Six years later
June 28th, 2004
Florence turned on the bed trying to find her husband to kiss him good morning, but found herself rolling to the edge of the mattress, finding no warm body to stop her.
"Sev?" She called, opening her eyes to the soft sunlight entering the room through the open door of the balcony.
She got up, picking up her nightgown from the floor, where it had been tossed on the night before, and putting it on.
She stopped by the balcony door and found him dressed in shorts, naked from the waist up, standing near the glass railing, looking down at the backyard, where a lot of people and elves were working to clean up and decorate everything for their daughter's wedding that evening.
"Morning, Sev." Florence said, wrapping her arms around his naked waist, rubbing her face on his warm back, and sensing his tension. "What's wrong, love?"
"Liz is getting married today." He said.
"Yes, she is. Our little princess is already old enough to get married."
Severus shook his head. "No, she's not. She's just twenty-one. She should travel, go to college, meet other men..."
"Aha! So it's the same blond problem as ever..." she nodded in understanding, getting his cup of coffee from his hands and taking a few sips. "You know... out of all the kids, Liz is the only one blessed by the Enchantment so far, and I've begun to wonder if the reason for that ancient magic to choose a couple to bless rests in the difficulties said couple might face in their path to being together."
Severus looked at her, sending the empty cup to the kitchens and pulling her close to him.
"It makes sense." He said. "I doubt you parents would have married and had you, if it weren't for the Enchantment."
"No, I don't think they would." Florence shook her head. "My mom wouldn't have accepted father's erratic lifestyle, if they hadn't been blessed."
Severus nodded, agreeing with her reasoning, "You and I were surrounded by reasons that could ensure we never ended up together."
"Exactly. With father threatening to murder you, one could say our chances of a happy ending were slim. And Liz and Draco... well, you've been against even the thought of seeing them together from the start."
"Yes. So I think your theory makes sense." He caressed her face, looking at her with troubled eyes.
"What is wrong, Sev?" She asked, "You're not yourself this morning..."
"Mm." He kissed her briefly. "I've been thinking lately."
"Thinking about what, my love?"
"Do you ever regret it?" he asked.
"Regret what?" Florence asked, being taken unexpectedly by that question.
"Going to Hogwarts, meeting me."
"Of course I don't regret it, Severus! If you don't remember, four years ago it was us marrying in this backyard."
"Of course I remember!" he smiled. "You were gorgeous dressed in a long ivory dress; and we had an amazing honeymoon." He kissed her. "It still amazes me that you love me after I made you suffer so much in the past."
"Well, you did do that. But... If I could go back and change anything – I wouldn't." she caressed his face. "This is our story, the story that led us here to this perfect summer morning. I wouldn't risk losing that."
Severus took a deep breath, "If I could go back and change things, I would act less like an idiot." He looked at the backyard again.
"Severus." She pulled his face towards her again, "If you acted less like an idiot at seventeen, you wouldn't be the Sev I knew and loved then."
He smiled but Florence could tell something was weighing on his mind, something he hadn't told her yet.
"I just..." he exhaled. "I was truly an idiot back then, Flor. So focused on a quest for money and power that I was unable to see things that were right in front of me! It was obvious the twins were my sons! And yet it took me three years to realize that! I did things that..." He stopped, looking at the yard again, but not actally seeing it.
"Sev," she touched his hair. "What's really bothering you?" she asked softly.
He took both her hands in his, kissing her wedding ring and holding her close. "You know what I would like to change more than anything, if I could go back in time?"
"What?"
"I'd have never followed you and Dumbledore into the Leaky Cauldron the night of the Prophecy."
Florence gaped, realizing what was bothering him.
"If I hadn't been there that night." Severus continued. "If I hadn't eavesdropped... the Lord wouldn't have learned about the Prophecy. Only you and Dumbledore would know and..."
Florence shook her head, "No, love. You're blaming yourself for something that would've happened with or without your interference. James and Lily would still have chosen Pettigrew as their Secret Keeper and my father would've learned about the Prophecy through him, instead of you. Their deaths wouldn't be avoided either way."
Severus pulled her closer. "I just have been thinking about them so much lately, I feel... I feel like I robbed them of having all of this that we have. A family, a life after the war."
"Well, once I thought you were guilty of their deaths." She admitted. "But then I realized father would have hunted them even if you had never heard the Prophecy. Your actions don't change the fact that Pettigrew was the one who told father where they lived."
"That's what she said." He mumbled.
"Who said?" Florence frowned.
"I had a dream last night, with Lily. She told me that I shouldn't keep blaming myself. That it wasn't my fault; she said that they had to die and would've died even if I hadn't heard the Prophecy. I asked for her forgiveness but she said she can't forgive me when I was never guilty of their deaths."
"See, you should listen to her." Florence smiled, feeling the tears welling up in her eyes and rolling down her face. "Lils was always such a great friend."
"Yes, she was."
Florence laid her head on his chest and they spent a few minutes in silence, just enjoying each other's company.
Then she began caressing his naked back, rubbing her nose on his bare chest next.
"Mm." She whispered, kissing his neck. "I think we should go back to bed, husband."
"I love that idea, princess. But... did you know James can see our balcony from his house?"
Florence laughed, "No, I didn't know that."
"And I can see the curtains in his kitchen have just been drawn by some dark haired person. What do you say we annoy him this morning?"
She smirked and bit his bottom lip, letting him claim her lips in a hot lip-lock that had her moaning and humping his leg.
Two small blocks away, James was sipping his morning coffee and looking through the window, admiring the beautiful day, when he saw the couple making out on a balcony three houses away and quickly closed the curtains, rolling his eyes.
"Morning, Jamie. Why have you closed the curtains?" asked Hermione, walking into the kitchen wearing one of his shirts.
"They're doing it again." He growled.
She pulled the curtain just enough to look at what her husband was talking about. "Oh, please, husband. They're happy... and look so good together."
"Thristing after my parents, kitten?" he raised an eyebrow.
"What? Of course not!" she replied, blushing. "But if the students knew what your father hides under those robes of his..." she looked at the balcony again.
James quickly pulled her towards his chest and kissed her deeply, walking with her to the island.
"Where's baby Nicky?" he asked.
"Still asleep."
"Good. Cause his mother needs to be reminded of who she belongs to."
"I belong to myself!" she gasped, knowing he'd make her pay for that – pleasurably.
"Really?" James asked with an arched brow. "Let's put that claim of yours to the test, shall we." And he sat her on the white quartz island, making her lie down onto her back and forcing her legs apart, to fit his shoulders between her thighs, seeing her bare pussy. "I see breakfast is served."
And Hermione chuckled for a second before he swiped his warm tongue between her pussy lips.
"Ooh, Jamie." She gasped, running her hands through his dark hair and opening her legs wider, offering herself to his mouth. Her wanton display being rewarded by his tongue thrusting into her channel, caressing her g-spot; creating shockwaves of pleasure that shot through her body, and she could feel her pussy getting wetter for him. He caressed her hard clit and her orgasm was a minute away from taking over her.
But James stopped, starting to touch her hips and thighs, completely ignoring the pulsing cunt near his face.
"Fuck. This is torture, Jamie." She moaned as he licked around her navel.
"Who do you belong to, kitten?" he asked in a velvety but firm tone.
"Myself!" She shouted, not giving into her submissive side, still challenging him.
"Wrong answer, wife!" and he delved between her legs again, plunging two fingers into her pulsing channel and she arched on the stone countertop, moving her hands, desperately trying to hold on to something as her legs started to shake with the intensity of the sudden pleasure taking control of her.
He ate her up with a vengeance, pressing a third finger into her and sucking hard on her clit.
She screamed: "YES! AAAH!" and was orgasming on his face.
James lowered his sweatpants and stood, rubbing the head of his hard cock on her entrance.
"Who do you belong to, kitten?"
"Myself!" she repeated, making him smile and his dark eyes glint dangerously.
He thrust into her, fully and all at once, watching as she trembled and melted under him, her walls fluttering around his invasion.
"You're mine, love." He growled, pressing in, the head of his dick right at her cervix. As his hand closed around her throat. "Tell me who you belong to, witch. And maybe – just maybe – I'll let you breathe while I use my pussy."
She whimpered and opened her legs wider, giving herself to him fully.
"So... you are mine." he removed his cock from her pulsing cunt just to thrust balls deep again, hissing from the warmth and the wetness. "You're fucking dripping, kitten." He removed the pressure from her neck and she gasped for air.
"Fuck!" she moaned. "Yes! I'm yours! Now take me! Use me! Pleaase, Jamie!"
And at her admission, he fucked her harder, not stopping until her whole body was shaking from another strong orgasm – and then he spilled all his cum deep inside of her.
They both panted as they shared a kiss.
"Maybe I've just put another baby in you." He said, kissing her stomach, letting his dick slip from her body.
"I'm sure you didn't." she replied, softly.
James frowned, "How can you be sure?"
"Because..." she touched his face. "You already did that, nine weeks ago."
He froze, looking at her, "You're pregnant, love?"
Hermione nodded slowly, "Yes."
James laughed and pulled her up, wrapping her in his arms and kissing her, "I can't believe you let me fuck you on the hard countertop. And I choked you! You could've hurt your back!"
"Oh, please. Don't start, James! I'm pregnant – not suddenly made of glass!" she complained, knowing that she had months of overprotective husband ahead of her – and she secretly love it!
At the Snapes' family home
After kissing in the balcony, Severus pushed Florence into the bedroom, making her walk backwards to the bathroom as he still ravished her mouth.
She pulled his shorts down, making it fall down his legs, and he kicked them away, pulling her nightgown off of her and hoisting her up.
Florence locked her legs around his waist.
"Last night wasn't enough, wife. I'm going to fuck you again."
"Yes. Please." She moaned in response.
And he caried her into the shower stall, wandlessly setting the water to a perfect temperature.
"I remember one morning, years ago." said Severus, kissing down her neck. "I found you here, showering after saving my life."
"Hmm." Florence smiled. "Which was it? It's hard to remember after doing it so many times."
He chuckled and slapped her ass, pressing her against the tiles, one hand under her thigh and the other on her neck.
"Feeling cheeky, wife?" he asked, positioning the head of his dick between her pussy lips, pressing in and watching her arch her back, her whole body melting against him as he forced his dick deeper and deeper.
"Fucking taking it all and loving it."
"Yes!" she moaned, clenching around him, fisting her hands in his long wet hair.
He closed the hand around her neck a little, making her whimper at his show of dominance, and kissed her lips, beginning a deep and punishing pounding that had her clawing at his shoulders as she moaned and screamed in pleasure.
"Look at me, Florence!" He ordered.
She opened her eyes, her light-green eyes meeting his dark ones as her lips parted and she gasped, moving her hips towards his, getting him to thrust into her as deep as possible.
"You're mine!" He growled, kissing her violently as he thrust harder.
"Yes!" She shouted, pleasure taking over her senses. "Aaahh. Fuck! Yes!" and she was climaxing powerfully as he kept on fucking her non-stop. "Ooh... Give it to me, Sev. Fill me up!"
"What do you want, princess?" He growled, thrusting into her in a frenzy.
"Fuck me, Sev! Cum deep in me, make me drip your seed for hours."
"Fuck!" he moaned, holding her hips with both hands and forcing his dick hard against her cervix, feeling her orgasming again. "Can't control yourself, such a cum-hungry princess." He groaned as his dick spurted inside of her. "Fuck." He kissed her lips, enjoying the feel of her hot and sexy body against his, her veela purring in his mind while his dick was still deep inside of her.
After a few minutes, he slowly helped her put her shaky legs down, his dick slipping from her pussy, allowing white streaks of cum to fall on her thighs.
"Fucking sight, makes me want to fill you up again and again."
"What's stopping you?" she asked, her body still burning in need for more.
And he carried her back to bed.
About an hour later, Florence finally got dressed and left her bedroom, walking to Elizabeth's room to wish the bride a good morning, but found her bed empty.
Hm. Maybe she's already downstairs. Florence thought, going to the door, but then she heard sounds coming from Liz's bathroom – retching sounds.
"Liz? Are you ok, love?" Florence knocked on the door of the adjoined bathroom.
"Not really, mom." Elizabeth replied weakly. "Just a minute." And she was retching again.
"Okay." Florence said, sitting on Liz's bed and looking at the beautiful wedding dress on the special stand in the corner of the room. Elizabeth was going to look beautiful, exactly like the little princess her father had raised her to believe she was.
Then a tray appeared in the room, right on the bed, near Florence. She looked at the glass of something bubbly and crackers the elves had sent Liz and frowned, leaning forwards to smell the liquid, thinking that, even though it was a day to celebrate, it was too early for champagne.
"Ginger ale?" she whispered.
Then her whole body froze: Liz was vomiting and the elves had sent her ginger ale.
"Holy shit. Could she be...?"
"Good morning, mom." said Elizabeth, opening the door.
"Are you sick, Liz?" Florence asked, wondering if she knew of her suspicions.
"No. It's just wedding jitters, I guess. The past three days I just haven't been feeling well." Liz sat on the bed and sipped the ginger ale, moaning. "Wow. This is so good!" and she drank it all.
"Right." Florence eyed her enjoying the drink and felt like laughing. "Lie down on your bed and let me check you, baby-girl."
"I'm ok, mom." Her dark eyes fixed on Florence with a hint of annoyance.
"Please, love." Florence insisted. "From now on you'll have Healer Malfoy to take care of you. Let me do it one last time."
"Fine." Liz finally said, lying down.
Florence checked her temperature and blood pressure, moving her wand down her daughter's torso and silently casting: Vide utero.
Elizabeth heard her mother's breath hitch.
"Mom?" she asked, surprised. "Is that what I think that is?"
Florence nodded, tears welling up in her eyes.
"You're not having wedding jitters, baby-girl. You're having a baby, in the next seven months. No, wait." Florence looked again, trying to focus through the emotion of learning her daughter was pregnant.
"What is it, mom? Something wrong?" Liz asked, worried.
"No, love. Just... you're having twins." She whispered. "Two babies. A boy and a girl."
Elizabeth looked at her in absolute shock and then she let out a sob, sitting up on the bed and hugging her mother titghly.
"You'll be ok, love." Florence said, trying to reassure her, thinking that she was having a meltdown.
"I know I will, mom." Elizabeth sniffled, looking at her with a smile. "I have the best example to follow, cause I have the most amazing mom in the world. I love you."
"Oown... I love you, my baby-girl. I know you'll be very happy with Draco."
"I will, mom. I already am."
Florence tearfull smile got less bright, "It just breaks my heart to know you'll be living far from here. You'll raise these babies in that huge house... I know Wiltshire is not that far but..."
Elizabeth shook her head. "We won't be living at the manor anymore, mom. Draco is actually donating it to the Ministry to turn it into a war museum."
"What?" Florence frowned. "Where are you going to live then?"
Elizabeth smiled, "Right here at the village, half-way between here and the twins' houses."
Florence gasped in surprise and happiness, before hugging her again.
"Thank you, baby-girl."
"I wouldn't be able to raise my kids anywhere else, mom. Now, about my babies." She said it for the first time, touching her lower belly. "Are they ok?"
"They are great, love. You're about 8 weeks pregnant. And... now that we found out about them, I think it's time I introduce you to someone."
"Who?" she frowned.
"Winky!" Florence called, and a pretty blue-eyed elf appeared. "This is Winky, Liz. She is a loyal and devoted house elf who suffered a great betrayal from her first family. She's been working at Hogwarts ever since, but she's not happy there. She's a family-elf."
Elizabeth reached out a hand and Winky slowly approached her, putting a hand on hers. "Hello, Winky."
"Hi, Miss Snape."
"This is the young woman I told you about, Winky." Florence said. "She's my daughter, Elizabeth, and she's becoming Mrs. Draco Malfoy in a few hours."
Winky's eyes got bigger with surprise.
Florence continued: "You certainly know all that such marriage will demand from Elizabeth; she knows already how to organize dinners and be the most graceful host, but she'll need a lot of help, for we've just found out she's expecting twins."
Winky whimpered in what seemed too much excitement, her blue eyes fixed on Elizabeth, suddenly eager.
"Malfoy twins?" the elf whispered in awe, looking at Florence, who nodded before looking at her daughter.
"Do you remember how one bonds with an elf, Liz?"
"Yes, mom."
"Alright. Just... be gentle." She added.
Elizabeth nodded and turned to look at Winky, "So you're unhappy at Hogwarts, Winky?"
"Oh, yes, Miss. Most dreadful thing for Winky! Winky misses taking care of a home and a family – having Winky's own family!"
"Would you like to come work for me, Winky?"
"Oh, yes, Miss! Winky would love that!" the elf's eyes shone bright.
"Just one thing," added Liz. "I was raised to respect the house elves that look after me, and even give them gifts. Can you understand that if I give you a new dress or something it doesn't mean I'm giving you clothes?"
Winky frowned, feeling nervous. "Gifts? But n-no clo-clothes?"
"No. No clothes in the sense of removing you from my service. No. Just tokens of appreciation."
Winky smiled and nodded, "Winky would love to be your bonded elf, Miss Snape."
Elizabeth smiled in return, "So bond us, Winky."
And the elf held both of Liz's hands, a soft glow covering them for a few seconds.
When it stopped, Winky had tears in her eyes.
"Winky is so Happy, Mistress Elizabeth."
"Call me Liz, Winky."
"Yes, Mistress Liz."
Later, after the wedding ceremony
Severus escorted Florence through the backyard, as she waved and smiled at all the guests that were enjoying dinner together.
"This," said Severus. "Looks like the most unlikely jumble of people ever to be seen together in a party."
Florence laughed, "I have to agree with you! When would we ever imagine to see Harry Potter at Draco Malfoy's wedding? Or Hermione and Fred having an animated chat with Pansy and Theodore Nott?" She waved at the table where James, Hermione, Nicholas, Fred and the Nott couple were.
Severus growled low, "I still can't believe my daughter married Draco-bloody-Malfoy."
"We all noticed how you glared at Draco when you walked Liz down the aisle towards him." Florence stopped walking and so did he. "He's crazy about her, Sev. And, honestly, this wedding came to be in the perfect moment." She chuckled. "A while longer and–" then she stopped talking, realizing she had said too much.
"And what, Florence?" Severus frowned. "What would've happened?"
"Well..." she moved her hands to his bow tie, fixing it before wrapping her arms around his neck, under the hidden intention of keeping him from going after Draco after she explained what she'd meant. "You, see, love... the elves took Liz some ginger ale this morning."
"What?" he whisper-shouted. "You mean that blond fucker got my daughter pregnant before marrying her? I'll fucking kill him!" he turned to go after Draco, but Florence tightened her arms around him.
"Severus!" she called. "First of all: they're married now. And second: are you really going to admonished Draco for making kids out of wedlock?" she arched an eyebrow at him, reminding him he had done the same.
Severus huffed, clearly angry, but then he seemed to realize her choice of words. "You said kids. Plural."
"Yes. She's expecting twins." She smiled.
He stared at her in surprise. "Twins in the Black and Malfoy lines? That's unheard of."
"Yes. I know. I didn't tell Liz anything to not make her nervous but... it's huge."
"I saw Winky standing near her in a pretty dress. I assume you've introduced them."
"Yes. They're bonded already. Winky knows what it means to be a Sacred Twenty-eight family. Liz will need her."
"Yes. She will." Severus looked around the backyard, slowly frowning as he noticed something: "Why is James hovering around Granger like that?"
"She hasn't been a Granger for five years now, husband." Florence reminded him as she looked at Hermione, seeing what he meant about James' behaviour, "Hm. But you're right... he does seem a little strange... almost nervous. Where's Nikolai?" she looked around, trying to find her two-year-old grandson.
"Over there with the Grangers." He pointed at Hermione's parents – who had had their memories fully restored five years ago, exactly two months before Hermione married James. "Let's find out what's wrong." And they walked towards their oldest son.
"Shit." James whispered.
"What is it, James?" Hermione asked.
"Parents coming this way. And I think they know something is up."
"Of course they know something is up." Nicholas replied, rolling his eyes. "With the way you've been hovering around Hermione all evening!"
"I just want to make sure she's comfortable!" He tried to justify his actions.
"Hi, my sweeties." Said Florence, stopping by the table and being kissed by her sons. "And, Hermione, dear, care to explain the helicopter husband?"
Hermiones laughed, looking at James, "He's just being an overprotective pain."
"So nothing out of the ordinary." Said Severus teasingly.
"Yeah, dad." James rolled his eyes. "You know that little insult goes both ways, don't you? After all, jealousy and overprotectiveness are hereditary traits."
Florence laughed and pulled her son for a hug. "How I love these stupid arguments of yours!"
"I found out this morning that I'm expecting again." Hermione said.
Florence gasped in excitement. "More babies!"
"Yes." James nodded, "But we'll wait to tell everyone tomorrow. We don't want to interfere with Liz's special day."
"That's very thoughtful of you." Florence looked at Hermione, "One or two?"
"Just one. Thankgoodness."
Florence smiled and hugged her, "This is amazing, dear!" and she looked at James. "You'd better start preparing yourself for birth."
"Me?" he asked, surprised. "Mione is the one who–"
Florence interrupted: "She already knows all she needs to know, Jamie. You're the one I don't want freaking out in the birthing room a second time."
"She was screaming in pain!" James said.
Hermione and the others laughed – they had all heard the story of how James screamed as loud as Hermione as she gave birth to Nikolai.
Then Florence heard Severus' voice in her mind: Look at our girls dancing.
And she turned to look at the dancefloor where Elizabeth and Sophie were dancing with Lynne and Lily-Rose.
"Lynne is so beautiful in that red dress." said Florence, admiring her six-year-old granddaughter.
"And Lily is wearing purple." Said Nick, smiling.
"As usual." Florence said, "And it matches her eyes beautifully so I–" she stopped talking, closing her eyes as the loud sound of glass breaking filled the air all of a sudden. "It was your brother, wasn't it?"
Nicholas laughed, "Yes, Steph bumped into one of the elves carrying dishes."
"Severus. Go get your son." Florence ordered.
He just nodded and walked towards the six-year-old, picking him up.
"Don't take me to mom, dad!" The boy pleaded. "She looks angry!"
"You know I have to, son."
Severus set the little boy on the ground in front of Florence and Stephen looked up at his mother – looking like the perfect little angel that he absolutely wasn't.
The youngest Snape boy had his father's long dark hair and his mother's bright green eyes; he looked exactly like Nicholas when he was a kid – but had James' troublesome personality.
Putting on his most innocent face, the boy said: "It wasn't my fault, mom!"
"Of course it wasn't." Said Florence, clearly not believing him. "Behave, Stephen, or you won't be having dessert for a week!"
"But I behave!" he whined. "And dad wouldn't let me go a week without sweets... would you, dad?"
"You heard you mom, Stephen." Severus crouched down to fix the boy's pretty suit. "Now, go play with Sirius and Teddy. And be careful not to break anything – you can hurt yourself, and others."
Stephen nodded, looking up at his mother and father, "I'll look where I go." And he ran towards his friends – clearly not looking where he was going.
Florence shook her head at her son's antics, watching in shock as he picked up a glass of juice and purposefully threw its contents at a beautifully dressed five-year-old girl with red hair.
But the juice never hit her for she froze it midair and charmed the ice shards to fly towards him.
"Gianah!" Shouted Charlie Weasley, stopping the ice from hitting Stephen.
Nicholas shook his head, "Lynne says Steph fancies Gianah."
"Really?" asked Florence. "Well, he does target her more than anyone else with his pranks..."
"Didn't she try to drop a piano on his head last month?" asked Fred. "I remember Charlie talking about it."
"Oh, yes. She did." Said Hermione. "Ginny told me they took Stephen and Teddy with them to have lunch at Charlie's and that Sirius was the one who stopped the piano from hitting Steph."
James shook his head, "If they keep that up, one of them will end up dead before they ever reach an appropriate age to sort that out."
"But talking about Sirius and Teddy..." said Hermione, smirking. "They're both fighting for a girl too."
"They're five, Mione! Why would they even think about that?" asked Pansy.
"They see how Steph is with Gianah. So they're after a girl of their own as well."
"And who are they figting for?" Pansy asked.
"Lily-Rose."
"Hell no!" exclaimed Severus. "A Potter and a Lupin after my daughter?" He looked at Florence who was trying not to laugh. "We're sending her to Beauxbatons!"
Florence left Severus at the twins' table and walked through the party on her own, seeing Remus trying to stop his son, Teddy, from punching Harry's son, Sirius.
But before she could go there to ask what was going on, a kid bumped into her and she looked down to meet unusual and gorgeous purple eyes.
"Hey, Lily-love." Florence hugged her youngest daughter. "Were you having fun with your sisters and Lynne?"
"Yes, mom! A lot! Until..."
"Until what, love?"
"Those two stupid boys ruined it!" she pointed at Remus' table.
"Oh." Florence tried not to laugh. "Do you want me to talk to them?"
"Yes! Thank you, mommy! Make them leave me alone!" and she turned to run back towards Lynne and Gianah, but stopped a second as she saw who had showed up near her mother.
"You." She said disdainfully.
"Hi, beautiful princess." Replied Draco with a smile despite her hostility. "Why don't you like me, Lily?"
"Because you're not a good person!" she shouted and walked to her fiends.
The elegantly dressed blond newlywed looked at Florence, "Why doesn't she like me?"
"Because whenever you're around, Elizabeth only pays attention to you. And now you're taking Liz away from her for good."
"Does she know we'll be living here in the village?"
"No. I haven't told her."
"So I'll tell her. Maybe then she'll like me." And he went after Lily-Rose.
Florence smiled as she watched him kneel to talk to the little girl at eye-level. And she knew: Draco will be a great dad.
"Stop that, you two!" ordered Remus, still keeping the two boys from hitting each other. "If you don't stop, we're leaving!"
"Yes! Leave!" said Sirius James Potter. "Than I'll have Lily-Rose all for myself!"
"No!" Shouted Teddy Remus Lupin. "She's my girlfriend!"
"Well well well." Said Florence, approaching the table. "So it's true, you two are fighting for my daughter."
Remus chuckled, "They both want to be her boyfriend."
"But there's a very easy way to solve this impass." Florence said. "Any young man that wishes to be my Lily's boyfriend has only to ask for her father's permission."
The two boys looked at her in shock.
"But Lily is... Uncle Sev's daughter..." said Sirius, looking at his friend.
"A-and Uncle Sev is... a dangerous wizard." Added Teddy.
"That settles it, then." Said Remus. "Who'll be the brave man and go ask Severus' permission to date Lily-Rose?"
The boys gulped and shook their heads.
"I'm not going there." Said Sirius, fear in his green eyes.
"Me neither." Added Teddy, looking just as scared.
"So you'll stop bothering her?" Asked Florence. "Cause she's very upset with you two."
"Yes. We'll stop." Said Sirius and Teddy nodded.
"Go apologize to her." Ordered Remus.
And both boys quickly ran to talk to Lily.
"Thanks, Flor." Said Remus, kissing her right hand. "They were driving me crazy!"
"I hope that is just a phase..."
"So do I. I don't want Severus murdering my son."
Florence laughed, "It wouldn't get that far, but the boys are like brothers... I would hate to see them fighting for Lily in the future."
"So would I." said Remus.
"Hands off, wolf." They heard Severus growling as he appeared beside Florence, giving her a champagne flute and a kiss. "Have you scared those two away from Lily?"
"Yes. I said they'd have to ask you for permission to be her boyfriend. They easily gave up."
"Great." He smirked, seeing their other daughter walking nearby and speaking loudly: "Did you hear your mother, Sophie? Boyfriends need to ask for my permission!"
The nine-year-old just rolled her eyes at her father.
And then the tumultuous sound of a table being flipped and glasses and dishes breaking on the ground filled the air.
Florence just closed her eyes, finishing her champagne all at once, before saying: "Severus. Go get your son."
Hours later, once the party was over and the last guest had left, Florence sat on her husband's lap on his favourite armchair in the living room, enjoying the quiet house and sharing a slice of cake, which Florence fed him with her hands, having her fingers licked and sucked everytime she put a piece of cake into his mouth, seeing his dark eyes getting heavy with desire as he watched her suck the meringue off her own fingers.
"Let's move this to the bedroom, wife." He ordered in a velvety voice.
She kissed his lips sensually. "Tell me where you want me, husband."
"On all fours on the bed." he deepened the kiss for a moment, before she jumped from his lap and pulled him to the stairs by the hand.
"Wait." Florence said. "Let's just check on the twins first. Tiffany told me she put them to bed, but I want to go see them."
"Sure." He said, following her down the corridor. "It's weird to think that Chris is the oldest kid in this house now."
"I know. Soon starting his seventh-year at Hogwarts already..."
They stopped by the twins' door and frowned.
"Do you feel that?" Florence whispered.
"Yes." He nodded, feeling a strange energy coming from the other side of the door.
They both got their wands in hand and walked into the bedroom, stopping dead in their tracks at the unexpected visitors standing near the kids' beds – unexpected ghostly visitors.
"Lily? James?" asked Florence in a choked voice.
The ghosts of the Potter couple hovered hear the two kids' and Lily turned to look towards the door.
"Hello, Flor. Hi, Sev." Greeted Lily's ghost.
"Hi, Florence." Said James Potter. "You look even more gorgeous than I remembered! Lucky Snivellus!" He winked at her.
"What's..." Severus stuttered. "What's happening? Why are you two here?"
"We've been here since they were born, Severus." Explained Lily.
"But we didn't understand it at first."
"Understand what?" asked Florence.
"Our new lives." Said James, softly. "How it was possible..."
"How what was possible?" Whispered Severus, nearly hyperventilating. "What new lives?"
"It happened too fast." Continued Lily. "One moment we were around Godric's Hollow and the next second we were in the Order headquarters. It was all very confusing and surprising."
"But once you went into labour," James continued, looking at Florence. "It became clear..."
"I don't understand." Said Severus.
"Your wish, Severus." Said Lily. "How long have you carried it in your heart?"
"Since Dumbledore told me Harry was but a pawn in the war and would most certainly have to die in the end."
"Well, your wish has come true!" said James, pointing at the sleeping twins.
Florence was frowning, trying to make sense of what was happening there. "The twins were unplanned, I got pregnant because stress interfered with the potion." She whispered.
"Hm, not exactly," said Lily, smiling. "It was more a magical interference than stress."
James nodded. "Because of Severus' heartfelt wish, the twins were conceived and our spirits chosen to take home in your kids' bodies at the moment of their birth."
"See, Severus?" Lily smiled. "We do have a beautiful family, like you wished we had."
"But how?" Severus asked. "If you're still ghosts, how are you in them?"
"Now some divination lessons would've come handy." said James, playfully, before explaining: "We're ghosts of our past life. The parts of us that live inside Stephen and Lily-Rose are our spirits – they're two different things."
"It's like we're memories of the past," added Lily. "While the twins carry our souls into the future."
Florence's breath hitched and she reached for Severus' hand, holding it titghly. "So Lily and Steph are..."
"Reincarnations of us?" Lily smiled, walking towards the Snape couple. "Yes and no. They're us, but they are also their own person."
"Thanks to you, Severus." Said James, following her. "Thanks to your wish – we live."
The ghosts stopped right in front of the Snapes.
"Thank you, my dearest friend." Said Lily, looking at Severus.
Then Florence frowned, noticing they were hand-in-hand, "Wait!" She whisper-shouted, careful not to wake up the sleeping kids to find ghosts in their room. "What about your relationship? You were a couple and now... you're siblings."
"Well, it turns out," James explained. "We aren't each other's soulmates. They hadn't been born yet when we were alive."
"Truth is we were born then and brought together to fulfill one purpose: to birth the Chosen One. Our sweet Harry." Added Lily. "But now," she looked at the twins. "Now we can find our true loves."
They smiled at each other.
"Well, before we go." said James. "I just have to quote your firstborn – who has a beautiful name by the way." He winked at Florence, adding: "We truly have the best family."
Florence let out a sob, feeling Severus' emotions mixing with hers through their bond, as they watched the Potter ghosts disappear.
After a minute of shocked silence, Florence and Severus walked out of the twins' room and into their own; their feelings still too shaken by what they had just learned.
The sound of the door of their room closing brought Florence back to reality.
"At least now it makes sense Stephen being such a mischievous boy." She said, "Also, I must say I'm not looking forward to mothering teenager James Potter." She sighed. "James Snape was already challenging enough."
Severus chuckled from where he stood by the window.
Florence walked towards him and he pulled her to his chest.
"So we are safe and happy," he said. "The kids are safe and happy. Harry is safe and happy."
Florence nodded. "All our friends are safe and happy. Cissy, Remus, the Weasleys."
"And Lily and James are safe and happy too." He sighed in relief.
"Yes," she replied with a sigh of her own and a smile. "They are."
Severus pulled her chin up for a kiss, looking into her eyes, "I love you, Florence."
"I love you, Severus."
And as they stood in each other's arms, looking at the bright summer night sky, they realized that despite all the pain and suffering they had gone through, in the end, love had been the most important part in solving every tribulation they had faced.
Love for others had Florence running from home.
Love for power had Severus following a dark path.
But love for his sons – and for their mother – had brought him back to the light.
Love saved Harry Potter.
Love kept the Order fighting.
Love had the Dark Lord himself calling for it in the last moments of his life.
In the end, love did conquer all – and they had all been saved.
Saved by love.