Summary: This sequel to "Hush, Potter" follows Harry and Severus as they adopt an orphaned Death Eater child into their lives. (HP/SS)
Author's Notes: I would just like to apologize to anyone who has been anticipating a sequel to "Hush, Potter." I've been very busy over the past few months, and I have finally found the time and inspiration to get started on this.
This first chapter is short, and for that, I apologize for as well, but I wanted to ask my readers if you think Harry and Sev should adopt a girl or a boy. And when you vote, kindly suggest some names you might like, if you wouldn't care. I'm still mulling it over, but I do need some help.
Thanks, and I hope you guys enjoy the sequel!
"Our Death Eater Child"
Chapter 1
by
Kyla Mizuki
"Something's on your mind," Severus noted as he and Harry sat down to a soup and salad lunch.
"Hm? Oh, sorry… I guess so."
Severus tilted Harry's chin up. "Want to talk about it?"
"Only if you promise not to get mad," Harry said hesitantly and glanced away.
"I promise I won't be mad."
"Well," Harry took a deep breath and looked Severus square in the eye, "I was in Diagon Alley yesterday? And I found a little boy lost. I couldn't just leave him there alone, so I helped him find his parents… That's why I was late," he paused, "but it got me thinking… Are you ready to adopt yet?"
"Harry," Severus sighed warily.
Harry winced. "Remember, you promised not to get mad."
"I'm not mad," Severus said softly and watched his fingers dance across the back of Harry's hand, "I'm just not ready to discuss this… We've only been together a year and a half. Shouldn't we wait a little longer to bring a child into our lives?"
"I don't think it's too soon," Harry said with a pouty edge to his voice. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared down at his bowl.
"All right… let's discuss it…"
"I think we should adopt a little girl."
Severus narrowed his eyes at his boyfriend of a year and a half. "I do not do well with little children, Harry," he said.
"You don't know that," Harry argued valiantly, face set in determination.
"And I do not wish to find out."
"But, Severus!"
The Potions Master sighed and shifted uncomfortably in his chair at the kitchen table. He glanced around their flat and cursed Harry for convincing him to buy a flat in Muggle London, of all places. That notion aside, he found the words he wanted to say, "May I remind you that we will be returning to Hogwarts within a month? Why adopt a small child when we're going to uproot him or her again. Besides, Hogwarts is no place for a young child."
"Well, I could stay here with her," Harry said. He stopped short at the livid expression on his boyfriend's face.
"You will do no such thing! If you make that decision… If we cannot live together and you would rather stay here in muggle London with a child than be with me, then I would like to know now, before I fall too much deeper into this pit! I want the chance to get out now before I get hurt even more!"
"That's not what I," Harry sighed. The hand he settled on Severus's arm was violently shaken off, and he floundered for words to heal the wound he had not even meant to cause. "Sev," he murmured and stood up. He folded his legs to kneel in front of Severus's chair, straining under the man's head until their gazes locked, "I love you. I wouldn't leave you for anything, I swear... I'm sorry."
"I know," Severus grumbled. His shoulders slumped, and he leaned heavily against the back of his chair. He smiled slightly when Harry chased him, pressing a kiss to the older man's lips and trailing his fingers down a pale cheek.
"Now, how about we finish our lunch and talk about this again later?" Harry asked. He sat himself down in Severus's lap and gave a cheeky grin. "Open up, Sev," he sang and held up a spoonful of soup.
"Brat," Severus chuckled fondly and anchored his arms around Harry's waist. He allowed the young man to feed him as if he were a child.
They enjoyed the rest of their lunch in romantic bliss, clinking glasses and feeding one another with a shared kiss between spoonfuls. Severus finally managed to coax Harry out of his lap. "To the den, Potter," he said playfully and steered his Gryffindor into the small den.
Severus seated himself on the dark sofa beside Harry. He rolled his eyes when he was nudged to lie down, and he obediently coiled his arms around his boyfriend's smaller figure. "All right, why do you want a little girl, Harry?" the Potions Master asked and petted Harry's messy hair.
"I don't know… I just thought I would always like to have a daughter."
"Keep in mind what girls must go through during puberty… Would you really be able to handle that?"
"Well… that's true," Harry replied, barely holding back a small blush. He tucked his head under Severus's chin.
"I think," Severus paused, eyes fluttering when he felt lips against the side of his neck, "I think that it would be best for us to decide on an age range and wait until we actually visit an orphanage to decide what gender."
"I like that idea," Harry mumbled against the skin of Severus's neck and brushed his hand over a pale collarbone, "we could fall head over heels for a bright-eyed little boy, too."
"Or an older, more mature, bright-eyed boy," Severus revised.
"Why don't you want a little kid?" Harry asked after a hesitant silence, his fingers rubbing methodically against the front of Severus's dark green t-shirt.
"Older children can argue more easily and are emotionally more mature," Severus near-whispered, trapped in his thoughts. His hand stilled there in Harry's dark locks while his scowling eyes clouded up.
"You want a moody teenager that will argue with you?" Harry joked, feeling the tension in the air suddenly turn heavy. He kissed Severus's chin.
"No, but I'm accustomed to dealing with teenagers… I know that I can handle them. I do not want to act anything like my father because you wanted a whiny, sniveling, Ill-behaved child that can be put to tears so damn easily!"
"Sev," Harry frowned. He pushed himself up and cupped his Potions Master's cheeks, kissing him firmly on the mouth. "That's not something you need to worry about! I know you'd be the best father you could be."
"My best is never good enough," Severus said bitterly. He tossed his head to the right, towards the back cushion of the couch, and clenched his eyes shut tight.
"Now, you know that's not true," Harry scolded gently and drew Severus's lips back against his own.
"Are you at least trying to understand my reasoning?"
"I do understand," Harry whispered and propped his forehead against Severus's. "I used to stay awake late at night, dreaming of having a family, but then I always started to worry that I would be too neglectful, like my aunt and uncle were with me… Because that was how I was raised. I worried I couldn't take proper care of a child, and to be honest, I'm still scared to death of adopting, but I want to try it. I want to be a parent so bad."
Severus opened his eyes and stared deep into Harry's gaze. He felt fingers intertwine with his, and slowly, a miniscule grin tugged at his mouth.
"How about we just go to Olivia's Orphanage tomorrow and see how everything goes?" Harry asked and pulled their tangled fingers up to kiss potion-stained knuckles.
"That's a reasonable idea," Severus hummed, "but let's have some fun tonight." He grabbed the nape of Harry's neck and drug him into a searing, tongue-clashing kiss that left them both breathless and full of moans. He pulled Harry as tight against him as possible and smirked at the pitiful whine that flew from the Gryffindor's lips when he nipped behind Harry's ears.
"Yeah, we'll need to get as much of this out of our system if we're going to adopt a kid," Harry gasped.
"You're joking," Severus snarled and rolled them off the couch. He pinned Harry to the floor, hands grasping desperately at his shirt. "Have you never heard of silencing charms, Potter?" he growled against the young man's lips.
"Oh yeah…"
"Foolish Gryffindor," Severus teased. He managed to slip off Harry's shirt, hands stroking down the tanned chest.
"Yes, but you still love me," Harry moaned.
"Unfortunately, I do," Severus laughed when Harry swatted at him for the comment.
((To be continued...))