Love and Parenthood

Love and Parenthood

Disclaimer: All canon characters the the property of JK Rowling and those with whom she has agreed contracts. This story was written for practice not profit.


Back at Hogwarts


“So to sum up Albus, we have no idea whether or not the person who made herself known to us is the real Mistress Fletcher. Whoever she was, she has had a guided tour of the Manor house and the new buildings,” finished Severus.

“Arthur, you said that you have met Mistress Fletcher. If one of us were to deposit a memory in my Pensieve, do you think that you might be able to offer an opinion on whether or not this woman is her?”

“I’ve had very little contact but I suppose it might be worth a try.”

“Hermione, you spent the most time with her. May we use your memory?”

“I’ve never used a Pensieve before,” she said. “How is it done?”

“Severus will you extract the memory for her?” asked Albus.

“Only with her explicit permission,” he said firmly.

“Does he have your permission Hermione?”

“Yes. He does.”

Severus drew his wand and moved over to her. Cradling her cheek gently with his free hand, he asked,

“Are you sure you want me to do this?”

“It’s fine. I trust you.”

“Look me in the eyes and try to relax,” he instructed.

She obeyed him.

“Now let the memories from yesterday float to the surface of your mind. When they are there touch my hand and I will come inside to gather them. Take your time…there’s no hurry.”

Hermione cast her mind back to the previous morning when the woman had appeared in the lab. When she was sure the memory was there she touched the hand Severus was holding against her face. She continued to look into his eyes as she became aware of his consciousness inside her head.

Arthur and Albus watched the couple in silence as Severus held his wand to his wife’s head and began to pull out the strands of her memory. He dropped them one by one into the Pensieve sitting on the table. It took him less than a minute to complete his task. When he finished he lowered his wand and closed the distance between them and kissed her possessively in an unusually public display of his affection. Afterwards he turned to face Albus and Arthur but did not move away from Hermione.

“There should be enough there,” he said shortly. “Take a look if you’re going to.”

Arthur moved into position and lowered his face into the Pensieve. Severus stood close behind Hermione, resting a hand on her shoulder. She rested her head against his arm. They stayed like this until the Pensieve memories had played out for Arthur and he straightened up.

“It looks like her,” he said thoughtfully. “But it doesn’t sound like her. The voice is like her but the manner is different. I’ve never heard her be abrupt in that way.”

“So it could be someone using polyjuice to impersonate her,” said Hermione.

“Yes it could be,” said Arthur.

“Polyjuice doesn’t last long,” said Severus. “Did you see her drink anything when you were with her?”

“I didn’t notice… but to be honest I was trying to ignore her in the lab and then we were eating and drinking anyway. I left her alone when I went to get the Portkey and the tour of the Manor didn’t take an hour. If she was using Polyjuice she’d have had chance to take some and she did seem to be in a hurry the entire time.”

“I think we need to take security at the Manor very seriously,” said Albus. “I think we should ask Kingsley if we can have some Aurors stationed there and perhaps move in some more of the older students.”

“You’ve never resorted to Aurors before,” said Arthur.

“Think about it,” said Severus. “At Hogwarts we have a staff of accomplished witches and wizards plus some very talented members of the student body. At the Manor the pregnant women will be unable to defend themselves. You don’t need me to tell you how vulnerable they are. We cannot expect the ladies forming the birthing teams to drop their business and fend off an attack. We need to have them guarded during the day. At night you and I will be there as will the otherbandbands and any other students we house there.”

“I think we should put off your secondment to the Academy until September,” said Albus. “The girls should be back at full strength by then and able to defend themselves and the babies. We can always establish the day nursery here.”

“That would seem to be a sensible idea,” said Severus. “If the Academy wishes me to tutor before then I could hold some classes at the Manor. If I do that and limit my attendance at the Wizengamot to essential matters…”

“The Wizengamot does very little once the weather gets warm,” said Albus. “Your duties should not be onerous.”

“Well I think we have to leave this until you’ve managed to make arrangements with Shacklebolt,” said Severus. “I’ll restore Hermione’s memories and then I think she needs to rest. We will dine in our rooms later on.”

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Severus kept physical contact with Hermione for the entire walk down to their upstairs sitting room. As soon as they got inside he wrapped his arms around her and began to kiss her. Hermione reached up a hand to push his hair back out of his face and returned the kiss. She had always enjoyed his kisses, even before she realised her feelings for him. Many hours of practice and exploration had not palled the experience in any way. He brought one of his hands round to her front and cupped her breast with it. She made a small moaning sound which he misinterpreted as an instruction to stop. He pulled away from her and threw himself down in an armchair breathing heavily.

“I’m sorry,” he said.

“What for?”

“I shouldn’t be making demands on you in your condition,” he said without looking at her.

“I’m only sorry you’ve stopped,” said Hermione in disbelief.

“I was hurting you.”

“No you weren’t.”

“You moaned!”

“I often do. You can’t pretend you’ve never heard it before. Take me to bed Severus.”

“No. It’s kind of you to indulge me but I should not use you to relieve my tensions.”

“Not even if I want you to?” she said with a smile.

He looked at her then and almost smiled himself. He held out his hand and she took it and sat down on his lap. He put his free arm round her back and she placed the hand she held on her bump.

“How can I forget I belong to you when I have this as a reminder?” she asked quietly. “Lovers have sex for many reasons. If the only reason was procreation you wouldn’t have touched me since our wedding night. We make love because we need to and because we enjoy it. It doesn’t take a genius to work out why you need me now. I remember when you found out what Lucius had planned for me. I remember how you were then. You want to strengthen our bond because I’m under threat and it’s my right to indulge you, as you put it. I want you to take me downstairs to the bed and when we get there I want to demonstrate my love for you. It’s my right and I am making the demand.”

“Do you think bossiness is a useful method of seduction?” he enquired.

“If it works, yes. Are you going to finish what you’ve started?”

“You are carrying my children. I suppose I can bring myself to bend to your desire,” he said, raising his brow. “Just kiss me a little. I need to make sure I can rise to the occasion.”

“Only too willing to help,” she purred, narrowing in on his lips.


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“Now tell me that wasn’t the right thing to do,” she said teasingly.

“It’s unfair to pressure a man straight after his orgasm,” he protested. “Particularly when you’ve got him pinned down on the bed.”

“Like you couldn’t move me if you wanted to. I’m not that big. Not yet.”

“I don’t want to hurt you and anyway I’m enjoying the view far too much. Indeed if I summon up my energy I can touch you here...”

He ran his hand over the swell of her belly.

“And here…”

He began to circle her nipple with the thumb of his other hand.

“Or indeed…. here,” he finished, bringing the first hand down to stroke her sex. Her legs were spread as she straddled him and he could feel the stickiness of their combined juices coating his fingertips.

“I can’t,” she protested regretfully. “I’m worn out.”

“I think you’ve earned a good meal,” he said withdrawing his hand. “If you release me I can go and order some food.”

“I want to hold you for a while,” she said.

“Come under the covers then,” he said. “It’s not warm enough in here to sit naked.”

She moved off him for a moment while they rearranged the covers and she lay down with her head on his shoulder.

“I love you,” she said contentedly.

“I’m convinced,” he said lazily.

“Have you ever used Legilimency on me before?” she asked.

“Ah, a rapid change of subject,” he observed.

“That wasn’t an answer to the question,” she countered.

“Not often… and not since we married.”

“When did you use it?”

“In class. When you were trying to attract my attention to answer a question you used to practically broadcast the answer at me. I can’t think of a specific occasion. I sometimes tuned in a little when we were brewing together but I’ve never used it as a weapon against you and I never will.”

“I didn’t mind what we did earlier with the memories. I could feel you there. It didn’t feel awful like I thought it might.”

“That’s because I was only looking at what you were bringing forward. If I was rifling through your mind to look for something the sensation would have been different, and I will never do that to you. Believe me, I learned very early on that invading your wife’s mind does not promote togetherness. If you want me to know something then you’ll have to tell me. You have the right to keep your thoughts to yourself.”

“I’ve stirred up a bad memory, haven’t I?”

“You didn’t mean to. I know that. I have learned from my mistakes… I will keep you safe Hermione. You and our children.”

“I know you will, my love. I know you will.”

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