I'll Be Home For Christmas

My apologies for any and all typos, mistakes, and spacing issues. I'm not only posting this without running it past my unofficial beta for inspection, but I've got some sort of congestive something that's making my head pound fiercely. It's taken me quite a long time just to get AFF to allow me to post this to begin with, having to give up on my first two attempts, so I hope somebody likes it. Actually, I hope you all like it and will be quite moved to tell me so!! :D Just push that review button....come on....you can do it....

And, as always, thanks to everyone who reviewed/reviews. Especially, this time, Nicole and Evange, and with a special thanks to Tribebohemian for your very kind words.

Without further ado, Chapter 16...


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Taking What's Given


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"Back AWAY, you idiot chi...!" Severus' shout was lost in the explosion. When the smoke cleared, both he and the child, the tiniest of his first years, were covered in thick slime.

"Th-thorry, Th-thir," the boy lisped, clearly terrified, his blue eyes as large as a house elf's as he stared at the dripping Potions Master.

Slowly Severus drew his wand from his sleeve, hissed "Evanesco!" through gritted teeth, and glared down at the miscreant.

"To the Infirmary. Immediately. And make sure Madam Pomfrey verifies there is indeed a brain in your head before you return!" he said tightly, trying to control his badly frayed temper.

"Y-yeth, Th-thir," the boy stammered tearfully and quickly gathered his things.

Severus watched him go and glared around at the remainder of the silent students cowering to one side. Satisfying himself that nobody was injured, he snapped, "Proceed!" before stalking back to his desk where he slumped into his chair wearily.

The day had already started out on the wrong foot, which had left him feeling rather raw before classes had even started. Harry had awoken on the wrong side of the bed, his morning sickeness hadn't improved his mood, and Severus' attempts at comfort had only earned him several frosty glares. Harry was still, even a few weeks later, upset at the changes his body would go through when the babies were born, and Severus couldn't help but feel Harry resented him for it. Then, after Harry's morning bout of vomiting, during which Severus had vacated the bedroom suite altogether, he'd been startled by a wail and a spectacular string of Muggle cursing. Rushing into the bedroom, he'd found a furious and somewhat tearful Harry standing amidst a pile of discarded trousers.

"Nothing fits!" he'd shouted at Severus, "I can't button any of them! Nothing fits because I'm too goddamned fat!"

It had taken 45 minutes and several attempts by Severus at reassurance before he'd finally said the right thing and managed to pacify Harry into putting on a pair of trousers Severus had transfigured a bit larger in the waist, and then several more minutes before Harry was reassured that the slight bulge he now sported wasn't visible beneath his Auror's robes. They'd missed breakfast, and Severus had sent a sullen Harry off to work with some cream crackers slathered in Marmite, just the way Harry craved them, before rushing off to his first class on an empty stomache.


His first class, the Slytherin and Gryffindor 5th years had been fractious, and he'd ended up both roundly cursing Minerva for insisting these two Houses share a class, and taking points from his own house. The next two classes were no better, and Severus vaguely wondered if the entire school had gotten up on the wrong side of the bed. They did nothing to improve his own temper, and now this.


Thankfully, he had lunch and then a free period afterwards, and glared at his first years as they bottled their potions and filed up to leave them on his desk. They each stared at him, clearly terrified, and he felt a bit better to see he hadn't lost his touch. After they had all hurried off to the Great Hall for lunch, he stowed their work in his lab, set the wards to keep intruders out, and went off to floo to the Weasleys for some tea and peace.

Peace was not to be had, unfortunately. Little Hugo began to wail the moment he stepped through the floo, and his father stood gaping at Severus with an expression of amused surprise.


"What happened to you?" Ron asked, barely able to contain his snickering.


"I have had a day from hell so far," Severus scowled, "I do not wish to change nappies, nor bathe Hugo today, I simply wish to give him his bottle and relax."


"Right, but...what happened to you?" Ron asked, doubtfully.


"What are you blather..." Severus caught sight of his own hands then, and whirled around to face the large mirror over the fireplace.

Blasted first years!


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Severus strode out of the Infirmary floo still silently cursing the miniscule simpleton responsible for his current state. Motion out of the corner of his left eye drew his attention, and he caught sight of the object of his ire flattened against the wall, seemingly trying to escape notice.

Brief thoughts of setting detention for the remainder of the menace's Hogwarts career crossed Severus' mind, but before he could voice them the brat gave a terrified squeak and fled.

"For Merlin's sake, Severus," the aggrieved voice of Poppy Pomfrey said from his other side, "I had to give the boy a Calming Draught before he could tell me what happened, and then when he realised he'd turned green I had to give him another dose!"

"That is entirely his own fault," Severus snapped, "if he'd paid attention to instructions and what he was supposed to be do...." He broke off, closed his eyes, and waged a silent but fierce battle with his rising temper. All he wanted was a dose of what he and Poppy had come to call the "First Year Cure-All" potion.

Severus had spent many long hours studying every mishap that was likely to occur with the limited amount of ingredients first years were allowed to use, studied every first year class and the most common mistakes they made, and hypothesized any potential side effects a botched potion would most likely manifest. After several years, many tests, and endless careful calculations and calibrations, Severus had succeeded in producing a potion guaranteed to cure just about anything his students managed to explode on him. Every few months he brewed two big cauldrons full. One to keep in the Potions classroom, and one for Poppy to keep in the infirmary. It was the fault of the miniature Longbottom in the making, who was the bane of his current crop of first years, that he had none left in his classroom store.

"Please just give me a dose of Cure-All so that I may be on my way and can perhaps salvage the remaining modicum of my break," Severus said evenly, although it was a struggle.

"I haven't got any more," Poppy said without a hint of remorse, "I gave the last dose to young Stebbins. You'll have to brew us both more if you haven't got any left yourself."

Severus gaped at her, astounded. "But I brewed you an entire cauldron full not..." he began sputtering.

"Yes, not two months ago," Poppy agreed, nodding her head, "perhaps if you stopped terrorising your students into nervous breakdowns they wouldn't be exploding cauldrons all over themselves every other day. Honestly, Severus..."

But Severus, his temper shredded, interrupted her this time. "Not only do I not have any left in my stores thanks to these inept brats, but I do not have time to brew more before my next classes!" he hissed. He turned in a spectacular show of billowing black robes and strode out of the Infirmary, cursing the day he ever let Albus talk him into becoming a teacher, and vowing eternal detention for the unfortunate Stebbins.

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Severus strode through the corridors, glaring menancingly at anyone who dared stare too long in his direction, until he reached the dungeons and his own quarters. He threw a fierce scowl at the occupant of the painting guarding the door, spat the password, and flung himself inside, slamming the door behind himself and coming face to face with a startled and tearful Harry.

Severus immediately forgot about his horrid day and his face quickly re-arranged itself into a worried frown. "Harry? What are you doing home?" he began.

"Sev, about th...," Harry began at the same time, but stopped, his eyebrows making for his hairline. "What happened to you?" he guffawed, "you're gr-green!"

Severus scowled, thinking that if Harry could find amusement in his predicament the world probably hadn't fallen down, and snapped, "I am aware of what colour I am, thank you very much! No thanks, may I add, to yet one more in an extremely long line of inept Gryffindors!"

With that he turned and billowed off towards his private lab, hoping against hope he had perhaps stashed a vial of Cure-All in there.

"Aw...c'mon, Sev," Harry managed through his laughter, grabbing for his outraged husband's arm, "I'm sorry to laugh.."

"Oh no, don't apologise," Severus said growled, "after all, isn't this the sort of thing you bloody Gryffindors live for? Far be it for me to spoil your fun for the day, Harry, since you've had precious little to be happy about lately. What with the mood swings and the temper tantrums, and your clothes not fitting, and the kitchen's not having the proper cream crackers for you, and my not being able to say anything right lately. By all means, have your joke at my expense, isn't that what I'm here for, Harry? I did, after all, promise to take care of you for the rest of our lives."

With that, he stalked off to his lab, slamming the door behind him and leaving a no longer laughing Harry standing there alone.


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Severus stood at the front of his class of seventh years, his final class of the day, and glared them all down, daring anyone to so much as sniff audibly. When he was positive that even the notion of asking him why he had suddenly turned the Slytherin house colour was the furthest thing from their minds, he set them to work.



He sat down at his desk and glowered out at them a few more moments and then attempted to mark papers, sending his onyx gaze out over them every once in awhile. Just this last class and then he would be free of the little rodents for two days. Two days in which he planned to take refuge in his dungeons, and not face another student until Monday, and Minerva could snip all she wanted about his absence in Great Hall for meals. He was exhausted, he was hungry, he was tired of being stared at and sniggered about. All he wanted was a hot bath, a hot meal, a good drink, and the comfort of his bed. Sod the potion, he'd remain green until tomorrow and Harry could laugh all he wanted. Severus didn't care.

That was, of course, providing Harry was even still speaking to him. Severus did feel badly for snapping at Harry and taking his temper out on him, but only to a point. He realised it wasn't Harry's fault, that it was the pregnancy and hormones that made Harry's moods so unpredicatable and peevish, but that didn't make him any less difficult to take at times, and Severus was feeling distinctly put out.

He sighed, closing his eyes momentarily and thinking about the undoubtedly tearful and recalcitrant Harry awaiting him in their quarters. A scene he was not anxious to return to. Feeling somewhat guilty, he curtly dismissed his 7th years and headed towards his private store and labs. He would brew the potion tonight after all, and not only would it help calm him, but hopefully, Harry would be in bed and asleep by the time he finished.

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Several hours later, a weary Severus finished decanting the completed potion into two large flasks, one for him, one for Poppy, and downed a dose for himself. He watched as his hands, and presumably the rest of him, returned to his own pale tone, then cleaned up his workspace, all the while resolutely ignoring the nagging feeling at the back of his mind.

Finally, he sat down on a stool, surveying his domain. Everything was pristine again, and he could find no further excuse to keep him from returning to his and Harry's quarters. He sighed, rubbing his hands over his face, and let the remorse he'd been holding off all evening wash over him.

He didn't even know why Harry had returned home from work so early in the day, his own temper having precluded finding out. It was probably nothing serious, as Harry had been able to laugh at Severus' situation, but that didn't make Severus feel any better.


It was the hurt in those beloved emerald eyes that had been nagging him all evening, no matter how much Severus had tried to deny it. Of course Harry had laughed, he'd been turned green for Merlin's sake! Just another harmless, if annoying, potions accident visited on him by the incompetent Stebbins. Sevrus recalled the boy's father also being rather dismal at potions. And really, Severus' words to Harry had been rather harsh.

Alright, unnecessarily harsh.

With another sigh he stood, glanced around his lab a final time, and went to go apologise.


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Severus stood before the painting guarding their quarters and tentatively asked, "How is he? And save the lecture," he added with a scowl.

The portrait only raised a brow and said accusingly, "Terribly quiet."

Severus braced himself and opened the door, finding only a few candles lit and no Harry. He shut the door and took a few steps into the room, peering about. "Harry?" he called softly.

"There you are," Harry's voice came, a distinctly relieved tone to it as he stepped into Severus' view. "I was worried, Sev."

Severus felt even worse now. "Harry, I'm sorry..."

"Nevermind," Harry said kindly, taking his hand, "Come on, you must be exhausted." He wouldn't listen to Severus' attempts at apology, warding off his protests, and leading him through their chambers to their bathroom.

He'd prepared a bath for Severus, obviously charmed to stay hot. There were candles all around, and a froth of fragrant bubbles on the water.

"Shhh," Harry said when Severus tried to speak, "you've had a long day. Don't talk, just relax and let me take care of you."

Severus bit his lip, feeling guiltier than ever, yet his heart swelling at the same time. Oh Harry. How I love you, he thought.

Harry began to disrobe Severus and then himself, leading him over to the steaming bath, stepping in and settling himself on the rim of the tub, behind Severus. He sponged hot water over him and said, "I know I've been difficult lately, Sev and I'm sorry for this morning. My temper tantrum over my trousers.."

"Harry," Severus sighed, "you..."

"No, Sev, let me talk," Harry said firmly, "you just listen."

Severus complied, not wanting to spoil the mood, but thinking that it should be him apologising, not Harry.

"I guess it's the hormones that make me like that," Harry continued, "I don't like it, and I hate being so tearful all the time, sniffling about like a little girl, but it seems that I start, and I hate it, but that just makes me cry even more. It's hard on me too, but I can't help it, and I know it's hard on you too, and I'm sorry. I just...I don't know what's going to happen the further into this we get, the pregnancy, so I'm apologising now, ahead of time for everything to come, okay? So just let me do this for you while I can still move, alright? Just relax and enjoy it, Sev. Let the whole crap day go. I've got a surprise for you."

Severus gave in to Harry's request and let him do as he wished, enjoying being taken care of for once. Harry bathed him, then made him lean back so that he could wash his hair for him. Severus was fairly purring as Harry massaged his fingers over his scalp and through his hair. He secretly loved when Harry did this for him, although he'd never told him so.

After he was scrubbed to Harry's satisfaction, his husband spelled the tub full of fresh water and they lay back entwined together, relaxing. Severus had closed his eyes, nearly dozing off before he became aware that Harry was nuzzling his neck, pressing hot kisses to him while his hands wandered over his skin, stroking his chest and stomach.

He was suddenly wide awake again as Harry's hot little mouth began trailing after his fingers. The heated and wet mouth of his husband kissed and nibbled at his chest, his tongue teasing Severus' nipples into hard points before he lowered his mouth and began to suck and nip.

Severus moaned quietly, sinking his fingers into Harry's wet and unruly hair, pressing his mouth to his chest, enjoying the pull of Harry's lips on his sensitive skin, and the tingles that shot through his groin as Harry's hands travelled ever lower.

Harry's hands kneaded at his hips as his mouth left Severus' chest and followed his hands, at the same time wandlessly and wordlessly lowering the water level of their bath. He gasped sharply as Harry's insistent tongue delved into his navel, nibbling and nipping, one hand leaving his hip to wrap itself around his definitely interested cock.

Harry shifted and insinuated himself between Severus' legs, gently lifting one to rest on the rim of the tub, giving him more room to continue his ministrations, murmuring "Just relax and let me..."

Severus sighed and lay back, enjoying the firm stroking of his shaft, the fondling of his balls, and the sight of Harry's deep green eyes telling him that he wanted to do this for him. Harry's head dipped, and Severus first gasped, then moaned ecstatically as his cock was sucked into Harry's hot and sinful mouth. He closed his eyes and gave himself over completely to the rapturous sensations of Harry's hand stroking the lower part of his erection while his tongue played up the other half, all the while sucking at the throbbing head.

He was panting now, his chest heaving as small noises he couldn't help escaped, his desire increasing, and he plunged his fingers into Harry's unruly mop of hair again, flexing and tugging, his hips straining wildly in an effort not to thrust.

He gasped loudly as a different tingling sensation assaulted him. The water level lowered further, and he held his breath as he felt a slick finger begin circling his entrance, stroking and nudging before finally breaching him to slide inside.

Harry continued the steady stroking and sucking of Severus' now aching cock the same time he stroked his finger in and out of Severus' clenching entrance, making him let the breath he'd been holding out in a small explosive gasp as he carefully added another.

The fingers sliding in and out of his grasping and greedy hole coupled with the wicked mouth sucking him made Severus begin to pant heavily. The fingers curled and found that sweet spot inside him, prodding and stroking that as well, and Severus gasped his husband's name loudly, the last vestiges of his entire lousy day driven from his mind. His only thoughts now were centered around the tongue swirling around his leaking, throbbing dick, and the fingers that were firmly massaging the throbbing bundle of nerves inside him.

"Oh...Merlin," Severus moaned. Harry sucked a bit harder, thrust his fingers deeper and was rewarded with the sight of his normally stoic husband writhing enticingly beneath him.

He stepped up his efforts a bit more, and chuckled to himself around his husband's engorged prick at the stream of nonsensical cursing and babble that spewed from Severus' mouth. Harry again, thinking he'd driven him to that.

It was Harry's smug chortle that did it. The vibration coursed down Severus' length into his balls, which drew up tight as his hips involuntarily rose to thrust his cock further down Harry's accomodating throat, at the same time impaling himself as far as possible in the digits buried within him. He felt his orgasm coming on, starting in his curled toes and prickly scalp, with the force and velocity of the Hogwarts Express at full steam and began to babble to Harry about it.

"Oh.....oh...sweet....Merlin!....Harry....I....Fuck!" spurted forth from Severus' mouth just as his come spurted forth into his husband's throat, Harry sucking every drop and then some from him, never ceasing that firm stroking of his sweet spot.

With a final cry of "Oh...God!" Severus fell back, limp, sated and drained, barely aware of Harry slowly withdrawing his fingers. He lie there, head thrown back, mouth slack, body twitching involuntarily, not caring his legs were spread wide and wantonly, not caring his cock hung limp and empty, not caring how debauched a picture he must present.

He didn't even care if Harry left him to sleep in the tub. He was quite content.


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Of course Harry didn't, however, and as Severus slid himself into bed next to him, he tried again to apologise, but Harry put his fingers over Severus' mouth and wouldn't listen.

Neither would he let Severus do anything to return the favour other than let him kiss him. He turned himself away from Severus, although he kept a firm grip on Severus' right arm, pulling it over himself and entwining his fingers with Severus', resting their hands against the slight swell of his abdomen.

After a bit, Severus' conscience wouldn't let him sleep, so he tried absolving himself of another guilt point. "Harry?" he asked curiously, "why did you come home early today? You were already home when I returned to our quarters. Was something wrong?"

After a moment Harry said in a quiet voice, "No Sev. Nothing's wrong. Nothing at all. In fact, everything's right."

Severus frowned to himself in the dark and pondered his husband's words. Leery of setting off waterworks again, he nonetheless found his curiosity getting the better of him. Severus kissed Harry's shoulder, nuzzling the soft skin, tracing patterns over the rounded skin of his belly with his fingertips.

He was just asking what Harry meant by that, when his young husband gave a soft gasp and tightened his fingers around Severus'.

"Harry?" Severus questioned, "if everything is right....why did you come home from work early?"

Harry let out another soft gasp, and then a small snicker. "This, Sev," Harry said, pressing the older man's hand against his stomach.

"Wha...?" Severus began in confusion, but then he felt a fluttering under his hand that elicited his own gasp.

"Yeah," Harry said, his voice sounding rough but with a note of wonder. "This is why I came home early. This is why nothing is wrong. This is our kids, Sev!"

"Oh Harry," Severus said, feeling near tears himself. He buried his face against Harry's shoulder, holding him tightly and marvelled at the feelings he felt coursing out from his heart. "I'm so sorry for this afternoon, Harry," he breathed, feeling ashamed on top of everything else.


"No," Harry said, "It's okay, we both said things we didn't mean. You were tired and I was hormone-crazed. It's alright. I just want to forget about it and lie here with you and feel our babies swimming around inside me." His voice took on an awed tone and he turned his head over his shoulder to glance at Severus. "They seem so real now, for the first time. I...I can feel them now. Our kids, Sev. That we made."

Severus didn't say anything, his face buried tightly in the crook of Harry's neck, his fingers caressing Harry's stomach, but Harry didn't need him to, and he kissed his husband's head, stroking his hair with his free hand.


Harry could feel what Severus couldn't say dripping down his shoulder.



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