FIVE: YELLOW

She was tired, to say the least. All she wanted was for this to end. The pain, the pressure, everything; she just wanted it to end. She couldn't say a thing, she wished she could. Poppy kept telling her to push, Severus was telling her to be brave, and it was almost over. Harry and Ron had fainted a few minutes ago; Ginny and Luna were helping Poppy with the delivery. And all Hermione wanted was for it to be over. The boy came out first, a small patch of brown hair on his head, and the wails from him filling the room. The girl came out next, black hair all over her head, and she didn't make a sound. Her eyes looked everywhere as they fixed her up. While Poppy finished cleaning up the twins, Severus whispered into her ear how happy he was, how proud he was, how she was just as beautiful as ever, how the twins were gorgeous. She fell asleep afterward, dreaming of life with her children and Severus, dreaming of a happy life where they didn't have to fear for their lives.

Three weeks after Hermione gave birth, the Dark Lord requested to see her and her children. Severus had never told him she had twins, and they both wondered how the meeting would develop when he realize there were two Snape heirs. When they arrived, Pettigrew took them to the sitting room; Severus held their son, Aiden, and Hermione held their daughter, Aileen. When they entered, Voldemort was standing by the fire, waiting. He motioned for them to sit, and took a look at the children. He didn't appear surprised outwardly, but when he spoke, you could tell twins were not the outcome he had expected.

"I see you have a son then, and his name?" Hermione froze. He was ignoring her daughter. Could that mean twins were not a part of this forced contract…

"Aiden, from the Gaelic meaning 'little flame'. I thought it was appropriate, he has been quite the little pistol." Severus smiled. He genuinely cared for his son.

"And your daughter's name?"

"Aileen, from the Celtic for meadow. She has beautiful green eyes, I thought of the meadows in Scotland when I looked at them." Severus did all the talking. He would take this into his hands, hopefully getting the Dark Lord to accept his daughter as willingly as he would his son.

"Well, I was not foreseeing twins, but I shall make the best of it. They are both under the same contract, being born from your wife. Their training begins after their sixth birthday. Understand?"

"Yes my Lord."

"Hermione, I will expect you teach them. It is better done by a parent. Severus has his work, he cannot. You may go now." They left silently.

"I need to see Albus; he needs to know what happened."

"I need to tell Harry. I do not want my children learning Dark Arts like toys."

"Neither do I. Floo Minerva and have her get your friends. You need support right now, alright?" She nodded, taking Aiden from his arms and walking down to their rooms.

The babies were both very well behaved, taking after their father in that. Aileen, as Severus said, had beautiful bright green eyes and black hair; Aiden had his mother's hair with the dark shadowed eyes of his father. Hermione had decided to breastfeed, and they had powerful grips for newborns. She also decided that their cribs would be beside the bed so that she did not have to go far to care for them. However, having children in his chambers did take a toll on Severus and Albus had begun to teach fifth years and under. Flooing Harry wouldn't be hard since he had room for just him and Ron. When he finally did answer her, she had to leave him on hold while one of the children needed attention. After all that, Harry decided he would come through and talk to her while she cared for the babies, who had taken to their godfather very well. Hermione wanted Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Luna as grandparents, and Severus added Albus, Minerva, and Draco because of how close they were to him.

"So you're saying that both Aiden and Aileen are under this crazy contract and that they have to learn the Dark Arts when they turn six years of age?" Aileen sat in Harry's lap, playing with his tie. Hermione sat with Aiden in her arms on the other side of the couch.

"Yes Harry; neither Severus nor myself want them learning Dark Arts. It ruined Severus' life having to learn under the same contract. But if he is killed before the twins become six, then they will no longer be under it."

"Did Voldemort say anything about attacking Hogwarts? Draco says that he is looking at plans that Severus was asked to bring with you two tonight and seeing if there is any way for him to get in." Aileen started to get fussing and Hermione took her into her arms as well.

"The only way he would be able to get in is at Honeyduke's, and he doesn't know about that. Severus did take him some maps of Hogwarts, but they were given to him by Albus; they're safe maps. You have the Marauder's Map, so Hogwarts is safe." The baby boy began repeatedly tapping his sister, which bothered her, and she started crying.

"You have a point. Here, give me Aiden." Hermione handed her son to him and calmed her daughter down. Aiden, having been put where he wanted, started to suck on Harry's index finger. "Children are strange little one, aren't they?"

"Aiden is usually so nice to Aileen; we watch her more than him. I guess he wanted in your arms because she was."

"That could be it. She takes after Severus I suppose?" Harry indicated. Aileen was currently playing with her mother's hair, sucking and pulling it with her mouth and fingers.

"Yes. He was very attached to his mother as well. I was more of the independent sort when I was a baby. That's why he's not so grabby with Severus or I. But he does love his father. Those two can be with one another for hours without him fussing. Same with her when she's with me, but that's because she is very shy. She's not like that with Severus, but you should have seen when we met the Dark Lord, she wouldn't look at him until he took her little hand and shook it. He did the same with Aiden, but that boy just wanted to play with him."

"How'd Voldemort take that?"

"He didn't like it and pulled his hand away. Aiden thought it was a game and tried to get his hand back. But that was right before we left, so when Severus gave him his hand, the game continued."

"Hermione?"

"What?"

"Have you ever thought about the fact that this world doesn't have divorces? That means you're stuck with Severus until he dies." She was silent, her gaze on the fire and not Harry.

"I know I'm stuck with him. But we have our children and we are falling in love with each other. Isn't that enough?"

"Maybe you're falling in love with him because he is the only man you can have now." He placed a hand on hers.

"No. I love him because of who he is, not because I am married to him. And I love my children. I wouldn't leave those I love." She looked at him, straight in the eye. "I love you Harry, and I love all my friends. I would never leave you either." He smiled.

"I'm glad Hermione. I would hate to lose such a great friend." She smiled back at him.

The moon was out, a crescent dangling in the sky. Stars littered the expanse, twinkling and shining brightly. Suddenly a star streaked across the other, flying fast and falling into the horizon. She couldn't help but wish on it.

"If only I could have a happy carefree life. If only my children could grow up without fear. If only my husband were finally free. I wish for all this. If only." She walked back from the window and continued her reading. Having a window in the private study was nice during the day, and allowed fresh air whenever needed.

Hermione was researching the spell of the Dark Mark from the memory that Severus had when he received his. Watching from a third-person perspective was wonderful, and she was making progress in her study. She had finalized that the Dark Lord used Parseltounge for the spell, which meant that once she found a counter-spell, Harry would have to administer it if he still had Parseltounge. Through more study she found that there was a possibility that Harry would lose all of Voldemort's traits once he was killed, but that was just a theory, for if it were true, Voldemort would also be able to take those abilities back through their connection. Yet he could not, which meant that maybe Harry was forever with these Darker powers. She retired around ten that night, her husband still not in, and the babies sleeping peacefully.

Severus walked into the bedroom that night exhausted. He had to duty three detentions with Gryffindors, and then grade all the essays that had come in that day. He wasn't able to go to bed until late, and Hermione was already asleep when he got in. He had wanted to at least talk to her, see what she had accomplished in her research, but now he could not. He did notice his private library was littered with books and scrolls, which meant she was dedicating all her free time to research. Their babies did come first after all. Kissing her forehead and slipping into the bed, he wrapped his arms around her waist and drifted off to sleep.