Lily Rose.

Disclaimer.... Not mine, and no money was made....

A/N I'm very sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. Hopefully the end of the chapter more then makes up for it. For those of you reading my other stories, I am slowly but surely getting them written. I have two more chapters with my Beta, but as she has been sick for the past few weeks, they will take a little longer to get out to you all.

Enjoy.


Chapter Six

Hermione, Ginny and Ron knew that they wouldn't be staying in Hogwarts all that long. In fact, Hermione was certain that the only reason they had actually been allowed to leave Headquarters was because no one wanted Draco to be alone yet. So, they did what Hermione did best: give facts. She confirmed or denied all the rumours concerning the Golden Trio for the past few years. Ron, for his part, gave the details that Hermione was unable to give, for example, if she had not been there at the time, or because he felt certain parts of the story were more important then the ones Hermione had been giving out. Ginny did the same as she had seen a few more of the things that happened that the other two had not.

Of course, he still did not get the whole story as they could not tell Harry's part, and even if they could they figured that it wasn't there right to do so. As the Gryffindors narrated the stories, they showed Draco where everything happened, including the fact that they knew where the Slytherin common rooms were. When Hermione started to notice the glazed look in the blonde’s eyes, she and Ginny snickered to themselves and directed the boys to the Room of Requirement, and handed Draco a cup of calming tea. The quiet conversation that followed as they allowed Draco to ask questions lasted for about half an hour before Harry came in laughing his ass off.

That was how they found themselves following a chuckling Harry back to the Headmaster's office, not sure what was going to happen next but willing to follow their leader almost anywhere.

Harry entered the Headmaster's office without knocking and had to slap his hand over his mouth to stop whatever sound may have come out. It looked like the twins had woken up in his absence, and the two so-called dark wizards were attempting to calm them down once again. Stepping fully into the room, Harry relieved Lucius of a screaming Summer and started to talk quietly to her, while walking over to where Severus was attempting to do the same thing. “Come on Severus, let’s go deal with these two little ones. I do believe that they are ready to be changed, fed, and put to bed.” Turning to the Headmaster, Harry gave the man an inquiring look. “Where will we be staying, Albus? Not that I don't want to stay and have the lovely talk that I know is coming, but it's been a long day all the way around.”

“Of course my boy, I do believe that there are enough people here that know what has happened to fill Minerva in. The only thing I need Severus and yourself to decide is whether you are going to share chambers and, if you are, just where those chambers are going to be.”

Harry rolled his eyes while Severus snorted before answering. “You know damn well that we will be sharing chambers, just like we are going to need something warmer for the girls. The dungeons will be no place for them.”

Harry looked at his mate in disbelief all the while shaking his head. “I agree with the sharing chambers part, but moving from the dungeons? I don't think so. Warming charms around the room will do just as well, but we will need the peace and quiet that the dungeons provide once everyone finds out about us and the girls. Besides, you need to be close to your Slytherins—me, I’m just a Floo away from the Gryffindors.”

“There are family quarters available at a moment’s notice. My Slytherins will not mind having to go a little further in order to find me.”

Harry just held up a hand in a bid for silence. “We'll discuss this later, after the girls are down for the night. Until then may we please just stay in your quarters?” Harry asked, his green eyes wide.

Sighing softly and knowing that he had just lost the argument, Severus just nodded his head. “Come along brat. I really don't think I want to risk Summer and you going through the Floo at the same time,” he said while picking up the few things that they had resized for the now-quiet twins.

Keeping his face as neutral as possible until Severus had his back turned, Harry gave his friends a wicked smirk and wink. “Harry one, Severus zero,” he mouthed to the group, causing them to hold in their laughter, until the door closed behind the new family.

~~hp~~

For finding himself a father only the night before, it really didn't take Harry long to get the hang of getting two babies ready for bed. Of course, it helped to have an older partner who had experience dealing with smaller children. Therefore, instead of taking Harry the hour or two it would have if left on his own, it only took the two of them about thirty minutes to get the girls fed, changed and asleep, leaving the two men a few hours to talk.

Instead of taking his normal seat in front of the fire, Severus stretched out on the sofa and waited for his young mate to be done with the twins and called for tea for the two of them. He would rather have something stronger at the moment, but knew that with the conversation that was coming as well as the night ahead with the twins, he needed a clear head. When the tea arrived, he fixed two cups and sat staring into the fire as he waited for his mate to come out of the bedroom.

When Harry did enter the living room, he stood for a few minutes watching the man he had grown to love over the past year. Despite that they were though they were soul mates, that didn't mean that they would automatically love each other, or for that matter fall in love at all. In one of the books he had found it clearly said that not all soul mates were also a love match, some became as close as siblings and others became nothing more then close friends. A true love-soul match pairing was actually rare, and he knew that was what he and the potions master shared, at least from his end, although Severus had been talking like he felt the same.

It was the same with the rings that his aunt had given him in a surprising move. There were many different rings available for soul mates to match each situation, but he just wasn't sure which ones they had. Studying Severus’s profile, he breathed in the scent of safety that had surrounded him from the very first time he had entered these rooms, and thanked his lucky stars that when he had showed up at Severus’s office that night so long ago, the man had actually taken the time to listen to him and not kick him out right away. Of course, the fact that he looked like hell from not being able to sleep might have played some role in that decision.

Shaking his head slightly, he brought his mind out of the past and into the present, and noticed that while he had been thinking about that first meeting, Severus had realized that he was there and was watching him in turn. Giving the man a shy smile, he followed the silent suggestion and joined his mate on the sofa.

Severus drew Harry down so they sat back to chest and folded his long arms around the younger man. “What were you thinking about?” he breathed in Harry's ear, and smiled softly when the teen shivered.

Melting into Severus’s embrace, Harry smiled softly, as these memories, while bad, were tinted with the first part of acceptance between the two of them. “The first time I actually had the nerve to knock on your door instead of standing there staring at it.”

Severus snorted softly. “Yes I do remember feeling you at the edge of my wards, it was really quite annoying. I had promised myself that if you did come back once more and left, I would give you a detention just to force you to talk to me. What finally made you knock on my door that night?”

Harry sighed, “I was so exhausted from not being able to sleep, and from trying to keep myself from panicking whenever someone came to close to me that, when I was started during a DA meeting, I blew the third year that startled me into a wall. Fortunately Hermione and Ron managed to stop her from hitting it, and we managed to blow the whole thing off.”

“Why didn't you go to Madam Pomfrey?”

Harry twisted around in shock to look Severus in the eye. “If I had voluntarily entered the infirmary, Madam Pomfrey would have realized something was really wrong and she would have tied me to a bed until she found out what!” he exclaimed before settling down. Severus remained quiet, knowing that there was more coming. “I came to you because I knew that whatever else, you would have seen past the mask I wore and helped me. I knew if nothing else I could count on that, even if you had hated me.”

“I had every intention of giving you detention with Filch and kicking you out of my office that night.”

“What stopped you?”

“Curiosity. You had stopped so many times and then walked away that I wanted to know what kept pulling you back to my door. After that, it was the look in your eyes that made me allow you to come back.”

Harry nodded his head. “I'm glad you did.”

Severus tightened his hold on the young man in his arms slightly. “So am I.”

The two of them sat like that for a while, just basking in the presence of the other, hands entwined together, until Severus shifted their hands slightly so he could run his fingers around the band on Harry’s finger. “How long have you known?”

Harry shifted around so, while he was still leaning against Severus, he could look up into the older man's face. “Hermione and Ron figured it out before I did, and kept dropping hints. I found a book about bonds during the Christmas holidays, but didn't know for sure until May. I didn't dream that night, but I woke up in a cold sweat knowing that you needed me. At that moment, I knew for sure that there was more going on than I first thought,” he said quietly. “When did you figure it out?”

Looking down into those impossibly green eyes, Severus smiled. The sight was not rare between the two of them anymore. “I knew the moment I realized you were using my wand. The feelings just kept getting stronger the longer we stayed close.”

“What happens now, Severus?” Harry asked, a slight tinge of fear coloring his voice.

“We live Harry. We make sure your daughters grow up happy and healthy. Just remember what I said before. I will always be there for you.”

Smiling softly and pulling one hand free, Harry corrected Severus. “Our daughters Severus,” he breathed before snaking his free hand up and pulled Severus down closer to him, their lips meeting in a gentle kiss.

Severus wasn't sure what thrilled him more, the words “our daughters” or his first taste of those lips. Keeping the kiss gentle for a few seconds, he slowly increased the pressure until he felt Harry once more melt against him and groan softly. Breaking their first kiss, Severus pressed another into Harry's hairline, and allowed them both to catch their breath.

“Come Harry, we'll figure out what we need to do later. Right now, we both need sleep.” Without a thought, Severus picked Harry up off the sofa while he stood and walked to the bedroom. Placing the slightly blushing Harry down on the bed, he flicked his wand over the two of them, transfiguring what they were wearing into sleepwear and then settled into the bed himself, before pulling Harry back into his arms. Placing another kiss on Harry's shoulder, he murmured softly into his ear, “Sleep my Harry. Just sleep.”

~~hp~~

Not sure what exactly woke him up the next morning, Severus laid in bed content with the feelings of holding the man he loved in his arms. Whatever doubts he had had about where his relationship with Harry was going had been put to rest when he had seen the golden magic surround them yesterday, proving that this was a true love-soul bond. Giving in to his desires, Severus allowed his hands to wonder across the body he was holding, tweaking nipples gently as his hands made their way down. A startled gasp as he smoothed one hand across the morning erection he found there had him smiling, knowing his mate was awake.

Placing nipping bites up one shoulder until he reached the small space where shoulder meets neck, he smiled wickedly before biting down, effectively marking Harry as his own as his hand moved slowly along Harry's member, and loving the mews of pleasure he was receiving for his trouble.

A low growl was all the warning he had before Harry twisted out of his arms and rolled so that he was on top, their erections lining up perfectly, causing both to groan in pleasure. A wave of magic rolled over him, leaving him naked in its wake and, before he could do anything about it, Harry thrust his hips down, leaving him breathless at the feeling.

“Good morning,” Harry whispered, his voice husky from the pleasure he was feeling. Leaning down, he started kissing Severus breathless, all the while rolling his hips, bringing even more pleasure to both of them. Breaking the kiss, Harry slithered his way down, leaving a trail of kisses in his wake, until he reached one flat nipple and proceeded to worry it until it became a hard nub. Only when he was satisfied with the sounds coming from above did he switch and start to work on the other nipple, leaving a wet trail between the two.

He had no warning when their positions were switched again, Severus’s longer body braced with one arm resting above Harry's head and the other arm braced along his side. And then Severus started to move in long upward strokes that left Harry with only one choice. Wrapping his legs around Severus’s thighs, he linked his ankles together, pulled the older man closer to him, and started a deep kiss that threatened to drown them both.

The friction between their two bodies coupled with a soul stealing kiss and the feeling of their magic joining sent electric tingles racing through both men from every point of contact and meeting deep within. It felt like an eternity, but in reality only moments had passed before Harry threw his head back and gave a breathless scream of pleasure as he emptied himself. At the same time, Severus, in order to stop his own shout, bit down on the same spot as before joining Harry in relief, and then collapsing on top of his lover.

The only sound in the room was their harsh breathing as they both worked to gain control of themselves once again. When Severus tried to shift his weight off of the younger man, Harry wrapped both arms around him and held on. “Don't move yet, please,” he whispered. “I like having you this close.”

Smiling Severus shifted enough so that he would not crush Harry and gave a contented sigh. “Indeed,” he whispered back, and incanted a silent spell to cleanse both of their bodies. It only took a few minutes before he realized that Harry had gone back to sleep. Snorting softly in laughter, he manoeuvred the two of them so that Harry was still partially beneath him, and followed his love back into sleep.

~~hp~~

Severus wasn't sure how long he had slept for the second time that morning, but once again something had woken him. Checking on Harry he placed a small kiss on the same spot he had marked earlier, and carefully worked his way out of bed. Slipping into the bathroom before checking the time, he found that it was shortly after eight, and knowing that breakfast during the summer in the great hall usually came around nine, made short work of getting ready for the day. Moving back into the bedroom, a quick glance at the bed showed sleepy green eyes watching him. Severus gave Harry another small smile.

“Good morning. We have about an hour before breakfast is served. I'll check on the girls while you get yourself cleaned up.”

“Kay,” was the mumbled response as Harry stretched like a cat on the bed, allowing the covers to fall and giving Severus a perfect view of the naked body they had been hiding.

Suppressing a groan and ignoring the stirring in his groin at the sight, Severus stalked over and gave the green-eyed beauty a searing kiss. “Come Harry, it's time to get up.” He had to suppress another groan as Harry involuntary followed the order in that voice. A wave of his hand cleaned up the evidence as he gave Harry another kiss. “You, Mr. Potter, are going to be the end of me if you keep that up.”

“Not my fault you’re dead sexy,” answered a blushing Harry.

“Get yourself cleaned up, Brat,” Severus ordered and quickly left the room before he was tempted to miss breakfast altogether.

Walking into the bedroom where they had placed the twins the night before, Severus saw a most unusual sight. Every ghost in the castle knew not to enter his chambers, but apparently the vow that Peeves gave the night before allowed him to do just that.

Flickering lights flashed above one of the cribs and Severus could hear the gurgling enjoyment from both babies as they tried to focus and grab hold of the lights dancing above them, while Peeves hovered off to the side making noises to keep the girls entertained. “Peeves?” the potions master growled.

The lights flickered and died for a moment before picking back up once again, and Peeves floated closer to the door. “Good morning Professor. I knew I would be risking your displeasure by entering your chambers, but…” he trailed off for a moment before giving a wicked grin. “As you were busy I figured I would keep these two entertained for a while. Winky has already been by to change and give them both bottles and we were just waiting for the two of you to join us.”

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Severus wondered just what he would have to do to bribe the poltergeist to keep his mouth shut when he felt Harry slide his arm around his waist. “Thank you Peeves. If you find the girls in need of entertainment for awhile during the day, please feel free to entertain them until one of us is available,” Harry informed him.

“Thank you Master Potter. You can count on me,” Peeves answered before fading out, the flickering lights leaving with him.

“Like you said Love, let’s get these two little ladies ready for the day and join the rest of the castle,” Harry said with a kiss.

Severus, for his part, just sighed and followed his mate in gathering the girls. Who knew what would happen with Peeves having that kind of permission to be around the girls.