Severus tucked Hermione into his side as he effortlessly guided her to the ballroom. They danced closely, Severus with his arms around her waist, Hermione with hers around his neck. She was pressed as closely to him as she could get, and neither of them made any move to fix it.
"Cinnamon," she chuckled randomly, making Severus pull back and give her a curious look. "Your aftershave, it has hints of cinnamon." She took a deep breath, "I've been trying to figure it out for days now."
He frowned suddenly, his arms tightening around her slightly, "Has it been affecting you?"
"No," she smiled. "I quite like it."
Severus relaxed only to stiffen moments later when a voice pulled them from their bubble.
"May I have the next dance, Mione?"
Hermione smiled at Severus before turning in his hold to face Harry, who looked a bit bewildered.
"Of course Harry," looking at Severus she winked and reached up to kiss his cheek, "Save me another?"
"Always," he whispered in her ear just before gently aiming her towards Harry. "Potter," he nodded.
"Professor," Harry nodded in return. Severus passed Hermione's hand to him and gave her a small smile before leaving the dance floor. Harry took her into his arms and shuffled her into the next dance. He was quiet for a while, but eventually, he couldn't help himself, "Snape?"
Hermione laughed, "Yes."
She let him process the information while they danced.
"Is he kind to you?"
"Oh yes," she smiled. "There is a side to him..." she sighed, "he's amazing to me, Harry."
"That is all I care about. You deserve someone who makes you happy and treats you with kindness." Hermione smiled up at him, "Except now I owe Sirius 10 galleons."
"What?" Harry laughed and escorted her off the dance floor towards Ginny, "Gin!"
The redhead turned and all but ran to Hermione, her hands reaching for her stomach. "Hermione! You look stunning tonight!"
"So do you!" Hermione gushed. Ginny's hands were still on her stomach, and she smirked, "I forgot you haven't had a chance to really see it yet."
Harry snorted, "That dress makes it impossible to miss."
"You're still tiny, Mione," Ginny smacked her husband. "Have you felt movement yet?"
Hermione nodded, "We have. Just the once, though."
Ginny shared an amused look with her husband before looking back at Hermione, "We? As in you and a certain potions professor?"
But Hermione waved her off, "It's really only me who can feel it, but it's very active when he's talking." Neither of her best friends believed her, her smile was too telling.
They continued talking for a while, Ginny and Harry asking her a number of questions about her and Severus, whether she was really staying in his house, how she liked it, and a whole manner of other things. She let them, knowing they were curious, but like with Narcissa and Draco, she kept her answers vague for Severus's sake. Eventually, she smiled, feeling his approach, but she continued her conversation until she felt his hand on the small of her back.
"Dinner will be starting soon," he whispered in her ear.
"Oh?" she smirked, turning to face him, "And where will we be seated?"
His lips quirked up at her question, and he pulled her a little closer, "At the front with Draco and Cissy," he faced her friends, "along with Mr. and Mrs. Potter, I do believe." He nodded at them and received only smirks in return. "Shall we?"
The couple followed them to the head of a table where Draco and Narcissa were already seated. Draco stood to greet them, and when he released her, she walked over and kissed Narcissa on the cheek before taking her seat beside Severus. Harry and Ginny were seated across from them, smirks on their faces that rivaled Draco's.
When dinner appeared, Hermione immediately held her breath, overwhelmed by the scents that had assaulted her. Severus seemed to be the only one to notice, although she tried not to be too noticeable.
"Look at me," she did as he bid. Just as he swiped something under her nose, the smells immediately dissipated. She instantly looked relieved, and he grinned, "I take it worked?"
"You are amazing," she breathed. "Were you carrying that for me?"
"Yes. Here and at school in case the Great Hall gets too overwhelming."
He looked unsure of himself suddenly, and she grabbed his hand and squeezed, "Amazing man."
His grin became a proper smile at her words, and they returned to their dinner. It was delicious, but Hermione almost groaned as their dessert appeared in front of them. Narcissa had ensured she got her favorite, but her apple pie paled at the moment compared to the chocolate cake in front of Severus. He noticed her gaze and smirked again before swapping their plates. Hermione was so overwhelmed with excitement that she couldn't stop herself from leaning over and kissing his jaw before taking a bite and moaning.
"Would you like a bite?" she asked when she saw him watching her with hungry eyes, "It was yours after all." He nodded and she let him scoop up a bite, he ate it never taking his eyes off her but Hermione noticed his eyelids twitch and knew he'd only kept them open with great effort. "Delicious, yeah?"
"Yes," he responded in a husky voice, making a blush crawl up her neck. He coughed and brought them back to the reality that others were around them, and her blush deepened, noticing their small audience. Severus didn't seem to notice but she knew he did, he just didn't care.
When everyone was finished, people began to mingle and dance again. Severus led Hermione through countless dances before she rested her head on his chest, exhausted.
"Can we go home?" she asked against his robes. Severus smiled hearing her words and without answering, led her to the edge of the dance floor where they begun their goodbyes.
"You'll be over tomorrow, right, Mione?'
She leaned in and gave Ginny a hug, "Of course, I can't miss Christmas at the Burrow."
"Will you be coming to, Professor Snape?" Ginny asked.
"Severus," he corrected making Ginny smile, "I will consider it, I'm not used to big get togethers." Ginny raised a brow and motioned around the room, "Big family get togethers," he amended with a smirk.
Harry chuckled, "Well you are always welcome Pro-Severus," he turned to Hermione and kissed her forehead, "We'll see you tomorrow."
They found Draco and Narcissa next and after another set of goodbyes and thank you's Hermione led Severus up the stairs. Draco gave them permission to use the floo in his study so she could grab her things from her room and check in on Scorpius before leaving. Severus kept his hand on her back until they reached the landing. He stopped just outside her room and watched from the doorway as she moved around the room comfortably.
"Your room I take it?" he asked as she made her way back to him.
Hermione shrugged, "I suppose. It's the room Narcissa gave me when I stayed and helped with Scorpius."
"Did you really do all that for Draco?" her brows furrowed in confusion, "Stay with Scorpius, then sober him up and help him?"
"Oh," she smiled fondly at the memory, "Yes. They needed me, and, in a way, I needed them."
"And what happened to you here?"
They turned down the hall only to stop by a door right next to hers. She looked up at him, rubbing her arm absently. Severus noticed earlier that she hadn't glamoured it, in fact the more he thought about it she hadn't been glamouring it for weeks. At least not in his presence. I'm scared too, Severus rang in his ears.
"At the time, I just tried not to think about it and avoided the downstairs as best I could. Now," she shrugged," its not so bad but I still haven't been able to step into the drawing room. Even though I know Narcissa remodeled it."
Severus searched her eyes for something and raised his hand to her cheek, smiling when she leaned into it slightly.
"Go check on Scorpius so we can go home."
A shiver ran through her, and she nodded, reaching for the door handle. This time, he followed her in and watched as she used his arm to steady herself. She stepped out of her heels and tiptoed over to Scorpius's crib. His heart skipped a beat as he watched her smile into the crib and bend down just enough to plant a soft kiss on Scorpius's head before looking up at him with a smile he felt was meant just for him. Using his arm again, she reclaimed her heels, and he led them to Draco's study, where he pulled her close and called out for Spinners End.
When they stepped into the living room, she sighed, and they immediately started up the stairs. Severus smirked when she walked past the guest room without a glance and walked into his room. He moved to the closet while she sat on his favorite chair and removed her shoes again. Hermione tried to keep her gaze to herself as she walked to the bed and started summoning her clothes from her beaded bag. Using her wand, she pulled the silver vines from her curls and set them on the bedside table, mentally reminding herself to send them to Draco.
She tried to reach for her zipper only to feel warm hands on her spine a moment later.
"Let me, little witch."
And she did. She kept her forearm across the front of the gown to keep it up but shivered when the cool air touched her back. She heard Severus inhale sharply just before his warm fingers touched a scar she knew was now visible. Turning to look at him over his shoulder, she smiled, "I told you, I'm scarred too."
Grabbing her clothes she walked into the bathroom, not bothering to close the door she did her best to shimmy out of the gown before sending it to the bed and stepping into her pajama's. Using the proper spell, she removed the makeup from her face and stepped back into the bedroom, where she saw Severus hanging her gown in the closet.
When he emerged, he shrugged, "Cissy will kill me if you wrinkle it by putting it in that bag of yours."
She knew it was true but her heart raced hoping he'd put it in there for another reason too. Thinking of Narcissa her hands touched the pendent on her neck and smiled before taking it off and setting it on the bedside table.
Severus noticed and smiled, "She gave you her necklace."
"I told her it should stay in the family, but she insisted on telling me it was," she fingered it before wiping her eyes and crawling into the bed. "They've been too good to me. I don't deserve everything they try to bestow on me."
"She sees you as her daughter," Severus said. "Did you know she was pregnant once after Draco?" Hermione's eyes softened as she shook her head, "It was a girl. She was so excited, but she lost it just out of the first trimester. They never tired again. She was very happy about Astoria, and I think you have created a spot for yourself as her daughter, just as you have with Molly."
"I'm honored." Severus smiled as he dimmed the lights and crawled into bed beside her. But when he pulled her closer, she stiffened, and he looked at her, his smile falling slightly. "I-I may have a nightmare," she whispered, refusing to meet his eyes, "I should probably stay in the guest room just in case."
"Nonsense, it won't bother me to have you wake me."
She looked up at him with doe eyes, "You're sure?"
"I'm sure," he pulled her into him and kissed her forehead. "It's not like I don't notice how often you get up for the loo in the night. Sleep, little witch, I've got you. Both of you."
His words sent a shiver up her spine, and Hermione wasted no time burrowing into him. Like usual, his hand touched her stomach, which pressed into his abdomen, before coming to rest on her hip.
True to her warning, Hermione bolted upright in the bed in the middle of the night, a cold sweat covering her exposed skin. Severus woke up to the feel of her starting to shift in her sleep and loosened his hold on her just enough to keep from hurting her if her movement became violent. When she sat upright, a small cry escaped her, a pang of guilt ripped through him. Hermione didn't even look at him as she shakily got out of the bed, braced the bathroom doorway, and disappeared from view. The door swung mostly closed, but he could hear her trying to control her breathing, choked sobs leaving her every so often. He was a second away from going to get her when he heard the shower start, and he relaxed back onto the bed.
But he listened the entire time, just in case she needed him. When the shower cut out, he got up from the bed, grabbed a shirt from his dresser, and her beaded bag.
"Hermione," he stuck the shirt and bag through the crack in the door, "Here, love."
Behind the door, Hermione smiled slightly, hearing him, and took the offered items. Seeing his shirt, she buried his nose in it before slipping it over her body. Then, she summoned new knickers and shorts from her bag. Freshly dressed, she stepped into the bedroom and smiled, seeing him sitting up in bed, nervously fiddling with his fingers. When he saw her, his worry dissipated, and a smile touched his eyes, seeing that she'd chosen to wear his shirt.
"You didn't have to get up," she whispered as she charmed her hair dry and crawled back into the bed.
"I couldn't sleep knowing you may-" he stopped abruptly, his cheeks darkening in the dim light.
"Need you?"
"I was going to say 'help'."
She leaned forward and kissed his jaw, "Same thing," she whispered against his skin. Placing another kiss on his skin, she pulled them back down as he pulled her to his chest, him on his back with her against him.
"May I ask what it was about?"
Hermione was quiet for a moment but eventually spoke, "The Manor. I usually have one after a trip there, although not always."
His grip on her tightened, and she smiled into his skin. He kissed her hair just as his left arm came across his abdomen and settled on her belly. When he did, the baby moved against his hand slightly. He gasped, making Hermione giggle.
"You felt it?"
"Just barely.." he looked at her covered stomach in awe. "Has it been moving a lot today?"
"No," she sighed.
"That's the first? With me?"
"Yes.." she breathed, and he sighed. "Is that alright?"
His fingers lifted her chin so her golden eyes met his obsidian ones, even in the dark. "I'm honored," he repeated back to her. Hermione shivered, hearing his baritone voice settle over her. Reaching up, she kissed the side of his mouth and set her head back on his chest.
"There is no one better to experience it with," she sighed, relaxing fully against his body as his hand returned to rest on her stomach, his other hand under her neck, playing with her curls.
The following morning, they both woke up early as usual, but instead of getting up, they just lay there. They both got up to use the loo, but each got back into the bed, and they resumed their position without so much as a shared word. Hermione lay on her side against the length of his body, her legs tangled with his, one of his hands on her arm, which was laid across his diaphragm, and the other under her neck, running softly up and down her spine, causing Hermione to shiver every so often.
"What time are you going to the Burrow?"
"Around lunchtime," she answered. He didn't respond, but he reached for his wand and cast a quiet tempus, which told them it was already ten in the morning. They'd stayed in bed for about two hours, just lying there together. Looking up at him, she smiled, "We should get up, have some breakfast, and open what presents are downstairs."
He nodded in return, looking into her eyes, but neither of them moved. Suddenly a smirk touched his lips and he waved his wand again. Before she could ask what he'd done, presents came through the door and deposited themselves on the bed. When she gave him an amused look, he shrugged.
"I'm comfortable."
Hermione laughed into his side and sat up when she regained her senses. Severus sat up beside her while she separated the gifts. They each had a small pile and they opened them quietly until they each only had one left. Noticing they'd both saved one another's gift, they shared a smirk before she nodded to him, "Open it," pulling her feet under her, she watched him closely as he unwrapped the box she'd given him. When he lifted the lid, she bit her lip as he inspected the vials she'd created for him.
Severus quirked an eyebrow at her as he withdrew a vial for further inspection. They looked much like regular vials, but they had a silver rim, and he could feel the magic in them.
"I charmed them to keep indefinitely and for the name of the potion to inscribe on the silver rim when it's been filled. They also won't shatter or crack." Her voice was soft as his thumb traced over the bottom where his name was etched in her writing. "So no one can take them.." she whispered, searching his face for any sign of what he thought. He remained silent, and she felt her stomach drop, "I know you probably have thousands of potion vials, but I-"
"They're wonderful, Hermione." He interrupted her, rambling with a smile. Placing the vial back in the box, Severus turned and kissed her cheek with one hand cradling the other side of her face, "Thank you."
Her smile was infectious, and she couldn't keep it from stretching. Severus grinned seeing it as he picked her own smaller gift up, "Your turn."
Slowly unwrapping the paper, she gasped, lifting the lid.
"It's a bit Slytherin but it was my mothers," he spoke from beside her making her snap her head up as she put the hair clip into her palm. He was right, it was very Slytherin with two silver snakes twisted together, small emeralds in the place of their eyes. The design was too detailed and intricate to be anything but handcrafted.
"Severus...I can't accept this," she sighed.
His eyebrow quirked up, "Do you not want it?"
"No," she pulled the clip closer to her, "I love it!" He smirked, "But..if it was your mothers..you should save this so someone-" she frowned looking down at the beautiful hair clip in her hand and swallowed the new lump in her throat, "for someone else..."
Severus watched her as she held the clip, a finger tracing over the snakes, a small smile on her lips. When she spoke, he saw her eyebrows pull together as she sucked her lip between her teeth. He could tell she liked it, even before she said so, but he didn't understand her hesitation until she said it. The witch thought he should give it to someone important in his life. She didn't realize that's exactly what she was doing.
"Hermione, I want you to have it," his hand came back up to rest on her cheek, his thumb on her jaw. "It should be with someone who will actually use it and not in a box in a drawer. Family heirlooms should be worn."
When his hand touched her cheek, she automatically leaned into it.
"It's a family heirloom Severus, it should stay in the family."
"What did Cissy say to you when you said that about the necklace?"
His lips quirked up as she answered, "That it was," and she smiled. "I really do love it, Slytherin, though it may be."
He laughed. A real, from the belly laugh and Hermione felt herself swoon at the sound. Her stomach fluttered and, before she realized she'd done so, she leaned up on her haunches and planted a light kiss on his lips. His laughter stopped instantly and he froze. Pulling back she gave him a shy smile.
"Thank you."
Still taken aback by the fact that she'd kissed him, he only nodded.
"I should get ready," she blushed, moving from the bed. "Do you mind if I take a bath?" He shook his head, still incapable of speech. "Alright," she smiled.
She moved to get out of the bed, but his hand was enclosed on her wrist. Facing him with a confused look, she didn't have to ask what he wanted because his other hand was resting on her cheek the moment she turned. Leaning into it, she smiled at him and closed her eyes. A small sigh escaped her when she felt his lips on her seconds later. They were gentle and much softer than she'd ever expected them to be. It was over quickly but she didn't mind, it was perfect.
As she opened her eyes she smiled at him and he returned it, "Go bathe, I'll start some breakfast for us."
Nodding she moved off the bed, setting her new hair clip on bed side table beside her necklace she grabbed her beaded bag and walked into the bathroom before her nerves got the better of her. When the door was closed and she'd started the water she began to calm but she couldn't keep the smile off her face as she sank into the water.