Forever and Always Yours, SS [Book 3]

Chapter 88

Severus, Amilia, and Jordan returned from their trip to Paris. Severus had watched Amilia inhale deeply when they arrived, and everything seemed to slip away from her. She held Jordan close, but not in a way that concerned him, one that looked of excitement and joy. She would mumble little things to their daughter and point out pretty flowers and animals.

They had decided to take lunch on the lawn of the Eiffel Tower. Amilia kept Jordan propped up in her lap, sighing contently now and again. Severus took in the sights of everything. The trees here looked the same as they did at Hogwarts but different simultaneously; he wondered if it was because this place was so new to him or if it was because he was making memories with his wife and daughter.

Amilia yawned loudly, drawing Severus from his thoughts. "Are you tired?"

"It was a rather long day."

"How so? We went where you wanted to go."

Amilia dropped her eyes to the ground, "Did you not enjoy yourself?"

"Quite the opposite, I loved being there and seeing everything you had experienced." He reached for her hand and tugged gently, guiding her to his lap. "I am just curious as to why you think it was a long day?"

Amilia laid her head on his shoulder, "As you so kindly put it yesterday, I do not get out much."

"Hmm." he nodded.

"Thank you."

Severus rested his cheek on top of her head and held her tightly. Together they watched the fire in their bedroom dance.

In the middle of the night, Jordan woke screaming. Amilia and Severus jerked awake, scrambling to get out of bed and get to their daughter. Severus managed to get to her first; he lifted her out of the crib and stared at his wife, horrified and unsure of what to do. Amilia blinked at him and covered her ears for a moment, "What is wrong?"

"I don't know!" Severus shouted.

"Did you check her diaper? That is not her hungry cry."

Severus rested his screaming child against his chest as he checked carefully; besides being a little wet, nothing appeared to be wrong except she felt unbearably hot. "Is this a warming outfit?"

"No." Amilia shook her head and took Jordan from him. She laid the baby on their bed and double-checked. "Severus...she is burning up."

Severus stood there, staring at the pair near the bed, afraid to move.

"Well, go get Poppy!" Amilia yelled.

"Right." He stumbled back a few steps before making a mad dash for the door.

When Severus returned with a frazzled Poppy trailing behind him, Amilia was rocking in the chair with a whimpering baby in her arms. "Poppy, she has a fever and I do not know why!" Her voice was cracking and fear-driven.

Poppy rushed over, practically shoving Severus to the floor. She scooped up the baby and removed a cloth, "Good thinking." Poppy laid Jordan on the bed, who started crying frantically again, and began checking her over.

After a few grueling minutes, Poppy sighed and returned Jordan to Amilia. "She has an ear infection."

Amilia sighed, relieved.

"What does that mean?"

"It is normal for infants and small children. I have something you can give her and it will be resolved in a couple of days." Poppy entered the bathroom and washed her hands. "I will be right back."

Amilia had sat down while Poppy was talking. She nursed their daughter and rocked, her fingers trailing small chunky arms and taking deep breaths to calm herself.

Severus sat on the floor, taking in the event that had just transpired. "She is going to be alright?"

"Yes." Amilia said softly. "Scott had several of these as an infant."

"He did?" Severus looked over at his wife.

"Yes. I never got to see how he reacted when the pain and fever set but as he got older, Kylie would notice sooner because he would fidgit with his ears."

"This is something that is normal?"

Amilia nodded. "She will be fine."

Severus's body felt heavy, as if he had run a marathon. His baby was sick, and he felt so useless to help at the start.

Poppy returned; she patted him on the shoulder as she walked past him. She set a small vial on the bedside table, "Three drops each morning for three days. It will help clear up the infection. As for right now, just keep her comfortable, her fever will go away soon. If she starts screaming again, come get me."

"That is it?" Severus asked.

Poppy nodded, "You two are in for a long night."