Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/10343355.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Underage
  Category:
      M/M
  Fandom:
      Harry_Potter_-_J._K._Rowling
  Relationship:
      Harry_Potter/Severus_Snape
  Character:
      Harry_Potter, Severus_Snape, Voldemort, Lucius_Malfoy, Hermione_Granger,
      Ron_Weasley, Albus_Dumbledore, Remus_Lupin, Sirius_Black, Draco_Malfoy
  Additional Tags:
      Mpreg
  Stats:
      Published: 2017-03-17 Updated: 2017-10-06 Chapters: 7/? Words: 30408
****** The Dark Lord's Gift ******
by sokkasfriendlygiantmushroom
Summary
     The Dark Lord thinks he's giving Severus a gift. It doesn't take long
     for Harry to love it. Dumbledore wants to get rid of it as quickly as
     possible. Molly thinks its going to be evil. Remus and Sirius will do
     anything for Harry even if that means excepting it. Hermione and Ron
     aren't really sure how to feel about it. And Severus doesn't know
     what to do but he sure as hell didn't ask for it.
***** The Beginnings of a Plan *****
“The Ministry doesn’t believe that I’m back!” Voldemort snorted looking down at
a copy of the daily prophet one of his death eaters had given him. He sighed
pleasantly looking around at his death eaters that had all gathered at Malfoy
Manor in the room he was using for meetings. “Isn’t it wonderful when things
just fall into place? They think Potter and Dumbledore are crazy. The ministry
no longer trusts the old fool and I doubt it ever trusted the Potter boy. They
turn on him so easily. So much for him being their savoir.” Voldemort said
distaste dripping off he words like poison.
 
He looked around the room at his followers who all sat in sullen silence masks
of indifference securely on their faces.
 
“Well? Are you not happy that we have yet to be discovered? That the Ministry
isn’t looking for me? For you?”
 
“We are all very pleased my lord.” Replied Lucius Malfoy who sat the closest to
Voldemort on his right side on his left side Severus Snape inclined his head in
agreement. He had proven himself to be still a trustworthy spy for their Lord
that month after vigorous use of legilimens by their Lord himself. Or at least
that’s what Voldemort thought.
 
“Then it must be simply that not everyone is here to celebrate with us that
keeps you from truly enjoying yourselves.” Voldemort said scanning the faces of
his Death Eaters. “But do not fear just like I saved Barty here from the
dementors at Hogwarts I shall soon evict the rest of my followers from Azkaban.
They will not remain there long before I make a move on the prison. It is of
the utmost importance that all of my loyal are here to celebrate their Lord’s
return.” Voldemort gave a toothy grin to Bartemius Crouch Jr. who was thought
to have been kissed after being caught posing as Alastor Moody while teaching
at Hogwarts.
 
Voldemort flicked his yew wand conjuring three darts that hovered in the air.
He looked at them fondly before flicking his wand again and sending one
straight across from him where it embedded itself in the stone wall right next
to the head of muggle teen that Voldemort had pinned to the wall before the
meeting. The dark haired boy shook and tried to scream, though nothing could be
heard through the silencing charm placed on him, as he fought the magic that
kept him stuck against the wall. The boy had messy dark hair and green eyes
that had been enchanted to shine brighter, so that they closer matched the boy
that he was representing. Blood dripped down from the lightning scar that had
been carved into the forehead of the defenseless muggle teen. Voldemort smiled
and cocked his head watching the boy’s terror.
 
“What information do you have on the boy, Severus?” Voldemort asked never
taking his eyes off the pseudo Harry Potter pinned to the wall in front of him.
 
“He’s staying the summer at his relative’s house, like always, where he hides
behind blood wards.” Severus responded watching Lucius who sat across from him
rather than looking at either Voldemort or the fake Harry Potter.
 
“A cowardly little lion our Harry is turning out to be.” Voldemort mused
sending a second dart flying at the fake Harry who let out another silent
shriek. “How strong are these blood wards? Would they really keep me out?”
 
“I believe so. Dumbledore is certain that the boy is safe as long as he is at
his relatives. He doesn’t even check up on the boy while he’s there.” Severus
said still looking at Lucius as if it were him he was conversing with and not
Voldemort, who was only focused the pseudo Potter’s silent shrieks and pleas.
 
Voldemort frowned in contemplation. “I guess we will have to wait before
killing Harry then. It would be better to have all of my followers out of
Azkaban to celebrate his death anyways.” Then an idea dropped into his mind and
he smiled wide giving an exuberant laugh that had several of his followers
jumping. His gaze flicked around the room sizing up his Death Eaters before he
chose one for the plan that was uncoiling itself in his mind. Having chosen his
victim from among his followers he gave no indication which one it was or what
his plan entailed. No, it wouldn’t do for anyone to know the plan before it
played out. This was going to be a fun year he decided as he flicked his wand
sending the third dart straight through the replica Harry’s forehead with a
sickening crunch. He laughed again watching the would-be Harry hang limply from
the stone wall blood streaming down from the new hole in his head.
 
“Leave me.” Voldemort said without even looking at his followers his eyes still
glued on the dark haired boy stuck to the wall. The Death Eaters all filed out
of the room silently trying not to look at the dead boy.
 
Voldemort stood as soon as the last of his followers had left the room. He made
his way over to the fake Harry. Standing right in front of the dead boy he
caressed the boy’s cheek lightly with his thumb smiling as he spoke. “If they
knew I was back I’d leave your body right in front of the Hogwarts gates strung
up like a marionette as a reminder.” He stepped back admiring his handy work
before with a flick of his wand he let the boy’s body fall from the wall and
began leaving the room. “I suppose you’ll make a fine enough meal for Nagini
though.”
 
 
 
Severus Snape made his way through the expanse of Malfoy manor looking for the
library. Lucius had found a potions book, in the back of one of his family’s
ancient vaults, that he thought Severus would like to look over and Severus was
eager read it. He’d been at the manor enough times over the years, being a
friend of Lucius and Draco’s Godfather, that he didn’t need a house elf to
guide him or a point-me charm like some of the Death Eaters, but that didn’t
mean he was particularly fast about getting where he needed to go. He only had
to pass a couple more doors before he got to the large white double doors that
announced the library. Before he could reach the large doors of the library the
door of what he thought was a broom closet shot open as he was walking passed.
 
Someone grabbed his robes and dragged him into the small closet before quickly
shutting the door behind him. He was spun around to face his kidnapper. The
closet was dark enough that he couldn’t see much more than the looming figure
of a man. Immediately the man started to try and undo the buttons on his robes
and Severus nearly jumped out of his skin. Who was trying to take his robes
off?
 
Severus was seemingly to stunned into silenced to make a coherent escape from
the closet and the man who was having a rather difficult time undressing him.
 
The man fumbled with the button for a few more seconds before growling, “Damn
it Severus you and these incessant buttons.” The man tapped his yew wand
against Severus robes and all the buttons sprung undone.
 
At the reveal of the wand Severus knew who had him shut in a closet but he
couldn’t bring himself to believe it. Another tap of the yew wand and his cock
pulsed hardening uncomfortably. “M.. my… my Lord?” Severus stuttered as
Voldemort began undoing his trousers.
 
“Do shut up, Severus.” Voldemort hissed pushing Severus’s trousers along with
his pants down to his ankles reveal Severus’s hard cock that pressed up against
his stomach as it was no longer confined. Severus pressed his lips together
trying to keep from asking what the hell was going on. This was bizarre but
still better than a crucio. Voldemort wrapped his pale long fingered hand
around Severus’s cock and began to stroke it hard and fast in a way that almost
hurt. Severus groaned doubling over in as the pleasurable-pain of Voldemort’s
tight grip on his cock over took him. Voldemort’s other hand grabbed Severus by
his greasy hair slamming his head back into the wall while he pumped Severus’s
cock in some weird form of hate sex that was making Severus want to vomit. A
couple more pumps and it was like the orgasm was involuntarily ripped from
Severus’s body though if it meant this encounter had come to an end Severus
couldn’t be happier. White spunk shot up onto the front of Severus’s shirt and
all over Voldemort’s hand. Voldemort pulled away from Severus and a light in
the closet flicked on as Voldemort examined the seamen that coated his hand.
Seemingly satisfied Voldemort flicked his wand that the seamen vanished and the
light dissipated. Voldemort was out of the broom closet in a flash leaving a
perplexed Severus Snape gasping for breath in the dark with a killer headache
and a soft cock throbbing from its rough treatment. Panting Severus began to
straighten up before leaving the broom closet. He cast a quick cleaning charm
on himself and magically did up all the buttons on his trousers and robes. He
still had to find the library before he could head back to Spinners End.
***** Selfish *****
Harry had just gotten back to Grimmauld Place from the trial involving the
dementor attack on Privet Drive when he threw up for the first time. He had
been so stressed and nauseous that it took all he had just to make it to the
toilet before he vomited up everything he’d eaten that day. After the meager
amount of food that he had eaten came up he spent a couple more minutes over
the toilet as his body tried to expel things he hadn’t eaten. Before he could
pull back away from the toilet, Sirius had rushed into the room and began
rubbing his back as he wretched. As soon as the dry heaving was over Sirius
handed him a wet wash cloth and Harry began cleaning his face. Then it was
over, chalked up to nerves the strange vomiting session was forgotten about.
 
He didn’t throw up again until the train ride to Hogwarts where he went to the
bathroom twice to expel bile and did nearly anything he could to combat the
motion sickness. It was strange because he’d never experienced motion sickness
before on the train. In fact, no one ever seemed to feel motion sickness on the
train ride. Harry figured that he would just have to ask Neville about it
later. If anyone experienced motion sickness on the train ride he figured
Neville would have or at least heard about it if someone else had.
By the time Harry had gotten a month into school he feel like he’s was dying.
He has spent nearly every morning since he’s gotten to Hogwarts with his head
in the toilet, at this rate he’s barely able to hide the illness from Ron and
Hermione who have watched him run out of the Great Hall at various points in
the month to go straight to the bathroom. He’s getting weak too. He’s exhausted
and napping at all hours. He never has the energy for homework and is
constantly falling asleep during class. His body feels like it’s slowly
shutting down. He feels like something was sucking at his magic. He felt a
presence settle into his magic around his birthday but thought nothing of it.
It didn’t hurt, it wasn’t even uncomfortable, but now it’s starting to worry
him because he’s beginning to feel weaker and weaker. He starting to wonder if
he should start looking up magically parasites but seeing as he’s barely able
to look at a text book without falling asleep he doesn’t think it will help
much. It was lucky for him and his grades that Hermione was taking pity on him
enough to begin doing most of his homework but he knew it wouldn’t be long
before he was drug off to Madam Pomfrey or Dumbledore. He hadn’t even had the
energy to fight with the new DADA teacher about Voldemort being back or the
fact that she didn’t actually want to teach them magic. There was nothing left
in him when it came to Malfoy either. He just kind of floated through the
school little more than a ghost until the second week of October when he
fainted.
 
He was been walking with Ron and Hermione to Charms when a wave of weakness
washed over him. A sharp ringing vibrated through his ears and his vision when
black and he fell.
 
Ron caught Harry around the waist just before he hit the ground looking at
Hermione worry written across his face. “Hospital wing” they said together. Ron
cast a feather light charm on Harry before scooping him up in his arms and
taking off to the hospital wing with Hermione right behind him. They placed him
down in the bed that had become known to them as Harry’s bed just as Madam
Pomfrey came rushing over.
 
“What’s wrong with him this time?” Madam Pomfrey asked looking Harry over and
preforming several quick diagnostic spells over him.
 
“We don’t know. He’s been getting sicker and sicker and has been trying to hide
the fact that he’s been throwing up from us. At first we thought it was just
the dreams and that he would come around eventually and tell us about them but
he passed out in the Hallway on the way to charms and now…” Hermione gestured
at Harry in the bed.
 
One of Madam Pomfrey’s spells revealed something that she wasn’t prepared for.
“Oh!” She exclaimed quickly rummaging through her potions bag to find the one
that would strengthen Harry’s magic enough to bring him back around. “Did he
hit the ground when he fainted?” She asked Hermione and Ron as she poured the
potion into Harry’s mouth massaging his throat to coax him into swallowing.
 
“No, I caught him before he could.” Ron answered frowning down at Harry.
 
“Good, good.” Madam Pomfrey said smiling. “I know what’s wrong with him and
he’ll be back around in no time so off with you two. You’ll be needed in your
classes. You can come back around after them.”
 
Ron and Hermione shared a worried glance before they reluctantly left the
hospital wing.
 
Madam Pomfrey headed back to her office room and picked up a couple pamphlets
setting them on Harry’s lap just as he began to stir. Harry opened his eyes and
was greeted with the worried face of Madam Pomfrey.
 
Harry groaned stretching his body before asking. “So what is it then? Am I
dying?” He asked waiting for the news on whatever magic draining parasite he
had.
 
“Mr. Potter you really should come to me before you pass out in the hallway.
You could really injure yourself. Mr. Weasley came in here carrying you bridle
style imagine the rumors that could start.” Madam Pomfrey chastised with a
nervous laugh.
 
Harry groaned again. “I was hoping whatever it was would pass. So out with it.
What’s wrong with me?”
 
Madam Pomfrey gulped. “Well Mr. Potter, you’re pregnant.”
 
“I’m… No that’s not possible! I’m a man I can’t get…”
 
“Wizards can get pregnant Mr. Potter, though it is rare and requires quite a
bit of magical power on both sides it is possible. I didn’t figure you’d know
however so I took the liberty of grabbing you a couple pamphlets.” Madam
Pomfrey gestured to the papers she had placed in Harry’s lap. “Headmaster
Dumbledore really should have let me start those sexual education classes that
I’ve been asking for. Muggleborn and muggle-raised students just don’t know
these sorts of things and it can end up getting them in trouble.
Granted we do usually find boys who are that way inclined and teach them about
it before this sort of thing happened but as you can see it’s not hard for one
of them to slip through the cracks.” Madame Pomfrey rambled and Harry let her
as he tried to process the information.
 
Harry looked down at the pamphlets. Two of them were on male pregnancy. The
first one was how the bearer’s magic was effected and the second one was on the
stages of pregnancy and birth. The third pamphlet was on terminating the
pregnancy. Harry jumped when he got to that one. He was only fifteen. He didn’t
exactly want to be pregnant. He hadn’t even had…
 
“I can’t be pregnant I’m a virgin.” He blurted out looking up from the pamphlet
at Madam Pomfrey.
 
“I don’t know how that could be…” Madam Pomfrey muttered. “Harry I want you to
try something.”
 
Harry nodded waiting for instructions.
 
“I want you to close your eyes and focus really hard on feeling your magic,
Harry.”
 
Harry closed his eyes and focused. It wasn’t long before he felt his magic
swirling around him. It was caressing him and enfolding him in warmth like a
blanket.
 
“Can you feel it Harry?”
 
Harry nodded.
 
“Swell it outward Harry and tell me if you feel something like a buzzing ball
that’s latched on to your magic.”
 
Harry pushed his magic out away from his body and gasped as he felt a small
buzzing coming from the center of his magic just over his stomach. “I feel it.”
He gasped. He opened his eyes smiling at Madam Pomfrey. The little ball had
felt beautiful. It felt like love.
 
“That’s your baby Harry, or rather, your baby’s magic.” Madam Pomfrey said. She
couldn’t help but smile at Harry’s reaction to feeling his child for the first
time. “Harry it’s very important that you’re honest with me. Have you slept
with anyone in the past couple of months?” Madam Pomfrey gave him the “I’m
serious” look.
 
“No. I told you I’m a virgin.” Harry blushed ducking his head. “That’s not
exactly something I’d lie about.”
 
“Ok. I’m going to do a quick test that will tell me how far along you are, and
then, with your permission contact the Headmaster.” She said waiting for
permission from Harry who nodded at her. She flicked her wand at him a muttered
a spell in Latin. “Oh, your about ten weeks along. So two and a half months.”
She said smiling at Harry who quickly flipped through the second pamphlet to
look through what was happening with the baby at this point.
 
Without looking up from the second pamphlet he held out the third one to Madam
Pomfrey. “I won’t be needing this one.” Harry insisted.
 
Madam Pomfrey took it from Harry smiling. “I do need your express permission to
inform the Headmaster.”
 
Harry nodded in understanding. “You can inform the Headmaster.”
 
Madam Pomfrey left to her office to floo the Headmaster and to give Harry some
much needed privacy as he came to terms with being pregnant.
 
Harry ran a hand over his flat stomach as he read the pamphlets on male
pregnancy. Apparently he had to find the father so that he could use that man’s
magic help feed the baby so that he wouldn’t end up sick and passing out again.
But did the baby even have a father? He hadn’t slept with anyone. Or at least
he didn’t think that he had slept with anyone. Could he have been obviated? He
wasn’t even gay. Was Voldemort behind this? Or a Death Eater? Was the baby
Voldemort’s? Harry looked down at his stomach and focused on his magic again.
As soon as he felt the baby he let out a sigh and decided. It didn’t matter who
the father was he would have this baby. He would fight for this baby. If it
meant tying whoever the “father” was down so that he could be around him for
the baby he would. Harry opened his eyes and smiled. This baby would be his
family now. It didn’t matter how it came to be. All Harry ever wanted was a
family of his own and now he had Sirius and his baby. He wondered if the baby
was a boy or a girl. It didn’t matter to him either way but he couldn’t help
trying to picture it. Him holding a little boy or girl, watching as they grew,
their first bout of accidental magic, teaching them how to ride a broom, seeing
them off to Hogwarts when they turned eleven. Harry smiled as he felt a warm
swelling in his chest. He already loved his baby. He couldn’t help it as he
thought of the child’s life laid out in front of him. He would give the child
everything he didn’t have. His child would never see the insides of a cupboard,
would never feel unwanted in his own house, and would never have to settle for
trying to live off table scraps.
 
It didn’t take long before Dumbledore was rushing down to the hospital wing
followed by Hermione and Ron who still had no idea what was wrong with Harry.
Harry looked up at them smiling as his mentor who had a dazed look about him
still not believing that Harry was pregnant.
 
“Harry, my boy, how are you?” Dumbledore asked his eyes scanning over Harry
looking for changes.
 
“I’m fine professor. Madam Pomfrey gave me a potion that fixed me all up. I’ll
be ready to go in no time.”
 
Dumbledore let all the air out of his lungs and started to relax. “Oh, good my
boy, you’ve already started the process then.” Dumbledore was trying to hide
the amount of relief he felt understanding that it was probably hard for Harry
to opt for abortion, he had set it up so that the boy would value family, but
the boy didn’t look like he was having that much difficulty with it.
 
Harry cocked his head his smile fading with confusion. “What process?”
 
“The termination process of course. It really is the best…”
 
“Termination?” cried the three Gryffindor’s.
 
“Well yes, I assume that’s what the potion was for.” Dumbledore said
exasperated and confused.
 
“No, I meant the potion to restore my magic. I’m not getting rid of it!” Harry
said pressing his hand against his flat stomach.
 
“Harry? You’re pregnant?” Hermione asked but was quickly forgotten as
Dumbledore spoke.
 
“Harry you need to understand. Now isn’t the time for a pregnancy. You’re only
fifteen and Voldemort has returned. It won’t be long till were swept up in a
war. I’m sure you’re young lover whoever he is will understand.”
 
Ron looked like he was going to faint. “You’re gay?”
 
“I haven’t had sex! I’m a virgin!” Harry shouted looking from Dumbledore to Ron
willing them to believe him.
 
“Is that true?” Dumbledore asked looking at Madam Pomfrey who had just swept
in.
 
“It appears to be. There’s nothing to indicate that he’s had sexual relations
with a man or a woman so I’m inclined to believe him.” Madam Pomfrey answered.
 
“Harry this could have Voldemort behind it. Who knows who the father is? If, of
course, you’re sure that you haven’t had sex.” Dumbledore eyed Harry seriously.
 
“I’m sure.” Harry ground out.
 
“Would you want to…? I don’t know if Harry has any family. But he might want
them around to help him make these decisions.” Madam Pomfrey suggested.
 
Dumbledore nodded in contemplation. “Yes, I’ll have Remus floo over.” Then he
muttered quietly to himself. “Maybe he and Black can talk some sense into the
boy.” Dumbledore turned on his heel and strode out of the hospital wing.
 
“Well would you like me to do the paternity test while he’s gone Harry?” Madam
Pomfrey asked.
 
Harry ducked his head, he wasn’t sure if he was ready for this just yet but he
would be needing the other fathers magic soon and he didn’t know how hard it
would be to get into contact with him. Harry looked up biting his lip and
nodded at Madam Pomfrey. This was happening weather he was ready or not.
 
Madam Pomfrey looked from Harry to his friends and then back to Harry. “You
don’t have to tell your friends if you don’t want. The only person that you are
required to tell, by both the law and for your own health is the father. I can
pull the curtain for the test if you’d like.”
 
Harry looked at his friends who still looked shell shocked and nodded. “Yes, I
think that would be best.” Then he held out the pamphlets for Hermione to take.
“You can read these if you want while you’re waiting.”
 
Hermione seemed to shake some of the daze off as she took the pamphlets looking
down to read the titles. “Thanks Harry these will be a great place to start.”
She said smiling planning on doing as much research as physically possible once
she was alone in the library.
Madam Pomfrey ushered her and Ron away from Harry’s bed and pulled the curtain
around them to give them privacy. She quickly preformed the spell and a small
piece of parchment appeared. She gasped reading the parchment before handing it
to Harry.
 
 
 
Mother: Harry James Potter
 
Father: Severus Tobias Snape
 
Trace Magic From: Tom Marvolo Riddle
 
 
 
Harry started to laugh. Voldemort had really fucked him over this time. He
couldn’t help but wonder how much of a role Snape had played in this whole
thing. Enough for Voldemort to get ahold of his sperm, of course, but did he
know that Harry was pregnant? Harry didn’t think so. He would have stopped
Harry from participating in potions or said something or… No, Professor Snape
wouldn’t have done any of those things. Professor Snape would be laughing his
ass off as he watched Harry walk like a zombie though the school on the verge
of fainting. Harry really hoped Snape had no idea. Thinking that the man might
have chosen this made him feel sick.
 
“Would you like me to floo him Harry?” Madam Pomfrey asked hesitantly.
 
Harry sighed. “No, I’ll talk to him later…” Harry trailed off folding the piece
of parchment and tucking it into his pants to think more about later. “Ok, I’m
ready to see my friends again.” Harry said forcing a small smile and putting on
a brave Gryffindor face.
 
“Okay, Harry. If you do decide to keep the child I want you to come back to the
Hospital wing this weekend. Let’s see, how about Sunday. Then we can do your
first scan and you’ll be able to listen to the baby’s heartbeat. I would do it
now but there some equipment that I’ll need to retrieve from St. Mungos.” Harry
nodded excited at the prospect of getting to hear his baby’s heartbeat.
 
Madam Pomfrey pulled the curtain back and left Harry alone as Ron and Hermione
advanced on the bed. “I can’t believe how similar to female pregnancies and
male pregnancies are. It’s absolutely remarkable how magic creates a space for
the baby to grow and then the magical transfer between the baby and father!”
Hermione babbled with her nose still stuck in the pamphlets that Harry had let
her borrow. “We’ll have to get books on it of course if you’re going to go
through with the pregnancy.” She said looking up for the first time her eyes
asking Harry the silent question.
 
“I’m keeping him.” Harry said touching his belly lightly and smiling at
Hermione.
 
“Yes, okay, good. Then I’ll send an order for books on male pregnancy.”
Hermione said smiling reassuringly at him. “Do you want to tell us who the
father is?” Hermione biting lightly on her lower lip.
 
Harry looked down at his lap. “Umm… Not yet. I want to tell him first and get
everything settled.”
 
“Okay Harry.”
 
“How the hell are you ok with this?” Ron nearly shouted.
 
Harry jumped. To be honest he had almost forgotten Ron was still there.
 
“You’re fucking pregnant Harry and at fifteen. You say you haven’t had sex and
I’d hope you would have told me or ‘Moine if you had. So how are you just okay
with carrying some random person’s baby! We don’t even know how you got
pregnant.” Ron ran a hand through his red hair in frustration.
 
“It was Voldemort.” Harry said sadly looking at his red haired friend.
 
“Wh… what?” Ron stuttered.
 
“The test that showed the other father revealed that Voldemort had a hand in
causing the pregnancy. I assume he used a spell to transfer the sperm of the
father but I don’t know much about magic used to impregnate people.” Harry
sighed before contemplating to himself. Harry closed his eyes rubbing the heel
of his hand against his forehead. “He really is a sick bastard.”
 
“He’s not the father though, is he?” Hermione asked biting hard on her lower
lip.
 
“No, he’s not the father.” Both Ron and Hermione let out and audible sigh of
relief.
 
“But the father is some nasty death eater though.” Ron said thinking. “It’s not
Malfoy’s is it? The younger one I mean. Or the older one. The baby isn’t a
Malfoy, right?”
 
“Stop, you’re not going to run through a list of Death Eaters until you find
the father. I’m just going to keep saying ‘no’ even if you manage to guess
correctly. So, no, the baby isn’t either Malfoy’s.” He said with a smirk let
them make of that what they would. “And for you information the baby is a
Potter.” Harry said stonily looking Ron straight in the eye.
 
“Okay, sheesh. Why do you want to give birth to a death eater…”
 
Harry’s wand was out in a flash and pointed at his best mate as he growled.
“Finish that sentence and I will hex you’re balls off Ron Weasley. This baby is
mine. MINE. I don’t care who the father is I would never hold that against
him.”
 
Ron stepped back holding up both his hands. “Okay, okay. Calm down mother
bear.”
 
“Don’t tell me to calm down. You will not insult my child.” Harry gritted out
not liking the way Ron didn’t seem to be taking his anger seriously.
 
“Okay, I’m sorry.” Ron said his hands still in the air.
 
Harry huffed but let the conversation drop. Hopefully Ron would pick up on the
fact that he would not be taking kindly to Ron bashing anything to do with the
baby. Harry still wasn’t sure he’d completely forgive Ron for last year and he
wouldn’t give a second thought to cutting Ron out of his life if Ron couldn’t
get past who the baby’s father was or how he was conceived. If Ron ever
mentioned it as his baby was growing up Harry wouldn’t hesitate with his wand.
 
Just then a rush of adults and a large black dog came stampeding into the room
consisting of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Remus,
and Sirius as the large black dog. Padfoot jumped up on to the bed with Harry
sniffing at his stomach. Padfoot let out a high pitch wine looking up at Harry,
eyes wide with worry, and licked his face.
 
“I know, Padfoot.” Harry said with a sad smile petting his Godfathers soft
black fur. Harry leaned into his Godfather to softly whispered “I’m scared.”
Letting his resolve falter for just a second before he leaned back out sliding
on a hard mask before he confronted Dumbledore, McGonagall, the Weasley’s and
Remus.
 
Everyone drew in close to the bed before Dumbledore drew the curtain closed
with a flick of his wand and through up a couple privacy spells so that Sirius
could transform without any students or Madame Pomfrey seeing him. Back in his
human form and sitting on Harry’s lap like Padfoot had been just seconds ago
Sirius gave Harry a much needed hug. Harry moved over in the bed allowing
Sirius to slide in next to him and put and arm around his godson in much needed
support. The statement might not have been spoken but it was clear all the
same. Sirius would support him, no matter his choice. Harry sighed in relief at
having at least one person on his side, though he knew what ever position
Sirius took Remus would follow and Hermione seemed to support him, if not
simply so that she could study male pregnancies and use him as her own little
science experiment. He didn’t figure the Weasley’s would support him if Ron was
anything to go by and he knew Dumbledore didn’t.
 
“Harry did you find out who the father is, my boy.” Dumbledore asked.
 
Harry stiffened and nodded his head.
 
Dumbledore gritted his teeth trying to look the picture of patience. “Well who
is it, my boy?”
 
“Madam Pomfrey has told me that I’m not required to tell anyone and I don’t
feel right revealing who the father is until he himself is informed.” Harry
said as calmly as possible watching his lap as he spoke as to not have to meet
Dumbledore’s eyes. For some reason he knew that if he looked into Dumbledore’s
eyes Dumbledore would know exactly who the father was. Harry’s resolve would
crack or waver and somehow Dumbledore would be able to connect the dots to
Professor Snape. “The test did reveal that Voldemort,” everyone in the room bar
Harry and Dumbledore flinched back, “had something to do with it. Somehow it
was his fault that I got pregnant. I don’t know why he would do that though.”
 
“Most likely to buy time, to keep you out of the war for at least nine months
if not completely. Or even to further damage your public image. My boy, you
must know that getting rid of it is the best option. We are in the middle of a
war and you can’t possible want this child the way that it should be knowing
that Voldemort caused it.”
 
Something flashed in Harry’s eyes at the mention of unwanted children. “I want
this child. I won’t end its life because of a war.”
 
Sirius went a bit wide eyed before nodding in acceptance of Harry’s choice.
Remus shot Harry a soft knowing smile understanding Harry’s need for a family
and his capacity to love.
 
“Harry, dear, it’s a Death Eater’s child.” Mrs. Weasley said quietly her eyes
pleading with Harry to understand to see reason.
 
“He’s MY child.” Harry stated looking straight into Mrs. Weasley’s eyes. She
could be a fierce mother if there ever was one but now Harry was going to be a
mother to and he was tired of the stupid idea that his child was a “Death
Eater’s baby” as if that made his child any less his.
 
“You know the gender already?” Remus asked looking at Harry’s flat stomach. He
didn’t think Harry was far enough along for the child’s genitals to show.
 
Harry blushed. “Well, no, it’s just a feeling.”
 
Sirius barked out a laugh. “I can’t wait until you find out it’s actually a
girl and I get to tell her as she grows up how her mother was constantly
referring to her as a boy.”
 
Harry looked away still blushing but didn’t respond to his Godfather’s teasing.
 
“This child could very well end up giving Voldemort the war if he gets his hand
on it. He could use it to manipulate you.” Dumbledore said trying to get Harry
to see his side.
 
“I suppose he could. But I will fight tooth and nail for my child. Just like my
mother. There is no way I’m allowing Voldemort to get near my child.” Harry
said fiercely a fire burning in his eyes.
 
“Don’t you think it’s rather selfish to keep this child? It will be in constant
danger and you won’t be able to train as hard to take down Voldemort if you’re
pregnant and then taking care of a child. Shouldn’t we consider the greater
good?” Dumbledore asked.
 
Harry stiffened not liking the way Dumbledore was trying to guilt him into
giving up his baby. “I suppose it is selfish. But I think there comes certain
times in your life in which selfishness is necessary.” Harry said glaring at
Dumbledore his mouth tight. He wasn’t giving his child up. That old bastard
could shove it. “I will not murder my own child and you will not make me feel
guilty for that.”
 
“Harry you can’t mean to raise a child at fifteen all by yourself with a war
going on.” Mrs. Weasley said softly her eyes hard as if she were trying to
imperio Harry with just her stare.
 
Sirius bark a laugh vibrated through the room before Harry could say anything.
“He’s far from alone, Molly.” Sirius turned to face Harry looking into his eyes
with complete honesty. “Remus and I will do everything in our power to help
you.” Turning to Dumbledore a shit eating grin slid across his face. “And
aren’t there special rooms in Hogwarts for married couples that are used in
situations like these. This comes up every couple years and if I remember
correctly there was a girl in my seventh year at Hogwarts who was given her own
rooms and lent a house elf so that she could finish her education. I’m sure the
same arrangements can be made for Harry who isn’t even at fault for his
pregnancy.”
 
Dumbledore answered stiffly. “Yes, of course.”
 
“Can I speak to Remus and Sirius alone?” Harry asked looking over at the
Weasley’s, Hermione, McGonagall and Dumbledore.
 
They all shuffled out of the curtain and Harry threw up every privacy spell he
knew before turning to his Godfathers. “You’re not going to like who the father
is.” Harry said biting his lip.
 
Sirius pulled Harry in closer to his side. “You don’t have to tell him, Harry.”
 
“The law says…”
 
Sirius gestured to himself. “Illegal animagus, and escaped convict, have I ever
cared much about the law, Harry?” Sirius asked with a wink.
 
Harry sighed rubbing his eyes with the heel of his palm. “Even if I were to
ignore the law I need his magic or I’ll just keep passing out until the baby
eventually aborts itself or sucks my magic dry killing both of us.”
 
Sirius frowns. “Who is it? I mean you don’t have to tell us if you don’t want
to but we’d like to help you and we might be able to if we know who the father
is.”
 
Harry looks down at his lap and quietly confesses. “ThefatherisSeverusSnape.”
 
“Harry even my werewolf hearing couldn’t catch that.” Remus says chuckling
lightly.
 
Harry sighs closing his eyes. He doesn’t want to see their reactions. “The
father of my child is Professor Snape.”
 
“That sniveling bastard.” Sirius roars and Harry jumps trying to put distance
between himself and his Godfather. He’s not exactly happy either but he really
isn’t in the mood to listen to any of the insults Sirius is about to throw
Professor Snape’s way. The response that Harry wasn’t expect was Remus’s. Remus
sighed in relief and gave Harry a small smile.
 
Sirius didn’t see Remus’s reaction but Harry did as he opened his eyes and
looked up at Remus confused.
 
“It’s for the best I think. Severus’s isn’t an easy man that’s for sure and
you’ll have a rough seven months of having to be around him but he’s not
actually a Death Eater. Out of all the people Voldemort could have chosen,
Severus is the best choice for us. He’s already at the school so we won’t have
to drag a Death Eater into Hogwarts for Harry and the child, and when the time
comes he’s the least likely to try and make a grab for the child and run. In
fact I don’t think he’s ever wanted children, he’ll be the most inclined to
leave you alone after you give birth.”
 
Sirius’s mouth hung open. “But Snivellus…”
 
“Is the father of Harry’s child and you should stop referring to him as such
for Harry’s sake.”
 
Sirius clamped his mouth shut digesting the information before nodding in
agreement.
 
“How are we going to tell him?” Sirius asked looking from Harry to Remus.
 
Harry paled at the thought. “I don’t know.”
***** Severus's Lords *****
Harry was taking the long way to the dungeons and he knew it. The paternity
test was gripped tightly in his hand as he made his way to confront the father.
He reached the door to Professor Snape’s office and took a deep breath before
knocking swiftly on the door. Part of him was praying that Professor Snape
wasn’t in his office. But the door opened and Professor Snape appeared standing
over him looking down his nose at Harry in a way that make him feel small and
insignificant. Harry reigned himself in from lashing out like he usually would
and really pissing his Professor off before he could even go through with
delivering the news that he could only hope Snape had no hand in. The
repercussions if Snape just laughed and sent him on his way felt heavy on
Harry’s shoulders. Even though he had said it didn’t matter who his child’s
father was that wouldn’t be making the next seven months just go away. He’d
have to spend it around Snape and that meant that being civil with Snape was
his best bet for now. Professor Snape sneered at him but moved aside to let
Harry into the office. The Snape takes a seat behind his desk. He’s seated but
he still manages an air that makes Harry feel like the small one. Harry lets
out the breath that he didn’t know he’d been holding and starts to explain.
 
“Madam Pomfrey told me that I should make you aware that I can no longer take
your class.” Harry begins trying to keep a level head with Professor Snape
sitting across from him sneering at him like he’s Neville’s potions assignment.
Harry tries to remember exactly why it is that Snape hates him but he can come
up with is his first potions lesson and Snape sneering about how “fame isn’t
everything”.
 
“You’ve finally decided that potions isn’t good enough for you, Potter? Do you
have some silly note claiming you’re allergic to the whole practice or should I
just take your word for it?” This was going exactly the way Harry had thought
it was going to go: all sorts of terrible.
 
“Well, something like that I supposed.” Harry pulled out the paternity test but
didn’t hand it over yet. He fingered the parchment bracing himself for the
ridicule he knew would come. “I’m pregnant, sir.” Harry said jutting out his
chin.
 
Professor Snape burst out in scornful sort of laughter that had Harry seeing
red with anger. If he knew what was good for him he wouldn’t react. He couldn’t
react. If Harry wanted himself and his baby to survive he would need Professors
Snape’s magic and pissing him off was not the way to go about getting access to
that. “Just like your father you never cease to amaze me as to just how idiotic
and thoughtless you are. Should I assume you’re keeping it, seeing as how
you’re getting out of my class?”
 
“Yes, sir.” Harry started to continue but he was cut off by Professor Snape’s
harsh voice.
 
“Even your father wouldn’t be arrogant enough to believe at fifteen just after
the Dark Lord’s return is anytime to bring up a child!” Professor Snape glared
at him from behind his desk.
 
Harry was barely hanging on to his temper as he let out. “Well then I guess
you’ve been wrong to accuse me of being arrogant, just like my father, for all
these years. No, I have an arrogance all my own that surpasses even that of my
father.” Harry said stiffly.
 
Snape ignored Harry. “And what of your spawn’s father. Do you expect him to
just drop everything for you and you’re offspring? The Chosen One can’t even
keep it in his pants or at least learn to use and anti-pregnancy charm.”
 
“I expect nothing from the father.” Harry said through gritted teeth.
 
“And, pray tell, whose existence you are planning on tarnishing with the news
of a spawn, Potter.”
 
Harry raised his eyebrows and chucked the paper at the desk in front of Snape
and finding more amusement in the words than he should said, “Yours, I suppose,
sir.”
 
Professor Snape took the paper looking down at it wide eyed his jaw hanging
open as he read his own name and then the name of the man who had made this all
possible. If Severus Snape had ever believe that becoming a Death Eater had
been the stupidest decision of his life, which of course he had, he had never
believed it more than now. That crazy mad man had violated him in a broom
closet to get his most hated, barring Longbottom, student pregnant. This was
rich! This had to be some cosmic joke. Oh, dear lord, Lily would’ve killed him
if she were alive. Lily, his best friend, was probably raging in the afterlife
over this. The woman wouldn’t be happy with him for the choices he had made in
his life, seeing as treating her son like dirt was one of them but this! He
could see Lily now wielding a pair of shears threating castration. She had
always had quite the temper to go with her read hair and been quite the mother
bear much like a younger Mrs. Weasley after she had had Harry.
 
Harry examined Snape’s reaction looking for any sign he might be faking
surprised or just shocked that Harry had found out and confronted him before
Harry died from loss of magic. He seemed genuine enough, granted he didn’t
think it would be hard for Snape to lie to him, but he figured there would be
more gloating involved with having messed with Harry’s life if he had known
about it before hand. “Well I suppose, that answers the question of if you
knew.” Harry said rubbing his temple. “Look drop this whole ‘can’t keep it in
his pants thing’ and any other illogical argument you’re gearing up to throw my
way and I won’t ask how Voldemort has access to your sperm, okay?”
 
Professor Snape nodded in agreement staring down at the paper. Harry bloody
Potter was pregnant with his child and it was all the Dark Lords fault, he had
planned this. He looked back up at Potter with a dumbstruck look plastered over
his face as he trying to get a handle on the situation. Then it occurred to
him, more like hit him with a wrecking ball, the only reason that Potter would
be telling him this would be that he had decided to keep it “Why the hell are
you keeping it, Potter?”
 
Harry frowned. “It’s a baby. It’s not his fault he’s there. I’m not just going
to kill him.” Harry said before turning on his heel to leave. It would probably
be for the best to leave Professor Snape alone with his thoughts for a bit.
Harry wasn’t particularly in the mood to get hexed or go through with him all
the reason why Harry wanted this baby. He didn’t want to hear Snape laughing at
his reasons for keeping the child and really didn’t want to hear Snape tell him
to get rid of it.
 
Severus didn’t try to stop him. He need answers and the sooner Potter left the
sooner he could get those. Moving to his floo he immediately called Malfoy
Manor. He couldn’t tell Lucius what was going on but he could at least request
an audience with the man who had made this nightmare become reality. He knew
the Dark Lord had taken to torturing his followers when they mess up, he’d been
on the other end of the man’s wand plenty of times, but Severus had no idea
what he’d done to deserve this.
 
“Lucius,” he called looking for his old friend through the fire place in
Lucius’s office.
 
Lucius appeared in his line of sight in a few seconds looking down into his
fire place at Severus. “Yes, Severus?”
 
“I need to request an audience with the Dark Lord.” Severus was doing his best
at sounding indifferent. It wouldn’t do for Lucius to become suspicious or
start asking question, not yet at least.
 
“How urgent?” Lucius asked seemingly bored by Severus’s request but Severus
knew better. He knew that Lucius was watching every move of his face curious
about why Severus would want to talk with their Lord.
 
“Very.”
 
“Very well then, I shall inform him.” Lucius was eyeing Severus but the
dismissal was given all the same.
 
“Thank you, Lucius.” Severus pulled out of the foo straightening himself up and
heading off to the Headmasters office. Why hadn’t the Headmaster already
contacted him about Potter? Surely he wasn’t pleased. He would of course be the
first person the boy would talk to about this seeing as the boy was a favorite
of the Headmasters.
 
“Mars bars,” Severus says as he reached the gargoyle guarding the Headmasters
office. He’s at the door in a flash just as he realizes he has no idea what he
was going to say. But it doesn’t matter, because before he can even think to
knock the door is swinging open and he hears a ridiculously jovial voice
calling out to him.
 
“Severus my boy! What brings you out of the dungeons today?” Albus asks a bit
more concerned than he’s letting on.
 
Severus enters the room taking in the scene in Albus’s office as he does. Albus
is sitting behind his desk with his hands forming a steeple in front of his
face looking down through his half-moon spectacles at Minerva who is slightly
flushed with anger and doing all she can to keep her mouth shut in front of
Severus.
 
“The Potter boy is pregnant.” Severus said his eyes pleading with the
Headmaster to say he was wrong that it was all a cruel joke that the boy had
just picked up where his father and godfather had left off and that Severus
shouldn’t take anything the boy had said seriously.
 
“That is true, Severus.” Albus grave voice hit Severus’s ears and a weight he
didn’t know was there settled further onto his shoulders. “Voldemort told you?”
Albus asked getting ready to dissect everything Voldemort had told Severus of
what he planned to do with the boy.
 
“No, Potter told me.” Severus said simply Albus’s eyes went wide with
understanding his mind already spinning through plans.
 
“Why would Harry tell you?” Minerva asked. She hadn’t continued her heated
argument with the Headmaster when Severus had stepped into the room for the
belief that Severus would be the last person that Harry would want to know yet
here he was seemingly the first person Harry had run to outside of those in the
infirmary with the information.
 
“Because he legally had to.” Severus said meeting Minerva’s eyes dead on as she
gasped.
 
Minerva gripped her chair. “You didn’t… You couldn’t have… You didn’t rape the
boy did you, Severus?” There was a terror in Minerva’s eyes and a fire as well.
She would rip…
 
“No, of course not, Minerva.” As if Severus would touch the boy! Though, the
more Severus thought of it, Harry had rather begun to grow into himself, more
and more the lanky little boy had begun to be replaced by a striking young man
that only served to remind him of James Potter. However, Harry’s looks had
never served him when it came to Severus. In fact, they only made Severus more
infuriated with the boy. “The Dark Lord used a spell and a sample of my
genetics to create the baby inside Potter.” Severus said his eyes never
wavering from Minerva’s.
 
“You must convince the boy to get rid of it.” Albus said breaking the moment
between Severus and Minerva.
 
“How,” Severus snapped at Albus turning to glare at him. “And what business is
it of yours it’s my child.”
 
Albus tilted his head to the side assessing Severus. “Are you saying you want
the child Severus? You can’t even treat Harry like a normal student because of
his resemblance to James. How are you going to love a child that looks exactly
like him?”
 
“I never said I wanted the child.” Severus ground out. “I just don’t think that
weather or not the child is terminated should be of the Headmasters concern.”
Severus would not be doing the Headmasters dirty work in getting Potter to
terminate no matter how the old coot tried to manipulate him.
 
“It’s not of the ‘Headmasters’ concern. It’s of a concern far more personal for
the boy. Neither of you can get along, he’s only fifteen, and this baby was
gifted him by Voldemort for nefarious reasons. We cannot let this child come
into the world. You must understand that it’s for the greater good, Severus.
How will he fight the Dark Lord? Should we send him out to battle with a child
strapped to his chest?”
 
“Albus you are being ridiculous.” Minerva interjected. “There would be people
to watch the child for him and your atrocious insinuations that a child should
be fighting You-Know-Who is barbaric. Maybe this child will help Harry to see
how valuable his life is and that she shouldn’t be risking it every single year
of another one of his un-thought out, ill-conceived, vexing disasters that
nearly bring about his death every year.”
 
“Minerva if Harry didn’t go on those ‘disasters’ every year the war would have
already begun.” Albus said directing his stern gaze at her.
 
“And who’s fault would that be, Albus.” Minerva said meeting his gaze and
giving it back tenfold.
 
“I’m not telling Potter to terminate it, get one of your red heads to do your
dirty work for you. I won’t deal with that insufferable brat whining to me
about the strange Gryffindor morals he holds in esteem that are keeping this
thing alive. I need to know what’s going to happen however. He’s going to need
some of my magic to keep the baby and himself healthy, magic that will be
provide best through proximity and… touching.” Severus shuddered. Not so much
at the thought of touching Potter. It was more about the look of disgust and
whining he would have to deal with when he explained it to Potter.
 
“Yes, for now, we will move Harry into your rooms with you Severus. I’ve
already had the house elves start on setting up a second bedroom in your rooms
for him, and they will be moving all of his things down to it once I speak with
him tonight. Once Harry terminates the baby he will move back into Gryffindor
tower.”
 
“And if Potter, being the stubborn mule that he is, never agrees to terminate
it?” Severus asks.
 
“Then he will stay until it is born and we will have to sort things out from
there. We have certain things that we can employ to help him stay in school
with the child. This sort of thing, while not usually plotted out by a Dark
Lord, does happen every couple of years or so, we aren’t completely
unprepared.” Dumbledore answered rubbing his temples. Why couldn’t the boy just
see reason, he was needed for the war effort he couldn’t just go around willy-
nilly having children with professors.
 
Severus nodded. “What will you tell the school?”
 
“The truth I suppose.” Dumbledore answered closing his eyes. “I don’t feel that
we need to include your part in it, however, and there are still many who do
not believe that Voldemort is back.” Dumbledore mused taking a lemon drop from
a bowl on his desk and popping it in his mouth. He held the bowl out to Minerva
and Severus but they both just shook their heads clearly neither of them
indulging in the same sugary snacks as the Headmaster. “Well will have more
time to discuss this Harry present so that he can have a say in it.”
 
Minerva and Severus nodded in agreement. “Why would You-Know-Who want to get
Harry pregnant and what does he get out of using Severus to do it?” Minerva
asked.
 
“I believe that he is using the pregnancy to buy him time with Harry out of the
war or to damage his public image with the stigma of teen pregnancy. Though it
is not as looked down upon as in the muggle world it will still be seen as a
weakness. I’m not sure what he gains from using Severus but it is quite lucky
for us that he picked Severus and that in itself could be why he chose him.
Severus would have supplementary access to Harry and the child would more
easily be brought about.” Albus said looking over to Severus.
 
Severus sighed. “The Prince’s set up their will so that it wouldn’t allow me
access unless I had an heir with someone of magical standing to insure that I
would not make the same mistake as my mother. With an heir I’ll be able to
access the Prince accounts, he most likely hopes to use those assets with the
break out that he’s planning from Azkaban or just in the upcoming war in
general.”
 
“Could there be something in those vaults other than money that Voldemort might
want? It just seems that with the Malfoy’s accounts at his control he wouldn’t
be short money.” Albus suggested.
 
“There could be. I’ve never actually seen the Prince vaults. I have no idea
what all I’ll be inheriting everything has been sealed to me under the
condition of having an heir.” Severus considered. “I have sent for a meeting
with the Dark Lord to hopefully discern as to why he has done this but he’s
been even more insane lately.”
 
“What do you mean, even more insane?” Dumbledore asked looking at his spy
concerned. If Voldemort was going off the rails it wouldn’t be long before he
started making more reckless moves. He knew about Voldemort’s plan to move on
Azkaban and release some of his more volatile followers but he wasn’t aware of
any other more insidious plans as of yet.
 
“He’s just been off lately.” Severus said nonchalantly. He didn’t think it
would do much good to explain the strange way Voldemort had been acting or how
he had started keeping his little Harry dolls on hand at all times, killing
them and leaving them lying around until they started to smell. He definitely
didn’t want to try and explain the way the Dark Lord had taken to looking at
the boys, as if he wanted devour them.
 
“Very well, we will talk more about this at a later date.” Albus said
dismissing both Severus and Minerva.
 
They exited the office leaving Albus to plot and swiftly moved down the spiral
staircase. Minerva pulled Severus aside as departed the staircase. Minerva
glared at Severus hoping that her point would sink into the cold man in front
of her. She remembered teaching him and how strange the grey eyed boy he had
been. She remembered the way James Potter and his friends had treated him only
now with fresh eyes seeing now how ridiculously light the punishments they had
gotten off with were. She steeled herself. “Remember, that Harry is not James.”
 
“He might as well be the way he…” Severus started but was immediately cut off.
 
“James would never have kept your child.” Minerva snapped harshly. “I know you
want this child Severus. No matter how much you want to deny it I can see it.
If Harry were truly just like James he would have gotten rid of the child as
soon as he learned about it and be back playing Quidditch as if nothing
happened, with his friends by the end of the day. But Harry chose to keep your
child and maybe you should ask yourself why that is.” And with that Minerva
left him, missing the slight hiss of pain that slipped from his lips as he
grabbed his left arm.
 
Severus was out the castles main doors in minutes his cloak fanning out behind
him. As soon as he got passed the wards he apparated away to Malfoy Manor using
the pull of the magic in his mark. He landed in the large stone room bowing in
front of the Dark Lord who sat in a large stone throne his feet still shoeless
and pale with the strange thin black robes that he had taken to wearing.
 
“I assume you have discover my gift, Severus.” Voldemort smiled revealing his
sharp teeth his eyes gleaming.
 
Severus stiffened. “Yes, my Lord.”
 
“How has Harry taken the news?” He asked gleefully. “How many times did he try
to murder his unborn child before he finally gave up? It’s been about two and
half months and he’s only just now telling, Severus.” Voldemort looked down at
him with mock concern on his face.
 
“My Lord, he hasn’t terminated the baby. Are you implying that he can’t?”
Severus asked wearily.
 
“At least not the first dozen times. I wouldn’t give you such a precious gift
just so that the boy could kill it. My magic will protect it until it’s born
for the most part. I did let him faint early, however.” Voldemort smiled
thinking about the way he had kept the boy with just barely enough channeled
magic to keep him from knowing what was wrong but walking through life like a
inferius. He had enjoyed reading young Draco’s description of Potter’s behavior
immensely. “Are you saying that Harry hasn’t once tried to get rid of the
baby?”
 
“Yes, Harry says he’s keeping it. He’s fighting against Dumbledore who wants
him to terminate it.”
 
“That will make it harder to get custody of the child once it’s born.”
Voldemort mused. “Oh, but it doesn’t matter, we’ll just kidnap it. And it will
help us that the child has caused such a rift between Harry and his mentor.”
 
Severus wanted to vomit at the idea of his child being raised anywhere near the
Dark Lord. It would be even worse if the baby happened to look like Potter
rather than him with the Dark Lord’s strange fascination with the Potter boy.
 
“Does Harry care for your child, Severus?” The Dark Lord asked contemplating
something.
 
“I’m unsure my Lord.” Severus said. He wasn’t sure if Harry could care for the
child with it being part his and having its origins brought about by Voldemort.
The child was forced upon Harry with just his Gryffindor morals keeping him
from trying to rid himself of it. Would Harry hate the child if it looked like
Severus? He couldn’t help but wonder if Harry would ever truly be able to love
their child. Their child. Severus had never even wanted children but of course
just like everything else it was something that his “Lord” had decided for him.
Some days he just wanted to dig his nails into his flesh and scratch the mark
off his skin. He had tried once after everything that had gone down with Lily,
after he had acquired yet another “Lord” in Dumbledore serving as his spy for
the Order.
 
“Hmm… Speak to him about it. I’m sure you two will be spending a lot of time
together coming up. Which I’m sorry for, I know you don’t like the boy. But…”
Voldemort mused looking off, “he’ll make a rather cute baby. Don’t you think
so? I’ve been thinking, once I kill Harry, I’d like to have him stuffed and
magically preserved.” Voldemort smiled maliciously looking back at Severus.
Voldemort’s tongue flashed out across his lips at the thought of it.
 
Severus smiled back trying to push down thoughts of how far off his rocker
Voldemort was. “That is an excellent idea, my Lord.”
 
“This way you’ll be able to access the Prince vaults as well. There are a
couple extremely useful and rare potions books that I have it on good authority
are in those vaults. I’m sure they would do wonders in your hands, Severus. The
baby will also be the Potter heir, you could get your hands all over the Potter
fortune once Harry is gone and won’t that just be the perfect revenge for you?”
Voldemort asked. “Well I think that’s all for now. Check in with Harry for me.”
Voldemort waved him away and Severus apparated back to Hogwarts his mind
churning with new information. It had been a long day and he had a feeling it
had only just begun.
***** Rooming with Severus *****
Harry had taken up shop at a table in the corner of the library where he had
surrounded himself with books. He had found any book on male pregnancy,
inheritances, and wills. He was doing his all he could to make sure that he was
prepared for his child when it came. He wanted to make sure that even if he
died in the war that his child would be taken care of and wouldn’t end up with
someone like the Dursley’s. The more he read up on his pregnancy the more
excited he became for his baby, until, of course, he read about how they would
have to get the baby out. They would have to practically rip it out from his
stomach. He was able to calm himself a bit remembering about muggle C-sections
but the idea still made him squeamish and nervous. After reading up a bit on
inheritances and wills and discovering that after partaking in the Triwizards
tournament he would be able to access anything else his parents may have left
for him besides his vault that he discovered was most likely a trust vault his
parents had put aside for his schooling rather than a true Potter family vault.
He would have to find a time to meet with someone at Gringotts to talk about
any inheritance he might have and discussing making a will for his child. He
still had quite a bit in his vault that he could leave to his son if he did die
in the war and hopefully Sirius or Remus would take his child if Snape didn’t
want him. Though, Harry knew that might not work seeing as how it hadn’t worked
for him. Harry was relieved that he wouldn’t be forced to allow Snape any time
with the child and that Snape wouldn’t be able to take the child from him. He
did, however, hope that Snape would choose to be part of the child’s life, for
the baby’s sake, but understood that Snape probably didn’t want that. He’d
never seemed to like kids so Harry didn’t really hold out any hope for him
wanting one now even if it was part of him. Harry also wasn’t sure that it
would be such a bad thing if Snape decided he didn’t want to be part of his
child’s life. Snape had never been nice to Harry and he wouldn’t put up with
the way Snape talked to him in front of his son or allow Snape to treat their
son the way he treated the children at Hogwarts.
 
Harry sighed as he contemplated the benefits and down falls to having Snape be
the father. Out of nowhere small third year girl appeared next to Harry
startling him out of his thoughts by tapping him lightly on the shoulder. Harry
jumped turning to see a small brown haired girl with a polite smile on her
face. “Sorry to startle you, but Headmaster Dumbledore asked to see you in his
office. He says to ask if you’ve ever tried a muggle Mars bar before.”
 
Harry returned her smile and thanked her before straitening up his table and
returning the books. He decided he would come back later and check out any
pregnancy books he’d need for now but he would buy his own when he went to
Hogsmeade next so that he could mark them up and write in them as he pleased.
 
Harry reached the Headmasters office in no time already assuming what this
would be about. The first person Snape would go to about this would of course
be Dumbledore. He states the password, climbs the stair case, and enters the
office all the while worrying what Snape may have said to Dumbledore. Would he
have asked Dumbledore to convince Harry to abort it? Well, Harry supposed, it
didn’t really matter if he did, neither him nor Dumbledore would be able to
abort the baby without Harry’s consent and Harry would never give that. No
matter how many people didn’t want this child, Harry always would.
 
Remus and Sirius were seated in front of the Headmasters desk as Harry walked
in they both turned around to smile at him. There smiles were genuine where
Harry could tell that the Headmasters, who smiled from where he sat behind his
desk, was forced and fake.
 
“Harry I have discussed your condition with Professor Snape, as he informed me
that he in fact is the father of your child…” Harry held his breath as
Dumbledore spoke but took his seat next to Sirius. Here it comes, Harry
thought, bracing himself for all the awful things Severus had said about him
and the child. “…as you will have to be moved out of Gryffindor Tower for the
time being and placed in a room off of his so that you will have access to his
magic and won’t have any fainting episodes like the one you had this morning.”
 
Harry let out the breath he was holding. Before his mind began spinning at the
idea of living with Snape.
 
“We will have a floo set up in your room so that you can contact Sirius, Remus,
or the Weasley’s whenever you need as there are still many decisions that need
to be made and having family to help you make them will be of the utmost
importance.” Harry knew that he was only receiving this privilege so that
Dumbledore could have the Weasley’s and his godfathers talk him out of having
the baby. He knew he had nothing to fear coming from his Godfather’s but it was
very likely that the Weasley’s would be flooing him with less than helpful
advice. “Your things will be moved down to the new room as soon as you agree to
it.” Dumbledore said waiting for Harry’s answer. He was sure that forcing Harry
to be around Severus would only serve to make Harry want to terminate the child
more as Harry couldn’t stand Severus and Severus was sure to make this whole
situation hell for Harry. The only thing Dumbledore would have to do was just
sit back and wait for him to blow up.
 
“Okay. Thank you, sir.” Harry said politely. Being around Severus so much
wouldn’t exactly be a vacation but it would give Harry time to talk to him
about what he wanted with the baby and help shine a light on whether Harry
actually thought it was a good idea for Snape to be around his child. He could
get to know Snape outside of being his student and hopefully outside of him
being James Potter’s son but Harry wasn’t going to get his hopes up.
 
Dumbledore who was expecting shouting and refusals was stunned for a short
moment before shaking off his surprise. “You know, my boy, this means that you
will have to touch Professor Snape and allow him to touch you for the transfer
of magic while you are pregnant.”
 
Harry stiffened knowing exactly why Dumbledore was saying these things but
refusing to be bated into looking as if he might not want his baby even for a
second. “Yes I understand that. I’ve been reading up on male pregnancies since
I found out.”
 
Dumbledore was getting frustrated with the boy’s strange responses to having to
be near his ‘greasy old git of a potions professor’ as he knew the Gryffindor’s
often referred to Severus as such. “These won’t be a comfortable seven months
for you, my boy. I know you and Professor Snape have never gotten along well.
Wouldn’t it be easier…”
 
Harry held up a hand cutting the Headmaster off not caring how rude he was
being. If the man suggested he kill his baby again Harry was of half a mind to
try his hand at hexing him. “It’s a small price to pay and necessary for my
child.”
 
“Your child? Have you already decided to cut Professor Snape off from the
child?” Dumbledore cocked his head. Maybe if he convinced Harry that he would
have to deal with Severus for even longer than the seven months…
 
“I don’t yet know if he wants a child.” Harry sighed and ran his fingers
through his hair. “In fact, I’m convinced that he ran straight to you in order
to ask you to convince me to terminate my child.” Harry let out a nervous
laugh.
 
“He did not.” Dumbledore said hoping that whatever Severus wanted Harry would
want the opposite of. He knew it was a long shot but… “Severus told me several
times that he wasn’t going to ask you to get rid of it.”
 
Harry narrowed his eyes at the Headmaster reading between the lines that the
Headmaster had asked Snape to tell him to get rid of his baby. “Well, that’s
good, I’d hate to have had to fight with him on it.”
 
“Harry why do you want this child so badly?” Dumbledore asked exasperated.
 
“Because he’s mine. He’s part of me. He needs me and I need him.” Harry smiled
looking down at his still flat stomach putting a hand over it. “I love him
already.” Harry felt Sirius hand touch the hand that wasn’t on his stomach in a
comforting gesture.
 
Dumbledore looked to Remus and Sirius. “We’ll need to check him for any
compulsions.”
 
“I’m not under any compulsions and I can fight off an imperius. He’s my family.
Other than Sirius and Remus, he’s my only family.” Harry growled out at
Dumbledore, glaring daggers at the old man.
 
“Now that’s not true, my boy, the Dursley’s…”
 
“Have never been my family.” Harry said with a sneer that was reminiscent of
something you would see on Draco Malfoy’s or even Professor Snape’s face but
not at all something that Harry generally employed. He was getting fed up with
the old man and him dragging Harry’s so called relatives into the conversation
wasn’t bringing out a better mood in Harry. “I should probably get going. It’s
getting late and I wouldn’t put it passed Snape to take points or lock me out
for being out passed curfew.”
 
“Professor Snape, Harry.” Dumbledore corrected but Harry ignored him in favor
of saying good bye to Remus and Sirius.
 
There was a knock on the door to the Headmasters office as Sirius and Remus
floo’d out and Dumbledore said a swift invitation before Harry turned to see
Snape in the door way. “I thought I should come collect Mr. Potter as he does
not know yet where he will be stationed.”
 
“Yes, thank you, Severus.” Dumbledore said dismissing them both. He had a lot
to think about involving the stubborn boy. He would have to convince Harry’s
Godfathers that the child Harry was carrying would be dark and harmful to
Harry. It wouldn’t be hard considering their background with Severus.
 
Harry left quietly with Snape following him down to the dungeons and his new
room. Hogwarts had always been his home but moving to the dungeons might prove
to be more like living with the Dursley’s than living at home. Harry just kept
reminding himself that it was for the baby. They made their way in silence to a
portrait of a large green snake that hissed as they approached it. Password
 
Snape who obviously couldn’t understand the portrait as it spoke in
parseltongue was accustom enough to it to simply speak the password. “Prince”
he said loud enough for Harry to hear it, which Harry took as him saying that
he could access the rooms without Snape’s help.
 
They both entered into a comfy looking sitting room with a large leather couch
and two chairs on either side of it all angled towards a large fire with a bear
skin rug in front of it. The stone floors looked cold but seemed to have a
warming charm placed over them and radiated heat up providing the room with a
warmth that the halls didn’t possess. Harry smiled at the comfy feel of Snape’s
room. He had always assumed there would be skulls, strange specimens in jars,
and torture devices strewn throughout Snape’s quarters and was glad to see that
this was not the case.
 
Snape, not really looking at Harry, turned pointing to a door on his right.
“That is your room.” He moved gesturing to a room behind him. “This is the
kitchen, you can access it whenever you want. The house elves keep it fully
stocked and you can leave a note for them asking for anything specific if it
isn’t already supplied. You will however, attend meals in the Great Hall as
always.” Then he gestured to two doors on the left. “These are my room and
personal lab. You are not allowed in either of them.” He said eyeing Harry
harshly.
 
Harry nodded.
 
Severus finally looked at Potter and asked, “Why didn’t you get rid of the
baby.” Snape’s unfeeling tone struck Harry hard. He knew it was very likely
that Severus would never want his child but knowing and hearing are to
different things. Harry’s heart was breaking for his child. He would just have
to keep his son far away from the disillusioned man. “What good do you think
will come from bringing this child into a world where it is unwanted?”
 
Harry gritted his teeth glaring at Snape. “My child will never be unwanted. My
child is wanted and loved. Just because you don’t want him doesn’t mean that
others and I don’t want him. I would never kill my own child.”
 
“But the child isn’t just yours it’s mine as well. What if it looks like me? No
matter the size of your ego you couldn’t have produced this child on your own.
Your Potter genes aren’t the only ones that the child will possess it could
very well come out looking exactly like me and what will you do then?” Snape
said leveling his dark eyes at Potter.
 
Harry looked Snape dead in the eye. “I would never hate a child because of who
their father was.” Harry moved to the door leading to his room but before his
hand touched the handle he turned to look at Snape again. Harry nearly growled.
This whole conversation had gone to shit. He didn’t want to be in a constant
fight with Snape for the next seven months but it didn’t seem like the man was
going to make things easy on him. Harry would not have Snape implying things
about Harry’s love for his child. “Can we just call a truce for seven to eight
months until I have the child and then you can go back to spitting insults at
me in class and avoiding each other for all intents and purposes?”
 
Severus raised his eyebrows. “And you expect me just to let you walk away with
my child?”
 
His superior tone was grating on Harry’s nerves and Harry snapped, “You have no
legal rights to my child.”
 
Severus choked. He can’t even argue because he doesn’t. He has no legal rights,
Potter could very well take his child and he would never see it again. Severus
is surprised by how much the concept hurt him and how terrified he is by it. He
doesn’t know what to say so he just stood there with his mouth agape searching
for words.
 
Harry groaned rubbing the heels of his palms against his closed eyes in
frustration. This wasn’t how he wanted this conversation to go either. He
didn’t want to take the child away from Snape it was just so hard to remember
that when he was arguing with the git. “I don’t want to keep my child from
you...” Harry tried before trying something else and moving his hands away from
his face. “I won’t keep our child away from you. I want him to know both his
parents. I assumed, from the way you were talking, that you didn’t want him.”
Harry said looking back at Snape who was even more shocked by this new
development. “Do you want him?” Harry asks biting his lip. It would be so much
easier if Snape said no but he couldn’t imagine how much it would hurt his
child in the future to find out that one of his parents doesn’t want him. Just
like how Harry used to feel knowing that the Dursley’s would never want him.
 
“It would be my only heir.” Snape said weekly staring at Potter’s stomach.
 
Harry nodded looking off thinking that that’s an awful reason to want a child.
“Yes, you purebloods do like your heirs don’t you.” Harry couldn’t help but
thinking about the Potter line and what might come up at Gringotts when he
tooked over anything he could inherit.
 
“I’m not… I’m not a pureblood. But I do have some effects from my Mother’s side
that it would be nice to pass down. I’ve never really considered having a child
before. It wasn’t really an option.” Severus was looking anywhere but at
Potter. “However, I do not think that I would make an adequate father.” Severus
looks back at Potter waiting for him to take the easy way out and agree with
him a part of him immediately regretting his words.
 
“The Slytherin’s all like you and respect you.” Harry says surprising both
himself and Snape. “And considering the lengths you go to make children you
hate miserable I can only imagine what you would you would do for a child you
actually like. And hopefully you do like him.” Harry puts a hand to his still
flat stomach expanding his magic so that he can feel the baby. “I think you
would make a great father.” He said smiling lightly and turning back to his
room leaving a shaken Severus behind.
 
Severus slumped down in one of the chairs by the fire watching the flames
flicker. Harry Potter was having his child. Harry Potter was living in his
rooms. But even crazier, Harry Potter had just been rather nice to him. Granted
he wasn’t yelling at Potter like he normally would but he also couldn’t imagine
how Harry was feeling. Harry was pregnant at fifteen with the child of his most
hated professor because the man that killed his parents wanted him to be. And
now here he was feeling bad for Harry Potter. No, he should feel empathy for
Potter, he would have to be around Potter for the next seven months and Potter
seemed to be rather willing to play nice with him. He would have to suck it up
and be nice to Potter, so he should start with understanding Potter.
 
 
 
It’s late but Severus can’t seem to will himself to go to bed. He’s still
sitting in the chair next to the fire trying to decide if he wants to be a part
of his child’s life or not. Which is ridiculous, could he really just leave his
child with its fifteen year old mother and hope for the best. He had some
responsibility to the child even if it wasn’t actually his fault that it came
into existence. Though, you could argue it was his fault for being a Death
Eater in the first place. Severus didn’t know what it was that possessed him
but before he knew it he was standing in front of the door to Potter’s room. He
had promised himself he wouldn’t go into Potter’s private room because, as
Severus had previously stated, Potter wasn’t allowed in his rooms. But he
placed a hand on the door knob anyways. Something felt wrong to Severus. He
couldn’t put his finger on it but something wasn’t right. He figured that one
quick peek to make sure that everything was okay wouldn’t hurt anyone. He
pushed the door open.
 
Severus was greeted with the sight of Potter thrashing, his legs twisted in his
blood red sheets as he silently screamed, a silencing charm had obviously been
put in place to keep Potter’s screams contained. For one horrid moment Severus
froze. Potter looked so much like Voldemort’s Harry dolls in this position that
it was hard to remember that this was the real thing, that Severus could do
something to stop it. It took a minute but Severus eventually snapped out of
it. He quickly took down the silencing charms the boy had put up before going
to sleep and moved wake Harry up.
 
Severus shook Harry’s shoulder and began calling his name to wake him but it
only seems to make the thrashing worse. Wild arms and legs started thrashing
out hitting Severus right and left as Severus worked to pin them down so he
could wake the boy. He’s panting by the time he gets all of Potter’s wayward
limbs under control and just as Severus took in his position on top of Potter
pinning him to the bed wide green eyes are stared up at him. He watched them
mesmerized by the beautiful color. He had thought Voldemort spells were able to
make his dolls look like exact replicas of Potter but now looking down into
those Avada green eyes he knew it couldn’t be further from the truth.
Voldemort’s dolls never had these enticing green eyes, their lips were never
this pink, their hair never this messy yet perfect.
 
Harry’s body stiffened under Snape taking in his position towering over Harry,
Snape’s dark grey eyes hungry as they watched him. A new kind of terror spiked
in Harry’s veins picking up from where the terror of the dream had left off.
Harry started to shake. Tears started to well up in Harry’s eyes and he can’t
fight off Snape. Snape well not large, is still much stronger than the young
man below him.
 
Severus looking down at Potter is frozen. He no longer sees Potter or
Voldemort’s Harry dolls as he looks down at Harry. Severus sees himself, a
younger version of him, trapped underneath James or Sirius as they torment him.
His mouth hangs open. He wants to say something, anything, to comfort the boy
but no words find their way to his mouth and Harry’s shaking in terror as
Severus flounders for words nothing seeming adequate to explain their situation
tears are spilling over in Harry’s eyes as he stares up at his potions masters
dark form a pure kind of terror left over from his nightmare gripping his chest
as he freezes beneath Snape. Severus tears himself off the boy. He’s repulsed
at himself for making the boy feel this way knowing he’s the cause of Potter’s
terror and knowing exactly what it feels like. Potter won’t want to be anywhere
near him at this point. He’s lost any rights to his child that Harry might have
allowed him before now as he resigns himself to whatever Harry wants to throw
at him after what just happened.
 
As soon as Snape is off him Harry is pushing himself away from him. Harry’s
back hits the head board but he’s still pushing himself backward as if he is
trying to become one with the headboard.
 
Severus dug into his robe pocket for the calming potion that he keeps on him at
all times. He keeps several potions in his teaching robes for such occasions.
Severus offers Potter the calming draught silently waiting for the boy to
refuse, for him to scream, for him to demand that Severus leave and claim that
this whole thing was a mistake, that he would be getting rid of Severus’s child
before morning came.
 
Harry took the potion but keeps his eyes on Snape as he held it not making a
move to drink it or get rid of it.
 
“It’s a calming draught.” Severus offered surprised that Harry might actually
take something Severus had given him after the way he woke up.
 
Harry sniffed the potion before taking it watching Snape as he does.
 
“Do you often cry out and kick things in your sleep, Potter?” Severus asked
looking the boy over trying to assess if he had caused himself any harm
meanwhile absent mindedly rubbing a rather sore spot on his side where the
boy’s foot had made contact before Severus had been able to contain the boy’s
outburst.
 
Harry flinched at the words. He didn’t know if he could bare it for the man to
start mocking him on top of everything else but he closes his eyes and nods
ready for the cruel words that he can almost feel coming.
 
“What were you dreaming about?” Severus’s voice is kind as he made a move to
touch Harry but then aborted it before Harry opened his eyes.
 
“It’s not like you really care.” Harry said gruffly looking away from Snape he
let out a barely audible. “You probably just want to laugh at me.”
 
“If I didn’t care I wouldn’t ask, Potter.” Severus snapped and Harry flinched
further away still not looking at him. Severus’s sighed.
 
“You shouldn’t have woken me up.” Harry said softly. “I can handle it myself.”
 
“Indeed, I can certainly see how well you’ve been handling it, Potter. What
will you do when you’re thrashing results in harm coming to your own body?”
This didn’t seem to faze Harry. On second thought, Severus reconsidered. “What
will you do when it results in harm coming to the child that currently resides
in your body?”
 
This got a reaction out of Harry who groaned and bit his lip. He didn’t want to
cause the baby any harm but he couldn’t stop the dreams, they came every night
and he couldn’t take dreamless sleep all the time, he didn’t even have access
to the potion and had no idea what kind of effects it might have on the baby.
 
“What was the dream about, Potter?” Severus asks again, his voice hard
demanding no qualms.
 
Harry gritted his teeth. “Cedric, and Voldemort.” The Dursley’s and his
cupboard had featured in the dream rather briefly but he chose not to mention
that, not wanting to have to explain to his teacher what kind of home situation
he had. Snape would hardly believe him anyways if he tried.
 
Severus nodded a thoughtful look crossing his face. He’d had miserable
nightmares ever since he’d joined the Dark Lord in his teen years. He hadn’t
been that much older than Harry was now when he became a Death Eater and he
could remember putting up silencing charms before going to sleep the way Harry
had. “Don’t put up the charms anymore.” Severus requested.
 
Harry’s eyes snapped up to Snape’s face. “Why?”
 
“So that I can stop you from harming yourself, you petulant child.” Severus
growled.
 
Harry huffed. “I’m not a child.” Harry fingered a spot on his shirt above his
stomach. “At least not anymore.” He whispered with a sad smile his eyes cast
down ward.
 
“I suppose not.” Severus reached out to the boy almost unconsciously brushing
his thumb across the boy’s cheek bone.
 
Harry gasped at the feeling of Snape’s magic sinking through Harry’s skin like
warm electricity his eyes shot up meeting Snape’s searching them for something,
anything.
Severus moved to pull his hand away, remembering that he shouldn’t be touching
the boy after the way he had woke him up, but Harry caught his wrist pressing
Severus’s open palm against his face and closing his eyes enjoying the feel of
magic and Severus’s touch.
 
“Is this okay?” Harry asked his eyes searching Snape’s again.
 
“Yes, we will have to get used to touching each other eventually as the baby
will require it for the proper transfer of magic.” Severus said stiffly. He can
feel the magic transfer rushing through him with a heady bliss but it’s not
enough to force him to touch Harry if he didn’t want to, and it would take a
week for Madame Pomfrey’s potion to have worn off, so Harry isn’t in need of
his magic yet. There’s absolutely no reason for Harry to be touching him, but
he won’t reject the boy. He might merely be trying to acclimate to accepting
touches from his greasy professor, Snape decided.
 
Harry laughed a light entering his eyes as he smiled at Severus. “You make it
sound so clinical.” Harry started to stroke the back of Snape’s hand with his
thumb.
Severus is very confused. “It is clinical, Mr. Potter.”
 
The light in Harry’s eyes died and he dropped his hand from Snape’s looking
down into his lap. “Yes, right.” Harry bit his bottom lip. “You could call me
Harry. If you wanted.” Harry glanced back up at Severus’s face.
 
“All right, Harry.” Severus looking over the boy trying to decipher the meaning
behind his sudden mood swing. “You can’t call me Severus.”
 
Harry laughed, brushing off Severus’s bitter tone. “Of course not, Professor.”
 
Severus frowned thinking that “Professor” doesn’t quite sound right either.
Maybe he should have just let the boy call him by his blasted name. Severus
realizing he’s still caressing Harry’s cheek means to pull his hand away but
finds his hand on Harry’s shoulder pushing Harry gently down back into bed.
“You should get back to sleep, Harry.”
 
Harry frowned. “I’m just going to end up having another nightmare.”
 
“And what do you suggest I do about that.” Snape snapped.
 
Harry squeezed his eyes shut and let out a breath. He was having quite a bit of
troubled dealing with his Professor’s mood swings. “Nothing, sir.” Harry turned
away from him to face the wall. He’d just find something to do once Snape left.
Maybe he’d do some homework, wander around the castle, put up a silencing
charms.
 
Severus pinched the bridge of his nose. What was wrong with him? He growled at
himself trying to think of a way to fix what he kept managing to break.
 
Harry stiffened glaring intently at the wall.
 
“Is there anything I can do to help?” Severus sighed thinking to himself.
“Feeling another’s magic, if it’s comforting, may keep you from thrashing
about. My magic feels good to you, yes.”
 
Harry turned slowly eyeing Severus wearily before nodding. Severus magic felt
more than good but he wasn’t going to let the prat know that or let on for a
second that the prospect of feeling his magic again excited Harry.
 
“Good.” Severus said stepping out of his shoes and slid off his outer robes as
Harry made room for him in the bed.
 
Severus slipped into the bed without touching Harry. He made himself
comfortable before offering his hand to Harry. Harry took the offered hand
intertwining his fingers with Severus’s long potion stained fingers finding
more than just the feel of the man’s magic soothing. Harry quickly fell asleep
as Severus drifted off next to him. Harry didn’t have a single nightmare.
***** A Scheming Malfoy *****
Harry woke up slowly and then all at once. Harry didn’t know what he had
expected to wake up to after falling asleep holding his professor’s hand but he
surely didn’t expect to wake up tucked against the man’s side in a warm
embrace. He could feel a pleasant buzzing in the magic of the baby which he was
becoming more and more accustom to. It was strange but Harry didn’t dislike
being held by Severus in fact he really liked the feeling of Severus’s hand
pressed against his stomach from where his arm wrapped around Harry’s body
keeping him pulled against Severus who was beginning to wake up.
 
Severus’s shifted in his sleep as he slowly slipped into consciousness. He
stilled as he felt a warm body pressed into his side. Harry must have moved
closer to him during the night and he’s oddly not that upset about it. Harry
probably would be if he found out though. He could imagine the boy’s face now.
The horror and disgust. Up until now Harry hadn’t seemed overly upset about
touching his most hated potions professor but the line would be drawn somewhere
and Severus had a feeling that cuddling in bed with his hand on… was his hand
on Potter’s stomach? Oh lord, he had his hand on the boy’s stomach. He needed
to get out of this position before Harry got a chance to wake up.
 
Stormy dark grey eyes met vibrant green as Severus opened his eyes. Harry gave
Severus a faint smile hoping to quell any rage the older man might feel at
waking up in this position with him but Severus was more shocked than angry.
 
“You’re okay with this?” Severus asked gesturing with the hand that wasn’t
currently up Harry’s shirt between the two of them.
 
Harry cheeks turned a bright shade of pink. “Y… y… yes.” Harry spluttered
pulling himself together a bit before speaking again. “Um the baby… he likes
it.” Harry said looking down where Severus’s hand still rested on his stomach.
 
Severus quickly retracted his hand and moved away Harry getting up off the bed.
Severus nodded. “If the baby likes it I would not be opposed to doing this sort
of thing again.”
 
“Really?” Harry asked his eyes bright as if the idea of spending more time with
Severus touching him was a good thing.
 
Severus was taken aback by Harry’s reaction but nodded his head at the boy
before turning to leave.
 
Harry surged forward grabbing Severus’s hand. “Wait!”
 
“What, Potter?” Severus asked turning towards the boy.
 
Harry dropped Severus’s hand. “Harry. You said you’d call me Harry.” Harry
dropped his gaze not looking up at the man feeling like for every step forward
they took another step back.
 
“What, Harry?” Severus asked eyeing the boy.
 
“I’m not who you think I am.”
 
Severus raised an eyebrow at Harry waiting for the boy to continue with
whatever ridiculous concept he was spewing.
 
“I’m not…” Harry was looking down at his hands as he thought of ways to
explain. “I’m not the spoiled brat that you seem to think I am.” Harry said
never looking up from his hands.
 
Severus smirked. “Oh so you didn’t get everything you wanted for your birthday
and you think that means you aren’t spoiled. You think I don’t know what your
life is like with your happy little family.” Severus taunted. Harry flinched.
“You think that because they don’t give you every little thing your heart
desires means you’re not the spoiled little famous brat that I knew you were
from the moment I saw you.”
 
Harry’s hands were clenched into fist as he turned his glare on Severus.
Severus stopped, taking in the way Harry’s eyes flashed so much like his
mothers. Severus thought Harry looked beautiful like that.
 
“I never get anything for my birthday. I lived in a cupboard until I was
eleven. The only thing that my ‘loving family’ hates more than magic is me! I
am not spoiled. I am not my father.” Harry growled doing all he could to keep
from screaming at the man who he had just woke up next to.
 
Severus flinched backward as he processed Harry’s words. “A cupboard?”
 
Harry smiled. He smiled like wolf who had caught his prey. “Yes, a filthy
cupboard where my only friends were the spiders that slept there with me. I
lived there until I was eleven when they received letters from the school
addressed to the cupboard under the stairs and my ‘loving relatives’ thought
that people were watching them. Then they moved me into my cousin’s second
bedroom. The next year they put six locks on the door and bars on the window to
keep me in and a cat flap on the door so that they wouldn’t have to see me even
though they never really feed me much anyways. For the longest time I didn’t
even know what my name was. I thought my name was ‘freak’ or maybe ‘boy’
because that’s how they referred to me.”
 
Severus’s eyes were wide as Harry ripped apart all of his notions about the boy
that sat in front of him. “Are you… You’re not lying.” Severus said quickly
scanning Harry’s mind to confirm.
 
“Of course I’m not lying.” Harry ground out looking anywhere but at Severus.
 
“Your mutt would never let you live with those muggles if…”
 
“He doesn’t know.” Harry said as he crossed his arms as if to protect himself.
 
“Why wouldn’t you tell someone, you idiot child. What you have described is
neglect and emotional abuse if not physical abuse…”
 
Harry glared at Severus again. “It’s not abuse.”
 
“That’s exactly what someone who was abused would say, Harry.”
 
Harry continued to glare at Severus for several long minutes before he sighed.
“I tried to tell Dumbledore. I begged him not to send me back to them but he
said there was nothing I could do. He said that I would be safe there.”
 
Severus looked disgusted. “You’d be more than safe with your dogfathers. And
before Black escaped there would have been lots of good wizarding families that
would have happily gone into hiding for a chance at raising the boy-who-lived.”
Severus sneered the title before looking a Harry apologetically. Old habits die
hard.
 
“I suppose Dumbledore didn’t want me getting that big head you always accuse me
of having.” Harry said trying to brush the topic off with a smile.
 
Severus touched a finger to his lips still thinking about everything the boy
had said. He felt like he should give the boy something of himself since he had
divulged so much of himself. It was a strange feeling. “My parents often
fought.” Severus said looking at nothing in particular. “The fighting would
often result in abuse for both myself and my mother so I would often spend most
of my time in the summers at the Evans household.”
 
“Evans? You knew my mother?” Harry asked a light in his eyes as he perched
himself on the edge of the bed.
 
“Yes, I knew Lily. She was my first friend. We lived close to each other so I
met her before we started at Hogwarts.” Severus frowned in thought. “We had
quite the falling out.”
 
“But you knew her!” Harry’s nearly bouncing with energy. “You can tell me about
my mother. Most people don’t talk much about her so I know more about my father
than my mother. Would you be willing to tell me more about her?”
 
Severus gave Harry a sad smile. He didn’t talk about Lily much, there was
really no one in his life to talk about his dead friend with now and all the
memories he had of her are bitter sweet tinged with the knowledge of how their
friendship had ended he wasn’t sure if he could but with the way Harry was
looking at him now. “Yes, I’ll tell you as much as I can about your mother some
other time, Harry. For now we need to get ready if we plan on making it to
breakfast.” Severus turned on his heal to leave.
 
Harry smiled as he watched Severus leave and then began to get ready. There was
a bathroom off of his own room with a small shower that he jumped into eagerly.
It had been a while since he had felt human. He’d been roaming around the
school like a zombie for much too long and feeling the water slide over his
skin, now that he didn’t feel like he was dying anymore, was a pure kind of
bliss. As Harry washed up he couldn’t help but pay special attention to his
flat stomach. He ran his fingers over it lightly smiling down at it thinking
about the small life that was being created inside of him.
 
Harry knew he was in for one hell of a time trying to get along with Severus.
Severus who’s moods seemed to be on a constantly swinging pendulum. There were
times when Harry almost liked his potions master. It didn’t hurt that the man’s
voice was like honey when it wasn’t shouting and his dark eyes could put you in
a trance, but then he would get angry and for some reason or another shout at
Harry, just like he had been doing for the past four years, and Harry would
want to ring his neck. Harry had been doing his best to hold back when it came
to fighting with Severus. He knew that shouting about his childhood wasn’t a
high moment but so far he’d been able to avoid too much strife between him and
Severus by trying not to rush to anger with the dark man but he knew that
eventually the pregnancy hormones would catch up with him and then everything
he had built would go to hell.
 
Harry sighed and extracted himself from the shower. He quickly got ready and
left Severus’s rooms without seeing the man. Harry met up with Ron and Hermione
as he entered the Great Hall. Hermione gave her dark haired friend a wide smile
happy to see that he looked much better than he had in some time. She wasn’t
happy that he had ended up pregnant before they even got to take their O.W.L.S.
but she understood why he wanted to keep the baby. From what she knew of
Harry’s home life he didn’t consider his relatives ‘family’ and getting rid of
the baby would be killing his only family other than Sirius and Remus who
weren’t actually related to him. Her heart ached for Harry when she thought of
how much he must want the baby and how hard raising the child was going to be
on him. Ron gave Harry a tentative smile happy his friend was looking better
but still put off with the knowledge of what was wrong with his friend.
 
Harry sat down with his two friends and began filling his plate with food. He
put more on his plate than usual understanding that his usual small meals
wouldn’t be enough for the baby and finally having an appetite after his time
spent ill. He’s just started to eat when the post came. Owls flood the great
hall and Harry quickly spots Hedwig making her way to him with a large brown
package. He had planned to wait until he went to Hogsmead before he got any
books but after finding an owl order slip in the hospital wing when he had gone
back for the pamphlets yesterday he had promptly sent out orders with Hedwig.
She dropped the package in front of Harry hooting to get his attention. Harry
absent mindedly handed off a piece of bacon to the snowy owl as he opened his
package checking over the books inside. There are a couple on male pregnancy,
one on lordships, and one on money management. Hermione nodded in approval at
the books happy that Harry seems to be taking his situation seriously enough to
read up on it rather than relying on her knowledge to get him through it. Ron
rolled his eyes at the books but rather than commenting he began to stuff his
face.
 
“Are you going to tell us who the father is?” Hermione asked in a hushed voice
low enough that Ron didn’t hear her over the sound of his own munching.
 
Harry glanced around biting his lip nervously. “I’ll tell you after breakfast
when we can go somewhere a little less…” Harry trailed off.
 
Hermione nodded her head understanding that Harry would want to be somewhere
private when he drop the bomb of who the father of his child was. She knew that
no matter who he was Ron would flip and after what had happened last year with
the tournament she wasn’t sure how his and Ron’s relationship would take the
blow. Harry didn’t seem to be either as he was eyeing the oblivious red head
wearily.
 
The rest of breakfast was ate in silence as Harry pulls out one of the male
pregnancy books and began to look it over, Hermione had begun weighing the cons
of each known male in Voldemort’s inner circle and Ron devours everything in
sight.
 
After breakfast the trio headed out to the library to work on some homework now
that Harry was feeling better he had a lot to catch up on and Hermione was
already grilling him as they walked through the halls.
 
“Aren’t you just going to go back to feeling awful if you can’t find the
other…” Ron trailed off.
 
“Things have been… set in place… I should be able to… what I’m saying is…”
Harry sighed, he would have to tell his friends who the father was soon so that
he could answer that. “There’s a plan in place I’ll tell you about it later.”
 
“Okay, just, you know, if you’re going to go through with having the baby…”
Hermione stepped down hard on Ron’s foot and he let out a yelp.
 
Hermione growled “not here” looking at Harry apologetically.
 
Harry glanced around the hall but he didn’t see the blond hiding in an alcove
near the trio with his hand pressed to his mouth in utter shock.
 
 
 
Draco had been tailing Harry because he was a bit worried about boy wonder. Not
for any goody-two-shoes savior reason but because insulting someone that didn’t
have the energy to even get mad at you got boring after a while and after
hearing about boy hero’s most recent stop in at the hospital wing Draco
couldn’t help but hope he’d be back up to par. Hearing that Potter had gotten
himself pregnant was like Christmas come early for Draco. Saint Potter was not
only a poof but a pregnant out of wedlock! And from what Weasel had said he
might not even be keeping the baby. Abortion was the ultimate disgrace in the
wizarding world and would cause most families to immediately disown the member
that had gone through with such a taboo procedure. Having a squib and having to
quietly put it up for adoption was better than killing your child. Of course
Potter wouldn’t have to worry about being disowned as he was the only Potter
left but if people found out that he had aborted his child he would be
immediately disgraced by all pureblood families boy-who-lived or not. Children
were precious. If Magic blessed you with one you should be honored. Aborting a
child was like spitting in the face of Magic. Draco would have to watch and see
if Potter did abort the child. If he could get medical records proving that
Potter had he could ruin him. It would put everything he had leaked to Skeeter
the past year to shame. He couldn’t tell Pansy or Blaise just yet for fear that
they would spread it around before he could really build up his information on
Potter and Crabbe and Goyle wouldn’t understand what a gold mine Draco had
found but he did know one person who could not only keep a secret but would
find Potter’s situation most amusing. It was time to visit his Godfather.
 
Draco chuckled to himself he pushed into Severus’s office without bothering to
knock.
 
Severus looked up from his desk where he was graded papers with a scowl. “What,
Mr. Malfoy, has you so amused that you disregarded any sense of propriety you
may have and forced your presence upon me?” Severus drawled watching as his
godson threw himself down in the chair across from him gasping in between
bursts of laughter.
 
“Oh, drop it, Severus.” Draco said smiling at his grumpy godfather. “You won’t
believe what I just over heard! I can’t believe it! Saint Potter, pregnant at
fifteen!”
 
Severus slams his fist down on his desk standing up and pinning Draco with his
most menacing glare. “You will not tell anyone of what you have heard!” Severus
growled. Damn that boy! Potter had already let his situation slip. What was he
doing? Shouting news of his pregnancy down the hallway?
 
Draco went wide eyed and he straightened up immediately unsure why he was
encoring his godfather’s wrath because of Potters pregnancy and loud mouthed
friends.
Severus pinched the bridge of his nose. “Mr. Potter wasn’t impregnated through
conventional means.”
 
“Well obviously not! Most men don’t get pregnant, it’s not something that
happens often but of course that means it would have to happen to bloody
Potter. Can’t have one year at this school without some sort of Potter drama.
Still though, the Golden boy is a bloody poof!” Draco laughed again.
 
Severus glared.
 
Draco pulled himself together. “Ehem… no offense.” Draco cheeks tinted pink
remembering that his Godfather also preferred his own gender and probably
didn’t find it as amusing a Draco that Potter was a pillow biting fruit and
would probably hex Draco if he ever heard his godson say those words.
 
Severus went back to grading the papers on his desk hoping that Draco would
leave so that he could retrieve a head ache potion from his desk drawer.
 
“Potter still got himself knocked up at sixteen. And now bloody Potter is
probably going to get all sorts of special treatment ‘for the baby’. As if
bloody Potter didn’t have enough privilege…” Severus snorted, hearing a Malfoy
talk about someone else ‘privilege’ was just too much. “… Already. Running
around like he owns the place under the guise of ‘saving the world’ like a
bloody sixteen year old is going to defeat the dark lord. Next thing I know the
Dark Lord will be sending me off to kill Dumbledore.” Draco laughed at the
ridiculousness of the idea. “And now Potters gone and got himself pregnant. How
is he supposed to defeat the Dark Lord now? Running around with a baby strapped
to his chest?”
 
“As amusing as the idea that Potter ‘got himself pregnant’ that is sadly not
the case.” Severus said with a sigh. He didn’t want to explain the
circumstances to Draco but it seemed like the young Malfoy heir wasn’t going to
shut up until he did.
 
“What is that supposed to mean?” Draco asked.
 
“The Dark Lord thought… Well, who knows what the Dark Lord thought when he used
the sperm of an inner circle member to impregnate his teenage enemy.”
 
Draco’s eyes grew wide. “What?” Draco gasped going pale or at least paler than
he already was naturally. “Inner circle member… My father?” The fear in Draco’s
eyes removed any though from Severus’s mind that he could get the boy out of
his office without revealing his part in Potter’s circumstances.
 
“Not your father, Draco.” Severus drawled with a sneer. “The child is mine.”
 
Draco relaxes slightly but is still ramrod straight in the chair. “Is he going
to kill it?” Draco whispers in horror wondering about the fate of Potters child
actually caring now that he knows who the other father is. Severus has always
wanted his own family. He’d never say as much but Draco knows from the odd
looks of longing Severus would give his family at their Christmas celebrations
and the he treats Draco as if Draco is his son.
 
“I do not believe so. Mr. Potter, or as he has told me to call him, Harry seems
rather adamant that he will be having the baby even if it is partially mine and
a product of the Dark Lords plotting. He may be from the muggle world where
abortions are more accepted but I doubt he sense of Gryffindor Honor would
allow him to abort the child even when everyone seemed to be telling him to do
just that. He’s been moved into my rooms and is currently inhabiting my guest
room as we need to be closer for the baby to develop correctly. He seems to be
doing his best to remain cordial with me even when I, myself, do my best to
make that impossible.” Severus sighed thinking back to some of the conversation
he’d had with the boy who was essentially the mother of his child.
 
Draco stared at Severus shocked thinking of Potter’s past with his godfather.
Potter must really want the child if he was moving in with Severus and letting
Severus call him Harry. Draco was almost jealous at that. How long had he
wanted to call the boy savior Harry?
 
Draco’s eyes were glued to his lap as he processed everything he had just
learned. “He seems to be handling this whole thing rather well.” Draco looked
up his eyes meeting the black irises of his godfather’s. “I don’t think I’m
even handling it that well.”
 
“Yes, at times he seems almost happy about it. Not the circumstances
necessarily but the product of them. He seems rather taken with his unborn
child.” Severus mused thoughtfully.
 
“He doesn’t have any family left. He probably sees the child his only family
even it being partially yours doesn’t make it any less of a Potter.” Draco
mulled the idea over as he voiced his opinions.
 
Severus snorted. “James Potter has to be rolling in grave.”
 
“Yes, I think raising this child with the boy savoir is much better revenge on
James Potter than terrorizing Harry Potter ever would ever have been.” Draco
thought out loud smirking with his godfather.
 
“Harry is not how I expected him.” Severus said raising a hand to his mouth
thoughtfully.
 
Draco cocked his head. “What do you mean?”
 
“I expected him to be spoiled and a bully like his father. I thought him
arrogant for never seeking out help for his numerous escapades over the years
but when he describes his home life… Harry hasn’t been treated like a prince or
like the boy savior as you like to call him. Harry was abused and neglected by
his relatives. What I thought was arrogance was actually him having learned at
a young age that he couldn’t trust adults.”
 
Draco was stunned yet again. “Abused? Neglected?”
 
“Yes, it seems that all this years I was terrorizing a child that was just
looking for a place to call home.” Severus wore a horrified self-deprecating
expression as he thought over all the times that he had tried his best to hurt
Harry. “I have much to make up for.”
 
“He will need protection from the school. We both saw what happened last year
with the tournament and then again when he revealed the Dark Lord had come
back. Everyone turned on him, they will do it again when they discover he is
pregnant especially if it is revealed that you are the father. His friends may
not even stick with him. Everyone saw how easily the Weasel dropped him.” Draco
was plotting out loud as Severus watched stunned.
 
“You wish to protect him?” Severus asked Draco.
 
Draco shrugged. “I’ve always wanted to be his friend. This will be the perfect
opportunity.”
 
Severus blinked.
 
Draco blushed. “I tried to become his friend when we met at Hogwarts but he
chose Weasel over me. Granted I didn’t exactly go about it the right way as I
insulted the Weasel when I asked but who wouldn’t want to be my friend over
some dirty Weasel.” Draco sneered. “Harry of course wasn’t having any of it and
didn’t take my hand. Ever since then I’ve become a permanent fixture in his
life as his enemy. I even climbed a tree and charmed little buttons last year
just to get his attention.”
 
“You wouldn’t happen to have a crush on Potter, would you?” Severus sneered
trying to sound nonchalant and teasing but he felt something dark twist inside
him.
 
Draco scoffed. “I’m not a bloody poof.”
 
Severus glared.
 
“Again, no offense.” Draco let out a nervous laugh.
 
Severus rolled his eyes.
 
“Is Harry even gay?” Draco wondered out loud.
 
Severus was a bit taken back by the question. He wasn’t sure that Potter was.
The boy had seemed to respond to his touches last night and had fallen asleep
with him but that could very well be to do with the baby rather than any
inclinations Potter himself may have had.
 
“Who is Potter going to claim as the father?” Draco wondered out loud. “He
can’t very well tell the school that the Dark Lord caused the pregnancy seeing
as no one believes he’s back… If he says you’re the father then it will look
like you slept with a student… He can’t say it was some muggle from where he
lives during the summer because a muggle wouldn’t be able to father his child
that requires magic… It would be best if Weasel would step up and claim the
child so that it could look like the two of them were just being idiots
together and he got knocked up on accident but the Weasel would never go for
it…” Draco’s fist smacked down against his open palm as an idea settled. “What
if I claimed the child?”
 
Severus looked like he was going to argue so Draco continued on. “If I claim
the child people will be less likely to attack Potter or try anything stupid.
It will explain me protecting Potter and keeping a closer watch on our resident
Golden boy. I’m not gay but I take enough pride in my appearance that people
have wondered and I’m not so affronted by the idea of gay men, as I’m sure
Weasel probably is, that claiming to have slept with Potter wouldn’t be too
hard. I would be perfect protection for Potter from most of the ridicule he was
undergoing, I don’t have a current betrothal contract right now so it wouldn’t
really shame the Malfoy family and since its Potter it might actually look
good.”
 
Severus thought about it for a second. What Draco was saying wasn’t bad idea,
he just wasn’t at all sure that they could get Harry to go along with it. “We
will have to bring it up to Harry and the Headmaster but I think you scheme
might actually have some merit.”
 
Draco beamed. That was high praise coming from his godfather.
***** Revelations at Hagrid's Hut *****
Harry couldn’t think of anywhere appropriate to tell his friends about the
father of his baby. By the time the last class ended he had almost given up on
the idea of revealing who the father was to his friends at all. That was until
Hermione suggested a walk down to Hagrid’s hut. Harry was both mentally cursing
and congratulating her on the idea. A part of him did want to tell his friends
and it would be a great opportunity to tell Hagrid about the baby but another
part of him wanted to bury his secret and keep it far away from everyone. It
was bad enough that he had to tell Sirius and would probably be listening to
what his godfather had to say about his baby’s father for years to come, he
didn’t want to have to tell Ron as well. But there Harry was, sitting in
Hagrid’s hut setting down with a tea cup and staring at a rock cake wondering
if postponing this conversation might be worth breaking a tooth on it.
 
“Harry has something he’d like to tell you Hagrid.” Hermione smiled looking a
Harry encouragingly.
 
Harry sighed looking over to see Hargid expectant expression. “Hippogriffs are
actually…”
 
“Harry!” Hermione admonished shaking her head.
 
“Alright, alright. I’m pregnant.” Harry said looking at Hagrid not sure what
the giant’s reaction would be to the news.
 
Hagrid’s eyes widened his mouth hanging open.
 
“He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named conspired to get Harry pregnant. We believe by using
some of the sperm from one of his Death Eaters. He did this to mess with Harry
and the War while he tries to build up his ranks.” Hermione explained covering
most of what Harry rash comment had failed to explain.
 
“And Harry won’t abort the baby like any sane person would when they find out
they have been magically impregnated by a Dark Lord that wants them dead using
the sperm of one of his insane follower.” Ron grumbled as he glared down at his
rock cake.
 
Harry threw his rock cake at Ron’s head. It hit with a soft crack before
bouncing off and rolling away on the floor.
 
“Hey!” Ron yelled looking up at Harry who wasn’t about to apologize.
 
“Oops, must be the hormones.” Harry shrugged sipping his tea as he looked back
to Hagrid and ignored the complaining red head.
 
“O’course ‘Arry isn’t gonna ‘bort the baby!” Hagrid thundered shooting Ron a
look before smiling at Harry. “It going ta be ‘Arry’s child as well. An’
everyone knows ‘Arry’s got ‘nough love in ‘is ‘eart to bring down a Dark Lord.”
Hearing Hagrid supporting him made Harry feel much better about their chosen
venue for the conversation to follow. “Not that I’m sayin’ there’s anything
wrong with ‘bortion under certain circumstances it can be a good option for
some folks. But if yer banking on it for ‘Arry you’re a might mistaken.”
 
Hermione nodded agreeing with Hagrid. Abortion shouldn’t be vilified the way
the Purebloods were known for doing, they were always quite a bit backwards
about certain things, but it wouldn’t be a good option for Harry. “I wonder if
Voldemort didn’t place extra magic so that Harry couldn’t abort the baby
anyways. It just seems silly to go through the process of impregnating Harry
just so that he can destroy the final product.” Hermione mused looking off
thoughtfully. “Harry is going to tell us who the father is while we are here
today, aren’t you Harry?”
 
Harry groaned. “Yes.”
 
“Well?” Ron asked gritting his teeth. He was not happy that his best friend was
going to be having some Death Eater’s baby. It didn’t matter how much the baby
might look like Harry or acted like Harry the baby would always have a Death
Eater for a father. Harry was supposed to win the war and settle down with a
nice girl, hopefully Ginny, and have children that would become best friends
with his children. But now Harry was having some Death Eater’s child and he
didn’t want his children playing with the children of Death Eaters.
 
“The father of my child is Professor Snape.”
 
Ron’s jaw dropped. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. Hagrid nodded like it
made the most sense in the world.
 
“Proffessor Snape is part of the Order an’ Headmaster Dumbledore trusts ‘im.”
Hagrid said happy it wasn’t someone like Malfoy or Crabbe and Goyle. He wasn’t
sure that the Potter genes would be strong enough to right either the Crabbe or
Goyle ones.
 
“Does he know?” Hermione asked curious about Snape’s thoughts on the situation.
She didn’t trust him the way Hagrid did but she could acknowledge that he was
their best option out of the known Death Eaters that it could have been.
 
“Yes, I told him yesterday.” Harry said looking down at his tea cup and
thinking back to everything that had happened last night.
 
“How did he react?” Hermione asked nervous for her friend.
 
Harry cocked his head. “Well when I told him I was pregnant he started making
fun of me.”
 
Ron snorted saying under his breathe. “Of course he did, greasy bastard.”
 
“Then threw the paper at him and told him that the baby was his and that if he
would shut up with his illogical arguments about me I wouldn’t ask him how
Voldemort has access to his sperm.” Ron spluttered over his tea, Hagrid turned
red and Hermione looked surprisingly proud of the statement. Even though Snape
was a teacher he had no right to make fun of Harry and Hermione took delight in
that Harry could shut the man down so well. “That shut him up for a good minute
and then he asked why I was keeping the baby.”
 
“Wouldn’t we all like to know.” Ron grumbled.
 
“Honestly Ronald you are so thick headed!” Hermione reprimanded. “The baby is
Harry’s family. He loves the baby, that’s why he won’t get rid of it.”
 
“That thing is part of Professor Snape, the greasy dungeon bat that makes
Harry’s life a living hell, there’s no way that Harry could love it!”
 
“Professor Snape does not make my life a living hell, Voldemort makes my life a
living hell, Snape just makes my life harder. Refer to my baby as a thing
again, Ronald, and I will show you exactly why people think I can kill a Dark
Lord. I love this child so much already, if you continue to insult him and his
father I will cut you out of my life without a second glance. Getting along
with Snape isn’t easy and you making snide comments about him and out right
insulting him doesn’t make this any easier on me. If you are my friend at all,
Ron, then I need you to grow the hell up and learn to support me because I am
fifteen and I’m having a child.” And then Harry burst into tears.
 
Ron was staring at Harry slack jawed while Hermione and Hagrid glared at him.
 
Ron came to his decision quickly watching his smaller friend cry and pulled
Harry out of his own chair and onto his lap. Harry had always been one for
physical affection. Ever since receiving his first ever hug from Hermione in
first year to receiving hugs from the Weasley family his second he had easily
become addicted to these sorts of displays of affection and they grounded him
when he was distressed. Ron had taken to offering Harry this just as much a
Hermione had though he told Harry on numerous occasions that he was not a
homosexual while comforting Harry. Harry just laughed and brushed him off when
he did this. He was in no way attracted to his red haired friend but he did at
times wonder if Ron was jealous that Krum got to take Hermione to the Yule Ball
last year or that Hermione got to take Krum.
 
Ron wrapped his arms around Harry pulling him into a hug. “I’m sorry Harry.
Your right I shouldn’t make this harder for you.” Harry wrapped his arms around
Ron’s neck and began sobbing hard into Ron’s chest.
 
Ron looked at Hermione for help. It wasn’t as if Ron had never comforted Harry
when he was crying before but Harry had never full out sobbed on Ron either.
Hermione shook her head at Ron getting up to place a soothing hand on Harry’s
back. “We both support you and the baby completely. We will be there for you
when you need us. You aren’t alone in this Harry.”
 
Harry slowly began to stop crying and Hermione took her seat again. Harry began
to straighten up in Ron’s lap but made no move to leave liking the comfort that
Ron offered. He knew it was weird to treat his best friend this way. That to
any outsider it would look like him and Ron were in a relationship but he
couldn’t help it. He had spent his whole childhood craving physical affection,
craving any affection, that he wanted any sort of affection his friends would
give him. They understood this well but also tried to keep it under wraps in
public knowing that Harry wouldn’t like the media attention these sorts of
thing would draw. The whole of the Gryffindor population had nearly been sworn
to silence by Hermione to keep them from leaking information and a couple of
the other Gryffindor’s had taken to cuddling with Harry when Ron or Hermione
wasn’t available.
 
“Are you going to be moving from Gryffindor tower then?” Hermione asked.
 
“Yes, I’ve been moved to a Guest room in Professor Snape’s rooms.”
 
Hermione nodded she had guessed as much. “How are you and the Professor getting
along?” She flinched as she asked. Harry and Professor Snape had always had
quiet a volatile relationship.
 
Harry sighed. “It’s better than I thought it would be but he’s rather…
bipolar.”
 
“How so?” Hermione asked leaning in curiously.
 
“Well at times he tries to get along with me but then it’s like he remembers
who I am and snaps at me. Then he’ll sigh and try to get along with me again.
It’s infuriating. There are times when I almost like him, when I think that
maybe everything will be okay and we can learn to get along. But then he’s
snapping and snarling at me and it’s like he’s a completely different person
from the one I were talking to just ten seconds ago.”
 
Hermione sighed. “He’s probably having a hard time accepting everything that’s
happened.”
 
Ron snorted pulling Harry tighter. “He’s not the one pregnant at fifteen.”
 
“True but no one would accuse him of being understanding.” Hermione leveled.
 
“Yeah, but it’s not helping us get along any.” Harry rubbed his eyes. “It’s
just, there’s this part of me that wants to like him and I don’t know why and I
certainly don’t know if I should trust it.”
 
“Did he…” Hermione started but she wasn’t really sure how to ask what she
wanted. She settled on, “Has he touched you?”
 
Ron sat up ramrod straight. “He better not have touched Harry.”
 
Hermione sighed. “I didn’t mean like that, Ron. I mean has he comforted you.
Harry, you tend to form strong bonds with those willing to offer you physical
comfort, so I was just wondering if that was the reason that you want to like
him.”
 
Harry blushed. “We have to touch for his magic to transfer for the baby.”
 
Hermione smiled reassuringly. “Yes, I know that. I mean has he comforted you
Harry?”
 
Harry looked down at his hands his blush deepening. “I suppose.”
 
“Oh Harry.” Hermione knew enough about psychology to know what Harry need for
affection probably stemmed from, she also understood what someone rejecting him
weather it was physical or emotional could do. She couldn’t bear to see her
best friend hurt and she had an awful feeling that that’s exactly what their
potions master would do with his mood swings. He would give Harry just enough
hope before crushing it with a few cutting words. Hermione wasn’t usually in
the business of threaten teachers but she’d make an exception for Harry’s sake.
 
“He has to touch me to transfer it’s not like it was a big deal. It was very
‘clinical’.” Harry said using the word that had stung him so much last night.
The memory of himself suggesting teasingly that Snape was being clinical about
their situation and Snape’s reply tainting his words with a touch of
bitterness.
 
Hermione scoffed at him. “Yes, we all know how you view touch so ‘clinically’,
Harry.”
 
“He said that it was clinical. The only reason he is touching me is for the
baby. Nothing more.”
 
Ron tinted green at the words ‘touching me’ and Hermione narrowed her eyes in
disbelief.
 
“But you didn’t believe that at first?” Hemione asked trying to gage the
situation.
 
“I may have been under the impression that the touches were a precursor to what
our relationship could become but I was quickly set straight.” Harry straighten
himself up trying to look as dignified as he could while sitting on Ron’s lap.
He didn’t need Hermione’s pity and he didn’t need Snape to see him as anything
other than an obligation. Just seven more months of touches and then Harry
could put the much needed distance back into his relationship with the potions
master. He’d still have to see the man if Snape wanted to keep up with his
child but he wouldn’t have to close with him.
 
“You want to have a relationship with the greasy old bat?” Ron asked horrified
at the prospect.
 
Harry took on a faint blush but kept his back straight. “I'm not delusional. I
don't expect us to start dating. I just thought... We are having a child. I
thought we could be something a bit more than a potions professor and his
student. I was wrong. In fact we are less that as I am no longer able to take
his class.”
 
Ron wrapped an arm around Harry’s waist in a comforting gesture not
understanding entirely what was wrong but knowing that his friend was upset.
 
Hermione cast a quick tempus charm to reveal the time. “Oh, look at the time.
It’s almost dinner.” She smiled at Hagrid. “We really better go.”
 
“Ya’ll be comin’ back soon ya ‘ear.” Hagrid bellowed with a huge smile. “I’ll
be wantin’ to ‘ear ‘bout the baby I will.”
 
“We will Hagrid.” Harry said smiling back at the giant as everyone started to
leave.
 
The three teens rushed back up to the school. Ron wasn’t about to miss dinner
and Harry and Hermione didn’t want to be left behind by the starving red head.
They entered the great hall and the first thing Harry noticed was the twinkling
knowing eyes of an old man watching him as he made his way to Gryffindor table.
 
Harry threw himself down in his seat. “He’s twinkling again.” He groaned at Ron
and Hermione.
 
“Personally,” Ron said in between bites of whatever he could get his hands on.
“I’d rather him be twinkly… than glaring… like he has been since the whole baby
thing.”
 
“Something must have happened since we went down to Hagrid’s.” Hermione mused
filling up her plate with a healthy portion of food.
 
Harry placed a small portion of shepherd’s pie on his plate before starting to
eat himself.
 
“More, Harry!” Hermione said adding a normal sized helping to his child sized
one and sticking a roll on his plate. “You’re eating for two now Harry.”
Hermione admonished.
 
“You know what it does to my stomach when he twinkles at me like that.” Harry
defended pushing food around on his plate with his fork in distaste.
 
Hermione just shook her head. “Eat it Harry, Professor Snape is watching you.”
 
Sure enough when Harry looked back up he was met with the dark eyes of his old
potions professor. Harry grumbled but started taking small bites.
 
“That’s a good boy, Harry.” Hermione praised cheerfully. “I’m sure there will
be treacle tart for dessert.”
 
Harry glared but did start eating with more gusto with the thought of treacle
tart. He knew Hermione would try to withhold his favorite treat if he didn’t
eat enough dinner to satisfy her. She was quite the mother hen and Harry knew
Ron would get the same treatment but he never needed encouragement to eat. To
do his homework, yes. To eat, no. As Harry ate under the watchful eyes of
Hermione, Snape and Dumbledore he couldn’t help but feel yet another unhelpful
set of eyes on him. Harry nearly growled in irritation as his head snapped up
meeting the silver eyes that had been stuck on him. What Draco Malfoy could
possibly want from him he didn’t know. Pansy Parkinson was hanging off the
blond on one side and Blaise Zabini eyeing him critically on the other. Malfoy
wasn’t paying any attention to Parkinson except to bat her hands away when they
tried to wander into his styled blond hair. When green eyes met sliver Malfoy
just smirked not bothering to look away from the dark haired boy who started
fuming. Harry continued to be frustrated well into dessert not even the
mountain of treacle tart he made on his plate completely got rid of his mood,
though he admitted it did a lot to curb it, and when he received a note from
the Headmaster just before leaving he was nearly ready to kick somebody
preferably a pretentious blond or an manipulative old headmaster.
 
Harry sighed getting up to leave. His presence was needed in the Headmasters
office apparently and while he didn’t usually mind going alone he didn’t really
want to be alone with the old man right now.
 
Harry sighed. He could do this alone. He wasn’t some little kid. He didn’t need
his friends to come with him.
 
“You okay, Harry?” Hermione asked taking his hand.
 
“Yeah, I’m fine.” Harry offered her a weak smile. “I just have to go talk to
Dumbledore.”
 
Hermione smiled reassuringly giving his hand a tight squeeze before letting it
go. “Good luck.”
 
Harry left the Great Hall heading to Dumbledore’s office using the password the
old man had supplied in his note. He was surprised when he saw both Malfoy and
Snape already sitting in two of the three available seats in front of the
Headmasters desk. He couldn’t help but wonder if Malfoy was going to accuse him
of some egregious crime or something. Harry sat down.
 
“Now that we are all here.” Dumbledore started with a smile. “Let’s continue
our talk on how we will be explaining Harry’s pregnancy to his fellow
students.”
 
Harry blanched. “Why is Malfoy here for this? For that matter how does he even
know about it?”
 
Dumbledore smiled at Harry’s outburst. “Why young Mr. Malfoy came up with the
idea, of course. And he knows about your pregnancy because one of your friends
was rather loud in the halls earlier today. You really ought to impress upon
them the clandestineness of the issue.” Dumbedore reprimanded giving him a
disappointed look.
 
Harry narrowed his eyes at the Headmaster. “Well what’s his idea then?” Harry
asked wary of the idea of Malfoy helping him.
 
“Well when you come out and say your pregnant people are going to wonder about
the father.” Malfoy started the explanation a little uncertain of what Harry
was going to think of his solution. But he secured his pureblood mask and
trudged on. “You can’t very well tell the truth about it being the Dark Lord’s
fault since no one believes he’s back and if you say Severus is the baby’s
father people with think that he slept with a student and the board of
governors would want his job, if not his head because it’s you. You can’t say
that it was some muggle because you wouldn’t have been able to get pregnant if
you were just fooling around with a muggle. The best option would probably be
for Weasley to claim the child then it would just look like you to we’re
fooling around and stupid enough not to use protective charms but I doubt
Weasley would go for it so what I’m saying is… I’m offering myself to be the
fake father of your child and the explanation that you use for its presence.”
 
Harry’s mouth hung open. He didn’t know what he had expected from Malfoy’s plan
but it certainly wasn’t this. He hadn’t even started to really think about how
he would explain being pregnant to everyone once he started showing and he had
to admit that right now he couldn’t think of a better plan than what Malfoy was
suggesting. True it would be better if he could get Ron to play family with him
instead of Malfoy but like the blond Harry wasn’t sure their friendship
extended that far. He had just gotten Ron to come around to the idea of a baby
he didn’t think he would be able to get Ron to not only support him completely
but play at being his gay lover long enough for the baby to stay suitably safe.
“Why would you do that for me?” Harry asked searching Malfoy’s eyes for an
ulterior motive.
 
“Severus is my Godfather, it would be to protect his child and whatever you are
to him.” Harry winced at that. “Of course it would also be preforming my duties
as Godfather.” Draco smirked waiting for Harry to protest.
 
Harry opened his mouth to retort. To yell at the blond prat that he would never
be his child’s Godfather. But then something stuck him. He couldn’t pick both
of the Godparents. It was only right that Snape pick one and his candidate for
Godfather could hardly stand the idea of Harry having a baby anyways. If Malfoy
was willing to these lengths for his child then how could Harry argue against
him taking that role in his baby’s life? “If that’s what Professor Snape
wants.” Harry acquiesced inclining his head towards the blond.
 
Dumbledore looked like he had swallowed a lemon. He hadn’t expected Harry to go
along with the plan let alone make the Malfoy boy his child’s Godfather. The
boy had been making ‘Potter Stinks’ badges just last year, it was no secret
that they hated each other, what was going on in this school? Someone must have
contaminated the water for things to be going this backwards. Malfoy looked
like Christmas had come early and then quickly turned his pleading eyes on his
Godfather. He had meant the comment as a joke or a slight jab to get Harry used
to the idea that the child wasn’t just his, that Severus would play a part in
deciding for the child to. One didn’t just ask to be a child’s Godfather.
Severus sat stunned staring at Harry paying no attention to the pleading blond
next to him.
 
Harry smiled at Snape feeling accomplished that he was able to throw the man
off. “I think someone’s waiting for an answer.” Harry gestured to Draco on the
other side of Snape who was practically bouncing with anticipation and
excitement. Draco had expected to have to fight tooth and nail with Harry to be
able to see Severus’s child. And he would have fought too. He loved Severus
like an Uncle. Had Severus not looked so drastically different from his father
and mother he might have grown up believing him to be actually blood related.
He wanted nothing more than to be part of his Godfather’s child’s life even if
the circumstances surrounding the child’s conception weren’t exactly normal.
 
Snape finally turned his attention to his Godson. “Yes, of course. Who else
would I pick?”
 
“I don’t know, my father?” Draco supplied. Harry tried to contain his wince.
 
“There are times that I take issue with the way your father raised you. Strive
to do better than your father in regards to my child and eventually your own.”
Severus supplied.
 
“Of course.” Draco replied with a smirk. He knew what Severus meant and had
often seen the barely contained eye rolls and scoffs when it came to certain
aspects of his father’s parenting. Severus believed Draco to be spoiled at the
same time he was rather ignored by his father who would spend long bouts of
time away from Draco and then spend his vast wealth on whatever Draco could
possibly want to try and make up for his absence.
 
“Well if that’s all there is.” Dumbledore spoke up, there was no long a twinkle
in his eyes. Harry felt accomplished at having removed it. “We shall inform the
school at dinner on Monday as I’m sure that the students will wonder why Harry
is missing from Potions class.”
 
“I think they would just assume that Professor Snape finally made me into
potions ingredients.” Harry supplied.
 
Snape smirked at that idea.
 
Harry sighed and cocked his head. “What about the press. If we tell the
students that Malfoy is the father then it will be in the Daily Prophet with in
twenty-four hours.”
 
“Yes, it will be.” Malfoy answered. “I have already informed my family of my
decision to help and my father will be making sure that everything come out
with a nice rose tint to it. Instead of gossip about me potioning you and
having ties to the Dark it will be about baby names and the naming celebration.
From what he said it should come out looking rather romantic.”
 
Harry scoffed.
 
“Are you implying that it couldn’t happen?” Draco asked sticking his nose in
the air with an exaggerated arrogance. “I’ll let you know now Potter that if it
was my intention I could have you eating out of my hand in no time.”
 
Harry blinked at Draco for a moment before letting his face fall into an amused
smirk. “Sorry, Malfoy, but blond and spoiled isn’t my type.”
 
“You’re not my type either Potter. I wouldn’t be able to handle the sheer size
of your hero complex and no matter how well I dress I’m not gay.”
 
Severus got up to leave. “I already took the liberty of having the house elves
move your things into my rooms, Draco. I have also expanded Harry’s room and
added an extra bed.”
 
Draco inclined. “Thank you.” Both Harry and Draco got up following Severus out
of the Headmasters office.
 
“So you didn’t care if I liked the plan or not? You were going to move Draco in
even if I hadn’t agreed?” Harry narrowed his eyes. He wasn’t actually mad
though. He figured he should have expected as much from Snape.
 
Severus shrugged. “Of course.”
 
Draco laughed. “This is going to be quite the experience.”
 
The three men made their way down to Professor Snape’s rooms in the Dungeons
knowing that the next seven months would be anything but easy.
***** A Happy Visit to the Hospital Wing *****
Once Severus had shown Draco and Harry to their newly expanded room Draco
immediately began inspecting it. He took a quick look around before sighing and
turning to Harry. “You find this arrangement acceptable?”
 
“Yeah why wouldn’t it be?” Harry asked regarding Draco tentatively.
 
“Potter, this room is the size of a shoe box and that’s with the expanding
charm. I dread to think of what it looked like before!”
 
Harry looked down at Draco’s feet. “You must have some really large feet.”
 
“Oh don’t be like that, Harry. I was obviously exaggerating to properly express
my terror at the situation that I’ve found myself in.” Draco stretched his arms
out across the room as if he expected to be able to touch both walls at the
same time. He couldn’t, of course, and Harry thought the action only really
served to express how ridiculous Draco was being. “This room is the exact size
of our house elves rooms at the manor.”
 
Harry blinked at that. “Really? I sort of expected you to stuff them away in
cupboards.” Harry mused.
 
Draco gapped at Harry. “Of course we don’t ‘stuff them in cupboards’ even house
elves deserve better than cupboards.” Draco scoffed at Harry muttering
something that sounded like ‘cupboards’ and shaking his head.
 
Harry felt a strange twinge in his chest and he discreetly rubbed the place
over his heart as he watched Draco move around their room examining it some
more. Abruptly Draco turned on his heel calling out “Severus” as he left the
room. Harry followed after him limply.
 
Snape was seated in one of the armchair in front of the fire an eyebrow raised
at Draco.
 
“Severus you can’t seriously expect me and Harry to share that abysmally small
room. Can anymore expanding charms be added?”
 
“No, it has reached its maximum size.” Severus answered evenly.
 
“Then you’ll need to set the house elves to creating another room or knocking
out a wall or something. You can’t expect me to stay there.”
 
“If the room is decent enough for our resident ‘chosen one’ then I’m sure it
will fit your needs Draco.” Severus sneered. Harry flinched at the title but
otherwise remained strictly as an observer.
“Psh… He’s just a Potter. I’m a Malfoy. Of course his standards aren’t as high
as mine. Even with the ridiculous titles bestowed upon him Potter will never
reach my level.” Draco preened looking a bit like the white peacocks Harry had
seen at the World Cup the summer before his fourth year.
 
Snape rolled his eyes at the arrogant boy. “I’ll have the house elves look into
creating another room but if they can’t you’ll be stuck where you are and I’ll
hear no more complaining on the matter.”
Draco nodded before swiftly turning to go back to their room. Harry stood
watching his Professor for a moment before he noticed he was effectively
staring at the man. Snape looked at him questioningly.
 
Harry blushed. “Goodnight, Professor.” Harry scurried out of the room without
waiting for a reply as Snape watched him go.
 
Once he was back in the bedroom Harry went straight for their private fire
place tossing in some floo powered and calling out the name of a place Draco
couldn’t quite hear.
 
“Hey Siri.” Harry called out immediately greeted with his overly excited
Godfather. If Sirius had been in his animagus form his tail would have been
wagging and his tongue hanging out of his mouth. Hell, his tongue was
practically out of his mouth as it was.
 
“Hey, Hare Bear!” Sirius called out with a wide grin as Remus settled in the
couch behind him watching Sirius as if he were an overly excitable child.
 
Harry rolled his eyes at the childish nickname but didn’t say anything.
Secretly, he loved it. It made him feel loved and part of the small family that
Sirius and Remus and he created but he wasn’t going to tell Sirius that.
 
“So what do you need kiddo?” Sirius asked his expression turning dark. “If that
sniveling bastard hurt you…”
 
“Sirius!” Harry groaned. “Don’t just jump to conclusions. Also don’t call him a
‘sniveling’ anything.” Harry said giving Sirius a warning look.
 
Sirius looked away guiltily resolving to continue to call the man that but only
in his head as to not upset Harry.
 
“I was actually hoping that Remus could take me to Gringotts next Hogsmead
weekend.” Harry explained looking passed his Godfather to Remus who was looking
at him curiously.
 
“Of course, Harry.” Remus replied nodding to Harry.
 
“What are you needing to go to Gringotts for Hare?” Sirius asked his head
cocked to the side.
 
“I was researching some stuff on Lordships and Heirs and such when I came
across the mention that I could take up my Lordship since I was forced to
participate in the Triwizard Tournament last year.
So I was hoping I could take that up and look into the Potter finances to see
how they have been holding up and I would like to set up a trust for the baby.”
 
Sirius looked at him wide eyed for a moment before nodding. Honestly he had
expected Harry to want to take more money out for a new broom or chocolate
frogs but taking over the Lordship, managing finances, when had his pup grown
up? Well that was a bit of a dumb question, Sirius considered, Harry grew up
when he found out that he was pregnant with that sniveling bastards child. A
part of Sirius knew that it wasn’t Severus’s fault that Voldemort was a psycho
but the less logical part had decided that it was going to partially blame its
childhood enemy anyway.
 
Harry continued oblivious to his Godfathers internal rambling. “I was also
hoping to get a feel for how much money I have so that I can start budgeting
out what I’ll need for the baby. Babies are rather expensive so I’d like to
know now if I should be looking for a summer job or something…”
 
“Harry,” Sirius interrupted, “If you need money I’ll be happy to help out you
won’t be taking a job after just giving birth.” Sirius shook his head. “As my
Godson I’ve already made you my heir and given you access to the Black accounts
that I took over this summer. You gotta love Goblins and the zero respect they
have for wizarding laws. Didn’t even blink an eye when I floo’ed in to
Gringotts.” Sirius smiled at the memory.
 
Harry blinked. “You didn’t have to do that…” Something hit Harry in the back of
his head before he could finish his thought. He turned to see Draco lounging
back against his bed.
 
“Severus will be paying for the baby things, stupid. He’s the baby’s father,
it’s traditional.”
 
Harry huffed. “You mean the way it’s traditional to get married before you
start having children.”
 
Draco shook his head at Harry. “Any respectable man takes care of his child and
his child’s bearer and Severus, while he has his faults, is a respectable man.”
 
“I’m not a woman! I don’t need someone to ‘take care of me’.” Harry cried
indignantly.
 
Draco held up both his hand in surrender. “Woah, who sounds sexist now. It has
nothing to do with your genitals and all to do with image. He wouldn’t want to
look like he couldn’t take care of you. Or as if he doesn’t care about you. The
first would leave him vulnerable to ridicule and the second would leave you…
well just plain vulnerable.” Draco touched his chin deep in thought for a
moment. “Or maybe I should be paying for everything seeing as I’m posing as the
father… I suppose we’ll have to wait and see how long this rouse plays out
before we can decide.”
 
Harry sat gapping at Draco he couldn’t keep up with this new version of Malfoy.
 
“Harry?” Sirius called from the fire place.
 
Harry turned his attention back to his godfather and Remus. “Sorry.”
 
“Who was that Harry?” Sirius asked.
 
“Oh, that’s just… Ahh… That’s who will be posing as the baby’s father until we
can tell people the truth.” Harry answered rubbing his head.
 
“Hmm… So who will be playing your baby daddy?” Sirius said with a wink. “It
didn’t sound like Ron.”
 
“Ahh… No, Ron didn’t seem like he’d be okay with sort of thing…”
 
“Well don’t leave me in suspense.”
 
“It’s Draco Malfoy. I guess he overheard Hermione and Ron talking in the
hallway and found out about the baby and decided to help since he’s Snape’s
Godson…”
 
“Malfoy?” Sirius wheezed.
 
“Yeah, he’s actually been pretty great about this whole thing.” Harry explained
with a soft smile.
 
“Thanks for that glowing endorsement, Harry. I’ll be sure to call you next time
I need recommendation. Everyone will want me after they here the boy-who-lived
thinks I’m ‘pretty great’.” Draco ranted from somewhere behind him. After a
second Draco add a quick, “Hey, cousin!”
 
Sirius’s left eye twitched. “Harry, are you sure…”
 
“Yes, I’m sure. Draco has a very good reason for wanting to help my baby.”
Harry said lightly touching his stomach.
 
Sirius didn’t look like he believed Harry but he relented anyways vowing to
talk to Harry more when the blonde brat wasn’t lurking around in the back
ground.
 
Harry picked at the sleeve of his shirt unconsciously. “Dumbledore thought that
bringing him in would help convince me my baby isn’t worth it.”
 
“Oh, Harry.” Sirius sighed his face softening. He knew how much Harry had
respected the Headmaster and watching the man try and manipulate Harry into
giving up a child he obviously wanted was just digging Dumbledore deeper and
deeper onto his shit list.
 
“Has he always been this… manipulative? Have I always been under his thumb and
I’m just now realizing it?”
 
Before Sirius could answer Harry’s concerns a “yes” was shouted from behind
Harry.
 
Sirius scowled over Harry’s shoulder at the boy he couldn’t see. Sirius face
softened again as he looked back at Harry. “This summer I had started to wonder
if he had your best interests at heart, if he had any of our best interests at
heart, really. I think he’s become so consumed with this war against Voldemort
that he can’t see anything but his end goal at this point. I wouldn’t be
surprised if he’s just as obsessed with Voldemort as Voldemort is with you.”
 
“I wouldn’t go that far.” Draco interjected. “The Dark Lord gone to psycho
levels of stalking when it comes to Harry. It’s actually quite hard to keep
ones breakfast down in the manor these days because of it.”
 
Harry turned to look at the blond boy his face scrunched in revulsion wondering
what Voldemort was possibly doing at the manor involving him that was causing
Draco to struggle not to be sick.
 
“Well, at least our leader is saner then.” Sirius tried to lighten the mood
grinning at Harry. “Join the Light. Or leader a bit less touched in the head
than the Dark’s.” Then more seriously. “Does this mean Malfoy’s on our side?”
 
“Neither me or Severus have to change sides to want this baby alive and happy.
In fact, from the looks of it, the Dark supports the health of the baby more
than the light does.” Draco mused. “Isn’t that ironic.”
 
Harry sighed. “Well, it’s getting late. I have to head off to bed and I’d hate
to have any negative effect on Draco’s beauty sleep.”
Sirius smiled at the jab. “Goodnight, Hare Bear!”
 
Harry rolled his eyes trying to force his smile down. “Goodnight, Sirius,
Remus.” He pulled his head out of the fire place turning he started to get
undressed figuring he’d just sleep in his boxers and shirt not really wanting
to drag out his old pajamas with Malfoy in the room.
 
Harry cast a quick silencing charm before Malfoy snuffed out the lights with a
wave of his own wand. Tucking his wand under his pillow Harry mentally prepared
himself for the rough night he knew awaited him.
 
 
 
Draco wasn’t sure what woke him up at first. There was no noise in the small
room and it wasn’t anywhere near morning, he’d cast a quick tempus charm to
make sure. It wasn’t till the scent hit him that he knew. The room reeked of
urine.
 
Draco couldn’t help but shake his head. Not tormenting Potter was going to be
even harder now that he knew the savior of the wizarding world still wet his
bed. Draco sighed getting out of bed and lighting a couple candles that sat in
between the two beds so that he’d have enough light to aim a quick cleaning
charm to get rid of the smell so he could go back to bed. When he turned to
look over at the boy-who-lived what he saw terrified him.
 
Harry Potter was thrashing looking like he was under the cruciartus, his face
was contorted in agony, his arms flew around at odd angles and came crashing
down on himself occasionally as he dug his nails into his own flesh. He was
screaming but there was something preventing Draco from hearing it.
 
Draco scrambled out of his bed making quick work of the silencing charm that
must have been Harry’s.
 
“Stop! Please… no more… hurts. Stop, Uncle Vernon. No, please… no.” Harry
screamed as he trashed some more.
 
“Oh, Merlin. Oh, Merlin.” Draco mutter as he started to shake Harry holding him
by his shoulders. “Harry, wake up! Please wake up, Harry!”
 
Harry’s eyes snapped open as he gulped in a large breathe. Instantly he froze
looking up at Draco in absolute mortification as he felt the wet bedding
surrounding him. “I… I… I’m sorry.” Harry stuttered looking down at his lap in
shame.
 
Draco smoothed over Harry’s shoulders where he had been holding the dark haired
boy. “Shh… It’s okay Harry. Just let me clean you up real quick.” Draco said
giving Harry a reassuring smile when he looked up. With a flick of Draco’s wand
Harry’s bedding and clothes were clean again and the scent was gone.
“Unsurprisingly I get a lot of use for that charm at the manor. No one can hold
their bladders after Voldemort’s cruciartus. It’s no big deal.” Draco reassured
still touching Harry’s arm with the hand that didn’t have his wand in it.
 
“I wasn’t under a spell.” Harry mumbled looking down at his lap again.
 
“No, but you certainly looked like it. Do you have nightmares like that often?”
Draco asked putting a hand under Harry’s chin to lift his face back up. Draco
felt an overwhelming need to comfort the boy who had obviously been terrified
just moments before. When he had woken up from nightmares when he was younger
he would always search out his mother who would comfort him with soft touches
and her warm voice until he could sleep again so that was what he intended to
do with Harry.
 
The feeling of Draco’s hand under his chin was overwhelmingly soothing to Harry
who cursed himself for clinging so easily to the small comfort. “When I’m
sleeping alone.” Harry answered looking so vulnerable and small that Draco
could nearly feel his heart ache for him. Draco fully intended to find out who
this ‘Uncle Vernon’ was once he could get Harry’s friends alone and bring the
matter up to Severus would want to know if someone was hurting Harry but for
now comforting Harry was his main goal.
 
“Would you want to share a bed with me?” Draco asked brushing his hand over
Harry’s cheek in a soothing way. Draco was completely straight and Harry Potter
wasn’t about to change that but spending the night platonically in the boys bed
wouldn’t hurt anyone and if it helped Harry sleep then Draco was on board. He
never wanted to see the terrify sight that he woke up to again. He would
defiantly be mentioning the sharing of beds to Severus. Draco could continue to
share his bed with Harry but it would probably help with the magical transfer
if Harry shared with Severus that and in a perfect world Harry’s child would
bring the boy-who-lived and his Godfather together. He wasn’t sure how exactly
that would work with the war but he wasn’t totally sure of his Godfathers
loyalty so there was a bit of wiggle room there and honestly you’d be hard
pressed to find a death eater that wouldn’t flip sides in a second upon being
given a safe out. Followers are only loyal for so long after you start
torturing them for fun. Unless of course you counted Bella but Draco didn’t.
His aunt was so insane he didn’t think any of her choices could really be
counted as choices and not just symptoms of her insanity.
 
Harry looked up at him with wide green eyes as if he had offered him the world
and nodded.
 
Draco smiled and slipped into Harry’s bed pulling the smaller boy against him.
If anyone ever asked Draco would vehemently deny ever cuddling with the boy-
who-lived but at this moment he couldn’t come up with another word to describe
the way his arms curled around the other boy who nuzzled up against his chest
relaxing with a sigh of relief. Draco buried his face in Harry’s soft mess of
hair smiling to himself as sniffed. The boy-who-lived’s hair smelled like
flowers.
 
 
 
Harry woke up with a slightly larger body wrapped around him. He hummed in
contentment as he was slowly pulled towards consciousness. Memories of that
night came flooding back to Harry. He couldn’t help the pink tint that spread
across his cheeks as he remembered Draco waking him up from one of his worst
nightmares. He felt something twist inside him at the idea that Draco might
have a much different reaction when he woke up than he had last night.
 
Harry slowly pulled himself out of bed untangling himself from the blond while
he did so. He did his best not to wake Draco. Harry let out a sigh of relief as
he looked down at the blond who was now clinging to his pillow looking like he
could sleep for several more hours yet.
 
Harry scurried off to the bathroom to get ready to face the day with a niggling
feeling in the back of his mind about something that he should be doing today.
He couldn’t put his finger on it until his stomach made a noise that had much
more to do with hunger than a baby but brought his hand racing down to touch it
and reassure himself that everything was alright anyways. Madam Pomfrey had
spoken with him about a scan that he would need to see her about today. It
would be rather early to go right after breakfast but Harry figured she’d be up
already bustling around the hospital wing as she was known to do and he was
rather excited for the appointment.
 
He made his way out into the main room to find Severus reading a book with a
cup of tea in what seemed to be his favorite chair. Harry could see why it
would be the potion master’s favorite chair as it gave a good view of both the
fire place and the entrance to the room where the other chair would leave you
back exposed to the door and the couch would invite people to sit next to you.
 
Harry cleared his throat awkwardly standing in the middle of the room shifting
from foot to foot.
 
Severus looked up from his book with a raised eyebrow at Harry.
 
“How much of the child’s life do you wish to be a part of… sir?” Harry quickly
tacked on a ‘sir’ not sure how casual Snape wanted him to be and not wanting to
press his luck any.
 
“I suppose I’d like to be as ‘apart’ of the child’s life as you will allow me?
Why are you asking such a thing so early?” Snape asked never dropping his
eyebrow as he studied the obviously nervous teen.
Harry bit his lip. “Well, I have an appointment with Madam Pomfrey for some
scans of the baby. I’m not sure how exciting they will be but I’ve heard that
both partners usually go to this sort of thing.” Harry turned a bright red.
“Not that I’m implying that we are… I mean I know we aren’t…” Harry took a deep
breath trying to regain control of his fraying nerves. “What I’m trying to say
is that while I know that we are not partners as another part of the child’s
life I was wondering if you’d like to join me while I go for my checkup.”
 
“Indeed.” Severus looked rather amused by the teens stumbling. “I will of
course join you if that is what you wish, Harry.” He was actually rather
surprised Harry had asked him. He had assumed that Harry would rather his
little group of friends join him for appointments so that they could coo over
and support the boy and his child. He felt rather happy that he would be
allowed to take part in the beginnings of his child’s life.
 
Harry nodded. “I’ll be going after breakfast… if that’s alright with you of
course, sir.”
 
“Of course, I’ll meet you there then.” Severus went back to reading as the boy
wandered out the door to breakfast. Severus waited a couple moments to follow
after the boy. He wasn’t going to wait up for Draco as he knew the boy had a
tendency to over sleep on the weekends and was a terror if woken up from his
little indulgences. He could still remember the last time he had tried to wake
the boy up on a weekend. He shivered a little at the thought. A cranky sleep
drunk Malfoy was something he didn’t like experiencing.
 
He made his way to the staff table taking a moment to get a glimpse of Harry
who was conversing happily with his dunderheaded friends. Severus had no idea
how he was going to handle Harry’s check up with his little friends hanging
around probably glaring at him as if this whole thing was his master plan to
taint their precious Savior. Severus sighed as he ate his small but healthy
breakfast. Harry would most likely never invite him to one of these again after
today. Even a blind person would be able to see that Severus and the two young
Gryffindors wouldn’t get along. In fact, Severus had no idea how he and Harry
were getting along as well as they were. He knew he still had his lapses just
as Harry had his own lapses but the both seemed to be doing their best to look
past them.
 
Severus took another glance over at Harry and frown. Shouldn’t the boy be
eating more but he seemed to be leaving without having actually ate much of
what was on his plate. His two friends were following him out of the Great hall
and Severus waited a minute and took his time as he left for the hospital wing.
 
Upon entering the hospital wing Severus was started to see Harry alone in a
hospital gown sitting up in bed waiting for him. Severus couldn’t help but
wonder where the boy’s friends were hiding as he approached the young man.
Harry looked so alone in the white hospital bed that it was startling and
seemed to amplify the idea that Harry was only fifteen and pregnant. Severus
silently cursed Black, Lupin, Granger, and Weasley for not being there already
to support the boy who looked a bit lost.
 
Harry’s green eyes sparkled as he gently smiled at the older man gliding
towards him. He was far too happy that Snape had come to the appointment with
him. He didn’t really want to analyze his happiness to much though because it
would only serve to spoil his mood.
 
Madam Pomfrey started to come over holding a small bottle of a thick clear
liquid and a white scanning device. She pulled the curtains closed around them
once she had gotten to Harry’s bed. “Wouldn’t want anyone taking a peek, right
dearies?” The matron asked joyfully. “This is the happiest I’ve been to see you
boys in my hospital wing!” She smiled delightedly.
 
“I bring you potions every month.” Severus drawled watching as she fussed over
Harry.
 
“And I think a new child is a much happier occasion than a new stock of
potions.” Madam Pomfrey admonished shaking her head at Snape. “So, are you boys
ready to meet the little one?”
 
Harry nodded happily at her before looking over to a confused Snape.
 
“Are we not waiting on your friends, Harry?” Snape asked
 
“No, sir. I didn’t invite them. This seems a bit private. I’ll tell them how it
went later.” Harry explained to an astonished Snape. Of course, Snape didn’t
show it outwardly but he was delightfully surprised at the boy’s decision to
keep this meeting between the two of them. He hadn’t been looking forward to it
because of the boy’s friends and now it felt like a weight had been lifted off
his shoulders.
 
Snape nods.
 
“Now I’ll need access to your stomach for the scans, Harry so if you could just
tuck you lower body under the blanket.” Harry did as he was asked placing the
white hospital blanket up to rest on his hips just covering where his pubic
hair started. He didn’t have a little trail of hair leading down to his
genitals like some boys and his upper body remain mostly hairless though he did
have under arm hair he hadn’t developed any on his chest. “Alright now let’s
pull up you gown.” Madam Pomfrey started to help Harry pull up the scratchy
hospital gown to show his stomach. She pulled back taking a long look at Harry
before chuckling to herself. “You can tell I’m much more accustom to dealing
with pregnant girls can’t you?” She sighed. “Well, you can just take off the
gown if you want. You don’t have to wear it.”
 
Harry smiled nervously at her before quickly pulling the gown off and setting
it beside him in the bed not far from where Snape’s hands are resting.
 
Severus was taken off guard by how thin the boy actually was. He hadn’t put on
any baby weight yet and he knew the boy had been feeling bad for weeks before
he had found out he was pregnant but from the concaved look of the boy’s
stomach he hadn’t been getting fed well for a while. Severus stored the image
of the boy’s stomach and ribs away as something to investigate later.
 
“This will be a touch cold my dear.” Madam Pomfrey warned as she poured some
clear gel from the bottle she was holding onto Harry’s stomach before setting
the bottle aside on the bed side table and spreading the cold gel over Harry’s
stomach. Harry shivered. Madam Pomfrey placed the scanning device over his
stomach tapping it once with her wand and a screen appeared at the foot of the
bed showcasing a pale pink numb of a baby. It looked a bit hunched with a
pronounced forehead and small black eyes. “Remember boys it still has a lot of
developing to go before…”
 
“He’s beautiful.” Harry’s voice was dripping in awe as he stared at the screen
showcasing his son. Snape actually looked away from the screen in surprise at
the boy’s tone and words to find Harry beaming brightly. The potions master had
never seen Harry so happy.
 
Madam Pomfrey smiled indulgently at Harry. “The baby’s genitals have not
developed yet.”
 
Harry just continued to smile at his baby. “I just have a feeling, you know.
And I’d rather call him a ‘he’ than an ‘it’ even if he turns out to be a she.
She’d just have to learn to forgive me.”
Madam Pomfrey smiled wider at Harry’s obvious delight and took notice of the
drowning expression Severus was wearing. “I’ll let you both hear the heart beat
now.” She smiled brightly tapping her wand again.
 
A thumping sound starts coming from the device and Harry’s hand grabbed on to
Severus as his smile threatened to break his face. Severus could help but
taking turns staring at the baby on the screen and the young man holding his
hand. He would swear that there are tears of joy in the boys beautiful green
eyes as he took in their son. Their son! And in that moment Severus can only
wonder if he’ll ever love that child the way Harry obviously loves it. He’s not
sure he’s ever loved anything as much as Harry loves their child. Severus can’t
understand why Harry is so happy. Sure, Severus is happy that he’s actually
going to get a chance at having a child and he’s glad to have seen his child
and to be holding Harry’s hand listening to its heart beat but he’s nowhere
near crying. Add on that he’s not the one carrying the child, who will
eventually have to give birth to the child, he’s not fifteen, and he’s not
trapped living with his most hated teacher and the boy who spent years mocking
him. But he can see it all falling into place, the way Harry had been acting,
how accepting he was of their situation, the way the boy had behaved with
Malfoy, it was all for the child he was carrying.
 
“Now I’m going to snap a quick picture of the little one. Would you both like
one? So you can each have an original and make duplicates to hand out from
them?” Madam Pomfrey asked looking from Harry to Severus.
 
Just as Severus was about to answer that he didn’t need one Harry was talking
“Yes, we’d both like one.”
 
Madam Pomfrey smiles at them both tapping her wand twice to the scanner that
spits out two pictures of their child. She hands one to Harry and one to
Severus. Neither man can tear their eyes away from the child as Madam Pomfrey
starts cleaning up spelling the gel from Harry’s midsection.
 
Madam Pomfrey bustles out and Snape lifts his head to look at Harry. “Potter,
when did you think that answering questions for me was acceptable?” The words
are missing their usual bite.
 
“You were going to tell her that you didn’t want one.” Harry said without
looking up from his picture.
 
“And?” Severus sneered. “That would have been my choice.”
 
Harry rolled his eyes. “You would have said no but you would have regretted it.
And there are people you know who might want to see that picture of your
child.”
 
“Who are you suggesting?” Severus drawled not actually expecting an answer. He
didn’t think Harry would believe his old potions master had anyone.
 
“Family.” Harry suggested looking up at Snape.
 
“I don’t have any family, Potter.”
 
Harry touched his stomach lightly. “You do now.”
 
Severus was so taken aback by the comment it took him a second to respond as
something deep in his chest swelled. “I doubt he wants to see a picture of
himself.”
 
“He might one day.” Harry’s face took on a bit of sadness. “And I might not be
around to show him.” Harry bit his lip. “Besides you have friends who might
want to see him.”
 
Ignoring the boys comment about dying Severus preceded to question the boy
again. “Oh, and who would my friends be.”
 
Harry was quiet for a moment where Snape thought he had caught him but was
quite surprised when the boy did speak. “The Malfoy’s, some Hogwarts staff
members, old pupils you might have kept in touch with, friends I don’t know
about because I don’t actually know you that well, and maybe some of the Death
Eaters. As much as I hate to imagine it,” Harry even cringed as he said the
words, “…it might make a good progress report for Voldemort.”
 
Severus snarled at the Dark Lord’s name.
 
Harry flinch. “I’m sorry.”
 
Severus just shook his head. “I imagine Narcissa would love to see it and Draco
will need a copy to play out his role.” Severus looked back down at the picture
of his son and then to where his hand was still being held by Harry. “Thank
you, Harry.” He ran his thumb over the boys pale hand in a brief caress before
he pulled away leaving the boy to get changed and then, Severus assumed, go off
to see his friends.
Please drop_by_the_archive_and_comment to let the author know if you enjoyed
their work!