Reminder: Harry Potter is not mine, as much as I wish it was. Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling.
...Unexpected...
The baby cooed up at the scarred, tired face above him. Remus looked down with equal intensity at the child. Despite the light being off, he could see every curve of the soft, rounded cheek. He knew the baby would never remember what he was about to say, but he had to tell someone.
"Hello, Teddy. I guess it's a blessing that you're like your mother. You'll always be able to disguise your features so no one will know." He paused, it was so frustrating to say what he needed to say to a gurgling and adorable baby. Remus had grown accustomed to being around the child, it never looked at him with scornful eyes or questioned his loyalties, it depended on him.
"Teddy, I'm not your father. Your mother is braver than you will probably ever know. She fell in love with a former Death Eater while trying to gain information for the Order. Minerva thought that if your mother pretended to marry me, I could keep her safe while she completed the remainder of her mission. That charade kept her alive. But she then she got pregnant with you. I've been struggling to keep you two safe ever since."
It was like draining puss from an infected wound. Each word he spoke helped him heal.
"I've never been a strong man, your father would be the first to tell you that. But I care about you, Teddy. I swear that I will protect your mother with everything I am, even if it will make no difference." He bit his lip.
"I made Harry into your godfather, I know I had no right to do that. But, if Harry survives this thing, he should be able to protect you even if people find out the truth." The baby looked up at him with adoring eyes as Remus reached out to pick him up.
"Your father never loved your mother. And I have never been more than her friend. But Teddy, always know this, your mother and I love you." He looked down at the baby in his arms, so tiny, but so valuable to him. A small yawn issued from Teddy's mouth as he snuggled closer to the man that everyone thought was his father.
Remus carefully set the baby back down in his crib once he was certain he was asleep.
The door opened, sending a sliver of light streaming across the floor.
"Remus, what are you doing?" Tonks's soft call pulled his gaze away from the baby.
"I was just putting Teddy to bed."
"Good, you had better do the same yourself. Severus says that whatever is happening will happen soon." Remus nodded and followed her out of the room.
"Good night, Teddy Snape." He whispered into the nursery, too softly for the witch beside him to hear.
...Author's Notes...
While playing the "what-if" game in the Harry Potter universe with a friend, we started trying to figure out a way for her original character to have a relationship with Remus and still have the canon events happen. This is the scenario that I came up with.
Tonks is sent to track down Snape and learn why he killed Dumbledore. She finds out the truth and falls in love with Snape, despite his lack of interest in her. Tonks gets Snape to at least commit to a physical relationship. Minerva asks Remus to pretend to marry Tonks in order to provide a cover story explaining both her absences and her obvious elation at falling in love. Tonks gets pregnant with Teddy. Remus flees, and expresses his doubts to Harry, without revealing the truth. Teddy is born. Remus names Harry the godfather in hopes that if no one ever learns of Snape's true loyalties, then Teddy won't be scorned by the wizarding world for having "the man who killed Dumbledore" as his father. Remus tells Teddy everything. Just a few days later Remus, Tonks and Snape die in the Battle of Hogwarts.
Comments, flames, questions on why the heck I wrote this?