Title: Happy Birthday, Harry

Author: Kyrie

Rating: PG

Words: 1,261

Disclaimer: I own nothing… don't believe me, ask my cat!

Beta: Shoebox

A/N:Written for a Severus *sighs* challenge for Harry's birthday. Also, Severus is a bit fluffy, but I think that you might agree in this situation, he has a right to be a little less stern.

Happy Birthday, Harry

Sneer firmly in place, Severus sat in his favorite wingchair beside the fireplace watching his husband of five years fidget with his new robes. After the seventh time of sitting through the straightening of robes followed by the brushing off of non-existent lint and ending with a pointless attempt at the taming of hair, Severus finally snapped, "Potter! Cease that at once!"

Harry's hands stilled as he glared at Severus. Then he sighed and turned to stare at the fireplace. "I can't help it, Severus. The last time I saw Ginny was at our bonding and you know what a disaster that turned into."

"Harry," said Severus as he got up to embrace his husband from behind. "That was over five years ago. She was still trying to adjust to the fact that you dumped her for a man, and not just any man, but for your hated, greasy ex-Potions Master. She was at a point in her life where she was still the child who'd been spoiled by her entire family, yet was moving into the adult she would become, and she was a woman scorned. As much as I wanted to hex Miss Weasley that day, I can understand how hard it was on her. And I must say that she has grown into a wonderful woman. One who is happily engaged, I might add, so there is no need to worry about another incident like that. In fact, I'd say that my godson is probably trying to convince her that you won't hex her as soon as you see her."

Severus turned Harry in his arms and gently kissed his lips before stepping back. "Go to the Burrow and enjoy your birthday party. Eat cake, laugh with your friends, and perhaps you should invite Miss Weasley and Draco to come to dinner some night."

"Are you sure you can't come, Severus?"

"I can't say that I enjoy such gatherings."

"I know," came the forlorn reply.

With a finger under the chin, Severus tilted Harry's head up so he could look into his eyes. "I would be going, Harry, if it weren't for the emergency potion that St. Mungo's needs. If I don't complete it today, it will be too late."

Harry sighed.

"Go," Severus said with a light swat to Harry's behind. "Enjoy. And we'll celebrate when you return."

Harry grinned and quickly giving his husband a kiss, he grabbed a handful of Floo powder and threw it into the fireplace, calling, "The Burrow," as he disappeared into the green flames.

Severus sighed. Checking the clock on the mantel, he realised that he had a very short time in which to complete his task. First order of business was to get the box of potions that was ready for delivery to St. Mungos, while hoping that the house-elves would have everything ready before Harry returned.

***

'Severus,' Harry called as he stepped out of the fireplace. 'I'm home!'

He stopped and looked around the empty room in confusion and sighed. Severus apparently hadn't retuned from delivering the potions to St. Mungo's, or else he was off preparing for the birthday celebration. Harry grinned. He would just put away the gifts he'd gotten at his party while he waited for Severus to return so they could… celebrate. His grin widened as he walked across the room and into his office.

As Harry walked back into the sitting room, he looked up from the book Hermione and Neville had given him – Charming Charms - to see his husband standing there with his arms full… of baby?!

"Severus?"

"Harry." Severus said quietly so as to not wake the sleeping infant in his arms.

Confused, Harry looked at the baby then up at his husband and again questioned, "Severus?"

Severus moved to the sofa, shifting the child to his right arm and patted the seat beside him. Once Harry was seated, Severus turned to face Harry.

"I lied to you, Harry."

Harry felt his heart drop into his stomach.

"I didn't have to finish a potion for St. Mungos. It was completed. All I had to do was deliver it, but…"

"Then what?"

Holding one hand up to stop Harry's questions, Severus continued. "Let me tell this and then I'll answer any questions you have." He waited for Harry's terse nod before speaking again.

"Last year, Lucius and I met for lunch. He wanted to talk about Draco's announcement of marriage to young Miss Weasley. Whatever else Lucius is, he loves his son and wants him to be happy, but years of animosity don't disappear over night.

During our lunch, Ixion Cornwall came up to us. He was a Slytherin who was two years ahead of me and I hadn't seen him since he left Hogwarts. I'd heard that he had moved to America and studied to become an obstetrician for the magical world. He wanted away from the turmoil here, with the Dark Lord starting to make his first move."

Severus stopped as a house-elf arrived with tea. Once the tea was poured and the house-elf had gone, Severus continued.

"We spent a few minutes catching Ixion up with everything that had happened in Britain since he left. Then he began talking about his work. He mentioned that he was moving to St. Mungo's to continue his work. He was hoping to devise a way to splice together the genes of two people of the same sex, men or women, with the aid of magic and implant those genes into an egg cell. His hope was to make it possible for homosexual couples to become parents of their own biological children. I set up a meeting for later in the week, and so we began our collaboration on the project."

Taking a sip of tea, he continued, "I knew that it was something that would benefit you and me, if Ixion and I could get it to work. As I scoured Ixion's research notes, I remembered the look on your face when you saw Ron and Luna's first child. I knew you wanted a family. One that was more than just you and myself. But you had resigned yourself not ever having one."

"Severus," Harry broke in. "I love you. I won't deny that I want children, but I chose you. I knew that even though I was giving up the chance to have children, I couldn't give up you."

"And that, my dearest Harry, is exactly why I worked so tirelessly with Ixion to develop this process. I love you and want you to have whatever it is in my power to give you. It took several months, but we finally succeeded in creating a process using a potion and a charm to magically combine the genes of two same sex parents. Ixion then implanted the combined genes into an unfertilized egg cell and implanted the resulting embryo into a surrogate mother."

Severus gently placed the sleeping child in Harry's arms. "James Evan Potter-Snape was born this morning."

The emotions playing across Harry's face were like a snitch on a Quidditch pitch and Severus felt compelled to fill the silence. 'If you don't like the name…'

Suddenly tears began flowing down Harry's face, he looked down at the child in his arms and then back up at his husband. "Our son," he whispered. "I have a family."

Severus' thought his heart would stop at the dazzling smile that broke across Harry's face. Pulling his husband and their newborn son into his arms, Severus whispered, "Happy birthday, Harry."