Hello, dear readers!

This was a tough chapter to write. I have had a lot of the story written for a long time now, but it's these transitional chapters that have been holding me back, along with the lack of free time to get it posted.

Thank you to all l of my readers and reviewers! Without you, I would have let real life take over and quit writing a long time ago. But knowing that I have the support of so many wonderful people continues to give me the encouragement that I need to continue!

Again, I assure you that I will not abandon this story! I only hope that you haven't become too discouraged with my lack of updates.

Love and hugs, Marione

Chapter 14

Severus gently lay his sleeping newborn son in the cradle before easing himself into bed next to his wife. Curling up beside her, he gently pulled her into his arms and buried his face into her disheveled mane of hair. Inhaling her scent and feeling the warmth of her skin against his, he sighed softly. Finally, he felt as though he was home.

For the first time in weeks, he fell into a natural slumber. Never hearing the child or his wife stir a few hours later, he was only vaguely aware of her crawling back into bed beside him, cradling the child to her breast as she lay on her side, facing him as she nursed the infant. Though he only opened his eyes for a moment, the beautiful vision of mother and child lying contently beside him remained in his subconscious as he slept that night. For once, he was free of the nightmares that had been plaguing him for what seemed to be an eternity.

Upon awaking early the next morning, as Hermione and the baby continued to sleep, he crept out of bed and into the nursery to greet his firstborn son, whom he could hear talking (rather, babbling) to himself. To Severus' surprise, he opened the door to find Samuel tottering across the room, toward his parents' suite.

Awed that the child had managed to climb out of his crib, Severus jaw dropped as he stood in shock for a moment before sweeping into the room and scooping his son into his arms.

"You are a clever boy, aren't you?" his asked proudly. The wry grin on his face changed to a mock scowl and his eyes narrowed as he continued, "Perhaps a bit too clever for your own good... or mine, at that."

Squirming to get down and continue his explorations, Samuel giggled. Chuckling at his son's antics, Severus set him back onto his feet. "Follow me, Samuel. It is time to meet your brother."

When Severus returned to the room, Hermione was awake and sitting up in bed with Nathaniel awake in her arms. Upon seeing his mother, Samuel scampered across the room ahead of Severus, though Severus' much longer legs allowed them to reach the bedside simultaneously.

"Mum-mum-mum..." Samuel chattered happily as he tried to propel himself onto the bed. Severus reached down to lift him, before settling down on the bed and stretching his legs out in front of him. Samuel settled onto his lap and spent the early morning hours becoming acquainted with his new sibling.

Nearly an hour later, as the Snape family lounged happily together on the bed, they were startled by a frantic knocking on the door from the nursery. Severus reached for his wand and nearly leaped out of bed just as Elizabeth Granger threw open the door and swept into the suite, obviously just out of bed as she was still clad in her dressing gown.

"Oh!" She breathed in relief as she spied Samuel in bed with Hermione, "He's with you!"

Blushing furiously, she began to apologize as she approached the bed, "I'm so sorry... it was silly of me to think otherwise. It's just that I found the crib empty. Only, it's not like he could have wandered off by himself, now could he?"

"Well, actually..." Severus smirked.

"He didn't!" Elizabeth and Hermione gasped simultaneously.

"Indeed, he did. Or, would have, if I hadn't caught him in the act," Severus said.

"Goodness!" Elizabeth covered her mouth in shock, "And I never heard him! If something had happened to him... and on my watch! Oh, dear! He could have wandered into the corridor... gotten lost in the castle... or..."

"Mum, don't! You couldn't have known that he was out of the crib..."

"And I rather doubt that he would have managed to get through the suite and out the door without Hermione or myself noticing," Severus assured her.

Elizabeth smiled nervously, "I suppose you are quite right. It's just that, with all that has been going on..."

"We've all been on edge, Elizabeth," Severus sighed regretfully at the sudden reminder of the issue of their safety.

Hermione reached up to grasp her mother's hand, "It's alright, Mum."

Elizabeth nodded as she ran her free hand through her disheveled locks. "Oh... I must look a fright!" She exclaimed as she turned deliberately away from Severus view and blushed.

"Don't worry about Samuel this morning, Mum," Hermione said, "You go on to get ready for breakfast. I'll see you after."

After Elizabeth left, Severus summoned a house elf to provide breakfast for Hermione, Samuel and himself in their suite. He had nearly forgotten the joy of sharing a meal with his family in private. When he was teaching, he was required to sit most meals in the Great Hall. Over the past few weeks, he hadn't even had the chance to do that, either, and was feeling much more content than he had in a long time now that he was resuming a normal family life.

Even so, there was still much on his mind. After finishing his meal, he sighed, "I ought to go meet with Albus this afternoon. There is much to discuss."

"About?" Hermione asked, frowning at her husband, hoping that he wasn't making plans to resume the search for Lucius Malfoy.

"Us," he replied, to which Hermione raised her eyebrow quizzically. "You. Me. The children. What we are going to do to ensure your - our - safety."

"I thought we were safe here, inside Hogwarts."

Severus sighed, "I have little doubt that we are. However, I can't keep my family locked up in the dungeon forever. I intend to speak with Albus regarding other arrangements."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, furrowing her brow in confusion.

"I have been thinking a lot about the situation," Severus began to explain, "ever since my return."

"Go on," she urged when he hesitated.

"I think it may be best if we relocate," he sighed, "and I am quite sure that Albus knows of a number of safe houses, from which we can choose one to take up temporary residence."

"You want to go into hiding? Isolate me from my friends and family?" Hermione fumed.

"Of course not!" he snapped. "You will not be in total isolation. However, Albus will be our secret keeper, and only a select few individuals will be informed of our whereabouts."

"It seems as though you've got this all planned out. When, pray tell, were you planning on discussing this with me?" Hermione hissed as she rose to her feet, her hands curled into fists at her side.

"Albus broached the subject with me a few weeks back, though I originally scoffed at the idea. I was sure that we would have the Malfoy situation under control by the time the baby arrived."

"But over the past couple of days, I've been thinking a lot about it. I didn't want to say anything to you until I spoke with Albus again. But you are right. I should have discussed it with you first. Forgive me for presuming to plan any life changes without your input," he apologized wearily, hoping to avoid a row with his wife.

"I want to stay," Hermione stated indignantly. "I will not be run out of my home!"

"You would rather remain locked away in the dungeon, indefinitely?" he scoffed.

"Hogwarts is the only home I know!"

"I rather thought that your home was wherever the children and I happen to be. So long as we're together, does it matter where we live?"

Hermione turned away and began to pace the length of the room. Turning back to him a moment later, her eyes shone as she replied hoarsely, "No, I suppose it doesn't matter. But that doesn't change the fact that I don't want to go. I'm content here."

"At least promise to think about it. You might change your mind if you spend much more time cooped up in our suite."

She bit her lip thoughtfully as she nodded, "I'll think about it."

"I still need to speak with Albus," he sighed, "I promise that I will not make any decisions without you, but I would like to have a plan in place, in the event that you change your mind."

Both chidren were napping when Elizabeth returned a short while later to visit her daughter, and Severus took the opportunity to visit the Headmaster. He nodded a greeting towards her, sweeping silently past her as she entered the room, her arms full of letters and packages.

"Word spreads quickly around here!" she laughed as she set the lot down on the table, where Hermione was sitting in silence, nursing a cup of tea. "Well wishes and baby gifts from your friends, I presume."

Hermione graced her mother with a soft smile as she continued to sip her tea.

"Hermione, darling. Something wrong?"

Hermione sighed, "Severus wants to leave."

Startled, Elizabeth gasped, "Leave you and the children?"

"No!" Hermione exclaimed. "He wants for us to leave. To go someplace safe," she explained. "As if Howarts isn't," she scoffed.

"Is that the only reason he wants to go?" Elizabeth asked, sensing that Hermione hadn't given her the full story.

"Well... not exactly," Hermione admitted. "He feels like he's keeping me prisoner in our own home. He thinks that I need a change in atmosphere, I suppose."

Elizabeth paused in contemplation for a moment before saying quietly, "I think he has the right idea."

"You do?" Hermione asked in surprise.

"Darling, think about it this way," Elizabeth began, "The two of you never had a proper honeymoon, and the nearly the entirety of your marriage Severus has had other obligations. The two of you, and the children, have never had the time to just be. Wouldn't you enjoy having time alone together, as a family. Just the four of you?"

"I hadn't thought of it that way," Hermione admitted. "I suppose I was in too much shock when he sprung it on me to consider that aspect of his idea."

She bit thoughtfully on her lip for a moment, getting lost in her thoughts until Nathaniel's cries disrupted her reverie.

"Oh! Allow me!" Elizabeth gushed as she swept across the room and scooped the infant out of the cradle, cooing and fussing over him as she rejoined Hermione at the table. "Is he hungry?"

Hermione shook her head, "Probably not yet. We had a long nursing session before his nap, and he didn't sleep very long. But, if he begins fussing for you, I'll feed him again."

As Nathaniel settled in Elizabeth's arms, she looked to Hermione again, "Well... are you going to open those or not?" she asked, nodding to indicate the parcels on the table.

Hermione smiled as she began reading her letters. "From Harry. And it looks like one from Ron, as well," she grinned as she opened a second letter. Moments later, she reached for one of the packages, opening it to find a knitted baby blanket from Ginny and a matching knitted ensemble from Mrs. Weasley. Smiling, she set them aside and opened the final package. Inside was a hand-carved mahogany music box. She opened the lid, and a lilting tune filled the room.

"It's beautiful!" Elizabeth gasped in appreciation, "Who is it from?"

A quizzical look on her face, Hermione rummaged through the paper, but found no note attached. "I don't know. Probably came with either Harry's or Ron's letter."

Hermione closed the lid of the music box and smiled at the thoughtfulness of her friends.