A/N: sorry for the LOOOOONG update.. moving, and internet troubles... Aargh. oh well.. THANKIES to all who read/reviewed. It means soo much to me.
It had been a week since the fainting indicent, and Remus Lupin still hadn't told Severus. He knew he sould, but how should he break it? Remus shifted in his seat next to the dour Potions-master who was holding on to his two year old son, Stephen, attempting to feed the boy some carrots.
"Stiva, eat, you little.."
"Severus!" Hermione snapped, shaking her head. "That's no way to talk to Stephen, he's only two years old, he doesn't know better. Come to mummy, sweetheart." Hermione crooned, holding her arms out to the hook-nosed little boy who eagerly ambled into his mother's arms. Severus scowled thinly and returned to his meal, his eyes focused on his plate.
"Severus, could I have a word.. with you, in the, um, staff room, for a moment?" Remus whispered, glancing out of the corner of his eye at Severus, who narrowed his eyes and frowned.
"Certainly." Severus said as he rose and exited the Great Hall in a sweep of robes, but not before dropping a kiss upon Hermione's and Stiva's heads. The two men walked in tense silence, and upon their entry, Severus turned abruptly to Remus, a scowl on his lips. "All right, now, what is it, Lupin?"
"Um, I think we should sit down with our boys and explain some things.. er, I think they.. um, are intrested in .. um, making love."
"Samuel already knows in crude terms how..."
"No, no.. um, the.. other kind, Severus." Remus said, his eyes nervously scanning Severus's sour expression. "I caught them.. um, kissing.. a week ago. Remember the day I fainted?"
"And you claimed it was from your Lycanthropy?"
"Yes. Actually, it was.. um, from seeing them.. um, share their ..affection." Remus said nervously, shifting from foot to foot. "I think.. they're ... intrested." Remus said with a small sigh, throwing himself into the overstuffed chair that Minerva had transfigured from a lamp earlier in the year. Severus remained still, the sour look still on his face, and his eyes dark and contemplative. Remus let out a sigh, rolling his eyes. "Severus?"
"Yes?" Severus asked after a long moment, gracefully settling himself into the seat across from Remus, and arched his eyebrow as he conjured up a pot of tea. "I think this... indicent.. is merely blown out of proportion."
"Well, if you saw them kiss, you wouldn't think the same thing, Sev."
"It's Severus, Lupin, and don't you forget that. Now, as for my son, I will explain to him about... intrests.. in other young men. You should do the same to your young Remy, as well, and see what happens."
"But.. but I don't want them to think that we are against them. I mean, I've had troubles because of my lycanthropy."
"Lupin, would you rather me leave it up to Poppy or Minerva, or god forbid, Draco Malfoy?"
"Point taken, Severus. Point taken." Remus said with a small sigh. "I'll call in Remy tonight and give him the talk. You do the same with Samuel, and we'll see what transpires tomorrow." Remus said as he rose wearily from his seat, Severus following him. The two men parted ways, and set themselves to their upcoming mission.
"Samuel, we need to talk." Severus signed sharply, his face peaked and drawn. Samuel glanced up from his scroll of parchment assigned for Transfiguration. "If need be, I can write a note for Minerva to excuse you from the homework."
"What.. did I do.. this time?" Samuel asked, his hands moving cautiously and slowly, afraid to set off his father. He had noticed that his mother had gone to the kids' room, Holly, Stiva, and Alice all had disappeared in there with her. He was in deep trouble, Samuel thought as he took a breath and sat down on the couch his father indicated. "Dad...?" Samuel spoke, his voice a nasal waver, sounding as if he was a strangling ferret.
"Samuel, I have just come from a talk with your professor Lupin, Remy's father. You remember the day he fainted?"
"Oh yes. Remy and I had to take him to see Poppy." Samuel signed with a nod, leaning back into the thick cushions. "But that was from his lycanthropy.. not.. um, anything I did.. was it?" Samuel asked, going pink. Severus's eyes lowered, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
"Lupin.. Lupin knows about what you did with Remy. Now, Samuel, it is all right to like Remy and want to kiss him. But, could you refrain from kissing him in class?" Severus asked with a light flush to his cheeks. "You are a respectable young man. Do you know the meaning of disreect?"
"I think so." Samuel said with a nod, blushing furiously. "But Dad-- Remy and I, we only did that to get rid of a botched Potion in Mum's class."
"Hermione said you brewed perfectly, and there were no ill effects ever since the beginning of school, and she should know- she grew up with Longbottom, and she has a Longbottom in her class."
"Oh.. right, Frank, and Professor Longbottom." Samuel said with a laugh, remembering Frank's earlier cauldron-melting episode. Shaking his head, he returned his mind to the present conversation. "But Dad, I don't even like girls, why would I like Samuel like that, anyway?"
"Well, ... some young men fancy young men. You know Lucius Malfoy?"
"Yeah. Granpere Luke, and Granmere Cissa." Samuel fingerspelled out awkardly.
"Well, Lucius.. he fancies young men. He and I.. well, He and I had a relationship when I was a bit older than yourself."
"But.. you're married to Mum, and he's married to Granmere."
"I know. And I wouldn't change a thing. Back then, I was just curious.. like you are. I understand, and if you have any questions, you can always ask me or Lupin. I think he did have a relationship with... Black..."
"Oh." Samuel said, glancing up at Severus. Severus sat there, his elbows on his knees, hunched over to his son's level. His eyes were glinting with uncertainity, and his jaw was set firmly. "Oh. I.. I think I need to go to bed, then." Samuel signed quickly, leaping from the couch and kicking Hermione and the girls out of his room.
"What was that, Severus? Samuel seems upset, he made Stiva cry." Hermione said, coming in the living room with a sniffling Stiva, Alice clutching her robes, and Holly smirking. "Holly refused to tell me, but she said he'll be fine."
"He will. Hand me Stephen, I'll take care of Alice, as well. Holly, you go directly to bed. Understood?" Severus said grimly as he took Stiva from Hermione's arms, allowing Hermione some time to herself. Severus sighed as he held his son close. Putting the younger children to bed, Severus stood in the doorway, watching Stephen doze in his crib and Alice in her small bed, both of them sucking their thumbs and clutching their teddy bears. "Stepehen Severin Snape, Alice Narcissa Snape...Hermione." Severs whispered to himself, shaking his head and still unbelieving that he had two children with Hermione, as well as the older children he and Hermione had adopted. A small smile slipped on his lips as he closed the door behind him and glided to his bedroom, startling Hermione with his sudden presence.
"Severus!"
"Hermione, have I ever told you how much I love you?" Severus whispered as he took his wife into his arms, kissing her lightly on the lips. "Let's go to bed, and rise with the sun, love."
"What's gotten into you?'
"I will tell you in the morning." Severus said, shaking his head as he picked up Hermione in his arms and carried her to the bed, stretching himself up over Hermione's petite frame. "But tonight... tonight is for us, for our love." Severus whispered, nuzzling Hermione's neck. A good bout of lovemaking would make his doubts disappear, make him feel better about the way he had handled Samuel's issues...
It had been a week since the fainting indicent, and Remus Lupin still hadn't told Severus. He knew he sould, but how should he break it? Remus shifted in his seat next to the dour Potions-master who was holding on to his two year old son, Stephen, attempting to feed the boy some carrots.
"Stiva, eat, you little.."
"Severus!" Hermione snapped, shaking her head. "That's no way to talk to Stephen, he's only two years old, he doesn't know better. Come to mummy, sweetheart." Hermione crooned, holding her arms out to the hook-nosed little boy who eagerly ambled into his mother's arms. Severus scowled thinly and returned to his meal, his eyes focused on his plate.
"Severus, could I have a word.. with you, in the, um, staff room, for a moment?" Remus whispered, glancing out of the corner of his eye at Severus, who narrowed his eyes and frowned.
"Certainly." Severus said as he rose and exited the Great Hall in a sweep of robes, but not before dropping a kiss upon Hermione's and Stiva's heads. The two men walked in tense silence, and upon their entry, Severus turned abruptly to Remus, a scowl on his lips. "All right, now, what is it, Lupin?"
"Um, I think we should sit down with our boys and explain some things.. er, I think they.. um, are intrested in .. um, making love."
"Samuel already knows in crude terms how..."
"No, no.. um, the.. other kind, Severus." Remus said, his eyes nervously scanning Severus's sour expression. "I caught them.. um, kissing.. a week ago. Remember the day I fainted?"
"And you claimed it was from your Lycanthropy?"
"Yes. Actually, it was.. um, from seeing them.. um, share their ..affection." Remus said nervously, shifting from foot to foot. "I think.. they're ... intrested." Remus said with a small sigh, throwing himself into the overstuffed chair that Minerva had transfigured from a lamp earlier in the year. Severus remained still, the sour look still on his face, and his eyes dark and contemplative. Remus let out a sigh, rolling his eyes. "Severus?"
"Yes?" Severus asked after a long moment, gracefully settling himself into the seat across from Remus, and arched his eyebrow as he conjured up a pot of tea. "I think this... indicent.. is merely blown out of proportion."
"Well, if you saw them kiss, you wouldn't think the same thing, Sev."
"It's Severus, Lupin, and don't you forget that. Now, as for my son, I will explain to him about... intrests.. in other young men. You should do the same to your young Remy, as well, and see what happens."
"But.. but I don't want them to think that we are against them. I mean, I've had troubles because of my lycanthropy."
"Lupin, would you rather me leave it up to Poppy or Minerva, or god forbid, Draco Malfoy?"
"Point taken, Severus. Point taken." Remus said with a small sigh. "I'll call in Remy tonight and give him the talk. You do the same with Samuel, and we'll see what transpires tomorrow." Remus said as he rose wearily from his seat, Severus following him. The two men parted ways, and set themselves to their upcoming mission.
"Samuel, we need to talk." Severus signed sharply, his face peaked and drawn. Samuel glanced up from his scroll of parchment assigned for Transfiguration. "If need be, I can write a note for Minerva to excuse you from the homework."
"What.. did I do.. this time?" Samuel asked, his hands moving cautiously and slowly, afraid to set off his father. He had noticed that his mother had gone to the kids' room, Holly, Stiva, and Alice all had disappeared in there with her. He was in deep trouble, Samuel thought as he took a breath and sat down on the couch his father indicated. "Dad...?" Samuel spoke, his voice a nasal waver, sounding as if he was a strangling ferret.
"Samuel, I have just come from a talk with your professor Lupin, Remy's father. You remember the day he fainted?"
"Oh yes. Remy and I had to take him to see Poppy." Samuel signed with a nod, leaning back into the thick cushions. "But that was from his lycanthropy.. not.. um, anything I did.. was it?" Samuel asked, going pink. Severus's eyes lowered, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
"Lupin.. Lupin knows about what you did with Remy. Now, Samuel, it is all right to like Remy and want to kiss him. But, could you refrain from kissing him in class?" Severus asked with a light flush to his cheeks. "You are a respectable young man. Do you know the meaning of disreect?"
"I think so." Samuel said with a nod, blushing furiously. "But Dad-- Remy and I, we only did that to get rid of a botched Potion in Mum's class."
"Hermione said you brewed perfectly, and there were no ill effects ever since the beginning of school, and she should know- she grew up with Longbottom, and she has a Longbottom in her class."
"Oh.. right, Frank, and Professor Longbottom." Samuel said with a laugh, remembering Frank's earlier cauldron-melting episode. Shaking his head, he returned his mind to the present conversation. "But Dad, I don't even like girls, why would I like Samuel like that, anyway?"
"Well, ... some young men fancy young men. You know Lucius Malfoy?"
"Yeah. Granpere Luke, and Granmere Cissa." Samuel fingerspelled out awkardly.
"Well, Lucius.. he fancies young men. He and I.. well, He and I had a relationship when I was a bit older than yourself."
"But.. you're married to Mum, and he's married to Granmere."
"I know. And I wouldn't change a thing. Back then, I was just curious.. like you are. I understand, and if you have any questions, you can always ask me or Lupin. I think he did have a relationship with... Black..."
"Oh." Samuel said, glancing up at Severus. Severus sat there, his elbows on his knees, hunched over to his son's level. His eyes were glinting with uncertainity, and his jaw was set firmly. "Oh. I.. I think I need to go to bed, then." Samuel signed quickly, leaping from the couch and kicking Hermione and the girls out of his room.
"What was that, Severus? Samuel seems upset, he made Stiva cry." Hermione said, coming in the living room with a sniffling Stiva, Alice clutching her robes, and Holly smirking. "Holly refused to tell me, but she said he'll be fine."
"He will. Hand me Stephen, I'll take care of Alice, as well. Holly, you go directly to bed. Understood?" Severus said grimly as he took Stiva from Hermione's arms, allowing Hermione some time to herself. Severus sighed as he held his son close. Putting the younger children to bed, Severus stood in the doorway, watching Stephen doze in his crib and Alice in her small bed, both of them sucking their thumbs and clutching their teddy bears. "Stepehen Severin Snape, Alice Narcissa Snape...Hermione." Severs whispered to himself, shaking his head and still unbelieving that he had two children with Hermione, as well as the older children he and Hermione had adopted. A small smile slipped on his lips as he closed the door behind him and glided to his bedroom, startling Hermione with his sudden presence.
"Severus!"
"Hermione, have I ever told you how much I love you?" Severus whispered as he took his wife into his arms, kissing her lightly on the lips. "Let's go to bed, and rise with the sun, love."
"What's gotten into you?'
"I will tell you in the morning." Severus said, shaking his head as he picked up Hermione in his arms and carried her to the bed, stretching himself up over Hermione's petite frame. "But tonight... tonight is for us, for our love." Severus whispered, nuzzling Hermione's neck. A good bout of lovemaking would make his doubts disappear, make him feel better about the way he had handled Samuel's issues...