Chapter 38: Rebuilding and Hope
Nine months had passed since the Elaine's birth and the funerals, Hermione didn't know how to cope, she went back to teaching, Harry and Ron went on to Auror school, The Weasleys rebuilt their home and opened their doors to those that needed, like the Malfoys, it until they all got on their feet, Luna and Ginny were still in school, George was slowly moving on without his brother and Severus, Minerva and ALbus loved having weekly family dinners alone without any students. Hermione couldn't ask for better friends.
However, all that normalcy that they had all been experiencing was about to change, Hermione was once again pregnant, she didn't know how to feel about this, having kids that were just about nineteen months apart but after she told Severus, she became more confident in the idea. She grew largely early on and then discovered that she was pregnant with twins, Molly was so ecstatic. Harry and Ron came for visiting weekends to spend time with little Elaine and her mother. Hermione continued to teach alongside Minerva until her eighth month in which Poppy once again put her on bed rest. Hermione didn't like the idea but was soon grateful because two weeks into her eighth month, she went into labor. She gave birth to two wonderful looking children, one boy and one girl, Savannah and Jackson both with dark hair and dark eyes.
Three months after the children were born, school was out, Ginny and Luna graduated and summer started off marvelously. However since the twins were quite a handful, Hermione didn't notice that the school was deserted ninety percent of the time and she was alone. That is until three weeks later; Severus came up to her in bed, and blindfolded her.
"I have a surprise for you my lovely wife."
"Oh yes, and what surprise would that be, I am not getting pregnant for a while."
"No this is better than having children; it doesn't cause nearly as much pain."
"Oh goody." Hermione said sarcastically giggling at her husband joke. "So what is this surprise?"
"Hang on one moment," He turned and talked to someone else in the room, "Go ahead and grab them, just take care not to wake them." He turned back to her, "If I told you what I was planning, it wouldn't be a surprise anymore now would it?"
"I suppose," Hermione laughed.
Severus helped her out of bed and started walking her out of the castle, "Wait, what about the kids?
"Don't worry; the most trusting people have them."
He led her to the apperation point and Hermione felt her world spin and then when she felt the ground underneath her again, Hermione felt Severus continue to lead her up a slight hill.
"Severus where are we?"
"I told you it's a surprise."
"I don't like this surprise so far."
"Oh I think that you will change your mind once we get there."
"Severus…"
"Hermione shut up and trust me."
"Yes professor."
"Cheeky witch."
"Thank you." The couple laughed and then once they reached the top of the hill, they stopped.
"Ok, ready."
"Since you came to bed love."
"Ok, 1…2…3." He removed the blindfold as he counted and when he reached three, the blindfold was off and she was stunned speechless.
When she found her voice she whispered, "Severus…"
"I thought that since we now have three wonderful children to raise, it would be easier if we had a place to call 'home,' even if it's only for the summer and breaks." In front of the couple was a wonderful white three story mansion with light blue trimmings, a wraparound porch, a light wooden door and a balcony.
"Severus, how did you…"
"Well thanks to Ginny who remembered that the two of you drew your dream houses and all of your friends and family, and magic of course, we were able to build this house fast so that you could spend the summer in it." He looked at her, "Shall we go inside?"
"Yes."
The mansion had a sitting room with an extravagant fireplace and light beige sitting set, kitchen with light wood cabinets, a matching table and beige granet counters, study with dark brown furniture, half a bathroom, and a large entrance hall with black and white checkered tiles on the floor on the first floor, a lab (in the basement of course), a library and three bedroom and bathroom sets on the second floor and extra bedrooms on the third floor along with another study/library and a play room for the children. The entire house, minus the kitchen, bathrooms and the lab had bamboo flooring, the bathrooms had a white and grey tile patter and the lab had a simple concrete floor.
"I figured that you could add the more homey couches like the paint and pictures, and anything else that your heart desires." Hermione turned and hugged him and kissed him passionately in thank you. He grabbed her hand and said, "There is one more thing that I want to show you."
"Oh?"
Severus smiled as he led her around to the front door and out onto the porch, he pointed out the swinging seats that he put in, he led her around the house and pointed out bits and pieces of the land, like a barn already filled with horses as they walked and when they reached the back, about fifty voices said, "SURPRISE, WELCOME HOME!"
"Oh my goodness," Hermione smiled at all of her friends and family that had gathered to welcome her home. She greeted everyone and thanked them; her children were all awake now and giggling with their godparents. Everyone was so happy for the young couple and some helped them move their stuff in the next day.
As for the decorating, Hermione decorated her and Severus's bedroom in dark green and grey. With a dark wooden four poster bed and dresser set. Their bathroom was in a paler green and browns.
Elaine's room was in lilac and light browns, and her bed was currently a crib but Hermione planned on having a four poster canopy bed for her when she was old enough, Her bathroom was done in a darker purple but not too dark.
The twin's room, which would eventually be separate, was light blue with white beds and bed set. Their bathroom, which Hermione didn't plan on them using except for bathing for quite a while was in an almost white blue and dark blue towels.
Each guest room had a different color, colors consisted of yellow, red, teal, purple, pink, brown, green, rose, and lily white. Each room had a matching bed set and a slightly darker color bathroom along with some sort of plant in their rooms, like roses, daisies, tulips, etc. Each room had some form of a rug in it matching the theme and the hall way had a simple beige rug running the length of the hall.
The playroom was the last thing to be decorated, Hermione painted it so that it looked like the outdoor yard with magical horse paintings running around the room and grass, flowers and trees that randomly blew in the wind.
Minerva and Albus, along with random friends and family joined them for dinner every once in a while and had fun enjoying life for once without fear. All together it was a marvelous home for a wonderful family.