The Wrong Time

A Happy Christmas Indeed

“It’s beautiful, Severus,” Rose exclaimed as she examined the ring again.

It was a beautiful, early 1920s design. A two-carat princess cut diamond set in a lovely white gold band with sapphires on either side of the brilliant stone. Rose had chosen it almost instantly.


The sapphire was, after all, Hermione’s birthstone. Severus had agreed it was a beautiful choice.


“If you could just wrap this up for us, we will be on our way,” Severus said to the jeweler.


“Right away, sir,” the jeweler said, and disappeared behind the counter to gift wrap the ring.


“So I guess that this means I’ll have two dads, now,” Rose said, shifting on her feet uncomfortably.


“I will be whatever it is you want me to be to you. If you want me to be a second father to you, then I will be. If you want to think of me simply as a friend, that is fine as well,” Severus said truthfully.


It was very important to him that the children felt comfortable around him.


“Let’s get mum to say yes, and then we can decide from there, because technically speaking, I have two mums, but I really don’t think of that cow as my mum, and you are way better than she is,” Rose said in a rush.


Severus smirked at her assessment of Lavender Brown Weasley.


“Deal,” He said, extending his hand to the girl.


She took it with a smile and shook it awkwardly.


“I hope to make your mum the happiest witch in the world,” Severus said.


Rose responded with a warm smile.


The rest of the day went by smoothly, everyone finishing their shopping without incidence.


That night, just after all of the children had gone to sleep, Hermione took Severus by the hand.


“You have made me happier than I ever thought I could be, I really hope you know that,” she said to him, gazing into his eyes tenderly.


“You make me feel the same way too, you know,” he replied, dropping a light kiss on her lips.


Hermione smiled. She had never felt this way before, even with Ron, and until he had begun cheating on her, she had always considered him the love of her life. She knew now that what she felt could not have been love, because what she was feeling now was nothing like it and she was certain that this was love.


“Come on you, let’s go to bed,” Severus said, raising his eyebrows at her suggestively.


Hermione allowed him to lead her to their bedroom.


The rest of the week went by very quickly, and everyone felt as though Christmas Eve had just crept up on them.


“What shall we toast to this year, children?” Hermione asked, raising her glass.


“To new beginnings,” Rose said, smiling at Severus.


“Yea, that is a good one, to new beginnings,” Hugo said, enthusiastically.


Hermione smiled. Her children really were everything she could have hoped for.


“To new beginnings,” Severus said, clinking his glass against Hermione’s raised one.


After dinner, the family gathered in the living room by the fireplace, where Severus had set up the wireless to play Christmas music.


After about an hour, Josiah gave a little yawn.


“It looks as if perhaps it is time for bed,” Severus said.


“No! Peas no bed!” Josiah protested.


“Now, now, son, you want Father Christmas to come, don’t you?” Severus asked the toddler.


“Yes!” Josiah exclaimed.


“Well you know he won’t show up unless you are fast asleep,” Hermione reminded him.


“Otay, bed time!” Josiah proclaimed, and ran down the hall to his bedroom, his footed pajamas skidding slightly on the tile floor.


Severus laughed heartily and followed the tyke down the hall to tuck him into bed.


“I am so glad you lot are so supportive of this,” Hermione said to Rose and Hugo, reddening a little bit.


“Aww, Mum, we just want you to be happy,” Rose said.


“Yea,” Hugo agreed, “it’s been a long time since you’ve been truly happy, and if keeping you that way means not throwing up every time you two start snogging, then I can do that.”


“Oh you,” Hermione said, tousling her son’s hair. “I’ve really never been happier.”


“That’s good, Mum,” Rose said, fighting hard to keep the secret that was burning within her….after all, her mother would find out soon enough what Severus’ intentions were.


“He’s settled in,” Severus said, as he walked into the room a few minutes later.


“Alright,” Hermione said, setting down her mug of cocoa. “Perhaps you lot ought to get to bed too.”


Rose yawned in agreement.


“Goodnight, children,” Hermione said, holding her arms out to embrace them.


“Goodnight Mum,” they said in unison, hugging their mother tightly.


When the children were all out of earshot, Severus grabbed Hermione and tossed her over his shoulder.


“What on earth are you doing?” Hermione said with a giggle.


“Christmas is about to come a little early for me,” he said, as he carried her back to their bedroom.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


The next morning, Severus and Hermione were awoken by soft knocking on their door.

“Mummy! Daddy! It’s Christmas!” Josiah squealed.


The two lazily rolled out of bed, threw on housecoats and answered the door to find all three children standing before them.


Hermione looked from her youngest son, to his co conspirators with a pointed look.


“What?” Rose said. “He woke up on his own.”


“Alright, come on,” Hermione said with a grin.


She led the children to the living room and handed them each two presents to get started on while Severus prepared Christmas breakfast.


After a hearty meal of bacon, eggs, toast, sausage, marmalade, potatoes and kippers, they reconvened in the living room to finish unwrapping all of their presents.


Cheer and merriment filled the room as Severus passed around another round of peppermint cocoa, and Hermione cleared away the last of the discarded wrapping paper.


“Alright, you lot, let’s get these presents to your bedrooms,” Hermione said, bending down to pick up a stray piece of ribbon.


“Wait, Mum, there’s one more,” Rose said, pulling a small package from the mantel.


Severus fought back a grin that was threatening to creep across his face.


The package was wrapped in green paper with a delicate silver bow. Hermione read the label on it and smiled. It was from Severus.


She carefully pulled back the paper to reveal a black velvet box. With trembling fingers, she opened the lid. She could scarcely believe her eyes when she saw the beautiful ring that lay inside. She looked up to see Severus down on one knee.


“Hermione, you have made me happier than I ever thought I could be. There once was a time when I thought love had passed me by, and I would never be worthy of it again, but you have shown me that I never really had love until I found you. I would be honored if you would let me spend the rest of my life showing you just how much I love you,” Severus said, his voice wavering.


“Oh Severus, I would be honored,” Hermione said, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him deeply.


“Ewww cooties!” Josiah squealed.


Severus laughed heartily.


“Cooties? Let me give those cooties back, then,” he said, kissing Hermione again.


Rose and Hugo exchanged a pointed look.


“Well, congratulations you two, but we really need to get these presents put away,” Rose said.


“Yeah, me too,” Hugo said, and followed his sister out of the room.


Severus and Hermione laughed in unison.


“Ron’s going to be by to pick up the children in about an hour, and he is taking them all to the Burrow, Josiah included. Why don’t we continue this then?” Hermione said in a low voice, giving Severus a very suggestive look.


“Why you little minx,” Severus said, with a raised eyebrow.


Yes, it was a happy Christmas indeed.


A/N: I know, I know, it’s been ages! I’m not going to make excuses, but I will say that I do have a lot going on right now, so bear with me. To those who have read this since it was started, thank you so so much for sticking around this far…next chapter will be it, so we are almost there…..To those who are just now finding this, I really hope that you are enjoying it. As always, please review!