Disclaimer: I own nothing, except my own creations. I have borrowed the characters of J K Rowling and made my own little alternate universe.

Case Number 030021

Husband: Severus Tobias Snape

Wife: Hermione Jane Granger

Marriage: 17 August 2003

Children:

Female – Allinorah Jane – 16 June 2004

Male – Delidyr Severus – 7 August 2005

Female twin – Kaylena Samara – 28 January 2007

Female twin – Jordanna Tamora – 28 January 2007

How dare they not mention Lucas.

Severus Snape was seated on the lounge for his weekly half an hour alone time. But instead of the newest Potions Journal, he held something far more relevant than the newest way to boil newt's liver.

The Marriage Law had been repealed.

The Ministry of Magic in its infinitesimal wisdom had decided to send letters to each marriage law pair up with details of how they had performed and on how to obtain a divorce instead of making one grand announcement.

It would hit the papers soon enough.

His eyes were unseeing as he looked at his own parchment. Hermione was away on a conference for researchers and not due back until later tonight. He was in charge of their five children for the weekend, and he had no idea if she even knew the law had been repealed.

Spotting a someone in the doorway, his eyes noted the time before he levelled his gaze on the little girl who was gripping the doorframe, her eyes too on the clock high up on the wall opposite him. 'Yes Jordanna?'

His youngest daughter startled at his sudden announcement, but spoke swiftly. 'It's not yet 11.'

So it wasn't, but nothing seemed to be going right this weekend, so why not this too? And besides, he had a feeling his five year old wanted him. He placed the parchment on the table next to the discarded journal and opened his arms in a silent invitation. Tor sprinted across the room and into his lap, wrapping her arms around his form firmly.

She was the most intuitive of all his children, and if someone was going to spot something off, it would be this brown haired pixie. He refrained from saying anything just yet as he pressed his lips to her brown hair, holding her tight.

'Dad!' called Tor's twin as Kaylee came bolting into the room without ceremony. 'Hypo-ethically speaking...'

'Hypothetically!' snapped Tor, interrupting her black haired doppelganger.

'Yeah, yeah,' dismissed Kaylee. 'Hypothetically, if someone was, ah, near your potions, that's bad, right?'

'Something you'd like to tell me?' he asked mildly, eyebrow raised at the little girl gripping his couch arm.

'Nope!' declared Kaylee merrily, dropping a kiss to his nose before turning. Her voice was a yell as she left the room. 'Luca! Dad said you'll be in big trouble if you touch it!'

When he rose to prepare food for lunch, Tor refused to let go of him. She was gripping him in a firm koala hold as he went to remove her from him. 'Sit down Tor,' he ordered.

'No Daddy,' was the stubborn reply as she maintained her death grip, her legs tight around his hips. 'No!'

Severus sighed and gave up, commencing lunch time preparations one handed, the other hand supporting the back of his emotional daughter.

She agreed to sitting by herself when the food hit the table, and he quelled the food fight Kaylee looked ready to instigate with her younger brother with one look. One chair still absent, he walked to the bottom of the stairs. 'Del, lunchtime.'

'I'm not done yet,' came the reply.

'It's a book review, not a thesis,' yelled Snape his heart constricting at this. His oldest son was so much like his mother.

Del finally joined them, grumbling as he passed his father and took his seat at the table. With Tor and Kaylee picking at their lunch, Luca taking his blessed time and Del refusing to speak, Severus sighed. He'd had better mealtimes.

When they arrived Aratrass', Tor had taken up her position in his arms once again as Ali raced down the hall with her best friend. Gen's younger brother Craigdon was right behind them, and gestured for his children to follow them. Kaylee, Del and Luca were off, but Tor refused to go.

'Hey Dad!' called Ali and Severus obediently turned his attention to her. 'Genie's got a computer.'

'He probably doesn't know what it is Nora,' said the freckled youngster that bounced beside his eldest.

'I'm not completely devoid of knowledge of Muggle practices Genevieve,' said Snape mildly as the young girl flushed.

It was short stay, a brief conversation with Isla and Ethan, before he ushered his children out the door.

Arriving home and finding the front door unlocked, it only took him a moment to realise why - his children just a second longer. Standing in the lounge room removing her jacket stood Hermione - and their mother - home early.

As all the kids except Tor bounded in and hugged and kissed their mother, she laughingly reciprocated. When she came over and coaxed Tor into her arms for a hug and kiss, he could find no knowledge in her eyes that she knew of the law. When she brushed her lips over his, he restrained from responding.

He ignored her flash of confusion as he stormed for the kitchen to make dinner.

For better or for worse, he distanced himself that night. He was snappy when his wife spoke and short with his children. As the night time routine began, Hermione pulled him to the side first. 'Is everything okay Severus?' she asked concerned, her hand on his arm.

'Everything is just peachy,' he shot back, pulling away from her then.

Seated on Tor's bed shortly after, plaiting her long straight hair at her request, he felt pain. He wasn't sure if he could give this up. There was no doubt in the case of divorce, Hermione would get custody. And rightfully so, he thought.

But, still...

Drawing Tor back against his chest, he pressed a kiss to the crown of her head, wrapping his arms around her little body.

'I love you Daddy,' she said clearly.

'I love you too Jordanna,' he replied softly. I love you all. So much.

Tucking her into bed, her twin came into the room and he tucked her into the other single bed. It was a futile exercise he knew – as the twins always ended up in the same bed by morning – but he put her there nonetheless.

Passing his wife in the doorway, he ignored her as he entered the boys' room to kiss both – Del already asleep – before he slipped across the hall and kissed Ali last.

Leaving his first child's room, he pulled the door halfway before he turned and found his wife standing before him. When her arms circled his neck, his arms came to circle her slim waist out of habit before he tensed. 'I'm tired,' he said, pulling away from her, heading for their bedroom.

'Kids wore you out huh?' teased Hermione as she followed, unbuttoning her blouse.

He declined to respond, a rare event indeed.

Hermione picked up on his strange behaviour too. 'Severus, what's going on?' she asked him, exasperated, hands on her hips. He could see the white lacy bra she wore exposed where her blouse fell open, but he had to turn away.

'It's nothing.'

He refused to elaborate as he stripped, got into bed, turned on his side and pretended to be asleep. The truth was he was anything but. He heard her moving around the room, showering and then finally slipping into bed next to him.

When she reached for him, he stiffened, struggling to keep up the facade that he was asleep. He could hear her thinking behind him. 'Good night Sev,' she said softly, resting her hand on his bare back before she turned away.

Good night love, his traitorous mind replied.

He must have fallen asleep at one point as his body had shifted to its normal position, Hermione curled up against his side, when there was a loud knock on the door. Both of them startled awake.

He was quicker, reaching for the closest piece of clothing as he made for the front door, his mind thinking of the million different things it could be at 2:07am in the morning as a quick look to the clock advised him.

Wrenching open his front door he was greeted with a pathetic sight.

Ronald Weasley was calling out wildly on their front patio. 'Hermione! You're free! Come away with me!' He stopped then, looking upward as if thought was so very difficult. 'Hey, that rhymes. Hermione...' He returned back to whining, even as his eyes fell upon the irate recently-awoken man of the house glaring at him from the doorway.

'Weasley,' snapped Snape. 'Get your sorry ass off my doorstep and come back when you're in a sufficiently stable mood and manner. Or better yet, don't come back at all.'

'Severus!' admonished the newly arrived Hermione as she tightened the belt on her robe. She placed a hand on his arm and moved past him. 'Let me,' she murmured in a low tone.

Ron puffed up as Hermione pulled him to the side, flashing a taunting look to his former teacher as the door slammed shut on his venomous face.

With nothing to do but watch as his wife took Ron aside, Severus shut the door. He dropped his head against the wood in defeat. He only straightened when he heard a sleepy 'Da?' from behind him. Turning he saw Tor standing there, rubbing her eyes sleepily as she looked for her father.

'Ssh, come here,' he said softly. 'Let's get you back to bed.' Snape swept up his youngest daughter into his arms and held her close to him. Holding her tight, he walked to her room. Sure enough, Kaylee was in Tor's bed, and he slipped his baby girl into the bed next to her.

As Tor's eyes closed shut again, he brushed her long plait from her face and looked at her twin. Kaylee was sound asleep. He had no doubt that she was dreaming up some other wild plan for implementation tomorrow – scratch that, later that day. It was a sad smile as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

He then made his way to the boys' room. Luca groggily woke up when he entered the room, but Snape's hand on his back calmed him once again. In the bunk at a right angle above, Del's hand was hanging off the bunk, reaching for his book, even in sleep.

His last stop was Ali's room. It was true that the firstborn held a special place in a father's heart. His first child was bundled up in her sheets, legs and arms akimbo. He untangled her and tucked her in securely. His hand brushed the hair from her face and he kissed her forehead.

He knew without a doubt that he loved his wife and he loved his children, but if she wanted to leave, he wasn't going to stop her.

He shut Ali's door, leaving a gap, as he headed toward their bedroom. Hermione had yet to return. He kept his long pants on and slipped back into bed. He lay looking at the ceiling waiting for her to come back.

He thought himself a brave man, but when she slipped into the bedroom twenty minutes later, he chickened out and pretended to be asleep. When Hermione quietly disrobed and got into bed with him, she placed a hand on his chest, pulling herself close. He tensed as she spoke. 'I know you're awake Sev.'

He gave up the pretence, but refused to look at her. 'So did dear Ronald manage to weasel his way into your heart and propose marriage tonight?' he asked bitterly.

'What?' asked Hermione in confusion. 'Sev, he was drunk out of his mind and I was just talking to him.'

'It's okay if you want to, you now. It's not like you haven't been with him before.' Sev tried to shrug nonchalantly, but inside his heart was breaking.

Hermione looked at her husband in disbelief, and a little hurt. 'After a decade together, you still can't believe it?' she asked incredulously. Moving to get out of bed, Hermione continued to speak. 'If you must know, I was telling him how much I loved my life and my family. But clearly you don't believe that to be possible, so I think I'll sleep on the couch tonight.'

Severus' heart jumped when he heard those words. Hermione was happy! He grabbed her wrist before she could get off the bed. 'Hermione...'

The joy at the realisation she most likely wasn't going to leave him was counteracted by the dismay that his actions tonight may just have well lost her to him anyway. 'Hermione...' he repeated again. There was a degree of desperation in his tone and his wife turned to him intrigued. She was shocked by the vulnerability she saw in his eyes.

'Hermione,' said Snape for the third time. 'Don't go.'

She held his gaze as she spoke softly, his fingers unconsciously making patterns on the skin above her wrist. 'Just what on earth is going on with you Severus Snape?' she asked. 'You've been acting like a child itching to go to the toilet all night.'

He said nothing – couldn't – as he pulled her to him. She came willingly, hoping that her movements would encourage him to open up. She gazed up into his face as he held her tight, looking into the darkness of their room.

He took a deep shuddering breath and started slightly off-topic. 'When you went outside tonight, I checked on the children.' When Hermione shifted with slight worry, he gave her a squeeze to reassure her. 'They're fine. Jordanna had awoken to see what the fuss was about – very little seems to get past her. Kaylena was definitely thinking up some master plan for tomorrow. Lucas is still as watchful and cautious as ever Delidyr's hands were itching for a book and Allinorah was such a mess. How is it that such an organised girl has such a disorganised bedroom?' He stopped momentarily to laugh quietly before continuing.

'My point is Hermione that we have five very special children. They've all got a piece of me and you in them. They're a reflection of your love and care for them.' He choked a little before continuing again. 'Hermione, when you married me, you knew you weren't marrying a nice man. But over the years you and the other children have made such an impact on me. I can't imagine any other life – I don't want any other life – but I know these past ten years have not been what you planned for your life.'

He took a deep breath, finally meeting her eyes and shocked face. 'Hermione, the Marriage Law has been repealed and so you are no longer legally obligated to remain married to me. I'm going to let you go.'

At these last words, Hermione leaped up from the bed, eyes flashing. 'Severus Tobias Snape. You... you bastard!'

She stormed over to her drawers. He sat up in bed, fearing her actions before she turned back to him. In her hand she held a piece of jewellery that held such value for them both. It was the copper and emerald necklace. 'Do you remember the day you gave me this?'

He nodded. It had been their wedding day. He'd felt obliged to provide her with some token and thus had given her a copper – to represent Gryffindor – and emerald – for Slytherin – necklace. She rarely went out without it.

'When my parents died...' Hermione struggled to get the words out, the knowledge that they'd never met their grandchildren still painful. 'You promised me that you would never leave me.'

She laughed almost hysterically then. 'I love you. Gods, I love you. She threw the necklace down onto the bed between them and he fingered the copper circle as she continued to speak. 'I know the Marriage Law's been repealed. I've known all weekend.' His head shot up at that. 'But I didn't think it would make a difference to us. Why should it? I've got a husband, children and oh what a life.'

He could see the tears in her eyes and he cursed himself that he was the one to put them there.

She sat on the bed then. 'Sev. I know the law's been repealed and I know that you're scared.' She leaned forward to cup her husband's cheek as she whispered. 'I won't let you give it up.'

Their gaze held.

The words didn't come easily to him, and she could count on one hand the number of times that he had actually said it to her – even though he showed it to her countless other ways. 'I love you,' he said.

'You're just saying that,' she said, her heart still hurting.

He tugged her to him then, trapping her below him as his eyes bore into hers. 'Hermione Jane Snape,' he said seriously. There was no hesitation this time. 'I love you.'

Her whispered reply was lost as his lips covered hers. She deepened the kiss, pulling him to lie upon her as they both released the pent up frustration of the weekend. When they parted, his eyes were dark with desire, his arousal matched by hers.

Sliding her hand down his bare chest, she encountered the elastic of his bed pants. 'What is this?' she teased. 'Pants?'

Severus grinned ruefully and tried his best to rid himself of the offending article. Hermione did little to help and the sheets twisted around him. One leg finally free, he fell back onto his back, wiping the smirk from his wife's face as he tugged her to him without warning.

She laughed as he pressed open mouthed kisses to her neck before he found her eyes. 'Wife?' he growled. 'Don't tell me you want outside naked under that dressing gown tonight?'

Hermione grinned, shifting as she heard him groan. 'What's it to you husband?' she teased. 'Worried?'

'Good God woman,' he managed to say. 'You're going to be the death of me.'

'That won't get you out of this marriage,' laughed Hermione, flushed.

He lowered his mouth to hers, only to be interrupted when an incoming noise brought them to their senses quickly. Hermione was on his chest and he painfully gripped her hips in an attempt to stop her moving.

Their door opened quietly and Del popped his head around the door. 'Mum? Dad?' he asked cautiously. 'Are you awake?'

Hermione buried her head into her husband's chest and wriggled, leaving Snape to groan and respond. 'Son?'

Del crept around the door to the side of the bed. 'I wet the bed,' he whispered, ducking his head.

Severus groaned again for a different reason and nodded to his son. 'Coming. Gimme a moment and I'll be there.'

Del left the room and Severus sat up, smirking when his wife slid onto the bed. 'Come my dear. It is time for us to be parents.'

Pulling on his pants once again, Hermione also reached for her dressing gown.

They entered Del's room and whilst Severus stripped and remade the top bunk, Hermione changed Del's pyjamas. It was done in minutes, Del safely ensconced in his sheets once again and Luca settled, as the elder Snapes looked forward to returning to their own room.

Such a plan was thrown asunder when Tor came running into the room, tugging on her father's pants. 'Kaylee's sick!' she cried.

Severus and Hermione exchanged worried glances as they hurried next door, Tor following closely. Sure enough, Kaylee was sitting up in Tor's bed, her face over the edge of the bed, a suspicious looking puddle pooling on the carpet.

The five year old let out a plaintive cry when she saw her parents and Snape immediately moved forward. Plucking her from the sheets he made for the bathroom. He arrived just in time, her next load splattering into the bathroom sink.

He held her back against his chest as her small form racked with sobs between being sick. Hermione returned with a potion and Kaylee refused to drink it. She was more interested in being in her mother's arms than taking the potion.

Without exchanging any words between them, Hermione took their sick daughter into her arms and Severus got her to drink the potion without any problem. It's now that Snape realises Tor – clingy all day – is gripping his leg. He swung her up into his arms as he went to the drawer for new pyjamas for Kaylee.

'What's going on?' asked Ali, coming into the room as Hermione eased Kaylee's pyjamas off and washed her.

'Your sister's sick.'

'What's wrong with her?'

'She was vomiting.'

'Ew!' the seven and a half year old exclaimed. 'Where?'

'On the floor and in the bathroom.'

'Cool! Can I see?'

'Ali!' Snape finally said. 'Go back to bed.'

She didn't leave, but she did shut up. The potion now doing its job, and decked out in clean pyjamas, Kaylee was finally put down to bed half an hour later, Tor finally agreed to sleep too as she slid in next to her sister.

They'd cleaned up the patch on the carpet as best as they could, Tor's bed stripped, but they'd leave it for the house elves to sort out tomorrow. Severus reached for where Ali had fallen asleep, leaning against the doorframe, grunting slightly at his daughter's weight.

Ali back in her bed, a cry of 'Daddy!' rent the air.

'Now what?' he asked of his wife as they both left their prospective bedrooms across the hall.

Lucas' cries escalated and his scared voice called out for his mother next. 'Mummy!'

Del was sound asleep, his distraught brother's cries not awakening him as Hermione and Severus entered the room where Lucas sat up in his bed, tears running down his eyes. He reached out blindly for someone to hold and Hermione gathered the four year old up into her arms, rocking him backward and forward.

As the tears became whimpers and Luca took shaky breaths, Severus took a seat next to his wife on the bed. Lucas turned in his mother's lap and looked up at his father with tear filled eyes. 'You're not leaving are you?'

Hermione and Severus exchanged looks over his head.

'No son,' Severus said seriously, resting his hand on his shoulder. 'I'm not leaving.' His other hand came to rest on Hermione's knee as he continued to speak. 'I'm never leaving.'

Lucas wasn't the only one with tears in his eyes.

Their youngest son finally settled, they stayed until he fell asleep. Severus in a rare-light hearted moment turned to his wife. 'I've changed my mind,' he declared softly as he led her from the room. 'I want out of this.'

'Too late,' yawned Hermione as they fell onto their bed, groaning at the time. She settled herself around him as sleep beckoned. 'You're stuck for life.'

And he wouldn't have it any other way.

'Love you,' he whispered softly into her hair. He felt her smile and pulled her closer as sleep washed over them. Even the knowledge that the day would be starting in less than two hours didn't dampen their mood.

All is well in the Snape household.

Finito.

Author's Note: Thanks to all who read, alerted and reviewed this story. No doubt I'll be uploading other stories set in this Snape family universe some time in the future, so keep an eye out for them! Until then...