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Severus woke up with a sense of something missing. He reached out in the complete darkness – the streetlights were out yet again, apparently, damn this blasted town – and found only a cold, empty spot where another body should be. He groaned quietly, trying to sit up; lately, his back was protesting the years spent hunched over a cauldron louder than usual.
Not bothering to look for his wand he left the bedroom and wandered the house for a good moment, until his trained ear caught a quiet sniffle in one of the rooms. As quietly as possible he pushed the door open to find Harry on the floor; eyes red and puffy, hands mindlessly stroking the soft fur of the teddy bear lying abandoned on the bed.
Sighing and internally apologizing to his poor bones he sat down and embraced his husband, warm body immediately melting against his. They sat in silence for a long time.
“She’s too young to be so far away from home” Harry whispered eventually, voice cracking halfway through the sentence and Severus found himself pulling him closer, protectively. “What if something happens and we won’t be there?”
“Minerva would contact us immediately” he answered in what he hoped was a soothing tone. It was too early for this. “And as incompetent as Longbottom can be, he takes his duties as Head of House seriously. He won’t let anything happen.”
“But what if he doesn’t know?!” Severus was unprepared for the sudden yell, or for the influx of new tears in green eyes. As level-headed Harry has grown up to be in his years as an auror, apparently their child leaving for Hogwarts was his breaking point. “We got into so much dangerous shit in school and nearly died multiple times and Dumbledore only looked and did nothing and Minerva didn’t even know half the time-”
“You were a special case!” The strict tone, a reminder of his years as a teacher seemed to work, as Harry turned back to look at him surprised, tears momentarily forgotten. “You ran into danger head first, without thinking, every time. There are no Dark Lords to chase and no precious artifacts to destroy anymore. She will be fine.”
“But what if-”
“Besides” Severus continued, not letting his husband butt in, “Lily is a smart girl. Definitely smarter than you were at her age, Snape. And with how much she likes to talk, you will know everything that happens to every inhabitant of the castle, within hours, if her poor owl doesn’t die from exhaustion flying back and forth”
That got a weak giggle, at least.
“You’re one to talk, Potter” Harry mumbled, shifting so he could hide his face against his husband’s shoulder. “You were the one that floo’d Minevra when you didn’t get Lily’s letter two hours after Sorting”
“That was a perfectly reasonable action!” Severus snorted, “I had to make sure my daughter isn’t a Gryffindor.”
“You married one, you wanker” The insult would hold a bit more power if it wasn’t followed by a yawn and two arms wrapping themselves around Severus’ neck. The birds outside seemed to be waking up, if the increasingly annoying noise was to be trusted. Not much of the night left, and plenty of sleep they still needed.
“You’re taking a sick leave today” Two sets of knees cracked painfully, as they rose from the floor. “We’re staying in bed. And if you behave, I will send a letter to Minerva and see if we can visit over the weekend.”
The smile Harry sent him did weird things to Severus’ heart.