A Family of My Own; Chapter Two:

Sirius and Remus sat quietly, facing Harry and Severus across the table. Remus had his head tilted to the side and was blinking furiously while Sirius just sat there staring blankly ahead.

"Are, are you guys ok?" Harry nervously chewed on his bottom lip. Merlin why wasn't anybody saying anything?

"I…I'm, um…"

"Moony?" Harry reached across the table to grasp the werewolf's hand. "This is not something I've just up and decided. I want a child more than anything in this world. I know I can do this… as long as I have you and Siri and Sev, I can do this."

"Oh cub," Big fat tears dripped down Remus' face scaring Harry.

"Papa? Please don't be upset, please!"

Remus leapt to his feet and ran around the table to Harry, pulling the man out of his chair and into his arms. "I, I never thought I would get to have a son, let alone a grandchild. Oh cub, I'm not upset… I'm happy."

Sirius and Severus sat there watching the two men laugh and cry and hug each other. "He's grown up, hasn't he?"

Sev reached across the table for his bond mate's hand. "He was never really a child Siri. He came to me honestly and with a plan of action. He's ready for this, and honest enough to admit that he cannot do this without our support."

Sirius smiled sweetly. "Can you just see a tiny little Harry with great big sparkling emerald eyes running around here? Merlin if he has a girl we're going to have to keep beaters bats on us at all times!"

Remus having caught that last part laughed. "Anybody wanting to date our granddaughter is going to have to get through us Marauders first."

"I have no problem with that." Harry nodded emphatically.

Severus buried his head in his hands, "Merlin help any daughter of Harry's. Poor child will never date!"

Harry grinned at his three fathers fondly. "So I take it this means everyone is on board?"

"As long as someone else is going to handle your cravings, I'm in." Sirius bounced excitedly. He couldn't wait to be a grandfather. "What," he said when Severus eyed him weirdly, "you weren't around for it, but Lily had the most disgusting cravings when she was pregnant with Harry! I can't ever eat angel food cake ever again because of her." The pout on the animagus' face was ridiculous and sent the other three men into peals of laughter.

When Harry was finally calmed down he said, "You know, I've never liked that stuff," Setting Sirius off again, the ex-Gryffindor rolling on the floor by this point.

"Ok, ok." Remus held up his hands and gestured for everyone to return to their seats. "I heard Severus mention you have thought this through, so…"

"Right," Harry sat down and explained his plan of action, including the reasoning behind the dates he'd chosen. "That's why I need to take potion at the end of September."

Sirius who'd been half listening with a smile on his face started to giggle again.

"What?" Severus asked him exasperatedly.

"Harry?" Sirius asked one eyebrow raised, and a huge grin plastered on his face. "Have you ever had… sex?"

Harry blushed furiously and turned looking everywhere but at his three fathers.

"Merlin, you haven't, have you? My god cub, you're 23 years old! What've you been doing all this time? And Merlin, you spent 7 years in a dorm full of boys!"

"Sirius," Severus said sharply kicking the other man under the table.

"Ouch," Sirius yelped, "What the hell was that for Sev?"

Harry took a deep breath and began to talk before an argument could start. "I've never… I haven't ever found someone that…"

"Roger?"

Harry shook his head. "He made it clear that all he wanted was to be with the boy-who-lived, part of the reason why I had only ever dated muggles before him."

"That's why you obliviated him?"

"He would have gone to the Daily Prophet. Probably would have given an entire interview about my favorite sexual positions or something. I didn't mean to, but when he kept pushing… I just took a peek at his surface thoughts; the way he was acting reminded me of Alan. I didn't go any further though Sev, I promise. The things he wanted…what he was thinking." Harry turned his head away trying to hide the tears. "I'm never going to find someone who just wants Harry. It's not fair!"

Sirius looked down at the table and sighed. "I'm sorry cub. You're right. Sex needs to be with someone you love, otherwise it doesn't mean anything. I… I'm not the best person to talk about this, but I really do understand." Sirius looked up and met Severus eyes. "Being able to make love, instead of just having sex, is well worth the wait."

Severus blushed, not that he would ever admit to it, at the love in Sirius' eyes. It was true; in school Sirius had been deemed a sex god for a reason. But what they had now, wasn't just sex for mutual gratification, it was love.

Harry looked up in time to watch Sirius and Severus gaze at each other. That was what he was waiting for. It may have taken two wars and three decades for them to find each other, but what they have, is what he wanted, and he refused to settle for anything less.

Remus caught Harry's eye and nodded. The werewolf understood.

~oOo~

Harry looked around the large table; It was Sunday dinner, meaning the entire Weasley family, which included Harry, Sirius, Severus, Remus, Hermione, and Albus, where gathered in the back garden at the Burrow. It was a tradition that had started just after the war had ended, and one that would probably continue forever.

Remus sat next to Charlie, his bond mate, their hands clasped. Ginny, who was between boyfriends at the moment, sat between George and Fred who were together with Oliver Wood and Katie Bell respectively. Bill and his wife Fleur sat with little Victoire on her daddy's lap, and Albus sat next to Arthur who had his arm around his wife's shoulders. Harry was sitting between Sirius and Severus, for moral support. And finally Hermione, who was at the very end of the table as far away from any of the same sex couples as she could get, sat stiffly next to Ron. They had been dating since the beginning of 7th year.

Oh, Hermione never made a scene, but her presence put everyone's teeth on edge. She was tolerated because she was Ron's girlfriend and because she had been Harry's and Ron's best friend since their first year at Hogwarts. But lately her bigotry had gotten worse. It always made Harry laugh bitterly whenever he thought about her job. How she could be a lawyer who fought primarily for the rights of others, and could then turn and preach about the wrongness of same sex couples, he never understood.

Harry knew Ron had tried more than once to talk with her about it, but as soon as the word 'gay' passed anyone's lips, she began to rant about how it was disgusting and wrong. He was pretty sure that her views regarding people who are gay, were one set of reasons why she never had friends other than Ron and himself while in Hogwarts. If she had ever started one of her 'it's unnatural' speeches in her dorm, it would explain why Lavender Brown hated her so much. Harry had thought it was common knowledge that Lavender had two dads, but since Hermione had never mentioned it, he was pretty sure that meant she didn't know that in the wizarding world it was possible for same sex couples to conceive. All in all, Hermione was primarily the reason why he needed moral support for his announcement.

"They'll all be happy for you," Sirius bent down to whisper in Harry's ear.

"I know."

"Then why the nervous fingers?" Sirius pointed to Harry's hands which sat shredding a roll into tiny bits.

Harry dropped the roll sheepishly, and turned his head to look at Hermione.

"If she is truly your friend cub, she'll be happy for you."

"I know, it's just… I'm worried about Ron as well. It's not just me she'll be hurting if this goes sour."

Severus who had been listening turned to look at his 'son'. "I was a spy for a very long time."

Harry nodded in agreement wondering where this was going.

"I had to learn to accurately read body language, as well as between the lines. That is why, though Lucius and I never discussed it out loud, we each knew about the others true loyalties." Severus turned to watch Ron and Hermione. "You see how Mr. Weasley is facing just the tiniest bit away from Miss Granger? Or how he subtlety flinches whenever she opens her mouth to speak?" Harry nodded. "Now observe how every other couple here is causally touching each other. See how Remy and Charlie are holding hands, and every once in awhile they search out each other's gaze, or how Fleur is leaning against Bill, her head on his shoulder, and how his fingers play with the ends of her hair. Look at how Arthur and Molly fit together perfectly, you can tell that that is how they always sit when they are seated near each other."

"And how Fred has his body turned towards Katie, their knees pressed together," Sirius spoke up on Harry' other side. "And how Oliver has George tucked into his side. Every Sunday he makes sure that he is between George and Hermione. Oliver recognizes her as a threat."

"Miss Granger has killed her relationship. I do not believe that her leaving will cause Ronald any distress." Severus squeezed Harry's shoulder.

"Why hasn't Ron cut her loose then?"

"I expect it is because those two spent so long dancing around each other, and you three spent seven long years as each other's constant companions, that he does not recognize that as an option. Mr. Weasley is not a subtle type of personality. The only delicate intricacies that he recognizes are those related to chess, everything else must be presented to him point blank."

"You think the Hermione's inevitable fit in front of his family is probably the only way to get through to him." Harry wasn't asking.

"Indeed."

"It'll still hurt him though."

"It's better now, than in a few years after a possible marriage and children." Sirius hugged Harry lightly.

Harry nodded, his green eyes searching his best friends face. He could see the tight jaw, and he could see how Ron was leaning just the tiniest bit away from Hermione. Siri and Sev were right. Ron wasn't happy with Hermione, but his slow straight forward personality hadn't yet recognized leaving her as an option.

~oOo~

Dessert had been delicious, and the Weasley Sunday dinner was beginning to wind down. Cups of coffee and tea were in everyone's hands, and most were carrying on laughing conversations in small groups. Now was as good a time as any, so Harry stood up clearing his throat for attention. The various conversations stopped and everyone was looking at him expectantly. Harry almost wished at that moment that the earth would open up and swallow him, he hated attention.

"Right, well first I just wanted to say… Molly, dinner was wonderful as usual."

"Thank you dear." Molly smiled at him.

"Hmm, yes… Well I also wanted to… let you in on a couple of big changes that will be happening soon. You're all my family and… Well the first thing is that I'm leaving the Auror Corps."

Shocked faces and a few smiles spread out amongst the family, as well as one huge grin with twinkling blue eyes.

"Albus has offered me a position. I will be the new Charms Professor at Hogwarts starting this fall term."

Harry could hear various 'that's wonderful's' scattered around with some applause.

"You said a couple of big changes," Hermione pointed out. "What else is going on Harry?"

Harry looked down quickly taking a deep breath. Severus reached out and took his hand squeezing it. "Imgoingtohaveababy!"

Some blinks, and blank faces, and a few huh's were all he got.

"I'm going to have a baby." He said again a huge smile on his face.

"Oh Harry that's wonderful," Molly began to cry. "Another grandchild!"

"Congratulations mate," Fred and George slapped him on the back.

"Wait a minute," Hermione's shrill voice penetrated the bedlam. "What do you mean you are going to have a baby? Did you knock so poor girl up? Are you going to do the right thing and marry this woman?"

"I'm not with anyone 'Mione," Harry started to explain.

"You had a one night stand and knocked someone up then?" Hermione's disapproving voice echoed through the garden, and everyone was watching shocked as Hermione walked over to Harry and slapped him. "I can't believe you Harry James Potter! What were you thinking?"

Harry grabbed Hermione's hands before she could hit him again and held them in front of her. "First of all," he said coldly, "I did not knock some girl up, nor have I ever engaged in a one night stand. You should know me better than that. Second of all, I am gay."

Hermione sucked up a quick breath, "Let go of me Harry. How could you? Did they influence you?" Her newly freed hands were waving around.

Harry wandlessly cast a silencing charm on her. "Ron could you please sit her down and make sure she doesn't move?"

Ron nodded white faced and forced his girlfriend into a chair, keeping her there with a sticking charm. "You know Harry that I don't care if you're gay. Why didn't you ever tell us before?"

"Mostly because of her, and because of them, and because of the bloody 'boy-who-lived-to-be-gay' thing that would inevitably happen."

Everyone knew that he referred to his relatives and the antics of one Rita Skeeter.

"I'm not ashamed of being gay, but I didn't want my private life splashed around the media. I stuck to dating muggles for a reason."

"And the baby?"

"I've been thinking about it a lot…for a long time. I'm going to have my baby. Sev has the potion and this is what I want."

Molly burst into tears, "You're going to be a wonderful father Harry dear."

The women around the table, except for Hermione, all gathered around Harry kissing and hugging him, and rubbing his stomach.

Harry laughed, "There's no baby in there yet guys. I'll be taking the potion the last week of September so conception will occur anytime during the first three weeks of October."

Albus' eyes were twinkling madly behind his half-moon spectacles. "It's been so long since we've had a baby in the castle."

Harry grinned relieved. His friends, his family, they were all behind him. He turned to Hermione and his face fell. The woman was silently shouting, spitting wildly. Her face was red and twisted into a mask of disgusted hatred. He hadn't seen that expression since the night Bellatrix LeStrange was kissed.

Severus turned him away from the enraged woman. "Mr. Weasley, if you will please escort Miss Granger home."

Ron nodded and after hugging Harry, he released the sticking charm and caught his girlfriend before she could go at Harry and apparated away with the struggling woman.

"Don't listen to her, don't think about her." Severus tilted Harry's chin up to look him in the eyes. "What you are doing is beautiful. You are creating a little life that will come into this world already loved and cherished beyond reason."

Harry nodded and unconsciously rubbed his stomach. "So," he turned to the rest of his family, "what do you all think, ready to be aunts and uncles to the next generation of Marauders?"

The group laughed and excitedly chattered away about baby clothes and baby showers and nurseries and kiddie brooms. Harry smiled; he was ready to be a daddy.