The Serpent and the Lioness

Chapter 71

"We're going to be late." Hermione came down the stairs trying to put her earring into place as she went. The lot of them had been invited to Albus' fourth birthday party at the Burrow. An invitation Hermione had been looking forward to for quite some time.

"I don't think Majestas can go." Severus came from the study holding the whimpering baby to his chest.

"Why...what happened?" Hermione dropped her stubborn earring in lew of coming to her son's side. "Oh, he's burning up." Hermione looked at Severus with worry before noticing the rather impressive amount of spit up, still warm, rolling down the back of his vest.

"It was sudden, he was fine, then..." He made a face at the sick on his shoulder before vanishing it away.

"Oh, my sweet boy." Hermione pulled him from Severus worrying her bottom lip when his little body gave a fevered tremble. "Should we...take him to the doctor?"

"Let's try a bath to bring his fever down first, if he gets sick again, we'll take him."

"Alright...can you send a Patronus to Ginny?"

"I will."

oOOo

"You got another letter from the minister." Severus drawled tossing the rather pompous looking envelope down on the island.

"Gah, I knew I forgot to take care of something." Hermione turned away from the lunch she was preparing and picked up the letter. She let out a small huff as she broke the seal with her thumb, pausing to lick of a bit of sauce from her finger.

"What does he want?" Severus surreptitiously scanned the kitchen for their son. Brow furrowing when he didn't appear to be in sight.

"To offer me another position in the ministry no doubt."

"Are you going to accept?"

"Thinking about it. I wanted to talk with you first before I made any decisions."

"It's your life Hermione, you don't need my permission to do what you want."

"I know that." She smiled and sat the letter down, "But we're a family now, we should make our decisions together."

Severus gave her an understanding nod before the sound of a lion's roar shook the kitchen. Both of them turned towards the sound, only to freeze in place by the purple and pink lion that suddenly appeared on their kitchen table.

The lion was smaller than one would have expected and its odd colorings gave them a clue that it wasn't actually real. It still didn't stop them both from looking to the other for answers.

Did you-

Not me.

Then who?

They both looked down as a bubble of laughter came out from below the island. Hermione had made a small play space for Toris underneath to keep him safe but with her and out of the way while she cooked.

Hermione smiled despite herself and lowered down to one knee. The toddler below laughed and laughed, happily clapping his hands marching all his little toy animals around the play pin a rather impressive parade. Hermione watched in hidden awe at the moving creatures listening to each one make a noise just like the one in the book he had open in his lap. It was one of those press and hear books. She'd bought it on a whim and it had quickly become the tots favorite storybook.