Christmas Gifts04

Umm? Just pretend Christmas isn’t way over? Yeah, sorry.

p.s. this a really long chapter, sorry about that too.

And without further ado -

………………..

After getting food Harry feverently hoped was appropriate for children Harry popped out of the room for a moment and was back in only a few scant minutes. A thick maroon volume clutched to his chest and a self-satisfied smile on his face.

"One, don’t ever leave me alone with them again, secondly, what is that" Snape spoke, pointing to the book.

"This" Harry stated adamantly. "Is the answer to all our problems."

"They have books that tell you how to get rid of three annoying children with no repercussions"

"Three" Harry questioned.

Snape looked at him pointedly.

"I am not a child… Oh, why am I even arguing with you! Here." Harry thrust the book into his hands.

"Taking Care of Your Little Witch or Wizard" Snape read. "You really think this will make us into parents of the year."

"It can’t make us any worse."

"Hmm…" Snape flipped open the book and began leafing through the pages, skimming the text.

Tabitha waved her arms at Harry"Up Dada! Up"

Harry walked over and grabbed Tabitha under the arms, lifting her up. "Did you see that? I think I’m getting better at this. Hmm? What do you think Tabby" He bounced her lightly"I think I’m a natural."

Tabitha gurgled unintelligibly in return. A second later the natural made a loud sound of distress.

"Professor"

"Hmm" Snape asked, immersed in the chapter about proper sleep schedules.

"Look up biting." There was an edge of panic in his voice.

"What"

"Just look it up! Quick! I’m rather attached to my ear"

……………

Harry heard Snape snicker as he held Brychan’s hand, leading the younger boy down into the dungeons. Snape was carrying Tabitha on one hip, and Harry felt rather insulted that the little girl was behaving herself for Snape.

"Stop it." Harry snapped.

"I don’t know what you’re talking about."

"You’re laughing about it."

Snape’s lips twitched"I’m also picturing it in my mind. Any chance we can get her to reenact it"

Harry scoffed, changing the subject. "Why are we going to your chambers again? Is it even a sanitary place to bring children"

"I assure you my rooms are sterile compared to that pig sty you call a dormitory."

Brychan stopped before they got to the chambers. "Da, can we go play outside? Please"

"Well, let me see what the book says…"

"For Merlin’s sake Potter, what can the book have against playing outside"

"Don’t want to go outside" Tabitha stomped a small foot. "Cold"

"Perfect." Snape replied. "You take the boy out. I’ll watch the girl. Divide and conquer."

"I don’t know… The book says…"

"Go. And stop by your rooms on the way out, charm a jacket to fit the boy, it is cold outside."

"What happens if something goes wrong? Should we really be alone with them"

"I’ve been working here for over fifteen years; if something goes wrong I know all the best places to hide bodies."

Harry gave him a withering glare. "All right, come on Brychan."

They disappear back down the hallway and Snape directed his eyes downward. Tabitha tipped her face upwards, grinning at him.

"Don’t suppose you want a nap"

Tabitha shock her head vigorously.

"I thought not."

………………..

Tabitha was playing happily on the floor next to Snape’s desk when Harry and Brychan returned later, both wind flushed and worn out. Sitting on the floor, she was using books for blocks, building a village with the encyclopedias. Snape was paying her no mind, entrenched in the papers covering his desk.

Tabitha squealed excitedly, seeing her daddy. She scrambled to her feet. Harry faintly smiled, bracing himself for the impact as she rushed towards him with open arm only to come up short at the end of her… rope?

"You tied her up" Harry asked with disbelief and censure.

Snape’s eyes slipped over her, unconcerned. "She has plenty of slack. And it keeps her out of trouble. Quite clever, I thought."

The toddler giggled up at him.

"She’s not a dog. And I’m willing to bet my life savings that was not in the Book." Harry gave Snape a disapproving stare, kneeling down to unknot the rope loosely tied over her waist. The thick rope was about six feet long and the other end was affixed to the leg of Snape’s chair.

Snape muttered something unpleasant about the Book.

"She’s covered in dust bunnies" Harry exclaimed, brushing off her small dress, forming a cloud of dust particles.

"Mmm, yes. That’s from her adventure under the bed. Thus giving us the reason for the rope."

"She’s a mess." Harry insisted, pressing her into Snape’s lap. "She needs a bath."

"Well then" Snape enunciated, handing her back. "Get to it."

"Me! You’re one who let her get dirty."

"And you’re the one who wants her bathed. I couldn’t care less if she stays filthy. Besides your’s is hardly spring clean either."

It was quite true. Brychan was smudged with dirty and was slowly becoming soaked from the melting snow clinging to his jacket and pants.

Harry sighed deeply"Fine, I’ll give them both baths, you just sit there and try not to overly tax yourself."

"Do I gotta take bath"

"Do I have to." Snape instantly corrected.

"Do I have to" Brychan looked at the both balefully.

"Yes, you do."

Brychan echoed Harry’s earlier sigh perfectly.

Tabitha was the only one not sighing. "Baf! Baf! In the tub" She ran over throwing her little arms around Snape’s leg, tugging eagerly. "In the TUB"

"Yes in the tub, with your da." Snape pointed to the other side of the room where the door to the washroom stood open, a large porcelain tub directly in view. Tabitha’s eyes lit up under her long black lashes.

"Let’s go tub now" A firm grip on his pants, Tabitha pulled as hard as she could, her small stocking clad feet slipping on the ground, stretching the material taut over his calves.

Not budging an inch, Snape pointed to Harry"Go with your da."

"No you" Tabitha clutched him tighter. "Play fishies."

Brychan frowned in the process of removing his outer clothing. "Stop being a baby and come along."

"Fishies" Tabitha jutted out her lower lip stubbornly. Her brother glared back. Brychan opened his mouth to yell something at her but Harry stopped him, stepping between the two.

"What are we talking about"

Brychan leaned around Harry to continue his glare. Tabitha stuck out her tongue in retaliation. "It’s a game she likes to play in the bah where papa pretends she’s a mermaid."

"Well, I can play with you Tabitha." Harry cajoled, holding out his hand to her.

"Play with Papa" Tabitha whined up at him.

"She doesn’t like playing with you Da." Brychan explained"She doesn’t think you do the fish voices right."

Harry head snapped up. He smirked at Snape. "Fish voices? Care to share the secret to a good fish voice Professor? Since you seem to be the fish voice expert…"

"Shu – Shush up Potter."

Tabitha turned back towards Snape, gazing up at him pleadingly"Please."

Harry looked down into her little face. Aww, how could anyone refuse –

"No."

Okay, maybe it was easier than he thought.

"Professor "

"I said no." Snape leaned down and carefully pried his way free before turning a forbidding glower onto Harry. "Take them."

Shaking his head lightly Harry picked Tabitha up, carrying her to the bathroom.

While the bath was running Harry helped them out of their clothing, checking the water compulsively every 30 seconds to make sure it wasn’t getting too hot or too cold.

Both children were pouting.

After the tub was filled, Harry helped them in. Tabitha’s love of tubs soon got rid of her disappointment and she splashed happily in the water. It took Brychan a little longer, but once Harry began engaging him in water fight he relaxed a little.

………

Snape stared resolutely down at the text in his lap. The illuminating properties of Norwich crab claws were fascinating dammit! Certainly much more interesting than whatever was happening on the other side of the room.

But… It had gotten strangely quiet over there. There was no more squealing and no more splashing. He ought to look up, just to make sure they hadn’t drowned or something. Just one quick look to make sure the baby’s head was above water.

His dark eyes darted up, then back down again instantly… Then they darted up and stayed up. When had Harry removed his clothing?

The robe he understood. The long, full sleeves would drag in the water. But Harry knelt behind the heavy tub, naked to at least the waist, the rest hidden by the ceramic tub.

Sometimes when you see something it triggers a memory. Snape suddenly experienced this.

Once when he was younger, six or seven, his father had taken him up into the North York Moors. It was a long, horrid trip for a youngster who had little interest in anything outside his books, let alone spending days trekking through the woods with half a dozen servants, hunting deer. Trying to figure out how, with a flick of his wand, his father was able to fell the giant animals. On their last day they had stumbled upon a wolf crouching low in some juniper bushes. Its leg was cocked at an odd angle, which was why father said it was dying. It wasn’t strong enough to live; it was weak and therefore must die. He had never forgotten the look on his father’s face as he finished the animal off. At such a tender age he had not been able to fully understand the immorality of the look of pleasure it gave his father, but he had known it was wrong.

Snape’s hooded eyes took in Harry’s upper body and recalled in that moment the emaciated wolf. He could make out the lower three ribs on either side of his chest. He stomach has slightly concave. His muscles were lean and sinewy, covered in only a thin layer of soft skin, no fat, and no tissue. Merlin. Snape forced himself to look away.

Harry was using a washcloth to scrub at Brychan’s hands. And Tabitha was ... His gaze strayed over to the baby girl. "Tabitha"

Harry’s attention, which had been focused solely on Brychan, shifted to the toddler at Snape’s harsh-sounding call.

The little girl was standing in the water, mouth open, soap clutched in both hands lifted half way to her lips, frozen in the position Snape had caught her in.

The professor got up from his desk and walked over to her, plucking the bar from her slippery fists.

"Is there something in that book of yours about letting the children consume soap"

Harry’s response was icy. "Perhaps if I didn’t have to watch both of them at the same time."

"Perhaps if you didn’t try to take on more than you can handle."

Tabitha looked back and forth between them, then down at Snape’s hand, which rested on the ledge of the tub, holding the yummy looking cream-coloured soap. Mouth wide open she leaned towards it, tiny pink tongue eagerly extended outwards.

"If you think for one moment you know anything about me, you are deluded Professor."

"Any fool could see you try to over – "

"Eww" Both men looked down to see Tabitha sputtering and wiping her tongue on the back of her hand. "Yucky"

"Now look what you’ve done" Harry and Snape accused at the same time.

"What I’ve done" Snape thundered.

"You were holding it"

"Can I get out now" Brychan interrupted their staring contest.

Harry tore his eyes away from Snape. "Yep, I think you’re all clean." Harry reached over the edge, lifting Brychan up and out. As Harry leaned over to set him down, Snape’s glaze flickered over his beck. His spin stood out in sharp relief, forming a jagged ridge down his back. There was no ignoring it, an idiot could tell he was starving himself.

"We should get some food." Snape ordered. "Feed the children, then see if we can’t get them to sleep."

Harry nodded stiffly, pulling a towel around Brychan, drying him off. "Ill go see what the elves have in the kitchen. You’ll be okay with the two of them"

"I shall endeavor to survive it." Snape informed him tartly.

Harry pulled on his shirt and left the chambers.

Snape watched him go contemplatively. He was struck at just how much the boy had been forced to go through at such a young –

"EWW"

Snape looked down at Tabitha, her tiny nose scrunched in disgust, soap bubbles on her outstretched tongue.

"Why" Snape cried, clearly astounded. "What could possibly make you do that again"

……….

(Back in present time)

"What are you doing now" Ginny questioned skeptically.

Colin dragged a hand through his mousy brown hair, making it stick up in all directions. But, tangled hair was the least of his worries. He grabbed a fist full of papers from the table before him and shook them at the slender redhead. "Getting my affairs in order."

Ginny snatched one of papers out of his hands, giving it a closer look. "Colin Creevey! Are you writing your will"

"You should consider it as well Ginny."

"You’re daft"

"You’re in denial"

"Snape is not going to kill us"

"When I was in third year I accidentally spilt a vial of ink on Professor Snape’s paper clip collection. You know, that little slate dish of clips he kept on the front corner of his desk? Between loss of points, detentions, and other punishments, I barely escaped with my life. Because of paper clips, Ginny, paper clips! We’ve lost his living, breathing offspring"

"And we’ll get them back" Ginny cried. "No one is killing anyone."

Colin chewed nervously at his feather quill, getting black ink all over his mouth and chin"Still just in case…"

"No, no, NO! Now quit wasting our time and help me find a way to contact Harry and/or get the children back" Ginny dumped several thick texts onto the table. "Read"

"Okay, okay…" Colin flipped open one of the books.

Ginny sank into the opposite chair with a sigh, glad he was finally being reasonable.

Fifteen minutes later, Colin broke the silence.

"Ginny"

"Hmm"

"You know that framed picture of the courtyard fountain I took in first year"

"Sure."

"You like it"

"Sure, it’s one of your best. Why"

"I want you to have it… you know, to remember me by."

"Colin – "

"All my other stuff is going to Dennis, and me mum of course. But I’m going to put you down for the picture."

"If you don’t shut up and read, I’m going to kill you and save Snape the trouble."

……………

Harry wiped the mashed remains of what used to be banana off Tabitha’s grasping hands. "All done"

"Um-hmm."

"Ready for dessert" At the little girl’s eager nod Harry gave her a small bowl of ice cream, which he had snuck from the kitchens. He had practically had to fight two house elves for it. But he had a feeling the children would really appreciate something sweet with their dinner.

The little dark-haired boy was staring into his bowl gravely and Harry tried to imagine how upsetting it must be to be in such an unfamiliar place and not know when he would be able to go home. He wished there was some way he could help the boy forget his troubles, even for a moment.

"Hey Brychan, how’s your ice cream"

"Good, thank you."

"Mmm, there’s something very chocolate-y about mine."

"What" Brychan questioned.

"Just smell it." Harry held out a spoonful towards him.

The beginning of a curious smile played at his lips. "Smell it"

"Yes." Harry glanced up to make sure Snape wasn’t watching. The older man wasn’t, he was over by the counter, organizing all the left over food and clearing the table.

Brychan leaned in and sniffed. Harry pressed the spoon up and daubed the ice cream on his small nose. For a moment Brychan looked taken aback, then he collapsed into giggles. Tabitha, who had been watching the whole exchange, started laughing as well.

Snape eyed them. "What are you three up to"

"Nothing" All three made the denial at the same time and it sent the two children into another around of giggles.

Snape raised on eyebrow, clearly doubting the validity of that ‘nothing’.

"Come one Brychan I’ll get you cleaned up." Harry offered quickly, getting up from the table. With a light hand on Brychan’s back Harry led him into the bathroom. He was just turning on the taps to wet a cloth when he heard Tabitha’s clear, honeyed voice from the table.

"Papa! Smell my ic’cream"

"Why? What’s wron – "

Harry heart flew into his throat. He flung out of the bathroom"No! Don’t" Harry yelled in warning.

It was too late.

Tabitha was on the floor laughing so hard that her whole body was shaking violently. Snape stood over her, ice cream dripping from his prominent, hooked nose.

If there had been some way Harry could have guaranteed his safety, he would have laughed but as it was, his instinct for self-preservation kept his lips firmly closed.

Wash cloth in hand Harry walked over it him. Snape tore it from his hands sharply, glowering, daring Harry to make a sound.

Crispy Snape wiped the cloth over his nose removing the sticky mush"I hope you know I hold you one hundred percent responsible for this." The words were spoke in an overly soft tone of voice; a tone Harry knew meant trouble.

"Sorry sir, I had no idea…You, ah, missed some of it."

Severus’ eyes narrowed briefly. "Where"

"Right…" Harry’s hand hovered in the air for a moment. What was he thinking? He was about to touch the Professor’s face, for Merlin’s sake, did he have a death wish? Awkwardly he reversed the direction of his hand, touching his fingers to his own face, about an inch above the right corner of his mouth.

Snape’s eyes followed the movement of Harry’s slender fingers. Watching the boy touch his fingertips to his skin, just above his sculpted lips, his lower lip plumper and darker. Never in his life had he ever been so aware of another person’s mouth, or a sudden clammy touch to his hand.

Snape look down from Harry’s face, perturbed"What are you doing"

"Holding your hand." Tabitha answered innocently, holding tighter, sort of leaning into his leg, her free hand winding a lock of her black hair over her finger.

Snape shook his hand slightly, a weak attempt which did nothing to dislodge the baby girl’s grip. "Why are you doing that" Snape was truly at a loss.

"Why not"

"Because your hands are dirty and sticky, and there’s no logical reason to hold any person’s hand."

"Nah-uh, not dirty" Tabitha protested. "I cleaned them off."

Snape narrowed his eyes"I did not see you go wash them."

"No…" Tabitha began to explain. "I licked them clean."

If one looked closely enough it was easy to see Snape’s eye twitch, and a small shutter run down his spine.

Harry caught sight of the twitch and quickly tugged Tabitha away"Go wash up Tabby, go see Brychan." He instructed, giving her a gentle push towards the bathroom.

Snape dragged the cloth back over his face, getting the last of the ice cream, then painstakingly wiped off his hand with it, before tossing it at Harry.

He stalked over to the table as Harry caught the cloth right before it smacked him in the face.

"There’s a lot of food left."

Harry shrugged.

He gestured to the remaining food. "You’ve hardly eaten anything." Snape spoke evenly. "You’ll quickly lose your strength if this continues."

"Yes, mother." Harry mocked bitterly.

"Eat something more."

"I’m not hungry, I ate earlier." Harry replied easily, with no thought, responses like this were second nature now, he had been repeating them daily for the last few months.

"Based on what Weasley said, you are not hungry quit often. And I was with you earlier, you did not eat."

Harry walked back towards the washroom. "That" He said over his shoulder in clipped tones. "Is none of your business, Sir."

Snape glowered at his retreating form, adding under his breath"Foolish prat."

Harry turned and glared heatedly at the professor. "Do you have something to say to me"

"No. Shall we trade children? You get the girl ready for bed, I’ll take the older one."

"Just don’t gag him, or hog-tie him or anything."

……………..

Moving from the main room to the bedroom half an hour later, Harry confronted Snape.

"I can’t make her sleep." Harry sighed loudly. "I’ve tried everything in the book! Rocking her, giving her warm milk, leaving her alone, she just gets more restless and more tired, but she doesn’t sleep."

Tabitha arched in his arms, crying loudly"Pony! PONY"

"No, I don’t have a pony to give you." Harry repeated for the millionth time since Tabitha had begun saying pony every second word.

"She’s not asking for a pony." Brychan spoke up. He was wearing a small robe Harry assumed used to be Snape’s and was now shrunken. "She wants her Pony, it’s a baby blanket, it has a horse and castle sewn on it…She can’t sleep without it."

"Oh…" Harry looked helplessly between the baby’s crying face and Snape"We don’t have your Pony, uh… How ‘bout this" Harry grabbed a fuzzy throw from the chair, wrapping the baby in it.

"Want PONY" Tabitha’s scream was shrill.

"She knows the difference." Brychan said quickly"Pony is much smaller, it’s black velvet with gold emboy…embrod…"

"Embroidery." Harry filled in.

"Yeah" Brychan smiled a small smile. Harry was immediately stuck by the image… It reminded him of someone…

Harry turned away from Brychan hearing Snape shuffling through things in a small closet Harry hadn’t seen before. Stuck in the corner it looked like a tiny storage cabinet crammed full of dusty boxes and trunks. Pushing several boxes out of the way Snape pulled out the wooden bin he had been looking for. Prying the lid off, he pushed several old articles of clothing around, digging through it, finally pulling free a folded black pile.

He held it out to Harry, not making eye contact. "Here, maybe this will shu- settle her down."

Harry unfolded the blanket and sure enough it was a soft black baby blanket, in one corner there was a delicately embroidered horse, rearing back on its hind legs, and in the other corner there was a beautiful gold castle.

"But how…"

"It was my mother’s." Snape said curtly.

Sensing Snape would say no more about it, Harry covered the baby in it, saying a quick pray this would quiet her down. It worked almost instantly she cuddled into the familiar material, exhausted. Harry watched in awe and amazement as she fell asleep in his arms. He couldn’t believe she trusted him, felt secure enough with him, to just fall asleep like that. He swallowed hard; did her father do this? Did he do this in her time? He couldn’t imagine being wholly responsible for a little being. She felt so light, so delicate in his arms. He just stared down at her, lost in thought.

Snape watched out of the corner of his eyes as Harry cradled the little girl in his arms, wrapped in his mother’s blanket. One day, he could hear her crisp, feminine voice in his head, One day you’ll have a little daughter, and she’ll need a blanket to befit a pureblood princess.

Don’t hold you’re breath, he had snarled in return. Knowing that no one would ever consent to… That he did not want… Snape pushed the confusing thoughts away.

He had not seen the blanket since directly after his mother’s death when he had been getting rid of her belongings. He did not know what had possessed him to keep the thing.

A small voice dragged him out of his unwanted memories. "Papa"

"I’m not your..." Papa! Snape stopped at the look in the little boy’s eyes. "What is it"

"I’m…tired."

"Well then go to sleep."

Brychan just looked at him questioningly, droopy eyed and solemn.

"What" Snape asked pointedly.

"Are you and Daddy going to sleep here too"

It was on the tip of his tongue to deny it, to scoff Of course not! and stomp out of the room. But the little boy looked so… so lost, he couldn’t manage to.

"We’ll be right here."

Brychan nodded and slowly walked over to the bed, pulling himself up under the covers. "You’ll keep the fire going won’t you? You won’t let it get dark"

Snape nodded his head shortly"I will." Then he caught sight of Harry, holding the baby and wearily shifting from foot to foot.

"Get in the bed Potter, it looks like we’re here for the long haul, you might as well get some sleep."

Harry approached the bed cautiously. "Where are you going to sleep"

"I still have a lot of work to get through before I think about resting, I don’t require a lot of sleep, if I get tired I’ll lie down on the couch for a while."

Harry nodded and sat down on the bed, then moved to put Tabitha down beside him. He lifted the little girl back up, unsure"Can she sleep in a bed? Will she roll off, or hurt herself? Does she need a crib? Don’t babies suffocate in beds"

Snape glared at Harry’s inquiring look"How am I supposed to know"

Brychan solved their dilemma easily. "Tabitha can sleep in a bed. She sleeps with you guys some nights, when she’s cranky, or fussing"

"Oh." Harry blushed at the thought that the future him sleeps in the professor’s bed. Carefully he placed the baby, in her Pony, on the center of the bed, beside Brychan, then lay down on the other side. He hadn’t realized how tired he was until his head hit the pillow; taking care of children was exhausting.

"Good-night Dad. ‘Night Papa."

"Good-night, Brychan."

Brychan fell to sleep and, moments later, Harry was out like a light as well.

Unable to get any work done Snape finally gave up, laying his quill down. His eyes drifted of their own accord to Harry and the children.

Harry slept on his side, one arm tucked under his head, the other at his side, palm up, and fingers curled slightly. His long lashes curled over his cheeks, soft lips parted open. His chest rose and fell softly with each breath. Snape watched the movement long into the night until eventually he drifted off as well.

………

Back at the cabin the smell of sex and sweat and burning firewood filled the air. Harry and Snape lay side by side, breathing heavily, their flushed skin cooling in the night air. "I’m amazed we can still do that when I’m as big as a bloody cow."

There was a pause, then Harry pinched Severus in the side – hard.

"Ouch! That was uncalled for."

"Didn’t you hear me"

"Big as a cow, I heard you."

"Well"

"Well what"

"You’re supposed to say that I’m still beautiful and desirable and exciting. And NOT a cow."

"Harry you’re carrying a baby, you’re not supposed to be pole-thin. Beside you know I love you like this." Snape rolled over to drawn his hands down Harry’s naked body, his long fingers raising the tiny hairs along Harry’s skin. "I love your gorgeous, hard belly. The way it highlights your hips." His ran his hands over the hips in question, the ridges of his slender hipbones in stark relief with the gently swelling stomach. "And I love knowing my baby is inside you… even if it means you might slightly resemble a farm animal…from far away… if the person was short sighted."

Harry smacked him in the head with a throw pillow"How could you ruin the most romantic thing you’ve ever said to me"

"It was quite easy actually." Snape smiled at Harry’s put out expression. He leaned in close and gently lay soft kisses over Harry’s face starting at his lips and moving outward towards his ear.

"Mmm, I’ve never noticed that before."

Harry cuddled into Snape’s body as much as he could with his protruding stomach. "What’s that"

The soft pad of Snape’s thumb brushed Harry’s ear lobe lightly. "This scar on your ear. Where did you get it"

Harry shrugged sleepily. "I don’t know, too many to keep track of them all." Harry wrapped his fingers over Severus wrist, feeling to calming pulse of his blood. "I love you."

"I love you, now get some sleep bratling."

Relaxing into the covers Harry was soon asleep. Severus lay on his back, and turned to look at the younger man.

Harry slept on his side, one arm tucked under his head, the other at his side, palm up, and fingers curled slightly. His long lashes curled over his cheeks, soft lips parted open. His chest rose and fell softly with each breath. Snape watched the movement long into the night until eventually he drifted off as well.

………………. Back in the past.

Snape jerked awake, feeling a soft touch to his arm.

Instantly his head cleared, hand going for his wand.

"Brychan? Why are you out of bed"

"Daddy’s gone. Where is he"

Snape looked over at the bed, Tabitha was curled on her stomach, hands pillowed under her cheeks, asleep - all alone.

"You stay with your sister. I’ll be back shortly."

"With Daddy"

Snape nodded then escorted the little boy back to bed. Where the hell was Potter?

Not far away, as it turned out.

In the main room of his chambers Severus could see the hunched shadow of Harry’s shoulders pressed against the outer wall.

"Potter"

There was no response. Not even a movement.

"Harry" Snape’s tone was more urgent, but Harry continued to ignore him.

Snape moved to stand against the wall about a foot from Harry, his back against the cold stone.

Still Harry made no more to acknowledge his presence.

Severus lowered himself to the floor. Never could he recall a time in his past that he had ever been reduced to sitting on the ground. Even in his earliest memories he sat on small child-sized chairs in his playroom, ingrained with the belief that one was not to play on the floor like a unrefined muggle, getting his freshly pressed robes dirty.

"What’s wrong" The low rumble of his voice broke the silence.

Harry didn’t bother to look up; he sat back against the wall, knees drawn up, forehead down, feeling Snape’s body only inches away, the close proximity did something horribly strange to his stomach. "Nothing."

"Potter…"

"Nothing." Harry hissed"Just leave me alone."

Severus dragged a hand over his face, pinching the bridge of his nose, feeling pressure building, frustration. "If it was nothing I wouldn’t have my arse on the hard stone floor. So you bloody well better have a more appropriate answer."

"You want a better answer" Harry demanded. "YOU want a better answer! I have no bloody clue why I can’t sleep more than three hours even though I’m exhausted. I’D like a fucking better answer."

"Keep your voice down Potter."

Harry drew in a deep breath"I wasn’t thinking."

"How long have you had trouble sleeping."

"Seventy-two days." The answer spit forcefully from Harry’s lips. Snape supposed he deserved the scorn, it was a rather pointless question. It was clear without asking, that the problems stemmed from the War.

"And you haven’t been eating." It wasn’t a question.

"I eat."

"When you’re nagged into it."

"When I feel like it."

"You’re skin in bones."

"And you’re the picture of health"

"This isn’t about me Potter."

"No, of course not, it’s always about poor, messed up Harry Potter."

"So now you are feeling sorry for yourself"

"Why shouldn’t I? Everyone else does, either that or some sort of misguided hero-worship."

"You’re no different that anyone else here Potter. You’ve merely suffered through a series to hapless circumstances and acts of random luck that have keep you alive and in the spot light up to this point."

Harry let go of a breath he had been holding for too long. Leaning his head back against the cold wall he closed his eyes. "Can we talk about something else? Please."

"The children are heathens."

"Snape"

Snape huffed lightly. "It’s not something you could miss. Clearly in whatever universe they came from, you were responsible for raising them. No child of mine would behave as they do."

"You think they’re from another universe? I thought Dumbledore said they were from the future, our future…"

"Please Potter. You and I? Rubbish. We’d kill each other long before we … reproduced."

"I’d never thought of it before. Never even for a moment considered children of my own. But they’re so full of life… So real…"

"Maybe some day you will have children, if you find a suitable mate of course." Snape said, a note of seriousness, of kindness, creeping into his voice. "I looked into male pregnancies…Just for research sake…But it all seemed very uncontrolled, powerful magic. Not based on logical potions or incantations, or even spells. It was simply one mate desiring children so strongly their body alters to give life and their unfortunate mate’s body alters to support life. At times it can be an unconscious process, that occurs without the wizards’ knowledge."

"Unfortunate"

"Do you really think carrying a baby would be a good thing"

"Papa? Da" Brychan stood in the doorway, framed by light, Tabitha’s hand held tightly, the little girl wiping the sleep from her eyes, clutching the blanket in her hands.

"We’ll be right in." Snape told them.

Disregarding Snape’s words, Brychan and Tabitha continued in, settling down by their parents. Tabitha climbed over Snape to nestle between them. And Brychan sat down on Snape’s other side, his head resting in the hollow of his arm.

"Good God, they’re on the floor voluntarily." Snape spoke over Tabitha’s head to Harry"Again, clearly your influence showing here."

Harry turned his head slightly, and saw the three of them sitting together. Snape sitting very stiffly, and slightly out of place on the ground, flanked by the children. Something stirred inside Harry, a tiny flicker of warmth that wasn’t there before, and would never have appeared without this experience. A tiny flicker of wanting, of desire…For what he had never had before, a family.

………. At the cabin, present day

Harry lay on his stomach and inhaled deeply, stirring to life after a very deep sleep. The pillow smelled of firewood and Severus, although he could clearly sense the older man had already left the bed. Harry let out a soft sigh, stretching awake.

A terrible bellow came from the connecting bathroom, followed by Severus’ horrified cry of "Harry"

Harry was wide-awake instantly, he sprang out of bed, his only thought to get to Severus, to get to his mate. His first step propelled him too fast, much farther than it should have, his body moving it ways he hadn’t been able to for months.

Stumbling in his tracks Harry looked down, a perfect view to his feet. The baby! His baby! There was no baby! The world spun and Harry had to desperately clutch at the foot of the bed to support his buckled legs. "Sev! Sev"

Harry heard the bathroom door slam open, rocking on its hinges. He looked up; both hands now clutched over his empty belly.

Snape filled the doorway, deathly pale, large rounded stomach under his robes. "What the HELL is going on!"

……………………………………………..

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Author’s Note: I know that if things were changed in the past, all the subsequent memories would be changed, therefore they wouldn’t know anything was out of place, but I want to write it this way, easily to keep them in character and have some fun with Snape.

As well the fact they don’t seem to remember Brychan and Tabitha’s visit to the past WILL BE EXPAINED LATER!

Thank you to everything kind enough to review! I love it, and it makes writing the next part easier, so tell me what you think! Do we need more of one story line, less of another? How long should I torture Snape before switching the baby back?