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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The comforting scent of balsam and cardamom filled the Great Hall while the students of Hogwarts shared their last lunch together before the winter holidays.
Severus had made his brief announcements moments earlier, before he took his seat in the headmaster's chair at the High Table.
Harriet was chatting excitedly with Professor Flitwick while Severus scowled over at them as he watched and listened.
His mate had recently entered her second trimester and although her abdomen was still flat, Harriet's pregnancy had begun to show in only ways that her alpha noticed.
Her sweetened smell had intensified to such an extent that Severus practically drooled if he came too close to her.
He was careful to keep his distance from Harriet in class, afraid that he would pull her close and listen to his instincts to protect his mate and pup before he could stop himself.
Harriet's smile had brightened and her emerald eyes had started to sparkle.
Besides her scent, those other changes, along with the subtle radiance of her complexion, were enough to drive Severus mad.
Fortunately, his mate shared his enthusiasm and whenever Harriet had the energy, they often found themselves coupling in her nest.
It had been a bit of a struggle, but Harriet had continued to complete her duties, both in her training program and as Severus's assistant.
With the arrival of the pause between semesters, Severus was relieved that his expectant mate could enjoy a brief period of respite.
As Professor Flitwick and Harriet continued their conversation, Severus admired the brilliance of his omega's smile.
For Severus, the winter holidays had been a time of dread when he was a boy, trapped in his house with a weeping mother and an abusive father.
As an adult, he had viewed the winter holidays as nothing more than an opportunity to catch up on outstanding work.
Severus looked forward to his opinion being changed and he was eager to let Harriet try.
Harriet had never really experienced a family holiday of her own, except during her time at the Burrow.
She excitedly anticipated sharing that experience with Severus, and that was the real reason why her smile was shining so brightly on that gray December day.
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Once lunch ended, while Severus finished up the last bit of paperwork for the semester in his office, Harriet decorated their chambers.
She looked forward to seeing Severus's reaction when he walked in, not that she had gone to any great extremes.
A small tree stood in the corner, hung with silver balls and complemented by several sprigs of holly that she had thoughtfully placed with a few waves of her wand.
As she stood there in the living area and looked around, she imagined how different her next Christmas may be, with a chubby baby in Severus's arms, and gifts piled under the tree for their son or daughter.
Gifts…..
Harriet remembered suddenly that she had almost forgotten to leave Severus's present out for him.
She quickly walked into the bedroom and retrieved a large box that she had kept slyly hidden under a concealment charm in one of the dresser drawers.
Knowing that the weight of that box would be far too much to carry in her condition, Harriet raised her wand.
She levitated the box in front of herself as she walked back into the living room and directed it to gently float down to the floor underneath the tree.
The box had just touched the stone when the door flung open and Severus swept into the room.
"...What do you think you're doing?!" He demanded with narrowed eyes as his dark gaze flickered suspiciously from Harriet to the box.
"I'm giving you your present." Harriet replied with a soft smile.
"You shouldn't be lifting heavy objects." Severus snapped as he disapprovingly eyed the size of the box.
"I didn't lift it." Harriet blinked, "I used magic."
"All the same." Severus hissed as he glided towards her and looked over her quickly to search for signs of strain or distress, "If you need something moved, I'll do it, Potter, do you understand?"
"Yes." Harriet replied as she gazed up at Severus. She was awed by the deep concern that she saw in his black eyes as she tried to comfort him, "I understand…..We're both alright, the baby and I, don't worry."
Severus leaned down to Harriet, but before he could retort, she stole a sweet, gentle kiss from his lips.
It made Harriet's heart lighten to imagine how protective her alpha would be of their son or daughter once they were born and snuggled in her arms.
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On the morning of Christmas Eve, Severus reluctantly left his mate's warm, cozy nest to go out into the cold world and pay a visit to Saturn and Venus Jewelers.
Although the shop had opened only moments earlier, the popular establishment was already terrifyingly busy as last minute gift seekers hunted treasures to make up for their lack of preparedness.
Severus felt fortunate that his order was custom-made.
There was no chance of what he wanted selling out.
The same salesman in the same pinstripe suit shook Severus's hand after he presented the ring for the stoic alpha's final approval.
After Severus frowned at the sparkling display of flawless diamonds that had been used in the piece, he nodded at the salesman, and accepted the ring's certification papers.
The salesman watched with a smile as his satisfied customer discreetly weaved through the throngs of people to exit the crowded shop.
Severus slipped the ring into his robes as he hurried to return to Harriet's side.
He knew he had to wait another week to show the ring to his beloved, but he couldn't stop imagining the look of pleasant surprise that he hoped the sight would put on her face.
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Harriet had bought Severus a new cauldron.
She had yet to realize that she would be giving her mate a much more precious gift.
"Good morning." Severus purred as he walked calmly back into their bedroom just as Harriet was waking up.
"Good morning." The omega replied with a yawn. She smiled tiredly as she looked at Severus and laughed, "I don't want to get out of bed."
"Then don't." Severus answered.
Regardless of Harriet's desire to stay snuggled in the soft blankets, she forced herself to rouse as she draped her legs over the edge of the bed before she slowly raised herself to her feet.
"You're already dressed." Harriet commented as she looked at Severus while he stood across from her in his usual, heavy, black robes, "Where did you go?"
"I had a few…….last minute…...details…...to see to…..." Severus murmured before his voice trailed off.
Harriet casually stretched once she was on her feet.
She was used to Severus's low, quiet voice.
Harriet had learned to find his gentle, rumbling tone soothing, although when she noticed that his speech vanished, she glanced over at him.
Severus's face was twisted in anguish, with his mouth open and his dark eyes narrowed as he stared at Harriet's middle.
She immediately looked down and sucked in a quiet, gasping breath when she noticed the very small but very visible curve of her belly.
Severus watched in wonder as his omega deftly touched the outline of the subtle swell.
Harriet was so fascinated by the way her belly had seemingly grown overnight, that she didn't even hear the quiet swooshing sound of Severus's robes as he glided forward and knelt down in front of her.
Severus silently glanced up at Harriet.
Their expressions were equally bewildered as their eyes met for a long, startled moment.
Harriet let her hand fall away when Severus looked away to stare at her middle, raised both of his own hands, and gently, very gently, placed them over the new roundness of her womb.
Harriet had never been one to cry much.
The unwelcome tears that gathered in her eyes angered her as she looked at the tenderness in her alpha's face while he reverently cradled their unborn in his hands.
"Happy Christmas." Harriet whispered to Severus as she let her fingers idly drift through his black hair.
Severus seemed to forget everything else except the fragile life in his hands for a few seconds until he looked back up at Harriet with a violent start and asked her, "...Are you well? Do you need to lie down?"
"No, I'm fine!" Harriet laughed at the worried panic that danced in Severus's dark eyes.
"I expect this is what I'll look like now, until he comes….or she comes." She chuckled as the worry left Severus's expression and his black eyes darkened.
Harriet blinked at Severus as he slowly took his hands off of her belly.
"You smell positively delicious this morning..." Severus remarked as he stood in one fluid motion to tower over Harriet.
Harriet gave her mate a soft smile but the intent in his dark gaze made her heart race as she replied, "T-Thanks, you smell rather nice yourself, then again, you are my…...erm, alpha, so….."
As Harriet spoke, Severus's black stare bore into her.
He took careful, calculated steps forward as his longing gaze smouldered at her.
Harriet gasped when the fireplace in their bedroom spontaneously erupted into a crackling blaze as it followed Severus's silent command.
His expectant mate was about to be exposed, he couldn't have her catch a chill from the morning cold.
Harriet felt an unsolicited warmth coil in the base of her belly as Severus's eyes glistened while he spoke, barely moving his lips, "...I need…..to taste you."
Harriet's cheeks flushed as her pulse throbbed and she asked quietly, "...W-What?"
Severus bent down and Harriet instinctively held onto his shoulders while he gently laid her down in her nest.
Her nipples bristled through the thin fabric of her nightdress as she looked over her swollen, heaving breasts to watch Severus gently part her legs and dive in between them, eager to show his mate how much he appreciated her willingness to give him a family.
His words were for once, misleading.
Severus didn't taste her, Severus devoured her.
Harriet held onto the blankets for support while her alpha tried his best to consume her completely as he drew lengthy, loud cries from her throat as he stimulated her most sensitive bits, testing the threshold of what she could tolerate.
The snow continued to fall softly to the ground outside as Severus later pulled away from his mate, licked his lips, and looked at the disheveled, perspiring creature that he'd managed to reduce her to.
Harriet whimpered as Severus moved over her and crushed his lips against hers as he laid a large, possessive hand delicately on her little belly once more.
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Harriet and Severus sat on the sofa by the decorated tree in their living area the following evening while they admired the glistening decorations in the warm glow of the flickering fire.
Harriet sighed to herself in contentment.
There were so very few students and staff left at the castle that they practically had enjoyed a private dinner earlier that night in the Great Hall.
Opening gifts had been pleasant, if not a bit awkward.
Harriet was very pleased with the new bras that Severus had presented her with, although she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
It wasn't that she expected anything extraordinary from Severus, but undergarments seemed like an exceptionally ordinary gift for a couple's first holiday together.
Harriet pushed her sensitivity aside by blaming it on her hormones.
Her real gift was securely nestled in the pocket of Severus's robes, unbeknownst to her, of course, as he sat behind her and let his fingertips trail over the adorable curve of her belly.
The only time Severus's hands had left Harriet's womb since discovering its roundness were when they exited their rooms for meals and when he had opened his new cauldron.
Severus had nodded at Harriet awkwardly, not entirely sure how to properly accept a gift.
During his life, Severus had received so few of them that it was still a foreign occurrence to him.
His omega tried to be understanding with his lack of social skill.
She looked at the pewter cauldron sitting on the table and smiled softly to herself.
Of course Severus had liked his present, why wouldn't he?
He'd certainly get some use out of it.
Harriet glanced down at his skillful fingers as they stroked the place where their baby lay growing within her and her smile widened.
Headmaster Snape may have liked his new cauldron, but it was painfully obvious what his favorite gift really was.
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I'll be with you and-
We'll be-
You-
I-
While Harriet slumbered one night, Severus scratched through another pathetic phrase with his quill.
He frowned down at the page full of scribbles as he sat at his writing desk, next to the bed that he shared with his mate.
He was on his fourth roll of parchment as he tried to write out the speech that he needed and wanted to give to Harriet.
He had made such a valiant attempt to find the correct words, but they just wouldn't come, nor would sleep.
Severus sighed to himself and looked out the window, up at the winter moon as he considered whether or not Harriet would accept his proposal.
Harriet Potter could be very stubborn.
What if she politely refused him?
Severus turned back to his parchment and thought.
New Year's Eve was three days away.
That meant he had entire nights left to agonize.
Blinking the need for sleep from his dark eyes, Severus resumed his hopeless task of searching for the right words to speak to Harriet when he knelt in front of her and asked her to become his bride.