The usual disclaimer applies. I own nothing and make nothing. Everything you recognise belongs to the very talented JK Rowling.

Out of the Mouths of Babes

"Are you ready to go?" Hermione smiled at him briefly as she gently grabbed his hand.

"No, not really. But I don't have a choice, do I?" Severus raised his brow at her, giving her a disdainful look.

A small hand pulled at his shirt, and he glanced down to see which one of his little miscreants it was this time. "Daddy, that isn't nice. The Potters are always very nice to us, and Albus is my best friend," the small black haired boy smiled at him as he spoke.

"Simon...I am just teasing your mother. Grab your mother's hand and step into the floo."

Of course, he really wasn't teasing. He detested the weekly visits with the Potters, but put up with it for the sake of Hermione and the children. She had insisted that play dates with Albus and Lily would be good for Simon and Anna, and that adult conversation with the Potters would be good for them as a couple. They alternated weeks between the Potter's house at Grimmauld Place and their own chambers at Hogwarts.

He stepped into the floo holding two year old Anna, and quickly said "The Potters" as he threw the floo powder in.

Flooing was an uncomfortable experience, but flooing with a wiggling two year old was almost nauseating. He tried to get his bearings as he stepped into the sitting room at the Potter's house, but literally was almost knocked down by James chasing Albus.

He glared at Harry, and spoke in his most malicious voice, "Potter, could you please try to control your boys. They almost knocked me down while I am holding Anna." Although he and Hermione had been going to the Potters for almost two years, he still couldn't bring himself to refer to Potter as Harry.

"Of course, Severus," Harry replied sheepishly.

Right as the moment was about to become awkward, Ginny called everyone to the kitchen for dinner.

-ooOOoo-

Dinner had, thankfully, gone off without a hitch. Ginny and Hermione had discussed everything from Hermione's charms classes at Hogwarts to child rearing and potty training. Severus had somehow managed to have a civil conversation with Harry. Fortunately, Harry's newest case as an Auror involved the distribution of an illegal potion. It not only kept Severus's attention, it kept him from the urge to hex Potter, which usually happened by now at one of their dinners.

Everyone had finally moved into the sitting room so that the children could play while the adults talked. Seven year old James had found a quiet spot to read a book, avoiding the two five year old boys playing with toy broomsticks in the middle of the room. Hermione was holding Anna, and Ginny was holding Lily. Both toddlers were very tired after dinner, but the older kids still wanted to visit a little while longer.

Severus and Hermione were telling Harry and Ginny about a new formulation of the Wolfsbane Potion, when a conversation between the two boys piqued Severus's interest. He paused the conversation to look over at the boys.

"James is mad at me because I had nightmares last night and woke him up. Mum said you can't do a silencing spell since we share a room. But I couldn't help it! He told me a scary story about boggers that he read in his book."

"Boggers?" Simon gave him a questioning look. "What are boggers?"

"You know...boggers. They turn into something scary when you look at them. James told me they would turn into big scary dragons and then eat me."

Ginny had paid attention to the last part of the conversation, "Albus, those are boggarts. And shame on you James! You shouldn't be telling your little brother that." She was getting ready to listen to the adult conversation again when Simon continued the conversation.

"That's okay, James. I have nightmares sometimes, too. Even daddy had a nightmare last night."

Severus and Hermione gave each other questioning looks, then looked back at the boys again.

"Yeah, I heard him yelling. 'Oh God, Oh God...Hermione! Yes! Yes!' Mummy must have helped him after that because it got really quiet."

Severus and Hermione looked at each other with identical looks of horror, while Harry and Ginny were trying their best not to laugh.

"We, uh, really need to be going now," mumbled Hermione, her face still beet red. "Anna is very sleepy and needs to be put in bed."

Severus grabbed Simon's hand and followed Hermione and Anna to the floo. Although his face was still red, he gave Harry a glare. "Not. A. Word. Potter!"

They could still hear the echos of the Potters' laughter as they stepped out of the floo.

A/N...I have been trying so very hard to finish NUO and P5273, but my muse wouldn't let me leave this alone. This is *ahem* very loosely based on a personal experience. My muse insisted that I take a break from my chapter stories and write this. What can I say? I listen to my muse ;)

FF is not liking me. It keeps taking words out of the story. Hopefully it is fixed now. Sorry for the problem!