Odette got to fly on her first muggle airplane because she and Severus thought she'd enjoy the whole process of getting her passport and such. They decided on spending a good chunk of their two months off at the home in Nice when they'd visited the Prince estate and realized it was rather uninhabitable, for Hermione in particular. Severus had recruited Bill Weasley to aid in getting the house habitable for Hermione and any half-blood children that would come, including Odette, of course. They still weren't sure if they'd reside there but wanted it to be an option. Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Luna were going to come for a week today for Harry's birthday.

She wasn't sure the house was what Severus had imagined when she'd first mentioned it. He evidently hadn't thought about what muggle dentists might make in a year, especially muggle dentists who had a child quite late in life so had years relatively footloose and fancy free prior to Hermione's existence. Their England home was somewhat modest. Her father did not want a patient, or potential patient, to drive by and see an extravagant house and assume it meant their practice overcharged.

So, the home in Nice was their luxurious secret, which Hermione imagined her parents probably assumed they'd retire to eventually. It wasn't nearly as extravagant as the Prince estate or Malfoy Manor, but it was very nice. They did manage to connect their home to the French floo network. The living room fireplace would not be connected in case they had muggle visitors so when her friends arrived later it'd be in the library. Severus being Headmaster of Hogwarts had helped that happen quickly. He recruited Midge and Loody to accompany them to help get the home in order quickly since they acted as their personal house elves. With their help they had the house ready in less than a day and returned to Hogwarts where they would await their Master and Mistress to return.

Hermione's favorite spot was next to their pool. Odette, however, had met a local boy a little older than her their second day here, so they'd spent a lot of time down by the water. Philippe seemed like a nice enough guy, though Severus didn't appear to trust him. Odette and Hermione both found this turn of events rather comical. Evidently the paternal instinct to protect daughters from sex-starved teenaged boys came regardless of how long one was a father.

"That hedonist isn't going to be here when our floo is used, is he?" Severus drawled.

"No," Hermione said with a laugh. "And he's not a hedonist, Severus."

"He's fifteen and talking to an attractive girl."

"I'm honestly not sure how attractive the girl is matters at this age."

"She's my attractive girl," he said with a scowl. She wasn't sure Odette would appreciate it, but Hermione loved how possessive and protective Severus was of his witches. It made her heart sore that Odette had so quickly become that to him. "And your last statement proves my point! Hedonist."

"They're hanging out, Severus. She's not going to do anything. And need I remind you," she said, pointing from her to him. "Age difference."

"That was not by choice! You know damn well if it weren't for your getting injured because Potter went off half-cocked I wouldn't have found out about the soul marks. And even finding out it's not as if I pursued you. For exactly that reason!"

"I know, honey, I'm not complaining or making fun of you. No one thinks you pursued me while I was your student. Well, Rita Skeeter may think that, but having powerful friends helps in that if she were to print that drivel she'd be out of a job fast."

"Thank you," he whispered, kissing her.

"They're not dating. They're friends, Severus. She's absolutely not interested in anything more than that from him, or anyone else for that matter. It's good for her to make friends away from all the badness, you know? Someone who knows nothing about her or the wizarding world, her witnessing her parents' murder, being abused by a relative who she should have been able to trust, and Voldemort. If he gets her address when we leave, she knows she'd have to give him our house address and she wouldn't get letters for weeks."

"I suppose," he said, sounding somewhat petulant but she knew he was not really feeling that way. He was probably a little nervous. And a lot didn't want to see her hurt because if she was so soon after they'd adopted her he thought that would reflect poorly on him somehow.

"Just be glad she's made a friend and that with everything that happened with her cousin she's able to trust that a different male won't do the same thing."

He nodded, eyes shifting slightly as if he hadn't thought on that. "Valid point. That is very brave of her," he said.

"It is. She's incredibly brave and resilient, like someone else I know."

"I do like when you call me honey."

"How muggle of you, honey," she murmured, curling up against him to kiss him.

"I wish you'd let Midge and Loody stay."

"I thought about it, but honestly the floo network is risky enough here."

"I suppose."

"Maybe next time when the neighbors are used to us as a family."

Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Luna were taking a portkey to the French Ministry building and then they'd floo from there to the house. Their dinner tonight was going to be take away from a local Italian place they'd discovered one of their first nights here (at Philippe's recommendation) and loved. They'd sit out by the pool and relax. Hermione was excited to see them.

"How are we feeling?" he asked, settling his hand over her abdomen.

"We're feeling great," she said.

"Yeah?"

"Yes," she said.

"Great enough to help me christen that desk since Odette is gone for a couple of hours?"

She went to Philippe's house, with permission of Philippe's parents as well as verification that one of them was home. Two weeks wasn't long enough to tell them everything about the boy.

"Did I give you a penchant for desk sex, Wizard?"

"You know you have," he whispered, lifting her up with him as he stood and led them to the study and the desk in question. He cast a cushioning charm before setting her down and pushing her skirt up. "You're even wearing a skirt. It's as if you knew," he whispered before kneeling before her to use his mouth on her.

She slid her fingers through his hair as he lapped at her private parts incredibly thoroughly. Wandlessly, she worked his trousers open after he'd brought her over twice and he chuckled softly as he stood, taking her unspoken hint. His mouth found hers once she'd scooted closer to the edge of the desk so he could enter her.

"Merlin, Severus," she whispered as he moved in and out of her. There were subtle differences in how he felt inside of her as her pregnancy progressed. None of them bad, just something different to get used to.

There were times she wondered if he was the only one who'd feel this good inside of her. She'd never find out, and she was okay with that, but she thought on the soulmate thing sometimes and wondered if his body was made to please hers and vice versa. She'd heard some girls at Hogwarts talk about sex and none of them ever described it the way Severus made her feel. Every time. Sure there were quick times, but both knew that going into those couplings what was going to happen and both ensured enjoyment was had regardless of time spent shagging.

She brought a foot up, planting it at the edge of the desk as she scooted even closer against him. She slid her left hand over her abdomen and without missing a beat he clutched it with his left hand as he met her eyes, falling into her mind as he knew she was inviting him to do.

"Fuck, Hermione," he murmured.

The tingling from their bond was never as intense as their first time making love but it was always there if their hands were joined. Today was no different. Their mental connection only enhanced it.

"So good," she cried out over his murmured, "I love how wet you get for me."

"You helped," she said with a soft laugh.

"Did I?"

"You always do," she said. "You and that talented tongue."

"And here I thought you loved me for my charming disposition."

"Well, obviously," she said, arching against him as he hit a particularly good spot just then. He did it again. And again. Until she fell over the edge again before he finally came in her. He brought their joined hands to his mouth, kissing the back of her hand.

"You know I never dreamt any of this."

"I know," she whispered. "I didn't either."

"I'd heard other wizards talk, of course, and wondered what I might be missing out on. Paying for what we do, however, just held no appeal to me."

"Nor should you have been made to feel as if paying for it was your only option, my Mare," she said.

"No amount of eavesdropping, imagining, or reading could have prepared me for the reality that is you, Hermione."

"My, aren't you affectionate today," she said, knowing she was blushing.

"It's true. I do intend to keep my promise with our next child."

"What promise is that?"

"The desk in my classroom," he quipped.

"Oh," she said, brightening at that idea. "I look forward to that then."

"Even now?"

"What do you mean even now?"

"Already with child, the discomfort, the cravings."

"Are part of the deal, Severus. And I'll do it again. Now if you want our own football team…"

"I'm sorry?"

She chuckled. "You've never seen football? Manchester United? Chelsea? Leeds United?"

"Oh," he said, nodding. "I haven't thought of it in many years, but yes."

He drew away from her then, pulling her skirt down before working his trousers back in place.

"Well, so, if you wanted five or six I may question your sanity, but I'd be open for discussions."

"I think two or possibly three would be plenty."

"I tend to agree," she said.

"I meant what I just said. Nothing could have prepared me for you."

She ducked her head. "I feel the same way, truly."

He cast a cleansing charm on her before fixing her knickers for her.

"So, was that really taking advantage of the empty house?"

"In part. It was also, we're going to have guests in the house for the next week and I know tonight will likely be a late night. So, just in case," he said with a shrug.

"Well, feel free to help ensure we both sleep soundly later."

"Believe me, I will."

"Let's go get ready for our guests then," she said as he helped her off the desk.

Odette got home on time, which Hermione knew relieved Severus. Regardless of Philippe's mother being home and both of them having met her he still wasn't keen on a witch being on her own in a muggle home.

"How'd it go?" Hermione asked.

"Fine. We played marbles? It's sort of like gobstones. They belong to his younger twin brothers, but he saw I was interested in them and showed me how to play."

"Oh yes," Hermione said. "Did you get lunch?"

"Yes, his mother fed us," Odette said with a smirk.

"Good. That wasn't really what I was asking, but I'm glad that she did."

"He asked me for my address in England."

"You can give him our home address if you'd like to keep in touch with him. Just let him know you'll be away at school so it may take weeks to get letters. That's what my parents had to tell relatives of mine. My parents could forward me the mail, but it always took a while to get responses from me to them and back to the relatives."

"I suppose," Odette said.

"I'll write it down for you so you can give it to him. Is he coming for dinner?"

"Yes."

"Okay, good." Hermione said.

"Will that be okay with everyone else?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't it be?"

"No, I mean, like Ron and Luna? I know Harry's used to muggles."

"Oh, they may actually enjoy it, but yes, it will certainly be interesting."

Odette laughed softly and Severus scoffed as he made sure the wine and everything Hermione wanted out for dinner was in the kitchen.

"The French ministry is going to rescind their open invitation to me after tonight I wager," Severus said.

"Yes, I'm sure it will be a disaster," Hermione said.

The French ministry had extended an offer to Severus to visit their potions lab anytime he wanted. He had yet to take them up on the offer, but he had mentioned that maybe on their next visit he would do that. She knew the idea of visiting another country's potion lab was immensely intriguing to him. She suspected, too, once they got him into the lab and met some of the staff they'd start consulting him on things.

Soon they heard the sound of activity in the library so Hermione and Severus walked in that direction.

"Of course their floo leads to a room with books," Ron said.

"I wonder if she's read them all yet," Luna said, not sounding critical with her question merely curious.

"Knowing Hermione, probably," Harry said.

"They're still newlyweds, I'm sure they're too busy to read," Ginny said.

"That's my best friend you're talking about," Ron said.

"Yeah, and she's a married witch now."

"A pregnant married witch," Hermione said as she met them in the center of the room.

"You are not," Ginny said excitedly.

"You mean you can't tell," Hermione said, sliding her hand to her abdomen.

"Shut up," Ginny said, pushing Hermione's hand out of the way to set her hand in its place. She looked from Ron to Harry. "Did you know about this?"

"They did, they were sworn to secrecy. They've only known since right before the school year ended," Hermione said. "They wondered why I wasn't drinking at The Three Broomsticks to celebrate the end of the year."

"Ah," Ginny said. As technically still a student she couldn't go that night. "And you," she said, turning her gaze to Severus who looked as if he wasn't sure whether to be amused or scared.

"Yes, Miss Weasley?"

"You did this?"

"Well, I believe it was a joint effort, but yes."

"Quite the virile wizard you have then, Hermione. Mom's going to be ecstatic."

"Um," Hermione said quickly, not sure she wanted Molly Weasley thinking about her wizard or her sex life with said wizard. "Ginny," she said. She wanted to cut Ginny off before she said something she didn't want everyone in the room to know.

Luna was watching the exchange, saying nothing. Hermione sensed that Luna knew about both of her pregnancies before anything had been said about them. Luna had a way of just knowing things she shouldn't.

"Please," Hermione said quickly. She absolutely did not want to talk about this now. She wasn't mad at Ginny, but they were here for a fun week. She didn't want her pregnancy (either of them) being a part of it especially when they had this baby to look forward to. "This is Harry's birthday vacation. I'm fine. We're fine. We're excited. I'm not the first pregnant witch. Let's focus on Harry!"

"Do you know what you're having?"

Hermione turned slightly in Severus' arms.

"Odette," Severus called.

She came in a couple of minutes later, eating a piece of chocolate.

"Are you ready to tell our guests if you're going to have a brother or a sister?"

"Really?" Odette practically squealed in delight.

"You told her?" Hermione asked.

"She asked, you didn't want to know. She did and promised not to say anything to anyone else, including you."

Hermione huffed softly, kissing his cheek. "You're such a softie," she said.

Ron and Harry scoffed at that.

"Witch," he said. "Please don't sully my reputation with such statements in front of others."

"I think it's already quite sullied," Luna said. "Sir," she added for good measure but was clearly being cheeky.

"Odette, please from one Slytherin to another…"

"Well, it's pretty great because I always wanted a little brother."

"A boy," Ginny said! "You are a virile one, aren't you!"

"Merlin, Ginny, is that all you think about?" Ron said

"Not all," she said. "I think about Quidditch some of the time."

Everyone but Ron laughed.

"Is it really a boy?" Hermione asked, knowing she sounded hopeful even though she'd be happy with a girl or a boy.

"It is," he said.

"I'm so glad," she said. "I mean, obviously I would've been happy with a girl, too, but it makes me feel better."

"I know," he said, kissing her.

"So, how far along are you?" Ginny asked.

"You timed that quite well," Luna said.

"What?"

"With your apprenticeship," she continued. "You'll have the baby around Christmas holidays."

"How did you…" Ron started to say and stopped. "Forget it, I've learned not to bother asking."

"She's right, mid-November or so."

"How exciting! Odette gets her first Christmas as a Snape with her brother on top of it!"

"Yes," Hermione said.

They made their way into the sitting room, which was honestly way too formal for Hermione's taste but it had one of the best views in the house and three sets of French doors that allowed them to hear the sounds of outside. The master bedroom was above this room with a balcony that Severus and Hermione had made use of more than once late at night when there were no sounds outside but the water. Those lovemaking sessions were some of the tenderest they'd shared, almost as if the sea and its air both soothed and contented them.

Ginny filled them in on her plans for Quidditch tryouts. Luna didn't seem to have a plan yet other than continuing to help her father in their search for rare species and the Quibbler. Ron was enjoying helping George at the joke shop, discovering that he knew more about charms than he'd realized, and liked it, too. And Harry was still enjoying auror training. He was disappointed Ron had left the program, Hermione could tell. It sounded, though, as if he was making some new friends and Hermione wondered if in some ways Ron held Harry back from doing that.

The doorbell rang and three sets of eyes went to the door. Hermione realized Ginny, Ron, and Luna had probably never heard a doorbell before.

"That's going to be Philippe, I'll get it," Odette said.

"Philippe?" Ginny said.

"Yes, a neighbor boy she met one of our first days here."

"Really?"

"Yes, he's muggle so no talk of anything magical. If you must mention You Know Who, please call him Tom or Riddle."

"Yes, ma'am," Ron and Harry said. "Glad to see you haven't lost your bossiness."

"Oh, do shut up," she said, sticking her tongue out at them.

"You see that disrespect she gives her two best friends? What are you teaching her, Severus," Harry said.

Severus quirked a brow at him in question. He was still quite good at the sneer, and she could tell Harry was thinking the same thing just now.

"Well, I thought it'd be rather weird to call you Headmaster in front of a muggle friend of Odette's when you're married to my best friend."

"Point taken, and you all have permission to address me informally going forward," he said.

"Are we going to order dinner then? Philippe and I can go get it," Odette offered once they came into the room.

"Sure," Hermione said. "There's a list by the kitchen phone, you can call in the order and you know where the money is."

"Okay," she said. And then stopped.

"I'm sorry. Philippe, these are Hermione's best friends Harry and Ron and their girlfriends Ginny and Luna. This is Philippe." They'd actually invited Draco, but he hadn't wanted to come for whatever reason. Severus hadn't seemed to want to push the wizard, though Hermione suspected about now he was wishing for a fellow - male - Slytherin.

"Nice to meet you," the teenager said with a full-on French accent. There was no debate as to where he was from.

"You, too," they all said.

"Did you just get in?" he asked.

"Yes," Harry answered. "We're here for a week to celebrate my birthday."

"Nice. Happy Birthday!"

"Thanks."

He followed Odette into the kitchen then.

"He seems polite enough," Ginny offered.

"He does," Hermione agreed. "Ignore Severus' concerns that he's a hedonist, please."

Dinner long ago devoured. They'd gotten five or six different dishes and everyone had a taste. It worked really well because everything they'd had from the particular restaurant was delicious. After dinner they stayed around the table and played an assortment of muggle games.

Her parents had a slew of them here so there was plenty to choose from. It was fun watching Ron, Ginny, and Luna do something they had no familiarity with. Philippe had questioned them a time or two even.

"Good night," everyone called out to Philippe as Odette walked him to the door at the end of the night.

"Nice to meet you all. Thank you for dinner, Mr. and Mrs. Snape," he said.

"You're welcome, glad you could join us."

If he thought it was weird that he had to call someone only a few years older than him Mrs. Snape he didn't give any indication of it, which was good.

They went out by the pool then, everyone had something to drink except Odette and Hermione, and the group of them talked about anything and everything until they realized it was almost time for the sun to come up. She gave them a quick tour of the kitchen and where everything was in case they wanted anything.

Hermione showed everyone to their rooms, glad she no longer had to worry about sleeping arrangements as she did the last time when she wasn't sure if Harry and Ginny or Ron and Luna wanted to share a room or bed. She wasn't going to worry about it anymore, though she imagined that Ron and Luna may not get many occasions to share a room let alone a bed since they were both still at home. She knew Ron stayed at Harry's sometimes as did Ginny, of course.

Severus opened the doors to their balcony as soon as they were in their room.

"It's lovely, isn't it," she said, sliding her arms around his waist.

"Almost as lovely as my bride."

"Hmm," she said, leaning up to kiss him. "See, softie," she said, resting her head against his shoulder.

"Tired, my witch?"

"Exhausted," she admitted. "I'd do it all again, though."

"I thought as much."

"I'm not sure I've stayed up until the sun came up."

"Never?"

"Mm, not intentionally. I mean, I guess when we were on the run maybe a night or two, but in general, no. And certainly not a fun night like this one was."

"Ah," he said.

There was no sense asking him about his nights out until the sun came up. She knew there were several during his time as a spy and few, if any, were ever pleasant.

"Thank you for letting them call you Severus."

"Honestly, I was sort of curious if one of them would do exactly what they did tonight."

"You were testing them?"

"Not really testing," he said with a shrug. "I'm a Slytherin, Hermione."

"I know, I know."

She vanished her clothes as she stepped away from him and went to the bathroom before crawling into bed. He joined her soon enough.

The week was great. Lots of sightseeing, walks, good food, and shopping. They took the floo into wizarding France as well, which was really interesting to all of them. Severus had been there a time or two before, but it was always on business for the schools so hadn't gotten to just walk around before.

Soon, the week was up and it was back to just the three of them for their last week there. Midge and Loody came to help clean the rooms and close up the house until their next visit. They had some extra food at the end of the week, giving it to Philippe's family since it would just go to waste anyway.

They'd taken a taxi when they'd gotten into town, but Philippe's parents insisted on driving them to the airport. Philippe and Odette had, in fact, exchanged addresses, both home addresses and email addresses. Odette told him that her school was very strict about internet use so she wouldn't be able to answer immediately most of the time. (His response had been, "but your dad is the headmaster".)

They returned to their house, which in their absence had been pretty much completely redone. A few things had been kept, but overall the house now reflected the Snapes not the Grangers.

"Home," Severus heard Hermione say when they walked through the front door.

Severus had given Hermione permission to work on their Spinner's End home next. Not that he had any desire to live there again, but redoing things to some degree so that if they ever needed to use it, everyone would have a place to sleep and be comfortable while staying there. The memories of anyone used would be altered once she was done with that project. She doubted he'd ever allow anyone but her to know where exactly his home was.

They unpacked and settled in with Odette going down to the nearby park for a while. Hermione liked the cycle of Odette hanging out at the same park she had when she'd been that age.

"Thank you for sharing your home with us, Hermione," Severus said.

"Thank you for trusting me to go for almost two months somewhere you've never been."

"I figured I could talk you into leaving if it was truly awful, and our estate will take a while to be habitable for you. I wouldn't want Odette, or any children, harmed either."

"Hmm," she said, rubbing her abdomen a bit.

"Are you both alright?"

"Yes, just tired," she admitted.

"Do you want to rest? Odette and I can do pizza or something for dinner."

"That'd be lovely," she admitted. She shifted a bit to set her head against his thigh.

"That wasn't exactly what I had in mind," he said.

"You're not going to come to bed with me," she said.

"Valid point," he admitted.

He summoned a throw blanket for her, three of them flew out. He draped one over her while summoning the book he'd recently started reading before she got comfortable against him.

"Read to me?"

"You don't even have to ask, my Basil," he said.

"My Mare always knows what I need," she murmured.

Story ©Susan Matthews/APCKRFAN/PhantomRoses.com