Disclaimer: I don't own anything of Harry Potter.
Note: Thanks for the reviews. This takes place a few weeks after the other chapter. Let's begin. Christmas season in the next chapter so send some ideas please.
Severus sighed heavily as the students of his last class of the day finally disappeared through the door. He collected the scrolls of homework that had been laid on his desk, and ran a hand over his face. It was Friday afternoon and he could look forward to the holidays of doing nothing, except going to the match tomorrow between Slytherin and Gryffindor, the first Quidditch match of the season.
In a few days it would be Christmas and this would be the last quiet weekend for quite a while. They would be forced to spend it at Hogwarts because of the threat the wizarding world presented to them and, besides, neither of them had a place to go to.
Severus picked up his bag, carrying the scrolls into his private office and he dumped them there neatly, and then walked into the sitting area of their shared quarters.
Frowning when no exited cry came to greet him, only loud laughter and giggling from the other room, Severus picked up his wand and stepped into the library. The sight that greeted him there left him gaping.
Harry was on the floor, laughing as the blocks around him floated in the air, accompanied by soft giggles from a pudgy child with bright red hair. For a moment Severus wondered if he his eyes were deceiving him, but then the child's hair changed colour to bright pink and Severus put his wand away, relaxing as he realized that there was no danger.
The green eyes rose up to meet him, startled. Harry ceased laughing and a second later was on his feet, a grin splitting his face. The baby startled as Harry rushed around the baby to give Severus a kiss. Them the baby turned around unsteadily, throwing himself off balance where he sat and fell to the ground, beginning to cry as Harry drew back immediately with a soft, "Oh no!"
His brat's green eyes were wide and uncertain as the screams began to increase in volume. Harry took a step closer and he bent down, holding the child at arms' length, uncertainty radiating off of him.
Severus stepped closer, softly instructing. "Bring him closer to your own body, then with one arm support his arse and settle him upon your hip. If he is accustomed to be picked up he will accommodate." Harry did as instructed, the baby's cries lessening immediately to mere sniffles, and the child lay a weary head against Harry's shoulder, Harry's hand rising unintentionally and stroking the child's back to comfort him.
Severus hid a smile, nodding at Harry as his husband turned around to look at him. Harry still looked uncertain, unable to be fully comfort the child since he had no idea how. The amber eyes of the child settled upon him and the child sniffed the air, frowning slightly.
"Harry who is this?" Severus finally asked, frowning himself as he began to realize that the child bore an eerie resemblance to somebody he knew. He gestured with his free hands to the two chairs that stood near the fireplace.
Strangely enough the fireplace had been welded shut and Severus' hand ran out to touch the bricks which had, only that morning, been a good, working fireplace. Harry had settled in a chair and was bouncing the small child upon his knee, seeming to feel much more comfortable.
"Harry, why is the fireplace welded shut?"
The green eyes locked with his own and Harry finally spoke. "They don't want me to take Teddy anywhere. This is Teddy Lupin, my godson."
There was a note of pride in Harry's voice and Severus remembered the question Harry had asked after their wedding feast. He looked at the child in Harry's lap, the amber eyes, which didn't change colour in the slightest, resembled their father's often intelligent look, as the child sniffed the air again.
"So I should offer him my hand or throw him a bone to fetch?" He asked instead, as the child broke out into a grin, wrinkling his nose as his hair faded to a similar untidy mop of black hair. Severus nearly heaved a groan.
"Severus!" Harry scowled at him and Severus finally burst out laughing, unable to contain himself. Harry looked surprised but pleased as well, no longer looking away like he would have done a few months ago. Severus reached out with one hand to trace his fingertips over Harry's cheek, offering his other hand to Teddy who grasped it firmly.
"Hello Ted, my name is Severus. I am Harry's bond mate." Severus used his gentler voice, lowering it slightly, and he saw out of the corner of his eye how Harry swallowed thickly and briefly closed his eyes. He had no idea his very voice had that affect upon his brat.
Harry bounced the child, which gurgled happily in response as the other sticky hand was transferred to holding Severus' hand as well. The small and thick fingers of Teddy were examining his slender fingers, passing over the lines in his palms as the child declared something only he could understand.
"So this is Remus Lupin's child?"
"Yes, and Tonks' child as well. Earlier this afternoon, Professor McGonagall called for me and, when I went up to her office, Teddy was there with Andromeda Tonks. She had some things to do and Professor McGonagall had hinted that I wanted to see Teddy, so here he is. I've been playing with him but I think he is a bit tired through." Harry sounded a bit winded himself.
"Is Teddy going to stay the night?" Severus asked when Harry refused to meet his eyes.
Harry only nodded, his body tensed and shied away from Severus as if he expected to be beaten or shouted at. Feeling pity stir his heart, Severus softly asked. "Is there a room prepared for him?"
Harry still refused to meet his eyes and Severus sighed as he continued. "Harry, relax! I am not going to put Teddy out in the hallway simply because I come home to find your godson sitting here. He strikes me as an agreeable child and as far as we are clear on the subject that you will be the one to go and fetch him whenever he cries, then everything is well with me. Like I told you last summer, Teddy, or your friends are more then welcome."
Harry's body relaxed and Severus knew if it hadn't been for Teddy, Harry would have been sitting in his lap by now, offering him kisses and such things even when there was no need to. Severus had spent more then one night on the couch with his arms full of his husband who was lazily reading or grading his papers with his head in Severus' lap, once in a while sharing a kiss.
If Severus had known a year ago that he would know first hand that Harry Potter was, in fact, when encouraged and enough at ease, a very affectionate person, he would have laughed very hard. The intelligent, quiet young male which was hidden underneath the false, cheery behaviour was more like Lily's personality then James'. Perhaps if circumstances had been different and Harry had lived with his parents, he might have turned out differently.
"You are my equal, not my pet, and not my house elf. You are capable of thinking for yourself, even when I sometimes wonder if you make the right decisions. You don't need my permission to invite people into your home, people you care about. I am your bond mate and my duty is to keep you happy, satisfied in all areas and to be faithful to you. My personal duty to you, is to make sure that you don't turn out like me, a bitter man."
Harry merely smiled at him sweetly and answered. "How could I possibly turn out like you, Severus? I mean you are kinder then you give yourself credit for. I do wonder if the wizarding world will stop spinning when they learn who Severus Snape truly is."
"Let us not test that theory. I mean, the wizarding world needs to adjust to so many things different from the past, it is better left alone." Severus purred softly as Teddy gave a loud cry, startling them both.
Harry immediately turned his attention back to his godson and tried his best to find out what was wrong. As the thick tears fell over the cheeks, the amber eyes locked on Severus as the child willed Severus to understand what was wrong. Frowning, Severus tugged his hands back and then held out his arms as he asked. "Did you feed him yet?"
The confused glance from Harry told him all he needed to know and he lifted Teddy into his own lap, settling the distressed and obviously hungry child against his chest with a firm hand on his back. Harry jumped up, speaking softly to himself as he ran from the room, returning quickly enough with a cup and a spoon, settling himself back in the chair and glancing down into the cup.
"This looks…." The younger wizard finally said the disgust on his face already evident. He merely picked up a spoonful, holding it out to Teddy who glared at him for a moment and then shifted his head to the side.
Severus laughed softly, muttering a soft charm that changed the food to something more suitable and sweeter for the child with the same ingredients and Teddy hopefully poked his nose back out of the Severus' robe, opening his mouth as Harry held the spoon out.
"How did that verse go? One for mama…?" Severus slowly began as he watched Harry's eyes darken and the younger DADA Professor said.
"I wouldn't know, Severus."
"Ah good, that makes two of us. I am afraid that in my case it is simple forgetfulness…." He said smugly.
"Yes you are nearly forty after all, Severus." His technique had worked and he watched Harry playfully return the jibe. His lover's face had lit up again and Teddy had made use of the distraction to grab the spoon and smear some of the food across Severus' black robe.
Despite himself, Severus glanced up when Harry began to laugh, shaking his head in amusement. He cast a cleaning charm upon himself, allowing the magic to dance over Teddy as well, who sat still in response.
The child then drooped his head against Severus' stomach, who startled in response, looking down into the amber eyes that glanced up at his own. Harry held the spoon out, his hand shaking slightly as he waited for Teddy to start eating again. "Perhaps he is not hungry at all." The younger professor finally murmured, putting the spoon back in the cup.
"Does he nap in the afternoon?" Severus leaned back in the chair, forcing himself to relax as Teddy shifted in Severus' lap, trying to find a comfortable spot to doze in. Finally the child settled with his back against Severus' stomach, head dropped back against the firm muscles and soft robes as he babbled incoherently, his hair still the same mop of untidy black hair.
"If he is going to change his eye colour to green, then it is time for him to go back to his grandmother." Severus couldn't help but run his fingers lightly through Teddy's hair.
He looked at Harry to find his brat looking at him with an expression Severus had never seen before. Harry was looking at him with adoration. The green eyes were shining with unshed tears and Severus felt his heart constrict heavily in his chest.
He wondered what was wrong and as the baby's even breaths filled the room, Severus reached out with one hand to lay it on Harry's knee. Harry looked at him, his face constricted in pain and Severus could read desire in it as well, as the younger male choked out, "I always wanted a family…"
Severus raised an eyebrow; Harry had never occurred him as the family sort of type. But then he remembered that his husband was an orphan, had been since birth nearly, and since his own family had been less then kind to him, it was natural that the younger male longed for something to call his own. Severus felt something flare in his chest, pain he realized that Harry didn't view him as family.
"I thought I was your family…" He was unable to keep the hurt from his voice and he watched how Harry recoiled immediately, something shutting behind the green eyes as his brat stammered.
"I don't mean it like this…." Harry ran a hand through his hair, over his face until he blurted out, unable to contain himself, the pain in his eyes quite clear. "…This isn't how things were supposed to be. I was supposed to be with you and Remus was supposed to be alive and able to take care of his own kid. I am not supposed to be like Sirius…"
"What does Black have to do with this?" Severus thundered harshly, Teddy forgotten.
"Everything, Severus, don't you see the resemblance between him and me? He was trapped in Azkaban, unable to take care of me like he had to. I am trapped as well, unable to take care of Teddy!" Harry's voice dropped lower and Severus felt the colour draining his face.
"Is this how you view our marriage, Potter? Like an entrapment?" He asked coldly, fury rising in his face.
Harry had paled considerably and then his husband cried out in an angry, confused voice, "No. I…"
"I don't want to hear it, Potter! I don't want to hear the lies! Is this how you played it all out? You are every inch your father's son…." Severus ignored Teddy who was screaming loudly at this point, having been awoken by their voices.
Harry sprang to his feet, the insult colouring his cheeks a dull red, but instead of anger or fury in his eyes, Severus could only see misery, pain and weariness as his husband said something that nearly made Severus' heart stop. "No, I mean trapped as in that I don't know how to take care of Teddy. I never knew how, Severus…."
His husband's voice broke and Harry sat back down, curling up in the chair as Severus got to his feet, trying to console Teddy as he went to sit on the armrest of Harry's chair. He felt out his element as he began to say, "I am sorry, brat…I shouldn't have said those things…Like I said earlier, we are both scarred….I am sorry, Harry…I…."
He fell silent as he felt Harry's head coming to rest against his side, his brat's hand on his thigh as Severus cradled Teddy closer, the child's scream lessening instantly. This is how it should have been with Harry as well. He should have been comforted when he cried, not locked in a cupboard, he thought ruefully.
Harry was silent and Severus was unable to say anything. They had just survived their first fight and all because of some stupid misunderstanding between them. Slowly he lowered his hand to tug at Harry's hair, Teddy was now sprouting longer black hair and Severus groaned.
"Ted, stop this! Make it pink for all I care but don't add insult to injury by looking like me!" He said firmly, the child looking up at him with large amber eyes. Severus turned back to look at Harry, the haunted green eyes were looking at the floor and Harry was biting his lip, contemplating something and Severus began cascading through his brat's hair as he softly asked. "Harry, what do you mean by family?"
Harry didn't look up at him but Severus could see how the shoulders tensed. Harry finally said, "I always wanted children. I don't know but I always… when I thought about the future… it was with some children…."
Harry's voice trailed off and Severus heard the unspoken agreement between them both. For years neither of them had thought about the future, both unable to see past the defeat of Voldemort. Now to come face to face with said future, it was touch and go for them both.
Teddy was babbling again, settling himself with a contented sigh against Severus who cradled him closer instinctively. The child was once again sporting messy dark hair and Severus hid a smile.
"You do realize that the chances of us being able to adopt a child is highly unlikely, even with your fame but my…past is in the way…" Severus carefully breached the subject.
"I don't want to adopt! I think that it is better to allow that idea of the future to slip away quietly…" Harry looked up at him, the large, solemn eyes gazing up at him, thoughtful.
"I thought you wanted children?"
"No, not really. I guess I always saw children because it was expected of me to have them, but now I think I don't want any. I don't want to be tied down and children would do such a thing. When we are truly free, I want to enjoy it. We will be free for the first time in our lives…"
Harry looked exited at the prospect and Severus found himself chuckling softly in response. He ran his hand once again through his brat's messy hair and answered with a smile. "I think I am in agreement with that idea, Harry. But what if Andromeda Tonks asks you to take care of Teddy, as his godfather?"
The child fastened against his chest gave an exited bounce at the mentioning of his name and Severus lowered Teddy slowly to sit on his knee. The child gave a yawn and rubbed at his eyes with one hand.
"Then I will see about that when the time presents itself. I am not going to make a decision now, Severus. This is nearly three years into the future and, if there is one thing that I have been taught about this, is that I will take it one step at a time. Besides I think that at this moment our relationship and how we grow accustomed to things are really what matters. We are kind of stuck in one place at the moment."
In the past that might have angered him, or stung, but Harry was only telling the truth. Harry was only bobbing his head now against Severus' side and as the older wizard glanced down he confirmed that in fact Harry was rubbing his face into Severus' robe, startling when he realized that Harry was nuzzling closer.
Teddy gave a big yawn and threw out his arms at Harry, mumbling softly. Harry sat up immediately, wrapping his hands around his godson to lift him into his lap, relieving Severus of the duty of the small child, who strangely felt the loss immediately.
Harry sat back against him, settling the child on his bent knees but instead Teddy gave a loud wail and Harry settled the child on his hip as one small hand of the half werewolf rose up to tug on Severus' slender one who allowed the child to take it.
They sat like that for some time, enjoying the peace and the closeness of each other. As the hand that had been wrapped around Severus' one suddenly relaxed the older wizard glanced down. Teddy's eyes had dropped closed and the child was resting with his head buried in Severus' side, much like Harry was often, his brat was looking down at the sleeping child with a look of love, a look that Severus had seen only one other occasion with Harry, this fond look and that had been the time when he had given Harry his ring on the brat's birthday.
He lowered his hand again and he slowly began to massage Harry's skull, softly suggesting. "Perhaps we can put Teddy to bed." Harry made a sound in the back of his throat that Severus couldn't decipher but the older wizard recognized that Harry wanted to remain here with him and he allowed it, smiling at the fireplace instead.
After a few moments Harry moved and Severus noticed how Harry lifted the sleeping baby to his hip, settling the child comfortably against him. His husband looked at him and Severus rose, allowing Harry to lead the way and Harry entered their bedroom where a crib stood against the wall.
"Is Teddy supposed to sleep in here?" Severus stopped in the doorway, staring at the crib, which looked strangely out of place.
"Of course, where else do you expect him to sleep?" Harry turned back to him, one eyebrow raised.
"The library perhaps or in the sitting room?"
"Severus, we won't be able to hear him. Besides it is only for one night, then you won't have to share the bedroom again." Harry was actually smirking lightly and then he leaned over to gently brush his fingertips over the thick messy black hair of the sleeping child and tiptoed out of the room, grasping Severus by the arm as he went.
Severus allowed Harry to turn him, wrapping his arms around him as his brat looking up at him, smiling at him and then rising up on his toes to kiss Severus' lips, who bent his head in response.
Before he was even able to taste the lips that were offered to him, the rustling of wings could be heard and Harry to frown at the owl that had flown in through Severus' owl hole. The animal flapped its wings for a moment and then landed on the back of the couch, dropping the letter it held.
Sharing an amused glance with Harry, the younger wizard walked forward and opened the letter, reading it quickly before looking up at Severus and saying, much to his ever growing amazement. "Mrs Weasley has invited us both for Christmas."
So Harry and Severus will be spending Christmas at the Weasleys, so please send me all the ideas that you want to see there. Fights with Ginny, an angry Ron and for once a Mrs Weasley who is on Severus' side. Review of course.