AN: Thank you for all the support! It is very deeply appreciated!

One of Severus' favorite moments of the day was returning home from a long day at his apothecary. The first reason was obvious: he was away from dunderheaded customers who asked asinine questions, couldn't follow the simplest of instructions, and refused to put items back where they belonged. The less time he spent with them, the happier he was.

The second reason was the most important; he was eager to return him was Hermione and the children. Every evening, they waited by the fireplace for him. The second he stepped out of the fireplace, he would be swarmed by his two oldest, eager to tell him about their day. Hermione would stand in the background, waiting for them to finish. For someone who had never been wanted or appreciated anywhere, it was touching for his family to desire his presence.

"Daddy, it happened!" Victor cheered as Severus stepped through the hearth.

"What happened?" He asked, too distracted to wipe the soot from his robes.

"I finally learned how to multiply by two." Victor was practically jumping at his father's knees, holding a piece parchment as high as he could "Look, I really did it!"

Severus took it from his hands, ignoring the soot on his robes. Even though Victor made a few mistakes, for the most part he had mastered the material. He'd always known his seven year old son was smarter than any of the first years he'd taught.

"Sure, he multiplied by two, but I read a book with only four pictures," Rose held up a book of a cat in a top hat on the cover.

"Only four pictures," Severus' grin grew. "You are both exhibiting your mother's brilliance."

"There's no need to give me all the credit. Their brilliance comes just as much from you as it does from me," Hermione stepped out, holding a bundle of blankets in her arms.

"I would like to think you would not be dumb enough to marry a dunderhead," He winked at his children. In response, they giggled.

Hermione looked at her oldest children, who were now hugging his legs. "You may want to back away from your father. He probably wants to rub the soot from his robes. You wouldn't want him to remain dirty because you wouldn't release him, would you?"

"I would prefer not to drag dust everywhere anyway." Severus glanced at his children, who had just dirtied their shirts. He suppressed a sigh. No matter how often he told his children to wait until he brushed himself off before embracing him, at least twice a week they soiled their clothes from doing that very thing. He couldn't bring himself to scold them. How could he ever discipline either of his children for making him feel as if he was an adequate father?

"How has your day gone?" Hermione approached him as he dusted himself off.

"Well all things considered." He continued to wipe himself off. "Although the Christmas rush is going to drive me to madness."

"Christmas rush?" Rose cocked her head. "It's only November 4th."

"I know," he answered. "But everyone wants to shop ahead of the crowds."

"Doesn't that create more crowds?"

"It does, but because people are not as intelligent as you are. Thus, they create the very situation they intended to avoid." He looked at the bundle of blankets in his wife's arms. "How are you today, Violet?"

The baby opened her black eyes and gave him a crooked smile.

"Have you been napping enough to allow your mother to get some sleep" He asked.

"No," Victor muttered. "She just cries a bunch."

He turned to Hermione, who had dark circles under her eyes.

"The sooner we start brewing that gas-relieving potion the better. She cries so much she becomes gassy. It can't be helping her mood."

He looked at his children. "How you two been quiet and allowing her to sleep?"

"We try, but she doesn't like sleeping," Rose argued.

"Yes," Hermione yawned. "She won't sleep unless everything is silent, and even then, it's only for a few hours before she's awake and screaming once more."

"I do apologize on her behalf," he kept his attention on Violet. "You should allow your mother and siblings to get some rest. Everyone will be much happier if you do."

Violet gave him the most innocent look she could muster. It was unclear why staying up and crying was bothering everyone. Didn't they know that all the exciting things happened when one was awake? Besides, it wasn't her fault her stomach hurt after awhile. What was wrong with making everyone aware of this fact?

"That being said, you got something via owl this afternoon." Hermione shifted the blankets until she could pull out a small envelope.

He glanced at the sender. "The Potions Hall of Fame?"

"Where's that?" Rose asked.

"In London."

"Ooh," Rose's eyes grew. "Can we go there?"

"Not anytime soon," he unfurled the envelope, being careful not to break the seal. Then, he glanced over it, his eyes growing brighter with every word.

"What does it say?" Hermione asked.

"It says I am the youngest potions master ever to be admitted into the Hall of Fame, and win the lifetime achievement award."

"Oh that's wonderful!" Hermione exclaimed.

"You did it!" Victor cheered. "You got a prize!"

"What happens now?" Rose asked.

"It means we're going to a ceremony where I will receive my reward, in front of a group of the most prominent potions masters in the world."

"So we can go to the ceremony and meet all the greatest potions masters ever?" Rose cheered.

Severus stared at his wife, the words, "greatest potions masters ever," echoing in his brain. Wasn't his daughter away she had spent the entire day with one?

"Yes, we will," The smile evaporated from Severus' face as he considered all the aid Hermione had given him over the years.

"I'm so thrilled for you." His wife's face was glowing, not a drop of insincerity to be found in her voice or demeanor. "I know you've felt under appreciated for years, despite doing so much for the Wizarding World. You are more worthy of this prize than anyone I know."

"Indeed," he kept his eyes on her. "Though I don't necessarily feel that way."

"No, you are worthy of this prize and nobody should tell you otherwise," she kissed his cheek. "Don't ever forget your worth."

"Yes Daddy, it's so great you've won!" Rose exclaimed.

"Yes, I won," he didn't look away from Hermione, still dwelling on the words, all the greatest potions masters ever.

"We'll have to celebrate later in the evening." Hermione's eyes sparkled in mischief.

"We shall," he purred.

"How are you going to do that?" Rose asked.

"I'll start with this." He captured his wife's lips,

"Ew," Rose made a face. "i don't think I want to celebrate with you if you're doing that."

"Yeah, I'd rather have ice cream," Victor answered.

"We can do that after dinner." He stroked his partner's hair.

"But right now, we need to clean up so we can eat," Hermione answered.

"Okay," the children darted toward the bathroom to freshen up.

He kissed his wife once more, trying to ignore the nagging feeling that once again, his partner not only in life, but in brewing, had been overlooked.

There was something sacred about the way Severus and Hermione came together. They knew each other's bodies well. Both of them knew the way the other wanted to be touched, and what drove the other wild. He'd never imagined he could melt into someone, but he could with her. Somehow, two lonely people had found a way to become a bigger whole than either could have dreamed. They had created a wonderful life and amazing children together, things Severus never could've dreamed of before marrying her.

They also created potions which saved lives together. Together, they'd done things neither could have dreamed of doing alone.

Yet during his speech, his wife accomplishments would be reduced to a "thank you," and would be passed over for all he'd done, as if he'd accomplished everything alone.

He held her in his arms. She was fast asleep, an expression of genuine pleasure on her face. No matter how hard he tried to shut his eyes, they would always open, his thoughts not allowing him a moment's rest.

It wouldn't be incorrect to say he had never created potions without her. His copy of Advanced Potion-Making was evidence of what he could accomplish alone. He had plenty of patents to his name by the time he married Hermione. There were prototypes of potions he'd created without any input from her. Yet, she'd created as many, if not more, with him, than he had alone. The fact that in his eyes these potions were as, if not more, useful than what he'd created only exacerbated his distress.

The werewolf cure-she gave him the idea for the liquid silver. It was her idea to mix it with lavender, which was another key ingredient to finding the cure. The flu curing potion-he was missing a step in his prototype, and she's discovered the missing ingredient and missing steps in his calculations. The pain reliever for one took when ingesting skele-gro: it was her idea to produce the potion in the first place and she did the preliminary research necessary to create it.

Potion after potion raced through his mind, all of which he could not have created without her aid.

Yet there was no award for her.

Sure, she could win her place in the Potions Hall of Fame later in life. After all, most people didn't get in until they were seventy-five. He was an anomaly in how young he'd won it. Truth be told, after marrying a witch nineteen years his junior he was glad to be the youngest to do anything.

Was there a chance Hermione would have to wait until she was seventy-five to get recognized? What if she was a hundred and there was still no award? She wouldn't hold it against him if he won and she never did. Several times she said she brewed to help people, not win accolades. It was clear she was genuinely happy for him. Why should he be upset when she was not?

His mind wouldn't get off his dilemma. How many times had her accomplishments been overlooked? Harry Potter was the boy who lived. Few talked about the muggleborn woman who saved his life on numerous occasions. Women were rare in the potions field, and muggleborns even more so. A muggleborn woman as accomplished as Hermione should be celebrated, not shoved to the side in favor of discussing a halfblooded man's accomplishments.

A cry emanated from the other room. He kissed her on the forehead and whispered, "I'll get her."

"Thanks," she muttered not stirring from where she slept.

He left to take care of his daughter, still pondering his dilemma.

Hermione was going to be a blurb in this speech. There would be ten seconds at most thanking her, and then he would move onto his accomplishments, as if the contributions of a muggleborn woman didn't matter.

He stared at the blank parchment before him, trying to determine what to write. It was already difficult enough to speak about himself. How could he go on as if everything he'd ever created was his idea alone?

"Victor you can't throw the ball that hard," Rose snapped from outside his office door.

Severus bit back a groan.

"I'm sorry, but you need to catch it," Victor argued.

"I'd catch it if you didn't throw it so hard."

"You wouldn't think I throw it so hard if you could catch it."

Severus shook his head. He didn't know which was worse, refereeing this argument, or the fact he'd rather be doing that than writing this speech.

"I'm going to throw it, and I'm going to throw it the way you are supposed to," Rose argued.

"You're not going to throw it hard enough," he argued.

"Yes I will."

"No, you won't."

"Yes I will!

Severus flung open the door. "Neither of you should be throwing that ball in the house."

His children turned to him. Victor slumped while Rose bowed her head.

"What have I told you about playing catch inside?" Severus continued.

"We're sorry," Rose met his eyes. "Mum told us to play away from you so you could write your speech, so we thought we'd play catch."

"So you decided that in the spirit of allowing me to work, you'd play a game I didn't want you to play inside?"

"When you say it like that it doesn't sound so great," Victor admitted.

Severus sighed. "I wasn't getting any work done anyway. Why don't I take you two outside where you can play catch to your hearts' content?"

"We're not in trouble?" Rose smiled.

"No, you will not have desserts tonight for this transgression," he replied. "Yet I need a distraction. Perhaps playing outside will help."

"Okay," the children said in unison before darting down the hall. He huffed. It hadn't sunken in that there would be no dessert tonight. Hopefully when it did sink in there wouldn't be too much fuss or attempts to persuade him to relent.

Severus followed them outside, where they had forgotten about the ball and had taken to swinging. Due to Hermione having an accident on a swings in her youth, the children tended to swing only when their mother was absent. He wouldn't lie in saying there was something special in having a relatively safe activity only he and his children engaged in. As he watched them, he wondered how much longer they'd be this young, and how much longer they'd be proud of their former Death Eater Dad.

"Daddy?" Victor asked after he stopped the swing.

"Yes?" He answered.

"Do I have to wear formal robes during the ceremony?" He got off the swing and approached his father.

"Yes, you will."

"Will they be gray?"

"Do you want them to be gray?"

"No," the child swallowed. "I want them to be scarlet like Mum's."

"I'm amenable to that."

"You are?" His lips curled up.

"Certainly,"

"Oh thank you," he hugged him. "I was afraid you'd be upset that they weren't black."

"Why would I be upset about that?"

He shrugged. "Everyone knows you for wearing black, so I thought you'd want me to as well."

"Victor." He put a hand on his son's shoulders. "The bravest, most intelligent, and most caring woman I've ever met is from Gryffindor. It would be an honor for you to dress like her."

"Thank you." He gave him a grin.

"I wanna wear robes like yours," Rose argued from the swing.

"You may do so."

"Good, because I want to look like you."

"So you do," He chuckled.

"Do you wanna dig for treasure with me?" Victor released his father and wandered towards the sandbox.

"I do," Rose leapt from the swing, somehow managing not to twist her ankle. Then she rushed over to her brother's side.

He watched his children dig for an imaginary object. It never ceased to amaze him that they could be at each other's throats one minute, yet enjoy each other's company the next. He and Hermione had always worried that because they were only children they wouldn't know how to quell a sibling rivalry. It appears the children found ways to get along on their own.

"Rose, Victor."

The turned towards the mansion.

"What did I tell you two about allowing your father to work?" She asked, carrying a wide eyed Violet with her. "He needs time to think and write."

"No," he answered. "I've had time to think. I know exactly what I'm going to say."

"You do?"

"Yes," he brushed his lips against hers. "I do."

"I think this is the breakthrough we've been looking for," Hermione couldn't hide her smile as she leaned closer to him. "Antacid potions are too strong for a baby, but what if we focused on soothing the stomach another way?"

"How?" He scratched his chin. Somehow, he'd found a way to keep the children occupied with a board game while he and his partner snuck off to the library to research. Perhaps if he was lucky they could engage in other activities as well before the children were too bothered by their absence.

"Well, I was looking up soothing potions, and noticed hippogriff milk is used in some communities as a nausea reliever. If we could dilute it enough, and add a few more soothers, I think we'll have something we could use when Violet becomes too gassy."

"Intriguing," he hummed.

"Yes, this may be the lead we're looking for, and if we're lucky," she yawned. "We'll finally get a wink of sleep."

"Indeed."

"Mummy! Daddy!" Rose ran into the library.

"Is this an emergency?" Severus asked.

"No, but there's an owl at the kitchen window."

The parents followed their daughter into the kitchen. Severus took the letter and grinned. "I've been expecting this."

"Expecting what?" Hermione asked.

He unfurled it and smiled. Then he handed it to his partner.

"The Potions Hall of Fame?" Hermione asked. "Wh-why would they contact us again?"

"They're not contacting us," he replied. "They're contacting you."

"Me?" She raised an eyebrow. "Am I expected to do something for the ceremony?"

"It would appear that way."

"That's odd given I don't remember any other spouse playing a significant role." She began reading the parchment. Her eyes grew until she looked at her husband. "I-I don't understand."

"What does it say?" Rose asked.

"It says, 'Congratulations Mrs. Hermione Snape nee Granger. Due to your outstanding work in the field of potions, you will be admitted to the Potions Hall of Fame, along with your husband. With your entry, you will be the youngest person ever to obtain this award.'"

"You will be?" Victor stepped into the kitchen.

She kept her eyes on Severus. "Wh-what is going on?"

"I told them if they didn't admit you, I would refuse the award," he answered. "I laid out all of your accomplishments, as well as the other ways in which you have aided me in our research. They agreed with me that you should be the recipient of the award along with me."

"But this is your moment, the moment where you feel appreciated by the Wizarding World. You can't let me take that from you!"

"No." He held her close. "This is your moment, the moment where the world finally hears everything you have accomplished. You may make the speech, and I will sit beside you as you speak."

"But you're winning the award too. I can't take this moment from you."

"You won't take anything form me. I hate public speaking. They will find it much more pleasurable to hear from you."

"Well, I hate doing things alone when we should be doing them together."

"You don't need me to speak for you."

"But I'm not going to overshadow you, not after everything you've been through."

"Hermione…"

"No," she took his hand. "We'll do this together. We earned this together, so we'll bask in this moment together."

He nodded. "Yes, we'll do this together."

The ceremony was a greater success than Severus could have ever imagined. The children were awed by the ornate golden chandeliers, as well as by the moving portraits of the potions masters who had come before them. Rose was ecstatic to meet her living heroes, and Victor was happy to be wearing his new scarlet robes. Even Violet seemed too distracted by the stimuli to consider crying.

Hermione and Severus shared equal time speaking. Instead of a mere list of accomplishments, they detailed their brewing process as well as where they searched for inspiration. Then, they listed the people they wanted to thank, including the Malfoys, who had graciously agreed to sit with their children during the speech,. Most of all, they thanked each other.

They had created something bigger than themselves, and they'd done it together.

This was based off Pat Benatar's reaction to getting into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. When they told her both her and her husband were admitted, she told them she was grateful, since she didn't know what she was going to do if they hadn't admitted him. I've seen her in concert twice. Just an amazing lady, and mesmerizing performer!

Also, stay tuned tomorrow for my latest work! New Year, new story!