"Daddy, will the babies come tomorrow?"

"I doubt it, son. It would be early."

Harry was helping his parents with the tree, now that it was December. He was decorating the lower branches with his favorite ornaments, while his parents did the higher branches. Lily levitated a glass dove near the top of the tree, and Severus reached down into the box for a candy cane ornament.

"Be careful, Sev."

"I'm alright, Alpha." Severus straightened up and rubbed his back. It was sore these days, from how swollen his belly was. He was due in a matter of weeks, not that that stopped Harry from asking all the time if the twins were ready to come out. He'd been asking for months.

"Mummy, can I have cocoa tonight?"

"You can, if you finish your vegetables at dinner."

"No, I'll be full before I eat those."

"In that case, you'll be too full for cocoa."

"No I won't!"

"Then you'll have room for vegetables."

Severus smiled as his wife and son debated, reaching for another ornament. Cocoa sounded good, actually. He'd been craving sweets, which coincided nicely with the holidays and gave him further excuse to do a lot of baking. Harry liked helping, even if just as a stirrer and taste tester. Severus was quite sure he was having girls, full of sugar and spice. He loved being pregnant, but he couldn't wait to be holding his daughters next Christmas.

"Daddy, lookit!" Harry pointed at the decorations lining Diagon Alley, like the big candy canes with stripes that swirled around and around, the holly and berries that squeaked when you touched them, and the fairy lights filled with real fairies. If it wasn't for Severus holding his hand, Harry would have run all over town exploring everything.

"I see it." Severus looked at the dancing gingerbread men in the window of a bakery, next to another gingerbread man juggling gumdrops. If Harry hadn't pointed it out, he might have missed it. Harry noticed everything.

"Daddy, can we go in there?" Harry pointed to a shop with toys in the window, some of which were waving at him.

"Perhaps later, Harry. We have a lot of things to get first." He knew if he took Harry in there it would not be a quick trip, and they had all their shopping to do. Plus, Harry was sure to beg for a toy or three, and they were trying not to spoil him too much.

"For five minutes?"

"We can go in for five minutes after we get everything else."

"Can we go in for five minutes now?"

"No, son."

Harry pouted and whined for a while, but once they entered a shop and he saw all the holiday gadgets and tools on display, he got distracted. Severus selected some gifts, a few things for the kitchen and some festive decorations for the house. He could put them up before Lily came home from work, as a surprise.

"Harry, what do you think of these cookie cutters?"

"Are they for sugar cookies?"

"Yes, and any kind of cookie we want, and for the tops of pies."

"I like that one." Harry pointed out one of the cutters in the shape of a star.

"Alright, we'll get them."

No one bothered the gravid Omega as he made his purchases, but someone was giving him looks as he waddled away from the shop with his little boy in tow. He recognized the wizard immediately: James Potter. He recognized the expression, too - jealousy.

Potter had clearly had a crush on Lily when they were at Hogwarts and had tried to win her over, but his arrogance had repulsed her, and when she presented as an Alpha they clashed even more as he struggled to deal with her dominance. Neither of them had been willing to budge to let the other be in charge, making it a simple matter for her to choose her childhood friend who happened to be a natural submissive.

Potter stepped up to him. "Can I ask how Lily is doing, or does she not allow you to speak in public?"

Severus glared right back instead of lowering his gaze, surprising him. "She is fine."

"Oh. Well, I can see she's been keeping you… busy." He glanced at Harry and then at Severus' very pregnant belly.

"She has, very easily," Severus said proudly.

"Daddy, who's that?" Harry piped up.

"Someone your mother dumped at school."

Potter glared again.

"What's dumped?" Harry asked.

"Actually, dumped is not the right word - she was never with him to begin with. Basically she chose to be with me instead of him."

"Of course she did! You're my daddy!"

Severus chuckled. "That's right, and she's the one that made me your daddy."

"Like how she put the babies in your tummy?"

"Yes, just like that."

"How?"

"I'll tell you when you're older."

"When I'm five?"

"Older than that." Severus fondly ruffled his son's thick hair, loving the sheer envy radiating from Potter.

"Pretty pathetic of you, Snivellus, gloating about getting knocked up."

"Well, I told her I wanted her babies, and she is happy to oblige." He smugly patted his belly. "I am perfectly happy to stay in her bed and let her do as she pleases with me. Every. Night."

It wasn't true that they made love every night - more like every week at that point - but Potter didn't need to know that. He grew red at Severus' gloating smile, which only pleased Severus more.

"I wanted kids with her too, you know," Potter retorted.

"Yes, but not the way an Alpha does it. She would have struggled to bear your children, but she has no trouble giving me as many as she wants. We're already halfway to half a dozen, perhaps we'll have that many. Or a full dozen."

Potter's red face turned green with envy and he looked as though he would love nothing more than to hex Severus to Sunday, but he couldn't possibly attack a pregnant Omega in public - not to mention Lily would have the legal right to have him prosecuted for attacking her mate. So he stormed off, muttering about stupid rabbits who needed to learn their place.

"Where's he going, daddy?"

"To an empty house, I'm sure. Come, we need to finish our shopping. Then we can go home and try our new cookie cutters."

"And cocoa?"

"Yes, we can have cocoa."

"Daddy?"

"Yes?"

Harry was sitting in front of the tree, eyeing the space underneath with longing. "When can I open presents?"

"Not until morning." Severus was as comfy as he could get on the sofa, holding his heavily swollen belly that took up his lap. He was due any day.

"Can I stay up until it's Christmas?"

"No, little boys need their sleep. If you don't, Father Christmas won't come."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

"What if I just take a nap? Will he come?"

"No, you have to sleep all night."

"Will he check?"

"Yes. That's how he knows if little boys have been good."

Harry glanced at the table where a plate of mince pies and a glass of sherry sat. "Why do we have mince pies? Can't we have cookies?"

"Those are for Father Christmas. He likes mince pies."

"And the drink?"

"He likes that too."

"Can I have some?"

"No, it's a grown up drink."

"Does mummy drink it?"

"Yes, she likes sherry." It was Lily's favorite kind, actually.

"Do you drink it?"

"Not often, and not since the babies were on the way."

Harry took another look at the pies - not as tempting as cookies would be - then got up and climbed onto the sofa, snuggling against his father who put an arm around him. "Daddy, when will the babies come out?"

"When they're ready, which should be very soon." He felt instinctively that he would be giving birth in a few days at the most.

"They've been in there a long time!"

"It seems that way, doesn't it."

"Did I take this long?"

"You were in more of a hurry. It seemed like I was barely due before you were coming. I only labored with you for a few hours, and then I had a lovely baby boy in my arms. You were impatient to be born, and you've been impatient ever since."

"Really?"

"Yes. Even in my tummy, you were always bouncing around like you were trying to get somewhere."

Harry giggled. "What about these babies?"

"Perhaps they will have more patience."

"Do you want them to have more patience, daddy?"

Severus gazed fondly at Harry's big green eyes. "That would be nice, but I want them to be themselves, just as you are yourself. They will come when they are ready, like you did."

"Don't you want the babies out of your tummy?"

Severus was dealing with some discomfort, but Omegas handle pregnancy aches quite well. "I don't mind. I like carrying mummy's babies. But I am looking forward to seeing them face to face."

"Are you gonna have half a dozen, like you told that man?"

"I hope so, if mummy gives me that many."

"What's half a dozen?"

"Six."

"What's a whole dozen?"

"Twelve."

Harry's eyes went wider. "Would I have to share my presents with twelve babies?"

Severus chuckled. "You will always have your own presents, just like your siblings."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

Lily came into the living room. "Time for bed, Harry! Let's put your jammies on."

"Daddy said I could stay up until Christmas!"

"Nice try. Now say goodnight to daddy."

Harry pouted a little, but Severus kissed his forehead. "Goodnight, Harry. I love you."

Harry hugged him. "Goodnight, daddy. Will you come tuck me in?"

"Yes, I will."

Lily picked up Harry and carried him to his room as he peppered her with more questions. Severus sat back and looked at the tree, all lit up. He couldn't say he was nearly as excited as his son was, but he was definitely looking forward to the next day. He would watch Harry open his presents and see his face light up, they would eat delicious food together, perhaps play in the snow. Perhaps he and Lily would have their own private celebration after Harry went to bed; a little encouragement for the babies to come out as well.

He stroked his belly thoughtfully. He'd been feeling mild practice contractions off and on all day, as he had for weeks. The twins were coming soon. He couldn't wait. Yet it seemed cozy somehow to be pregnant at Christmas, like when he was expecting Harry. It was a reminder of how their family was growing, how much Lily loved him, and how full his life was now. He wouldn't trade this for all of Potter's riches or all the gold in Gringotts. When had he ever been this content?

He levitated one of the mince pies to himself and bit into it. Lily would drink the sherry later, and help him eat the pies. Assuming he left any for her.

"I thought he would never go to sleep," Lily laughed as she climbed into bed. "He was so excited he was practically jumping on the bed."

Severus smiled, tucked in with several pillows. "I think he'll be happy with what he finds tomorrow."

"I think so too." Lily settled in beside him and kissed him. "How are you feeling, love?"

"I feel good."

"Even after all those pies?" She grinned and rubbed his big belly. "You only left one for me."

"Actually, I may have had one too many."

"Don't worry, I can't tell." She patted his swollen stomach. "You look so good like this, Sev. Just perfect."

"You like it, Alpha?"

"I love it. You're so plump and rosy with my babies in you. Makes me want to have you pregnant every Christmas."

"That's fine with me."

Lily laughed at his calm, happy expression. "Are you happy, Sev?"

"Yes. Very happy."

"Good." She kissed him again. "We have a lot to look forward to tomorrow. Better get some sleep before Harry wakes us up. Goodnight, Sev."

"Goodnight, Alpha."

They fell asleep in each other's arms, thinking about the day to come.