The house they moved into, after Severus outgrew his cradle, was close to the cotton mill where Tobias found a job after being fired from his previous workplace. It was two stories, brick, and square. While small, for a family of three it was plenty. The downstairs kitchen was crowded with the addition of a table, but there wasn't enough room in the living room for the table what with the couch and telly. Upstairs was split into two bedrooms and one bathroom. Both bedrooms were the same size, but Eileen claimed the one with the window overlooking the river for Severus. It wasn't much of a view, but better than nothing.

Some of their furniture didn't survive the move, including their bed. Neither Eileen or Tobias was happy about that, but it couldn't be helped, and so they settled for a hard day's work of moving in to their new home. Eileen counted it a blessing that Severus' crib didn't break.

Finally, after a day of backbreaking work, she pushed back her sweaty hair, drying in curls around her face, and started hanging up curtains and putting away the plates and bowls. Tobias went out to get some fish and chips for dinner, and with Severus fast asleep, they ate the greasy food by candlelight - the house didn't come with lightbulbs, apparently. Tobias could hardly keep the satisfied grin off his face as he looked around the house and Eileen just smiled. She would be twenty in a month and she was married to a handsome, if Muggle, man and had a lovely baby boy. They had a new house, which didn't look like much, but it belonged to them and there was plenty of room for another child, if Tobias were to agree...

The serenity took a hit when it was time for bed and Eileen realized that her husband expected her to sleep on the floor while he took the couch.

"Absolutely not," she said, scandalized. Everyone knew that a gentleman would take the floor before allowing a lady to! What was Tobias thinking?

"Eileen, I've got to be at the mill at five tomorrow and it's nearly twelve right now," Tobias explained. "I need to get some rest or I'll be dead on my feet."

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm a lady and a Prince! I'm not sleeping on the floor," scoffed Eileen.

Tobias snorted. "Yeah, sure. In case you forgot, you're a Snape now, Eileen. Snapes do what they got to do. You have to sleep on the floor for a few hours, 'cause I got to go to work, cause even Severus needs to eat."

"A gentleman would take the floor," Eileen sniffed.

"I'm not a gentleman, then, I guess, even though I married you without even knowing a thing about you besides you were knocked up. Didn't even ask if he was mine or not," replied Tobias with a glare.

"Of course he's your son!" shrieked Eileen. "I would never - I never - Severus is your son and I don't ever want you to imply otherwise! What kind of man are you to question your own wife's honor?"

"I didn't say anything about your honor, though I can't see how much of it you have left, having a kid at nineteen - barely even legal," sneered Tobias. "Just make yourself comfortable on the floor."

Eileen withdrew as if she'd been struck. While she could admit to making a few suspect decisions (rebelling from her father's plans for a marriage contract with the detestable Magnus MacDonald - who was two years ahead of her, in Gryffindor, and utterly infatuated with the Muggleborn Melody Marcus - by running off with a Muggle) she never thought Tobias, of all people, would say anything. Did he think he was blameless? Well he wasn't!

"And what have you got to say about honor, sleeping with a 'barely legal' girl?" she demanded.

Faster than she could follow, Tobias slapped her.

"I married you when I could have left. Should have left," he told her.

Eileen stood frozen while Tobias went to claim the couch. Her trembling fingers traced the stinging skin he'd no doubt left a mark on without thinking, clumsy Muggle that he was. No matter what Tobias said, Eileen knew then that he was no gentleman. For the first time, she had pushed him too far, and at the moment she only felt grateful she hadn't said half the things she was thinking of him.

By the time Tobias' snores alerted her that he was asleep, she was sobbing in their empty bedroom, wondering if Tobias really wished he left while he had the chance.

Working at the mill was exhausting, but Tobias was promoted after a fortunate incident where he saved three other men from an unfortunate fire. One man died in the fire and the mill's business took a hit, especially as the bored Cokeworth newspaper ran the story for as long as they could. Soon, a good third of Tobias' former coworkers were dismissed and their homes were evacuated by the holidays.

As Christmas drew nearer and nearer, Tobias found himself wondering about what to get Eileen. Their relationship was rockier than it ever had been, since their last argument just last November, and every time she looked at him her expression soured. The thought crossed his mind that it probably had something to do with the black eye he'd given her, but she'd deserved it. Her criticisms were unwelcome; Tobias was hardworking man who was carving out a life for his family at the expense of the dreams he would rather pursue. He could care less about whether Severus was walking or crawling as long as the bills were paid and there was money left over for food.

By Christmas Eve, he had a slight idea of what to get her, and took off for the shops. The necklace he wanted was one of the cheaper ones, being mostly made out of delicately twisting wire rather than loaded with precious stones, with a single emerald teardrop hanging from the center. She would love it, and it wouldn't even dip into their savings too much, considering he was buying it from a pawn shop. Best yet, she would soon have the chance to show it off, as they were both invited to a Christmas party the mill's manager (whose son was one of the men Tobias saved) was hosting. It would be a wonderful night out, and Tracey (who was recently married and returned from a honeymoon in France) already agreed to watch Severus.

Tobias set off for home with a spring in his step and a song on his lips, necklace in his jacket pocket. He presented it to Eileen on Christmas Morning, after they both watched Severus happily gnaw on the ear of his new stuffed bear while sitting on a pile of wrapping paper.

"Oh, Tobias!" she gasped, looking at him with round eyes. "Can we afford it?"

"Yes," he said, and fastened it around her neck.

Severus cooed and gurgled as Eileen hugged Tobias tight. Tobias just smiled and winked at the tot, his heart lightened. For today, at least, his worries were gone.

By the time they were ready to leave for the Flyte's that evening, the house had a definite warm glow around it. Tobias and Severus shared a gingerbread biscuit that Tracey brought over while he talked with his twin and waited for Eileen to finish getting ready. His rented tux felt weird, especially around the shoulders, and his bowtie was horribly uncomfortable, but Tobias ignored it. Tracey brought her husband with her and finally getting to meet his twin's husband made up for everything.

At five o'clock sharp, Eileen walked down the stairs, the click of her heels drawing attention to her. Tobias felt a warmth spread through him as he looked at her, smiling at him. She was a very thin woman, with a long face and thick eyebrows, but there was no denying that Eileen was beautiful woman when she smiled. Nicer-looking than him, at least, who had a beak for a nose and crooked teeth. While he would be obviously uncomfortable in his formal clothes, there was a way that Eileen walked in her long, black dress that was very telling of her days as an heiress. With her hair pulled back and pinned up, a coat of lipstick, and the teardrop emerald just falling into the hollow of her collarbone, Eileen was even more beautiful than she was on their wedding day.

Well, they'd been married in the Town Hall, so perhaps that wasn't the best comparison.

"You look beautiful," he told her.

She smiled wistfully. "I'd kiss you, but it would smear my lipstick. How long is this party going to be?"

"We'll leave early," promised Tobias.

Tracey laughed and tickled Severus. "You two have fun, and don't forget to pick up Severus tomorrow!"

"Merry Christmas to you, too, Trae," said Tobias.

A/N: Thank you for reading! Please review and let me know what you thought.