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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A week later, Severus narrowed his dark eyes as he sat at the table with Maggie and Disencan one morning and watched a raven swoop through the sky.
Rabbie glanced up with a scowl as the dark bird fluttered to the window and dropped a single, black parcel on its ledge.
Severus glanced down at Rabbie while Disencan and Maggie blinked at the tense expression of anxiety he wore as he stood from his chair.
Rabbie watched Severus carefully walk over to the window, eager to see if he had learned anything from his past experiences, but he was no fool.
Instead of retrieving the letter, Severus kept the window firmly closed as he removed his wand from his pocket.
He prepared to cast the Revealing Charm, but he had no need as the small, black letter lifted itself into the air and opened its own envelope.
Maggie and Disencan watched from the table as the letter discarded its wrapping to reveal a shimmering orb of light that sparkled as it twirled.
Rune after rune appeared in flashes, which Severus struggled to read as he squinted and decoded the message.
"Storms and winds to break the bonds…." He drawled after the flashes of symbols ended.
Severus whirled around and stared down at Rabbie as he asked, "What does that mean?...Who was that from?"
Behind Severus, outside the window, the letter's black scraps faded into the morning wind as the glittering shadows of the rune message crumbled away to nothingness.
Maggie giggled as Rabbie rose to her hind legs and transformed seamlessly into Ingrid with a sigh.
"Is it true then that the people walking the earth now cannot properly read the old language?" Ingrid frowned at Severus, "The message clearly stated 'Storms and Perils to destroy, the new laws added will bring great joy.' I am very concerned about the education offered in these new times."
Severus drew a deep breath as fear frayed his nerves.
"I realize that you've come to help my daughter." He spoke as he stared at Ingrid, "...Although my gratitude is more than I can express," He dryly mused, "...None of these occurrences happened before your arrival, am I to believe this is merely coincidentally timing?"
"Owls are not the only birds capable of flight." Ingrid frowned, "Do not blame your limited mindset on-"
A loud groan from the bedroom rang out and stifled their exchange.
Ingrid's dark eyes bore into Severus for a brief moment as he processed the sound.
She blinked as he hurried past her to dash down the hallway and check on Harriet.
Severus's black robes slapped against the bedroom door as he pushed it open quickly and rushed inside the room.
His black eyes focused on Harriet, who lay in her nest on her side.
As Severus swept over to her, she let out a breath as she glanced up at him with a frown.
"My love……?" Severus began as he knelt at her bedside, "I heard you cry out……are you having any pain?"
"No." Harriet breathed as she grabbed Severus's hand, "I'm sorry….I…..I think I had a nightmare."
"There's no need to apologize." He purred quietly as he reached out and brushed a stray piece of hair from her face, "You don't have nightmares very often…..it must be the pregnancy."
"It was very bad." Harriet whispered, "It was……it was almost like it was when I had the dream about Arthur Weasley and…."
"...Nagini?" Severus asked.
"Yeah…." Harriet sighed as she moved under the covers, "But….I didn't attack anyone and I couldn't see who I was, I only remember screaming and shouting……and blood. Lots of black blood."
"Black?" Severus asked.
"...Because it was so thick?" Harriet wondered as she wrinkled her nose in disgust.
She huffed as she struggled to move towards him.
Severus read her body language and leaned forward to pull her into his embrace as he held her against his chest.
"There, there, my love." He whispered as he smoothed her hair with a hand. He considered Ingrid's previous words while he mentally replayed the curses Harriet had endured in her life.
A frown marred his face as he kissed his wife's forehead and assured her in a low, soothing tone, "Everything will be settled once the baby arrives……You'll feel much better then."
Harriet closed her eyes and let herself relax against Severus while he repeated, "...You'll feel much better then."
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Harriet began to doubt her husband's encouraging statement more and more as one day after another passed yet her labour did not begin.
Already heavy and miserable from the physical realities of late pregnancy, as the baby's expected date of arrival came and went, Harriet's emotional state declined.
While she was usually amiable and friendly, she became sullen and angry, irrationally and easily irritated over the slightest inconvenience.
Severus allowed Maggie to visit with her mother only during times when he knew Harriet felt her best, hoping their little girl would never see her at her worst.
Ingrid looked after the child while Severus sat with his mate during the midwife's frequent visits.
"Another night, perhaps." The midwife concluded as she took her wand off of Harriet's belly one afternoon, "Tomorrow, we'll have no choice but to induce."
"Do you mean force the birth?" Harriet asked as she squeezed Severus's hand.
"Well, we can't very well leave the child in there much longer, Mrs. Snape." The midwife chided Harriet with a smile. She glanced down at her overfull womb as she added, "...And it appears that the little one you carry has no real interest in coming on their own!"
Harriet and Severus exchanged a nervous glance as the midwife smiled at the couple and asked, "Unless of course, you two are open to trying a more…..natural…..means of action?"
"...Natural?" Severus frowned.
He held Harriet's hand as the midwife explained, "Some couples have success inducing labour with a bit of…..exercise."
"She's not supposed to leave her nest." Severus scowled.
Harriet blinked.
The midwife sighed as Mr. and Mrs. Snape failed to interpret her allusion.
"You'll both have to forgive me for speaking so bluntly, but I was referring to intercourse." The midwife nodded.
Harriet blushed.
Severus narrowed his eyes as the midwife explained, "I've cared for many expectant mothers who swear by it as the most comfortable way to begin their labour….However, it's entirely up to you two. If Mrs. Snape hasn't made much progress by tomorrow, we'll go ahead and move on with the induction. Don't worry, the procedure is much easier done the magical way than the muggle way."
"...As most things are." Severus replied.
"Yes, Mr. Snape, as most things are." The midwife smiled.
While the midwife prepared to leave for the evening, Harriet and Severus gazed at one another.
Harriet flashed her husband a soft, hopeful smile.
As Severus gazed down at his beautiful wife, he silently wished Harriet would be willing to try the more…..natural……means of action.
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Disencan and Maggie slept peacefully that night.
Rabbie remained awake, though the animal stayed by Maggie's side as it kept one eye open on the lookout for any potential danger, knowing full well that Severus and Harriet were preoccupied with the coming birth.
In their room, the expectant couple were doing anything but sleeping.
Severus's hands squeezed Harriet's fleshy hips as he laid on his back and watched his darling mate ride him to victory.
His dark eyes widened as he watched her magnificent curves bounce in front of him, the great roundness of her belly the only thing stopping him from sitting up and taking her tender nipples into his mouth.
Forced apart from his desires, Severus contented himself for the time being by rolling Harriet's sensitive peaks between his fingers, which made her cries louder as her ecstasy approached.
She suddenly stopped and met his gaze as she tried to ease herself off him.
His heart skipped a beat as anticipation seized him.
"Is it-?" He asked.
"-No." Harriet said quickly. Severus slipped his hands up to help her move herself as she panted for breath, "My…..my hips…..I need to move…I have to move, Sev!"
Severus sat up and considered other positions he could suggest for his wife, but Harriet made herself comfortable without needing any directions at all.
He grit his teeth as his manhood throbbed while he watched his heavily pregnant wife bend over her fluffy pile of pillows, offer her rounded bottom to him, and spread herself as she waited.
Severus was behind Harriet in a moment as he placed both hands on her plump cheeks and dug his nails into her flesh while he sank into her waiting, wet center.
He tried to bite back the groan that issued from his chest as the white hot heat his wife had become enveloped him, but his cry ended up mingling with Harriet's as they resumed their coupling.
The floor length mirror in the corner behind Harriet's nest offered Severus a view of the face his wife made while he took her from behind.
His expression went slack as he stared at Harriet, knowing her open mouth and squinted eyes came from pleasure not pain as he gave her bottom a firm, punishing smack.
"Look at you, Mrs. Snape…." Severus purred, his low voice rough and husky as he bent forward and gently pulled Harriet up until her back pushed against his chest.
She groaned as she felt herself widen to accomodate her alpha while he slipped one arm under her breasts as his other hand splayed possessively across the swell of her womb.
"Filled to bursting and you still beg for more….." Severus purred as he bent his head and placed wet, sucking kisses across Harriet's collarbone as she groaned.
As she panted, his hand slyly slipped off of her belly and snaked down to tease the sensitive bundle of nerves at the crest of her womanhood.
"It does delight me greatly to see you like this…….." Severus whispered as his tongue lapped at the base of her throat, "Heavy, vulnerable, and so very full….."
"AAAGGHH!" Harriet cried out as her pleasure built under the careful ministrations of his fingertips.
"...Of me." Severus hissed.
A long, loud groan left Harriet's lips as bliss bloomed in the base of her belly before it surged through her being as she reached out and clutched Severus's forearms for support.
He growled as his beloved spasmed around his fingers and his manhood while his own release crashed over him, forcing him to empty himself deep inside of Harriet as he held her in his arms.
She gasped as he idly fondled one of her full breasts while they kissed and rode out the aftershocks of their coupling.
Harriet sighed as Severus slipped from her before he helped her settle herself into a comfortable position on her side.
He put out the candles in the room as Harriet cuddled against him to sleep.
With a gentle purr, he rubbed soothing circles into his lover's lower back until he heard Harriet's breathing grow deep and steady.
Severus noticed that he was drifting off as his dark eyes began to close, but he welcomed the embrace of slumber with the hopefulness that soon, he would meet their new baby.
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Sometime during the early morning, Harriet furrowed her brow as her womb began to tighten.
Her emerald eyes cracked open as a hard, unignorable cramp gripped her abdomen.
As her hand flew to her side, she moved and sent the tumbling cloud of hormones that wafted from her skin straight into Severus's face.
The sweet scent of his labouring mate woke him instantly.
A second later, Severus sat up to gaze at Harriet.
It calmed them both as they instinctively understood what was happening while they stared at each other in the dim light of the approaching dawn.
Harriet blew out a breath as Severus spread his hands across her tightening tummy.
"...Sev?" She asked in a breathless gasp.
"Yes…….?" He answered.
"I think it's finally time." Harriet sighed.
Severus bent down and kissed her lips lovingly before he pulled away, retrieved his wand, and summoned the midwife.
Although nervousness plagued his mind, his heart raced with a happy excitement he hadn't been able to experience during Maggie's birth.
Without fear and mortal dread permeating the air, Severus greatly looked forward to holding his second child.