One of my favorite bits here! : ))
Atticus' third birthday came in a shower of presents and a stretch of sunshine. The time Hermione and her son had lived with Severus stretched from six months into nine. It didn't escape her notice that soon, Atticus would have spent more of his life with Severus than without him. Every day, she watched their bond grow and deepen. Slowly, Hermione had been encouraging Severus to make more decisions about Atticus on his own. He no longer felt the need to seek her approval before they Apparated together. If Atticus was hungry and Hermione was busy, Severus would make a snack for him instead of seeing what Hermione thought he should do.
Discipline was still something he left entirely to Hermione, but she was surprised to discover one day that when that changed, she would be ready for it, too. She trusted Severus. Knew he wouldn't be cruel or unjust, and could be firm without causing Atty any harm. It was a huge leap for her. The whole of his young life, it had just been the two of them against the world. The idea of someone correcting her baby, or heaven forbid spanking him, made her ill. Severus wasn't someone, though. He was her partner. In all things, parenting included. It was a novel feeling, and she could only hope that Severus was as pleased with the arrangement as she was.
It had become a game of sorts, between the three of them, to pick the stories they read before putting Atticus to bed. They each got to pick one, but they all had to agree on the order in which they were read. If a unanimous decision couldn't be made, new books were selected and the process started again. It involved lots of giggles, good-natured teasing, and far more time than was likely necessary.
Severus favored wizarding story books, because he thought they were infinitely superior to the tattered muggle stories his mother used to occasionally read to him. Hermione preferred the fairy tales and picture books her own mother had read to her. Atticus changed his mind about which he preferred nearly a dozen times a week, and the adults took it as a personal compliment when he was on their side, despite knowing he would defect to the enemy in a matter of hours.
That night, Atticus had chosen a muggle book (Severus suspected a bribe had been made, possibly involving cookies), and after much happy bickering, the order was chosen. Babbity Rabbity was first, Where the Wild Things Are was second, and Atty's choice, the Three Little Bears, was last. Severus gave each character unique, silly voices, pausing dramatically at crucial points and adding in well timed tickles for good measure. Hermione read Wild Things, pressing kisses to Atty's head as she recited the story from memory, only looking at the book to enjoy the pictures. Severus would have been happy to let Hermione read Three Little Bears, which he declared a ridiculous story, but Atticus insisted, and he gave in. All through the story, he gave critical commentary that made Atticus giggle.
Who walks into someone else's home and eats their food?
How can a chair be too soft?
What kind of child decides to take a nap in a stranger's bed?
She's lucky the bears didn't eat her.
By the time he was done, Atticus was rolling between them, his belly laugh making them both smile.
"You're too hawd!" He pushed at Severus' chest. "An you're too soft!" He pushed at Hermione's. Then he patted his own. "I'm juuuust wight!" He looked down at the book, scrutinizing the picture on the cover of the little girl and the three bears. He pointed to the first one, then up at Hermione. "Mummy beaw." He pointed at the little one, then at himself. "Baby beaw." Severus' heart began to pound. Atticus pointed a the biggest bear. Then he pointed at Severus, his head cocked to the side curiously. Severus' hands began to tremble and he pressed them against his thighs to hide it. "Daddy beaw?"
His wide eyes went from Atticus to Hermione, barely daring to breathe. He heard Hermione's own breath catch beside him. Neither of the adults moved. Atticus looked between them, confused. He laid his little hand against Severus' chest. "Daddy beaw?" he asked again.
"If-" his voice was nearly too hoarse to speak. "If your mother doesn't mind." He didn't dare look at Hermione's face, but he saw Atticus turn to look at her for approval. She nodded. Atticus jumped into Severus' lap and began to chant happily.
"Daddy beaw! Daddy beaw! Daddy beaw!"
Severus wrapped his arms around the little boy and pulled him in for a tight hug. He realized there were tears burning in his eyes and he blinked furiously to keep them back. After a moment, Atticus squirmed to get free. He patted Severus' cheek. "Siwwy Daddy beaw." Then he threw himself at his mother and pleaded for another story.
It was a good thing that Atticus had turned to Hermione to make his request, because Severus would have denied him absolutely nothing in that moment. Another story, a gallon of ice cream, a stable of ponies, the stars themselves. He watched, still stunned, as Hermione managed to calm Atticus down and tuck him into bed. She kissed his forehead.
"Night night, baby. I love you."
"Ni ni mommy. Love you." Severus leaned down to kiss him goodnight as well.
"Sleep well, Atticus," he whispered. "I love you."
"Ni ni daddy beaw. Love-" a yawn interrupted him, and he didn't try to smother it. "You too." The he stuffed the foot of his blue bunny in his mouth and closed his eyes. Hermione and Severus left the room, closing the door softly behind them. They only made it two steps from the door when Severus pulled her to a stop.
"You truly don't mind?" he asked, realizing his hands were still shaking and not bothering to hide it any more. Hermione cupped his face in her hands and smiled.
"Of course not. I'm so happy." She kissed him and was crushed against him when he wrapped both arms around her and lifted her off her feet. He kissed her back, then buried his face against her hair while he held her and tried to embrace the beautiful gift he'd just been given.
When he felt like he had his legs under him once again, he carted Hermione to her room, cast a silencing spell, and fell into bed with her. He took his time worshiping her body, expressing his gratitude that she'd come into his life with hands and cock and tongue. She shuddered through her third climax before he collapsed beside her, spent and exhausted. While they caught their breath, he kissed her hand, exactly as he had the night in the library months ago. The center of her palm, the tip of each finger, and her knuckles, then drew her hand up to cup his cheek. She pulled his hand to her lips and repeated the gesture back.
"Move in with me," he whispered to her softly. Hermione turned her head and smiled.
"I already live with you."
"You know what I mean, witch. Move downstairs. Sleep in my bed every night. We can turn the guest room next to it into Atticus' room."
Hermione studied him closely, feeling out his sincerity. Then she nodded. "Alright. Yes." Severus let out a very undignified whoop of happiness and couldn't be arsed to regret it. "But Severus, if we do this, we are truly abandoning all pretense that I'm the estate manager. I don't want to keep accepting wages for it."
He had anticipated that, and nodded. "I understand. Give me three more months. It will have been a year since you and I started this thing between us. If everything is still going well, and sharing a living space hasn't driven either of us away, then I'll officially fire you." Hermione laughed, wrinkling her nose.
"Fired sounds so unpleasant. Can't I just resign?"
Severus sighed dramatically. "I suppose, but I had high hopes for firing you."
"Oh?"
"I would call you into my lab, tell you what a naughty girl you've been, and that I'm left with no choice but to fire you. And then you can use every tool at your disposal to try and change my mind." He waggled his brows suggestively.
"Every tool?" Hermione breathed, arching towards him.
"Indeed," he murmured.
"Imperio it is, then," she said with a laugh, pushing a pillow in his face. He growled and rolled her onto her back, pinning her to the bed beneath him.
"Impertinent witch. I believe that some discipline is in order."
Hermione's cheeks flushed and her pupils went wide with desire. "Spanking, or will I be tied up?" she asked breathlessly. Severus kissed her hard, then leaned down and whispered in her ear.
"Both."
