight to apparate back. The other girls can sleep and be carried. If you can take Lynessa, I can manage Hailey and Adam's carrier."
She nodded. "I think I can manage her just fine. None of the girls are very heavy."
A moment later, after some whispered and rubbing of her arm, Maisie was awake enough to walk with Hermione and Severus past the castle grounds. "Be sure and hold onto my leg tightly," Severus cautioned her. He smiled at her nodding. "Here we go."
The group apparated to Aralyn's yard, the act of doing so waking up both Hailey and Lynessa. Severus and Hermione led the group into the house.
"Adam is still asleep, let's let him sleep in his carrier for now, the girls need to be tucked in," Hermione commented, smiling at Severus.
"I want Uncle to tuck me in," Hailey said with a yawn.
Maisie nodded. "Me too!"
Severus chuckled. "Alright then monkeys, go get yourselves ready for bed. All three of you."
The girls grinned and headed upstairs to change into their pajamas and brush their teeth.
As they did that, Hermione brought Adam up to Aralyn's room and put him in his crib, smiling as she watched him, his chest falling and rising. Babies really were so amazing. She couldn't wait to have babies with Severus someday. The idea of it brought a slight blush to her cheeks. After another moment, she left the room and headed towards Nessa's room to tuck her in.
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Severus and Hermione met in the kitchen after all the little one's were tucked into bed. Hermione was putting on a pot of water to make tea when he entered and she flashed him a smile. "I thought you might stay a while," she commented. "Would you like some tea?"
The potions master gave a dramatic sigh. "I suppose I could stay…"
Hermione looked down at the kettle, not realizing he was being facetious. "Well, if you have things to do at Hogwarts, obviously I understand."
Severus quickly crossed the room and turned her to face him, caressing her cheek with his hand. "I was teasing," he told her. "I would love to stay. I was hoping you'd invite me."
He laughed as Hermione playfully slapped his arm and he in turn kissed her nose. "I will take some tea if the offer is still good."
"Of course it is. I love having you around," Hermione said sincerely. She took out two mugs, as well as cream and sugar, not missing that his eyes followed her every step. She turned to him, smirking ever so slightly. "See something you like?"
"Mmhm," Severus replied. "Something I like very much." He couldn't help but chuckle as her face blushed. "Such a modest girl; a very rare find these days. Yet another reason to count myself lucky."
"It is no luck, Severus Snape," Hermione said firmly. "It is you and you alone that has drawn me to you. You're irresistible, everything that you are."
Now it was Severus' turn to blush. "Thank you," he said quietly. "I hope you know how much I care about you."
Hermione nodded, taking his hands in hers. "Tell me anyway; please."
His gaze traveled over her face, searching her eyes, until Hermione felt a tingle in the pit of her stomach.
"I'm not always very skilled at putting my emotions into words," Severus told her quietly. "I've spent most of a lifetime keeping my emotions and feelings very carefully bottled up. Yet somehow they all come to light and don't seem nearly as dangerous when you are around. You, Hermione, are the sun in my sky. figuratively speaking of course. I obviously don't go out in the sun much."
As he spoke, Hermione felt as though she was being wrapped snuggly in a silk cocoon of love and joy. His last comment made her laugh, and she threw her arms around him. "Oh Severus, you are absolutely adorable and you don't even know it!"
She kissed him gently and sweetly, as tender and light as a summer's breeze. His hand moved to cradle her neck, his other arm encircling her midriff. Severus leaned her back ever so slightly, and she instinctively tipped her head back.
He began to trail slow, soft kisses along her jaw, almost as if he was traveling and the destination was her soft, pink lips. Severus could feel her melt against him, her soft curves molding against his body.
Suddenly he lifted her into his arms and carried her to the living room, where he sat down and promptly sat her on his lap. They sat there silently, looking deep into each other's eyes.
Hermione was the first to break the silence. "Severus?"
"Yes?" The potions master kissed her cheek, a hand running through her hair.
"I love you so much," she whispered.
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A/N: At long last, it is here! Good lord, who would have thought? I seriously wondered if my muse was ever going to return to me again. Thankfully it did, and hopefully it will stick around for a while! Thank you so much to everyone who continues to read and review, despite the long waits at times!