Chapter 48: The Benefits Of Simplicity

{A/N: Here's Another update...Had to go back to the love songs, been far too much depression going around...}

My Thanks To All My Readers and Reviewers...Enjoy-S.S.

(Maybe it's intuition...But some things you just don't question...Like in your eyes, I see my future in an instant...And there it goes...I think I found my best friend...I know that it might sound...More than a little crazy but I believe...I knew I loved you before I met you...I think I dreamed you into life...I knew I loved you before I met you...I have been waiting all my life...) I knew I Loved You, Savage Garden

Northside Cottage, Greenvile, England, Muggle World...

There was a measure of peace that couldn't be ignored that seemed to wash over the formerly sleeping Severus Snape, as the unwanted yet not entirely unwelcome, golden rays of the sun had given indication of the storm having long since passed. He had not been alone as unruly locks from his slumbering wife had covered his bare chest as she seemed to cling to him. Their day of shopping for their unborn child's nursery had been quite an event and left them in need of rest given the fan-fair of meeting his old friends on the trip. Claudia and her boy had done their best to keep their collective distance from the newly returned couple and Snape had given them something of a promise that he'd fix their car to enable them to return to their own home. Hermione had insisted they wait until the weather permitted it and as a result they stayed another night, quietly passing the time via polite conversation and various tales from the past. Snape had been more or less pleased that Hermione seemed content with their guests and the way things were going between them as a whole. He had continued his own studies in terms of child rearing and if possible delivery. The mistakes of the past a driving force in his resolve to ensure they were not repeated. True to his word, he had not partaken in drink choosing to focus on the present rather than the past. His occasional tremors still got his young wife's attention but he simply dismissed them in favor of focusing on her and their unborn child.

As the vision before his eyes came into focus, Snape couldn't help but smile despite it's brief appearance.

It was quite a thing to be awakening beside the young woman whom not only carried his child but held his attention and heart more so than she could ever imagine. He had been accustomed to being alone, shortly after graduating Hogwarts and finding himself being aware that affection of any sort had never been reserved for him by anyone. She seemed to have other ideas the moment she stepped off that train, finding herself tangled into all matters that concerned him, whither it was lesson plans or his personal well being. He had not forgotten her obsessive means of tracking him down to ask pointless incessant questions, nor had he forgotten that it was her idea for them to be wed in a bid to keep her from becoming another casualty of war.

She never hesitated to challenge him, in all the years he'd known her, she'd been the most head strong and resourceful young woman he'd ever met.

Now she'd been quietly lying beside him as they began to stir in a bid to start the morning.

Despite his initial fears, he could not imagine going through life without her and the prospect of a new future with their unborn child had been all that kept him going. Nothing from the past mattered, he'd done all he could to square his debts nearly being killed in the process.

Now he'd been due a nice quiet life with a family of his own and he'd been more than willing to enjoy it.

"Severus..." said Hermione beginning to awaken.

She had a pleasant smile filed across her youthful face as she reached for him.

"Good morning Mrs. Snape." he replied softly kissing her neck and shoulders. "Did you sleep well?"

"Mmmmhmmm." replied Hermione stretching a bit before planting a series of kisses on her husband's lips.

She seemed to be in good spirits as well and excited about what fun new adventures the new day would bring.

Snape found her youthful bliss mildly contagious in terms of his own emotions. Normally he had not been as optimistic about the possibilities presented by a new day. Of course, his wife had managed to change his out look on quite a few things since their relationship progressed from teacher and student to marriage of convenience and beyond.

"Your daughter is still sleeping." said Hermione slowly taking one of his hands and placing it on her belly.

Snape seemed to be the most at peace whenever she did this, as if his mind had been constantly trying to assess the temperament and condition his child had been in. Hermione never said a word about it, the ample amount of concern he attempted to downplay had been evident to her all the while. She had missed their son almost as much as he had but this was to be a joyous occasion. They were having another child, and thus another chance at a complete family.

The two Snapes' kissed once more a silent understanding passing between them as they each elected to get out of bed and begin the day. There was so much to do in terms of getting the nursery ready and errands to run of course. There was also the matter of their houseguests, Claudia and her boy to sort out.

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The Kitchen, Northside Cottage, Greenvile, England, Muggle World...

Claudia's boy Royce was as quiet as he had been the day they arrived shy in all respects but attentive. It reminded Snape of himself when he'd been a lad and as a result he felt a bit of sympathy for him. He knew all too well what the ramifications of being a social outcast would be and it had not lead to anything positive in his life aside from when he made the choice to turn his back on those he deemed his friends in order to save the ones whom had no inclination to care for him.

Lily of course had been the driving force behind that decision, her loss propelled his rage and guilt into a new direction despite the apprehension from those whom believed him no better than the despot himself for his life's less than savory choices.

Still, some good had managed to come out of it in the end and it had been enough that it brought Hermione Granger into his life. Even if he had not wished for such a thing, he'd been grateful none the less.

Royce seemed interested in a great many things yet he kept to himself thus far.

Snape stood at the kitchen counter downing his second cup of coffee as he watched the rather attentive young lad with a curious eye. He knew the signs of repressed magic all too well and made a mental note that if the boy had truly been in possession of magical gifts then that would mean his mother and father had been none the wiser. Hermione and Claudia were chatting away about the joys of pregnancy and what she should expect for the second time around.

It was actually quite nice to see them comfortable after the various ordeals that shaped their lives from a strategic standpoint had faded from existence.

He had known the two of them when they were merely bumbling teenage girls and now they were fully grown women, feisty by all accounts with a mother's instinct unlike anything he'd ever known. For Hermione he'd been her Potions Professor and for Claudia, a brother of sorts.

While everyone settled down for breakfast, Royce had attempted to make himself a cup of tea only to draw his hand back and shield it before anyone could see. Claudia had been under the impression that he'd hurt himself but he insisted that he was fine. Hermione tried her hand at getting to the bottom of the matter only for the lad to draw away from them altogether. Snape sipped his coffee hearing the brief muttering of the boy referring to himself as a freak, reminiscent of a time where his classmates had done the same to him.

Royce made his way outside, moving past Snape whom had a curious expression on his face. Hermione had chosen that moment to take note of him when she realized that there was something quite familiar about Royce's behavior.

Once the teen, whom had been attempting to hide his possibly wounded hand took off out the door, Snape had trailed behind him.

"I-I don't need any help!" muttered Royce as shamed filed across his face. "I'm fine..."

Snape looked back toward the house to ensure that no one had followed before waving his hand to produce a small fire spell before Royce could turn away in his attempt to flee.

The engulfed embers had caught the young lad's attention and he'd been unable to look away.

"Y-You are..." he began.

"A wizard." replied Snape meeting the boy's gaze. "The same as you."

"A wizard?" asked Royce in disbelief. "But those are characters in a story book."

"And yet I stand before you, as real as you are in this moment." replied Snape.

Royce had no idea what to say bringing forth his hidden hand with a swirling black glow coming from it.

"So you've been suppressing your magic for quite a while." said Snape taking note of the boy's confusion. "The results could have been detrimental had you continued such a thing unchecked."

"W-What do you mean?" asked Royce in a curious tone.

"Your mother doesn't know about your abilities." Snape said sifting through the boy's weary mind briefly. "You've been prone to strange "accidents" for quite a while, the easiest explaination was to let people call you clumsy and blame the various inexplicable incidents on you."

"H-How do you know that?" asked Royce unable to shake the terror he felt when the onset occurred.

"Because I was very much like you as a lad." replied Snape. "And so was my wife."

Royce's eyes grew wide.

"You're both...magical too?" he asked unsure if he heard right.

"Indeed we are." replied Snape.

Royce seemed quite impressed by this.

"All this time." he said thinking back to his mother's stories of her youth. "Mother said you were some kind of a magician."

"Something like that." replied Snape. "I can help you better understand your abilities, and with a few requests I can get you into a school that would further your growth with them."

Royce seemed caught off guard by this.

"A school?" he asked. "There's a school for people like me?"

"As a matter of fact there is." replied Snape. "I'm quite certain you'll fit right in there."

"Did you go to this magic school?" asked Royce with an arched brow.

"I did indeed." replied Snape. "It's where I met my wife."

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Hermione had been curious as to where Snape and Royce had gone and Claudia had been as well. The two women got up from the table and ventured outside where they were relieved to find both Snape and Royce had been working on the Flint's car and making small talk. The young man seemed to be a bit more at ease and even attentive to what the older wizard had to say. Claudia seemed to delight in her son opening up to someone. It pleased her even more that it had been her old friend.

"He's got the makings of a good father." said Claudia with a smile. "Always looking out for the little ones even when he acted like it was the biggest chore in the world."

Hermione couldn't help but smile at them as well.

"That's my Severus." she said seemingly amused. "Never wanting anyone to see the best in him."