Last Minute Prezzie

DISCLAIMER: JKR owns everything that is in reference to the Harry Potter world if it is in one of my works of fiction. If it is not found in one of her creations, then it is mine unless otherwise stated. I am not making any profit from the writing of this story.

A/N~ To those who have asked where the fic How Severus Spends His Summer Hols can be found, the answer is here. You may find it at adult-fanfiction.org under the author’s name sevs_lil_secret, I just posted the 84th chapter a few minutes ago.
I do apologize for the length of time it has taken me to post on this story, I’ve been piddling around with this chapter for a few weeks now and finally decided it was ready. So here goes…it is a glimpse into the first of Severus’ pregnancies.

Harry woke up suddenly to a strange noise. He sat up as quiet as he could in the darkened bedroom and listened. There it was again. A rustling sound and then a banging noise. Feelings of anger and trepidation filled the young father to be as he groped blindly in the dark for his spectacles and his wand, trying to be quiet so he didn’t wake up his husband. Merlin knew poor Severus had not been sleeping well at all in the past month.

Determined to protect his husband and unborn child at all costs from what could only be Deatheaters that had escaped the Ministry sweeps after Voldemort had fallen two years before, Harry slowly crept to the heavy oak door that closed their bedroom off from the rest of their chambers there at Hogwarts. Putting his ear to the door, he listened for more clues as to who it was and how many he would be facing once he burst through that door, his wand spitting hexes.

Crunch. Crackle. Scraping. Banging. A low muttered curse.

Taking a deep breath to steel his nerves, Harry threw the door open wide only to find his very pregnant husband sprawled out on their divan amidst wrappings from crisps, biscuits, ice cream, and who knew what.

Wide black, startled eyes looked up into Harry’s astonished emerald green ones as Severus self consciously pulled the spoon from his mouth and plunged it back into the cardboard tub of pumpkin almond chip ice cream.

“Did I wake you?” he asked, averting his eyes to look anywhere but at his husband in full battle mode wearing naught but his Elmo boxer shorts that Hermione had given him for Christmas the year before. He was impressed that his husband was so concerned about his safety, but honestly, the little red monster that covered his big red monster was very, very hard not to laugh at.

Harry looked at his older husband fondly and lowered his wand immediately. Shaking his head, he pushed some of the debris to one side and settled in next to the Potions Master. Reaching up with one hand, he gently tucked errant strands of jet black hair back behind Severus’ ear and leaned in to kiss him.

“It’s okay Love, I just thought it might have been someone out here to hurt you,” Harry explained as he took a bite of the ice cream for himself and smiled at the taste. At least this was one of Severus’ more normal cravings, the bacon and peach sandwiches had been hard to watch as he ate them with obvious relish at every meal. “You know this is rather good. I told you it was a good idea not to make the house elves angry.”

Severus only smirked and took his spoon back, dipping it into the ice cream and then rolling the spoonful in an open bag of vinegar flavoured crisps at his side, coating it well before popping it into his mouth with obvious rapture. After sucking the spoon clean and pulling it out of his mouth with a sigh, Severus spoke reverently.

“Oh Harry, you have no idea how good this tastes. Have a bite?” he asked as he dipped and coated a big spoonful for his horrified and beloved husband. Holding it out to him, Severus waited as Harry tried to force himself to open his mouth to take a bite. He couldn’t, he just couldn’t. He could force down the foulest of potions from his husband’s cauldrons, but not a spoonful of crusty ice cream.

No amount of cajoling would be able to get Harry Potter\'s mouth open. Severus merely raised one eyebrow and gave him a self-satisfied smirk before he popped the spoonful into his own mouth. Closing his eyes and moaning in utter abandonment, the Potions Master enjoyed his midnight treat.

\"Severus you have no idea how disgusting the idea of putting that in my mouth is right now,\" Harry muttered as he watched his husband prepare another bite. Deciding to stay up with his husband while he enjoyed his snack, the younger man leaned over and collected his book from its spot on the table beside the divan.

\"It\'s no more disgusting than what you and Weasley eat when you get together with him. What is that you call it, a pizza? That is truly foul,\" Severus said as he took his final bite. Picking up his wand he gave it a quick wave and banished the mess he had made. He gave Harry a smile and then attempted to get up from his seated position.

\"Would you like a hand, Love?\" Harry asked as he laid his book back down and quickly got to his feet. His older husband simply gave a suffering sigh and nodded. Harry took the long, elegant hands in his smaller ones and gave his husband a gentle hoist up to his feet. \"Up you get and back to bed with us both.\"

Hand in hand, the couple walked back into the bedroom and settled themselves once more into the large four-poster bed. Severus turned on his left side with a pillow under his swollen tummy and one between his knees, and Harry spooned up behind him. Severus felt one of Harry\'s arms encircle his swollen waist and he reached down to twine .his fingers with those of his husband.

\"I had an appointment with Poppy today,\" Severus said as he wriggled around and got more comfortable. He had some news to share as Harry and he wasn\'t sure how his younger husband would take it.

\"Why didn\'t you tell me? I would have gone with you,\" Harry said as he kissed the night shirt covered shoulder that was in front of him.

\"It\'s all right Harry. It was just a quick scan, but Poppy did find something interesting.\"

Immediately Harry was alert, he had heard a note of trepidation in his mate\'s voice. \"What is it Severus? Are you all right? Is the baby alright?\"

\"It\'s okay Harry nothing to worry about. I am well and the baby is doing well. The interesting news that Poppy had is that I\'m carrying twins,\" Severus said as he gave Harry\'s hand a squeeze. He heard the sharp intake of breath from Harry and he wondered what the younger man thought.

\"Twins? Is she certain? You are going to have two babies?\" Harry asked incredulously as he rubbed his hand over the stretched skin of his husband\'s abdomen that held their tiny miracles. Merlin he thought, two babies, how blessed could they be?

\"You\'re not upset then?\" Severus asked, sighing softly as he heard the happiness in his husband\'s voice. He had been worried that Harry would decide it was too much.

\"How could I be upset about having two babies? My only question is this. Is it safe for you?\"

\"Poppy said I would be fine, but she wishes to place me on bed rest within the month. She said that being on my feet in the classroom and around the different ingredients would make things far more difficult on me,\" Severus answered with a sigh. He didn\'t want to stop teaching, in fact he planned to see the Headmaster in the morning to see what other alternatives could be found. He hated to be idle with a passion.

Harry well knew his husband\'s proclivities when it came time for leisure, more specifically his leisure. He knew that the older wizard would fight Poppy tooth and nail on the bed rest issue and would most likely bring Dumbledore into it. Smiling to himself, he decided to bring his hidden Slytherin nature into play and he would see to it that his husband got the rest he needed. He listened as Severus’ breathing became deeper and more regular; when he was certain that the pregnant man was asleep he slid out of the bed and left the bedroom. It was time for a visit with the Headmaster.