Forever Yours

Chapter 27: Re-Bonding & Re-Healing

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the people or places that belong to the wonderful world of Harry Potter, as they belong to J.K. Rowling. The OCs (Katherine, Septimus, Serenity, Helena, Christoph, Elisa, Henry, Nick and any name you don't recognize, and isn't from the HP universe) are entirely my own.

---------------------------------------

January ended with an unusual warm streak, but February left them in more snow and even colder weather. Severus swore he hadn't seen the sun the whole month, as it either was snowing or overcast. And colder weather meant more colds, and more colds meant more hours in the lab.

Serenity had grown leaps and bounds since his birthday, and it made Severus, himself, happy to see Katherine smiling again; even if it was over their daughter's small milestones. A week after his birthday, they were rewarded with her first gummy, toothless smile, followed by several different facial expressions, most of which imitated her father. Severus also noticed that her eyes followed movements much more and she was beginning to reach out for her mobile that hung above the crib.

By the time she reached ten weeks old, Serenity was now sleeping about six hours at night, much to her parents' happiness. Her hands had also become a new fascination, and she was mainly putting them into her mouth; and she was able to lift her head and hold it for a short time as well. Severus and Katherine had even starting a new nighttime routine with the little girl, as every other night Katherine would sing to her and on the other nights, Severus would read her to sleep.

With Katherine's birthday just around the corner, Severus' adrenaline went into overdrive. He was spending most of his days cooped up in the lab, and was finding it difficult to get out alone to find her the perfect gift. What was even more of a problem, was figuring out what that perfect gift was going to be.

Books were out; as Katherine had so many in the study to begin with. Not to mention the few hundred or so that were still being stored in the vault at the Superior Bank. Books were definitely being crossed off the list.

New robes were a no go as well. Although Katherine loved the set of midnight blue robes that he had purchased, under Elisa's pushy influence, at Christmas; Katherine usually stuck to something simpler at home.

'Jewelry,' Severus snorted in his head. He knew that was out as well, even though he was thoroughly glad to see her wearing the emerald ring at all times. Besides the ring, all she ever really wore was her mother's locket and a pair of small silver earrings, which never left her person; unless there was a fancier occasion that they had to attend.

Christoph had suggested wedding bands, but Severus had turned that idea down altogether. Both he and Katherine had discussed that a while ago, and even made a point to go to the vault and see if someone had left a matching pair.

Unsurprisingly enough, a pair of matching wedding bands that had belonged to Severus' third great grandparents were found hidden amongst the small pile of jewelry boxes. The goblins even confirmed them to be the same type of metal used in the Prince ring that Katherine already wore.

"Why not have the re-bonding ceremony as a part of her birthday gift?" Christoph asked, as he and Severus stood in the lab one afternoon. Christoph had stopped by, to inform them both that a government official had been appointed to do the handfasting.

"That would be a bit, what do you call it?" Severus muttered over a simmering cauldron. "Tacky."

"Oh, I don't know Severus," Christoph shrugged as he tapped the glass on a jar of what looked like eyeballs floating in green slime. "Don't most women want a dream wedding? You know...beautiful flowers...huge wedding cake...one of a kind dress; those type of things?"