Real Love

A/N: Thanks to all who have continued to review! Also, much love and chocolate to my beta, MadBrilliant!

***

On this moment now I know

"Real Love" by John Lennon

It took a long time for Diana to recover. She was ghastly thin and pale due to her confinement and loss of so much blood. The medi-witches informed them that Diana's placenta had separated completely from her uterus, and in such a violent way, rendered her uterus extremely susceptible to another abruption if they decided to have more children. Snape flat out refused to have any more babies. He told Diana he would never risk losing her again, and they had their son to think about. Diana cried a lot over the loss, but knew it was the right decision. A simple incantation was made inside her uterus, and within minutes she was rendered sterile. It was so simple. She couldn't believe it. She felt there should be more to it after all she had suffered to bring her son into the world...it just wasn't right.

She came home and met her son. For a premature baby, he was so big! Two months old and she had missed so much. Molly's cooking helped put back on the weight she needed to gain, but emotionally, Diana was not well. She had fought Severus over making her a potion to create the lactation process, since she had dried up during the coma. Severus knew it would be a disaster, but he could not rattle the determined Scot in her. She saw it as her only chance to be a proper mother now that there would be no more babies. She was not going to miss out on the experience of breastfeeding her only child. Unfortunately, Severus was right. Septimus did not want to take the breast as he was now used to the bottle. Diana did not take the rejection well. She took it as a sign she was a failure as a mother and wished she had just died. She thought her child had rejected her and loved Molly more. He cried when she held him, but was soothed in Molly's arms. Even Severus, who claimed he was the most unnatural person in the world to have paternal feelings, was able to soothe 'the little man' as he called him.

It was a hard three months; a lot of fighting and tears could be heard from the Snapes' bedroom, mostly from Diana. Arthur and Molly were patient and waited it out with them. They knew how hard having children could be, even in the most ideal of situations. But this was a situation that had been less than ideal from the start! There were many a night where Molly would comfort Diana as she cried over her insecurities as a mother and a future wife, and Arthur would take Severus out for a walk and listen to him rant and rave about how he couldn't put up with the emotional hysterics anymore. Sometimes, Arthur would tell Severus stories about his children when they were babies, how insane Molly would be at the end of the day, and how he didn't know he would get through another. But they did, and he assured the other wizard that he would too.

***

"Severus," said a sultry Morgana Mulciber as she draped the doorframe to his office.

"Ah, Miss Muciber, do come in," he said civilly.

"So formal," she quipped as she sat down across from his desk.

"Well, we do have a bit of business to attend to today," Snape admitted.

"Indeed, I start my second year of my apprenticeship. I'm looking forward to getting that certificate that states I was able to survive the infamous Professor Severus Snape. It will be quite the coup for me. No one would dare refuse me with such credentials. Even with your sordid history, you still are considered the most learned Potions master of this age." She smiled with a satisfaction that only comes from an assured victory.

"Unfortunately, Miss Mulciber, our time together must come to an abrupt end. I will be unable to handle the responsibilities that come with having an apprentice. I even must forgo my plans of taking over the Defense position, so I have here a letter of one-year completion with honors and a reference letter. I'm sure you will be able to find another Potions master or mistress that will be happy to take you on." He shot a nasty smile at her.

Morgana was furious. "What is the meaning of this? We had a deal. I worked my arse off for you, you swine, and you cannot back out now! Even with your recommendation and worthless certificate, there will always be the question of why did I not stay on for the duration?"

Snape sat leisurely in his chair and spread his hands in regret. "My dear girl, have you not heard? My fiancée has given birth to my son. They both almost died, and my soon-to-be wife is still not fully well. She needs my time and deserves my attentions more than you. So, in a way, you could say, you only have yourself to blame," he said softly with an icy tone.

Morgana grabbed her papers and stormed out.

Snape was relieved. He could finally say to himself he had avenged his Diana's innocence.

***

The same day, Diana was humming one of her little songs as she changed Septimus' nappy. She was still trying to win over her son, and today, so far, had been a good day. At least he had not screamed his head off yet while she tended to his eating and changing. That was what Diana considered a "good day."

'Hi, ma wee darlin,'" she cooed.

She forgot to cover him as she grabbed a fresh nappy and got sprayed in the chest.

"I'll be jiggered, you wee begger!" She clapped her hands over her mouth. That was definitely NOT what she wanted her son to hear from his mummy.

Her expression with big eyes and her hands clamped over her mouth earned her a giggle from her son. She slowly lowered her hands and then repeated the expression. He smiled and laughed a happy little gurgle. She broke out in a great smile. Afterwards, she changed her son (and herself) and laid him on her chest for a snuggle and cuddle. She sang to him the old songs from the Highlands. She had been afraid he would not like her singing, so she had never tried before.

Ho-bhàn, cadalan, m' eudail;

Rùn do mhàthar.

As she sang, Septimus snuggled and burrowed right into her cleavage and slept.

Just like your Daddy, she thought happily.

Thus began the bonding between Diana, and her son, Septimus.

***

Snape came home to a very content wife. She was so happy about her day with Septimus, she barely could contain herself. Snape laughed at the story. He watched her as she cooked with Molly, holding Septimus as she whipped her wand to cut to the vegetables. He loved how happy she looked. Her spirit, her drive, and her determination was back. The woman he had fallen in love with was back. Molly and Arthur could not help but notice the desire that passed between the two of them.

They insisted on taking Septimus with them to have coffee and dessert at Bill and Fleur's home. Diana and Severus put up a reasonable resistance, just to make things not look so desperate...but in fact they truly were. They had not had sex in months. Oh, there had been a couple of mercy blow jobs so Severus' temper could be calmed, but Diana had not had any interest since she had felt so depressed. Well, the drought was officially over.

She came to bed very nervous. It did not take long for her fears to disappear. She had never seen Severus so desperate for her. He spoke sweetly to her and took his time.

"After all," he said. "This will be your first time since having the baby, so in a way it's like you are a virgin again. I promised I would make it up to you, Diana," he whispered.

Diana was deeply touched by his words. She kissed him passionately. It had been so long since she had truly wanted him, wanted this. It was all a blur of skin and clothes being pulled off, smelling his familiar scent so intimately. Her hands found their way into his hair as he descended, kissing a familiar trail down to her nether lips...

"I love you," she whispered as he finally entered her.

"I love you," he groaned as he thrust himself completely inside her.

He kissed her so passionately, so lovingly, she knew his words of love were real. He really had learned to love her. During her depression, she would scream and curse at him, and he had taken it. Oh, he would argue back with her, but only to try to shake some sense into her. He had taken all her anger at how he had treated her as she had brought it up over and over again, even after he had profusely apologized, but he had never threatened to leave her or demanded that she behave better.

All these memories rushed through her mind as she enjoyed her husband gently taking her. She watched him. He was holding so much back...for her. She recalled their first time, and she knew that was how he liked it. Well, I can fix this! she thought naughtily.

"Severus," she moaned.

His eyes snapped onto hers. "Don't hold back. I know how you want it, and so do I!" she pleaded with soft urgency.

He closed his eyes and grabbed her tightly and drove into her. She wasn't as strong as she had been, but hell, she needed the work out. She pushed herself to meet his movements and match his ardor. He was grunting and panting now against her neck. She hiked her legs up high to his sides, and he surprised her by grabbing them and hooking them over his shoulders. She arched her back as he continued to slam into her, lifting her off the bed at times. She grabbed the railings of the headboard behind her as she screamed out her orgasm. He followed soon after, hollering out his own.

After he gently lowered her down, she drowsily sank into the crook of her husband's arm. He stroked her face and told her again how much he loved her. She smiled through closed eyes as he gently kissed each lid.

***

A/N: The Scottish lullaby is called "Tàladh Thròndairnis" and is translated as:

Hovan, ba, my wee darling

May your waking be healthy, Mummy's darling.

Here is the link if you want to hear the song sung:

http://www.kistodreams.org/taladh_throndairnis_g.asp