With thanks to Apythia, for betaing.

This is for June W. Happy now, June?

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Her eyes had always made him think of seraphim. All things heavenly and angelic were encased in those two shining orbs of sparkling blue. It had always been so, ever since the first time that she had looked up at him. Severus could never resist those eyes; they left him as powerless as one who has been placed under the Imperious curse. Even in the cold moonlight that illuminated the bedroom, her eyes seemed to shine with their own luminescence, just as her Maman’s eyes did.

Not that he didn’t try to resist the overwhelming appeal of those blue eyes. He tried to be as surly with her as he was with everyone else; it just never quite worked out the way he intended it too. Irritable at being awakened again in the depths of the night, Severus glowered fearsomely at the blue eyes only inches from his own, and yet again his glower came to nought.

Unfortunately for him, the owner of this particular set of bright, blue eyes had also inherited her Maman’s indomitable spirit and almost total immunity to glowering, so she simply countered the glower with a glare that was remarkably fearsome, considering the fact that it was delivered by a three year old. Severus repressed a smirk at the thought that at least his firstborn had inherited some of his own characteristics.

“What is it, Drusilla?” he murmured wearily, knowing her answer before she spoke it.

“That Mr Boo-Boo is under my bed again!”

“There is no monster under your bed,” he stated firmly, but without much hope. “Go back to sleep.”

“Yes he is, Daddy!” her protest was querulous, near to tears. “Please!”

Severus grumpily grabbed his wand from the bedside table and silently conjured a nightshirt before hauling his protesting body from the bed. As he did so, he asked, “Why can’t you just get Frou-Frou to scare away the monster?”

“Don’t be silly, Daddy. Who would ever be scared of a silly old elf? Daddies are much scarier,” she stated matter-of-factly as she grabbed his hand and began to drag him to her room.

So Severus padded barefoot out of the bedroom on his latest Boo-Boo hunting expedition, and as he yawned and attempted to rub the sleep from his eyes, he wondered how his firstborn could be so utterly terrified of a non-existent monster under her bed, yet, at the same time, be completely unintimidated by himself. Then he decided that if he ever did catch the monster, perhaps he would ask it for a few tips on keeping toddlers in line.

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Ten minutes later, having proven to Drusilla yet again that there really wasn’t a monster under her bed, he climbed back into his own, trying hard not to disturb the other occupant, who had a distinct tendency towards foul temper when her sleep was disturbed. Too late. As he snuggled contentedly into her back, she rolled over and another set of bright blue eyes sparkled in the moonlight. Severus braced himself for the scolding he felt sure that he was about to receive, but it seemed to have got lost in the post. He decided to head her off at the pass. I didn’t mean to disturb you, Mahaut.

You didn’t. He heard the wicked smug edge to her inner voice and knew that she was fully awake, and had been for some time.

You rotten little… You were awake the whole time weren’t you? You just didn’t want to get out of bed in the cold! And it was your turn to deal with Boo-Boo!

She was laughing now, as he spluttered his outrage at being duped. As he lay in stunned silence, planning his tactics for revenge, she wormed her way on top of him. Leaning on his chest, she looked down into his eyes, her nose mere inches from his own. Still laughing, she told him, But there’s a monster in my bed too.

He snorted, Don’t be ridiculous, beloved. I am not checking under my own bed for bloody Boo-Boo!

Who said anything about under the bed? she purred. Pay attention, Severus. I said in my bed! I’m looking at him right now. Funny looking bugger he is too!

She kissed him. A long, lazy purr of a kiss that sent shivers of anticipation down his spine, melting his irritability and bathing his soul in warm chocolate. He rolled over, wanting to be in charge, to salvage a little bit of grumpy dignity. It was his turn to look down at her as he quirked a brow and asked, Monster? And what does this monster intend to do?

She smothered a bout of smutty giggling and smirked adorably before answering, Nothing respectable, I hope!

As he kissed his wife once more and began to nibble his way down her neck, Severus reflected that his complete inability to resist a certain type of big blue eyes wasn’t all that bad, after all.