AN: I own nothing.
Thank you guys so much for the reviews, follows and favorites. Really, guys, thank you.
I'm adding a bit of a twist in this chapter. After being in a horrid marriage, I think it's time for Severus' mum to have a little happiness. So, be forewarned - this chapter is mostly about Eileen.
And...go! Read and enjoy!
''Hello, love.'' Eileen said as she kissed Severus' cheek.
''Hello, Mother.'' he said as he kicked the snow off his boots at the door. ''You know, I could easily clear off your walk with a simple spell.'' he added, hanging up his coat.
Eileen waved his statement off as she hugged Hermione. ''Hello, angel.'' she smiled. ''And for your information, I think the snow makes the house look more..cozy. Like of those paintings with the house, and the smoke coming out of the chimney, and trees, with everything covered in snow.''
''Okay, okay.'' Severus said, lifting Nicholas out of his carrier after Hermione set it down. ''There we are.'' he said, smiling down at his son.
''Oh! Come to Gramma, sweetheart.'' Eileen said excitedly, holding her arms out for her grandson. ''I still can't get over how much he reminds me of you when you were a baby, Severus. I swear, it's like I'm back in the past.'' she said to Severus as she carefully sat with Nicholas in a recliner and slowly began rocking. ''Except without the nose, of course.'' she added under her breath.
Hermione sat beside her husband on the sofa and smiled as she watched his mum gush over Nicholas. As long as she'd known Eileen, she'd never seen the woman be so affectionate or as happy as she was now. Taking her cell phone out of her pocket, she snapped a picture of the two and smiled at it before putting it back in her pocket.
The three of them, well four if you count Nicholas, sat talking for the next hour or so. General things, like the weather, or the latest gossip from Eileen's ladies group. Finally, after Nicholas had been placed back in his carrier to nap, Severus got down to business.
''Alright, Mother.'' he started. ''I know you didn't ask us over here to tell us about poor Mr. Sikes down the lane and his gout. So, what is it?''
''Oh..uh, alright.'' Eileen said. Taking a deep breath, she smiled at the two. ''Well, I've been seeing someone for a while now, and..''
''How long is a while?'' Severus asked with narrowed eyes. He had no idea his mother was..dating..and it gave him a bad feeling.
''Well..a while being about fifteen years or so.'' she said.
''Whoa!'' Hermione exclaimed quietly with wide eyes.
''A while? You call fifteen years 'a while'?'' Severus asked incredulously.
''Yes, Severus, I do.'' Eileen said. ''Now, please let me finish. Fil and I..''
''Fil?'' Severus asked, eyebrow raised.
''..have decided to get married.'' she finished, ignoring Severus.
''What?'' Severus hissed, standing up from the sofa. ''Mother, you cannot think this is actually a good idea!'' He was, despite his shock, mindful of his son sleeping just a few feet away, so he kept his voice down.
''I can, and I do.'' Eileen said firmly.
Hermione, who'd been quiet, spoke up. ''Well, I think it's great.'' she smiled.
Severus turned his head sharply to glare at his wife. ''How can you say that? This is not great, Hermione!'' he hissed.
''Yes, it is.'' Hermione said. ''Why don't you calm down and let your mother explain?'' she asked in a 'don't mess with me' tone.
''Alright.'' he said slowly, sitting back down and crossing his arms. ''Mother, if you will?''
''Severus, believe it or not, I do know what I'm doing.'' Eileen said softly. ''I know exactly what I'm getting myself into. Besides, when you're with someone for fifteen years, it's like you're already married. We just want to make it official.'' she said.
''So, what is this Fil's actual name?'' Severus asked with a sneer.
Eileen cleared her throat and smiled. ''Fil is Filius Flitwick.'' she said.
''I think I just threw up a little.'' Hermione said under her breath after a moment.
''Filius?'' Severus asked in disbelief.
''Yes.'' Eileen nodded.
''Filius Flitwick?''
''Yes.''
''Short, part goblin, Charms professor Filius Flitwick?''
Eileen rolled her eyes at her son. ''Yes, Severus. That Filius.''
''Well..congratulations, Eileen.'' Hermione said happily as she got up and hugged her. ''I think I'll..uh..take Nicholas upstairs and..uh.. see if he's hungry.'' she added when she saw Severus doing his version of a pout with his arms crossed, lips pressed tightly together, and his forehead creased. ''Excuse me.''
Eileen watched as Hermione gathered Nicholas and the diaper bag and walked upstairs to the room she'd set up for when he'd spend time with her. She smiled as she looked at her son pouting, and understood why Hermione had left the two alone.
''Severus?'' she asked slowly.
''Hmmm?'' he answered with a hum.
''Are you angry?'' Eileen asked as she rose from her chair and sat tentatively beside him on the sofa.
Severus shook his head. ''No.'' he said. ''I'm not angry. Surprised? Yes. Shocked? Certainly. But not angry.'' he said, turning to look at his mother.
''Re..really?'' Eileen asked as she started to weep. She thought Severus would be angry and upset, but hearing him say he wasn't was a big relief. She felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders.
''Really.'' Severus said, taking hold of one of her hands. ''I have always worried about you, you know? Nobody wants to think of a parent being alone, or lonely, for that matter. After Tobias died, I was actually glad you came to work at Hogwarts. That meant you wouldn't be alone. But then, after about five years, I wondered if you were lonely.''
Eileen nodded. ''I was. Even in a castle full of people, I was terribly lonely, Severus. I actually began to miss Tobias. Because horrible person he was, at least with him I had someone. Then, I started spending time with Filius, and things just developed from there.''
''And he makes you happy?''
''Yes, Filius makes me very happy.'' she nodded.
''Then I'm happy for you. Everyone deserves someone. And if Filius makes you happy, then you'll get no arguments or unpleasantness from me.'' Severus said. 'Even if the thought does make me want to vomit.' he added to himself.
''Thank you, Severus.'' Eileen said as she hugged him tight.
''So, have you and Filius made any wedding plans yet, Eileen?'' Hermione asked as they sat around the table a little later.
''Not really.'' she replied as she sipped her water. ''Just that we want something small. You know, not a big production or anything too fancy.''
''Oh, so just a simple ceremony, then?'' Hermione asked.
''Yes. Just us and a few friends and relatives and the vows, followed by a small reception somewhere.''
''Well..how about you have the ceremony in our greenhouse? Then we could have dinner at The Cheshire Green.'' Hermione suggested as she got more and more excited. Ever since she was a little girl, she had loved weddings, and loved being involved in them.
''I think that's a grand idea, sweetheart.'' Eileen said with a big smile. ''I'll just have to run it by Filius.''
Severus sat quietly eating his dinner as he listened to his mother and wife discuss wedding ideas. He had enjoyed several weddings in the past, his and both of Lucius', but for the life of him he never could figure out what it was about weddings that turned women into monsters. Even his Hermione was susceptible to it. When they were engaged, Hermione had done most of the planning, with help here and there from Helena and Ginny. And for the most part, she was fine. Until one day he heard her on the telephone yelling at some poor sod because the white roses she had ordered were off white.
One thing was for sure - weddings made women nuts, so he just needed to stay out of the way until it was over.
Two days later, Eileen had brought Filius over to Severus Hermione's greenhouse.
''I think you'll like what we've done to it.'' Hermione said as she led them down the path. ''I know you haven't seen it since we finished.''
''Indeed.'' Eileen said as she held Filius' hand. ''I remember it used to be an old barn, though.''
''A barn?'' Filius asked in shock. ''I thought you said it was a greenhouse.''
''Oh, it is now, Professor.'' Hermione said. ''Severus and I redid it after we bought the house.''
''Call me Filius, Miss..Hermione.'' Filius said. ''After all, we're going to be family soon.''
''Alright..Filius.'' Hermione smiled. ''Here we are.'' she announced as they stopped in front of the greenhouse.
''Oh, Hermione!'' Eileen exclaimed. ''It looks just beautiful.'' she said.
''Yeah, it does, doesn't it?'' Hermione asked no one.
What once used to be an old barn with chipped paint and rusty hinges, an obscene amount of hay and other debris on the inside, not to mention a lingering smell, was now a beautiful greenhouse. Hermione and Severus had worked hard to remodel it, and their work had paid off. Instead of double doors on a squeaky hinge, there was a door that now was made of glass from top to the middle, and the rest was steel. The walls were top to bottom glass, and the floors were now stone.
''Come on in. It's nice and warm in here.'' Hermione said, opening the door and allowing Eileen and Filius to enter first. ''Now, as you can feel, Severus placed a warming charm on the whole place so it's always warm in here. We could move the plants down here up to where the loft used to be with Severus' more dangerous plants. And we could have the ceremony over here by this stained glass window.'' Hermione said as she moved to the west side of the greenhouse.
''Well..'' Eileen said, looking around.
''It is lovely here, Eileen.'' Filius said.
''Well..''
''We could have the aisle rght along where you're standing. And we once we move the plants, we could replace them with whatever kind of flower you decide you want.'' Hermione said with a smile. ''And maybe an arch for you two to stand under.''
Eileen looked around and tried to envision what Hermione described. She could actually see it already. An arch covered in flowers. The windows lined with orchids. Rows of cloth covered chairs for her friends and family. The setting sun shining in the windows. It was perfect.
''Maybe we could conjure a rug or two, also.'' she said with a smile.
''So,'' Filius said with a twinkle in his eye, ''this is where we're getting married?''
Eileen nodded. ''This is where we're getting married.''
Review please.
Next chapter - Eileen Prince becomes Eileen Flitwick.
Til next time!
XOXO - Onyx Obsidian