A/N: If anyone's ever wondering why I did not put much drama for this fanfiction, it's because it's meant to be a feel-good story. Also, I will be uploading this along with the final chapter, an epilogue.
Chapter 39
Hermione walked into the Prince Library in search for Harry. Severus had flooed her reluctantly asking for help. It seemed like the Potions Master could not get Harry out of the library and back to bed where the heavily pregnant man that he was should be.
She, however, had to bring with her a nearly two-month-old Rose Harriet, named after her godfather. The little ginger now slept peacefully in the arms of her old professor.
"Harry?" called Hermione through the vast room.
"In here!"
Hermione followed the voice only to see Harry surrounded by piles of books. When he looked closer, she noticed Harry had been reading about childbirth and anything related to caring for twins.
Her friend might have not shown his anxiety in public but Hermione knew Harry still worried about giving birth, especially to twins.
"How long have you been here?" She asked as she sat down opposite to the green-eyed wizard.
"Don't know. Few hours, I guess?" Harry didn't bother looking up from the passage he was reading. He wanted to know everything before the boys come. He did it while he pregnant with Sebastian but he didn't think what he learned was enough.
"Harry... you've been here since morning. It's already half-past four."
That startled the man and he finally glanced to his friend. He hadn't realized he had been in the library for that long! Come to think of it, Severus did bring him lunch about 10 books earlier.
"Huh? Didn't notice. Anyway, what are you doing here? Where's my little Rosie?" Harry tried and failed to push himself off the chair. Hermione quickly came up to help him stand, receiving a thankful smile from him.
"Your husband flooed me. He says you won't come out of the library. And Rose is with him."
"I didn't hear him come in here aside from handing me lunch," wondered Harry. They were slowly walking back to the sitting room where Severus, Sebastian, and Rose were.
Hermione merely hummed. She knew Severus had likely entered the room every hour to check on Harry, and coerced him to get back to bed more than once. Harry always did tend to obsess over things causing him to lose his focus on the outside world. He probably hadn't heard Severus. Hermione was lucky Harry had slightly refocused when she arrived or they would have to carry him back to bed themselves.
"Daddy!" Sebastian whispered-yelled when he saw Harry awkwardly walking in with Hermione. The boy could not exactly cheer or scream because the baby was sleeping.
Severus breathed in a sigh of relief that Harry had come out of the room. He had been trying to get Harry's attention since after lunch but his husband won't budge. It was like he couldn't even hear him. If Harry's condition wasn't delicate, he would have had spelled him to sleep or levitate him without consent.
Severus stood carefully from where he was seated and moved closer to the pair, handing Rose to her mother. He held Harry by his lower back and placed one hand over the swollen belly. He glanced towards Hermione, silently asking to look after Sebastian for a while.
"Let's get you back to bed," murmured Severus. "You shouldn't even be out of it."
Harry rolled his eyes, "I am not an invalid, Severus."
The wizard looked down at him with one eyebrow raised. "Stop being stubborn." William advised them not to overwork Harry's body, and it was recommended that he'd be put on bed rest the week before his due date.
"I am not stubborn! I am simply telling you I do not need to be helped around all the time. I am fine!" Harry insisted, though by the way he held onto Severus' arm as they head to their room, it was exactly the opposite.
It was the same thought that ran through Severus's mind. "I beg to differ. Your grip says otherwise."
That seemed to ire Harry and he snarled, "Well, you'd feel this way if you're carrying the size of an overgrown watermelon! This is your bloody fault."
Severus rolled his eyes at his husband's dramatics. While it was true that Harry's stomach really was bigger, as to be expected, the man could have refrained from blaming him again.
He didn't give a verbal response and only helped Harry to bed. The man moaned loudly now that his back and feet were resting. He hadn't noticed he's been sitting on that chair and standing for far too long.
Harry glanced at Severus with shy eyes knowing his husband noticed the tenseness of his body.
"Alright, you insolent brat," sighed Severus. He knew exactly what Harry wanted from him and he was only happy to do so, not that he'd ever tell him or anyone else.
He removed Harry's shoes and settled himself at the foot of the bed with his husband's swollen feet on his lap. He had never given a foot massage before Harry got pregnant, and by the man's pleased moanings and sighs, it seemed like he was good at it.
Severus simply went to massage Harry's feet as he stared at nothing, thinking about what lies ahead of them. He was positive he and Harry won't get much sleep with caring for two infants. As much as he loved being a father, the babies were and will always be a full time job. He was glad he was only a consultant in his job in St. Mungo's. He wouldn't be able to help with the boys if he needed to work, not that they need any more money than they already have.
"Uh, Sev?" Harry's voice echoed through the silence. He sounded a bit unsure and in pain that Severus immediately stopped pressing on his feet. He feared he might have hurt Harry with his lost in thoughts.
"Have I hurt you?" asked a concerned Severus, looking at Harry's face for signs of discomfort.
"No.. but... I think my water just broke..." Harry said it with a completely blank face.
Now that Harry informed him, the bed did feel wet under his pants. In an unexpected bout of panic, Severus snapped his head and stood before Harry. They stared into each other's eyes before Harry grimaced at the onslaught of contractions. He must have had them since last night. He was a bit uncomfortable throughout the day but he blamed it on sitting in the library for hours.
"Okay.. okay. Yes, of course. What do I do?" asked Severus with dazed eyes. Yes, he was an organized man. Yes, he had a checklist prepared. But nothing ever prepared him enough when it actually comes.
"I don't know! Call William or something! Just get them out!" screamed Harry. He was beginning to feel the pressure on his lower half. He wasn't sure how dilated he was but the contractions were already 8 minutes apart. This was way faster than Sebastian's. Way faster indeed.
Severus seemed to understand Harry... or not... and quickly dashed out the room, forgetting he had a wand with him that allowed him to send a Patronus to the healer.
Hermione, having heard Harry's screaming, went to check on the two whether she had to patch up Severus or not. What greeted her was a sight to remember.
Severus had his hand carded through his unusually messy hair as he read from a sheet of parchment, his hands visibly shaking.
"Severus? Is something wrong?" Hermione slowly stepped closer, mindful not to alarm her old professor who looked so much like a scared animal at a zoo.
"Oh. Uh, Harry's water broke." His voice cracked.
Hermione hid a smile at the stern man's demeanor. He was even more anxious than Ron ever had been when Rose was born.
Deciding not to keep Severus in his state, Hermione took out her wand and sent a Patronus to Healer Ager, knowing Severus hadn't done it yet by the looks of it.
Severus nodded in gratitude at the witch. "Alright. What next?" It was a rhetorical question since Severus focused back on the parchment.
Send Sebastian to the Burrow
Okay. He can do that.
"Where is my son?" asked Severus towards the witch.
"Dippy's watching them. Go to Harry. I'll explain to Sebastian and take him to the Burrow,"
Severus hadn't cared that he was basically ordered by the witch. He wanted to check on his first-born but he couldn't exactly leave Harry alone for too long.
Trusting his husband's best friend and son's godmother, he absentmindedly nodded and went back inside the room just as Harry cursed him to seven hells.
"Fucking fuck fuck!" Harry wasn't lying in bed anymore. He was leaning face forward at the side of the headboard, legs wide open, brows furrowed in pain, and sweating heavily. "Severus Snape if you even think about coming closer I will throttle you," hissed Harry angrily.
Severus raised his hands in surrender, not quite sure if he should do what Harry says. "Alright, I'll stay here. Do you need anything?"
"I need you to get them out now!" Harry screamed roughly. He was awkwardly bending over, clutching his incredibly swollen stomach and breathing erratically.
"Love, please, let me help you," pleaded Severus gently. He didn't want to anger the man more than he already was.
Harry just whimpered and extended an arm for Severus. The wizard quickly held Harry by the waist and rubbed his back. He summoned the pain potion he prepared and helped Harry gulp it down to the last drop, not that it helped much. "Come on, Harry, breathe with me. William will be here in a minute. In... out... in... out..."
Harry copied Severus's breathing but then a contraction hit him that made him double up in pain. "Shit!"
Severus decided they would not have another child after this. He hated seeing Harry in that much pain. Thinking about what Harry must have went through when he delivered Sebastian without someone there to hold him made Severus guilty.
"It'll be over soon..."
"Shut up!" growled Harry menacingly, clutching on Severus' hand tightly Severus was sure it would bruise. "No more sex for you ever again!"
Severus resisted smirking at the man. As if Harry would last a week without it. But he was smart enough not to say it out loud. He would like to have his balls intact by the end of the day, thank you very much.
Severus was saved from further threats when Healer Ager arrived. The man had the audacity to smile and greet them cheerfully.
"Good day, gentlemen. How are you feeling, Harry?"
"Oh, peachy," snarled Harry sarcastically. "What do you think?!" Another contraction hit him, making his legs buckle. It was a good thing Severus was holding him up as he would have fallen on the ground.
"Alright, let's get you ready," announced William with a clap. He ordered Severus to have Harry lay on the bed and remove his clothing. Harry no longer cared of what was happening. He just wanted the babies out of his body as soon as possible.
Harry instinctively spread his legs wide without needing to be told. He could already feel the urge to push just as one, or both of the babies kicked and squirmed inside him.
William checked just how far Harry was and was surprised to see he was very much ready. He was actually beginning to crown already.
"Okay, wow, you are ready to go, Harry. I want you to push on the count of three. One.. two.. push!"
Harry sucked a gasping breath as he pushed, immediately feeling lightheaded. He wasn't sure if he was going to last delivering both boys as he already had trouble staying up pushing the first.
Severus was on his back with Harry resting on his chest, gripping on his arm like it was his lifeline. He couldn't do anything else but whisper soothing words to his husband. He didn't think Harry was hearing him but he still continued, feeling quite useless at the moment.
Another big push and William encouraged him, "One more, Harry, just one more!"
A painful scream tore from Harry's lips just as a wail of a baby echoed through the room. Severus couldn't help the few tears to escape his eye when he saw his baby for the first time, all red and wrinkled with a blood-soaked tuff of black hair. So perfect.
William ordered Severus next to him, making him cut the cord and clean his son while the healer continued to coax Harry for the second twin.
Severus wasn't sure who to focus on. He wanted to move back to the bed with Harry but they already decided only William and Severus be inside when Harry delivered. Severus was trained enough for the aftercare and Harry only trusted his husband for their children.
Severus carefully cleaned the wailing tiny precious human in his arms. Even with his flaky skin and crying face, he was one of the most beautiful thing Severus ever laid his eyes upon.
Another scream from Harry overpowered the baby's, making Severus look back to his husband and the healer. Soon enough, the wail of his youngest called him.
Severus gently placed Caius down and welcomed the weight of Cassian in his arms as he cut the cord. William left the babies to Severus' care while he finished up with Harry. Severus could hear a whimper from his husband, probably from pushing out the temporary womb.
When Cassian was cleaned, Severus discovered he had the softest auburn hair, reminding him so much of Lily. For the second time, Severus let his tears fall, not caring that his colleague was in the room.
He carefully lifted each boy in his arms and settled next to Harry who also had tears in his eyes, both from the delivery and the sight of his babies.
"They're perfect, Harry. So beautiful. You did so well, my love."
"Our little boys...Thank you, Sev. I love you so much." Harry gently brushed his fingers over the babies' hair.
"I love you, Harry, very much."
Harry felt his eyes beginning to droop. Giving birth to the twins took a lot from him.
Severus noticed the expected tiredness and carefully lifted the children off Harry's chest earning him a small whine from the man.
"You're very tired, love. Don't worry, the boys will be here when you wake up."
With a last longing look to the sleeping babies in Severus' arms, Harry dozed off.
"Everything seems to be in order, Severus. Harry will need to rest for a week or two, just to be sure. Oh, and congratulations on your two little angels. Between you and me, I have to say, these little ones are two of the most beautiful babies I delivered." William looked at the fraternal twins snuggling on their father's warmth with a smile. While he would never say it to the man, or anyone else for that matter, seeing Severus cry was surreal.
"Thank you so much, William. They really are perfect," replied Severus, a genuine contentment on his face.
Healer Ager then went on to do a complete newborn screening on the boys, declaring them both healthy without any complications whatsoever.
Severus couldn't remove his sight from his sons, absentmindedly caressing Harry's hair in the process, making the man hum in his sleep.
It was then he noticed he did have bruises on his arms and hands, but found he didn't care. He would have them many times over if it meant he got to hold their precious bundles.
Harry woke up feeling better, though there was still the lingering pain from birthing. He heard a soft cooing from the corner of the room and Harry quickly grabbed his glasses from the nightstand.
What he saw made him tear up. Severus was crouched over their sons, gently brushing the pads of his fingers on their flushed cheeks, his eyes full of wonder and love like the first time he laid eyes on Sebastian.
"Sev?"
Severus' head snapped towards Harry and gave him a genuine smile. "Hello, my love. How are you feeling?"
"Better," replied Harry through a hoarse voice. "I want to hold them, please?"
Severus took one boy in each arm, glad that both stayed asleep, as he passed them to their daddy.
"So perfect..." whispered Harry. He still wasn't strong enough to hold both babies so Severus held them under Harry's arms.
"Indeed, I am so proud of you."
"What time is it? Where's Sebastian?" asked Harry softly so as to not wake the little ones.
"It's already five in the morning. Sebastian's at the burrow. Hermione will bring him home later."
"Have you slept?" Harry was worried Severus hadn't rested the whole time.
"I did, for two hours. I had Dippy watch over the twins."
Harry nodded in approval. Two hours wasn't long but at least Severus managed to rest his eyes.
"I have their birth certificates with me. As we discussed, you decide their second names." Severus informed Harry, taking Caius from him and setting him down on his lap.
"I like Sebastian's middle name. Do you think we could use something similar? I really don't like naming them Harry or Severus and live in our shadows forever."
"Eli is Hebrew in origin. We can have Levi and Asher. It means joined and blessed respectively."
"Cassian Levi and Caius Asher. I like it. You like it, don't you, Cass?" Harry cooed at the now blinking infant in his arms.
It was very easy to identify which of the two was Caius and which was Cassian. Cai who was still asleep in Severus' lap had jet black curls while Cass had auburn hair. They weren't sure what eye colors they had but based on their current colors, Caius having bluish-green may change to green like Harry's while Cassian had blueish gray eyes, perhaps turning into Severus' onyx ones.
Hours later, after both babies were fed and currently back to slumber, Sebastian dashed inside their room followed by his amused papa.
"Daddy!" He whispered loudly, climbing next to Harry on the bed. "Where are the babies?"
Harry pointed towards the bassinet at the foot of the bed, "You can look but they're still sleeping. Papa told you we need to be very quiet?"
Sebastian nodded and crawled to peek at his baby brothers. Like Severus, Sebastian had the utter wonder and awe on his face.
"They're tiny and wrinkly, daddy," informed the four-year-old innocently.
"That's normal, darling. They'll grow soon enough like you," smiled Harry warmly.
Severus sat next to Sebastian and kissed his forehead. "Are you ready to become a big brother?"
Sebastian looked at Severus with a face so offended and so much like his papa that Harry couldn't help himself but laugh, earning a scowl from the said wizard.
"I'm very ready, daddy!" Sebastian exclaimed, brows furrowed in seriousness, "Daddy says I'm a big boy now. I will protect my baby brothers."
"That's right, my love. You are a big boy now, aren't you? Papa is being silly," said Harry, beckoning the boy to crawl back beside him.
Sebastian took that as the only confirmation he needed and proceeded to blabber about how big he already was and how much he would take care of his little brothers.
"You still love me, right?" asked Sebastian nervously when he calmed down.
Severus instantly held Sebastian on the chin and tilted his head up to meet his eyes, Harry wrapping an arm around their first-born's shoulders.
"We will always love you, my darling. You will always be papa's little prince." Severus assured, pressing a soft kiss on his forehead.
"My darling boy, come here," Harry pulled himself up to sit higher, ignoring Severus' disapproving look and the pain on his lower half. "Sebastian, I want you to know this, when I found out I was going to have you, I had hope for once in my life that I may have the family I wished for so long. You were my hope, my love. You are very special. Daddy loves you very much. And papa thinks of you as his world. We will always feel that way. Your baby brothers won't change anything, but they will need their big brother to help them and protect them."
Harry did not know if Sebastian understood everything he had said. He hadn't meant to become too emotional but with his hormones unbalanced and hearing his baby ask if he was still loved put an arrow through his heart.
Sebastian was a bright little boy, he knew exactly what daddy was trying to say without needing to understand every word. "I'll protect them, I promise. I love you like a gazillion times, daddy. That many."
Severus, who during Harry's little speech sat next to him, pulled his son in his lap, "How about me, my prince?"
Sebastian grinned toothily at Severus and leaned up to kiss his cheek. "I love you a gazillion times too, papa. It's only fair."
