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Chapter 18

Hermione awoke in the early morning hours surprisingly not due to nightmares. She felt relaxed and completely at ease where she was, and so she decided to close her eyes again and wait for her alarm to wake her up later.

Two hours later a baby's cry awakened her again and this time she had to get up, but this proved to be very difficult when someone was hugging you to them from behind. She looked behind her and saw that it was her potions master who was still fast asleep. She didn't want to wake him up seeing how relaxed he looked. Hermione tried to pry his hands loose without disturbing his peaceful sleep and finally succeeded. 

She walked over to the cribs scooping up the black-haired baby boy to stop his crying. "Hush, Harry, please don't wake him up. I'm glad he's that peaceful at the moment. Let's go and get you and Draco ready, okay?" She picked the second baby up and left the bedroom oblivious to the dark eyes following her.

Severus smiled and stood, although he didn't know why she was in his bed earlier. He didn't know why she didn't just wake him up but what he knew was that he hadn't slept that peacefully in quite a while. He actually felt relaxed despite the knowledge of the things his mother did.

First, he went into the bathroom adjacent to his bedroom taking a shower and brushing his teeth before walking up to his wardrobe. Quickly he changed into his usual attire which consisted of a heavily pressed white dress-shirt, black slacks, highly polished black dress-shoes, his frock-coat, black cravat and characteristic billowing cloak. After having got dressed he proceeded to his living area where he found Hermione transforming clothes for the children.

"Honestly, you two have to stop growing so fast." She was standing in front of the boys who were sitting on the couch with clothes way too small for them. 

This view made the potions master laugh lightly and nearly not audible, but Hermione heard the low rumble nevertheless. 

"You're already awake. I had hoped to not have woken you up but obviously, I have. What, pray tell, is that funny, anyway?" 

"Never mind. I do believe it's time for breakfast." He walked up to her and helped her dress the children properly. Once done with that the blonde boy stretched out his arms to tell Severus he should pick him up.

"Oh no, Draco. You're big enough to walk on your own just as Harry is." He smiled and turned to the door waiting for Hermione and the two children to follow him. 

"Harry, don't dawdle, we don't want to be late," said Hermione waiting for him at the chamber door. 

Severus turned around, too and saw that the boy's shoelaces weren't tied together. Quickly he walked over towards him and bent down. 

"Why didn't you say anything, Harry?" The man smiled reassuring up at the child and tied the laces together before standing up again. 

"Let's get something to eat, Harry. I'll show you how to tie those laces later, okay?" 

The green-eyed boy nodded at Severus and smiled brightly at him before taking the older man's hand which shocked the unusually happy man. 

"Come, Sev. I'm hungry." The boy was suddenly very excited and tried to run with the tall man slowly following him.

"I'll take them to my table," whispered Hermione right before they entered the great hall earning a small and grateful smile from him as he opened the door and held it open for her. Harry let go of Severus' hand, although he didn't really want to, Hermione could be quite convincing when need be. With both of the kids she went to the table she still shared with Neville. Astoria and little Blaise seemed to have grown quite a bit, too.

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"Good morning, Severus. How are you feeling?" The old headmistress didn't even bother waiting until he completely sat down. He proceeded with pouring himself a cup of coffee, drank that down and then answered her. 

"I was in quite a good mood until I came in here." Minerva clearly wasn't really upset by this, she has known him for so long that she was already accustomed to his sometimes unsavoury remarks. 

"It should please you to know that your mother is faring better and that she will be released in two days." 

"My mother is dead, but I do believe that Madam Pince is quite lucky to have made such a speedy recovery. I hope my students will make good use of her work again and actually use the library to do research for their assignments. Even Hermione was baffled at the utter idiocy she suffered when she graded second-year assignments yesterday." Severus turned to his plate and started eating leaving the headmistress a bit flustered.

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"Hermione, I want you to prepare a lesson for the first years you will hold today. Is that okay for you?" asked Severus. 

The young witch's eyes were wide open and to say she was shocked would be an utter understatement. "Wha- Severus, why didn't you tell me sooner? I could have started yesterday and be finished! I..." She was completely panicking and Severus had to take her by her shoulders to steady her and keep her from running around like a headless chicken. 

"Hermione, calm down. I only told you now because I know that you can manage it in this short amount of time I'm giving you. All you need to prepare is a lesson about the 12 uses of dragon blood, nothing more. You have access to both my libraries, the one in my office and the one in our quarters. You have two lessons to read up on that. I bet that if I were to ask you about this just randomly you'd know every single answer. Now stop panicking, okay? As your mentor, I say I trust you and as Severus, I add something: I believe in you."

Just then the bell rang and Severus left her completely baffled alone in his office.

Some hours later Hermione returned from seeing the headmistress with Harry and Draco in tow who were staying with the elder witch for the duration of both Severus' and Hermione's classes. 

Back in their chambers, Severus did as promised: he taught Harry and Draco how to tie their shoelaces on their own and made them the happiest and proudest he had ever seen them be. He couldn't help but laugh when he watched the two boys running around competing about various things like who can tie their shoelaces faster or who can run faster. Still laughing he sat down on his couch next to Hermione who was smiling at the scene before her.

"You're pretty good with children." She sounded rather surprised but really pleased at the same time. 

"I just want them to have fun. I know that both of their initial childhoods were neither fun nor happy. Harry had to put up with his relatives who hated him and Draco was never really allowed to be a child. He always had to wear dress-robes and button-down shirts and dress-shoes, even at home. He had to learn etiquette and everything else connected to being born into a wealthy family right from the very beginning. He rarely laughed growing up. I don't say that Lucius is a bad person but he and Narcissa both made terrible choices in their lives, and they still regret them. I want to give those two at least a bit of a normal childhood with laughs in everything. I want to give them something neither they nor me had." The last part was merely more than a whisper, but Hermione heard it clearly.

"You know that I'll be there should you require someone listening without judging?" Hermione looked over at him placing one of her small hands on his bigger ones before standing up. 

"Boys, it's time to get ready. Dinner will start in 10 minutes." 

She laughed at the two flashes running past her before she turned and went to put on her shoes followed by her potions master.