Christmas Gifts

Harry/Snape SLASH, mPreg!

Set in the same universe my other "Gift" stories. You don’t have to have read those to follow this installment but it might help.

Yeah, yeah, I know there are people out there wholly disappointed and irritated that I’m starting the third part of the trilogy before finishing the second part. I know this because I would be one of those people if I weren’t the one doing it.

But this doesn’t spoil the ending for the second part because they are not directly related. I’m just in a Christmas-y mood.

---

"Why is my daughter in a cardboard box?" Surprisingly Snape’s question was very calm and evenly worded.

"We’re getting the Christmas decorations out Papa!"

"I can see that." Severus took a tall box out of Harry’s arms, placing it with the other boxes spread over their living room floor. "Why are you carrying heavy boxes?"

"I wasn’t expecting you until lunch time, I thought you were finishing things up at the Ministry before your vacation time." Harry said with a grin, leaning up to kiss Severus lightly, earning a disgusted groan from Brychan.

"Eww, kissing."

Harry pulled away, laughing.

Snape stooped over to lift his daughter from the empty box she was sitting in. "So what? You box her when I’m not around?"

Tabitha squealed happily flinging her small body against her papa. Dimples appearing on her plump cheeks.

Harry rolled his eyes. "For your information your daughter pulled herself into the box, she’s been playing in it all morning."

Tabitha grabbed a handful of Snape’s chin length black hair in her little fist and pulled it towards her mouth.

Snape carefully detangled his hair from her grasp and picked up shiny red plastic ornament from one of boxes, waving it in front of the little girl until it caught her attention. She gurgled happily taking it in her hands. Snape watched her tenderly. He couldn’t get over how he had managed to produce such a beautiful little creature. Her hair was jet-black like his own, fine and incredibly soft, it was cut short at the neck and feathered out at the bottom in soft curls, her bangs were cut straight over her eyes. Harry’s eyes, no question, and just looking at them would create an almost painful ache in his heart.

"Papa see what we made?"

Snape turned his attention to their oldest child, at seven Brychan looked more like Harry every day, unlike Tabitha who resembled the women in the Snape family Brychan was a Potter through and through, except for his light brown eyes.

"Cranberries?"

"Mm-hmm." Brychan proudly held out the strands of cranberries.

"That’s quite creative love."

"It was Daddy’s idea. Apparently Muggles use them to decorate their trees."

"I’m sure it will look wonderful. I’ve heard sometimes they use popcorn too."

Brychan giggled madly at that, holding both hands over his mouth trying to stop his laughter.

Snape looked back and forth between his son and Harry, reading them like an open book. "You two ate all the popcorn."

Brychan nodded, "Daddy had his mixed with apple sauce and Tabby’s eggplant baby food."

Snape nose wrinkled in disgust, "I can’t believe your cravings get more revolting with each child." There was a pause and Snape’s frown deepened. "I can’t believe I kissed you after you ate that."

Harry immaturely stuck out his tongue, patting his stomach which was almost a ball under his forest green knit sweater. "It’s not like I can help it, this little one had interesting tastes."

Brychan interrupted by pulling on Snape’s sleeve. "Can we put the tree up tonight?"

"May we…"

Brychan rolled his eyes. "May we?"

The small toddler in his arms squealed, waving the red orb in the air.

"See!" Brychan insisted, "Even Tabby wants to!"

Brychan then turned slightly, and Snape caught a conspiring look pass between Harry and his son. Snape arched an eyebrow, skeptically. "Your dad already said we could trim the tree today, didn’t he?"

Brychan giggled, "Yep, but he said we had to let you think it was up to you."

"Oh did he?" Snape neared the two boys menacingly, shifting Tabitha to one hip. "Well then you guys better go get warm stuff on so we can go pick out a tree."

"Yes!" Brychan flashed the patented Potter smile and was off like a shot towards the front door. Harry already in his eighth month of pregnancy wasn’t far behind.

Snape looked down at Tabitha and she stared back at him, green eyes bright with intelligence. With a sigh he gave her a light kiss on the forehead. "Look at this mess Tabby. Decorations everywhere. I hate the Christmas season."

Tabitha giggled and have him a look at clearly said Liar.

………………

Snape held Tabitha close to his chest, pulling her winter hat lower over her forehead, noting her plump cheeks were rosy from the cold.

Brychan and Harry raced ahead through the lines of trees, weaving in and out and around, trying to find the perfect one. Snape had long given up on the hope seven or eight odd pounds of baby would somehow slow Harry down. He could still get around faster than a man in his condition ought to be able to.

Snape watched as Harry picked Brychan up, lifting the little boy up to brush the snow off the top of a perspective Christmas tree.

As they grew closer Tabitha wriggled, kicking her small boots back and forth, pointing towards the two. "Da!"

"Yes Daddy and Brychan are picking out a tree for Christmas."

"Tree!"

Snape looked up hearing the cheerful squeals of his son. Harry had him down on the ground and they were tickling each other, although Snape doubted they could feel much through their warm layered clothing. As Snape approached they both flopped onto their backs side-by-side, Harry showing the younger boy how to make snow angels.

"Look Papa, we’re angels!"

"One could only wish."

"Pardon me?" Harry asked grinning, having heard him perfectly well.

"You two make wonderful angels."

At Tabitha’s insistent squirming Snape set her down on her feet right next to her dad’s chest. She promptly feel forward, face-first, into the snow. Harry reached for her quickly but Brychan beat him to it, lifting Tabitha on to his lap. She started screaming, fat tears rolling down her cheeks. Snape moved in to comfort her but again Brychan had it covered. He carefully wiped the snow off her face and brushed it off her dark green cloak. "It’s okay Tabby, it’s just snow!"

Slowly Tabitha’s crying calmed and she watched, entranced, as her big brother made designs and shapes on the snowy ground cover.

Harry glanced up at Snape over their little ones’ heads and a look passed between the two men.

"Oh look at that one!"

Both men turned at Brychan’s announcement, he was pointing a brilliant looking tree, dark colour, full branches, with tons of space to hang things.

"Looks good." Harry agreed.

"Quite." Snape took his daughter back into his arms and followed behind Brychan to take a closer look. It didn’t take more than a few steps before he noticed Harry wasn’t coming along. Turning back he found Harry still on the ground, floundering.

"Harry?"

Trying to get to his feet was proving to be a challenge, what with the soft snowy ground and his center of weight entirely through off.

After several failed attempts to pull his cumbersome body from the snow he finally looked over at Snape who was watching.

"You find this amusing?"

"Perhaps." He answered with a smirk.

"Well perhaps you can amuse yourself with this memory in the months to come as you try to sleep on the couch!"

That’s all it took to get Snape over to his side and helping him up.

………………

"Isn’t it beautiful Papa?"

Snape took in the picture in front of him. Tabitha was in Harry’s arms, pulling candy canes of the tree as quickly as Harry could put them on, and Brychan stood on the other side of the tree, winding the last garland over the bottom branches.

"Beautiful." Snape agreed.

Harry smiled, setting Tabitha down so she could explore around the tree under their watchful eyes. Then he walked to his husband, stepping into his arms.

Harry stood so his back was against Snape’s chest. Snape’s hands lay possessively over the younger man’s swollen tummy. He rested his chin on Harry’s shoulder, in perfect position to meet Harry’s lips when he turned his head to the side. Unable to help himself Snape deepened the kiss, and Harry responded, parting his lips, feeling a tongue slip between his teeth.

They were jolted back to reality when a loud woosh of air escaped the chimney and puff of smoke plumed out from the fireplace. A dusty figure stepped out, brushing the ash off her clothing.

"Ginny!" Brychan squealed, rushing the young woman.

The youngest of Ron’s siblings bend down to give him a big hug, "Bry! Wow you must have grown a foot since I saw you last!" Then she swept Tabitha off the ground, giving the giggling toddler a loud smacking kiss.

"Gin! What are doing here?" Harry asked, pleased, coming over to give a welcoming kiss on the cheek.

"Didn’t your husband tell you?" Ginny set Tabitha down and placed her hands out over Harry’s stomach. "Wow, you’re huge, almost as big a Hermione when she had the boys!"

"Gee, thanks. And don’t try to change the subject, what was Severus supposed to tell me? And why do you have overnight bags?"

Snape came up beside them. "I wasn’t supposed to tell you anything. That, would have ruined the surprise."

"Surprise?" Harry asked eagerly.

"A trip, just you and me. A break if you will, before the hectic holiday and before baby number three shows up."

"A trip? Really? That’s sounds amazing… But what about the kids? It’s so close to Christmas, and I’ve never left Tabitha for more than a night."

"We’ve already talked about it. We’ll be back in four days, that’s the 23rd, plenty of time before Chirstmas, and Ginny’s going to watch the kids."

"You talked about it?"

"Yep," Brychan piped up, "Papa said you guys are going to go away and do horribly boring grown-up things and Tabby and I are going to spend the week here with Ginny and over at the Weaselys. Robby and Danny will be there!" Danny and Robby were Hermione and Ron’s oldest children, twins and four years Brychan’s senior, the younger boy idolized them. "Plus Papa said you’d buy us more gifts while you were gone."

"Go Harry." Ginny prodded, "We’ll be just fine! Won’t we?" She made a funny face, causing Tabitha to squeal gleefully and clap her hands.

"All right. What do I need to pack? Where are we going?"

"Already taken care of. Accio luggage." Two bags slid from the hall closet.

"You think of everything?"

"Don’t I always?"

"Mmm."

Both men gave the children kisses and hugs, and promises of coming home very soon, then with a waving Brychan and Tabitha in the window, they walked out into the night and apparated out of sight.

"Da, bye-bye?" Tabitha asked loudly looking up at Ginny.

"Da go bye-bye." Ginny confirmed in a bright, reassuring voice. "But he’ll be back."

Tabitha’s rose-bud lips trembled threateningly, a look of confusion on her small face.

"Oh no Tabby, it’s okay sweetheart. Daddy’s gone, but I’m here, and Brychan!" That didn’t help much, sniffling started. "…And… and ice cream! I’ve got ice cream!"

Tabitha relaxed slightly, "I’ cream?"

"Yep," Ginny grinned, finding a sure fire to keep the toddler happy. "Lots and lots of ice cream."

………………..

"Wow, that was a lot of ice cream!"

Ginny grinned at Brychan who was flopped down on the couch next to her; chocolate all over his mouth and cheeks. "Sure was."

"I don’t have a bed time now, you know, cause I’m seven."

"Nice try kiddo, but your father left a list of rules."

"A list?"

"13 pages long."

"Wow…"

Ginny laughed, "That’s what I thought."

There was a loud pop and a thump, followed by foot steps in the other room.

"Harry is that you? Told you not to worry, go and relax!"

"It’s not Harry!"

"Colin! Colin Creevey, what are you doing here?"

"Couldn’t leave my girl all alone in a strange house."

Ginny rolled her eyes, "You’re going to get us in trouble. What if Snape finds out?"

"He will never know… Will he?"

Ginny laughed at the lost of his confidence. She couldn’t blame him; years later risking the wrath of their former potions professor could still give her goose bumps.

"Who are you?"

Colin knelt down to Brychan’s level and formally held out his hand, "I’m Colin Creevey. I’m a friend of Ginny’s and of your dad’s."

Brychan shook his hand, "I’m Brychan Potter-Snape, and this is Tabitha."

"Well it’s nice to meet you both. Is it okay with you if I visit for a while?"

"Sure…if it’s okay with Ginny’s she’s baby-sitting us."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Only for an hour."

Tabitha had toddled her way to the new man and pulled on his pant leg. "UP!"

Colin lifted her in the air, "Hello there! Aren’t you gorgeous! Hey does she have a wand?"

Tabitha flashed him a sunny smile, waving the wand through the air.

"Yeah, it’s mine. She wanted to play with it. I figured she can’t do anything with it, she can barely make simply sentences."

"Wow I can’t believe she’s Harry and Snape’s."

Ginny stood next to them, tickling Tabitha’s tummy. "I know, sometimes I still can’t believe the two of them are together."

"And with two kids."

"Almost three."

"Almost three?"

"Yep Harry’s carrying their third."

"Wow." Suddenly he laughed out loud. "Can picture them back when we were in school, they hated each other."

Ginny snorted. "If someone had told them back then they’d be happily married parents together, they would have been Avada Kedavra’d."

"Man if I could have one Christmas wish it would be that Snape saw what the future held in store for him back then."

Tabitha giggled and babbled, slicing the wand through the air, the tip flared to life, passing over Colin. Then a bright flash filled the room. And when the light dimmed both the toddler and Brychan were gone.

---

Wow, you just have to watch what you do with Christmas wishes; they’re powerful things!

And don’t worry about Tabby and Brychan I have a feeling they’re going to be more than fine.

This story is breaking off into two parts, one Harry and Snape’s romantic getaway, and two Brychan and Tabitha’s trip.