Y/N eventually cried herself to sleep after a bit. Severus let her sleep as long as possible until the girls started crying to be fed again. He gently woke her up and started removing her shirt.
She sat sleepily against the pillows as he placed the girls on her. “How long was I out?” she asked curiously as she struggled opening her eyes. “About three hours,” he replied softly. He leaned down to her sleepy face giving her a kiss. “More,” she whispered when he pulled back.
“I’ll give you more tonight. I brought you a pain potion as well for your head,” he responded. He held the open bottle up to her lips while she held the girls, tipping it into her mouth.
Once she had been given a sip of water, Severus fetched a warm wet cloth to gently wipe her sleepy face. Her eyes were a bit swollen from all the crying she had done earlier.
“Why are you being so nice to me? I acted like an absolute twat earlier,” she asked curiously. With a gentle reassuring tone, he replied, “You’re my Princess. I have to take care of you,” he smiled softly.
Once she was done, Severus took the girls, laying them back in their bassinets. “We are going to dinner. Gloria is going to come watch them,” he announced.
A look of worry came over her face as she redressed herself. “We agreed,” he reminded her when he saw her face change.
“We agreed or you decided? Must be nice to make all the rules,” she mumbled to herself. Severus inhaled and exhaled deeply, trying to find his patience.
“We agreed that you would eat breakfast and dinner in the great hall, without the girls,” he replied in a slightly annoyed tone.
Y/N said nothing else, just threw on her oversized cardigan and slipped her boots back on. She went and waited beside the chamber doors with her arms crossed. Before they walked out of their chambers, she grabbed her pocket watch so she would have something to fidget with.
Gloria was waiting outside the door ready to come in and take over. “It will be ok, Professor, they are in good hands,” the little elf tried to reassure Y/N when she noticed her demeanor. “Thank you, Gloria,” Y/N replied softly, looking down to the floor.
Her mood soon improved when a group of Slytherins met them in the hallway asking about the babies. “Don’t worry, you will see them soon enough. I’m sure they will be in and out of class. They can’t be away from me for long,” she said with a soft smile.
Severus pushed her chair in as always in the great hall and started serving food onto her plate. “Thank you,” she told him softly.
Fleur leaned over, asking “You feeling ok? Curious weather we were having earlier today,” with a look of concern. “I’m ok. Just tired,” Y/N replied softly.
Y/N twisted her pocket watch around in her hand, flipping it over and over while she stared down at her plate. She wasn’t even looking at her plate really though, her mind was wandering to the girls.
Severus leaned back, gently stroked her back, trying to remind her to eat without nagging at her. It snapped her out of it long enough to eat some of her dinner but not as much as he would’ve liked.
S: It would be nice if I could have some of your attention during meal times.
Y: Sorry. What would you like to talk about? The fact you are controlling the way I mother the girls.
S: Forget it. Sit there and act like a petulant child, Y/N.
Y/N pushed her chair from the table without another word and left the great hall alone. She apparated back into their chambers once she was out of sight so she could be with the girls.
“Thank you, Gloria. You can leave and return in the morning,” she told the little elf. “Of course, good night Professor,” the elf said before disappearing in a puff of magic.
The girls were still asleep so Y/N went to the bathroom, starting the shower. She sat on the bathroom floor unlacing her boots when Severus came in the door without knocking. He walked in closing the door behind him, standing with his hand crossed behind his back, just staring at her.
“What do you want, Severus?” she asked without even looking at him.
“Have you decided that you don’t wish to be submissive anymore? Is that what this is about? You’ve been insufferable all day and I have done nothing but try to take care of you,” he asked blankly as he watched her undress.
Y/N just ignored him as she pulled her clothing off. She knew he hated that more than anything. “Speak to me!,” he sneered at her as he walked closer.
She looked up directly into his eyes, saying, “Punish me or are you just full of empty promises now?” she asked.