A Season with the Half-Blood Prince

Chapter 11 - Baby

Thank you for reading! I don't own any of Harry Potter! Please let me know if you enjoy! Updates every Saturday!
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Harriet counted herself fortunate that Albus's birth had occurred the second week of June.

The date of his arrival gave her family three entire months before they would have to leave the spa and return to the castle.

Severus enjoyed the extra time he had been granted to bond with his infant and adjust to parenthood.

The morning after Albus's birth, as the bright sun rose outside, Severus glanced at his little family while he thought.

His son's first night in the world had been punctuated by feedings and diaper changes, yet Severus had considered those sleepless hours sublime.

Harriet lay in her nest with her eyes closed and her chest moving gently as she slept off some of her postpartum exhaustion.

Severus frowned as his black eyes flickered down to the small bundle in his arms.

He held his breath as his son wriggled in his grasp for a moment before he blinked his emerald eyes opened and let out an adorable yawn.

"Good morning." Severus purred.

Above the blankets in which he had been carefully swaddled, baby Albus poked a tiny hand out as he stretched himself.

Severus gently slipped one of his pale fingers into his son's miniature palm.

The firm squeeze his newborn gave him made his heart soar before Albus released his finger, cuddled back into his blankets, and turned towards Severus's chest.

In a matter of hours, Severus had already learned to recognize the cues that signaled his son was ready for his next meal.

He frowned as his newborn let out a fussy whimper.

Lamenting the notion he would have to disturb Harriet's peaceful sleep, Severus stood from the wooden rocking chair and glided over to sit on the edge of his wife's plush nest.

"My love?" He called in a low whisper, hoping at least not to startle his tired darling.

Harriet furrowed her brow as Albus's whimper escalated into a warning whine.

"My love......" Severus called a bit louder.

Harriet's eyelids fluttered as her baby's hushed plea turned into an angry, impatient cry.

"WWWWWAAA!"

"WWWWWAAA!"

Harriet blinked her bleary, emerald eyes as Severus frowned at her with their hungry son securely in his arms.

"Severus.....?" Harriet asked before she glanced down at the baby and instinctively reached out.

"It brings me no pleasure to disrupt your rest, my love." Severus said with a sigh as he carefully passed baby Albus over to Harriet, "Though it seems our little one takes your needs into lesser consideration."

"WWWWWAAA!"

Harriet chuckled as she watched her newborn scowl in between cries while she pulled the straps of her nightgown down and struggled to turn her wailing baby towards her waiting breasts.

"WWWWWAAA!"

Severus intervened once he noticed she began to lose her battle against the lingering effects of her deep sleep.

He wrapped an arm underneath Albus to support the baby in case his wife's grip relaxed while he guided their baby towards his target.

"I have him, Sev." Harriet whispered as she fought to keep her eyes open, ".....I have him."