Saved by Love (Severus Snape / Original Female Character)

A Party and A Mad Plan

 December 25th, 1997

Hogwarts' safe-house

During that Christmas day, Severus watched his wife hug and kiss their three younger kids, it was clear she missed them. She had long conversations with Liz, discussed charms and wand-woods with Chris and coloured with Sophie. Florence was doing a lot better than a month ago, she was healthy and the babies were developing as they should. But still he felt the need to be careful with her, never leaving her unattended; if he couldn't be near her, one of the twins were or Tiffany.

"Is she sick?" Eileen asked when she found her son alone in the kitchen.

"No," Severus replied, knowing his mother had noticed the way he was acting around Florence.

"So why are you, Tiffany, the twins and even Sam and Melody all hounding her?"

"She's pregnant."

Eileen gasped, "But I thought, after Sophie..."

"Well, this wasn't planned. And it's a high-risk pregnancy – twins on top of it. That's why one of us is always near her."

"Two more babies!" Eileen smiled, clapping her hands excitedly. But her son's worried expression had her smile faltering, "I read on the Prophet that she had stepped down from the Ministry, but they didn't give a reason."

"The Dark Lord doesn't want it to be public knowledge just yet."

Eileen immediately knew why he looked less than ecstatic, "Fuck. He knows?"

Severus nodded, "Yes. We had to tell him. She had to stop flooing daily."

Eileen could see how much that was weighing in her son's mind, "She'll be fine, Severus. She's young and healthy."

He shook his head, "I don't let myself believe anything else, mum. I can't..." his words got stuck in his throat, the fear of thinking Florence could die during childbirth was paralysing.

She hugged him tightly, "What are you naming them?"

"Lily-Rose and Stephen," he replied, knowing the names would make her happy.

Eileen smiled, "Aw, after my parents? That's lovely, Severus."

He looked at Florence who was on the sofa talking to Liz in hushed tones while Sophie played on the rug, "Flor is my priority now."

"Has she ever not been?" Eileen asked with an arched eyebrow.

And he chuckled, "No, she hasn't."

"It'll be alright, son," Eileen hugged him again, "She's strong."

"That she is, mum."

Florence glanced up and smiled at him, Talking about me, husband?

He smiled back, Love you.

"Ugh!" Elizabeth rolled her eyes: "Can't you two just stop?"

"Nope," said Severus, smirking as he walked to his wife with a glass of water; he sat beside Florence, giving her the water, and pulled her close to his side.

Sophie jumped onto his lap, saying in that impressed tone of toddlers: "Mummy said she has two babies in her tummy, daddy!"

"Yes, baby-girl," he replied, touching her hair, "Our family will have three more babies soon. Two from your mummy's and another one from Nick's fiancée's tummy."

"So I won't be the baby anymore?" Sophie frowned, tilting her head.

"You'll always be our baby, Sophie," Severus said, kissing her forehead, "Don't worry."