Thank you for reading! I don't own any of Harry Potter! Please let me know if you enjoy! Updates every Saturday!
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When classes concluded Friday afternoon, Hogwarts' autumn break officially began.
While Harriet busily graded exams, Severus left the castle for an hour to go and make some final arrangements for the upcoming week.
Harriet was so focused on her task that she barely noticed Severus was gone, determined to complete her assignment from her alpha before Teddy came into their care.
She was still diligently working when Severus returned.
As Harriet finished, Severus verified that the students who were returning home for the break had safely departed on the train and those few who had decided to stay were appropriately in their respective common rooms or dormitories.
During Severus's absence, Professor McGonagall, Professor Sprout, and Professor Flitwick had all agreed to watch over the remaining students.
For that, Headmaster Snape bore little guilt.
Each house had about half a dozen students who had chosen to stay on campus.
Severus was certain that the house leaders should be able to manage.
By the time Severus assessed that he and his mate could begin their holiday, Harriet had at last finished her work and had collected Teddy from Andromea in Hogsmeade.
Teddy and Harriet were both surprised when Severus greeted them outside of the castle with a packed trunk in his hand.
"Are we going somewhere?" Harriet asked Severus with a laugh as Teddy held onto her and blinked at the imposing alpha in front of him.
"Take my arm." Severus cryptically commanded.
Teddy blinked up at Harriet while she led him forward to trustingly obey Severus's order.
Without question, Harriet reached out and laid her hand on her mate's arm.
As Headmaster Snape entered broomless flight to transport his omega and the small child in their care, Harriet wondered what exactly her alpha had planned for the week?
It was an intriguing subject, indeed.
To Harriet, Severus had never seemed like the kind of person who would enjoy traveling.
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Harriet opened her eyes when she felt her feet touch the earth as Severus sat her and Teddy down gently in a soft patch of green grass.
Teddy laughed, exhilarated by the trip, but Harriet curiously looked around at her new surroundings.
As Harriet blinked, Severus lovingly put a hand on the small of his lover's back to ensure she held her balance.
She found herself standing in front of a large, welcoming cottage that was made of white stone with a dark, thatched roof and ample windows.
In the autumn sunset, the trees that surrounded the fairytale-like dwelling created a thrilling display with their palette of differing colors.
A tall chimney, nearly covered by trailing vines, stood on the side of the cottage and there was a curved door on the front of the house.
The entire property looked as if it were graciously waiting to receive its guests.
Harriet looked over at Severus who smirked when Teddy squealed in delight and went running over to the open lawn, eager to play.
Severus glanced down at Harriet and met her quizzical gaze.
Together, they walked towards the cottage.
As they went, Severus kept his hand protectively hovering over his mate.
"Teddy! Come here!" Harriet called to the little boy once she and Severus made it to the cottage's door.
While Teddy raced over, Severus pulled a key from the pocket of his robes as Harriet stared at him and asked with an incredulous chuckle, "Where have you brought us?"
Severus flashed her an unreadable look as he placed the key in the lock and slowly opened the curved door for the three of them.
When Severus didn't respond, Harriet narrowed her eyes and scowled as she went on, "You didn't have to do this! We could have stayed in the castle!"
Teddy charged into the house first.
Harriet heard her godson gasp loudly and she quickly followed behind him, but as she stepped past Severus, her green eyes widened in surprise.
Severus felt a quiet rush of pride as he admired the look of happy disbelief on his omega's face.
How was Harriet supposed to envision their life together if they never left the castle?
Hogwarts' staff and faculty could have temporary guests, with the headmaster's permission, but the school was not intended to be a place where its employees raised their families, and that was exactly what Severus wanted with Harriet…...a family.
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The interior of the dreamy cottage was as comforting and snug as its exterior.
The cottage's living area was filled with classical furniture situated around a large fireplace.
The home wasn't overly spacious, but it was a decent enough size to accommodate its tenants with a kitchen, a dining table, a living room, three bedrooms, and two lavatories.
The kitchen was well-stocked with every tool, food, and ingredient that anyone could want or need.
The chairs were supportively firm and the beds were pleasant to lie on.
There was also a plethora of blankets and pillows in the linen closet which Harriet used to construct a makeshift nest for the duration of their stay.
The first night was spent settling in, with a dinner of warm soup, and story time by the fire until Teddy fell asleep on Severus's chest, lulled into slumber by the alpha's deep, velvety voice.
Teddy would have been lying on Harriet instead, but Severus had vehemently refused, worried the weight of the little boy may harm the precious cargo his omega carried.
When Severus heard Teddy snoring softly, he closed the book in his hands and took the little boy up to bed, with Harriet following closely behind.
As Severus stood in the doorway to Teddy's room, he watched his mate tuck the sleeping child in and lovingly kiss his cheek.
Emotion rose in Severus's heart as he imagined Harriet mothering his own son or daughter.
After Harriet padded over to join him at the door so they could go to their own room, Severus wondered if Harriet was thinking similar thoughts.
Severus could read them of course, but that would be rude.
Unless his omega invited him in, he would allow his mate to keep her privacy.
When Severus looked into Harriet's emerald eyes that night as they laid down together, she gave him a soft smile of contentment.
Really, though, she gave him far more than that.
With her simple, reassuring smile of approval, Harriet Potter gave Severus Snape a small but viable amount of hope.
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The week of Hogwarts' autumn break passed by too quickly while Severus and Harriet gave domestic life a try with Teddy unknowingly posing as their son.
The energetic boy loved roaming through the house and playing outside.
During that week, the weather was agreeable and the temperatures were moderate, so Harriet was able to let Teddy play in the yard as long as he wanted while she sat outside and watched him run and laugh to his heart's content.
Severus stayed right beside his mate, looking after her and ready to assist in any way that he could.
There were times when Harriet needed a nap and while she went up to her nest, Severus dutifully assumed her role of looking after Teddy.
Whenever Severus watched over the child, he narrowed his eyes shrewdly as he watched Teddy play, trying to anticipate anything that may potentially pose a threat and spare him from harm before it could happen.
The hormones that Harriet was releasing had already succeeded in activating Severus's paternal instincts.
Severus easily prepared most of their meals with a few flicks of his wand, but Harriet was pleased to discover that her mate could cook food as well as he could brew potions.
When Severus noticed how much Harriet enjoyed the dishes he prepared, he treated her to several, lovely dinners during that week, relaxing with her afterwards by the fireside while Teddy played on the carpet with his toy horses in the hours before bed.
The little boy was often so preoccupied with his own imagination that he ignored the adults around him, but Severus and Harriet didn't mind.
They didn't mind at all.
On the evening before their scheduled departure from the cottage, Harriet sat on the sofa, reclining against Severus.
One of his skillful hands stroked her flat belly gently as they both watched Teddy finish his game for the evening.
Harriet put a hand to her face to hide a yawn but she failed to conceal the action from her alpha.
"Tired?" Severus asked.
"I'm constantly tired now." Harriet sighed with a smile.
"You're free to go to the nest, I can put him in bed." Severus offered, "If you need sleep, go and find it."
"I'll be alright for a while longer." She answered with a quick nod.
"Did you eat enough tonight?" Severus inquired.
"You ask me that every night." Harriet replied with a laugh.
"I want to be sure my pup is well fed." Severus quipped.
Harriet didn't realize that her alpha had often suffered from malnutrition as a child.
It was important to Severus that his son or daughter would never have to learn the feeling of hunger.
"You're going to make me fat." Harriet chuckled.
Severus didn't seem to understand her joke and he answered with genuine seriousness, "Plump women give birth to healthy babies."
Harriet ignored his comment and sighed.
Severus kept letting his hand drift musingly over her flat belly.
The past week had felt like a dream to him.
Finally, he had a small piece of…….peace.
He had indulged himself in believing that the fantasy he was living out with Harriet was real.
He and Harriet owned the cottage.
Teddy wasn't Remus's son, he was theirs and Harriet was expecting their next child.
He didn't have to continue his career at Hogwarts, he was free to spend each day with his family, day in and day out.
That idea was lovely to Severus and on that final night in the cottage, he approached Harriet about the matter.
"This could be real, Potter." Severus purred in her ear while Teddy played with his toys, blissfully unaware.
Severus felt Harriet shift against him as she asked, "Could it……?"
"Yes." Severus purred again, "We can purchase a home, a real home, you and I, together."
"I've never had a home besides Hogwarts." Harriet replied sadly.
"I've never had a happy home." Severus remarked, "...But you can change that."
Severus continued stroking the flatness of his mate's abdomen as he went on while they both stared at Teddy, "I'm tenured. I can retire whenever I want. We can buy a patch of land that we can farm and work together…….We can raise our baby there…….away from everyone and everything."
Harriet laid her hand over Severus's and slowed his motion with her grasp.
She drew in a breath while they both thought.
Didn't that sound flawless?
They could just work the land and sell their harvest for income.
Between Severus's savings and James Potter's fortune that Harriet had inherited, they'd have no debts from purchasing and furnishing a house.
Severus could make love to Harriet every night after he cuddled her on the sofa, with their little ones playing at their feet and her belly round with their next pup.
He attempted to reel in his expectations.
Severus Snape had never taken a particular interest in fatherhood, but with Harriet as his mate, to his surprise, he had discovered that he was rather enticed by the idea of her carrying his sons and daughters.
"That's a brilliant idea….." Harriet began and Severus's heart ignited with hope, "...But don't you think it'd be troublesome to tend the farm and the children while I'm at work all day?"
Severus's distant expression sharpened into an angry scowl.
He wondered if it was the differences in their personality or their ages that caused them to clash opinions so much on what their future should entail?
Harriet groaned softly and yawned again, stretching in Severus's arms slightly before she stood from the sofa and walked towards the staircase.
"I'll take you up on that offer, if you don't mind….about going to the nest. Sorry…..I really can't keep my eyes open." Harriet said as she glanced back over at Severus.
"...Of course." Severus replied in a voice that was barely above a heartbroken whisper as he looked at his mate with a frown.
It was quite inconvenient that Harriet didn't share his opinion, but as Severus stared at his weary, pregnant lover, he refused to abandon his dream.
Harriet had refused to seek out her nest at first too, but once her exhaustion overcame her, she had accepted Severus's offer.
As he watched her trudge tiredly up to bed, he mentally counted the months left until the birth.
Severus was hopeful that as the time approached and Harriet's belly grew, along with their bond, his omega may still change her mind about their life together……..