Forever and Always Yours, SS [Book 3]

Chapter 24

Severus? He could hear Poppy try to bring him back and pull on his arms.

Severus! Amilia's panicked voice stirred something in him.

He groaned loudly and pried open his eyes. Poppy hovered over him, the bottle of smelling salts still under his nose. The back of his head hurt, and he felt like a giant creature had thrown him.

Slowly, he was guided to sit up by Poppy, who grabbed the salts before they fell to the floor.

"I told you to sit down."

"Shut up." Severus grumbled as he rubbed his head. He looked at Amilia, who had turned pale as a ghost, "please tell me that this is not a joke."

Amilia gasped, entirely offended.

Poppy slapped him across the back of his head, "How dare you!?"

Severus shrank back, "It is just...I...we...how?"

"Oh come now, Severus, I think it is a little late to give you the talk." Poppy chided. "Things happen and potions can be forgotten. What matters now is that we do what we can to keep mommy and baby healthy."

Severus stared at Amilia, his eyes traveling over her body. It made her feel anxious. Usually, when he eyed her, it was in a way that made her feel beautiful and desired. Now...she felt scared.

"What do we do now?" He asked.

Poppy sighed, "I hope that you two have had discussed this."

Both amilia and Severus gave a slight nod.

"Good. Now we can conceal it for some time but it will be noticeable. Id say around February or March at the lastest."

"And the due date?" Amilia asked softly.

"July at the latest based on your last period."

Severus leaned back against the wall. July.

Amilia sat down on the end of her bed. "When do we need to tell Dumbledore?"

Poppy scratched her head, "any time that you want really. You will need to get your rooms in order and all the items that you will need."

Amilia interrupted Poppy's ramblings, "Can we have the room?"

Poppy stopped, "Oh, right. Yes. You will need to get those pills. I will see you two later." She left them to be.

Amilia sat on her bed, her eyes down to the floor and a hand resting on her belly. Severus watched her curiously, yet he kept away. The silence in the room was disheartening, and Amilia slowly crumbled into tears. "I am so sorry."

Severus stood up, "for what?"

"This!" Amilia pointed at herself before allowing her head to fall into her hands.

Severus sat next to her, his hand on her shoulder. "I do not think you have anything to apologize for."

"But I do!" She wailed, "I should have noticed that I was not taking my potion!"

"I should have asked once in a while, this is not just on you." Severus inhaled deeply and looked around the room, "I was careless."

"No, I was. I am the one burdened with this."

Severus scowled, "I do not...you are not." He growled as he tried to figure out the thoughts in his head. "If you really think this is a burden, I am sure there is something that can be done about it." The words fell quickly from his lips; he did not want to think about the other options; he and Amilia wanted a family at one point in their lives together. Now is not the time, though.