31. Family life
At one time during the night Serina woke them because she was hungry. Even though Poppy had shown him how to hold a baby Severus was still a little anxious that he didn't hold her the right way when he took her out of the crib and gave her to Bobbie. The wailing stopped the moment Serina had what she wanted. Severus thought he would never tire of seeing this haven of tranquility. He looked at his beautiful wife and daughter with pride. He had a family. Something he never thought he would have.
In the morning Poppy knocked quietly on the door and said, "Harry is here."
Severus opened the door with a cup of coffee in his hand. "You are back," he said when he saw Harry. "Hermione said you were on some assignment."
"We got back last night. I thought you may want me to take your classes today and Neville will take them tomorrow. By that time Bobbie will be out and about again."
"Thank you. I was just thinking about that. Poppy is letting her and the baby go back to our quarters today but I would rather be around helping with the baby for the next day or two."
"Where is that little girl? I would like to see her. I heard from Hermione that she has enough hair to send her off to the hairdresser already," he jested.
Severus chuckled and said, "Well, come in and see for yourself."
Harry went to the crib and said, "My goodness, look at that... And she is awake and smiling." He started baby-talking to her and Serina smiled even more. Harry looked at Bobbie and asked, "May I?" indicating he wanted to pick the baby up.
"Go for it!" Bobbie said, knowing from Harry's flashbacks that he knew how to hold babies."
Severus watched how Harry very comfortably took Serina out of the crib and laid her into the crook of his arm and softly rocked her.
Severus said, "You look like you have done that a few times. I am still afraid I will drop her," Severus admitted.
"Give it a couple more days and you'll get the hang of it. I am godfather to Tonks's and Remus's son and I visit him sometimes at Tonks's mothers. Teddy is just like his mother. Purple hair one minute and green the next and you should see the faces he is making." Harry shook his head thinking about it.
He finally gave the baby to Bobbie when she started fussing. "I think somebody is hungry." He then looked at his watch and said, "Better get going. We wouldn't want to let the students wait. Congratulations you two. That is a beautiful little girl."
They both thanked him and then he was gone.
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After Poppy had discharged Bobbie she and Severus took their daughter home to their quarters by Floo since Bobbie was still extremely sore. Severus was beating himself up because he hadn't thought about brewing her something. She couldn't take just any pain killing potion because she was nursing.
As soon as he had gotten Bobbie and Serina settled he went to his potion books and after a short search found the recipe for what he needed. Unfortunately he saw right away that it would take a week for the potion to be done. No, he wouldn't have her suffer for that long. He would have to go to Diagon Alley and get it at the apothecary. This was his fault. She was in pain because he had wanted a child. He was the one who pushed her into it. And now he had neglected to have the potion ready for her.
He suddenly heard Bobbie saying, "Severus, what are you doing? I know that guilty face. You are criticising yourself again."
"I should have had that potion ready for you. I will go to Diagon Alley and buy it."
"What potion?"
"It is a painkiller and it heals women who have just given birth. I forgot to make it."
"What do you mean, you forgot? How could you know? This little girl surprised us all by coming early. If I would be in Canada or if I would be married to a Muggle, I would have to heal all by myself." She knew he wanted to help so she added, "Can't you make it yourself?"
"Yes, but it takes a whole week."
"Oh Severus. That is nothing compared to the Muggle or Nevari World where it takes women 6 weeks to heal. You don't have to run off to Diagon Alley. I would rather have you here." She stretched out her hand to him and said, "Please come here."
Severus looked like a beaten puppy when he sat down next to her.
"This isn't all of it, is it? What else is bothering you?" Bobbie asked.
He let out a huge sigh and then came out with it. "I have been watching you how uncomfortable you were in the last few weeks, even months. Your back and feet were hurting, you were tired and sometimes had trouble walking and now you are still in pain. I shouldn't have pushed you into this."
"What...? What are you saying? This baby is your fault?"
"Isn't it? I was always the one who didn't like it when you took the contraceptive potion. I always made you feel guilty. I am sorry that..."
"Hold it right there, Buster! If I wouldn't have wanted this I would have told you so. Just because you were a little more insisting doesn't mean anything. You just grew up differently. You grew up thinking that conceiving children is rare."
"I didn't know it was going to be such a burden for you for months on end," he argued.
"I admit it is a little cumbersome, but that won't keep me from having another child. Some things are worth a little bit of sacrifice. Look at that beautiful little girl. We created her. Don't you love her?"
"I do love her - very much..." Severus smiled when he looked at Serina.
"Then be happy. You have to stop feeling guilty about every little thing. You helped as much as you could. Look at my stomach. Because of the salve you made for me I have no stretch marks. You gave me back and foot rubs, ran me those wonderful relaxing baths. There would be a lot of women who would be very envious of me for having a man like you. You have no idea how honored I feel and how much I appreciate your attentiveness."
In that moment the Floo lit up and Poppy's face appeared in the fire. "I am sorry Severus, but I forgot to give you the rest of the potions for Bobbie."
He got up and said, "I will be right there."
When he came back he smiled and showed her the vials in his hand, "St Mungo's sent the painkilling and healing potion also."
"There you have it. No harm done," Bobbie said in a matter of fact tone.
Severus right away fetched a beaker and after reading the instructions he poured the required milk into it and mixed in the healing potion. He gave it to Bobbie who drank it gratefully. Then he gave her the pain killing potion.
Bobbie then called Millie and Winky and asked them to take the dogs outside for a long playing session to make them tired. When they came back in she took Serina out of her crib and sat on the sofa with her. She then called first Bella and then Benton over to introduce the baby to them. They were very interested in the newcomer and also excited, wagging their tails and sniffing her even though they were still panting from playing with Millie and Winky. Bobbie talked to them gently and also stroked their heads telling them in a calm voice that they were good dogs.
Severus, who had watched the situation was at first a little anxious, but figured out right away that they didn't mean any harm and that they were very gentle.
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Soon Severus and Bobbie fell into a routine. If Serina was hungry at night Severus would pick her up, sometimes changing her nappies if need be and then bringing her to bed so Bobbie could feed her. When she was done she would take Serina back to her crib.
Millie, who had raised children before she had come to Hogwarts, would be the caregiver if both Bobbie and Severus would for some reason not be available. Although Bobbie took Serina to work there could always be a situation when both Bobbie and Poppy would be busy.
When Severus went to Prince Manor to work in his laboratory Bobbie would sometimes tag along and bring Serina so Richelle could have time with her Great-granddaughter. Richelle had slowly started to bring the place back to its former glory and she was looking forward to seeing the child run around in the gardens.
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One Sunday evening, when Serina was two weeks old, Hermione and Ron showed up at the cottage to hand-deliver the invitation to their wedding and to have a look at Serina.
Severus told Ron, "It is about time you are making an honest woman out of that girl." He looked at the invitation and said, "So, April the 3rd is the big day." He smiled and then added, "Since we have you here my wife and I would like to ask you something." He looked at Bobbie to have her take over.
She nodded and smiled at Severus and took the cue saying to Ron and Hermione, "We would like to ask you if you would give us the honour of being Serina's god parents?"
Both looked from Bobbie to Severus and were clearly speechless. So Severus said, "If you need to talk it over, by all means. This is a large step..."
Both blurted out, "No!" and then looked at each other, and after they saw Severus pulling up an eyebrow in questioning, Hermione clarified. "I mean..., no, we don't need to talk it over. We would be delighted. Who wouldn't be? She is such a sweet little girl." Hermione had tears of joy in her eyes and Ron stroked Serina's cheek with the back of his fingers with a smile on his face.
"Thank you, you guys. I know she would be in good hands with you both. We couldn't wish for anyone better," Bobbie said.
They soon got into a conversation about the cure for Lycanthropy and Hermione said that Oliver Thomson was working out to be a valuable employee and that he had reconciled with his wife and children. As a former werewolf, people with Lycanthropy were trusting him much more than they were trusting her.
"I sure am happy to hear that," Severus said while absentmindedly stroking Benton's head. "My hope is that people with this infliction will soon be a thing of the past. I have decided to resign as a teacher at Hogwarts and I will go full time into research by the end of the school year."
"I am sure you will do much good for the Wizarding World. Ron is also going to resign before Christmas as an Auror," Hermione said.
"Oh?" Severus asked.
"Yes!" Ron said. "George needs help and he has asked me to partner with him in his joke shop. He can't keep up with the demand for his items, especially the new line of defensive gadgets. He has Lee, but it still is too much work. Christmas is when business is booming, so I decided to start right before."
"I have been wondering if you would end up doing this. There have been a lot of times when you had been MIA because you had been helping your brother. Congratulations!" Severus said.
"Thanks!" Ron said and then put on a mischievous grin and asked," I know the Wizarding World will be much better off with you going into research, but what in the blazes is Hogwarts going to do without an icon like you?" Ron asked.
"You mean without the bat of the dungeons?" Severus joked.
"I wasn't going to say that..." Ron chuckled. "Ginny tells us Defence Against the Dark Arts is her favorite subject."
"And your sister is one of my best students. She can give anybody a good run for their money during a duel."
"She and Harry are a good match. They will be a force to be reckoned with," Hermione said.
No sooner had Hermione finished her sentence when Serina started fussing. Severus took her out of the crib to give her to Bobbie for her feeding and suddenly said, "Whew, I think we need to deal with that stinker first before we let her eat."
"Well, we should go anyway. We still need to see Neville before it is getting too late and this way you'll have your privacy," Hermione said.
Severus turned to Ron and winked, "Better get out while you can. Weasley dung bombs have nothing on this stuff."
Everyone laughed and Ron said, "Tell me about it. I helped Bill a couple of times changing diapers on his daughter. It is amazing that someone so small can clear a whole room."
Hermione slapped him on his arm and said, "Honestly you guys!" She still laughed though.
They then got up to say their goodbyes and left.
After Severus and Bobbie cleaned up their daughter and Bobbie fed her, they decided to go to bed early. Before doing so Bobbie opened up the small package, wrapped inside baby wrapping paper, that Ron and Hermione had given them. There were two onesies for infants. One in mint green with a dragon on the front and another one in green with silver trimmings and the Slytherin emblem.
Bobbie smiled at the cute outfits and Severus said, "Now, those two know how to dress a future Slytherin."
Bobbie laughed and said, "They will look perfect on her. Dressed in these and that raven hair she inherited from her daddy, everyone will know right away to whom she belongs."
The day had been a dreary one and Bobbie was ready to snuggle up to her husband in their warm bed. She also noticed that the two weeks of healing, which Poppy had told her to take after giving birth, were over. She again praised living in the Wizarding World where potions worked wonders. In her world they advised waiting 6 weeks until it would be okay to make love. She smiled while laying there in bed waiting for Severus to finish his shower.
When he came to bed she snuggled up against him and he wrapped his arms around her. She had decided against wearing her night shirt. When he noticed he said, "Where is your shirt? Didn't you say you were cold?"
"Not with my hot lover beside me who would have taken it off anyway." She stroked with her finger along his jaw line and kissed him on the lips.
He looked at her and asked, "Are you sure it is okay?"
"Positive! Poppy said 2 weeks, and I do feel fine." She nibbled on his earlobe and whispered, "Make love to me, Severus."
He groaned when desire flooded him like a sudden heat wave. He pulled her to him and pressed his hard body against her, "I want you so desperately," he said with a husky voice.
"I missed this, Baby. Face to face without that belly in the way," she whispered.
He kissed her while holding her against him as tight as he could trapping his throbbing member in between them. He groaned, "Merlin, this is too intense..." His breath was growing ragged and his heart was beating madly. He knew if he was entering her now he would lose himself in the first stroke.
Bobbie seemed to know it so she backed off a little and they went to kissing and stroking each others bodies. Severus made his way from her neck and ear all the way to her breasts when he stopped and looked at her. He used to kiss and suck on her nipples but wasn't sure that he should now. He wanted to know how it would taste but didn't know if it was appropriate now that she was nursing.
Bobbie seemed to know his conflicting thoughts so she said, "It is okay, Baby. A lot of husbands have the same desire to taste what their babies are drinking. And with all your caresses I think it will be a wonderful experience for me."
He went back to her face and cradled it, kissing her with the overwhelming love he felt for her in that moment. He made his way from her lips to her throat and she moaned in pleasure. When he slowly made it to her breasts once more her heart beat like a drum just knowing what he was going to do. He circled her nipple with his tongue, driving her crazy, and when he tasted her and also started stroking her mount with the pad of his thumb she lost it. She cried out his name in her climax.
It surprised Severus and he looked at her and asked, "Is this how you feel when you are nursing?"
She laughed while still catching her breath. "No Baby. It was just the intensity of feeling your hardness against me, your kisses, your caresses and just all the feelings I have for you. It has also been so long since we made love."
He seemed to be relieved by her answer. He then started kissing her again and entered her carefully before she even had time to relax after her unexpected climax. He groaned when she arched her back to fully receive him. When she wrapped her legs around him he knew there was no going back and he came with a force that even surprised him. He emitted a guttural sound and collapsed beside her while hanging on to her and taking her with him. He rolled onto his back panting with Bobbie on top of him.
She brushed his hair out of his face and looked at him and could still see the pleasure he had felt and smiled. She still couldn't believe that this wonderful, brilliant and sensual man was her husband and her little girls' father. She stroked his hair and said, "Have I already told you today that I love you?"
He smiled at her finally calming down from his climax and panted, "Yes, but I never grow tired of hearing you say it."
They enjoyed feeling the closeness of each other a little longer and he finally pulled the cover over them and they fell blissfully asleep.
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When Serina woke for her feeding around 2 in the morning Severus got up as usual and brought her to Bobbie for her feeding. He first looked at them like he always did because he thought it was such a serene and beautiful sight. Then he sidled up next to them and said quietly, "Now I know why she likes it that much. It tastes very sweet."
"Did you like it?" Bobbie asked.
"I am not very much into sweet things, as you know. I think you have to be a baby to really appreciate it. I liked the closeness more than anything. I know that making love to you will never get old. Thank you for letting me try it though," he said kissing her on her hair.
"You are very welcome!" she smiled at him. "Maybe after Serina is done here we can have a repeat performance but this time I would want to feel you inside from the beginning."
He drew in a sharp breath in anticipation and then he suddenly though about something. "We didn't bring the contraceptive potion but I assume it will still be okay to take it tomorrow just in case we started..." he pointed at Serina.
"Don't worry. As long as I am nursing nothing will happen. It is one of the perks of being Nevari. Also, most likely it wouldn't be good for her if I had that potion in my system while nursing her."
Then he looked down and quietly asked, "Do you really want to have another child..., after all that happened?"
"Well, I hope there won't be another maniac who is trying to kidnap me the next time but other than that, yes I do..." She looked at his face and saw doubt, shame and hesitation written all over it and she said, "But this is not what you are talking about, is it?"
"No!" he whispered.
"Severus?"
"It's just that you had such a miserable time. I hated to see how uncomfortable you were for so long and I could do nothing - or not much - to help. It made me feel so..., so..."
"...helpless!" Bobbie finished his sentence.
He nodded and quietly said, "Yes!"
"Baby, we have had this conversation before..." Bobbie sighed. "Millions of women are doing it every day. I doubt any will regret it, well..., maybe a few do, but most will never regret it. It is a part of life. You just haven't been around pregnant women a lot and don't know. I'll bet you anything that Arthur Weasley won't even bat an eye about it."
Even Severus thought the comparison was amusing and smiled and Bobbie continued, "So, unless you have any good reasons why we shouldn't have another child, I would like to have a perfect little boy who looks just like you."
When he opened his mouth to say something, she already knew from the look on his face what was coming and held her finger to his lips to quiet him. "No, I do not want to hear it. I happen to think you are a very handsome man. Please Sev, you have to stop looking at yourself as ugly. Don't believe what those hurtful people told you. They were wrong. And there are lots of people who are readily admitting as much. Yes, you didn't make it easy for people to like you, but you were unhappy and even if you wanted to, your situation as a spy wouldn't have allowed it without dire consequences... God, I'm sorry! I know I sound like a psychiatrist..., just please think about it."
Bobbie yawned and looked at her watch. "It is too early for a talk like this." Serina had by that time stopped nursing and was sound asleep in her arms. She picked her up to her shoulder and scooted out of bed and took their daughter to her crib and tucked her in. While there she sighed and thought about Severus's insecurities. He had gotten much better already but sometimes he still needed a little bit of a boost here and there. She knew from her job experience that decades of bullying and ill will against him just couldn't be erased that easily.
When she came back to bed Severus held the cover open for her to get in. Bobbie snuggled into his arms and murmured, "I am glad that belly is gone for now and we can sleep in our favorite position again."
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Their alarm sounded at seven in the morning. As usually Severus was awake right away while Bobbie moped around like she was sleepwalking until she was done with her shower. Severus watched his 'sleepy head' with amusement and gave her all the time she needed while he was getting Serina ready and fed the dogs. Bobbie had packed everything they wanted to take to Hogwarts the night before so there wasn't a whole lot to do for her but run a few cups of coffee through the coffee maker. As was customary they would eat breakfast with everybody at Hogwarts.
Before they left by Floo Severus pointed to the dogs sitting and waiting in front of the fireplace. "You think those two know where we are going?"
"You bet they do. They like Hogwarts with all the students petting them and the running around with Fang."
They smiled at the funny image of the dogs staring at the fireplace for a little while and then Severus took both of them and Bobbie followed with Serina.
Severus's first class of the day was the 6th year Slytherins and Gryffindors. Before class started Astoria Greengrass walked up to Severus and handed him a stack of envelopes which held the Hogsmeade permission forms with the parents signatures. Astoria had collected them in the Common Room from everyone. Easter was coming up in a few weeks and they had planned a trip to Hogsmeade for the second week before. Severus thanked Astoria and put the stack of forms inside the drawer of his desk before starting the class.
When he went to lunch later he handed the permission forms to Minerva and said, "Would it be okay if I was one of the chaperones in Hogsmeade? I would like to drop my wife's bracelet off at the new jeweller to have that charm with Serina's name attached to it, after they add her birth stone?"
"Didn't you buy that in Diagon Alley?" Minerva inquired.
"I did, but the owner told me at the time that they would open another shop, a smaller one, in Hogsmeade and I would be able to drop it off there if I ever needed some work done on it."
"Ah yes, another store," Minerva said with a smile. "Bobbie showed me that bracelet. It is beautiful. I think it was a marvelous gift idea with those birth stones. I believe Serina's is an amethyst?"
"Yes, you are correct. I could also run by the apothecary and drop off another order for potions ingredients and I don't have to make an extra trip or send an owl."
"I actually thought it was Filius's turn to chaperone, but I don't believe he will put up too much of a fight if he doesn't have to go," Minerva said. "And your time is quite valuable these days with all the potions you are brewing."
"Well, things will slow down in a while. It is only a matter of time until there will be no more werewolves out there and hopefully there won't be too many people put under the Cruciatus until they are going insane. The war is over and let's hope the handful of Death Eaters who are still eluding capture will be caught."
"Things will go down to a trickle with these two potions but your Muskle-Gro will still be needed. You can also market the salve against stretch marks. Bobbie was singing the highest praises."
Severus smiled and said, "She has said the same thing. Maybe I should..."
"Have you thought about making it available in the Muggle world? Muggle women have children too, you know," Minerva said.
"They also have a lot of rules and governmental regulations about things like that. Everything has to be tested and the list of ingredients has to be on everything. There is a lot of red tape and paperwork to get something approved. I read an article in the potion magazine I prescribe to."
"I think it would be worth it. Ask Kingsley. He has ties to the Muggle Minister. Maybe they can figure something out."
Severus thought about it and said, "Maybe... After all it is a salve and nothing which would be too outrageous for Muggles, like Skele-Gro would be." Then he nodded and said, "I think that is a great idea, Minerva. Thank you!"
"You are certainly welcome, Severus," she said with a smile.
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That evening, while lying in bed, Bobbie and Severus were talking about the upcoming wedding of Ron and Hermione. Bobbie said, "I am wondering if they already have a place picked out for their honeymoon. Newlyweds usually don't have a lot of money. At least not when they are so young and just out of school."
"What are you saying?"
"I think it would be a nice wedding gift if we could let them stay in the house in Arizona and maybe even pay for the Portkey ticket."
Severus said, "I have no problem with paying those tickets. After all they readily agreed being the godparents for Serina."
"I think I will call Hermione tomorrow and make the offer."
"While you do, ask Ron if he wouldn't mind playing a game of chess once in a while. Harry mentioned that he was an excellent player. I haven't found a worthy opponent ever since Albus d... ever since I..."
"Ever since Albus died," Bobbie interrupted him.
Severus took a deep breath and let it back out noisily.
"Sev, Albus is at peace and by now he would have died a miserable death. You and Harry have to stop feeling guilty about that."
"Why Harry?" Severus asked.
"Because he made him drink that poison in that cave. You have to stop saying that you killed him. You need to forgive yourself. Everyone who knows the circumstances has forgiven you. It is time you do the same," Bobbie said and scooted up to sit against the headboard and patted her lap indicating to Severus to lay his head onto it.
He smiled and complied and Bobbie caressed his scalp and run her fingers through his hair. He let out a contended sigh and fell asleep shortly after. Bobbie smiled and got out from under his head after a while and snuggled up in his arms without him waking up.
