Charlie
*************
I'd never been so glad to be home. Leaving Rumania and the dragons there had been hard, but coming back to England and Hogwarts, well, that was easy. I'd stopped in for a quick visit with the folks before hauling my things to the school. Once winter was over, I was going to build a nice little house for two humans and six dragons. I could hardly wait.
Breaking the news that I was bonding soon was both a joy and a sorrow. Dad was prepared but Mom wasn't and she threw a bit of a fit when I told her that I was bonding within the year to a 'he' and his name was Draco Malfoy. But her reaction was probably going to be the one I got from Ron and the twins so I talked until I was hoarse. She finally agreed to accept it for now.
I knew she was going to work on distracting me so that's when I told them that I'd accepted the position of Dragon Master for the Forbidden Forest. Dad was pretty proud of me and even Mom was glad that I'd come home to stay. I couldn't say much with her there but when Dad and I went off on one of our walks, he filled me in on the trials and all the brouhaha that had followed the last battle.
Severus Snape had finally been declared a hero but no one knew where he was. The Ministry had grudgingly given him back the manor and the proceeds of the auction of his belongings. I clenched my jaw over the injustice but brought out my pictures of Tobias that Draco had sent me. Dad had to wipe his eye after seeing the drawn but smiling Sev holding the tiny bundle with the shock of black hair.
The Hagrids as a family were going to get a medal or twenty and they deserved it. Dad mentioned that Bill and I were also in the running for an honor or reward or something. That didn't matter, although it might go a ways towards placating Mom. Bill hadn't told them about Hossic or Arwen though so I had a good chance that that explosion would make her forget about me and Draco.
I told myself that it would all blow over so long as neither of us got pregnant. Dad wanted to know what the joke was so I told him. He hasn't laughed that hard since Aunt Esmerelda sat down and broke the antique chair. She still hasn't forgiven him. We walked back home making plans for the spring and just talking about little stuff. It had been a while since we'd done that.
It was so good to be home.
I put most of my stuff in the storage that Gration had reserved for me then caught the Express to Hogwarts. I wished I'd apparated once on the train because I wanted to be there 'now'. When had I gotten so impatient? I smiled to myself - when a slender blond with a sharp wit and an even sharper tongue came into my life, that's when. I'd missed him more than I thought I would even when we owled each other every other day.
I was back to wishing that the train would go faster. Bringing out the last picture that he'd sent of baby Ss-sarco, I smiled at the roly-poly dragonling sitting in Draco's lap. Harry must have taken the picture because the teenager was laughing, his whole face lit up with joy. I wanted to see that in person and better yet, I wanted to see him smile at me that way.
Swinging off the train, I apparated straight to the house on the edge of the Forest. Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the front door and waited for Ara to answer. But Rubeus opened the door and just about crushed me in his hug. He whispered that the baby was asleep but Draco was out in the greenhouse. So I gave him my suitcase and walked around the house to the heated outdoor room that was now a dragon playpen.
And that's when I got the best present of all when Draco caught sight of me. He smiled all over and jumped up to fling himself into my arms. My heart was too full to say a word so I just wrapped my arms around him and kissed all the bits of him that I could find. He was doing the same thing so eventually our lips met in our first kiss in almost seven weeks.
I'd never get enough of his kisses, not if we lived as long as Albus. Each one was more special than the last and I'd grown addicted to the sweet taste of him. He was fond of caramel so I tasted that sweetness when I sucked on his tongue. We were both panting when we broke apart to look at each other. His hair had grown past his collar and it was in a kind of page boy style that fit his angular face.
Running my fingers through it, I thought it softer than swan down. He'd laid his head on my shoulder and I caught him taking a deep breath as if he was committing me to memory. Over his head, I saw Ss-serens looking on approvingly while little Ss-sarco dozed at her side.
"Draco, let's go in. I'm starving and something smelled awfully good when Rubeus told me where you were." I nuzzled his temple and took one of those deep breaths of my own. He smelled like fresh clean snow looks.
"Rubeus has been cooking up a storm for the solstice party. Mum has taken over the kitchens at school and she's been cooking nonstop for a week. Nobody is going to go away hungry over the next few days." He looked up at me. "Can you stay, Charlie?"
"I'm here to stay, Draco. You'll be sick of me in no time." I caressed his soft cheek and he turned his head just enough to kiss my palm. The tingles were taking hold with a vengeance.
"Never, Charlie, I'll never get sick of you. Do you think that we can . . . bond after my NEWTS?" He looked unsure for the first time in our conversation.
"Damn straight we're bonding after you pass your NEWTS." I said firmly and watched his eyes light up. "You'll have turned 17 by then so I won't quite be robbing the cradle."
"There's nothing childish about me, Charlie." He said affectionately before taking my hand and dragging me from the greenhouse. "We can have a double bonding with Gersey and Harry." He looked over his shoulder. "I'm still not getting pregnant though."
"That's okay, love, we've got Ss-sarco to raise anyway." I reminded him and he laughed softly while leading me into the house proper.
Rubeus was stirring something on the stove. "Great timing, guys. Dra' would ya set the table? It's just the four of us ta night. Charlie, why don't ya go in and see Toby? Sev's feeding him now."
I nodded and quietly opened the door to the nursery. It smelled of baby powder and the soft glow of candles illuminated Severus rocking in the old rocker that the Hagrids had bought at the estate sale. Draco had mentioned that Sev was nursing the baby but that hadn't prepared me for seeing the tiny lips suckling at an exposed nipple. I tiptoed over when Sev looked up and smiled at me.
"Welcome back, Charles. We all missed you." He looked down with a rueful smile. "I don't know how Ru talked me into this but it's quite satisfying in its own way."
"At the risk of sounding maudlin, I've never seen anything more beautiful, Sev. He's a dedicated eater, isn't he?" I said softly, kneeling by his side and gazing at the rosebud lips and ruddy cheeks.
The baby seemed to know that I was talking about him because he stopped sucking and opened his eyes to look straight at me. He seemed to think that I looked all right for he smiled at me then went right back to nursing, patting the gentle swell of Sev's right breast. He wasn't all that well-endowed, just a little plumper than my own. Idly, I wondered if he was more sensitive now than he'd been before he started lactating.
Rubeus stuck his head in and announced dinner was ready when we were. The baby dropped his nipple and turned his head to smile at his Daddy, even waving his little hand in Rubeus' direction. Sev chuckled. "Go wash up, Charles. By the time you're through your first course, he should be done and burped."
I dropped a gentle kiss on the baby's head and stood. "Just tell me when you need him burped. I'm good at that, you can ask my mother. I practiced on the twins until I left for school."
Sev was still chuckling when I passed Rubeus to go to the bathroom. Draco had set the table and he steered me to his bathroom, talking a blue streak the whole way. When I stopped him at the bathroom door with a quip about some things needing to be private, he tilted his head in his thinking pose.
"Shouldn't I get a chance for a look at something I'm going to become intimately acquainted with?" He said with a grin.
"Intimately, huh?" I grinned back and unzipped to take a whiz. In the mirror, I saw his eyes widen. "Well, it's true that all of me belongs to you, Dra'. What do you think?"
He sighed a little and I risked a look over my shoulder while shaking off the last drop and tucking myself back into my boxers. "I think I'm pretty lucky, Charlie. And the rest of the wizard world should go into mourning for what they're going to be missing."
I laughed all the way through washing my hands and drying them off. Draco looked way too smug but I just smiled and wrapped an arm around him to steer him back to the dining room table where a feast awaited us. Conversation was general until Severus joined us then we started talking about the solstice party that was scheduled on the 21st. It promised to be the party of the century and everybody was going to be there.
Severus even mentioned that Mum Hagrid had sent an invitation to my folks so it looked like they'd be meeting my intended sooner than I thought. I'd talk to Sev later about how to handle Mom, he might have some ideas. The one thing I was certain of was that she wouldn't hurt Draco nor would my brothers, not if I had anything to say about it.
Finally we rolled away from the table absolutely stuffed. Rubeus mentioned that my old room in Gersey's caravan was ready for me and the water was hot if I wanted to bathe away the trip. Draco looked hopefully at Severus and casually told him that we were bonding after he passed his NEWTS.
Severus was hard put not to smile but he gave permission for Draco to accompany me for a while. "Take it slow, Dra', that's what I'd like you to promise."
Draco beamed that joyful smile that I cherished from the picture I carried with me. "Thanks, Sev. I promise. I just want to do some exploring."
Rubeus chuckled. "We trust the pair of ya. Just don't go ta far and get in over yar heads."
"We won't, Ru." I gave my own promise. "We've got all the time in the world to explore now. Come on, Dra. Let's give them some privacy."
"Thanks for dinner, Ru." Draco unselfconsciously kissed the half-giant's cheek before moving over to his guardian and hugging him with another kiss. I would have bet that he'd be more formal with them even after the months he'd lived here.
Will wonders ever cease? I certainly hoped not. Picking up my suitcase, I slung an arm around my soon-to-be-lover and let him lead me to the caravan where Bill and I had spent so many days. He told me that Gersey was due in tomorrow so tonight would be our only night, really and truly alone.
That was probably good since I was having a hard time keeping my hands to myself. It felt so good to hold him close. Once we shut the door behind us, I dropped my suitcase in the bedroom that Bill and I had shared and checked to see if the bed had clean sheets.
"I set up everything on Monday in case you came home in time for the solstice." Draco said offhandedly.
"Thanks for thinking ahead, Dra'." I kissed him softly but pulled back when it started getting hard and aching. "Bath time is play time, my dragon."
Draco beamed at me. "I like that nickname. No one's ever given me one except for the Hagrids shortening it to Dra'."
"You're my very own dragon and I promise to take good care of you, always." I promised him and he hugged me with tear-bright eyes. I rubbed his back a little, then started backing him towards the bathroom where Gersey had told me that he and Harry had done some exploring of their own.
Once we stripped off and slid into the hot water, I lay back and let him explore to his heart's content. His touches were magic and pretty soon he had both hands wrapped around my cock and I was shooting off like a geyser. He looked pretty proud of himself and I tugged him into my arms for a lush kiss. But even when we got pretty involved, I kept a small part of myself on guard to watch and be sure I didn't frighten him.
But when I traded places with him and deep throated his pretty cock, I let myself worship him the way he should have been worshiped his whole life. He let out an almost silent scream when he came and passed out. I savored his bitter taste and licked him clean before sliding him into my arms and leaning back to wait for him to come back to me.
"Charlie," he whispered into my throat, "is it always like that?"
"It will be for us, my dragon, because we love each other. There's so much more for us to share but we've got time now to take it easy and learn what we both like." I kissed his temple then his lips when he turned his head towards me.
He tasted so good that I promised myself the luxury of kissing him everyday until we bonded. When the water started getting a little cool, we hastily washed and rinsed before getting out and going to bed. All my traveling finally seemed to catch up with me and I groaned a little at the clean sheets and the soft duvet that floated over us.
My eyes were at half-mast and Draco snuggled close with an arm and leg over me while he told me more of the news I'd been missing. Pretty soon all I was hearing was the sound of his voice like velvet sliding over my senses. And two minutes after that, I was sound asleep.
*********
Draco
*********
I watched him sleep and thought about what we'd done and how it had felt. His cock had felt like steel wrapped in soft silk. We were both circumcised but that's all we had the same. His shaft was tall with a flaring head like a helmet while mine was straight with a sleek crown that only flared out when I was really hard.
He'd taken me in all the way and I was determined that I would learn how to do that for him. It had felt so good and just thinking about it had me hardening again. But that was okay, I was used to waiting for something really important. And Charles Weasley was more important to me than anyone in the world although Severus and the new baby who was my little brother came a real close second.
I couldn't see myself ever giving up control of my body for nine or even seven months like he had but the result was pretty amazing, I admitted silently. Maybe in ten years or so, I'd think about it again but for the moment, I was committed to safe sex. Giving control of my body over to Charlie had been surprisingly easy to do and I thought about that for a while.
Trusting Charlie was something that I seemed to do instinctively and I mused over why it was him that I trusted so much. Severus and Rubeus were trustworthy and the rest of the Hagrids had woven themselves into my life with seeming ease. I'd been blessed with a kind and caring family after sixteen years of none and that still had the power to amaze me.
Closing my eyes and taking a deep breath of Charlie-scent, I counted my blessings and went to sleep.
************
Remus
************
Royan shifted uncomfortably and I rubbed the spot in her back that was the usual culprit. She smiled at me and leaned into my side to give me more room to work. I could see Sirius doing the same thing for Rhea while Severus just looked smug and trim. It hadn't taken him long at all to lose the weight of his pregnancy or get his muscles back in shape.
He was carrying little Toby with an air of having always known how to hold an infant while Rubeus cuddled him with an astonished look of joy still on his face. They looked good together and I looked around the great hall to see my extended family sprawled on the furniture we'd assembled. Albus had arranged several groupings of couches and chairs all around the room so people could join and rejoin different family members.
The huge pine tree stopped a foot from the sturdy oak beams of the ceiling and it glittered with old and new decorations. The candles were spelled with magic flames to avoid the fire hazard and the twisted garlands were a riot of House colors threaded together among the fragrant branches. Dozens, perhaps hundreds of brightly wrapped packages nestled around the base and soon we'd open a few to take the edge of anticipation off for the kids.
Since I was one of the kids, I had to admit to being a little excited about that. I hadn't celebrated the Solstice or the muggle equivalent Christmas in years. But this year had been like no other in my life. I was working at a job I loved. I loved and was loved by the most wonderful woman in the world. I had a family again, one that didn't care if I was a werewolf. And I had friends who tested, challenged and liked me for myself.
The children that Royan carried were the bright star on my internal Solstice tree.
They'd begun moving around and we tried to guess which one was which when a little hand tapped out greetings on the right or left side. Ara had given us our gift early today when she told us that there were two boys and one girl. Royan and Rhea each had a baby name book in hand and were throwing out suggestions to an appreciative circle of family. I'd already nixed Pompalonia for my little girl.
She'd be immediately nicknamed Pompy and I couldn't see that at all. Royan had just laughed and told me that one of these days Mum would get out one of the picture albums so I could see the original Aunt Pompy. I could hardly wait.
*************
Sirius
*************
I looked around and sighed happily. Remus and I had certainly landed on our feet this time. Sometimes I still pinched myself to make sure that I wasn't dreaming. Not even in my wildest dreams had I ever believed that this kind of warm shelter would ever be mine. From the moment I lost my two best friends and went to prison for their deaths, I'd faced the bleakest of futures.
Joy hadn't even been in my vocabulary. But here I was, surrounded by joy and good cheer, not to mention the blessing who was my wife, Rhea. She was everything that I'd never wanted. Family, healing and love weren't gifts that I'd sought but she gave them to me unstintingly and I'd begun to dream again.
Ara had brought us our tea in bed this morning and she gifted us with the knowledge that our child was a girl. The oddest picture flashed through my mind when I heard that. A little red-head with bright green eyes looked straight into mine and smiled all over. "Daddy" was all she said and I wanted to cry but Rhea was already doing that for me.
I held her close and thought that nothing I'd ever done in my life could ever equal the joy of hearing that word. I'd never aspired to be a father but now, I couldn't think of anything better. Albus had given me the chance to teach the first Muggle Studies class in the history of Hogwarts and I'd accepted his offer.
Snape was going to go back to teaching Potions after the New Year but he and Rubeus were going to port into school every morning. His old rooms in the dungeons were now just a part of the guest suites that the castle had begun creating. Little Toby would be watched over by Ara while Snape taught. It was odd but I'd begun to have the urge to call Snape - Severus.
Maybe wonders never do cease, I thought with a chuckle. I looked up when Gersey began playing another carol. The Steinway that he'd bought at the Snape auction had been set up here in the great hall for the holidays. Snape had brought out his violin and the two of them had been playing duets on and off for the last three days. Who knew that Severus had such a creative hand on the bow?
It was odd but it didn't seem to matter what they were playing, they kept coming back to the carols that I remembered from when I was a child. The oddest part of that was looking ahead to our next Solstice celebration when Rhea and I would be holding our daughter; Remus and Royan would be watching over crawling triplets; Severus and Rubeus would probably be dashing here and there after a walking Toby.
I'd probably be watching my godson, my pregnant godson, cuddle with his bonded. I'd finally accepted that Harry's life wasn't going to be what James and Lily had probably envisioned. It was going to be better.
***********
Albus
***********
I sat in one of the comfortable wing chairs from my office. Minerva sat in the other and we were both basking in silence while listening to all the conversations that flowed from one side of the room to the other. It was finally over, this war that had consumed almost an entire generation of wizards and witches. I could finally admit that I was tired, tired of planning and plotting and watching the children of my heart die.
I'd been snoozing off and on since waving goodbye to the last of the students. We'd begun the decorating of the great hall almost immediately and I'd watched it be transformed into a cozy nest for the extended Hagrid family. Truly, I'd never felt more relaxed in my long life.
The house elves had outdone themselves now that Elfrida Hagrid had taken over the supervision of the kitchens. I'd even gained some weight that Minerva was pleased to tell me I'd long needed. Petronicus Hagrid was dozing in another chair nearby in this quiet corner of the hall. Finally, I had someone to debate with, play chess with and be friends with.
Someone nearer my own age, who had a razor sharp mind and wasn't afraid to use it. It was exhilarating to no longer be so alone. The Order of the Phoenix was still intact but for now we had nothing better to do than relax and enjoy the holiday. I looked around again and spotted Severus weaving his way through the crowd. I sat up a little straighter and gazed expectantly at him.
He smiled and laid Tobias in my arms. "Well, Godfather Albus, it's time to watch your godson while I do some more playing. Try not to let him eat any more of your beard."
I cradled the little sprite with the snapping blue eyes and silky black hair. "Here we go, Tobias. Don't listen to your mama, I've just been waiting for you to come and play with me."
He giggled and immediately latched onto my beard. He had Severus' long elegant fingers and I waved my Potions Master toward the music corner while tickling my godson. He was such a happy baby and I wondered if Severus had ever been this joyful when he was just a child. I would not fail this little one the way that I'd failed his parent.
Tobias would always know that he was loved and cared for. He would also have the whole world of wizardry to choose from when it came time for him to choose a career. Whatever he did, he'd be supported. I felt laughing waves pass from him through my gnarled old hands. His healing touch had given me back almost all of my former dexterity. I might even challenge Gersey for the piano one of these days.
**********
Gersey
**********
I rippled through another arpeggio and listened with half an ear to the buzz of conversation around the hall. This Solstice was better than any I'd ever had before. We were all together as a family but that family had doubled in size. Add in the Weasleys and we'd tripled. I grinned down at the keys and caressed them a little harder. There was definitely a dearth of red heads in the rest of the British Isles.
Because most of them were here. Gazing around, I spotted Harry with his arm around Draco while they talked with Ron. There was still some tension there and Charlie hadn't announced that he and Draco were going to bond to any one other than his parents. Arthur seemed all right with it but Molly was being a bit stiff. So my little peace maker was doing his best to smooth over the raw edges.
I spotted Severus threading his way through the crowd to the corner where we'd set up all the instruments. Ever since I'd heard Severus play that beautiful instrument that at the moment lay gleaming on the stand behind the Steinway, I'd been working on getting him into the recording studio. He had a passionate touch that made an audience sigh at a ballad, weep with a dirge and smile tenderly during a love song.
When he'd played a gypsy melody to Rubeus, he'd practically set the rest of us on fire with wanting. If I could just get him into the studio, Peter would go out of his mind. My muggle friend enjoyed an eclectic array of music and Sev would enjoy his acerbic wit. I hadn't given up but he was too content at the moment and I was so happy for him and Rubeus that I wasn't going to push.
I had however, made sure that I had a pensieve recording every performance this season. Little Toby deserved to know in coming years what his first Solstice had sounded like. It was also Harry and my first holiday together and I wanted something to remember it by. As if my thoughts had conjured him, he hugged me from behind while Sev started tuning up.
"Love you, Ger." He whispered in my ear, planting a little kiss behind my ear. "What are you guys going to play now?"
"Sev, have you had any requests?" I asked and he chuckled.
"Schubert's Opus 52, number 6," he said while plucking a string and listening intently.
"Oh please, Ger, Ave Maria is one of my favorites." Harry's eyes lit up and it was my turn to chuckle.
"Mum's too, Harry. Go and see if she'll sing it with us." I sent him off to the buffet table where Mum was setting out more food.
***********
Rubeus
***********
I sat near the music corner and watched my beautiful Sev begin to play. Life didn't get any better than this; my family surrounding me; the love of my life playing so sweetly that he made me want to cry; our son chewing on his godfather's beard; and best of all, there was no longer a Dark Lord to menace our world.
Harry dashed off to Mum and when she came back with him, I sat up a little straighter. She loved to sing and she was good at it, too. The familiar chords of Ave Maria swelled from both the piano and violin and she began to sing along. The whole room fell silent while the pure tones reached out to the rafters and filled the room. That song always brought tears to my eyes and this time was no exception.
Sev's eyes found mine and I watched him with my heart in my throat. He was so beautiful and he loved me. I'd received the best gift of all this year, make that gifts since I still was amazed by our son. He was so tiny but with a real tight grip that tugged at my heart. But it was Severus who brought me the joy that I'd kind of given up on ever receiving.
We ended each day snuggled in our big bed, talking over what had happened during our time apart. Just little stories about the birds I'd seen while shoveling or how Ss-serens had soared overhead during a snowball fight. He'd tell me every thing that Toby had done and how he was starting to notice the world around him. I'd stopped walking to and from Hogwarts, instead porting back and forth. I begrudged every moment away from my two beautiful loves.
I started when everyone clapped only then realizing that Mum had finished singing. Then Gersey asked everyone to sing along with the carols he and Sev began to play. They were old favorites and we sounded real good together. We had a pretty good range of voices so some of us could just hum along. My voice wasn't the best but I could provide a little bass underneath the rest of them.
We sang all our favorites until our musicians begged to be allowed to rest and eat some of the tempting food that Mum and the house elves had been cooking. I crossed over to Sev once he'd carefully laid aside his violin and he slid his arms around me instead.
"I'm hopin' that ya'll play me like that in a wee bit, Sev." I whispered in his ear.
He chuckled and kissed me so sweetly that I almost forgot where we were. But then he pulled away just a little. "I promise that I shall play you like the rare and beautiful instrument you are, my dearest Ru. Once we're alone and Tobias is asleep."
I smiled and led him to the food already counting the hours until I could get him alone.
**********
Severus
**********
Mum had outdone herself. The Swedish meatballs practically melted in my mouth and the Greek spinach pie was so good that I devoured the good sized wedge I'd managed to spirit away before Harry saw it. That boy was a bottomless pit these days. He and Draco were both enjoying a growth spurt and they ate endlessly. I'd have worried but they were also expending copious amounts of energy enjoying the snow and ice of this magical winter.
Sitting close to Rubeus, I ate and listened while Royan read out some more baby names. Really there were an awful lot of horrid names out there in the world. Luckily, Ru hadn't minded us naming our new son Tobias after my mother's father and Petronicus after his. I wondered what name we'd have chosen if our child had been a girl. Helena was my mother's name and Elfrida was Ru's but neither of those had struck me as right.
But we wouldn't have to worry about that for a few years since I had no plans for getting pregnant any time soon. Of course, I thought to myself, I hadn't consciously decided to this time around. And as if the thought alone could get his attention, I felt Toby call for me. Chuckling, I gave Rubeus my plate to hold with stern instructions not to touch the rest of the pie while I went to get our son.
Albus was playing peek-a-boo with him but Toby was hungry and the long white beard just didn't fill an empty tummy. Plucking my son away from his godfather, I told him he could play some more the next day. Albus' pout was almost identical to Toby's but I managed to restrain my laughter until I got back to Ru. Discretely unbuttoning enough so Toby had access to my nipple, I pulled his yellow blanket over my shoulder so I didn't flash one of the Weasleys.
Ron was having a hard enough time coming to terms with all the changes in his young life. Fred and George had pretty quickly accepted all the twists and turns our lives had taken but young Ron still froze whenever he saw me holding Toby. What he was going to say about Charlie and Draco didn't bear thinking of.
I just hoped that his wand stayed in his pocket. Glancing down, I saw that Toby had finished that nipple and was patting my chest to tell me to switch him over. Once settled at the other, I continued to watch those rosebud lips suckle at my breast. The feeling was indescribable and I didn't think I'd ever be able to explain what I felt when I was connected to him like this.
I'd given birth to this amazing child and we were still connected whenever he nursed at my breast. To feel my milk spurt into his mouth was so exhilarating that I felt like feeding him all the time. Would I still feel like that five months from now? I didn't know but for now, I was enjoying it. Ru put his arm around me and I leaned into him, leaning my head against his shoulder.
Even joy can be wearying, I thought sleepily. This Solstice was so wonderful that I had nothing to which I could compare it. I was surrounded by family and friends after years of having none. But best of all was the man beside me and the love he'd given me for the last eight months. I was looking forward instead of back and that felt very good indeed.
"I think he's finished, Sev." The soft rumble near my ear made me shiver with delight.
Checking Toby's progress, I found him sound asleep, my nipple falling from his mouth. Gently bringing him to my shoulder, I started the tender patting that usually brought out his burp. I cast my glance around the room, watching the rest of my family interact with each other. The Hagrids had taken in a rather odd bunch of strays but we were all grateful that they had.
I doubted that Sirius and I would ever be friends but we were managing to be civil to each other and that seemed to be enough to get us through those events where we had to share the same room. Perhaps fatherhood would civilize him, I thought sardonically. The little burp told me that Toby was ready for his nap. Rubeus got up first then helped me to my feet. Mum had loaned us the Hagrid cradle for use here in the castle and it was in a quiet corner of the great hall.
We'd pass it on to Royan and Remus when the triplets were born. Although I did just wonder how all three of them would fit. Ru was contemplating the construction of an extra wide cradle that might work better. Ara was waiting by it and she took charge of watching our son until it was time to go home.
Home, what a wonderful word that was. I leaned into my bonded's arms and felt like purring. His big hands rubbed my back and the slight ache that still remained from carrying Toby inside of me for seven months. I suddenly had the urge to make love to Rubeus right now.
"Ru, I think we should go and check on our rooms here." I wiggled just a little against his groin and felt him begin to swell instantly.
"Whatever ya say, Sev." He kissed me eagerly and I savored his spicy taste before pulling away and leading him towards the stairs to the dungeons.
I was going to unwrap my first present and I already knew it was just what I wanted.
***********
[Reviews - 4] [Kudos - 323]
Download story PDF format or ePUB format or MOBI format
Table of Contents
Download story PDF format or ePUB format or MOBI format
Table of Contents