Standard disclaimers apply. I don't own anything nor do I make money from this silly little story in any way shape or form.
AN: Don Raphiel: Last chapter wasn't my favorite either. But I needed to do it to set up a few things. Hope you like this one better.
Chapter 39 The Birthday Song
Uh oh
it's my birthday
Cut the cake blow out the candles
I'm
staring down at my shoes
So tell me why when you sing
Happy
birthday, receiving is so hard to do
Happy birthday to you
Paul Colman Trio "The Birthday Song"
Snape woke up Sunday morning with Alexis curled up against him. It hit him that today was his birthday. He wondered if Alexis knew, but could not see how she would have figured it out. He would just have to make sure she was around when Albus wished him a Happy Birthday. After the incident with the surprise party, most of the other staff just treated it like any other day.
Snape decided his birthday present to himself would be to wake Alexis up by making love to her. He shifted so that he was leaning over her and began to kiss her eyes, nose, trailing kisses down to her neck. He nuzzled her ear and then made his way back around to her collar bone. He felt the change in her breathing when she woke up and looked up to meet her eyes, "Good morning, luv."
"I'm going to be sick," Alexis scrambled from the bed, kneeing and elbowing Snape in her hurry to get to the bathroom.
So much for this birthday being special, Snape thought to himself. He could hear horrible retching noises coming from the bathroom. Getting concerned he slipped into his robe, grabbing Alexis' robe before going to check on her.
Looking into the bathroom, he saw Alexis kneeling in front of the toilet recovering from her last bout of vomiting. Draping her robe across her shoulders, he pulled her hair back and clipped it with a barrette he found on the counter. Wetting a washcloth he began to wipe her face.
Alexis just leaned back against his leg and let him take care of her.
"Do you think you're finished?" Snape asked quietly.
Alexis' answer was to lean over the commode again, emptying the contents of her stomach into its porcelain depths. She flushed before leaning back against Snape and closing her eyes as he once again wet the washcloth and cleaned her face.
Snape stayed by Alexis' for the next thirty minutes as she repeatedly vomited into the toilet. When she had been quiet for longer than a minute, he helped her to her feet and brushed her teeth before carrying her back to bed and tucking her under the covers where she immediately fell into an exhausted sleep.
Snape decided he would wait and see if she was feeling better when she woke. If not he would take her to see the nurse.
Deciding to make use of the time, he started grading papers and getting ready for the next week's classes.
Snape heard Alexis stir; looking at the clock on his desk he calculated that she had been asleep for almost two hours. Moving into the bedroom he found her sitting up on the side of the bed. Seeing him she smiled apologetically, "I don't know what was wrong with me, but I'm feeling fine now. In fact I am starving. Do you think Slinky would bring us something to eat?"
"How about some dry toast?" Snape queried.
"I'm really hungry, how about bacon, eggs, sausage, biscuits, fruit, juice and some hot tea instead?"
"Why don't you start with some dry toast, then see how you feel after that?"
Alexis pouted, "If you insist," when Snape turned to go and order breakfast she stuck her tongue out at him.
"That is extremely childish," Snape chided dryly having seen her reflection in a mirror.
Alexis blew him a raspberry in reply.
"Much better," he responded and left before the pillow she threw at him could hit him.
When Snape returned he found Alexis wearing a child's paper party hat. He walked in and she blew a noise maker and tossed confetti at him, "Happy Birthday!"
Handing him a large gaily wrapped package, "I am so sorry about this morning. I had planned to try to make the day special for you. I still can't figure out what was wrong with me. Open your present," Alexis said.
Thankful that she didn't expect him to wear a hat, Snape ripped the paper off of the gift, revealing a portrait of Alexis wearing the dress she had worn to the Malfoy's New Year's Eve Ball. The artist had captured her beauty and grace, Snape smiled as the portrait blew him a kiss.
"Thank you," looking up at Alexis he was surprised to see her blushing.
"That's not all. Wave your left hand over the portrait and think 'I want to see the snake'," Alexis instructed.
Snape did as he was told and the portrait changed to one of Alexis reclining against the bed wearing nothing but the snake he had painted on her. Snape had to swallow a sudden surge of jealousy at the thought that the artist had seen Alexis like that. With careful control, he looked over at Alexis who was waiting for his reaction, "Who painted this?"
Alexis was surprised by the blankness of Snape's dark eyes. He had not looked at her in that icy, controlled manner in a very long time. She had to suppress a shiver, "Cassandra Stoneweight. She owns a shop in Hogsmeade, Amber recommended her. She is very discreet about these types of commissions. I thought you would enjoy it, Severus if you don't like it we can destroy it."
The relief Snape felt at finding out the artist was a woman was overwhelming, "Actually it is very well done. I do believe though that we should display it in the bedroom. I would like to commission a regular portrait that can be displayed in a more public setting," Snape quickly waved a hand across the painting causing it to go back to the first portrait.
Snape wouldn't budge on letting Alexis eat anything but dry toast and drink weak tea, so by lunch time she was starving.
Warning her not to over do it, Snape agreed that since her stomach hadn't objected to the tea and toast she could have a regular lunch. After eating, Alexis persuaded Snape to join her for a bubble bath.
After the bath, Alexis settled into Snape's lap to cuddle. Snape was talking about his plans for the advanced potions class, when he looked down to find that Alexis was fast asleep. Deciding she must be tired from all the activity they had indulged in while bathing, he summoned some papers he had been looking over.
Alexis woke up just in time for dinner. Slinky had prepared a cozy dinner of all of Snape's favorite foods. For dessert there was a small birthday cake complete with candles. Alexis also had one other gift for Snape. She had found it among the Draluck family jewels and thought that it was perfect for her betrothed. Although she couldn't help but wonder how a family that had predominately been sorted into Gryffindor or Ravenclaw houses would have come by such a piece of jewelry.
Snape opened the small velvet box to discover a ring. It was an exquisitely worked white gold snake with emeralds for eyes. You could see every scale and ripple of muscle; it looked as if the snake was just a moment from taking a breath and coming to life.
"I'm sure there is a story behind the ring. But I haven't been able to discover what it is yet. I showed it to Albus and he seemed to recognize it, but wouldn't tell me anything about it except that it would be an appropriate gift for you. Do you like it?"
Snape held the ring in his hand trying to sense what magic it might hold. He could feel the tingle that indicated strong magic, but there was none of the unpleasant buzz of dark magic associated with the ring.
Slipping it onto his finger, Snape could feel it shift to a perfect fit.
Holding out his hand, he helped Alexis from her seat and led her to the bedroom, "There is only one thing left to make this day complete," Snape said as he pulled her into his arms.
Alexis smiled as she ran her hands up his chest and linked them behind his neck, "And what might that be?"
Snape leaned down so that his lips just barely brushed her ear, he could feel her body quivering in anticipation, "A nice game of cards," he whispered.
It took Alexis a moment to process what he said as he was now sucking on the pulse that was pounding at her neck, "Huh?"
Making his way around to her other ear, he took the lobe in his mouth and bit it gently before replying, "What would really make my birthday complete would be a nice game of cards." His warm breath against the sensitive skin of her ear caused her body to flush in arousal.
"What type of card game?" she finally managed to gasp out as he continued to caress her with his mouth.
"Strip poker," he breathed huskily causing her to press against him.
Pulling back she shook her head to clear it, "Let me get this straight, you want to play strip poker?"
"Well a variation of it," he smirked.
"Explain."
"Not only will the loser have to remove an article of clothing, they will have to do whatever the winner tells them to do."
"For how long?" Alexis had learned to be cautious when dealing with a Slytherin.
"Until the act is completed or five minutes, whichever comes first."
"Which type of poker?"
"Five card stud, nothing wild."
"Agree to no magic in the game and you're on."
"No magic in the game but magic in the tasks."
"Agreed."
"I'll get the cards."
Several hours later, two exhausted, but very sated and slightly sore people lay collapsed against each other on the bed. The cards had long since been abandoned and were scattered over both rooms.
"Severus, where did you learn to hold your breath for so long?" Alexis asked sleepily.
"I used to swim a lot in my youth. I actually had no idea I could still hold it for that long. Have you been taking the flexibility potion?"
"Hmmm, no but I have been practicing yoga. Although if you had pushed my ankles back another inch I might have dislocated something. Do you think we got all the jello out of the tub? I would hate to stop up the pipes."
"I'll pour a dissolving potion down the drain tomorrow just to be on the safe side," Snape was staring at the canopy, "What on earth is that brown stain up there?"
"I think its chocolate, but I have no idea how it got up there?" Alexis contemplated the mark, "Unless it was left over from the human sundae task. Didn't you win the hand after that and levitate me so that I could use both hands and not have to try to balance?"
"That's right," Snape felt a twitch at the memory of that task, but Sergeant Slytherin Serpent was down for the count. In fact Snape would almost swear he heard a whimper of protest at the thought of having to go back into action. Oh well, tomorrow was another day.
"Severus?" Alexis yawned.
"Yes?"
"Happy Birthday."
Snape settled down cuddling the remarkable woman that was his fiancé. The incredible, imaginative, willing to try almost anything, woman that was his fiancé and thought before he fell asleep that yes indeed this had been a Happy Birthday.
Monday morning Snape was woken up by Alexis making a mad scramble once again for the bathroom. Taking her robe to her, he held her hair back for her as she was violently sick. When she had finished throwing up, he cleaned her face and then carried her back to the bed. "You are going to see Poppy this morning," Snape told Alexis, only to notice that she had fallen asleep as soon as he had tucked her in.
Snape let Alexis sleep for another hour and then woke her up. In spite of her protests that she felt fine now, Snape insisted she get dressed because he was taking her to see Poppy. Two mornings of wretched illness necessitated a visit to the infirmary. Ignoring Alexis' pleas to at least stop and get something to eat first because she was starving, Snape herded her to the hospital wing.
Poppy took one look at the pouting witch and the aggravated wizard and had to stifle a laugh. She had never met a couple so perfect for each other. This, of course did not mean that they wouldn't have disagreements, it just meant that making up would be so much more fun.
"Poppy, Alexis was ill yesterday morning and again this morning. Would you take a look at her?"
"Of course, come, sit over here dear. Now what seems to be the problem?"
Before Alexis could answer, Snape began to explain, "She vomited yesterday morning until she had nothing left to come up. Then she slept for approximately two hours, woke up and was fine for the rest of the day. This morning followed the same pattern, except that I woke her after about an hour to bring her to you. Now she says she is fine."
"Any other symptoms? Fatigue, muscle ache, dizziness?"
Snape replied, "I don't believe so, Alexis have you had any other symptoms?"
"So glad you both finally remembered that I am here," Alexis replied sarcastically, "I have been a little more tired lately. But I just put that down to all that has been going on."
"When was your last cycle?" Poppy asked with clinical detachment.
Alexis had to think for a moment, "The last time was November," as the implications of that sunk in Alexis looked at Poppy wide eyed.
"Well let me just run a quick check," Poppy slowly ran her wand across Alexis' torso.
As she did a soft blue light glowed and then split.
"Congratulations, you're going to be parents. And it looks like twin boys," Poppy's grin quickly faded to a look of concern as Snape turned ashen and sat down abruptly. Unfortunately there wasn't a chair where he sat so he ended up on the floor looking up at the two women.
"I'm going to be a father? Twins?" And then for the first time in his life Snape passed out.
"Well at least he didn't have far to fall," Poppy said before turning back to Alexis.
AN: Is anyone surprised? I mean they have been going at it pretty hot and heavy.
