Custody Battle

A/N: And now for my favorite part, well almost favorite part. Christmas is fantastic, but wait ‘til you see what I have cooked up for just after Christmas. ~wink~ Anywho, on with the story!


“Daddy!” Caterina screamed, practically pouncing on top of him. Severus groaned, startled from his slumber. “Daddy! Wake up! It’s Christmas morning! Wake up!” her voice was entirely too shrill for the early hours in which it was reaching his ears. Rolling over, his eyes caught the time piece, and another loud groan escaped him. It was only half past six.

“Back to bed, Caterina,” he snapped and then pulled the covers tight up over his head.

“But mummy says we can’t start Christmas without you!” Jocelyn said. She was standing in the doorway, a sleepy Emma resting in her arms.

Severus peaked out from under the covers and sure enough the seven-year-old was in the doorframe, her eager brothers behind her. “Is that so?”

“Yes!” Cried Caterina. “Blake— I mean, dad, he’s downstairs cooking eggs and ham, I think. Mummy said we can’t start without you!”

Grumbling as he pulled himself from the bed, Severus put his feet in his slippers and stood up. The kids squealed and cheered. “Go on!” he shooed them out of the room as he searched for a suitable robe. Christmas morning had never been a big deal at Hogwarts, it often meant he had to be presentable by nine for breakfast in the Great Hall with Albus and the remaining straggling students who stayed at the castle for the holidays, but never at half past six.

The smell of sizzling sausages assaulted his nostrils as he entered the living room and Hermione smiled at him from underneath the Christmas tree. “Happy Christmas,” she smiled. “Come have a sit, Blake’s got breakfast on.”

“I think I’d sooner go help him in the kitchen,” he grumbled. “I need coffee.” And with that he disappeared into the kitchen.

Hermione rolled her eyes and then laughed. “Is he always like that?” she turned her question to Caterina.

She shrugged. “I don’t know, I try not to have to see him in the morning. He’s usually pretty grumpy by potions at 10, so I can’t imagine what it must be like before that.” The girl flashed Hermione a wicked smile and then dove into a pile of presents. “This one’s for you!” she said and handed her the box.

“Thank you dear.”

After dozens and dozens of presents had been opened, Blake and Severus were standing in the living room picking up the remaining wrapping paper, bows, ribbons, and discarded plastic casings, much to Severus’ chagrin, in the muggle way. Hermione had situated all of the children at the table in the kitchen and began them on breakfast when there was a loud rapping at the window.

“It’s an owl, Hermione,” Severus said.

“Let it in, Severus,” she called, trying to force a spoonful of eggs into Emma’s mouth. “If you don’t eat, you can’t have any cookies when we get to Grandma Weasley’s house…” she chided and instantly the girl swallowed the eggs.

The tawny swooped into the room, hooting loudly before dropping a package onto Severus’ head and then flying right back out the window. Blake chuckled. “Ha. Ha.” Severus said and picked the package up from the ground. It was a rather large non-descript brown box, nothing extraordinary about it. Though emblazoned on the top flap was a picture of two smug looking wizards that he instantly recognized to be Fred and George Weasley, each wearing a top hat, one wearing a monocle and the other holding a cane. The package read “Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes” and he rolled his eyes. “I think the post owl made a mistake.”

“What is it?” Blake asked.

“You don’t want to know.”

Hermione appeared in the crossway, leaning against the frame and smiled. “That’ll be their latest products. They always send them to me, Gin, Ron, and Harry before putting them out on the market.” She moved all too quickly to snatch the box from Severus before he could chuck it into the fireplace. “They’ve got some amazing stuff.”

“Don’t remind me,” he snarled. “I’m constantly confiscating it from students, and then dismissing them to the hospital wing.”

Blake looked rather confused and was very quiet until Jocelyn came running into the room. “I’m done breakfast!” she announced and then ran upstairs. Caterina was quick behind her, making the same sort of announcement and then tore up the staircase after her sister. Hermione gazed at them in confusion and then looked to her husband who merely shrugged his shoulders.

“Best get the kids ready. Molly will be expecting us soon.” She said and headed back to he kitchen, the box tucked safely under her arms.

~*~

Christmas dinner had been relatively quiet, if a bit crowded. Molly had expanded the dining room to accommodate the numerous family members that she had invited into her home for the holidays. It was twelve kids in total, all of whom were sat at the children’s table. Hermione’s five, plus Victorie, the daughter of Bill and Fleur, who was only but four were crowded on one side of the table. On the other sat Angel, age nine, the lovely daughter of Percy and Penelope, and then Ron and Lavender’s two children Harold and Ellie, six and three, next to them, and Ginny and Harry’s kids, James, 7, and Lily, 3, sat beside Remus and Tonks’ little Teddy, 11.

It was even more crowded at the adult’s table, with all of the parents plus the twins, their girlfriends, and Severus, but Molly, prepared as ever, had cooked enough food to feed several large armies. Ginny sat next to Hermione, smiling and beaming, moving the other girl’s hand over her round, pregnant belly. “He won’t stop kicking, and god I hope this one has Harry’s eyes.” She beamed.

Everyone had gathered in the parlor for a romping round of charades with the children after dinner. Remus was up doing a terribly funny attempt at getting them to guess “The Weird Sisters” and Ginny sighed. “I’m so thirsty, more noggless eggnog, I think.” And she started to rise from the sofa.

“No, I’ll get it, Gin,” Hermione beamed. “I think I’m going to need some more real eggnog if I’m going to have to watch Moony for the next hour,” she chuckled and took her friend’s glass with her own to the kitchen.

Severus, who had stayed helping Arthur finish up with the dishes, remained in the kitchen and Hermione passed Arthur as he entered the living room, laughing at once at the silly game. “You’re missing all the fun,” she said and moved over to where the two pitchers of holiday nogg sat on the counter.

“Oh, yes, Moony jumping up and down howling like a werewolf,” he smirked, “Tons of fun…”

Hermione set the glasses down. “You’ve been very pleasant all day, I’m surprised.”

“Well it is Christmas, Hermione,” he said.

“I see…” she turned her head to the side and gazed up. “Oh dear.”

“Oh dear?” he said and looked at her two full glasses. “Going a bit heavy, are we?”

“One’s for Ginny and it’s noggless,” she said and then tilted her head up again. “Look.”

Severus set the dishtowel on the drain board and tilted his gaze toward the ceiling. He frowned. “How did that get there?”

“I— I don’t know…” her voice trailed off and she set the two glasses on the counter.

“You think it’s enchanted?” Severus asked wearily.

“Knowing this house? Most bloody likely,” she muttered. “Fred and George’s handiwork, no doubt.”

“Well, I suppose…” he leaned closer to her, wrapping an arm around her waist. She did not object to being pulled closer to the taller wizard. The mistletoe dangled just above their heads, suspended from the ceiling. She closed her eyes, and he closed his. Lips strained toward each others and then he brushed his against hers.

Her arms slowly wrapped around his neck, and he traced her bottom lip with his tongue. She gasped as he pulled her closer, lining their bodies together and he slid his tongue into her mouth. Hermione did not shy away as his tongue seemed to melt over hers. There were sparks and she felt herself pull him closer to her as she leaned back against the counter. The mistletoe seemed to glow a little just above their heads and she found her fingers moving to tease across the back of his neck.

The need for air made her lungs tingle, but she didn’t break the kiss, fearing that it might end and that might be the only time she would feel the magical sensation. His tongue was in her mouth, and he suckled at her lower lip, her tiny whimpering mewls filling his mouth, her breasts crushed against his chest.

The kitchen door swung open and Remus entered the kitchen. “Hermione, Ginny said she’d also like some—”

Severus pulled away from her at once, and Hermione was panting, her face flushed. Gaping wide eyed at Remus she panicked. “Oh—” she gasped and looked down at her feet. Then suddenly, catching herself off guard, she slapped Severus across the cheek. It was a soft slap, but sounded perhaps louder than it actually was.

“Erm…” Remus cleared his throat, gazing from Severus to Hermione. Severus looked affronted and turned away from her. Remus shook his head. “I’m not the tattling type, Hermione,” he said and then moved over to pick up the glass of eggnog for Ginny. “You slapped the man on Christmas, it takes two to give you that sort of flushed look,” he added before turning around and sweeping from the room.