Thanks for reading! I don't own any of Harry Potter! Please let me know if you enjoy! Updates every Saturday!
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"WWWWAAAA!"
"WWWWAAAA!"
"WWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAA!"
In what used to be the Evans' family residence, shrill cries rang throughout the house in the middle of the night.
On the left side of the bed, Lily's green eyes popped open.
"WWWWAAA!"
On the right side of the bed, Severus's black orbs squinted as he woke.
"WWWWAAAA!"
Together, in perfect synchrony, Severus and Lily stood from the bed and shuffled out of their room.
Lily went into the nursery and pulled her wailing baby from his crib while Severus walked downstairs and collected a blanket and some pillows from the armchair before he sat down on the sofa.
Lily joined him a moment later and Severus placed the pillows against his chest as he opened his arms so Lily could nest against him.
Lily sighed as she leaned back on Severus, with her spine cushioned by the pillows. She gladly let her lover pull the blanket around them both to fight off the night's chill.
Once Lily was comfortable, she undid the buttons on her nightshirt and exposed her full breasts to their wailing son.
As soon as Harry found what he was crying for, his nerve-wracking wails quieted down to hungry snuffles and happy grunts.
Lily and Severus looked down at their baby, watching him as he ate, and Severus thoughtfully asked, "Are you warm enough?"
"Yeah, Sev, I'm just tired." Lily sighed.
"Would you like anything to eat or drink?" Severus offered.
"No," Lily chuckled, "I'm fine, really. I've told you…you don't have to get up with me every time, it's alright."
Severus moved the blanket aside and pressed a sweet kiss to Lily's shoulder, feeling her relax against him.
Harry had been in the world for two weeks and during that time, Lily had really witnessed the devotion of Severus's commitment to her and……..their baby boy.
Severus had been there, morning, noon, and night for every diaper change, every feeding, and every crying fit.
A lot of mothers felt unsupported and alone during that time in their child's life, but Lily counted herself as very fortunate to not be one of them.
Severus had continued to complete all of the housework, cook all of the meals, and he had even found the time to make Lily some lovely resources to aid in her recovery from the birth.
Lily didn't know which she liked better, the lavender infused pads that Severus had given her to place in her bra or the sanitary napkins laced with aloe and witch hazel that she used to line her underwear, but at a time when her body was sore and battered, she was thoroughly grateful to Severus for both.
While they sat on the sofa, Severus wrapped his arms around Lily's as Harry ate, worried that she may doze off, but Lily maintained her alertness until Harry finished his meal.
Lily stood first from the sofa but Severus was behind her in an instant, placing a hand on her back to steady her as she swayed.
After Lily burped Harry, Severus saw her eyes start to close and he gently took their son from her arms as he spoke, "Go back to bed, my love. I'll change him."
"It's alright….." Lily sighed, "You don't have to, I'll get-"
Severus stepped forward and gave Lily a kiss as he commanded, "-I've got him, Lily…..go back to bed."
Lily kissed Severus once more but she didn't try to protest any further.
Instead, Lily took advantage of Severus's kindness and she walked up the stairs to crawl back into bed.
Severus carried Harry into the nursery and carefully changed his diaper, though a scowl was firmly fixed on his face from the smell.
As he worked, Severus whispered to his son, "You're lucky to have so much of your mother's love, right from the start."
Harry cooed up at his father, moving his tiny arms.
Severus's eyes met his young son's as he replied, "It took me years to achieve what you did in a day, but I speak the truth when I tell you…….it was worth every ounce of effort."
Severus knew Harry couldn't understand him, but when Harry broke out in a wide smile and made a happy little noise as if he did, Severus couldn't help himself.
There in the nursery, alone with baby Harry, Severus Snape smiled back.
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Quietly, in a simple muggle ceremony, at a simple muggle courthouse, Severus and Lily secretly exchanged wedding vows when Harry was two months old.
Cradled tenderly in his mother's arms, baby Harry watched as Severus and Lily pledged their love to each other.
Harry gazed curiously at the wedding officiant while he spoke.
"I now pronounce you man and wife!" The wedding officiant happily proclaimed.
Harry cooed sharply when Lily and Severus leaned in to kiss each other.
"Promise you'll love me forever, Sev?" Lily giggled at her new husband.
"Always~." Severus replied with a warm purr, staring intently at Lily.
The joy of their little wedding was put on hold while they signed the necessary documents.
Their clothes were simple.
There was no grand party.
There was no honeymoon.
Being on opposing sides of a war and new parents with a single income, Lily and Severus couldn't afford the luxuries that many other couples enjoyed on their wedding day.
That didn't matter, though.
The day was still perfect to both Mr. and Mrs. Snape.
Later, after they returned home, Lily tended Harry and Severus looked down at his ring for a moment.
It was a simple band, gold like Lily's, one they had purchased from a muggle shop, but Severus cherished it all the same.
Severus saw his wedding ring as a symbol of his bond with Lily, a reminder of their love……..
Severus sighed softly to himself, knowing the meaningful piece of jewelry would have to come off whenever he went out of the house.
A cruel punishment, indeed.
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Once Harry had settled down to sleep for the night, or at least, for a couple of hours, Severus and Lily cleaned up and readied themselves for bed.
Severus and Lily hadn't discussed any expectations for their wedding night. Severus hadn't made any physical attempts with Lily since Harry had arrived, but he had shown his affection through kisses and loving touches.
Crawling under the covers first, Severus's black eyes watched his bride closely as she slipped into her nightgown.
Lily blushed, half from embarrassment, and half from arousal, as she glanced in the mirror and saw Severus gazing at her.
"Come to bed, Mrs. Snape~." Severus's low voice curled from his throat.
Upon hearing the velvet purr in Severus's tone, Lily's blush deepened until her cheeks were hot and flushed.
Once Lily had her nightgown on, she walked over and shyly eased herself into the bed beside her husband.
Lily was nervous that she would disappoint Severus, but as Severus wrapped his arms around her and kissed her lips, Lily smiled at her own foolishness.
Why had she been nervous?
It was Severus…….
The only thing Severus ever wanted from Lily was for her to stay at his side.
"I love you so much, Sev." Lily whimpered, clutching onto Severus's nightshirt as his hand gently stroked her side.
"You know that I feel the same, Lily." Severus replied, kissing her again sweetly.
Lily closed her eyes and kissed back until she felt her anxiety surge once more.
Hurriedly, Lily pulled away from Severus, an action that made his dark eyes widen.
She couldn't do it……
She was just too frightened to reveal herself to Severus.
Lily wasn't entirely the same…..
Sure, Severus had seen bits and pieces of her here and there when he had to, but not all of her.
Severus hadn't yet witnessed the extent of the changes that her body had undergone.
All of the scars……
Why would he have?
With a new baby, there had been few opportunities.
Even when Lily showered, Severus was busy caring for Harry.
Lily was aware of how much Severus desired her, of how close he felt to her, and it scared her to think that seeing her altered form may change his feelings.
Lily said quietly, "I…….Sev, I'm sorry. I can't."
Severus blinked at Lily, "...Have I…..upset you in some way?"
"No! No, I'm a little…..nervous, that's all." Lily said with a tense laugh.
"Nervous about what?" Severus asked, narrowing his eyes.
He and Lily had cuddled, made love, and kissed hundreds of times.
He had watched her give birth.
What did she have to be nervous about?
"You know……." Lily said slowly.
"Oh….." Severus said quickly, "Lily, I'm just happy to be with you, we don't have to do anything you don't want. If you don't feel up to it yet, then we can just hold-"
"-That's not it!" Lily cried, sitting up on the bed.
Severus looked surprised.
So….it wasn't that Lily didn't want him, after all?
Actually, though Lily had been warned about the hormonal changes she may experience, despite the sleep deprivation that came with caring for a newborn, especially over the last few weeks, Lily genuinely missed Severus's touch.
The feel of him on her……..
The way he reverently moved over her…….
Severus sat up beside Lily and looked at her incredulously, "Then what's the matter, my love?"
"I'm not the same, Severus." Lily said quietly, drawing her legs to her chest as best she could.
"Everyone changes, Lily." Severus replied, "Neither of us are the same, we have entirely new lives, new purposes, new roles…..."
"That's not what I'm talking about!" Lily snapped, "My body! It's all……..wrong, now!"
Severus's eyes were soft but his black gaze glowed at her with a hint of authoritarian demand as he spoke, "...Show me."
"Sev!" Lily gasped, "No, I can't!"
"Then I don't believe you." Severus said, playfully turning away and crossing his arms.
"Sev……!" Lily laughed, pretending to be annoyed.
Severus turned his head to look at Lily questioningly.
A moment of silence passed and Severus turned back around, with his arms still crossed, to stare at the wall.
Lily made a noise of irritation in her throat as she stood and pulled her nightdress off, "Oh, fine, then! Here! Do you believe me now?!"
Lily laid back down on the bed, completely bare, with her red hair fanned out behind her on the pillow.
Severus slowly turned back towards her and Lily was surprised at the immediate surge of heat she felt in her lower belly as Severus's black eyes stared at her adoringly, drinking in every inch of her skin.
Severus took his time, scanning over Lily from the top of her head to the tips of her toes, letting nothing escape his careful glance.
Lily watched the expression on Severus's face as he saw everything she hoped foolishly that he never would and tears formed in her eyes.
"...I don't see anything wrong here." Severus declared, running his velvet fingertips along the silvery stretch marks that lined the lower part of Lily's belly and danced across her hips.
"I'm ruined." Lily said, laughing as she gasped through her tears.
"No, Lily." Severus said very seriously, pausing to nuzzle the softness of the wrinkled skin on her abdomen before he moved up to kiss her lips, gazing into her eyes, "You're amazing~."
Lily whimpered as her lips collided with Severus's and together, they spent the next hour consummating their marriage by making some of the purest love either of them would ever know.
Later, as they both panted for breath, Severus pulled Lily into his arms and dozed off to the feeling of her warm breasts pressed against his chest.
It would be another hour, maybe two before Lily would have to get up and nurse Harry again. Both she and Severus were exhilarated but exhausted. The tired, happy couple gladly welcomed the heavy sleep into which they quickly drifted.
As the time ticked by, Lily rested with a smile but Severus scowled as they lay together.
In the corridors of his mind, something vile poisoned his dreams.
Severus saw it clearly……
Harry's nursery in a different house……..
A scream from Lily……….
A flash of green, deadly light.
Suddenly the scene he was watching vanished and Severus woke with a gasp, sitting bolt upright in bed.
Whirling around, Severus exhaled a sigh of relief when he saw where he was and noticed that Lily was safely beside him, wedding rings on both of their fingers.
But still, Severus's usually steady hands trembled………
His body shook with fear and hopelessness.
Severus had the unshakeable feeling that his dream wasn't a harmless nightmare, it was an omen of the danger that lay ahead.