Well, they'd managed on their first try. The diagnostic spell for pregnancy came back positive and they hugged each other so hard I was afraid I'd be treating them for cracked ribs. I sat back and beamed at the happy couple while Harry excitedly began to plan out loud all the things they needed to do. Severus listened with a smile and interjected comments when Harry had to breathe.

After I promised to make a list of all the best books on pregnancy, we finally left the dispensary for the Great Hall and dinner. I was curious how they would deal with their new notoriety but was not myself prepared for the completely new seating arrangements. Round tables dotted the room and I saw a mix of houses scattered around them. Hermione waved at us when we hesitated at the door and I saw three empty chairs around their table.

"Oh Sev, I think this is one of the nicest presents we could have gotten." I heard Harry whisper.

"You deserve nothing less, sweetheart." He whispered back while I smiled broadly.

"Welcome home, children," Albus beamed at them from between Remus and Minerva.

"Thank you, Albus, I see you decided to redecorate." Severus nodded bemusedly to the others while we seated ourselves in the empty chairs between Sirius and Draco.

Dinner appeared immediately on our plates and eating began. The first bite of lamb melted in my mouth and I tried the new potatoes in dill sauce with a sigh of enjoyment. Conversation was general until it turned to plans after graduation and I listened with an air of nostalgia for all the students who'd passed through these halls over the years. Some of whom were now sitting around this table.

Sirius kept sneaking little peaks at Harry and I'd seen Remus' nostrils flare when he caught their scent. They'd known the pair had been traveling but Harry's long hair had been a surprise even for me. I understood it was a part of his whole disguise and I liked it. The mess was gone and all that was left was glossy raven black hair that tumbled over his shoulders like a midnight stole.

"That's a new look for you, Harry." Draco said smoothly. "Much better."

Harry chuckled. "You mean it's not messy, Draco. I like it this way. It's been great fun over the last few years."

"Harry, I like it. What kind of shampoo do you use to get it so glossy?" Hermione asked him. "I think I'm jealous."

He laughed and turned towards Severus. "Are you willing to give up the recipe, Sev?"

"For a special few, I could be persuaded to make up a few bottles." Severus' smooth tones had laughter in it and that lessening of tension in his voice made me smile in satisfaction.

I quite liked this new Severus.

********* Harry *********

I liked the new seating arrangements. Maybe some of the old rivalries could now be laid to rest. Sirius was trying so hard to be polite to Sev. I beamed at my godfather and his partner. Maybe my family would grow a little more and accept me for who I was and who I loved. I wanted everyone to be as happy as I was right now.

I am pregnant, I said silently over and over. I'm growing new life inside of me. A little bit of me and a little bit of Sev had now combined to create a brand new person. It would be a long nine months before I got to meet him. Or them, I smiled happily at the Headmaster and Minerva. What if my vision was true and I was carrying twins? How exciting it would be.

Some of my happiness seemed to be seeping out into the general atmosphere and I wondered if it was the Hogwarts wards. //Sev, do you feel how happy Hogwarts is//

//I do, sweetheart, they are exuding the same joy we're feeling// Sev's hand stroked my knee under the table. //I'm afraid the wards all up and down Great Britain are responding to our joy//

//That's so neat// I felt like bouncing but I kept my body still with an effort. //Hopefully, all the people living within the wards are feeling happy, too//

//I hope so, kitten// His mental voice caressed mine. //Perhaps their joy will feed the wards even more joy and this will be an ever-expanding circle//

//I hope so, too// I finished off my potatoes and licked my lips. A sudden surge of lust from Sev swept over me so I did it again, slowly to tease him.

//Tempter// Sev's voice slid into my mind and I felt his mental fingers ghost across my cheek and down to my left nipple.

I shivered all the way down to my toes. Thank goodness dinner was almost over. I wanted to go back to our rooms and celebrate our good news in the most basic of ways. //I think I'll take you first thing tomorrow morning, Sev//

//Excellent idea, Mr. Potter// His mental snarky voice was almost as much of a turn-on as his real voice. //But tonight I will slide into you and welcome our new child with all the warmth I can muster//

My wordless 'yes' caressed him into smiling in public. I was going to try and get him to do that more often. I could feel the surprise around the table and the whispers that raced around the room when he raised my hand to his lips and gently kissed it. Good, I like shaking things up. Sirius didn't even growl a little so I leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you, Sirius, I know it's hard." I whispered to him.

"It is but I'm learning, Harry." His smile was only partly forced. "Are you happy?"

"My heart is so full of joy I feel like I could fly without a broom." I told him honestly and watched his smile grow indulgent.

"Good, that's all I ever wanted for you. If he," his gaze darted to Sev then back to me. "If he makes you happy then I'll do my best to accept him."

//May I tell him, Sev//

//You probably should, he'll feel left out if you don't//

"Thank you, Sirius. I really appreciate you trying. It's going to be even more important now." Then I leaned in and whispered in his ear. "Poppy just confirmed it. I'm pregnant. You're the first one I've told."

His jaw dropped and his eyes practically fell out of his head. I could feel the waves of satisfaction flowing my way from my smiling lover. And I narrowed my eyes at him with a mental admonition to 'be nice'.

"Dear god, Harry, so soon?" He sputtered while the rest of the table went silent and looked at us.

"It was the deepest wish of my heart, Sirius." I kept it simple before sharing a glance with Sev. "We have good news, everyone. I'm pregnant."

Hermione beamed at us. "Congratulations, Harry. Congratulations, Professor. Remember me when it comes time to look for a godmother."

"Harry, you wanted this?" Ron was trying to understand but you could see his bewilderment written across his face.

"I wanted it with all my heart, Ron. From the time I was little, I dreamed of a real family who loved me and who I loved. I didn't have one growing up so I wanted to make my own. Falling in love with Sev just made me more determined to grow that family." I wondered how long this news would take to reach the outer world.

"You're a brave man, Harry." Draco shook his head. "I think you're crazy but if anyone can pull it off, it's you. No offense, Sir, are you ready to be a father to a houseful of Gryffindors?"

"Nonsense, Draco, I'm sure they'll turn out to be Slytherins." Severus smiled at everyone around the table. "Of course, a Ravenclaw or two wouldn't be so bad."

"Sev-v-v," I fluttered my eyelashes at him. "There will be at least two Gryffindors. I'll make sure of that."

"You can try, sweetheart." He replied sweetly, making the rest of the table break into surprised laughter.

Sirius was still working on our news but he managed a weak smile.

********* Severus *********

It was going to take time to bring Sirius over to our side but I would do anything I had to, to make it happen sooner rather than later. I was already displaying some of those very Gryffindors qualities I usually sneered at. Harry was finally starting to rub off on me.

//I told you I would// he said smugly.

//Kitten, I think we've given them enough to talk about// I mentally sent a caress to his shaft and watched him blush.

//Sev// his admonishment was weak at best.

"Well, everyone, I believe we should adjourn for the evening. We had a long trip to get here and I, for one, am tired." I pushed back my chair and Harry did, too.

"Good night, all. I'll talk to you tomorrow." He smiled at them.

"We've got more planning for the bonding ceremony to do." Draco reminded us.

"And Mom is going to want to hear your news from you." Ron warned us.

Molly Weasley was a force of nature who it was better to have on your side. I made a mental note to contact her tomorrow. Harry echoed my thought.

The rest of our goodnights were said and then we escaped to the dungeons. The wards welcomed us with soft chimes that always made me smile when I heard them. Perhaps joy can best be expressed in music, I thought while watching Harry toe off his shoes and begin to shed his clothes. What would the others have thought if they knew he was wearing women's underwear under his school robes?

"They'd think I was extremely kinky although I think Hermione would want to see them and Draco would want to try them on." He said cheekily with a flirty look over his shoulder.

I laughed and began to disrobe, too. "I think you're right, sweetheart. I have a surprise for you in the bathroom."

His gaze went hot and sultry. "Is it a great big snake surprise?"

"Not quite, little love, although that can be arranged." I managed a serviceable leer and watched him start to laugh.

"Well, let's see it." He darted through the door to our expanded bathroom. "Oh Sev!"

I followed him, unfastening my pants. He was already naked and turning on our brand new bidet. It's no fluke that he has an affinity for water. It's one of his strongest elements and I loved to see him wet and glistening. He sighed happily when the bidet began to fountain.

"Oh Sev, this is wonderful. I missed our home one so much." He was already slit-eyed with pleasure. "I've always liked that saying about cleanliness."

I finished pushing off my pants and banished all our dirty clothes to the hampers for the house elves. With another flick of my wrist, I started the water filling our spa bathtub before I crossed to kneel in front of my lover.

"You are the bravest man I know, Harry Potter-Snape." I kissed him tenderly and he returned it with fervor. //Your instincts are impeccable, sweetheart//

//I want them to be focused on the future and not the past// he said simply while sucking on my tongue. //I love you, Sev//

//Love you too, kitten// my hands stroked back his hair. //I'm glad we can finally leave this long//

//I love it like this// he chortled silently. //I think Draco is jealous of how good it looks//

//You're probably right, little love// I slipped a hand down to play behind his balls.

//It's been hours since you were inside of me, Sev// his mental pout was as effective as his physical one.

//We can't have that, angel// I stood and brought him up with me. Crossing to the tub, I walked us both down the steps into the gently steaming water. Ducking us, I came up holding Harry, the water nymph. Droplets beaded on his long lashes and his dark hair lay sleek on his shoulders. //My beautiful Harry//

//My powerful Sev// he purred and undulated in my arms while his legs came up around my waist. //Inside of me, Sev, warm our children with your fire//

He was in the perfect position for me to slide into his new channel. He was so tight I had to go slow and he was biting his lips by the time I was all the way in. Panting, he waited out the brief pain until he could relax a little more. When he nodded to me, I started the slow slides that would bring us both the most pleasure. We were both panting by the time I seized up and flooded him.

"So good, Sev, it always feels so good when I'm full of your seed." His murmurs were as sated as the feelings across our bond. "When the babies grow bigger, I hope they like it as much as I do."

"They'll feel the love we both feel surrounding them with warmth and joy." I sat down on the back ledge with him still wrapped around me and my cock still in its snug home. "We'll tell them everyday how much we love them and can't wait for them to grow big and strong so they can be born."

"Yes," his smile lit the room more than the tapers that burned on every flat surface. "Once they begin to show, we'll stroke the skin stretching over them so they can feel our touches before they're even out of my womb."

"Such a gift you are, my beautiful love," I brushed soft kisses over his cheeks and down his throat to my favorite hot spot. Lapping the beads of water off his satin skin, I laved it until he shivered.

"You're the gift, Sev. You give me my heart's desire every day you love me." He tilted his head and slid his hands up under my hair. "Love you so much."

We simmered in the water until separating into two bodies again. Washing each other was always fun so we took our time until we began to wrinkle. Harry dried his hair with magic before slipping into his wedding night negligee. It was made of burnished Thai silk in a beautiful green the same color as his eyes. I'd fallen in love with it the moment I saw it hanging up in the boutique where we bought his wedding dress.

Hanging from two simple bows on his shoulders, the small bodice cupped his breasts snugly then billowed to the ground from an empire waist. It was a nightgown he could wear even after he started to swell with our children and I was looking forward to that.

"I'm looking forward to you buying that red negligee you promised me if I was pregnant." He said pertly while sliding into bed and holding up the covers for me.

"I'm thinking something in red silk, slit up one long leg so your flesh shows through when you move. A sarong perhaps so I can unwrap my very favorite present." I cuddled him close, enjoying the feel of silk-clad Harry along every inch of my naked skin.

"That would be sexy, Sev, especially when I put on those new red heels. Maybe I'll have to dance for you to give you the full effect." He teased me while snuggling into my arms in our favorite sleeping position.

Remembering the first time he showed me his new talent, I hugged him a little tighter. "You know I love it when you dance just for me, kitten. I'm the luckiest man on earth."

His little hum told me he was falling asleep and I rocked him gently until I felt his thoughts smooth out into slumber. Thinking about all the changes to come, I connected to the Hogwarts wards and asked them to think about growing some new rooms for us and our growing family.

Their sweet chimes told me they would do their best. I fell asleep hoping Harry would be spared morning sickness.

********* Remus *********

Panting, I stilled for a long moment while Sirius relaxed enough not to cut my cock in two. For some reason, he'd stripped the moment we closed the door behind us and exuded a musk I could only describe as 'horny male in search of a thorough fucking'. Well, that was a challenge I was definitely up to and I tore off my robes in a heartbeat.

He'd gone down on all fours in front of the fire. "Fuck me, Remus, fuck me hard until I scream."

No arguments from me, I dipped a couple of fingers into the jar of lubricant we kept on the stone hearth and slid them into his tight heat. His whole back rippled and he moaned. "More, Remus, take me really hard. I want it to feel so hard it hurts."

He needed pain sometimes and while it wasn't my favorite pastime, I would do what I had to. "My own slut, Siri, you're my very own slut, aren't you?"

"Yes," he groaned and gasped when I withdrew my fingers and rammed into him without any further prep. "Gods, yes, Remy, I'm your slut. I love it when you take me so hard I can't sit down the next day."

"My little bitch in heat, that's what you are," I started a pounding rhythm that made him growl and moan in equal parts. "No one has a tighter arse than you, my little slut. I'm going to make you howl tonight and then I'm going to put on your cock and ball harness on you so you stay hard and can't do anything about it for your first two classes."

He pushed back for more and began to stroke himself. "If you take me again first thing tomorrow morning but don't let me come it will hurt really good."

"What a good bitch, I like that idea." I slammed in again and again while he moaned and rubbed himself like the bitch in heat I'd called him. "Maybe I'll change into the wolf and cover you with my furry body, making you get on all fours for me, just like this."

He hiccupped and came onto the hearth rug. We'd only done that a couple of times, me taking him as the wolf while he stayed in human form. I'd been unsure of it but he'd coaxed me into trying. And I came deep inside of him at that memory.

***

"C'mon, Remy," he wheedled. "I want to try it. It feels so good when I'm in dog form and you take me. I want to feel the difference when I'm still human."

"There's a reason it's called bestiality, Siri," I hesitated. "What if I hurt you?"

His smile was so affectionate I had to smile back. "You've never hurt me, love. And I know you don't like that I need a little pain with my pleasure but you've managed that. If it's no good then we won't need to do it again."

Biting my lip, I considered his request. When I did the changing on my own, I retained all my human thoughts and emotions. Sirius was my very own mate, beloved of both the man and wolf. "All right, we'll give it a try. But if it hurts or scares you in any way, you are to tell me at once."

His eyes sparkled and he kissed me hard. That always took me somewhat by surprise still even after two years of loving. With a quick spell, our clothes were gone and I was rubbing against his hairy pelt. Briefly I wondered if Harry enjoyed Severus' furry skin the way I loved Sirius'. I more than made up for it in wolf form though.

"On the bed with some pillows under you, Siri. Do you want some lubricant or will my tongue suffice?" I swatted his arse cheek and he yelped before flinging himself onto our bed.

"Tongue is good enough. The wolf is more slender than you until you knot." He laid himself out with a couple of pillows to raise his arse to wolf level. "And I want the knot, Remy, I want to feel your seed swimming inside of me and know I can't do anything to stop it."

I slid between his legs. "Hold onto the head board, Siri. Don't let go or I'll have to tie you to it." His cock hardened even more at that threat. "I think I'll do it anyway. You look like you might be too excited to obey me."

"Oh no, Remy, I can do it." His voice said otherwise and I reached for the silk ties I kept under my pillow.

"Just in case," I tied each one about a foot apart and he shivered all over. "We wouldn't want any accidents. The wolf might forget and think you were trying to escape him." Running my hands down his back, I pulled apart his arse cheeks and began to rim his pucker while he moaned. "Just delicious, Siri, I love the way you taste. You're all heated musk and tangy-Sirius."

He was rocking back and forth by the time I thought him sufficiently loosened. "Remy, Remy, Remy," he chanted. "Take me now, take me hard."

Gathering my focus, I changed into the wolf. Immediately he stilled while I regained all my wolf senses. My tongue savored his skin with long licks; my nose scented his sweat; my paws kneaded his buttocks before sliding to either side of him; I growled in excitement and my shaft slid out of its sheath seeking the source of that wonderful smell.

"Oh gods, Remy," Sirius panted under my not inconsiderable weight. "You feel so warm and furry against my skin. That's right, love, find my hole and slide in."

I had a couple of false stabs before finally breaching the muscular hole. He was tight and hot around me and I whined a little at how good it felt.

"So good, Remy, you feel deeper than when you're in human form. So good and deep. Now take me hard, make me feel you in my throat."

I took him at his word, letting my wolf instincts to subdue my mate out to play. My hips were more powerful in this form and I put all my energy into thrusting into my lover good and hard. He was moaning and pulling on the silk ties after just ten minutes and I think I was grinning a wolfish grin when he burst into the pillows and I just kept on impaling him with my cock.

His moaning made me feel ten feet long and the way his channel clutched around me finally made me set my knot just inside his hole and begin to swell.

"Oh gods, oh gods, oh Remy, you're so big. You're splitting me in two. I can't take it all, really I can't." His voice broke but I paid more attention to the enjoyment there then his words. "Dear gods, it feels like you've shoved your fist up there." He panted some more and finally relaxed a little. "Okay, that's better. I think I like it, love. I think we're going to have to do this again soon."

I did a kind of rumbling purr to tell him I agreed and settled onto his body to wait for my knot to go down. It was going to be a while. He liked where he was.

***

"I think that's a wonderful idea, Siri." I smiled my wolf's smile. "For now though, I think we should clean up. Then I'm going to take you to bed and put on your harness so you can't come again until I say so. Then you're going to suck me off one more time before we go to sleep. In the morning, you're going to assume this position and without any preparation at all, I'm going to change into the wolf and fuck you so hard it will feel like your balls are going to explode."

"Gods, yes," he said fervently and I began the spanking he so enjoyed.

I was going to enjoy it, too.

********* Harry *********

The last two months of school went by so fast it wasn't funny. Classes were fun and I think I learned more during this last year then I did the first six years I was here. Having Voldemort dead and gone really let me relax the way I couldn't before. I hadn't realized how heavy the expectations everyone had piled on me were until they were gone. I felt so light sometimes; I thought I might float away.

"Not without me, sweetheart," Sev stood in the doorway of the new nursery where I was folding some of the little sleepers, that kept appearing in our living room, to put away in the big dresser that had appeared today.

"Sev," I laid them down and crossed to him.

He came in so we met in the middle for our first kiss of the afternoon. I love his taste and I sucked on his tongue while his hands stroked my back tenderly. When we broke the kiss, he looked around with an interested air. "I wonder where they found the dresser, little love. It looks like a Queen Anne."

"So that makes it really old?" I asked, looking at it with new eyes.

"A couple hundred of years, not all that old, sweetheart," He dropped another kiss on the top of my head. "The Snape cradle was from Henry the VII's time. It was sold at the auction years ago."

I hugged him tighter. I didn't like the fact he'd lost so much of his past, even if he did insist they were just things. Shielding a tiny bit, I talked to the wards //Would you look for the Snape cradle?//

They flared brightly and passed the word along through the other wards throughout Great Britain. Once we'd added them to our grid, they didn't want to let go of us so we'd kept in touch. Normally we just spent quality time with them on the solstices. The spring solstice had been one of thanksgiving since it was just after Voldemort's defeat. I was really looking forward to the summer solstice when we were home in York.

The babies would be almost three months along and I was hoping I'd be able to see them stretch my skin by then. We read aloud from each book that Poppy gave us. Some of the steps sounded kind of interesting and some rather daunting. I was really hoping I could skip the morning sickness since that sounded uncomfortable. So far, I was okay, although I did crave Greek olives every afternoon. Dobby had laid in a good supply but we'd have to find a grocer in York who carried them.

"Don't worry, little love, we'll have a goodly supply in the pantry if we have to fly them in by owl." He followed my thoughts.

I nodded happily. "I hope I don't have any other cravings," I slid a look sideways, "although I wonder if I'll need to send you out for ice cream and fudge sauce."

He picked me up and carried me out of the nursery. "You know what thinking of fudge sauce does to me, young man."

Laughing, I hugged him close. "Really, I wonder what that could be?"

"Little demon, I'll just have to show you." He said sternly but with a twinkle that told me he hadn't given out any detentions this last week of school. Carrying me back to our bedroom, he banished our clothes with a flick of wandless magic. Neither of us carried them anymore since we didn't need to. We kept that a secret though. It wouldn't do for the Aurors to know how much we could do.

I liked Arthur Weasley a lot and most of the Aurors seemed to be really nice people but no matter how much I liked them, I didn't trust them with Sev or even with me. Sev would say I was being paranoid but there wasn't anything wrong with being careful. And like he could talk, his paranoia was just a part of who he was.

//Indeed it is, angel-eyes// he laid me on the bed and followed me down. Kissing my stomach, he spoke to our babies. //Go to sleep, little ones, your mama and I are going to warm each other up//

I chuckled and stroked his furry chest. "What will you do, Sev, when they answer back?"

His eyes gleamed. "It all depends on what they say. 'We're trying to sleep, Daddy' would be a definite mood killer."

I burst into laughter and he kissed his way down to my nipples to nurse for the second time today. He always woke me up with lazy suckling that made me ache for him. It got me every time and today was no exception. I slid my fingers through his hair, giving him the scalp massage we both love.

We made love slowly and carefully, mindful of what today meant. Tomorrow was my graduation. Tomorrow was our bonding day along with Hermione and Blaise, Ron and Draco. Funny but each of the Gryffindor Trio had snagged a Slytherin. How odd that was, I thought bemusedly.

"Only the very lucky get Slytherin mates." Sev said while sliding into my female sheath.

I caught my breath at the familiar heat of him. "Oh-h-h-h . . . yeah-h-h-h . . . I know how lucky I was to capture the Slytherin Sex God for my very own."

He paused when he was in all the way and brushed soft kisses over my face. "I'm the lucky one, sweet Harry." His eyes looked into mine and I saw myself reflected there. "I wasn't the god of anything until the day I thought I'd be too late to rescue you." He kissed me tenderly and I felt his love surround me every where. "That's the day I first wanted a future . . . a future with you."

"Yes, Sev," I was going to cry, I just knew it. "I was so scared and tired of always being a target. Then you were there and I wasn't alone any more. That was such a gift, dearest Sev."

We kissed some more then he rocked us to completion. While we caught our breath, he rolled so I lay atop him. This was usually how we ended up after making love. I think he was afraid he'd be too heavy for me but I really didn't mind. Of course, when the babies began to grow, we'd have to give up a couple of positions. By then I wouldn't care.

"Harry, are you happy with the plans Molly has made?" His eyes were half-closed and the look of contentment was one I really loved.

"I just kept saying yes when she asked me about something." I grinned lazily down at him before laying my head down on his furry chest so I could listen to his heartbeat. "The ceremony is for everybody else, we're already bonded in every way that matters." I thought about it and smiled against his nipple before giving it a slow suck. "I am kind of looking forward to having Minister Weasley announce us as Mr. and Mr. Potter-Snape."

His chuckle vibrated through me. "It should prove interesting to see the reactions of all our well-wishers."

"They just want to see us kiss, the perverts." I said with a bit of a grump in my voice. Some of the students had been kind of snotty about our relationship. I didn't like it when they were rude to Sev.

"We'll give them a little going away present." The snark in his voice told me he didn't like some of their comments either. "But remember we'll be back here for a new school year in a few short months."

"And I'll be showing by then," I said in satisfaction. "The books say they may even be moving at five months. That would be so neat."

"Sweetheart," he stroked back my hair, "I love the way you think."

********* Minerva *********

I loved graduations. And this year was so very special, I'd already had to wipe away a tear or two. Finally, the shadow of Voldemort was gone. We'd lost a few students to the Dark Lord but we'd mourned the loss of their promise. Now was the time for celebrating our victories and saying goodbye to those ready to take their place in the outside world.

We'd kept the Press contingent down or at least we'd tried. The low level buzz was a hundred quills busily writing down every move of Harry or Severus. Our potions master was at his most severe on the low stage where the professors sat while Harry sat with Hermione, Ron, Blaise and Draco. I certainly hadn't seen those pairings coming. It was nice to still be surprised.

"Look at Draco, Min," Poppy whispered next to me.

I directed my eyes to the white-blond and saw him teasing Harry with a chocolate frog held out of reach. We all indulged the young man and his cravings. I did just wonder if he was inventing some of them to see how badly he could get Ron or Draco to blanch. But he did dearly love his chocolate. His pout was adorable and he got his frog with a whisper and a sly glance to Severus' threatening countenance.

The speeches went on a little too long, the way they always did but finally the students crossed the stage, shaking our hands and receiving their diplomas from Albus' hand. As soon as the last student, Blaise Zabini, got his parchment scroll, the entire Hall broke into loud cheers. I believe even Severus smiled broadly but then that could have been Harry talking to him through their link.

I circulated through the crowd, answering questions from parents and posing for wizard pictures with departing students. I'd never been so impatient for this part of graduation to be over. I wanted to skip right to the bonding ceremonies. I hoped the reporters would be content to leave before we headed for the rose garden but Draco and Ron were very much a news story in and of themselves.

So far, the news of Harry and Severus' bonding was still a secret among us. I was looking forward to surprising them with this little bombshell. Severus had let me in on their summer destination and since I already knew of Harry's disguise, I offered to help in any way I could and Harry had hugged me hard, asking if I'd be one of Mary's teachers. I agreed at once and we decided I'd come visit in August.

I was already looking forward to seeing Severus as a painter and Harry as his young bride taking care of him. I'd always like Roman ruins and York was a fascinating city with an interesting history that dated back even before them. In fact, I was interested in seeing the wards that had started these two on their path to the solution to Voldemort.

"Ma'am," Hermione's voice broke through my daydream. "I'd like to thank you for your extra lessons this past year. I'd have never been able to master the transformation without your help."

"Hermione, I was pleased to help you and very pleased to find another cat among my students." I winked at her and she giggled. She made a very nice ginger tabby kitten and would one day be a stately feline. "Is there anything I can help you with before the ceremony?"

"Oh," she darted a look at her watch, the first sign of agitation I'd seen in her. "No, no we've got two hours to go. Mom is going to help me get dressed in the girl's dormitory. Would you like to come and see my dress?"

"Of course, I would, Hermione. Where is she now?" I looked for the sweet faced muggle I'd seen earlier.

"She and Dad are talking with Blaise's parents. I don't know where Blaise went." Her eyes went to the big double doors I brought the first years through each year. "Oh, there he is. Shall we join them?"

I nodded and followed her, part of my mind wandering where Harry and Severus were.

********* Poppy *********

Poor Severus was torn in two. He needed to be with Draco since he was all the family the poor boy had left. Lucius was in Azkaban and Narcissa's remains had been found in the family vaults. Severus was his godfather and thus would be the one to give Draco to Ron. I'd told him that I would personally guarantee everything was kept gentle while Harry dressed for the marriage ceremonies.

He had Sirius to help him but I would just make sure nothing was said to upset the glowing young man before me. He had new robes of emerald green, just the color of his eyes. They were a present from his godfather and Remus. The pants and shirt underneath were my gift to him and I'd already told him privately they had an adjust-size spelled into them so he could still wear them in a few months.

He'd hugged me so tight I'd squeaked before he apologized and winked at me. I hoped Sirius and Remus had missed it completely. Sirius was being rather quiet about the whole pregnancy issue. Remus had returned the book on hermaphrodites and asked a couple of questions which I answered as best I could. Every one is different and in conjunction with Harry's magical power, we really didn't know how he'd be affected.

It probably wasn't good enough but it was all I had, that and my reassurance I would be with them every step of the way. He'd nodded with a little frown and left after asking about a good book on male pregnancy. I'd handed him the same one I'd given to Severus and he thanked me again. Hopefully, it would help them both.

"Are you sure, Harry?" Sirius' voice broke the silence with a wistful note.

Harry's smile was supernova bright. "Certain sure, Sirius, I'm marrying the man I love. He's the man who will be the father of our children and the one who holds my heart in his hands."

Sirius nodded slowly and brushed a dark curl behind Harry's ear. "I don't understand but I told you I'd back you 100 percent and I won't go back on my word. I love you, kiddo. Be happy."

Harry's eyes filled with tears and he hugged his godfather close. "I will be, Siri, I really will be happy. I love you, too. And my children will love having Padfoot for a playmate."

Remus was smiling broadly and he hugged his lover and Harry in a three way hug. "We'll be there for you and for them, Harry. You're a very special young man and I'm proud of you. Your parents would be, too."

"Thanks, Remus," Harry sniffed and I handed him a clean handkerchief. I had six in assorted pockets. I firmly expected to use them all or hand them out for use.

"Boys, it's time for us to head out to the garden. Let me take a last look at each of you." I made them turn for me one at a time so I could pick off any lint and straighten the drape of their robes. "Heartbreakers, you're all just delicious."

And as if on cue, they all blushed for me. I loved it when I took them off guard. Then I chivied them out the door of the East Tower, over the courtyard's cobblestones and into the extensive gardens. It was a lovely June and the roses were in full bloom, their heady scent filling the air with their perfume. I don't think Harry even saw them because all his senses were focused on one figure near the trellis where each couple would say their vows.

And Severus' senses were all on his young lover. He looked like the proud member of one of the oldest wizarding families that he was. His hair was shorter than I'd ever seen it and it suited his somewhat harsh features. His robe was Slytherin green but would not clash with Harry's. His had silver trim on the collar, cuffs and hem whereas Harry's had gold in the same places.

I was going to need that handkerchief, I just knew it. And I was right. Draco and Ron exchanged vows first, the blond gazing up into his slightly taller lover's face. I'd never seen a brighter smile on the usually somber Slytherin. Ron's freckles glowed in the afternoon light but he was smiling too while they recited the traditional wizard's vows. Molly wept silently with a tremulous smile while Arthur held her tenderly.

Hermione looked like an angel in the lace gown with the five foot train. Blaise saw no one but her when Mr. Granger gave him her hand. Their vows were more along the lines of the Anglican wedding service and I had to sniff a time or two at their passionate young voices promising the future to each other. Mrs. Granger and Mrs. Zabini were arm in arm, both mopping up tears. It was good to see the wizards and muggles so united for their children.

It was a good omen, I hoped, for the future of the wizarding world. Then it was Harry's turn and Sirius walked him up to the arbor where Sev waited for him. The old enemies exchanged a long look but then both nodded and smiled at a beaming Harry. It was time for bygones to be just that, I smiled happily and watched Albus offer the traditional blessings.

"Forever, Harry, I will love and care for you." Severus held both of his hands and departed from the traditional. "You will be my first thought each morning and my last sight each night. I will honor and keep you in my heart always. And I vow to love and care for every child with whom we are blessed."

Harry glowed and brought one of Sev's hands up to his lips to kiss. "I will love and care for you beyond life itself, Severus. You will be both my love and my lover for all of time. I will take care of you with all my heart and soul. And I vow to carry each child with whom we are blessed, loving and caring for them always."

There wasn't a dry eye in the garden and even Albus had to discreetly use his handkerchief before he pronounced them husband and husband. Their kiss seemed to light up the whole space with a golden glow that flowed out from the gardens into Hogwarts and beyond. I wondered if the wards all over the Isles were celebrating with this most unlikely pair.

********* Harry *********

I didn't want to let go of Sev. I didn't want us to stop kissing. I wanted to be home in York right . . . this . . . minute. //Love you, Sev, so much//

//Love you too, sweetheart// His hands smoothed over my shoulders and I tried to remember why he shouldn't continue it down to my arse.

//Friends and family, angel-eyes// He reminded me with a smile in his thought.

//Oh yeah, them// I pulled back and unlinked my hands from around his neck. Looking around, everybody was congratulating everyone else. We were married; all of us were now legal. My lace panties dampened with sudden need. //Let's get to the cake so we can leave//

//My sentiments exactly// Severus smiled at Mr. Granger and accepted his congratulations while Mrs. Granger gave me a hug and a motherly kiss.

Remus hugged me next and I smiled up at him when he winked at me. His whisper of 'congratulations' gave me hope that Sirius would come around in time. I'd had to be patient all my life and now I had everything I ever wished for in my grasp, I wanted to be a little impatient.

//Me, too// Sev's hand brushed a curl behind my ear.

//Do my earrings look all right// I asked him, having popped them in at the last minute.

"Wow, Harry, I didn't even know you got your ears pierced." Hermione's voice came over my shoulder.

"Sev gave them to me for my birthday." I gave her the brief version. "Do you like them?"

"Absolutely," she said immediately and I noticed Blaise make a mental note to find some like them for her. "They match your eyes beautifully."

I grinned at her. "I'll have Sev tell Blaise where he got them . . . in case he ever needs to find some nice emeralds for someone."

She grinned back at me and didn't even pretend to not understand. "Well, you never know when a birthday or something might come up."

We shared a quiet chuckle before turning to our new husbands snickering behind us. I caught my breath and just looked at Sev with my heart in my eyes. //Husband . . . we're legally married, Sev//

//We are indeed, sweet kitten// He slid an arm around me so I could lean against his chest. //We're finally legal in all senses of the word, little love//

I heard his heart beating steadily beneath my ear. //Let's go home, love//

"Are you ready to leave, Mr. Potter-Snape?" That silky voice made me feel so very safe.

"After we cut the cake, Mr. Potter-Snape," I replied, reminding him of another tradition.

"Ah, yes, who would want to miss getting to smear chocolate frosting all over my new husband's face." He said with his usual snark.

I smiled as innocently as I could. "Why, Sev, that never crossed my mind."

He smirked. "Of course, it didn't, sweet Harry."

Fluttering my eyelashes at him, I pretended not to hear Hermione and Blaise's snickers. "Sev-v-v, it will be fun."

//Fudge sauce, Harry// He reminded me with an inner purr.

I shivered all over. I loved it when he smeared fudge all over my nipples then took his time licking it off. "Now, Sev, cut the cake, smear a little then leave."

"You have a deal, sweetheart." Sev led me to the long banquet table where Dobby and the other house elves had set up enough food for two hundred starving students instead of a hundred friends and family. "Are we sure the twins have been no where near the food?"

I winked at him. //I had the wards watch them and keep them away from the food. Unfortunately the punch was fair game so I'd make sure you don't drink anything unless it's been poured by Dobby//

//Dear heavens, are you sure you want to have twin boys, Harry// His rather plaintive mental question made me smile.

//Yes, sweet Sev, maybe if we make the twins their godfathers, they'll be a good influence// I told him confidently.

//Never, Harry Potter-Snape, they aren't to get anywhere near our babies// Sev said adamantly.

//We'll see// I thought smugly before reaching for the decorative dagger with the flowing green ribbons. Molly Weasley had told me about the tradition of cutting the cake and feeding the first piece to your new mate. I liked the symbolism and was looked forward to licking Sev's fingers clean of frosting. Sirius had found a wizard picture of Mom and Dad feeding each other cake at their wedding. Severus had found me a really nice frame for it and told me I could hang it in our house at York.

It would be nice to have them nearby when we started our new life together. Our children would always have a visual idea of what their maternal grandparents looked like. Sev didn't seem to have any pictures of his family at all and I'd hesitated to ask if there were any left after the Purge.

//Not so fast, little love// Sev's hand covered mine. "Together, sweetheart."

I grinned from ear to ear. "Together, Sev."

The cake was seven layers high and was just one of three on the long table. Each couple had one to cut. I happened to know Ron and Draco's was half chocolate and half red devil's food. Mione and Blaise's was angel food while ours was all chocolate. The icing was spun sugar with the Potter and Snape crests on two sides until you reached the top where they united to make a new family shield made up of elements of both.

The symbolism was extremely satisfying, I decided while we cut into the bottom layer for two small pieces. Then each of us picked up a section and held it out to our new mate. I leaned forward, my eyes never leaving Sev's and licked some of the cake from his long, elegant fingers. He smiled the sweet smile that only I got to see before bending to return the lick to my suddenly aching fingers.

I needed to touch him in the worst way, I decided breathlessly. Naked touching was what was needed here. //Sev//

//My sweet Harry// his tongue lapped at the cake and I wished my lips were where my fingers were right this minute.

I could hear laughter all around us but I was going to have to see the pictures later. Right now was for finishing up this ritual so we could leave. The rest of that hour was a blur while we said 'thank you' to everyone we needed to. I was on fire with impatience and Sev wasn't much better. Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling madly but I forgave him when he gave us cover to leave surreptitiously.

We slipped into the Forbidden Forest and apparated straight into our car waiting for us outside of York. The home wards sang to us while we slipped out of our robes and Sev transfigured my outfit into a green lace dress with matching tights and slippy little sandals. My underwear was already feminine since I'd dressed privately under the new clothes from Poppy.

Sedately we drove into town and pulled up in front of our house. Finally, we were home.

********* Severus *********

Mrs. Tyler met us at her gate, hugging Mary and kissing first one cheek then the other. She'd grown a bit frailer at 85 and I suddenly realized she wouldn't be around for all our children to be born. Which led me to think about Albus and how much longer he would be here for us. That was a very sobering thought to have when everything I'd ever wanted was now within my grasp.

//We just have to enjoy them while we have them with us, my love// Mary told me wisely while telling our neighbor the wonderful news about her pregnancy.

Mrs. Tyler was speechless for a long moment before turning from Mary to hug me also. "Young man, that was extremely fast work. Are you ready for the responsibility that goes with a child?"

"Mary convinced me we didn't have time to waste since I'm so very ancient myself." I told her with a wink.

Mary sputtered in outrage, "I did not!"

Mrs. Tyler laughed so hard I had to hold her upright. "Oh you, young things, I'm so glad you've come home for a nice long stay. We're awfully staid around here without you."

"We'll visit everyday, Granny T." Mary promised her with another little hug. "John is going to paint while you teach me how to sew. I want the nursery to be full of things our friends and family have made. Store bought clothes are nice but I want to make things just for my babies."

"But if you tire, little one, I shall see you rest." I reminded her and she smilingly took my arm.

"I promise to take good care of myself and you too, my dear John." She said and I leaned down to kiss her smiling lips.

Soon I would need more but for now, I was content to let her chatter on while I unloaded luggage from the car. Moving the wizard way was much easier than the muggle way but we didn't have a choice with our lives here. And I didn't really mind since before Harry, I'd needed the time to let go of wizardry and become a simple painter. No spying, no students and no staff meetings, I cheerfully let go of it all.

"But now you have me and soon new babies," Harry's arms slid around my waist and I hugged him to me. "Will you need to get away from us, too?"

"Never, sweetheart, although I can foresee a time when we'll want to sneak away from our children and spend time with just us." I brought one of his hands to my lips and nipped the tip of each finger.

He chortled and rubbed his nose into my spine. "I told you we'd need babysitters and we'd better be nice to Sirius and Remus."

"Humph," I mock-growled, turning and cuddling him close. "I think Aunt Min and Aunt Poppy would be better sitters."

"They can take turns." Harry glowed up at me and I had to kiss him.

We feasted slowly on each other before separating for those chores we needed to do to make our home livable for the next few months. Harry went upstairs to make up our bed while I went to the shops for supplies for our next few meals. An hour passed with him checking mentally with me to make sure the grocers had Greek olives. I chuckled to myself at his needy request for his favorite treat.

Once back home, he called me upstairs for a bath. Climbing the stairs, I anticipated finding naked Harry and he didn't disappoint me. The tub was already full of bubbles and he banished my clothes impatiently so I could join him in the neck deep water. Once I was in, he slid into my arms so we could kiss. It was a tender kiss, a promise of good things to come kiss. He was a solid weight in my arms finally. He might not grow much more but at least he had a healthy few stones more on his slight frame.

"You just like feeding me up so I'm lethargic and can't escape your incessant demands for sex." He said sagely while linking his arms around my neck and putting on a pained expression.

"Constant . . ." I slid my hands down his back to his plump arse cheeks; "non-relenting" a slow slide down his crease to the small hole waiting for me; "never-ending" a quick test told me he'd already lubricated himself; "hot, passionate sex."

"Yes-s-s-s," he hissed in Parseltongue which he knows turns me to steel. "S-s-slytherin s-s-sex god that you are, S-s-severus."

He sat up and reached behind him to guide me home. That first moment when my crown popped through the tight muscle was always when I looked at him with my heart on display. Part of me still couldn't believe he really wanted me, Severus Snape, Potion Master.

"Always want you, Sev" he sat down slowly until he rested on my thighs. "I'll always love you and want you as deep inside of me as you can get. You have all my heart just the way I have all of yours. We're so lucky."

Weaving my fingers through his, I brought each one in turn to my lips and kissed them tenderly. "We are the luckiest two souls in the world that we found each other. And soon we'll have two new souls to nurture and guide into the future."

He rocked up and down gently, squeezing around me with those lovely muscles he kept toned with belly dancing. "And after them will be more, number yet unknown. And their friends will fall under our influence, too. So our love will show the rest of the world how to behave and what's really important."

I thrust up an inch and watched him flush all the way down to his pert nipples. We took it slow and made it last a long time before I released into his keeping and he came all over my chest. I'd been keeping the water warm with small charms and when the last of the bubbles popped, we finally left the tub.

There was a faintly discernable curve to his abdomen these days and it always made me catch my breath with wonder. He was truly carrying our children under his heart and it humbled me. I was just going to have to take the greatest good care of him I could. He smiled up at me before reaching for the red silk sarong I'd gotten him.

"That curve will become a bump pretty soon and then I'll have to give up wearing this negligee." He smoothed it down over his hips, the silky folds hiding then revealing his newly hairless legs. "But by then maybe I'll have designed something just as sexy for my fat body."

"Never fat, sweetheart," I cupped his breasts in my hands, thumbing the nipples while he caught his breath. "Sweetly rounded is the proper term."

"Hm-m-m," he arched into my touch. "That sounds much better, my own Sev. I shall be rounded until I turn swollen."

I tugged him closer so I could kiss my way down his neck to those nipples just waiting for me. "I like swollen so long as the babies don't make you too uncomfortable. I'm looking forward to every moment. Now, how about an omelet?"

"Did you get feta cheese along with the Greek olives?" He licked his lips hungrily and I swooped down to kiss him for a long moment.

"Of course, I did. Mr. Rohan says he will lay in a large supply just for you." I slipped on a robe and tied it off before following him downstairs to the kitchen. I gave him all the news of the neighborhood, or at least all the news I could gather in an hour while stirring up a tasty omelet for us. To do it properly, you must take your time and not beat the eggs to death.

Harry went into the garden and picked some fresh parsley and a little lemon thyme to be folded in. The home wards kept anyone from seeing him in his pretty red negligee with a low level 'obfuscate'. They took good care of us and asked only that we share our love with them. Most of the wards across Britain had gone back to their prior state before we'd awakened them to life.

But always in the background was an awareness of us and where we were. I was seriously thinking about buying a cottage on the western coast near St. Bees. The wards there were as welcoming as the ones here in York. And Harry would enjoy the almost overpowering water element. Those of our children who inherited that from him would be safest there.

I didn't like to think about what might happen if someone else made a grab for power. A new dark lord could arise at any moment. I hesitated with the salt shaker before putting it away without adding any. Harry might begin retaining water with the changes in his body's chemistry. The feta cheese and briny olives should satisfy his salt taste buds, I decided.

Hands appeared around me, tossing in the quickly shredded parsley and thyme. "You take good care of me, Sev."

I raised a slightly grubby hand, still smelling faintly of lemon. "I love taking care of you, kitten. Having you here is like every dream and wish I've ever had."

"Oh, Sev" my robe blotted up tears. His hormones were just beginning to manifest in sudden weeping. "I do love you. No one ever loved me until you."

********* Harry *********

He chuckled. "Not exactly like I do, angel-eyes but there are an awful lot of people who love you just the way you are. Starting with the Weasleys and continuing on through most of the staff of Hogwarts."

I sniffed and rubbed my nose on the silk robe under my cheek. "They like me and care for me but they just see bits and pieces of who I am. You always saw everything and loved me anyway."

He moved the bowl to the stove and pulled me with him. I loved watching him create meals for us with his meticulous moves. Just like potions, he crafted every step with care. The golden egg mixture flowed into the pan and steam immediately rose for a few moments. Then he set the bowl aside and turned to me, holding me close and kissing my forehead.

"Not right away, Harry, and I'm more sorry for that than I can ever say." His dark eyes were so sad. "Those first two years, I saw nothing but James come back to torment me. Your third year, I began to see the Lily part of you until finally I just saw Harry, a new soul with a caring heart and enough courage for any ten wizards."

I blushed hard. I should have been used to compliments by now; Sev gave me so many all the time. But I still had that old-Harry side, which couldn't believe anyone could see anything good in me. I was beginning to accept though that Sev saw parts of me I hadn't found quite yet.

"Sweet love, by the time our first child heads off for Hogwarts, you will believe every compliment I give you." He told me sincerely then kissed me into bliss.

But his inner clock kept watch over the omelet and sooner than I realized, we were sitting down at the kitchen table with me in his lap and a beautifully steaming omelet on the plate in front of us. It was huge but we'd expended a lot of energy today so we finished every last bite. For some reason, I kept yawning and before I knew it Sev had floated the dishes into the sink, stood up and carried me upstairs.

"Take a nap, sweetheart. Today was harder on you than you realize." His husky murmur was the last thing I heard. "Rest now, my little one."

I don't think I even dreamt, I fell so deep so fast. When I awoke, I felt cradled in warmth. Sev's arms were around me, my back to his front so I was cocooned in a lovely Sev-scented hug. However, one thing being pregnant had taught me was how big the babies were in relation to where my bladder was. I hadn't gone before bed so I badly needed to go now.

Easing out from being entangled with Sev is always hard. He tends to be possessive even while asleep, I thought with a silent giggle. His little frown when I slipped from the bed was so sweet that I sighed happily before moving swiftly to the bathroom. Hoisting my nightgown up, I whizzed away with a groan of relief. Deciding it was warm enough to do without sleepwear; I took the negligee off and hung it next to Sev's robe. Then with a gleam, I went over to the bidet and sat down to play.

"Ah-ha, I should have known, kitten." His voice was still sleep-husky and his naked body was already sporting a hard cock.

"Is that for me, my own?" I purred for him and he chuckled while crossing to sink to his knees in front of me.

"All for you and nobody else," he kissed me softly, his hands combing through my hair. "I didn't get to brush this earlier. I missed that this morning when you were with the others."

"It was fun being able to surprise you with my new robes but I missed you, too." I confessed and leaned forward to kiss his chin. His breath ghosted over my nose and he playfully nipped it while I giggled.

"Tomorrow," he paused, "today actually, we'll dress together then make the rounds of the shops so we can stock up and not have to go out again for a week. The shoe store is having a sale so I know you'll want to stop there."

"Hey, no fair making fun of my shoe fetish," I pouted. "You like the way they look, too."

"I do indeed, sweet heart." He kissed me gently and I forgave him. "But your body is going to be changing so drastically, I'm afraid your heels are going to have to go into the closet for the next few months."

I shivered at the thought of falling and hurting the babies. "I'll look for some nice flats and sandals that are sturdier than most of my pretty ones."

"Little love, it's only for a few months." He consoled me with a tender gloving of my until-that-moment-uninterested-cock.

Perking right up, in more ways than one, I kissed him hard. My tongue met his and I sucked on it with fervor. It had been hours since we made love and my female sheath was dripping wet with arousal. Sev knew it, of course, that potion master nose of his is one of his keenest senses. He wrapped me around him before standing upright and carrying me back to bed.

With a flick of my wrist, I turned the bidet off while still kissing my new husband. I was practicing my multi-tasking for the day when I was juggling him and also two babies. Maybe a house elf or two wouldn't be so bad, I thought fuzzily as my back hit the sheets.

"Dobby would . . . love to . . . help, sweet Harry." Sev had his soft crown poised at my entrance while I writhed under him. "Gods . . . you tighten up each time."

I wanted to scream at his too slow entry but he was still worried about hurting me so I panted through the stretching until he was all the way in. It still felt like he had reached my new womb and I shivered at how possessed and loved he made me feel.

"Ah . . . Sev . . . if you don't move, I will complain to Granny T." I said with a fake glare.

He laughed out loud and that beautiful sound made me smile again. "Such a threat, little love, must be obeyed." He began the rocking that started a burn deep inside of me. "She is much too scary for me." He settled into a rhythm that had my head thrashing on the pillow in no time.

I felt the tightening that meant I was going to climax and with what was left of my tiny little mind, I made sure the silencing wards were strong enough to contain my screams. I just knew it was going to be a really good one. With one last thrust, Sev inhaled sharply and came hard. That was all I needed to let go and spiral into coming with a breathy scream that probably hurt Sev's ears.

The little seizures just kept coming and coming while I jerked under Sev's weight. It kind of felt like the first time we'd properly made love after we'd gotten through the whole deflowering-the-virgin act, not to mention the creating-our-own-babies act. My female climaxes were just enough different from my male comings to make me feel unbearably smug about the rest of the world who only got to have one or the other.

"Sweetheart, you are the most special being in the whole world and not just because you're a hermaphrodite now." Sev rolled us so I lay atop him in my favorite position. "You're the man who lived to capture my heart."

I giggled a little and nursed on his nipple under my cheek. He liked it when I did that and pretty soon when he came out of me, he'd return the favor. I was getting more sensitive and he didn't bite at all because that hurt now. Our bond had given us so much that he could feel the changes in my body at almost the same time I did. That saved us a lot of time we could spent doing something nicer.

We trusted each other completely and that was so new for me I still marveled at it sometimes. I moaned a little when he slipped from me and he immediately touched between my legs with a healing spell.

I pouted just a little. "I wanted that lovely empty feeling, my Sev."

"Sorry sweetheart, how about I nurse instead?" He slid down a little and gently tongued my right nipple into peaking for him.

Sighing happily, I fell asleep to that tender tugging I loved so much.

********* Remus *********

Sirius was pacing again. He'd changed clothes three times. Eaten a big breakfast then lost it ten minutes before. We were soon supposed to be going to visit Harry for his birthday and he was so nervous he was beginning to make me nervous. Sev had invited us as a surprise for the young man and it was almost time for our portkey to whisk us back to Greece.

"What if he's wearing a dress?" He said suddenly.

"We're going to be in the wizarding enclave and Severus said they'd be undisguised." I told him for the fourth time and watched him nod distractedly. This couldn't be allowed to continue. Checking my watch, I decided to take drastic measures. I backed him up against the wall and kissed him hard while my right hand started unzipping his jeans.

Vague noises came from him but his tongue got active so I ignored what he might be saying in favor of pulling his cock out to stroke. Judging the time was right; I slid to my knees and deep throated him. With one hand I rolled his balls while with the other I slid up under his shirt to the nipple I'd pierced a few days ago.

"Ag-g-gh, shite, Remy," he panted before keening appreciatively. "Oh gods, that's good. More, Remy, use your teeth."

So I raked the tender flesh with my incisors and listened to him shout. His shudders told me he was close, so I tugged gently on the gold ring through his nipple and his hips snapped into me, shoving his cock even further down my throat. One swallow was all it took before he erupted like a volcano. Slumping back against the wall, he quivered while I fastened up his pants and rose to my feet.

"When we get there, we'll spend some time with Harry and Severus then I'm going to take you to our room, strip you naked and spank you so hard your cheeks will be redder than that little bikini swimsuit of yours." I readied the portkey. "And then I'm going to fuck you so hard, you'll scream like a girl while the two of them listen in."

He gasped then smiled, which was the last thing I saw when the portkey activated and we began the long distance spin that was wizard travel. I'd rather fly myself but the distances were too great. I'd thought about flying like the muggles do but I dislike being under someone else's control so a portkey it was.

One moment we were in Scotland and the next we were in Greece. The portkey dumped us on a wide marble patio and we panted a moment before sitting up and looking around. The sound of the Mediterranean Sea was loud and through a gate in the three foot high walls, we could see the water lapping at the shore. It was a white-gold beach and two figures were playing in the waves.

"Look at them, Siri. Pretend you don't know them and just look at them." I asked him urgently. The taller figure had the smaller in his arms, spinning him around before letting him gently fly through the air a foot above the water to land with a splash. The shrieks were happy and I could hear a faint, 'do it again, Sev'.

"They're playing." Sirius said quietly. "Snape is actually playing . . . and watching out for Harry."

I nodded and risked a brief glance at my subdued lover. "He never got to play when he was little and I'm betting Sev didn't either. They love each other so much, Siri. Let's be happy for them so we get a chance to influence their children to the Gryffindor side."

Sirius snorted in sudden laughter and turned sparkling eyes to me. "Yeah, we can teach them all the Marauder's tricks."

"Just not the cruel ones, Sirius," I hated to remind him but he had to know I wouldn't stand for a repeat of our past.

"Nah, just the irritating and adventurous ones," he winked and stood up, offering a hand to me.

I stood and set the portkey tile on the bright blue patio table. "And remember what I'm going to do to you as soon as we've said our hello's."

He gulped hard but followed me through the gate and down the three steps to the beach. Kicking off shoes and peeling off our socks there, we walked through the golden sand down to the swimmers.

"Siri!" Harry spotted us first and came dashing up to throw himself into my lover's arms.

"Hey, kiddo, somebody told us there was a birthday boy who needed presents." Sirius hugged him tight and swung him around to put him down near me.

Then it was my turn to hug him tight. "And somebody also told us that we'd be welcome at the party to end all parties for said birthday boy."

"Oh, I'm so glad you came." He hugged me and his whole face sparkled with joy. "Sev didn't say a word, the old devil."

"Now, now, little one, not all secrets are bad." Severus' laughing tones were ones I'd never expected to hear from him. "How was your journey, gentlemen?"

I blinked at his geniality and then got a good look at his almost naked body. He and Harry both wore matching postage stamps in green, or at least that was what my eyes first thought they were seeing. Sev had curly dark hair all over his front, which I'd remembered from many years ago but he'd grown into the broad shoulders and trim waist.

"You need to change clothes and come swimming with us." Harry said excitedly. "The water is so nice and warm."

"Well, if you'll show us our room, we'll be glad to join you." I told him and he grasped my hand to tug me back to the house. He was talking so fast, I could barely understand him. But my eyes were drawn to the now discernable curve to his formerly flat stomach. He was really carrying a child, I thought with fascination.

After wiping our feet on the waiting mat and leading us in through the French doors to the living room, he headed for the right hand side and a short hall that lead to a large room with airy white curtains blowing gently in the breeze. It held a big bed, a dresser, armoire and a little round table with two chairs pulled up invitingly.

"It's kind of bare but we like it." Harry looked around with an air of satisfaction and I just had to hug him again.

"You look great, Harry. How are you feeling?" I asked.

"Pretty good," he beamed at me then at Sirius who joined us with Sev hovering in the hall. "I'm still craving Greek olives but they're so easy to get here, I think I may have enough. I'm getting fat though."

Sirius spoke up immediately and collided verbally with Severus. "You are *not* fat." They looked at each other sheepishly while Harry broke into peals of laughter. I grinned at his happiness and thought it looked good on him.

"Rounded, sweetheart, remember you're just nicely rounded." Sev told him with a mock glare and Sirius even chuckled. "We'll leave you gentlemen to unpack and change into suits. Elena will have a snack waiting for us on the veranda in just a bit." Harry joined him in the doorway. "And just so you know, we have level ten silencing charms on every room of the house. You'll be sharing a bathroom with Draco and Ron, who should be arriving shortly."

I looked and saw the partly open door near the bed wall that presumably led to the bathroom. Sirius was blushing for both of us and Sev's smirk was classic while Harry's giggles just iced the cake. This was definitely going to be an interesting week. They pulled the door shut behind them and I immediately pounced on my mate. Sirius sputtered a bit before turning on nicely. I threw him up on the bed and growled for him to get out of his clothes before I ripped them off.

He squeaked a little but I was already out of my pants. I pulled my shirt off over my head and slid my red boxers off my hips with one fast shimmy while he was still fiddling with his shirt. My growl this time was more wolfish and he hastily shoved his pants down to his knees before I landed on the bed. I was too impatient to wait for more and I pulled him up and over so that delectable arse of his was at just the right height for me to plunge in.

Spitting on my hand, I slicked myself before shoving in hard. He howled and began panting while I forged my way in as deep as I could get. We'd been lovers for so long, we didn't really need much prep time but usually I was gentler with him. For some reason, I needed to stake my claim right here and now. Maybe it was seeing Severus, another alpha male if ever I saw one, or maybe it was just my time of the month but I needed to remind Sirius that he was mine.

"Yours, Remy, I'm all yours, love." He was chanting in time to each thrust and I grinned, redoubling my efforts to make him scream.

Since he'd already come twice today, he was a little slower to bring off but I was about to explode like one of those muggle atom bombs. Leaving his hip, my hand snaked around to grab him. Jerking him roughly, he was soon howling my name. We came together in a wrenching climax that pushed him flat onto the bed with a sigh of 'Remus'.

I panted into his hair; unable for the moment to do anything more than take deep breaths. Now that's the way to start a vacation, I thought breathlessly. Beneath me, he started to chuckle then laugh moving my nicely padded Sirius-pillow.

"I can see I'm going to have to take my vitamins to keep up with you." His voice was muffled in the sheets and I rolled us to our sides so he could breathe. "Is there anything you want to tell me, Remy?"

My brain had melted so I couldn't really think of anything. "Um, no?"

He came as close to a giggle as I'd ever heard from him. "Oh good, I can look forward to being tripped to the bed so you can have your wicked way with me more often?"

The wolf howled 'hell yes' while I licked that spot on his neck that always made him shiver. "Yes, approximately every hour on the hour, we'll excuse ourselves so you can take your . . . medicine. You'll have to take a pillow with you everywhere we go since I plan on nailing this sweet arse at every opportunity."

Siri moaned a little and flexed around me. "I'll be so sore, I'll walk funny."

My inner wolf thought that sounded good so I dropped my voice to a growl. "I think Padfoot will also be walking funny. I think Moony would like to take him on the beach during the full moon on Saturday."

He shivered all the way down to his toes. "Remy, any one could see us, especially during the full moon."

I bit his shoulder gently being careful not to break the skin. "Exactly."

********* Severus *********

Harry hugged me tightly the moment we got to the living room. "Thank you, Sev, thank you, thank you."

"I wanted this birthday to be special, little love." I said into the top of his head.

"Every birthday is special since you loved me. But this one is going to be extra-special." He pulled back far enough to look into my eyes. "Ron and Draco are coming, too? It's going to be so much fun!" He hugged me again then let go when our house elf appeared. "Elena, it looks wonderful."

"Master Harry needs good food for the babies." She squeaked happily and bowed before popping away. Elena came with the rental unit and so far had been an excellent example of Greek elfdom. She and I had planned his cake and Ron was bringing some Weasley Sparklers for the top.

Harry liked sparkly things so I made sure he got them in every way possible. I had several lengths of soft satin cloth for him to experiment with in his sewing, and beads, both sparkly and colorful to use as trim that were handmade on the island of Crete. Some of the sheep here had wool so soft it never traveled more than twenty miles from the farm up the road.

It cost the earth but I could already see our little boys in caps made from the wool. I'd sent some back to Hogwarts for Poppy and Minerva to start knitting. They'd already owled their pleasure and requested more. I'd have to sell another painting to afford two more skeins but I was sketching madly these days. Harry had been right about the light and how inspiring I'd find the Greek islands.

Of course, every other sketch was of him. He inspired me the way no one else ever had in my life. He was such a joy to be around and I wanted this birthday to be the very best it could be. If nothing else, watching the god-mutt and his lover would be amusing. It wasn't hard to pick who was the alpha wolf in their relationship.

"Sev!" Harry frowned and laughed at the same time. "You are not to think of who's on top with them."

"Come now, sweetheart, don't you have just a tiny bit of curiosity about them?" I sat down in the white wicker chair and pulled him into my lap. He squirmed for a moment then leaned against my chest and grinned at me.

"Well, maybe just a little," he confessed. "Is that really bad?"

"Never, kitten," I stroked his back before reaching for a chocolate éclair. I offered it to him first and we took turns biting it until it was gone. Then returning to what we were talking about, "It's natural to be curious about other people's sexuality. There's a whole range of literature that people read to turn themselves on."

"We could write some of them ourselves." Harry sounded intrigued at the prospect. "Of course, we'd have to test them before writing them down."

I chuckled at his ingenuous glance. "Of course we would, sweetheart. Remember some of those positions in the Kama Sutra?"

"Ick," he grimaced. "Some of them weren't possible, no matter how flexible you are."

"True, kitten," I selected a ripe orange already separated into segments and offered him one. He nipped it from my fingers before feeding me one. We ate almost two complete oranges before we paused. "I think the first one should be about a young man who likes to wear frilly panties and the big, bad teacher who finds out."

He wiggled over my here-to-fore slumbering cock and it woke up. "Oh yes, he'll be spending his detention cleaning disgusting cauldrons and when he gets something on his robe, he'll have to take it off."

I reached for a cup of tea and made sure I brushed against his nipple. "But the stain will be all the way through his pants too so the teacher will tell him to take them off."

"He won't want to because he's wearing his soft silky panties with the ruffles along the edges." Harry took a sip first then offered it to me with a knowing smile.

"But the teacher won't take no for an answer so he'll have to sl-ow-ly remove his pants, showing the pretty pink panties underneath." I took a sip then handed him the cup and stood up abruptly, bringing him with me. "And the rest of this story will be told in our bedroom."

"Yes," Harry held the cup carefully while motioning the tea pot to float behind us to our room. His arm was slung over my shoulder and his legs kicked gleefully at the prospect of making love.

No one in the world had more enjoyment of simple things than he did. Thank goodness. I walked us into the master bath so we could shower before playing. Salt water itches when it dries. Harry set the cup aside then stepped into the glass walled shower with me right behind him. The water came on immediately and at just the right temperature. He was finished quickly but my hairy body needed closer attention which he loved giving.

His small hands rubbed briskly through the wet curls on my chest then he dropped gracefully to his knees to get my legs while I turned a little this way then that to get the full force of the showerhead against my skin. A hot tongue was scrubbing my cock from tip to root and I groaned at the lovely feeling. He kept up his dedicated tongue scrubbing while his hands swept my legs clean of salt. He only pulled back long enough to turn me so the shower cascaded down my back.

The moment we were both salt-free, I picked him up and carried him to bed. Muttering a drying spell, I laid him gently on the soft linens and followed him down. I didn't lie on top of him anymore; the babies were definitely making their presence known. Smoothing a caress to his stretching skin, I whispered to them to 'go to sleep, little ones'. Poppy had verified they were twins and we were going to announce it on Harry's birthday during the celebration.

"So, what did the big bad teacher say when he saw the pretty panties?" Harry flirted up at me while still managing to look demure.

"Young man," I lowered my voice to snarky Snape levels. "What interesting underwear you have on."

Harry fluttered his eyelashes. "I had to borrow some of my sister's. Please don't tell her or she'll be really mad."

"Really?" I leered down at him and began to stroke his cock. "I wonder what you could do to ensure my silence?"

"Um," he twisted a long curl around his finger and peeked shyly up at me. "I could sit on your lap and give you a kiss."

I kissed him silly for that provocative picture. His giggles echoed through my mind and I smiled into the kiss. "Well, young man, I guess that will do."

"Oh please, Sir, why is your lap so lumpy?" Harry said with wide-eyes.

"The better to feel your pretty panties, my dear." I kissed my way down his throat to the hollow at the base.

"Oh that feels good, Sir. Why are you touching my breasts like that?" His little gasp was music to my ears.

"I want to make sure none of that nasty potion got onto your soft skin." I tenderly suckled at his pink nipples while he sighed happily and carded his fingers through my hair.

"It all feels wonderful, Sir, but why is my . . . private part getting hard?" He panted while I slid down to his dancing cock.

"It's going to tell me if anything wet contaminated your satin smooth skin. I'll just need to suck on it until it gives me a sample of your magic fire." With a last suck, I kissed my way down to his cock and deep throated it with a swallow.

He shouted out loud, his hips snapping up an inch before he sprayed my throat with his seed. Relaxing all over, he lay there with a huge smile on his face. "Oh Sir, that felt so very good. I didn't know it could. But Sir, your lap is really lumpy now."

"Well, that because there's one more test I need to make with my special Potion Master thermometer. You'll need to unzip my pants and get it out for me," I called for the lubricant and it sailed to my hand so I could dip some out. He went onto all fours for me and I slowly began to loosen his tight entrance.

"Oh my, Sir, your wizard's wand is really big. Why is that?"

"Ah, the better to take naughty student's temperatures with." I leered into laughing eyes. "Now, bend over my desk so I can put some cream inside your private place. No one else has ever been in here before, have they?"

"Oh no, Sir, I'd never let anyone touch me there. Your fingers feel terribly big, Sir. I'm feeling very hot, Sir," he rocked back onto my fingers riding them with a look of bliss on his beautiful face. "I must have gotten some of that potion on me after all, Sir. It feels like I'm on fire."

"Oh dear, I was afraid of that. Now, hold onto the edge of my desk and spread your legs for me so I can put out that nasty old fire inside of you." I set my crown to his hole and slowly pushed inside while he moaned happily. "Now, this might hurt a little at first but soon you'll grow to like it."

"Oh-h-h-h, Sir, you're splitting me in two." Harry wiggled around me and flexed some of those muscles that always made me see stars. "You'll never fit your enormous tool inside of my tiny little hole."

"Yes . . . it will fit . . . you'll . . . see . . . in just a minute." I came to rest against his downy cheeks and I slid my hands up his spine to his shoulders then back down. "You see, young man, I fit completely inside of you and your private part is hard again as well. Do you know why that is?"

"No, Sir, please tell me why it feels so good?" He pushed back a little and I began to move slowly in-and-out, in-and-out, in a steady rhythm.

"It's because you're that rare student that has to have daily infusions of counter-potion fluid. My dear boy, I'm so sorry I didn't recognize it sooner." I sped up a bit since the wards told me we were about to have more visitors. "Every day after classes are done, you'll need to come down to the dungeons so I can inject some of the counter-potion deep inside of you."

"Oh yes, Sir, I'll be sure to come every day so you can bend me over your desk, slide off my pretty panties and sink your extra-big tool inside of me." He felt the change in the wards too and reached beneath himself to stroke his cock.

"You'll have to return your sister's panties but I'll make sure you have even prettier ones to wear every day." I froze in mid thrust and emptied myself inside his grasping channel.

"Oh-h-h-h, yes-s-s-s, Severus," he sighed happily and sprinkled the sheets with his come. "We'll have to do that fantasy again in the potions classroom."

Gently, I pulled from his depths and kissed the spasming hole before muttering a cleaning spell for inside and out. "It will be the first fantasy we re-enact when we get home. Now, let's get dressed so we can greet our new guests."

********* Harry *********

It ranked right up there with the first birthday I celebrated with Sev when I turned 15. Everyone was so nice and brought me fun presents but the best part was swimming with my friends. Every night we had a bonfire on the beach and I got to snuggle with Sev right out in front of everybody. And it was even fun to watch everybody relax around each other.

The first time I saw Ron kiss Draco, I mean really kiss him, I had to drag Sev inside and fuck him silly. He laughed the whole time I was inside of him but never once did he say 'I told you so'. The full moon was on Saturday and Sev made the wolfs bane potion for Remus before locking us in our room. He said he trusted his potion making skills but he wouldn't expose me and children to the millionth chance he'd gotten it wrong.

So I didn't get to see the transformation but I was watching out the window when Mooney and Padfoot raced each other outside to play in the waves. Unlike cats, the two seemed to really like the salt water they splashed through. I giggled at their play while Sev made snarky doggy comments. But just as we were getting ready to go to bed, their play changed to sexy and I suddenly saw what Sev had teased me about.

Padfoot was half-in and half-out of the water when Mooney pushed his shoulders down and started sniffing his behind. I squeaked when I saw him licking Padfoot's arse but the way my godfather was wiggling, it must have felt as good as when Sev did it to me. So Sev whispered to me 'hold onto the window sill' and then he sank down to the floor and began to rim me with his hot, wet tongue.

I loved it when he does that. I locked my knees so I didn't crumple and kept watching them on the beach. The moon was so clear, I could see every little detail of the wolf so when his shaft began to emerge from his sheath, I gasped. Sev came back up and chuckled. He had two fingers inside of me, slick with our favorite lubricant and I was panting as much from that as from the erotic pictures in front of us.

"My, the wolf is nicely endowed. How lucky Sirius is to have such a mate." Sev's husky whisper made my nipples ache.

"They're both lucky," I gasped when Mooney slid his prick into the big black dog under him. Padfoot howled at the penetration but the wolf just kept impaling him until he couldn't get any further in. "In me, Sev, in me right this minute."

"My demanding little love," he pulled out his fingers and slowly slid inside of my male sheath. "Dear gods, Harry, you're so tight."

I closed my eyes and felt every inch of him held captive by me. "I like being tight for your great big cock. Nobody could possibly be as good at making love as we are, even though it sure sounds like Sirius and Remus are enjoying themselves."

He chuckled and licked the side of my neck. "Too true, little love, we are the very best lovers I know. But I think the other two are indeed having a good time and they have definitely done this before. Goodness, they're rather inspiring."

I looked back and found my eyes glued on the powerful thrusts that Mooney was giving Sirius. Padfoot was whining but pushing back for more and Sev's thrusts sped up a little, too. I was so warm inside and out that I was panting and beginning to feel that familiar spiral of need.

And just then, Mooney thrust in one last time and did something, I couldn't see what that made both of them howl. I pushed back and felt Sev burst inside of me while I messed up the wall under the window with my come. His hands held me up gently when all my muscles trembled.

"What was that, Sev? What did Mooney do?" I asked him once he'd gently pulled out and picked me up in his arms to carry me to bed.

He chuckled. "Canine shafts have a rather uncomfortable habit of 'knotting' when they come. Mainly it's to keep the penis inside his mate so it gives his sperm time to find an egg and impregnate her."

"Wow, knots sound painful. I'd like to see it though to see what it looks like." I cuddled close to Sev and he wrapped his arms around me after pulling up the sheet over us. "How sad that all of Remus' sperm can't get Sirius pregnant."

He kissed my temple. "It just means they have to practice over and over and over again. I'll find you a good book, sweetheart so you can see what it looks like. I wonder if tonight's show was as inspiring to our other guests?"

********* Draco *********

I fell forward, panting. Ron was still buried inside of me and his not inconsiderable weight pinned me to the bed. Finally, he rolled us to our sides and I took my first full breath in almost five minutes. I'd never been into doing it with a dog but damned if Sirius and Remus hadn't been inspiring.

"Gah, that was . . . was," Ron sputtered.

"Kinky . . . hot . . . inspiring . . . going to star in our fantasies for a few weeks?" I snarked at him and he caressed my stomach muscles with those big callused hands of his. I did love those hands. "Next time, I get to be on top. You know, if we looked out right now, Remus would still be buried inside that tight arse. Knots don't go down for a long time."

"Hm-m-m, you're right, that's kinky and hot at the same time." He kissed my ear lobe before biting it. "I wonder if Harry and Snape watched them, too."

"I'd bet yes on that." I snickered. "Severis is a kinky old fart and although Harry still has that 'touch me not' air about him, I'd bet the Manor he likes anything our potion master does. They make a very nice couple." I smiled into the moonlight. "Almost as nice a couple as us."

It was his turn to snicker. "I wouldn't wish the Dursleys on anybody but although I never thought I'd say this, I'm glad it was Snape who saved him. And loved him so he came back that summer so changed I hardly recognized him. If he hadn't quit Quidditch and confused me so badly, we might never have gotten together."

I smiled to myself. "Oh, we'd have gotten together, Ron Weasley. You don't really think it was an accident I ran for shelter to the Burrow, do you?"

He licked a long path to the juncture of my neck and shoulder. "I'm thick, you told me so yourself, Malfoy."

"That's Malfoy-Weasley, thank you very much." I said with my most aristocratic tones. "You are thick but you're mine and I'm keeping you."

He went up on one arm and turned me just enough he could reach my lips. His kisses were as sweet as the rest of him and I lost myself the way I always do. I was the luckiest wizard on the planet to finally have someone who loved me for me. Not for the Malfoy money or estates; not for the Pure-Blood reasons; not even because it would be socially acceptable; but just because I was Draco or as he liked to call me, Draco 'bloody' Malfoy.

I was rather proud of that nickname. Heavens know I earned it twenty times over. But once again, Harry Potter had led the way to the Light. I'd had my suspicions of Severus and his 'think for yourself' speeches to all the Slytherins. But it had been such a relief to find out he was on the side I wanted to be on. And the Weasleys had taken me in without a blink of an eye when I showed up covered in dirt and bruises.

Father had tried one last, 'beat some sense into the boy' before locking me in my room. But Mother had planned for the day when I might just need an escape hatch. One of the old books was a portkey to an outbuilding on the estate. It was full of furniture Father had banished from the manor and I landed there, falling badly and re-injuring myself. The wards were weaker here because of her and I got through them easily.

But it was a long day of running and hiding and hitchhiking until I got to Ron.

"Dra', what's wrong?" His anxious voice brought me out of the past and I realized he'd slipped from me without my noticing.

"Just remembering," I reached up a hand to smooth a lock of red hair behind his ear. "Remembering how it felt to escape to you."

"It was a bad day all around." He grimaced. "I didn't understand what I was feeling. You were black and blue from head to toe and I wanted to kill your father for hurting you like that. I wanted to trust you, I really did but I thought I was betraying Harry if I began to like you, too."

"Thick as two planks, love," I told him affectionately, tapping his lips with my forefinger. "When we get back home, I think it might be time for a little game or two. This visit has been quite inspiring. I think a little 'droit du seigneur' might be in order."

"Oh yes, my lord." He nipped it before sucking it into his mouth and laving it with his tongue. "I'm just a lowly stable lad who needs to be ridden hard."

My cock really liked that picture. "I'll be cool and icy when I visit the stables, impeccably dressed while you are sweating through the homespun shirt that's unbuttoned to your waist. I'll have on highly polished black leather boots and a matching riding crop that I keep lightly hitting against my thigh."

My big Gryffindor shivered all over. Ron Weasley had a kink or two himself. Whips and chains really turned him on. There was nothing he liked better than a light whipping until his skin was as red as his hair before I chained him to the wall of our bedroom and fucked him through it. Thinking how nice it was of Severus to install silencing charms on all the bedrooms, I sat up and assumed the position.

"Boy, you were distinctly told to have my horse ready ten minutes ago." I slapped his leg and he jumped.

"Sorry, Sir, I'll get right to it." He sat up and bowed his head to me.

"Don't bother, boy, since you didn't saddle Charger, you'll just have to take his place." I summoned the tube of lubricant from the floor where it had fallen earlier. "That nice, tight arse of yours should do nicely. Now, get me ready, boy."

He ducked his head. "Oh please, master, don't take me again so soon. I'm still sore and tender from the last time."

"Silence, boy, or I'll tie you up and let Charger service you instead. He's even bigger than I am and you'll find out what sore really is." Imperiously, I slapped his buttock and admired my handprint. "I believe your insolence will not go unpunished. Assume the position. Now!"

He got onto all fours and I could see his cock hardening. I got between his legs and began the light peppering strokes that turned him on the most. "Remind me never to travel without your whip again. Travel obviously turns you wanton, Ronald."

He shivered all the way down to his toes. "Oh please, like you're any better, Draco. Who was the one who said, 'let's watch the wolf and the dog'?"

"Insolent . . . boy . . . I am definitely bringing my riding . . . equipment on our next trip." My hands were stinging and he'd turned a lovely shade of red so I slid two slick fingers in without warning and he groaned at the sudden intrusion. Twisting and turning them, I continued to pepper his arse with the other hand.

Judging him well enough prepared, I withdrew my fingers, slicked my cock and pushed inside the tightest arse it's ever been my pleasure to fuck. We both moaned a little and I settled in for the long, deep strokes he likes the best. Occasionally, I'd spank him another couple of times and he'd push back into it. I'd have to remember to heal the marks tomorrow morning or they'd show under that tiny little swimsuit I'd gotten him.

I loved his body and I wanted to show it off whenever I could. This week with only four other men had been the perfect opportunity and I'd taken full advantage of it. Today had been one long day of swimming, eating, resting and playing. We were all careful of Harry but the rest of us had rough-housed all over the private beach. While Harry napped and Severus sketched, the four of us had played a rousing game of tag in and out of the water.

Elena kept us fueled with delicious treats and we'd all actually napped this afternoon. Or at least Ron and I had, I thought with what was left of my brain. Being inside of my lover was absolutely the best place to be in all the world. Whether we were in Greece or at home, loving him always felt new and exciting.

"Gods, Drac-c-c-co," Ron shouted and came, squeezing so hard around me, I swear I saw stars.

This time it was him flat on the sheet with me plastered to his back. I pulsed out a couple more drops of seed and relaxed all over. Boneless, I panted into his sweaty back, my hands stroking his sides to calm him. Slowly but surely I was learning all the things he liked and needed from me. I'd not been raised to be a giving person but Ron was teaching me it truly was better to give than to receive. Especially when giving to him meant I received so much love in return.

Thank goodness, Harry and Severus had pointed the way.

"Draco, your wand close by?" Ron's voice had a yawn in it. "I'm in the wet spot again."

I chuckled and slowly unpeeled myself from his sweaty self. "I think we need a shower and a complete change of sheets. I made my own wet spot a little earlier."

"Ow," he rolled over. "I'm going to be glowing brighter than my Speedos."

Sliding out of bed, I held out a hand to draw him out after me. "I'll heal it before we go out to the beach again. It might be a little too much for our host's delicate sensibilities."

He snorted and slung an arm around me. "Ew, I hate when I trickle."

I started laughing and didn't stop until we were in the hot water. I loved a wet Weasley; they were furry everywhere like Snapes and Blacks. Harry, Remus and I had all hit the hairy jackpot when it came to our lovers. After a quick rinse, I dried off and magicked the sheets clean before peeking out the window. Remus was still inside of Sirius and I spared a thought for how sore he'd be in the morning.

"Wow, they're still tied together. I wonder what that feels like." Ron stood at my back, his hands lightly resting on my shoulders.

"We're not going to find out, Ronald Malfoy-Weasley." I said in my best Snape imitation while he laughed at me. "We don't have time to become animagus ourselves. We'll just have to invite ourselves over to where ever they are next full moon so we can play voyeur again."

He chuckled and yawned, drawing me back to our comfy bed. Really, this had been the nicest vacation I'd ever been on. Perhaps I'd have a talk with the owner and see about adding this property to the Malfoy estate. I could just see Ron as a rough fisherman who pulls a merman from the warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea. And it would be available whenever Sev and Harry needed to get away.

"We buying this place, Dra'?" Ron asked me shrewdly.

"Do you like it, Ron?"

"I love it and I love you. Just thinking about it when we're in the middle of a cold wet patch of weather back home will be like a mini-vacation." He yawned again and cuddled me close.

Yet one more reason to love Ron Weasley, Champion Cuddler. "I love you, too. And yes, I think we are buying it. If nothing else, Sev can rent it with his paintings. After seeing the sketches of Harry, I definitely want one of you."

He chuckled sleepily, his hands petting my stomach. "You too, Dra', I want one of you coming out of the surf all sleek and beautiful."

I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat. "Good, that's settled. Go to sleep, Ron. We've got a full day planned for tomorrow."

A sharp yelp came from the beach and we both chuckled ourselves to sleep.

********* Minerva *********

Harry was really showing when I arrived in York. He was sleekly tanned and his bright sun dresses glowed in summer colors. With his long hair and feminine wear, I had no trouble calling him Mary. Severus was so relaxed; I called him John without even thinking twice. The tightlipped potions master was nowhere in sight, just a devil-may-care artist wearing shorts and polo shirts everywhere he went.

I met all the neighbors including Granny T, who had obviously adopted Mary and John. I had suitably altered stories about the little scamp Mary and my classes in cooking and housewifery. Several days into my visit, Poppy joined me and we had another party to introduce her to the neighborhood. When she came, she gave Mary a good going over to make sure everything was all right with the pregnancy.

Mary admitted to feeling tired more and more. Poppy told her to take naps when she wanted. Her body would give her the right signals and she was to listen to them. Mary had blushed and whispered that she didn't need sex as much as she had before. Poppy told her that was to be expected since her body needed that energy to fuel the babies. John had kissed her hand and told her he was content just holding her.

And while we were there, another milestone in their relationship was reached. We were sitting in the back garden tea house with cold drinks while watching the birds flock to the multi-level feeders they'd erected near the back garden walls. Poppy and I were taking turns calling out their names when Mary gasped.

"What's wrong, kitten?" John laid aside his sketchbook and sat up.

"I think," her little hand stroked a spot on the growing mound before her. "I think he moved."

Poppy nodded sharply and set her glass aside. "Five months, right on the dot. Is that the spot, Mary?"

"Yes, it was . . . oh," her lips turned into a perfect 'o' and John's hand caressed the spot before Poppy could touch her.

"Dear heavens, it's like a hummingbird's wings." The sweetest smile crossed his face and I waited eagerly for my turn.

Poppy was next however and she had snapped her stethoscope to her to listen in more closely. "Congratulations, children, it is indeed one of the twins."

Mary leaned forward and brushed a kiss over Poppy's cheek. "Thank you for helping me get this far, Aunt Poppy. But let Aunt Min have a turn before she or he goes back to sleep."

So then it was my turn and the faint flutter that was a brand new life brought tears to my eyes. "Well, it looks like this one is the Quidditch player of the family."

John burst into laughter. "And probably a Gryffindor to boot, Minerva."

I pretended to preen. "But of course, my boy."

The rest of our visit was filled with laughter culminating in a lawn party for the neighborhood where Mary wore her wedding dress and John's eyes followed her like a lovelorn puppy. It was so sweet to hear the neighbors volunteer to watch over the house, get ready for Christmas, have a baby shower, etc. They'd taken the pair of them to their hearts and I could see why our wizarding duo returned every year.

Not to mention the amazing wards which protected them. The basement pool had banished my arthritis completely after only two soakings and Poppy's blood pressure had gone down considerably. I was going to ask Harry to have a word with the Hogwarts wards to see if we could have a pool like this one in the dungeons.

I'd be willing to make the trip down to it and I was willing to bet the other teachers would, too. Poppy had talked to Harry and Severus about having a water birth especially when she reminded them of the way Harry's body would be tasked to grow with the babies. The next three or four months would be hard on him.

Severus had nodded gravely and kissed Harry's hand. The young man had smiled at us all and said simply he would ask for help when he needed it. The nice thing about being back at Hogwarts would be the number of eyes and ears attuned to his well-being. To get their minds off the somberness of our discussion, I deliberately brought up the betting pool with which all our important events were graced.

Harry giggled and chose the winter solstice. Sev pondered it for a moment and chose December 11th. Poppy winked and selected November 20th while I tapped my chin and chose the 30th of November. I'd make sure I started the clock ticking when we returned to Hogwarts. I hated to leave but Poppy and I needed to shop in London before the term started. And the two of them needed a little alone time before returning to the school.

They saw us off with waves and smiles and I settled back in the cab with the feeling of anticipation I hadn't felt in years. This would be a very interesting year in many ways.

********* Severus *********

Teaching was harder than it had ever been this year. Without the threat of Voldemort, I should have been relaxed but Harry's pregnancy had nixed that. I worried about the aches and pains that struck at all hours of the day and night. I fretted when I couldn't see him every moment. I had sudden anxiety attacks when I had to quit what I was doing and find him immediately.

All in all, I was a mess. And wonder of wonders, it was the god-mutt who made me feel better when I thought I'd hit a new low. Harry had suffered some false labor pains at just into his seventh month. He'd hidden them from me until they literally sent him to his knees and our link had flared to life, almost sending me to the ground in front of, thankfully, fourth year Slytherins.

I'd raced to his side and gotten him up to Poppy. A mild muscle relaxant potion took care of the crippling ache contributing to the contractions. I hadn't blown up while we were with her, nor did I say anything once I got him to sleep in our bedroom. Remus had a free period and he sat with him in case he awoke disoriented. I got all the way to the lake before losing my composure. Raging, I pummeled the earth until my strength was exhausted.

Sagging onto my back, I looked up through the ancient oak branches and let loose the tears that had been threatening since the scare began. I wouldn't survive if I lost Harry. My life would not last one moment past his. He'd hate that so I'd have to hide it from him.

"He loves you so much; he'd hate to see you out here." Black's voice startled me and I covered my eyes to try and hide the tears. "I wasn't sure before but you love him, too."

"I love him more than my own life." My voice sounded creaky even to my ears. "If I could take this burden from him I would."

"Don't let him hear you call your babies - a burden." From the corner of my eye, I saw him sit down on one of the boulders at the lake's edge. "They're new life that I never expected could ever exist. Harry's a brave boy and he needs you like he needs air to breathe. Don't wimp out on him now."

I started to laugh, short barks that hurt. "I was just lying here realizing I won't survive without him. I could no more leave him than I could breathe water. If anything happens to him, I'll follow him. We're going to have to have custody papers written by a very good lawyer. Not even our children could keep me from his side, whether that is life or death."

A hesitant hand fell onto my shoulder. "It won't come to that, Sn-Severus. He didn't make it through Voldemort to die now. He's going to live to a ripe old age and so will you. After all, I need someone to growl at."

For some reason I found that funny and this time, tears came with the laughter. The hand never moved, simply grounding me while I came to grips with a changing future. Half an hour later, without saying another word, we got up, brushed ourselves off and walked back to the castle. I felt less out of control with a new seed of hope planted by a man I'd hated for most of my life.

Remus met us in my study and smiled at whatever he saw on our faces. "He's still sleeping. Poppy dropped in and said he's fine. She suggested a romantic evening for two and a long soak in a hot but not too hot tub."

I nodded then cleared my throat. "Thank you, Remus, for staying with him. And Sirius, I appreciate . . . you know."

He grinned at me. "Yeah, you too."

Remus looked back and forth between us before raising an eyebrow and crowding his mate out the door. "If you need us, fire call."

I nodded again before shutting the door behind him. Taking a few deep breaths, I walked stiffly over to our bedroom door. Silently, I opened and shut it behind me. He was curled up on his side, a pillow at his front and one at his back. The one in front helped keep him from rolling onto the children. He looked so small, lying there with the flannel duvet tucked around him.

Sitting at the foot of the bed, I watched him sleep and pushed all thoughts out of my head for now. He was all right, the babies were fine and I was over my little crisis for the moment. Harry was the important one right now. I'd do whatever he needed to get him through this.

But this was it; we were not having any more children. Ever.

********* Harry *********

When I woke up, Severus was lying a foot in front of me. His long fingers stroked mine where I clutched a down pillow to my chest. "Hey, are you all right?"

"I should be asking you that, Harry. How do you feel?" His voice sounded a little rusty and I couldn't feel anything through our bond but a kind of sadness that startled me.

"I feel a little achy." I checked my body and swallowed to discover what potions she'd given me. "What tastes like wintergreen?"

"She gave you a muscle relaxant. You should feel like all your muscles are limp." He slowly sat up. "A hot bath will help. Hold still until I can help you to the bathroom."

I nodded and stretched a little, gauging my muscles and they were just as limp as he said they would be. He pulled back the duvet and scooped me up in his arms the way he enjoyed doing so often. Once we were touching I got a little more from him. He was scared for me and he wasn't used to that. I kissed his cheek and he managed a smile for me.

"I'm sorry I scared you, Sev. I scared me, too." I had to admit I was wrong. "I shouldn't have kept it from you for so long. I promise I won't do that again."

He nodded jerkily. "You did frighten me, Harry. But everything's all right now and we'll make sure we keep better track of your well-being."

With a muttered spell, he whisked away our clothes and then walked us down into our tub where the water was already gently steaming. It felt so good; I had to sigh in relief. He sat down on the ledge in the back, keeping me in his lap. I laid my head on his shoulder.

"Love you, Sev, never, ever want to be away from you." I'd been thinking about something for the last month. "Maybe I could help you grade essays and tests? I could use the office attached to the potions lab so I'd be really close to you all day."

"Really?" His eyes were uncertain but his mouth was thinking of smiling. "You're sure you want to work with potions paperwork? It will be boring for you."

"If I get too bored, I'll practice my embroidery." I grinned at him and he finally smiled.

"I would feel better having you closer, sweetheart."

Finally I got one of my pet names out of him. It had felt rather ominous when he only called me by name. "Good, we'll tell Albus tomorrow."

"And we'll tell Poppy tonight when she checks up on you." He reached for the soap and we had a very leisurely bath.

Once we were out, he wouldn't let me lift a finger. He dried me off, wrapped me in my favorite nightgown from our first summer together and set me up on the sofa in our sitting room. I felt like a princess with a velvet throw across my lap, warm socks on my feet and a tray of my favorite foods for dinner. He sat on the footstool by my side and we fed each other until the tray was empty.

Poppy came down as if she knew when we finished eating. She took my pulse, listened to the babies with her stethoscope and gave us a relieved smile. "You're fine, Harry and so are the children. Now, these kinds of pain will come more frequently as your body tries to make room for two healthy, growing babies."

"I'm not looking forward to that but maybe I can do some stretching exercises to help make room." I suggested and watched her nod slowly.

"Gentle stretches and I'll want to work with you to make sure everything stays easy. Since we're here anyway, I think I'll make some time each morning for you to come and visit me so I can check your progress. You're just at seven months and I truly do not think you'll go the full nine months." She smiled at both of us and patted my arm. "They're impatient like their mama and I think they're going to grow quickly so they can come out into the world."

"Really?" I grinned at her and then at Sev. "It would be nice to have my old body back and have them out where we can hold them."

"We'll stop by after breakfast each day, Poppy. All right, Harry?" Sev was being diffident and that just wasn't him at all.

"Yes, that way then we can both come down to the potions lab." I said firmly and told Poppy about our new arrangement.

She thought it was a good idea so long as nothing noxious was being brewed. Sev mentioned the magic screen he usually erected at his office door and she approved that, too. Then she kissed us both and said goodnight. Sev escorted her to the door and they had a little conversation I could have eavesdropped on but I didn't. I wanted Sev to know he could be private if he needed to be.

And I'd scared him badly, so badly he was hiding from me the way he hadn't done in three years. I'd been a little afraid myself, not for me but for the babies since it was too soon for them to be born. Sev came back to my side and took one of my hands in his, playing with it the way he liked to do sometimes with little nibbles and licks that at any other time would have led to us making love.

But I hadn't felt that urge in almost a month and he either hadn't or was taking care of himself in the bathroom early each morning. "Sev, are we all right?"

"We're fine. Your godfather got me through a minor . . . crisis of conscience." He rubbed my fingers almost absentmindedly. "He was actually almost friendly. You do know that we both love you very much and so does Remus?"

I smiled and tugged him closer so I could kiss his thin lips. He tasted of dinner and I lazily sucked on his tongue for a long moment before pulling back. "I do know how much I'm loved and how many people watch out for me. It still feels kind of odd though, living openly with you and not having to hide our relationship. I thought I'd feel out of place sitting at the head table with you but I don't. Maybe it's because I'm pregnant or something but I truly feel like Harry Potter-Snape, not the Boy Who Lived."

"Good, because that's who you are, sweetheart." He was still playing with my hand and his nibbling was starting to get to me. "Shall I call Albus and tell him about our plan?"

"Um, not right at this minute," I felt my shaft getting kind of interested in having that tongue taste *him* instead of my fingers. "I think we should go to bed so you can milk this part of me that suddenly has a problem."

He chuckled and pushed the velvet coverlet down to the end of the sofa. "I'll be glad to drain you of that tasty milk you produce for me."

I slid my arms around his neck and kissed his chin while his strong arms picked me up as if I weighed nothing. "I love producing that milk for you but I think I'd like to taste the rare vintage that only you can make."

"We'll see, angel-eyes, only if you're not too tired." He told me while carrying me into our bedroom. It was lighter now than it had been when it was just him. Lights glowed all around the edges of the room from fairy lamps that permanently perched behind the crown molding. We could turn them off with a sweep of our hand but until it was time to sleep, we usually just left them on.

The nursery had them too so the babies would never be afraid of the dark. The big bed he laid me in was still black oak but the linens were pure white with lace edging on the pillows and duvet cover. They seemed to glow in the still air and yet they were warm flannel that never felt cold. The dungeons were always cooler than the rest of Hogwarts but these days that felt good to my over-active body temp.

Sev slid in beside me after taking off his robe. He liked sleeping in the nude and I loved having all of that beautiful skin and hair to snuggle against. But I really liked my nightgowns so I usually started off in one before losing it during the night to our love making. At the moment, he was tenderly suckling at a nipple and I felt my cock swell a little harder.

His hand slid down over my swollen belly to my groin and began to stroke my shaft. It was gentle and took a long time but finally, his lips wrapped around me and pulled my climax right out of me. The moment I relaxed into the sheets, the twins decided to start playing Quidditch.

"Ow," I grimaced and he rolled me to my side so they weren't pressing so actively on my spine. Those long graceful fingers that had just pleasured me so well now stroked over the tight skin that hid our children. "Darn it, Sev, I wanted to take care of you next."

"Later, kitten, you can take care of me once they go to sleep." His voice poured over my ears like honey. "For now, all of you rest."

We surrounded the babies with warm quiet thoughts of how much we loved them and how much we were looking forward to them coming out and playing with them. I really was ready to birth these two. The only time I didn't feel fat and heavy was when I was floating in our bathtub. And Poppy would only let me do that once a day. Still, there were only two months left or maybe even less.

********* Poppy *********

Halloween dawned bright and clear this year and the bonfire we had in the courtyard was lighthearted in a way it hadn't been since Voldemort returned. The veil was thin between the worlds and odd visions and spectators floated through both students and teachers alike. I'd had a premonition that it would be a very special holiday and during the bonfire sing-a-long it happened.

Severus beckoned me over to where he and Harry were sitting near the French doors that would open to the outer terrace. His face was blank but even I could feel the surge of magic in the air. It looked like the twins weren't going to wait for the winter solstice. Harry had a completely stunned look on his face and both hands were pressing against the huge mound he was growing in front of him.

I sat on Harry's other side and felt the waves of excitement flowing from the twins. "Are you ready, my friends? They're ready to be born."

"Yes . . . no . . . oh-h-h," he gripped Severus' hand hard. A couple of pants and he moaned a little. "Yes, definitely get them out of me."

Severus chuckled and helped his husband to his feet. "To do that we'll need to let Poppy examine you in the privacy of the birthing room. Let's make our way there now, shall we?"

He nodded and I followed them with a quick look to Minerva and the sign we'd agreed upon for eminent babies. She smiled delightedly and nodded. She'd be down in a few moments after going to the dispensary for my medical bag. There was no hurry at the moment but I did have a slight premonition that this birth would be like no other I'd ever attended.

The stairways behaved for once and I wondered if Severus or Harry were talking to them. It was a closely held secret that Hogwarts wards had taken them to its heart. I often thought about what the Founders would think of our loving duo. Had they known what the wards they first created would become or even what wizards might adapt into?

"Damn," Harry stopped and doubled over.

"8 minutes, that's pretty good for first babies." I reset my mental clock to time the next gap between contractions. "Settling low in your abdomen, Harry?"

"Gods, yes," he panted and straightened up gingerly. "I think one has turned head down already. I'm getting a kick now and then up here," he pointed to the spot and began walking again. "The sooner I'm in the water, the better I'll like it."

"Perhaps two children are enough," Severus helped him along and I heard the note of truth in his voice. "I hate to see you in such pain."

Harry panted some more but his soft look at his husband was loving. "So far, it's not so bad, Sev and I want lots more of your children."

"Hm-m-m," was all Severus said and I had a premonition that he was going to be fighting a losing battle. "Let's get you out of these robes."

The Hogwarts wards had created a spa rather like the York hot springs and Minerva and I used it frequently. We had a schedule set up so everyone had some privacy while soaking but we had unanimously voted to give up our times the moment Harry went into labor. Luckily tonight we were all at the Halloween ball so no one would have to get out. I set all the lights to high for the moment so I could perform an examination to see how far he was dilated.

Sev had him stripped in a few moments while I warmed the massage table for him. He groused half-heartedly at how fat he was but his husband simply reminded him of their ongoing joke. "Rounded, sweetheart, you're nicely rounded and soon will be back to your slim, svelte self."

"Ha-ha-ouch," Harry grimaced and pulled his legs back to give me a look between his legs.

My eyes widened in disbelief. "Goodness, Harry, they're really, really in a hurry. You're at six centimeters already."

"Good," he panted through another contraction. "Water or walking, Poppy?"

"Walking, Harry, that will help move things along."

He nodded and Severus helped him off the table before wrapping a robe around him. The gently steaming pool of water waited in the slightly humid air. I always found my sinuses cleared down here and that would help Harry's breathing as well. Minerva joined us then and I checked my bag but of course it had been set up several months ago just for this night.

She asked me how he was and I whispered the news that he seemed to be moving right along. Then she cleared her throat. "Gentlemen, several old friends have joined us tonight and they're all waiting for our future students in the headmaster's office."

"I'll bet one or two of them are Weasleys." Harry joked then suffered through another contraction.

Interesting, they were speeding up, this one was only six minutes later. I readied the heated bassinets and renewed the charms on them while Minerva dipped out water for the basins where they'd have their first bath. While she was doing that, I got my ever-ready quill out and started the journal pages I kept for every birth I attended. The date, time, name of the patient and husband, spaces for height, weight and any other distinguishable marks.

I suddenly wondered if his fading scar would appear in any form on his babies. That was an odd thought to have, I mused. Sudden commotion from the other side of the room brought me up and around. Harry's water had broken and I marveled at the speed of this birthing phase.

Severus had already charmed him dry and he waddled over to the table for me to check his progress. I shook my head with a smile. "8 centimeters, gentlemen. They've decided they need more space to play."

"They've been using my kidneys for punching bags the last few weeks. I'll be glad to have them out so they can squeeze a few of those stuffed toys to pieces instead of me." Harry smiled wanly but got up to continue walking around the spa.

Severus was silent but ever vigilant of each wince and twinge. His strong hands rubbed the aching back when needed. I had to keep reminding him he couldn't take Harry's pain as his own since we wouldn't be able to tell when new stages had been reached. The contractions sped up again and soon I judged the time right for them to enter the pool. When I saw Sev's swim trunks, teeny tiny trunks, I had to remind myself not to drool.

Harry smirked a bit before his face twisted in pain. "Damn, Poppy, it feels like I'm tearing in two."

I quickly dressed in my own swim suit, suitably modest for a middle aged witch and slipped into the pool. A quick charm showed me a dark head already cresting between his legs. "One Quidditch player coming up, Harry, when you get that urge to push, go ahead and do so. This one has Sev's hair, I think."

Harry choked on a laugh and I could see the muscles in his face grimace while his whole body clenched. My hands could touch the crowning head and I stroked a finger over his pate, murmuring a welcome to this new soul about to be born. Harry panted then gasped a warning while he put his young muscles to work. Sev's voice never stopped murmuring encouragement to his husband.

"Once more, Harry and I think this young man will be able to slip free. One shoulder is out but he's going to be a long one." I had my hands ready and when he put his heart and soul into the push, the wee lad slid out into the welcoming waters of the pool.

All around us, the wards sang a song of welcome and I found myself crying joyfully, while I lifted the baby out of the water, still attached to Harry by the umbilical cord. A quick cleansing of his nostrils and his wavering cry echoed in the moist air. When I placed him on Harry's chest, Sev was crying silently while Harry looked into the scrunched up little face with such a look of awe.

"Look Sev, he has your eyes." Harry gently touch his finger to a soft cheek and the infant opened long eyelashes over dark, dark eyes.

"But he has your nose, sweetheart, thank goodness." Severus' voice was thick with emotion but he cuddled Harry close and joined him in counting fingers and toes.

With a pinch charm, I severed the cord and watched while he delivered the afterbirth of the first twin. I let them have their moment while I tidied away the vestiges of birthing blood and fluid. Actually the wards took over the moment I went to banish them to the fire where I disposed of surgical wastes. What they did with them, I'm not sure but perhaps they used them to add a bit of new magic to these old walls, I decided.

"Ow," Harry grimaced again and Minerva knelt to take the first baby.

"Well, you two, what is this one's name?" She asked while Harry reluctantly let loose of his baby boy.

"Sebastian James Potter," Severus said huskily. "After my grandfather who died when I was four and Harry's father who died too young."

I took the time to blow my nose on a slightly damp handkerchief. My quill made the proper entry in the log as to time, name and measurements which Minerva was taking care of while she washed him cleaner and dressed him in his first little diaper. I gently shaped the slightly reduced mound in front of Harry and found the second twin was already head down and headed for the birth canal.

Harry was panting and squeezing Severus' hands while his husband braced him against his chest. "Just think, sweetheart, a few more pushes and we'll have our second son in our arms. Then we'll be showing them off to the entire school and collecting names of willing babysitters for when we want to steal an hour away."

"We've already put our names in the pool." I reminded them and watched Harry's belly ripple with another contraction. "Right after Sirius, Remus and Albus."

"Albus isn't coming near these babies until they're ten. He'd feed them sugar and then send them back to us to deal with." Severus said emphatically.

We kept on talking for a while but the contractions didn't advance and the baby seemed stuck just out of reach of the canal. Harry was uncomfortable and getting tired but he remained cheerful. Severus was getting tightlipped and his inability to help his mate was wearing on him, I could tell.

"Oh," Harry bit his lip, "that felt different. I think he's moving."

And with a hard jerk, all his stomach muscles tightened and he groaned. I checked the canal and it was ready, the tiny tears healed while we waited through the last half hour. I had a feeling this one was going to be fast and I was right. Within five minutes, he was pushing out another dark haired son. This time, the little one wailed loudly as soon as I cleared his airways and laid him on his mother's chest.

Harry and Severus were both crying this time and Sev's long fingers stroked a downy cheek. It was kind of hard to tell though because I was weeping, too. A huge burden felt like it had been lifted and it was then I noticed the golden glow flowing around the room, seeping through the walls and floors of the spa.

And right in front of my eyes, Harry's body healed in a shower of golden sparkles. "Oh, that feels wonderful, Sev, the wards are taking all the pain and ache away."

A look of relief crossed the potion master's face. "Thank goodness, little love. I think we're going to both need our strength to handle these two. Are you ready to give Gaius Antonius Snape to Minerva?"

He nodded slowly and handed the little one over to my lover, who was wiping away tears of joy. Severus sat up and tenderly helped him from the waters of the spa. Once they were safely out, I checked the pool but the wards had again taken care of any residue. So I exited the warm waters as well, finding my legs were trembling a little. I needed a good strong cup of tea. Checking the time, I realized both births had taken just over four hours.

No wonder we were all a bit tired. Harry should have been worn out but he was practically bouncing with energy. Severus had summoned some of his pre-pregnancy clothes and Harry squealed when he saw something in the pile.

********* Harry *********

Sev had chosen some of my Mary panties and I pulled the screen around us so I could pull them on. But first I had to kiss my wonderful, strong husband. He held me so tightly it almost hurt but I understood all too well what he was thinking. While I was panting in pain, he couldn't do anything to help me and that hurt him.

"I love you," we said at the exact same moment before his lips seared onto mine and a hot tongue surged next to mine. His taste is always addicting and even more so now. The wonderful ability to hug him tightly to my front made me laugh into our kiss. But his end of the bond felt everything I did and I could feel the oceans of relief he was feeling, too.

"Sweet love, thank you for those beautiful babies." He pressed kisses all over my face while my hands stroked across his broad chest. "You are the most wonderful husband in the entire world."

"Oh, Sev, you're the one who gave me those beautiful babies." I whispered to him. "And when they're two, we're going to do this again."

He shuddered. "I can't think that far ahead, kitten. I just want to enjoy Gaius and Sebastian."

I smiled up at him and pulled out of his arms. I could hear Gaius whimpering and knew he needed one of us. "I want to do that, too. For now, we'd better get dressed."

"Indeed, I foresee many Weasleys in our immediate future." He chuckled a little and I promised myself to work on his fears.

Drawing on a silky pair of pink panties, I wiggled and stroked my flat-again stomach. "Wasn't it nice of the wards to heal me up and give me back my old shape? I think my hips have changed though."

He pulled on a pair of green silk boxers then a pair of black slacks I loved. "Your pelvic bones moved to carry and birth the babies. That change will stay, I'm afraid."

I grinned and pulled on a pair of comfortable jeans. "I forgot that, Sev." While in my mind I thought 'that will make the next pregnancy easier'. "Wear the red sweater, Sev, that Minerva knit for you."

"Very well," he sent the black sweater back to his dresser and summoned the soft wool jumper that I loved so much. I had one like it in green but since I was pretty sure I was going to be nursing sooner rather than later, I slid into a button-down-the-front linen shirt in forest green.

Sitting down on the bench to tie my sneakers, I was already planning on wearing my red silk sarong and crimson heels to dance for Sev after the babies were asleep. I'd really missed them the last four months. I'd missed a lot of things the last few months and I was planning on making up for lost time, the very minute we were alone. I paused while coming out from behind the screen.

We were never going to be really alone again. My grin was slow but real when I saw Minerva holding Gaius. Walking over to her, I accepted my younger son from my former professor. He was so tiny in my arms, his eyes finally opening to show . . . blue?

"His eyes are blue." I looked up worriedly. "Neither of us have blue eyes."

Poppy giggled and handed Sebastian to Sev. "Most babies are born with blue eyes but within six months they change to whatever shade they'll be for real. I expect Gaius' eyes will be your own green. Severus' genes just proved too strong for Sebastian."

"And wouldn't Sebastian be the better Snape since he has the eye color?" Minerva asked us.

Sev and I smiled at each other then I answered. "We flipped a coin and decided the first born would be a Potter and the second a Snape. That way neither of our family names will die out and they're brothers so it doesn't matter which name they carry."

"They'll still be our sons, no matter what." Severus was gazing into dark eyes so like his own and this little smile kept curling the corners up. "I'm afraid I'm going to ruin my reputation by smiling constantly in the coming months. He's so strong."

Gaius had one of my fingers too and his grip was amazing for someone only an hour old. "I think we're both going to be smiling up a storm for a very long time, my own Sev."

He chuckled and that made Seb smile up at his daddy. I realized I had tears in my eyes and silently cursed my hormones. Looking down at Gaius, I watched him bring my finger to his mouth so he could suck on it. My nipples suddenly ached and a spot appeared on my shirt right over the right one.

"Um, Sev, I think it's dinner time." I said and watched his eyes light up.

"Harry, why don't you sit down here and see if your milk is really coming in?" Poppy guided me to the changing bench and I unbuttoned the shirt I'd just buttoned up. My breast felt plumper to me especially since my stomach was flat again. Gaius was whimpering a bit and I guided him to my nipple.

"Wow," I whispered at the feeling of tiny lips suckling at my breast. "Oh that's incredible, Sev. He's really feeding from me."

Sev sat down beside me and kissed my temple. "You're so beautiful like this, my dearest love. Is there really milk coming out?"

"Oh yeah, there's something coming out." I watched him yawn and let go of my nipple then fall asleep. "That's it, Gaius?"

"He's tired, sweetheart," Poppy slipped her hands between mine and the baby. "See if Sebastian wants to nurse now. I rather expect he's about ready to fall asleep, too."

Sev handed him over and sure enough he sucked down some milk for less than a minute before falling asleep. I handed him back to Sev and rebuttoned my shirt, charming away the milk stain. I was going to have to start wearing my nursing bras, I decided with an inner grin. That would save my shirts some wear and tear.

"Are you gentlemen ready to greet your public?" Poppy gave me back Gaius and I settled him into my arms with a sigh of relief. I already didn't like being apart from them.

"Harry?" Severus stood up and I followed suit. "We can take the secret hall to our rooms if you're not ready."

I smiled and rose to join him. "Nope, my own Sev, we've got some very important people to show these little boys to." I started walking towards the door. "Babysitters."

He chuckled silently and followed Poppy and Minerva as we walked out to show off our beautiful sons. I placed a quiet-charm around Gaius and felt Sev do the same for Seb. I didn't want them startled by the noise there was sure to be. After all, it was still Halloween and the ball was still going on. This would just be the crowning touch. I had the feeling that this was going to be a party Hogwarts would remember for some time.

And I really wanted to dance with my husband in front of everyone. //I love you Severus//

//I love you too, my little love. I'd be honored to dance with you, kitten// he replied and I smiled.

Yes, this was a party Hogwarts wouldn't forget anytime soon.

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The end of Little Miss Mary