The sun's warmth caresses your cheek as you slowly open your eyes, feeling a contented sigh escape your lips. A soft glow filters through the emerald curtains, casting a serene hue across the room and casting your husband, Severus, in a romantic light. His chest rises and falls rhythmically as he sleeps peacefully, one strong hand curled around his pillow, the other flung over your hip. The early morning doves outside coo in harmonious unison, their melodic calls seemingly designed to soothe even the most restless of souls. As you stretch and yawn, the soft cotton of your nightgown slides against your skin, and you can't help but feel grateful for this moment, this peaceful interlude in your busy lives.
With a small grin, almost unnoticeable, Severus's eyes fluttered open, meeting your gaze. His ebony strands framed his weary, yet still piercing onyx irises. He stretched lazily, yawning, before rolling his head to face you. "Hmm?" he murmured, still half-asleep. "Oh, good morning, love," he said, his voice still groggy from sleep. You chuckled softly, pushing back a strand of his hair behind his ear. "It's time to get up sleepyhead." You touched your nose to his, kissing his lips. He took in a sharp inhale and then groaned, eyebrows furrowing. "School is over."
"Yes, but life isn't. We should do something. Like, for starters," you ran your fingers through his hair, as best as you could with his apparent bedhead. "You're overdue for a trim. And we should clean up around the house. To welcome the new season."
Severus raised his head, finally opening his eyes, ready to object if not for the look you gave him. He sighed. "Fine." Giggling, you hop from the sheets to grab at your wardrobe's handles.
He watched you for a moment, enjoying the sight of your hands moving over your body before his eyes began to focus on the clothes you had chosen for the day. An oversized, faded T-shirt hung loosely from your shoulders, revealing the slight curve of your back and the slightly pudgy expanse of your lower stomach. Your favorite pair of worn shorts, frayed at the ends, hugged your larger hips and thighs, accentuating your figure. You had the knack for finding comfort in your attire, always managing to make even the most mundane clothes look stylish and alluring to even the old professor.
Feeling eyes on your figure, you look back to see Severus watching your hands go over your bare body. "You always act like you've never seen this before." He lays his head back onto a pillow. "You always seem more different since when we first met. I would prefer to spend time looking and remembering you than nothing at all." You rolled your eyes at the comment, turning your back to him once more. "And besides." He comes over to you to wrap his hands around your waist, making you yelp. "This is the best view to wake up to." A deep laugh comes from your throat- a seemingly ugly sound to any spectator but in your few years of marriage, being perfect was a curse, and you both preferred being odd together.
"You've been reading my romance novels haven't you?" Severus buried his face into your neck, placing soft kisses all over. Mouth opening slightly in a chuckle, you moan before lowering his chin to peck his lips. "We need to get dressed!" You tap his leg, "C'mon. Put these on, I'll go get started on breakfast okay? And I'll put together a drink for you." You hand him a pair of black jeans and a black turtleneck before breaking from his hold and moving towards the bedroom door, slipping a cardigan on.
He hummed as he brought his pants up and over his waist. "Bourdon?"
You turned around in the doorway with a mischievous smile. "Firewhiskey."
Severus was interrupted by a yawn, and he raised his arms over his head. Shaking out any more hints of sleep he had residing in his head. Residing in the doorway, you looked to your husband with nothing but appreciation in your eyes and shook your head muttering under your breath, "Love you Sev" with a smile, and walked down the steps to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.
The sun peeked through the curtains, casting a warm glow on your kitchen. You hummed a cheerful tune as you danced around the room, bumping drawers closed with your hips. You expertly cracked eggs into a ceramic bowl, whisking them with practiced ease. The scent of bacon sizzling in the frying pan mingled with the freshly brewed coffee that filled the air.
Meanwhile, Severus watched your movements with a mixture of amusement and awe as you moved with such grace and fluidity, your slender fingers expertly flipping the bacon and scrambling the eggs. The sunlight streaming through the window cast a halo around your head, and for a moment, he was lost in the spell of your movements that you'd cast upon him so many times before.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
Your empty plates clattered into the sink. You walked over to Severus, his nose deep in the morning paper. You dropped your arms around his neck, reading a small column about some new bookstore opening up in the village of Bordon Cross. Severus moved his head to you. "What shall we get to first?"
You thought for a moment, pursing your lips. "You decide. You're the one with the keen eye for organization." Folding his paper, he looked around the kitchen. Figuring everything was as it should be (save for the new dishes in the sink), he looked toward the living room, where a light dusting of dust had begun to gather at the corner of the windowsill. "We could start with tidying up there, perhaps?" following his eyes, you nodded in accentuated agreement, already gathering your cleaning supplies and rolling up your sleeves.
As you made your way into the living room, you surveyed the space, your mind already whirring with ideas for where to begin. "I think I'll start by dusting the shelves and straightening up my bookshelf," you said, "and then maybe I'll rearrange some of the decorations."
Severus wandered over to the fireplace, where a few logs were still glowing embers. He poked at them idly with the prong, watching the flames dance and flicker. "What about your paintings?" he asked, glancing over his shoulder at you. "Do you want me to help you decide which ones to give away and which ones to hang up?" You nodded, stepping closer to join him by the fire. "Oh yes, that would be lovely. You know how I am, I'll try to keep every single one." You laughed as you leaned close to kiss his lips. "I trust your judgment."
He smiled, feeling a warmth spread through his chest. It was true that he knew little about art, but he enjoyed spending time with you, helping you to make decisions about something you were so passionate about.
Together, you began to reshape your living room. You took to cleaning the shelves, and Severus took to looking through the newer polaroids that had been taken since the last cleanup, all piled into a small wooden box you had crafted. He'd stop every few to show you, some from gatherings when you'd both travel to America to visit your family. Those times you'd taken him to see a ballet or choral performance to try and break him out of his habit of staying indoors. Some of the photos had moments he'd completely forgotten about—some he'd taken, like of your twenty-seventh birthday. You decided to throw a small party, just your family, a few of your best friends and him. You made sure he knew of all the people going and he spent most of his time on the backyard patio, watching the stars as he reclined on the swing set. You would come out occasionally to spend time with him, to bring him some food, or check if he wanted to leave the party for a moment and stay. He always declined this, but occasionally, your little nephew would go out and sit with him. For some reason, your nephew almost exclusively spoke with Severus, no one else, and Severus did enjoy the conversations the kid had. He would always bring up the stars and constellations, as well as any recent discoveries on planets he'd read about in his little NASA newsletters.
By the end of the night, you'd go outside with him, and cuddle up on the swingset with a crochet blanket draped across the both of you. You'd taken a Polaroid of that too, him asleep and you pretending to be asleep on his chest.
He smiled at this picture, putting it to the side to be put in a frame and hung.
He sifted through a few more photos before landing on one that made him pause. Many months ago, back when your little sister had her second baby. A little girl, with a beautiful little nose, smooth dark skin, plump lips, and eyes to rival the sun. Your sister let you be the first to hold her after her. You carefully bounced the baby as she whined. "Hey there lil mama." You whispered. Tears brimmed in your eyes as you watched her. She was a splitting image of your sister and so small. Severus carefully wiped your tears with his thumb to not let them fall on the baby, even moving your locs behind your head to not obstruct your view.
Your sister cracked jokes at your tears, as the both of you bantered. She remarked you both being next to be blessed.
At that moment, the thought shocked Severus. Him? A father? After his childhood, he thought it would be a curse to any child to have to call him father. It was barely even a thought in his mind before you, and now, with the remainder of this picture, he wonders again if it would be that bad of an idea. To father your child, and make a family with you. You would help him, right?
"Sev!" He broke free of his thoughts to you wiping your hands on your cleaning apron. "Sorry, I finished. Whatcha lookin' at?" You moved closer to him and sat crosslegged across from him, hand out to see the picture. He handed it over to gauge your reaction. Your eyes looked over the image for a moment. He sat, almost shivering in nervousness before you nodded your head slightly. You raised the picture, "It's very cute. I gotta show my sister this next big game." You set it over to the side along with the others and helped Sev sort through.
Soon after, you worked, you both chatted amiably, about the recent happenings at Hogwarts and reminiscing about your early years together. The soft glow of the fire flickered against your faces, casting shadows that danced and swayed with each passing moment. The air was filled with the scent of wood smoke and the faint whiff of turpentine from your paintings, a heady mixture that seemed to heighten both of your senses and bring you closer together.
Severus paused, studying a particular painting that had caught his eye. "This one," he said finally, "I think it would look good above the mantel." You looked over at him, surprise registering on your face, eyebrows furrowed. "Really?" you asked, a hint of reassurance in your voice. "You think so?" He nodded, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Yes, I'm sure it would make the room feel warm and inviting." Your cheeks flushed with the rush of bourbon down your throat. Looking back at the painting, the mix of colors was decent enough, the composition of a nighttime with a morning sun was confusing though thought-provoking. You hummed and nodded as he moved it to the small pile of those to keep. You stood from the floor dusted off your clothes and walked to him. "Alright, are we taking those to the consignment store tonight or tomorrow?" He shook his head and took a sip of his whisky. As he did, he wrapped his arm around your waist. "Tomorrow, tonight is for us." You smiled as you agreed, "Well, we finished cleaning, what next?"
You smirked slightly, feeling a thrill of anticipation run through you. "Well," Severus drawled, "I was thinking we could spend the day together, just the two of us. Maybe go for a walk in the park, or catch a movie. Whatever you'd like." Your smile and eyes grew wider, and you leaned forward. "I think I could arrange that," you whispered, your voice barely above a whisper. "I think I'd like that very much."
As the crisp autumn air nipped at your noses, you and Severus strolled leisurely through the quaint streets of your small town. He was content to follow you, his gaze fixed on the top of your head, watching as you bounced from window to window, admiring the beautiful dresses and jewelry displayed in the shop windows. The sound of your laughter, so often muffled by your thick scarf, filled the air, and he couldn't help but smile.
Your town was unlike any other place you'd ever been to, even as a casual traveler; it was a place where time seemed to stand still, where the people were as friendly as they were giving, and where every building had a story to tell. You passed by the bakery where the aroma of freshly baked bread filled the air, the butcher where the scent of roasting meat wafted out the door, and the new bookshop where you yank Severus inside to stock up on new books, as well as welcome the bookstore owner to the area. As you continued down the main street, you came upon a small fabric store that Severus noticed caught your eye.
"Oh, Severus," you cooed, pressing your face against the window, "look at that fabric! It'd be perfect for that dress I wanted to make!" You gestured at a sheet of shining iridescent material draped across the mannequin, sparkling in the light. He playfully rolled his eyes; he knew you would never settle for anything less than what your projects called for, no matter the price or extravagance. But he smiled nonetheless, knowing that the joy on you face was worth more than any material possession or cost.
"It's lovely, dear," he said, resting a hand on your shoulder. "But we should keep walking; there's more of the town to see." You pouted, but he could tell you were secretly pleased by his restraint. You continued down the street, past the park where children laughed and played, and the flower shop where colorful blooms brightened even the grayest of faces that walked by.
Meanwhile, Severus found solace in simply watching you; the way your skin glowed in the late afternoon light, the gentle sway of your hips as you walked, and of course, that captivating smile that never failed to brighten his day. You strolled down the winding path, the conversation flowing easily as you discussed the following summer, but as you both neared a young couple sitting on a park bench with their newborn baby, you paused briefly, your eyes lingering on the tiny bundle before turning away and continuing down the trail beside Sev. He noticed your brief hesitation, but said nothing, instead pointing out the gazebo at the far end of the park where you could rest and enjoy the view.
He carefully guided your stroll, admiring the carefully tended flower beds and sculpted hedges that lined the path. The air was filled with the scent of blooming roses and the sound of songbirds singing in the trees. As you neared the gazebo, Severus discreetly took your hand.
The afternoon turned to a warm evening, a sax player walked around the gazebo as the two of you leaned on the rail. You closed your eyes and rested your head on his shoulder. Faint whispering was heard from your side and a gentle sax had begun to sing a familiar song that Sev had hummed the words to in his sweet baritone.
'It had to be you
It had to be you
I wandered around, and I finally found
The somebody who
Could make me true
And could make me blue
And even be glad
Just to be sad - thinking of you'
You hummed, "I didn't even know you liked that song."
He softly chuckled, "I don't".
You could hear the slight smile in his words, laying your head back onto his shoulder as his arm settled around your waist, closing your eyes to the sound of the saxophone, your husband's breathing, and the smell of the newly grown summer's air.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──;.
In the dim light of the bedside lamp, Severus's fingers skim the fresh pages of his latest book, already the better way of half through. In the bathroom though, you wash your face, moisturizing and watering your hair before stuffing it all in a bonnet. You remove your top and bottoms, and run your hands over your bare legs, deciding to rub in peony-scented lotion before moving towards your bed, pulling back the covers, and settling down.
You turn your head slightly, gazing at Sev's long, scarred hand as it closes the book. For the moment, you wonder how that same hand will one day guide your child's first steps, how it will hold your child's hand as they explore the world together...hopefully. Despite Severus's reservations about his own fitness as a parent, you can't help but feel a surge of confidence and determination. With your joint love and support, it was certain you could raise a smart, cunning young boy or girl who will not only succeed in life but also find happiness and love along the way. It was only if he saw it in himself, however, that would even drive that plot forward, so to speak.
As he read the final words of the chapter, Severus placed his bookmark where he left off. Placing his book on his nightstand, he lays his arm out for you to rest your head on and you cuddle up to his thin warm chest. He rubs your arm as he begins to nod off to sleep
But now, as you lie together in the quiet stillness of the night and those intrusive thoughts begin to creep into your mind... you barely have time to catch your tongue before the words slip out.
"You know children? Severus?"
His breath catches in surprise, looking down at you in slight astonishment. You quickly shake your head, "It was only a question, y'know? Just curious." You weren't scared of his reaction by any means, but you knew you had to lay it on as soft as possible to gauge an open answer.
He thought for a moment to himself, causing you to worry slightly about the subject matter. Finally, he answered, his voice a deep timbre, "It would be a much.... appreciated conversation. The idea is alluring, I assure you darling, but how well would be the execution?"
You furrowed your brows, raising yourself from his chest. "Really? I thought you would hate the idea?" He nodded, understanding why you'd thought of him that way. "Before, but recently, I have been swayed."
You leaned forward in anticipation. "How recent though?"
He mulls over the time passed since his last pleasing run-in with a child who wasn't one of his galling students, his mind stopping on your godson, and how you smiled as you cradled him in your arms. He presumed it was your smile that won him over. The delicate cooing to get the babe to calm down when he got too antsy. He had a few dreams since then of a young girl with your eyes, your smile, your zest for life. He hummed, "Only about a year, dear."
You gasped and forced yourself up. Slapping his chest slightly in enthusiasm. "A whole year?! Severus, this is important information! Oh.... well, we gotta get started right? I mean, we only live once- and let's be honest baby, neither of us are spring chickens now." You looked around, "We gotta get prepared-" You began to rise, only to be thwarted by Sev's arm, you tried to break from his grip, if not for the petrified look in his eye. You slowly sat back. He shook his head. "I am ready to start a family with you Y/n, really I am. But we cannot rush this." He placed a warm hand on your cheek, and you held it closer with your own. "Besides, you know how we are during the summer months, all cooped up together." He grinned as you slowly caught on, lowering your head to meet his own mischievous look. "We will have one soon enough." You shivered in insinuation and moved forward to kiss him on the lips. Pecking once, then twice, until you were close to climbing over him. He laughed a bit, lightly pushing you off. At your pout, he kisses you on his own. "But after a bit more planning?" You take a deep breath, nodding carefully, then perk up, "In the morning?" before Severus can even answer verbally you push him down and lay on top of him, getting comfortable straddling his hips and wrapping your arms around his figure. "Goodnight baby, love you." You rushed out and fell asleep almost immediately.
Severus chuckled slightly before attempting to sleep himself, but the question plagued him, what kind of father could he even be?