A/N: Dodges flying rotten fruit and veggies thrown at head for making you all wait so long, raises trash can lid for protection and waves a little white flag. SORRY! Things and life and worry over things has gotten in the way of writing. I would have had this chapter written and betaed a week or two earlier but more important things got in the way.
My oldest friend and my beta were both in a car accident the last week of January and they and the aftermath took precedent over everything except my time with God. I can say with all certainty that being in the emergency room with both my friends there, one unconscious and sedated and the other pretending she isn't going to crawl up the walls in fear and shock while stuck in a neck brace until the ok to take it off was sent in, was not fun. Friday night with the girls should never, ever include the emergency room! Both of them are ok now, my friend who was driving is now back home with a cracked pelvis that is healing well and is past her concussion. My beta Skydancinghobbit is also back home and near the tail end of dealing with her concussion. Considering that they got T boned in the drivers side I am blessed to have both my friends still with me. Only by the grace of God were they saved and kept from greater harm, looking at the car my friend who was driving really should be dead and Sky should have been in traction for a long time if not permanently. Please keep them in your prayers for a swift and complete recovery for the injuries that they did receive, I know that they both appreciate and thank you all for doing so. God is awesome! I can't express it any more/better than that, I don't have the words.
For those of you who noticed that Skydancinghobbit took down her fics about three weeks ago she would like me to tell you all that she is currently retired from writting fanfiction for an indefinite period of time. Though she continues to be my beta on this and my other stories, thanks Sky!
Now that I have writing a second chapter of authors notes, I will actually let you get on to reading the much awaited for chapter. I hope you enjoy it and I hope that I can manage to get the next one up soon. I am slowly chugging away at writing it. Enjoy!
Chapter 28
Double Whammy
To say that the whole parenting process was something completely and totally new to Severus was perhaps the biggest understatement that anyone could have come up with in quite a while, a time period being very unspecific seeing as he was not quite sure when it was anymore. His whole sleep schedule was so out of whack it wasn't funny and he was so tired most of the time that he and Hermione would simply fall asleep where they were when they would sit down, when they could sit down. When he did have a moment of peace with Hermione sitting next to him it wasn't so bad, but with twins it was as if they were being double teamed. He would have assumed that the babies should have done most things at relatively the same time, but NO. They had to be difficult. As soon as one could be settled down for a nap the other would cry and wake the other so that all the work of putting one down was wasted. And as soon as you thought you had finally changed the last diaper for the next hour or two there was another squawk and stink from one of them.
"Why did I ever agree to this?" Severus grunted one afternoon as he cradled one of the twins in one arm and Hermione had her head in his lap the other twin on her chest asleep, his hand lying protectively over the baby's back.
"Because you love me?" Hermione asked in a tired grunt.
"True, but I didn't sign up for twins." He groaned. "One would have been much easier."
"When have either of us done anything the easy way?" Hermione chuckled through a yawn. Severus grunted his reply. "We really should get the house elves or one of the others to take them for a night so we can get some sleep." She said after a few minutes of unsuccessfully dozing. "Besides we have to begin to deal with the stupid Ministry law again soon." It had been nearly the allotted three months since the twins had been born that Severus and Hermione had been unable to engage each other. It was not that they had not wanted to do what they were required, far from it. It was just that when they did get a chance to have peace and quiet and 'personal' time they spent it in the most productive manner possible, sleeping curled in each other's arms.
Hermione still was breastfeeding but she had also been pumping so that they would be on a bottle as well. This meant that Severus could give her a bit of a break when it was the middle of the night and one of the children got hungry. He also felt that it was a great bonding with the babies. He had managed to get over the fear of dropping or hurting the twins before the third day was out. He was able to hold them with confidence and though he was inexperienced, he was able to learn quickly and seemed to immensely enjoy the fact that he was a father.
"As much as I don't trust anyone one else with our children you have no idea how grateful I am to hear you suggest it. A good night's sleep will do us both wonders. I wonder if the Phoenix will help us out." He said tiredly.
"I am sure that they will." Hermione said. "Perhaps we could let Molly and Arthur take them for a night." She suggested. "They had twins themselves once upon a time. They can take care of them alright without worry. I am sure that these guys are nothing like Fred and George were when they were growing up."
"Please refrain from saying their names in conjunction with our children. I do not want them to get any ideas. That is the last thing we or Hogwarts needs." Severus groaned. Hermione couldn't help but chuckle.
"So what do you think about Flooing Molly to see if they can take them, tonight maybe?" She asked after a moment or two of silence. Severus gave a reluctant groan in response. "What is your problem with that idea?" She asked tilting her head up to look at him.
"You do realize that you would be sending my children to an entirely Gryffindor household." He told her exasperatedly. Hermione merely gave a nod. "You don't see a problem with that?" He asked her.
"No." She could do little but give him a smile.
"Of course you wouldn't." He smirked, "your one of them."
Hermione rolled her eyes with a smile. "Well do you have any other suggestions?"
"How about the house elves?" He asked, looking hopeful but also knowing before he said it his heart was only half in it. After a moment of silence where Hermione merely smirked back up at him did he sigh and let his face fall. "Fine." He half grumbled, "I am sure that they will need some 'socializing' anyways. They can't learn to be proper Slytherins if they are locked up here in the dungeons all the time." He conceded half heartedly. Hermione chuckled at his declarations. "But don't you think that it is a bit late to be springing this on Molly for tonight? It is already almost dinner time." He told her.
"I will contact Molly after dinner." Hermione said thoughtfully after a moment. We can see if she can arrange something for tomorrow then." She said. "As much as I love the babies, I could really do with a good night's sleep that is uninterrupted." She looked down at the little bundle asleep on her chest, covered protectively by Severus hand.
"They look so innocent don't they?" Hermione said with a sigh as she looked at the baby asleep on her chest. "They look so peaceful."
"Only when they are asleep." Smirked Severus. "When they wake up they certainly aren't, loud and demanding is more an accurate description." Hermione smirked and chuckled her agreement. "Very much like a Gryffindor that I know."
"You love it and you know it." She smirked up at him.
"I don't know what you're talking about." He said with a slight sniff and trying to look innocent, which was indeed impossible for the Potion's Master to do with any great accuracy.
"Of course not, that is why you married me, a Gryffindor."
"Well I certainly couldn't let anyone else be burdened by your demanding qualities. I had to do it for the good of the Wizarding World."
"Of course." She smiled. "I love you too."
"Good, because I will never stop loving you my Gryffindor, my wife, my Hermione." Severus said leaning down and laying a soft kiss on her forehead, the only part he could reach without falling over or disturbing one of the babies. Leaning back he smiled and both he and Hermione dozed off before the evening meal and the eventual squawks and squeals that the twins made when demanding a meal and a change.
It was later than they had expected or wanted when Hermione Flooed the Weasley matron with a request to take the babies off their hands for the next night.
"Molly?" She called sticking her head through the fireplace. She was greeted by Arthur who was sitting in and armchair in front of the fireplace with a small child on his lap. The little black haired girl pointed and clapped with a squeal of laughter at Hermione as Arthur held her. "Oh hello Arthur. How are you? Who's little one is that?" She asked with a smile.
"This would be little Lilly Potter." Arthur said with a smile bouncing the little girl on his knee as she laughed and squealed. "I am quite well Hermione. We haven't seen you in quite a while. I hope everything is going well with you, Severus and the twins. How are you and what causes you to Floo tonight?"
"Well we were hoping to ask a favor of you and Molly." Hermione said. "We were wondering…" Hermione began but was cut off by Molly bustling in to the room.
"Is that Hermione that I hear?!" She said excitedly coming into the living room with a great bustle. "Oh Hermione dear!" She called. "It is so nice to hear from you. We haven't heard from you in nearly two months, we were wondering how you are. I have heard from the boys that you are doing well, but it is so nice to hear about it from your own lips. I can't very well scold you for not calling like I do the boys, but oh dear you really have always been like another daughter to us."
Hermione just smiled and enjoyed the Weasley matron's cooing and clucking. She knew she was just looking out for her, and it was nice to have someone who acted the mother figure in her life, now that her own family had been dead nearly five years. "I am well." Hermione said. "And Severus sends his regards as well. We just have been so busy with the twins we really have not had much time to talk to anyone, only because Lavender and Ginny came and saw us a couple times have we seen much other than the house elves and Minerva who makes sure we are still alive.
That is why we are calling you. We were wondering if you could take care of the twins sometime this week. Severus and I both need some sleep and we are drawing close to the time where the stupid Ministry Law will be forced upon us again if we don't do something about it soon."
"Say no more." Arthur said holding his hand up and scrunching his face. "I try to keep my mind away from the stupid Ministry Law and what it requires. I would rather just enjoy my grand children rather than having to think about what my children are actually doing to produce them. It is just not something a father wants to think about with his little girls." Hermione could not help but chuckle at his obvious discomfort on the subject in general.
"Oh Arthur, must you be so dramatic?" Molly scolded and then turned her attention back to Hermione. "Yes we can do more than just take the twins for the night." She told her. "We have been having the kids over for Friday night dinner for a while now. Arthur and I have been keeping a couple of the grandkids at least once a week so that each of the kids can have a night to themselves. We would love to have the twins for a night or two so that you can both get some sleep and get reacquainted with each other. I know that it can be hard especially with twins. We would love for you and Severus to come over for dinner tomorrow and then leave the twins overnight. We can keep them until late Saturday or early Sunday for you. I must tell you that it is very nice to have the house full of life and children again. It was so empty for that year after the war. It is nice to have the house full again, even if they aren't my own children."
"Speak for yourself." Arthur grunted with a half smile as he amused little Lily on his lap. "I know I was certainly hoping that I would one day have my house back to myself again."
"You like the grandkids and we both know it." Molly scolded him again. He gave a noncommittal shrug of the shoulders and couldn't keep the small grin off his face as Lilly tried to pull a button off his shirt and he carefully removed her hand and distracted her by creating bubbles from the end of his wand so that she could try to catch them, her small face a light with wonderment and innocence.
"I know I will gladly accept the offer of dinner and then Friday night and at least part of Saturday to ourselves. I am quite sure that Severus will see no problem with it at all, besides if he does I will find a way to persuade him. We have been locked up in the dungeons for far too long. We need to get out farther than the lake for a little bit." Hermione told Molly with a smile.
"Excellent." She crooned. "We will have a lovely meal and get to catch up on things while we are at it. It will be a lovely time! I will see you both tomorrow then. We are serving dinner at six, if you want to come by somewhere around five or five thirty that would be wonderful. Then you can see where we will be keeping the children over the weekend and you can socialize with the others. It will be so nice to have a bunch of you all together again. Bye."
Hermione pulled her head back from the Floo and back to Hogwarts with a smile on her face. Getting off the hearth rug she returned to Severus who was sitting on the couch alone, the twins having been put down for the first time that night. It was likely that they would wake again in a couple hours with stinky diapers and empty tummies. Snuggling against him she leaned against his chest. They had widened the couch again so that it was comfortable for Severus to lean against one of the arms and Hermione to settle herself between his legs and lean against his chest.
"I would assume from the smile that you have good news for me." Severus said with a tired smile, stroking her honey hair as it fell against the white of his shirt. He had relaxed his dress code now down to what it had been the summer before, though whenever they left their chambers only the long billowing teaching robes stayed packed away.
"You would be correct." She said gazing up at him from where she was nestled. "We have been invited by Molly to visit tomorrow evening for dinner and then to leave the twins there for the night and part of Saturday. We can pick them up sometime in the evening. I have already told Molly we would be there and I guess there will be a couple others there as well. She mentioned 'the boys', so I am not sure how many she will have for dinner, but it will be nice to see people again."
"Are you suggesting that I am not people?" Severus asked with a huff.
"No, I am not saying that." She told him. "I am merely suggesting that we have been cooped up here in our chambers all summer and we have barely said a word to anyone other than each other and that has been really only about the twins and little else. We certainly need to make some sort of an effort to learn to communicate with people again. Besides in less than a month we will have to be communicating with all our other colleges as well as keeping track of other people's children. I think that it would be good if we were able to at least ease into the whole 'talking' and 'interacting' thing before school starts again. We certainly wouldn't want you to be socially awkward when you give the first years your famous 'foolish wand waving' speech." She smirked.
"Humph." He grunted. "I am sure that you know nothing about being socially awkward in relation to my speech. It will be delivered with the same menace, threatening undertone and general lack of trust and hope in this years' children's potion making abilities as it is every year." He assured her. "Though I must admit it might be nice to think of something more than diapers for a change. Though you sound as though you have grown tired of me." He said just a bit too off handedly.
"Certainly not!" Hermione said sitting up and turning so that she knelt between his knees. "I have not and will not grow tired of you Severus." She said leaning in to place a loving kiss upon his lips. "Don't ever think that." She told him softly. Kissing him again and deepening it so there was no question about what she thought of him. He reached up and drew her closer to himself so that she was nearly flush with him. She abandoned his mouth to pepper kisses along his jaw and up towards his ear. "I will never tire of you my sexy Slytherin, you are my husband and you are my soul mate Severus. You are all I shall ever require."
"Good." He growled from her collarbone. "I need nothing more than you my gorgeous wife and soul mate Hermione, you are my reason to continue." He continued to kiss up her throat as she offered more out to him. "You are mine and I desire none other than you." He growled pulling her closer as she offered up more of her throat. "Feel my desire for you my lovely Hermione." She could do little but groan her agreement as she felt other parts of him making their declarations known. Encouraged by Hermione trying to get even closer Severus let his hands wander farther than he had let them before and they shared another heated kiss. "I have missed this." He panted when they finally parted from kissing and their foreheads rested together as they both tried to catch their breath.
"So have I." Hermione agreed. They had been unable to be really intimate at all in nearly five months, since before about the last month of school. First there was the fact that Hermione was so exhausted most of the time and they were both so busy with the work that was required for the end of the year parties, graduation and then the ball commemorating the defeat of Voldemort. They had been able to sleep next to each other in that time and snuggled close at night, but that was it. Both were more than ready to have each other back again passionately in their lives.
Severus again began to work his way along her jaw line and down her throat as she let her hands stray towards his collar. The first button had never been done that morning and she was beginning to make progress beyond his third button when suddenly there was a cry from the other room, it would seem that one of the twins was awake again and demanding that attention be paid to him. Hermione put her forehead on Severus' shoulder and groaned. "And we were so close too."
Severus gave a groan in reply and as the wail grew louder he responded. "We had better go see what they want before they wake the whole castle." He though did not readily make to let go of Hermione as she still was held tight to his chest, though at the wail his other interest had wilted, he felt it was still nice to have her so close to him for a change. Finally with a sigh Hermione made to pull away. "And I can assure you Madame." He said with a smirk as he laid a light kiss upon her lips as she got up. "We were nowhere near close. There is much that I desire to accomplish before we are through." He could not hide the sparkle of anticipation and promise in his eyes; though the sparkle was nearly drown out by the dark fire there as well.
"I will hold you to that Mr. Snape." She smiled invitingly as she went to the hallway that would lead past the children's room. "Just don't underestimate me."
As she disappeared he chuckled ever so lightly as he reached up and rebuttoned his shirt and settled down on the couch, deciding a little distance from his wife would be good if they were going to survive the night. He would make sure that he would tell the Phoenix about their plans later on.
A/N: well, it would seem that things are finally heating up again. Hum, wonder what could happen in the next chapter….?
Hope you enjoyed the chapter, hope to have the next chapter up soon. Please feed the hungry author reviews, they are such a wonderful delicacy. Live, Laugh, Love ~ Dragons Quill
