Despite her many assurances to Sirius that she would be both polite and friendly, Severus was finding it quite difficult to fulfil the latter after an entire week had elapsed with Grimmauld Place being overrun by both Weasley's and Lupin's. For when the newest Lupin was not yowling loudly his protests at having suddenly developed colic, the school-aged children were creating their own noises by means of whatever mischief they were currently engrossed in whenever their mothers back was turned. And while the festive season of Christmas dictated that she must be more tolerating and obliging of nonsense than she was normally accustomed to, Severus found she could not help but hide herself in the master bedroom to avoid the chaos.
"Master should not be allowing so many people in his home!" Kreacher growled, carefully working to brush out her wet hair. "Not when Mistress is being so close to her due date."
Groaning softly at the reminder of her approaching labor, Severus gingerly ran her fingers across her belly and silently cursed Black for having ever put so large a baby inside her. For while she had been a more-than-willing participant in the conception of such, the facts still remained that the babies on her side were never any larger than seven pounds.
"Sirius ought to do as he will in his own home." Severus rebuked mildly, wishing not to disparage the man whose child she was about to bear.
"But it is being most unkind to keep a house so full when you is needing rest!"
"You'll find that I am far too fat to sleep comfortably anyways." Severus assured, yawning loudly as a testament to her remark.
Her exhaustion was, by no means, feigned. For not even the pregnancy pillow she had received from Lanora at her baby shower was sufficient enough to provide her any real comfort in the last stages of her pregnancy.
"Mistress must be remembering that she will not sleep well after the baby arrives either!" Kreacher cackled good-naturedly. "Especially if the young Mistress is taking after her father!"
"Merlin." Severus sighed, grimacing at the very thought. "Let us pray that she doesn't."
While the inheritance of a few Gryffindor traits would be more than welcomed, Severus could not help but hope for a daughter similar in nature to herself. For the thought of being without an ally in a house so very often filled with Lions troubled her, and she wished for nothing more than to even out the scale with a little more Serpentine persuasion.
"It will not be so." Kreacher assured, sounding more calm than he looked.
Thankfully, she was spared from the necessity of sharing her doubts with the elf by a loud knocking on her bedroom door. Easily recognizing the familiar rhythm of such a sound, Severus carefully maneuvered herself off the stool she had inexplicably managed to climb into and hurried to open the door.
"Draco." She grinned, drawing her godson into an awkward hug.
"Merlin," The blonde boy smirked, "It's a wonder you can even walk."
Unamused with the remark, Severus seized a bit of the flesh on Draco's neck and gave it a twist.
"Ouch! What did you do that for?!" Draco groused, rubbing at the small welt.
"Because I'm too fat to do anything else." Severus quipped, clutching her stomach.