The Rosamonds Come to Hogsmeade:

Rose jumped to her feet as she heard voices coming up the path.

"You don't have to get up," Severus said, standing too.

Rose frowned out the window. "I don't think that's them," she said with disappointment. She walked over to the opposite side of the room for no reason besides a desire to move.

Severus followed closely beside her. "You needn't pace about, be still."

Rose rolled her eyes at him. "I'm fine, Severus."

"You just had a child," he returned, his voice taking on an edge. He rested his hand on her lower back and stared down at her in a scrutinizing way. This birth had been hard on Rose, much harder than the first, more painful, more dangerous. She had lost consciousness part way through. Before everything had gone dark, Rose remembered screaming, crying, and the horrified look on Severus's face.

Thankfully Miranda, Rose's midwife, who was also a seer, predicted the difficulties and preempted the need for healers to be present. She had told Rose what to expect, but the knowing did not make the process any less painful or terrifying.

Rose had been revived hours after it was all over. She had need plenty of blood replenishing potion.

"Where is she?" Were her first words after waking. She pushed herself up in bed too quickly. She felt like her head was banging against her skull. "I want to see her."

Severus was immediately at her side, holding onto her tightly. Rose's head was so foggy, but she could remember Severus crying, sobbing into her chest. His body convulsing with emotion. He sounded like a wounded animal. Rose had never seen Severus like that before. Even now, looking back, it seemed unreal.

Rose began to sob too. "Severus, what happened to her?" Rose said desperately. "What happened to our baby?"

Severus looked up at Rose brokenly. She did not understand that his tears were because of her, not the child.

But the baby was healthy and strong, just as Miranda had predicted. Rose never asked, mostly because she did not want to know the answer, but she wondered if Miranda knew the outcome of the complications she'd foreseen. Rose had wondered if when Miranda looked into the future, had she seen Rose holding her baby or was the baby alone.

Rose had just gotten out of a 9 day stretch in St. Mungo's. She was anxious to move around and be lively. Severus, on the other hand, kept watching her as if expecting her to keel over.

"Darling," Rose whispered. "I swear to you that I feel completely recovered. We knew that it would be more difficult this time."

Severus scowled. "Yes," he replied bitterly. "The midwife left out some of the finer points when she explained that to us."

Ephraim stayed with Esme while Rose was in the hospital with Hannah frequently checking up on them. Rose tried to get Severus to go home with the children, but was only successful in making him leave for no more than an hour here and there.

"I'm fine," Rose pleaded with him.

Severus was still glowering as the front door opened.

Esme came running into the room. "Grandma! Grandpa!" she shouted. Her loud exclamation prompted a bout of newborn wailing.

Rose pressed her lips together at the exasperated look on Severus's face. He made to go towards the baby.

"She's okay for a second," Rose said. "At least say hello."

Ephraim, who had helped Mr. and Mrs. Rosamond get into Hogsmeade, closed the cottage door behind them. Seeing that it was much easier and faster for witches and wizards to travel internationally, Rose's parents had only been to visit once before, after Esme was born. Rose had taken the children to visit her family two or three times per year, occasionally accompanied by Severus.

Esme was already scooped up into her grandfather's arms.

"Rose," Rose's mother, Cora cried, moving forward to kiss her somewhat tearfully. Mathew Rosamond, with Esme still in his arms moved into embrace his eldest daughter as well. They both looked extremely happy to be with her. Their easy manners became a bit stiff when they both turned to Severus in their turn.

Severus shook hands with Mr. Rosamond briefly and then Mrs. Rosamond gave him an unenthusiastic and quick side hug.

Severus gave Rose a raised brow glance.

"Yes, go get her," Rose said, grinning at him.

Rose led her family to sit. "Can I get anyone some tea or coffee?" she offered.

"Don't trouble yourself," Cora said to her daughter.

"It's not trouble," Rose replied, raising her wand. Mugs flew from the kitchen and a tea pot, cream, and sugar dish followed closely behind, filling the Mugs to each person's preference.

Rose's parents watched the magic with amazement. Rose had left to study healing shortly after she had come of age, then she had moved to England. Her family rarely knew her to do magic around them. Especially since when she did see them, they spent so much time in the nonmagical world. Magic always seemed to take them off guard in the best sort of way.

Mugs in hand, Rose's parents began to talk animatedly to Ephraim about his future plans as a curse-breaker.

"We are so proud of him," Rose beamed. "It's not often that witches and wizards get hired as cure-breakers right out of school. We need to get as much time with Ephraim as we can this summer before he is sent to Egypt in the fall to begin his training."

Ephraim smiled. He was proud too. But most of all, he liked to hear his mother say that she wants to spend as much time as possible with him. Both Severus and Rose had been taking special efforts to be with him. Because Rose had been away from work since the end of her pregnancy, she had had lots of time to sit with Ephraim, she often suggested outings, and took this opportunity to cook all his favorite meals before he had to leave. His father bonded with Ephraim the best way he knew how. He spent hours and hours with him pouring over books, researching curses, helping Ephraim practice various counter-curses in their sitting room.

"Dad had been helping me prepare," Ephraim said. He turned to his mother, "Tirelessly," he added. Rose smirked. "Which had put me at a bit of an advantage."

"I have never seen a bit of magic that your father could not accomplish," Rose said lovingly.

Mathew and Cora listened politely, but they always felt a bit out of place when discussing spell casting. Rose made it look so effortless, memorizing some magic words and flicking a wand. Rose had never explained to them the focus, discipline, and physical exertion required for advanced magic, for how could they possibly understand. Therefore, they could never quite understand Severus.

Severus reentered the room, carrying a tiny bundle.

Rose stood and strode to be by his side. She put a gentle hand over the blankets in her husband's arms.

"Mom. Dad," Rose announced. "I'd like you to meet Eileen."

Her parents stood too, crowding around Severus and the baby.

"She's beautiful," Cora breathed.

Eileen had stopped crying, but she looked uncertainly around at the group of people closing in on her.

"She looks just like you, Rosie," Mathew said.

Rose glanced up at her father and then back at Eileen. "Does she though," she said skeptically. "I think she looks more like Severus."

Like Esme, Eileen had black hair and dark eyes like Severus. However, Esme's overall appearance favored Rose. It was difficult to tell on an infant, but Severus agreed that by the set of Eileen's features she definitely resembled his side of the family. Rose seemed completely unperturbed by this.

"No, I don't think so," Cora said shortly.

Severus's face darkened.

Rose touched his arm lightly. "Well, whoever you look like," she told the baby, "you are such a beautiful girl."

"Let us hold her, will you," Mathew joked, reaching out for Eileen.

Severus carefully placed Eileen into Rose's father's arms.

"Support her head more next time, Severus," Cora commented before going to sit beside her husband to coo over Eileen.

"I have done this before," Severus said under his breath so only Rose could hear him.

She squeezed his hand briefly before beckoning him to take a seat beside her.

Apart from Rose's sister, Rachel, who actually attempted to like Severus, Rose's family had a cool tolerance for Severus and Severus responded in like. Although, the Rosamonds could not deny that Severus Snape loved and cared for their daughter, that did not change them feeling that he was too old, too cold mannered, and too cynical for Rose.

Esme climbed into her father's lap, tired for being ignored. "Papa, you look cross," Esme commented, touching her little hand to Severus's creased temple.

Cora glanced over at Severus.

"I'm not cross," he told Esme firmly.

"Is it because I was too loud and I woke up the baby again," she asked, ignoring his last statement.

"No," Severus told his daughter shortly.

"What made you choose the name Eileen?" Mathew asked casually.

"Eileen was Severus's Mother's name," Rose informed.

"You are letting Severus name all the children, Rose," her mother said lightly, but Rose detected the subtext. Rose sometimes got the impression that her parents thought that Severus was constantly telling her what to do. Well, he was, but that didn't mean that Rose had to listen.

"Actually, it was my idea to call her Eileen," Rose defended. Severus had suggested the name Esme, but Rose would not have agreed to it if she did not like it.

"It's a nice name," Cora said. "Both girls have very timeless names."

"Yes," Rose agreed shortly.

"What is her middle name?" Cora asked.

"We haven't decided yet," Rose told her.

"Esme is Esme Rose," Mathew chimed in. "How about another flower name."

Severus felt Rose tense beside him.

"Eileen Lily," Mathew suggested.

"No," Rose said flatly. Her father looked at her with surprise. "I mean, we'll consider it, but we were thinking maybe Eileen Rachel."

Clearly, Eileen did not like that idea, she started to wail again.

Esme put her hands over her ears. "She's so loud!" she said loudly.

Severus set Esme off his lap and stood, happy to have an excuse to not sit with Rose's parents any longer.

"She's probably hungry," Rose stood up too. "Only I can do that." She smirked at Severus.

Severus sat back down.

Rose scooped up the crying baby and left the room.

Severus and the Rosamonds stared at each other awkwardly before Ephraim and Esme collectively engaged their grandparents in conversation.

"Severus," Rose called from the other room. "Can you come here for a moment?"

Severus did not hesitate to go to her. The Rosamonds did not acknowledge his leaving.

"What's wrong?" Severus said as he appeared in the doorway of their bedroom.

Rose grinned at him. "Why does something have to be wrong? I'm rescuing you," she whispered.

Severus smirked at her as he shut the door, feeling relieved. "You mean to tell me that it didn't look like I was having a good time," he asked sarcastically.

Rose laughed. "Um… no," she said. Eileen continued to cry. "Hold her for a moment." She handed Eileen off to Severus, then sat on the bed. She peeled off her t-shirt and reached behind her to unclasp her bra. Her breasts were firm and full. Severus handed Rose their baby to feed and the room quickly became quiet except for light sucking sounds. "That's better, isn't it." Rose said down at Eileen.

Severus draped a blanket around Rose's bare shoulders and then sat beside her, his legs outstretched on the bed. She smiled up at him.

Severus wrapped his arm around her back and kissed her forehead lightly. He let his face linger close to hers so that his dark hair spilled in front of her face. He closed his eyes, briefly taking in her sweet scent before pulling away again.

Rose stared down at their child, yet her eyes flicked towards Severus from her peripherals. He continued to watch her.

"I'm fine, Severus," she said, turning her attention towards him.

"I know," he said with raised brows. "But perhaps it was too soon to have company. It's a bit crowded."

"They have been here less than 45 minutes," Rose said with exasperation. "Besides, term starts next week. You won't be around during the day. It's not that I need help, because I'm fine," Rose stressed, "But my parents will be around to set your mind at ease about me being alone with the children."

Severus pressed his lips into a thin line. He did not like the idea of leaving Rose for Hogwarts.

"What is it?" Rose asked sensing her husband's silent struggle.

Severus's eyes were cast in shadows. "If you hadn't been a witch," he began roughly, "you probably would have died."

Rose met his eyes. "I don't know about that," she answered in a small voice.

"I just don't want you overexerting yourself while your family it here," Severus said sternly. "I shouldn't even be going back to teaching right now."

"That's ridiculous," Rose said. "I'm fine."

"If you tell me that you're fine one more time, I think I will lose my mind," Severus said roughly. "You didn't see you. You were white, cold, and motionless. You looked…"

Rose grasped his hand firmly.

"We are not having any more children," he told her somberly.

Rose looked back down at Eileen. "I don't have any ambition to have more children," she said. "We already have the three most perfect children in the world. I'm sorry it all was so…troubling. But it was all worth it," Rose pointed out. She smiled at Eileen.

Severus was quiet.

Rose looked up at him with wide eyes. "You don't…"

Rose did not even need to finish her statement. Severus know she was wondering if he resented their daughter for what happened. Severus couldn't even retort since he had a history of holding children accountable for events outside their control.

"No," Severus assured Rose. "Of course not." He rested his hand over Eileen's blankets.

Her birth had not been the magical experience that Esme's had. Severus had not even truly looked at Eileen for hours after her birth. As he watched Rose struggling and fading away, he had thought to himself that he could never love this child. Even after he knew Rose was safe, he declined the chance to hold their newborn daughter, leaving her to be cared for in the nursery but the St. Mungo's nurses. He would never tell Rose any of this. None of it mattered, however.

Miranda had entered the room, cradling their whimpering infant in her arms. "Mr. Snape," she said firmly.

Severus had been sitting at Rose's side, holding her still hand. "What?" Severus hissed, not taking his eyes away from his wife.

"I have had the pleasure of getting to know your wife," Miranda said. "I know for a fact, and I'm sure you will agree with me, that she would be heartbroken to know her baby has not yet been held by a parent."

Severus looked up, scowling, but he did not reply. What the midwife said was true.

Miranda took his silence as her que to move forward. She gently passed the baby into Severus's reluctant arms.

Eileen went silent as she looked up at Severus for the first time. Severus had teased Rose about Esme knowing who her father was immediately after birth, but as he looked down at his youngest child, Severus had the sense that Eileen knew exactly who he was. She just stared up at him with eyes that matched his own.

"I will be back to check on you," Miranda whispered.

Severus did not acknowledge her as she left, he just looked back at his daughter. Guilt burned inside him as he had actually considered that he could not love his baby daughter, blameless, innocent, and good. He did not want his children to fear him. He would not be Tobias.

Eileen and Severus seemed to come to a silent understanding. No hard feelings.

"You know I love our children," Severus said to Rose, still resting a protective hand over Eileen.

Rose sighed with evident relief. "Yes, I know," she agreed.

"I just never want to see you put in that position again," he told her.

She nodded once.

"How long do you think I can stay here until it begins to look suspicious?" Severus asked, changing the subject.

Rose smirked. "Who cares," she said. "I want you here."