Chapter 55
"Can you believe that?" Lucy asked, sitting in Dinah's living room after telling her about the end of the Yule Ball last night, "I mean they wouldn't be treating me like this if I wasn't pregnant and like I said they aren't treating you like this either. They didn't send you to bed because you were a little tired."
Dinah smiled, "I'm sure it's frustrating, and I do agree that just being a little tired is likely not any reason to be concerned, and you probably could have helped out some. But you should still try to take it a little bit easy given your history, though you're doing better certainly," she assured, "Sirius and Minerva are just concerned for your well-being."
"Yeah… I know," she frowned, "It just gets annoying sometimes. Did Severus tell you what I did to him last night?"
Dinah bit her lip but couldn't stifle a giggle as she nodded, "He did. It was amusing enough to talk about it afterwards but I really wish I could have seen it at the time."
"It was embarrassing! His face was hilarious but I was mortified. I didn't do it on purpose the 'Sev' just slipped out while I was telling him how I wanted to quit…"
"I know," Dinah smiled, a little frown appearing briefly on her face, though, at the mention of quitting, "He told me. He was shocked, that's certain, but he didn't chastise you for it. He's become so tolerant these days, you know?"
"Yes, he has. Him disciplining me wasn't something I was worried about actually. I was just afraid I'd overstepped my bounds," Lucy said, starting to root around in the school bag she'd brought down with her.
"No..." Dinah said slowly, "I do think he's fine with it. It will take a bit of getting used to, but he secretly likes being liked. I always try to get him to admit it but he refuses. How surprising," she laughed.
Lucy laughed along with her friend, and pulled out a number of envelopes, "I know we're having dinner together tonight but I have to give these to you while I'm thinking about it. Another pregnancy symptom I guess. If I wait I'll forget about it. I forgot where I put my book the other day, took two hours to find it…"
Dinah chuckled absently, but seemed more curious as she took the envelopes, "What are these, then?"
"Well, I know you're going to be going to visit your family so I was hoping you could deliver these for me. Thank you cards for Dahlia, Aunt Mildred, and Rosa… and some Christmas presents. I didn't know what to get them so we offered to take them out to dinner sometime."
"Oh, how nice," Dinah said, smiling with a touched expression, "I'm sure it will mean a lot to them. Mum has already told me that she's picked out a lovely gift for you and Sirius."
"Ah," she said, snatching a hankie out of her pocket as the expected tears sprung to her eyes, "They didn't have to do that. Really. We weren't expecting anything or…"
Dinah laughed, "But you gave them a gift, Lucy. All this does is show that both of your hearts are in the same place."
Lucy giggled through her tears, "But still… I like being liked. It sort of… makes up for my father in some ways."
"Well, it should, Lucy," Dinah said, looking a little concerned again but still keeping a smile on her face, "Because everyone likes you. I know when it's your father and you grew up exposed to him more than anyone else it's easy to form a complex, but you shouldn't. He was in the wrong, not you."
She sighed again, "It must have been nice to have normal parents." Feeling rhythmic little movements within her she smiled and put a hand on her stomach, "Too bad for this kid, it's not getting normal parents. Though One is getting hiccups I think."
"It happens," Dinah grinned, "And normal is highly overrated. At least, as long as you're the fun kind of abnormal."
"Then your cousin Larry must have had the most wonderful childhood. You know, with Aunt Mildred being the fun type of abnormal and all," Lucy smirked.
Dinah gave her a look, "Well, she crosses the line a bit, you know. Granted, Larry is the one who won't move out of his parents' house."
"Well, when I met Sirius he was still living with his mother too, but I think the situation was a bit different."
"Very," Dinah agreed, looking up as the door opened and Severus walked in, "Oh, you're back. Finish your potions work?"
"Indeed," he agreed, and then gave a nod, "Lucy."
"Sev," she nodded with a giggle, "Oh, Dinah. I told your husband this and I'm sure you've already assumed this but just so we're clear. I don't care if you call me Lu or Luce either. People mostly call me Lucy in general and close friends and family will go for Lu more than Luce. The only thing I beg you not to call me is Lucille. Henley used to call me that when he was really upset. Which actually might be one of the reasons it took so long to release me from St. Mungo's… It's not my name and that's what was on most of the paperwork…"
Severus had been giving her a smirk and a raised eyebrow for her use of his nickname, but his expression shifted at her last sentence. Likewise, Dinah was frowning, "Did he actually think it was your name, like he didn't know, or did he do it on purpose just to spite you? Either way is bad but I want to know which one it was."
"He knows that's not my name," Lucy said, shaking her head, "He used to call me that to piss off Mum. Then it was to get me mad. I don't know that he would have thought it through enough to do that so it was harder for me to have visitors or to get discharged. At the very least he did it to annoy me, though it was probably more than that."
"There is a certain amount of evidence for such a conclusion," Severus admitted with a frown, "The Ministry is notoriously bad at keeping track of people's identities."
"Yes," Lucy agreed, "I was in that department once… I've never seen a more disorganized place. It baffles the mind."
"It's too cruel that their inefficiencies might have harmed innocent people," Dinah said, shaking her head, "I wonder how many others have suffered unnecessary hardships."
"I'd like to think this kind of thing happens very rarely, but it's impossible to say. Ow!" she grimaced rubbing her lower ribs, just above where One was resting.
"And your little One never fails to lighten the mood," Dinah said with a laugh, running a hand over her own abdomen, "Mine is so quiet lately. Perhaps it will be a well-behaved child."
Lucy grinned, "Well, you've met One's father so is it really that surprising?"
She smiled, "No. You've really made your match with the two of them, Lucy. You need mood lighteners to remind you not to do silly things like quit. Don't quit, okay? I'd miss you too much."
Lucy ducked her head, trying to hide the tears that had returned, "Thanks. I'm not going to do it. I guess it's just one of those things you think about doing. I don't want to have to deal with it all again but… They don't have a right to know and I don't want to tell them. I don't think quitting would change anything really though. It's like your parseltongue issue in some ways. It doesn't matter; it's not affecting anything; it doesn't make me a bad person or teacher, but they all seem to think it does."
"I don't know who 'they all' are," Dinah said fiercely, "But if they do think that then they're wrong, and I don't think that everyone does feel that way."
"It seems like it sometimes," she said, lifting her head to look at her friend, "Dinah I… I should go but I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate everything you've done… that both of you have done," she corrected, her gaze shifting to include Severus, "I… It means so much…" Lucy had to stop for a moment to settle herself, her emotions combined with her pregnancy hormones getting the best of her. "Sorry," she mumbled, "I wasn't going to say anything because I knew I'd never get through it all…"
"You don't have to say anything," Dinah assured her, "We understand."
She wiped her eyes and nodded, attempting to get off the couch. The task seemed to be getting more difficult by the day, "Thank you for understanding… and for being so protective. It helps knowing it's not just me and Sirius."
"Of course you're not alone in this," Dinah said, "Sev, be a gentleman and help her stand. I'd do it but I can't get up either," she teased.
"Mm, yes," he smirked at Dinah and then extended a hand for Lucy.
"Thank you," Lucy said again, taking Severus's hand and finally managing to stand, "I bet you're cursing Sirius right now for not coming down with me, aren't you?" she teased, "He probably would have but he's actually busy."
"I am not opposed to this simple gesture," Severus frowned, "but perhaps we should save the remainder of the emotional displays for gifts this evening. No doubt you will need to save your energy," he said with a very slight smile.
She returned his smile, "You're likely right. I don't know about you guys but One has been doing it's level best to keep me awake all night."
Dinah shook her head, "Again, no. This one... well not 'One' but this one... um, you know? Well, it's been very quiet and calm as of late."
"I know," Lucy nodded, "and you're lucky. We'll see you guys later then as Severus is right and I think a nap is definitely in order."
"Okay," Dinah grinned and gave a little wave, "Enjoy your rest. Oh, and as far as what we were talking about earlier... maybe you can work slowly with Sirius and Minerva and let them see that you can do more stuff little by little. It won't be instantaneous, but..."
"One step at a time," Lucy said, before waving and exiting the room.
"Are you sure you can carry that?" Sirius asked as she carried the Snape's festively wrapped gift down to the dungeons later that same evening.
"Yes," Lucy said tightly, trying to be patient with her husband. "Dahlia said Dinah would love this and it's not something that's likely to annoy Severus too much."
"As long as you're sure," he said, "If it gets too heavy I can carry it."
"I know," she muttered, "but you don't have to. We're here. What you can do though is knock on the door."
She leaned up against the wall, holding the gift on the top of her swelling stomach while Sirius knocked and the pair of them waited for the door to be answered.
"You're here! Welcome!" Dinah said cheerfully, opening the door and hugging them each in turn, somehow managing it with both hers and Lucy's swollen abdomens.
"Thanks," Lucy grinned, "You changed from this morning."
"I know!" her friend beamed, spinning around in the casual Christmas green dress she had put on with silver accents, "I thought I should dress up a little for our official holiday dinner. Severus says I look lovely but I think I look fat," she shrugged, "but what can you do?"
"Oh, I know how it is. I feel the same way most of the time. I don't think you look fat but I'm sure you won't believe me. I think I look way more pregnant than you. Happy Christmas," she said, holding out the present.
"Thank you," Dinah took it and beckoned for them to come through the office and into the main room, "I'll set it by the 'tree I insisted on putting up', which is now it's official name, right Severus?" she asked, walking up to kiss her husband on the cheek.
"Well, you did insist upon it," he retorted, running a brief hand through her hair before she disappeared to put the present down. He turned to nod at Lucy and Sirius, "Hello."
"Happy Christmas," she repeated, going over to hug Dinah's husband and give him a quick peck on the cheek.
"I... er... Happy Christmas," Severus muttered, his face flaring as he looked away from her.
"Aww, how sweet," Dinah cooed, walking over to take his arm.
"Silence, woman, and sit down," he growled, making her laugh as she pulled him down to sit next to her on the couch, "I thought we'd talk for a little, then eat, and then do gifts," Dinah said with a smile.
"That sounds fine," Sirius agreed, leading Lucy over to a chair and helping her into it.
"We've been thinking," Dinah said, running her hand absently over her growing baby, "And we'd like to invite you over for dinner again on January 9 for Severus's birthday," she smiled when he placed his hand over hers, "You know, last year we weren't all this close and maybe this year we could have a little get-together. Nothing fancy, of course, and neither do your gifts need to be fancy as we just did Christmas, but I wanted to extend the invitation."
"Gifts are not necessary," Severus said, an odd frown on his face.
"Hush, you, yes they are," Dinah gently admonished, before blushing and looking back at them, "Or, well, I'm sorry I didn't mean for that to come out as though I was demanding gifts or anything. That's not what I meant."
"We'd never think that Dinah," Lucy assured her friend, "After all I did get him a gift last year too."
"That's what I keep telling him, and it was a lovely gift!" Dinah said.
"It was a good gift, and more than enough," Severus argued.
"I'm glad you liked it but that won't prevent you from getting another one. Assuming I don't grow too pregnant to walk around a store by then. I swear walking is getting so tiring lately."
"I told you you should have let me carry the present."
"It wasn't too heavy and we didn't walk that far today. I'm not tired."
Dinah flashed her a smile and a brief nod, understanding what she was trying to do, "It's nothing big, Sirius. I get tired walking too, but that's just a natural part of pregnancy. You wouldn't want to deny your wife all those fond memories, would you?"
"I'm not trying to deprive her of memories," he explained, "I just want her and the baby to stay healthy."
"I know that," Lucy said, twisting a little to look at him, "and I know sometimes it's scary because I've already had one problem. I don't want to have another, but I can't live in some sort of protective charm."
"She'll keep them both healthy," Dinah said, "Once you have a scare like that you're always extra cautious, I'm sure, but we also know our own bodies. As long as you feel okay, Lucy, I say carry as much as you want!"
"But…" Sirius started.
"I know I can be stubborn and do more things than I should but not letting me do anything isn't the solution either."
"I didn't mean to make you feel like you couldn't do anything," he frowned.
"I know and most of the time you don't. It's just when you do it's really irritating."
"See?" Dinah smiled, "Communication is the first and most important step."
"Mm," Lucy nodded and sighed, "I should have dressed up too… I didn't even think of it. I just feel rather dumpy today."
"You look great," Dinah protested, shaking her head, "So are we on for January ninth then?"
"Yes, of course. We wouldn't miss it," Lucy grinned, "Even if I do feel like a dumpy, old cow that day."
"You're not a dumpy, old cow," Sirius protested, "You're young enough to make Aunt Mildred give me looks and I don't think you're as big as you think you are."
"It's true, I think it's all in your head," Dinah assured her, "You were bigger than me at the beginning and I'm afraid it gave you a bit of a complex or something... I am sorry about that. But now I am most definitely bigger than you. We can measure if you want, I'd swear my life on it," she grinned.
Lucy laughed, "It's okay and it wasn't your fault. That whole 'hiding it until I'm married' thing probably didn't help either."
"True," Dinah agreed, before turning to her husband, "Well, it's official, they're coming. And you know what that means," her tone turned teasingly sinister.
"What?" Severus demanded, his raised eyebrow conveying a high amount of suspicion.
"It means that you ..." she poked a finger in his chest and began to walk them up towards his face as she spoke, "have to make... a list!" she ended with a tap on his nose.
"Do not do that," he ordered, grasping her hand and lowering it, "And why must I make yet another one of your infernal 'lists'? If it's that important they can use whatever is left from my Christmas list that you forced me to make."
"List I forced you to make, tree I insisted on putting up," Dinah teased, "I'm just so demanding, aren't I?"
"Oh yes," Lucy teased, "It's all about Dinah no one else, right?"
"Well, you didn't demand on a list or on putting this tree up," Dinah teased back.
"No, I didn't," she grinned, "but I'm glad you did. The tree makes it so much more Christmassy."
"No, no," Dinah waggled a finger at her, "Not 'tree'. 'Tree I insisted on putting up'. That's it's official title you know. After all, everything is about me, right?"
"Yes it is, oh great pregnant one," Lucy said, having a hard time not laughing.
Dinah laughed, "Thanks. You ready for dinner now? I confess I'm getting quite hungry."
"For the time being, at any rate," Severus rolled his eyes.
"Me too," Lucy agreed, "I haven't eaten since lunch."
"Me either, let's order food!" Dinah grinned, clapping her hands together and attempting to stand only to plop back down onto her bum in the couch.
Severus chuckled, "You must learn to give up on that now, my dear," he said, standing and extending a hand to help her up.
"Oh, it's possible to get up on our own," Lucy insisted, using the arms of the chair to lever herself up. That's where she got stuck… but she determinedly found a way to get herself to her feet, "It's just rather difficult."
"Excellent!" Dinah clapped for her once Severus had helped her to her feet, "I bow down to your much better skills!" She started to bend at the waist and then grinned, "Oh, probably not a good idea."
"Yeah," Lucy said, trying not to laugh, "We sort of lost the ability to bend a while ago."
Dinah giggled, "Yeah, but it'll be worth it when these wonderful little individuals are born. Until then, let's go stuff our faces!"
Sirius chuckled, "I hope you don't plan to 'stuff your faces' constantly until you two have these babies."
"Oh, we might," Dinah grinned, leading them over to the table where their requested feast of Christmas goose and trimmings and all manner of holiday delicacies awaited them. "I wanted to make homemade Christmas cookies like I do every year but we don't have kitchen facilities," Dinah said sadly as they dug into their meal, "Oh! We should get a kitchenette put in here, Sev! When we do the nursery expansion this coming month!"
Lucy frowned a little and looked around as she sat, "Why have I never noticed you don't have a kitchenette? We have one… I guess I just assumed everyone else did too. And one good thing about having a stay-at-home spouse... we've had the nursery expansion in for awhile. It's mostly done! You should come see it some time! I should have invited you before. I guess it's another one of those things that just fell out of my mind. Pregnancy brain. I've been told about it by Tonks, Aunt Molly, Madam Pomfrey…"
"Ah, so that's what it is," Severus quipped while Dinah gave him a playful, light smack.
"I'd love to see it!" she said, "It might give me some ideas for ours. Right now all our wonderful gifts are stuffed in a closet using wizard space."
"It's so beautiful… at least I think so. There's this huge comfortable armchair and ottoman near the window that my lovely husband bought for me. Well, probably us but I think I'm going to end up using it more, especially at night, breastfeeding and all."
"It sounds lovely," Dinah smiled, "And being up all night breastfeeding will certainly be an adventure."
"An adventure in exhaustion," Lucy said.
"Yeah, we'll have to see," Dinah giggled as they continued with dinner and friendly chatting. Soon, dessert was over and Dinah set down her fork, "Ready for gifts?"
Severus sighed, "I suppose you want us all to go sit by the tree you insisted on putting up, then?"
Dinah giggled and looked at them, "See, I told you that was its official title."
"Yes, you did," Lucy said, "let's go do gifts." The four of them made their way back into the room near 'the tree Dinah insisted on putting up'. Having sat in a chair, Lucy didn't get up to get the gifts. Sirius did it for her instead. Handing a larger one to Dinah while handing Severus a small envelope.
"Thank you," Dinah flashed him and then Lucy a smile while Severus muttered his own thanks. She tore open her paper first to find a bamboo steamer and a large wok.
"I hope you like that. Dahlia said you would. She ordered it for me and everything. I mean she sent me a Muggle catalogue and we picked those out… with some back and forth owls to your Mum but…" Lucy said, nervous that her friend would like her gift.
"It's wonderful, Lucy!" Dinah said, smiling with pleasant surprise in her gaze, "And that you and Mum worked together to get me a Muggle gift, that just shows so much thoughtfulness. Now all I need is that kitchenette!"
Lucy giggled, relieved that Dinah liked the gift. "Well, we didn't think about you not having a kitchen here, but I'm glad you like it. Don't let me forget that we have to pay her back for that yet. She told me how much it was but said not to worry about getting money exchanged and sent to her just yet."
"All right, we'll figure it out," Dinah said, then nudged her husband, "Open yours."
"All right. Thank you," he said again with a very slight smile at Lucy and Sirius, opening his envelope and pulling out a slip of paper.
"I know it's kind of cliché to get you a gift certificate now but it was on your list…"
"There's two in there actually. One to the Three Broomsticks and the other's to Madam Puddifoot's," Sirius grinned.
He looked up at them with a smirk, "Yes, the Three Broomsticks certificate is appreciated, but... Madame Puddifoot's, indeed. I suppose it must mean something that this year you are comfortable in giving me..." he grimaced a little, "joke gifts."
"Gag gifts," Dinah corrected him, leaning in to say into his ear, "But they do still serve food there that we can eat. Like pudding cake, with the pudding in the cake."
"Just as long as you never make me enter it," he growled.
Lucy giggled, "It's not that bad, Severus. Though Madam Puddifoot might start to imply you use her desserts for… other than their intended purposes."
"And that would be none of her damned infernal business!" he snarled as Dinah covered a giggle.
"Maybe not," Sirius said, "but she'll make it her business. Though you're probably safe. She didn't start that until our seventh trip when someone let it slip that we weren't going to be using silverware to eat the pudding."
"I did not need to hear that," he muttered, setting the gift aside before looking at them again, "Thank you."
"You're welcome. Both of you," Lucy said, Sirius nodding in agreement.
"Oh! Here, now it's your turn," Dinah said, waving her wand to levitate two large gift boxes with big bows on them from underneath the 'tree she insisted on putting up' and floating them over to Lucy and Sirius.
"I'm proud of you, thinking to use magic," Severus teased.
"Oh, you shush," Dinah giggled, shoving him playfully.
"Dinah these are so pretty I almost don't want to open them," Lucy said, carefully undoing the bows and wrappings. Inside was a large box of Muggle looking cake mixes, frostings, candles, and sugar flowers. Along with them was a couple of handwritten recipes, a long flat knife that the package said was an icing knife, and one more thing that said 'pastry bag and a set of 12 tips'. "Cake stuff! It's cake stuff right?" Lucy said, grinning at Dinah.
"Mmmhmm," Dinah nodded, blushing a little, "I saw it online and right away I thought of you. You like making cakes, right? You can do it the Muggle way, if you like, or you can use magic, I just thought you might have fun with it..."
"Oh, I will. I just have to find an occasion to make a cake for now!"
"Well, if you wanted to you could make one for Sev's birthday, but I'm not demanding it," Dinah grinned.
"Can I?" she asked, eager. "You wouldn't mind? Either of you?"
Severus sighed, "If you must."
"It'll be great," Dinah assured him.
"It is not the cake I was referring to, it is all this unnecessary fuss over the date," he grumbled.
"I know. It'll still be great," in contrast, Dinah remained cheerful.
"Any particular flavor you'd like?" Lucy asked, still excited about her present. "Chocolate, yellow, spice, devil's food, red velvet, cherry?"
"And do you care if it looks diseased?" Sirius asked, teasing.
"Come now, you don't want to sound ungrateful," Dinah gently chided before turning back to Lucy, "I think spice or red velvet sounds good. Both have cream cheese frosting."
"Great! Oh," she said, digging inside a little more, "there's an instruction book on decorating too! That's so thoughtful!" Lucy unexpectedly started crying, touched at her friend's thoughtfulness.
"Lucy!" Dinah jumped a little in her seat, while Severus muttered something incomprehensible, "Is the gift okay? Did I do something wrong? I wasn't trying to say it matters if you can decorate or not, I just thought you might enjoy it..."
"I do! It's a wonderful gift! I'm just so grateful!" she sobbed, taking the handkerchief Sirius held out to her.
"It's just the hormones, remember?" Sirius asked, giving a little smirk.
"Yeah..." Dinah hesitated, "Are you okay? I'd hug you but by the time I get up your wave of hormonalness might be over," she teased.
"I'm fine. It'll pass soon I'm sure," she said, trying to grin. "Open your present," she told her husband.
Sirius ripped open his package to find a large carrier thing, a tall clear container that looked like it was for holding liquids, and a bag full of nuts, raisins, and brightly colored candies.
Dinah blushed, "I hope it's not too weird or anything. It's just... I kind of wanted to go with the Muggle 'kit' theme after buying Lucy's cake one and I thought you might like this stuff. It's basically Muggle outdoors hiking and camping things... a bottle for water, some snacks, and a carrier that has a spot to hold a child too, if you wanted to take the baby around the woods or something. Really, you and Lucy could both use any of the things, if one of you wanted to be in Animagus form or... you know? I just thought, something that you could use to explore the world but also enjoy the company of your wife and child..." she finished, her face a little red as she babbled, clearly something Lucy had influenced, "I didn't think a tent would be necessary because wizard tents work so much better, but Muggle backpacks can be used with wizard space."
"It's not weird," he said, "It's… thoughtful." Sirius looked over at Lucy, probably checking to see if she was going to burst into tears. "Hiking and camping should be fun. We can explore more of Scotland next summer. We didn't get out of Hogsmeade much this past summer," he grinned.
"We didn't even leave the house much last summer," Lucy blushed.
Severus made an exasperated noise, but Dinah smiled, "I'm sure. But I'm so glad you like the gifts."
"We do and a lot of the time last summer was spent planning for the wedding," Lucy grinned, "Thank you so much."
"You're so welcome," Dinah said, as Severus gave a brief nod. She sighed and leaned back on the sofa, taking a quick glance at the clock on the wall, "So, it's not late yet at all, we should just sit and chat, play a game or something, sing Christmas songs..." she said, which made Severus scowl. She giggled, "Oh! Sev, order up some more snacks! I'm hungry again!"
A/N: This chapter kind of cuts off in a weird place I know, but it was nearly twice as long before I cut it off. Not to worry though the rest of it shall be following in a moment. :)
