Disclaimer: If I owned them neither Remus or Sev would be dead.

AN: K I'm editing these on my own as I go along. I know I'm not catching everything but till a get a beta that's what I got. If you see something say something. I won't be annoyed. I'll either fix it or I won't.

Despite how quickly I got up the prologue I don't expect to maintain that clip but who knows I may surprise myself. This one is kinda writing itself.

I specified POWERFUL Harry and Harry might come off as a bit weak here. I don't know, he doesn't to me but I know what's going on in his head and what's coming. You don't. Keep in mind Harry experienced a horrific trauma and doesn't really have the skills to cope right now. Throw in all the cannon stuff that is going on during this time and just being 15 in general and yeah.

Also should mention I'm American. Probably very obvious in my writing. Trying to change that and write more British would likely insult the British cuz I'd suck at it. Lets all just pretend I'm using the proper English terms for things and move on.

Cannon says Harry has Occlumency Monday and Wednesday. He has it just on Thursdays in my world for now.

To the story... CHARGE!

4.

Harry woke up feeling as bad as he did before he went to bed. Really, he thought, what was even the point of sleeping.

A quick tempus showed the time to be 5am. An hour before the first of his dorm mates would be up. This had been his schedule since he'd started showing. The showers had curtains of course, but there was always the risk of someone glimpsing something.

Harry used glamours during the day to hide his condition but showering under glamours was difficult. It was much easier to wash yourself if you could actually see what you were washing.

He crawled out of bed and grabbed his toiletry kit. As he made his way into the shower and set up in one of the stalls he mused it was ironic that he most often felt the least sick in the mornings. So much for morning sickness he thought.

He showered as quickly and efficiently as he could. At about 29 weeks he was really obviously pregnant. Made more obvious by the lack of weight anywhere else on his body. He didn't want to see it. Didn't want to know it.

Harry wasn't at a place where he could even give himself the comforts of imagined what-ifs. What if this child hadn't been conceived in the most violating and grotesque way imaginable? What if he wasn't alone and if this was with someone he loved, even just cared for? What if this was a joy he shared with his friends and family? Would Hermione be bombarding him daily with pregnancy tips? Would Ron be nervous around him or over protective and a total mother hen?

Harry had none of these thoughts. He mostly just ignored what was happening to his body the best he could. Tried to imagine it wasn't him. Tried to tell himself he'd just find a child in the chamber of secrets a few months from now and he'd sneak it out of the castle. It wouldn't be his. None of this was really happening to him.

He finished showering and dried off in the stall. He reached out and grabbed his clothes he'd set on the floor directly outside the curtains. He dressed and reapplied the glamours all before even stepping out into the communal space of the bathroom. He walked over to the sink to brush his teeth and make a pointless effort to tame his hair for the day.

Today was Friday. If he could just make it through today he could sleep till next Monday he thought. Umbridge's Quidditch ban had been unfair but Harry was grateful for it. It couldn't imagine trying to fly like this.

He made his way into the dorms. Another quick tempus showed it was barely 5:45. He dithered for a moment trying to decide whether he should crawl in bed again for a bit or go to the common room and attempt some homework.

A quick calculation of the number of assignments he was already due on barely 4 days into the term made his decision for him. He grabbed his book bag and headed downstairs. Harry was more surprised than he should have been to see Hermione already up and reading.

She glanced up from her book when she heard noise alerting her to someone making their way down the stairs. Harry nodded to her but didn't say anything. He wasn't up for conversations. He started pulling his books and some blank parchment from his bag. When he went to set them on the low table though there was already a stack of several parchments where just a minute ago there had been none.

He looked up at Hermione but she was already engrossed in her book again paying him no attention. He picked up the parchments and started riffling through them. They weren't completed essays. They were detailed outlines with references and notes about which specific books each bit of information came from. Down to the chapter and line number in some cases.

Harry looked at the tops. Defense, potions, transfiguration, charms, history, astronomy, care of magical creatures. There was even one that was in Ron's writing for divination. Harry just stared at them for a minute speechless.

He looked back at Hermione reading her book and felt the tell tail tightness in his throat of impending tears. That was probably the worst part about being pregnant. The complete lack of control over his emotions. He told himself it was lack of sleep that made him so emotional.

"Hermione?"

"Ron will be here soon. You should really start writing your essays, Harry. They won't write themselves," Hermione said absently but not unkindly without looking up. To all the world it looked as though she wasn't paying any attention to anything but her book.

Harry just stared for a minute longer. His friends didn't even know what was wrong with him. Only that he was drowning and instead of badgering or further stressing him with interrogations they'd just quietly stepped up and helped carry the load. He was more grateful than he had words for.

After the minute, Harry put the precious lifeline he'd been thrown in his bag, save for the one for Transfiguration. He pulled out his book and started rifling through it looking for the right chapter following the directions of the outline.

By 7:30 when Ron made his way down, Harry had completed the 3 essays that'd been due for today. He was working on the forth that'd be due Monday.

Ron dropped himself next to Harry on the couch. They still had some time. First class wouldn't be till 9.

Ron and Hermione had outlined their plan the night before. In addition to finding out what was going on with Harry, they'd decided they needed to pull as much stress off him as possible.

The first step was getting caught up on his homework. They were aware of Harry's early morning habits and had seen him writing more than a few essays at the breakfast table. Writing rather than eating. That needed to stop. So Hermione had gotten up early with the completed outlines and set up in the common room to wait for him.

Hermione had rationalized she wasn't writing his essays for him. It'd be better if he read the entire assigned reading but that wasn't really happening anyway. Better he read the relevant bits and get a decent essay turned in than nothing. She planned on making a point of going over the chapters with him in greater detail later when he wasn't death personified. She doubted he'd really retain anything now anyway. Ultimately so long as he understood it by the time they took their OWLs then she could live with it.

It was a testament of how much Ron had grown up that'd he'd made no comment on not getting similar help with his assignments. He'd just added the one for the one class Hermione didn't take with them. Or perhaps it was a sign of how worried he was.

At 8, Harry had finished the essay he was working on. He moved as if to grab a fifth when Ron gently grabbed his wrist stopping him. He took the books, completed essays, and various writing utensils from the table and packed them in Harry's bag. "Time for breakfast mate"

Hermione was packed up as well. Somewhat bemused by his friends behavior but too tired to question them on it Harry just followed as they made their way out of the tower. He was already further ahead in his homework than he could remember being all year. He belatedly realized Ron was still carrying his book bag and moved to take it from him.

Ron sorely would have preferred to keep it. Harry looked like a strong wind might blow him over but he suspected Harry might balk at that. So far the morning was going as good as they could hope for. No rages or meltdowns from Harry, no load proclamations to mind their own business. Best not to push too hard.

As Ron started pulling it off his shoulder to hand to Harry, it inexplicably got lighter. As Ron handed it over he looked up and saw Hermione slipping her wand back in her sleeve surreptitiously. Featherlight charm. Ron made no indication he'd noticed or seen anything.

Harry's bag was old and worn. Muggle made and not a quality material. It wouldn't hold the charm indefinitely but it'd make it threw the day. Ron sighed. Best they could hope for.

They walked into the Great Hall and found their normal seats at Gryffindor table. Ron sat beside Harry while Hermione settled herself across from them. This is where they'd foretold their first great challenge of the day.

As Harry reached across the table to start filling his plate, Hermione was the one to grab his wrist.

"May I, Harry, please," she asked in as quiet a voice she could while still being heard. "Please?" She repeated again.

Harry was somewhat confused about what she was even asking but nodded nonetheless. Hermione bowled some plain porridge. She grabbed a banana and papaya and began slicing it into the bowl.

While she was working on that Ron was scoping out the drink options. They'd called Dobby last night and asked him to make sure there was either some mint or ginger tea at the Gryffindor table for the foreseeable future. When they told them it was for Harry, the elf had been happy to oblige. Ron found what he was looking for, mint this morning looked like, and prepared a cup of that the way Harry liked. No sugar. Slash of milk.

Ron put the cup to the side of Harry's plate while Hermione put the bowl of porridge and fruit in front of Harry. Harry stared at it blankly. Typically for breakfast (or any meal) he'd fill his pate with a little of everything and ate a lot of nothing. Mostly just moving it around on the plate.

Harry looked first at Hermione and then at Ron. His friends were acting very oddly. "Try to eat Mate," said Ron moving to fill his own plate. Mostly with the greasiest offerings on the table. Harry contemplated briefly pitching a fit. He dismissed the thought though. He didn't have the energy and it wasn't like anything else on the table looked particularly appetizing. Honestly all food tasted like ash to him.

With a shrug he started eating the porridge. Hermione allowed herself a brief smile before she too started serving herself. It was worrying Harry hadn't protested such treatment but she was grateful all the same.

Harry was pleasantly surprised. Typically breakfast was when his stomach would start it's day long campaign to make him as miserable as possible, starting with the first bite of whatever he tried to eat. While the porridge wasn't suddenly a flavor explosion, it mostly was setting into his stomach comfortably. When he sipped his tea, mint odd, that too didn't seem inclined to spark a rebellion.

It seemed his friends hadn't been as oblivious to his issues as he'd thought. While not ideal, they didn't seem inclined to push him for answers he wouldn't give. For now at least they seemed content to just quietly make his life easier. He hadn't missed Hermione's trick with his bag in the hall either.

Harry decided as long as they didn't start pushing him for answers he'd follow their lead. Besides this was the first meal he'd eaten in months that didn't completely savage him. He'd go with it.

As they ate their meal, their interactions had gone mostly unnoticed by the rest of the hall.

Mostly save for the potions master at the head table.

Severus too hadn't been blind to the declining health of the boy. Initially he'd dismissed it as an extreme reaction to stress. The boy had always been frail and tiny looking. His mother too had been prone to going off food in times of stress. While he'd no longer been friends with her by the time they reached their NEWTs, he vividly remembered how alarmed he'd been watching Lily lose weight as the year progressed.

After his first occlumency lesson with the boy though he'd been more concerned. There were no indications in his mind he was even contemplating exams. He was obviously stressed about the Dark Lord but seemed fixated on the Dark Lord's resurrection more than anything.

At least the boy seemed to be eating. That was a small miracle in and of itself. If the boys friends could handle that problem all the better.

Severus sighed to himself and threw a brief sideways glare at the headmaster. They'd spoken this morning, both about his meeting with the Dark Lord last night and Potter's continued occlumency lessons.

The summoning had gone about as expected. There wasn't much to know yet since only so much information could be gathered from the site. The Dark Lord had asked a curious question though. He'd asked if Black, and by extension Severus, had access to the Black Family library. Severus prided himself on being prepared for such meetings with the Dark Lord but even he'd been taken off guard by such a question.

It'd been no secret for sometime the Black ancestral home had been unavailable to other Blacks for months. Up till now the Dark Lord had given no indication he cared, so focused as he was on retrieving the prophecy. Now suddenly he wanted the library.

Severus tip toed the question and said he had little interaction with Black but believed Dumbledore was keeping him at a safe house. Where that safe house was he couldn't disclose because he wasn't aware.

Then came the strangest order the Dark Lord had ever given him. He was to repair his relationship with Black. If that proved impossible, he was to work on improving his relationship on those surrounding Black, even up to and including Potter. Whatever it took to get close to Black.

The Dark Lord hadn't explicitly said so but the implications were clear. Severus was to get access to the Black Family library. Severus had walked away under his own power having not even been cursed once.

When speaking with Dumbledore about this strange turn of events it became clear to Severus the headmaster knew why he was being given this order. As Dumbledore was want to do, he didn't elaborate but did indicate there might be some information about the magical storm in the library.

No doubt the Dark Lord had come across it when he was still in favor with the Black Family before Regulus Black's death. It wasn't uncommon for Death Eaters to open their family libraries to the Dark Lord.

Fortunately Severus DID have access to the Black library. There'd be no need to cosy up to Black. Only to pretend to and craft some careful fake interactions and growing relationship to convey to the Dark Lord in the coming weeks.

It also presented as nice cover for his extra time spent with the boy during occlumency, should they be seen together.

Occlumency lessons that would be continuing he scowled. He'd tried talking to Albus about how unreasonable he was being about this entire concept. Albus would hear none of it. He seemed hellbent on torturing them both.

So now Severus was left with two options. The first was to proceed as planned. Make no changes and continue with his original method. I'd be a useless exercise, literal mental and physical torture for both of them. Potter would never learn occlumency that way.

If things were as they had been last night, that would be Severus' only option. However the Dark Lord's orders regarding the mutt opened up a second avenue previously closed to him. Severus could actually work on building some sort of rapport with the boy and get at the heart of whatever his issue was. Any questions regarding his loyalties could be deflected simply by indicating he was following the Dark Lord's orders and the only viable method to the mutt was through his godson.

It'd be a delicate balance not to bring actual suspicions to his loyalties. He couldn't appear over eager or too good at it. It also potentially opened up problems down the road if the Dark Lord ever wished to capitalize on said relationship. The possible benefits of closing the boys mind now might be outweighed by exposing him to greater danger later.

All rational implications aside though Severus already knew what he was going to do. He would have likely maintained his distance if there was no other option but now that one had presented itself he couldn't in good conscience do nothing. Lily's ever present memory would not allow it. Something was horribly wrong with her son, and except for two other 15 year olds no one but him had appeared to notice.

The question now became how to go about it. He couldn't just summon the boy to his office and demand he begin speaking. Nor would another disastrous occlumency lesson like last nights do either of them any good.

Perhaps a different type of lesson he thought to himself. Occlumency was best accomplished with a clear mind. The boy seemed incapable of that despite evidence to the contrary that there was nothing between his ears.

Maybe exposure would be the best first step. Instead of going about this once a week, he could force the boy in his company several times a week. If Severus could keep the interactions from turning hostile (that'd be a small feat on its own) then perhaps that could be a stepping stone to something greater.

Another good step would be to follow Granger and Wesley's example, though that thought rankled on it's face. Relationship advice from children. Potter was clearly struggling, perhaps some gently offered assistance might further help his cause. He'd have to be judicious but a day or two a week of dreamless sleep. Perhaps a pepper up here or there.

He'd have to be careful not to attract the notice of that harpy Umbridge but if he could keep both the Headmaster and the Dark Lord happy at the same time… well she barely compared to that.

He also acknowledged to himself that nothing he did would matter if he lost his temper with the boy. Potter may or might not detect some ulterior motives in his changed interactions. He'd manage those suspicions. Losing his temper and insulting the boy wouldn't work though. On some level this new foundation they would need to build would have to be authentic.

He couldn't lie to the boy and say he'd alway really liked him but he'd had to pretend for the sake of the children of Death Eaters in the school. He could perhaps try to act as if he'd never met the boy until now and work from a fresh slate.

Severus sighed. This was going to be a nightmare. He could already tell. All of these plans were pointless though until he started attempting to work on the boy. No doubt he'd have to adjust and change course several times over the next few weeks depending on how receptive the child was.

He watched as the three children got up from the table. Unless he was much mistaken they had transfiguration first. Severus had them in his own class after lunch. Double period. Oh joy. He glared again at the Headmaster. Slytherins and Gryffindors in the same potions class, on a Friday no less, was obviously a plow by the headmaster to kill him.

Severus got up and started heading down for the first class of the day. He'd start on the boy this afternoon.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHP

Harry, Ron and Hermione stepped out into the corridor after a grueling Transfiguration. At least it'd seemed grueling to Harry. Ron and Hermione seemed to have managed well enough. Professor McGonagall seemed vaguely surprised when Harry handed is his recently completed transfiguration essay. It was nice having an assignment on time for once. They had a break and Charms class was next. After lunch was double Potions, something Harry was feeling nauseous about after last night's lesson. After Potions was Herbology, then freedom for two days.

McGonagall had assigned another essay due at the end of next week but he'd worry about that later. He'd completed the essays due for Charms and Potions this morning in the common room thanks to Hermione's outlines. There was nothing due today for Herbology but some assigned reading they were supposed to have done prior to today's class. Since Harry wouldn't be scrambling to put an essay together for Snape at lunch, he could do the reading for that he supposed.

His stomach felt calmer than it had in weeks. He still felt wretched but at least so far his breakfast hadn't made a reappearance. Ron and Hermione were continuing their odd behavior. So far though, Harry hadn't been tempted to break his promise to himself to let them have at it.

Ron had carried his book bag to Transfiguration. Now as they settled themselves in a vacant alcove near the Charms corridor waiting for their next lesson to start, Hermione pulled out a thermos and some snacks from her bag. She handed Harry a cup full of the same mint tea from this morning's breakfast, some plain toast, and some salt crackers.

Harry was dubious about eating anything when his stomach wasn't staging a riot for once but decided to follow Hermione's lead. She seemed to have chosen well this morning. Ron just stood in front of them with his back turned. To all the world he looked like he was just casually people watching but in reality he was attempting to keep a buffer between them and those milling about in the rest of the corridor.

Harry nibbled at his toast and crackers and wondered if he should perhaps question them on their odd behavior but quickly dismissed that idea. He had no desire to open up a conversation like that that might lead to questions about why he needed the care they were giving him in the first place.

Harry finished the food and tea provided to him and watched Hermione pack the thermos back into her bag. He noticed, not for the first time, a small beaded bag no bigger than his fist. He watched bemused as she put the thermos that was roughly three times the size of the bag actually into the bag.

It wasn't the first time he'd seen that bag. Hermione had a tendency to carry it everywhere. He'd even wondered sometimes if she slept with it. The only times she took it off her wrist was in Snape's class (and now Umbridge's) and only because they'd demanded it. Umbridge in fact had once said if she ever saw that bag in her class again she'd confiscate it. Why she'd taken such a hating to it Harry could only guess.

Whenever Harry had asked about it though she'd just vaguely waved her hand around like she was swapping flies and said it was just a trinket for emergencies. He snickered a bit that a thermos of tea that was clearly only intended for him and some snacks could be counted as an emergency.

Hermione looked up having heard Harry laugh. It was the first time she could remember him making any positive sounds in months.

"Care to share the joke," she smiled.

"I'm an emergency." When Hermione looked back at him puzzled he sighed. Clearly it was only funny to him. "Don't worry about it. I'm just in a weird mood."

Ron watched them out of the corner of his eye feeling both more optimistic and more depressed. While it was great Harry wasn't fighting them it was still worrying that he wasn't. Hermione and he'd been ready for a battle to get Harry to accept their help but it seemed no matter what they did Harry seemed content to just placidly accept it.

It'd only been half a day but really by now Harry should have been grouching at their mothering.

Best not to look a gift horse in the mouth he decided now fully putting his attention back on the corridor. Their goal was to give Harry a proper rest between last class and this next one. He longed for next year when they'd have full free periods but 30 minute breaks would have to suffice for now.

They'd decided if Harry tried a runner after class, as he was normally want to do now adays, they'd force him to the dorms to skip Charms. Harry's prolonged periods worshiping the porcelain gods was not missed by them. He seemed in good spirits though after Transfiguration, if still perpetually tired. They'd proceeded to plan B which was go to class but get Harry to eat something light beforehand.

Now that that was done they still had 10 minutes or so before class.

Hermione filled it with talk about Transfiguration. She tried to be careful not dissolve into lecture mode and engage Harry but mostly he seemed to yes ma'am her. In truth, Harry was just enjoying the peace and normality of listening to Hermione go on about school work. He could listed without having to think himself. It was lovely.

Ron picked up Harry's and his bag. "Time for class." He said unnecessarily. Everyone was moving into the Charms classroom.

Class started much the way Transfiguration had done. Professor Flitwick had much the same reaction as Professor McGonagall to Harry's on time assignment. It would seem he'd made a habit of late homework. He honestly hadn't noticed.

"Today class we're going to be working on the Stunning Spell," Flitwick said practically vibrating with enthusiasm at the front of the class.

Harry froze as he'd been pulling his books, parchment, and writing supplies from his bag Ron had handed back after he'd sat down. That. Couldn't. Be. Good.

Defense was usually their most active class. With Umbridge teaching this year there hadn't really been a need to worry about such things like getting slammed with random spells. Hermione had tried briefly at the beginning of the year to convince him to start a defense group. Harry had refused. Under normal circumstances he might have been convinced but given his condition he'd put his foot down.

Getting knocked unconscious and falling repeatedly to the floor sounded like a bad idea. As Flitwick continued to demonstrate the wand movement at the front of the class Harry internally panicked.

He looked to the door subconsciously as he tried to come up with some reason why he needed to leave. Ron was sitting behind him and noticed him turn in his seat. He was somewhat alarmed by the panicked look in Harry's eye.

Harry looked more than panicked, he looked terrified. What the hell? Ron thought. Harry knew this spell, known it since last year. They all did, so why was he freaking out like this.

He reached out to put his hand on Harry's shoulder but thought better of it. Harry had never been particularly receptive to touch (bloody Dursleys) but ever since last year Harry was down right jumpy when touched. He and Hermione had noticed and been careful to keep any contact slow and always in Harry's line of sight. Touching him right now would make a bad situation worse.

Ron quietly kicked Hermione's chair. She glanced back at him and he gestured helplessly to Harry. There wasn't much Ron could do from back here. Hermione too immediate saw the hysteria brewing in Harry. She put her hand on his desk to get his attention. She knew better than to touch him right now too.

At her questioning look Harry whispered, "I need to go."

"Go? Go where?"

"Just go I need to go NOW," Harry's whispers got increasingly frantic and harsh.

"Harry we're in class, you can't just leave," Ron whispered from behind him. That was a mistake. Harry suddenly felt surrounded, trapped, no where to go, no way to get away. He started breathing faster.

"Shit." Ron cursed, "Professor." Ron spoke loudly standing bringing all attention to himself, while Hermione put her hand on Harry's neck and pulled his head down slightly so it was level with her shoulders. It didn't really help Harry's panic but it did serve to conceal him partially from the rest of the class. "Harry must've ate something bad a breakfast and isn't feeling well. Can we take him to the hospital wing?"

Ron had no intention of taking Harry to the hospital wing. Even if he did it didn't matter, Harry wouldn't step foot in there. They knew from trying already.

"Oh um.. yes yes of course." No one who'd seen Harry in the last few months would question the validity of him being ill. Professor Flitwick started to say something else but the three of them were already through the door. "Well.. yes.. the incantation is stupefy." He went back to his lesson. He'd have to follow up with Minerva later. The poor boy really hadn't looked well.

Outside the classroom Hermione and Ron ushered Harry down the hall as quickly as they could.

"Breathe Harry just breathe we're almost there." Hermione had no idea where Ron was leading them but she certainly hoped they were almost there. Harry was hyperventilating already and starting to struggle to pull away from her. "Just one more minute Harry, just one more minute." She doubted very much he could understand her right now but hoped that the sound of her voice would help ground him and remind him who he was with.

"Here." Ron said holding open the door. It was an abandoned classroom at the furthest deepest end of the charms corridor. No one would pass by here on their way to somewhere else.

As soon as they were threw the door Harry pulled away from Hermione. Harry had never had such an episode in front of them before. Normally he was careful to get as far away as possible before he fully dissolved. He'd never broken down in class before though.

As soon as the door was shut Hermione whipped out her wand. Privacy, silencing, locking, warding, proximity alarms, and repelling spells were up in under a minute. While she cast, Ron carefully made his way to where Harry was crouched on the floor next to the furthest wall. He was vomiting so hard his body was giving great heaves. He picked up the bin next to the desk as he passed it.

As soon as Harry stopped for a moment Ron vanished the mess on the floor and replaced it with the bin. Within seconds Harry was at it again.

"Oh Harry." It hurt to see him like this. Physically hurt. Ron ran his hand threw his hair and just sat there. He made no move to touch Harry though he desperately wanted to comfort him. He looked to Hermione. "Do you have anything with you for this?"

Hermione was already going through her bag. She suspected since Harry had given no indication of such nausea before class that this was stress induced. Some kind of extreme panic attack. She'd dearly loved to have had that diagnostic spell done but they'd decided potions class would be the best opportunity to get some of Harry's blood. Sharp implements and all that.

"I have a calming draft and a stomach soother here. I dare not give him anything else for fear of making him ill." She looked where Harry was still heaving in the corner, "well more ill."

She handed them to Ron rather than move any closer herself. Best not to crowd him. She went back to the desk with her bag and pulled out the thermos for good measure. Tea after those potions could only help.

Ron started inching closer to Harry. He got as close as he dared and waited. They'd have to wait till he stopped heaving like that before they could attempt to give him anything.

After 15 grueling minutes that felt more like 15 hours to all parties involved Harry finally stopped. He sat back with his back to the wall and looked out in the classroom glassy eyed. He didn't dare look to Ron or Hermione.

Gods I'd been so careful he thought. He'd never wanted either of them to see this. No way their easy acceptance would continue. They wouldn't be happy just to help him straighten up and let him go.

"Harry can you try to take this for me please?" Ron held the stomach soother out at arms length. He didn't want to trigger Harry to start again.

"What is it," he asked dully still not looking at either of them.

"Just a stomach soother promise." Ron said holding it out still but inching forward only a scoot. Not so close that he was in Harry's space but enough Harry could take it without having to fully extend his arm.

Harry took it without complaint and downed it in one go. He could take those.

"This one too," Ron said holding out the second bottle, "it's a calming draft." He said without waiting for Harry to ask.

Merlin this day Harry thought. "I'm fine I don't need that." He could NOT take that one. There were certain potions he could and could not take in his condition. Calming drafts were on the do not take list.

"Harry, you really should take it. The soother will help your stomach but this isn't a stomach bug. It's not going to help you." Hermione tried to convince him.

"No, I'm fine really. Maybe snacks didn't agree with me but I'm fine now, really." He really wasn't. The soother had helped but Hermione was right. His stomach wasn't really the cause of this. He couldn't explain though. He couldn't.

Ron looked at Hermione then back at Harry. Well he'd just been thinking Harry was accepting their help too placidly. Why did it have to be now though that he decided to balk? Sitting back a bit Ron looked back at Hermione again.

Silent conversation passed between their eyes. They could let it go or they could try and push it.

A confrontation was going to happen sooner or later.

Now though?

If not now it'll just be something else, but why not now. This is important.

"Harry, mate, I really need you to take this." Ron tried again.

Merlin why were they being so stubborn Harry whined to himself. He couldn't deal with this right now.

"No, I can't take it. Just leave it guys, I'm fine." He started trying to stand. He wobbled a bit, his legs feeling like jelly from exhaustion and sitting on the floor so long. Ron stood too but still made no move to approach. That was good, he couldn't deal with that right now. He started walking to the door but barely made it a few steps before he got dizzy, feeling lightheaded.

Ron was at his side gripping his arm to stabilize him before he could go down. Harry's reaction was immediate. He pulled away so fast and hard he completely lost his balance and fell in the opposite direction knocked his hips into one of the student desks. Thankfully he landed partially on top of it rather than completely falling to the floor.

"You are many things Harry Potter, FINE is not one of them." Ron said harshly. "Dammit take the potion. It'll help you calm down."

"No." Harry whispered shaking his head still hunched over the desk not looking at either of them. "You don't know, you don't understand. I CAN'T."

"Harry! Take the damn potion!" Ron hissed harshly loosing control of his temper. This was intolerable. Bad enough that Harry was in this condition to begin with, whatever the hell it was, but he seemed determined to make it as painful for himself as humanly possible.

"Ron stop." Hermione had been watching. Harry wasn't being defiant. Stubborn yes, but he genuinely seemed to think he couldn't take the potion. "Think about what Harry said."

Harry started. What had he said? He was so out of it he wasn't really being as careful as he should have been. Hermione was too clever by half. Shit shit shit

"Harry why can't you, help us understand. You have had calming drafts before. You're not allergic to them."

No, Harry thought horrified. This isn't happening.

"I need to go." Harry made his way as quickly to the door as he dared. But before he even reached it was like a gentle force holding him back. Like trying to walk through quicksand. He couldn't reach the handle. "Let me out." Harry hissed sharply eyes narrowing.

Ron and Hermione shared another look. This wasn't how'd they'd planned it but maybe it was better. It was likely Harry would take sometime to get over the outrage of the diagnostic spell.

"No. We're done. This ends now. Whatever this is that's going on is killing you. You're not getting better on your own and you're not getting help. We're not leaving here without answers Harry." Ron said decisively.

Harry was equal parts outraged and terrified. This was worse than any imagined confrontation he'd dreamed of. Never had he thought he'd be locked in somewhere during this conversation no where to go, trapped, no way to get away.

"Gods," he mumbled harshly covering his mouth with his hand as he dashed back to his corner with the bin and started heaving again. "You have to let me out. You can't keep me here." Harry tried between heaves.

Bleeding Merlin thought Ron. He never wanted to hurt his friend like this and it was obvious that's what they were doing. He was resolute though. They'd left this long enough.

"I'm so sorry but no Harry no we're not going to do that." It was Hermione who spoke that time. She had her face in her hands though. This was painful for her too. Harry was so obviously hurting and so pig headed about not letting them in.

Harry just continued to heave harder. Panic at being trapped mixing with horror of discovery. He'd been lucky after the third task. The Dursleys hadn't locked him in his room as they'd done in the past. There'd been plenty of chores and not enough food (not that he was capable of eating it anyway) but for the most part he'd been free to roam. He'd spent as much time outdoors as he could. It wasn't until he got to headquarters that he realized how badly he reacted to being confined.

After another 10 minutes of throwing up Harry collapsed against the wall utterly exhausted. His panic hadn't diminished but his body didn't have the energy to keep him going at that kind of level.

"Please," he whispered desperately sounding truly defeated and pathetic, head back against the wall tilted up with his eyes closed both legs stretched out in front of him.

Ron moved away from where he'd been standing next to Hermione and back as close as he dared. He crouched back on the floor so as not to be towering over Harry. "Just tell us what's going on."

"I can't! Why won't you understand that I can't!"

"Harry we can't help you if we don't know what's going on."

He laughed bitterly at that. No one could help him. Not with this.

"Please let us in" Hermione tried again. "It'll be okay."

"NO PART OF THIS IS OKAY!" Harry screamed suddenly fierce. "NONE OF IT. IT'S A NIGHTMARE, EVERY SECOND OF IT. TELLING YOU ISN'T GOING TO CHANGE THAT! TELLING YOU ISN'T GOING TO MAKE IT BETTER. YOU CAN'T FIX THIS." After that it was like every last ounce of energy left his body, like a dementor sucking out a soul. "No one can make this better, no one." And then he was crying.

Great heaving sobs like he'd never cried in his life. Sobs that had been building for months but had had no where to go.

Every fiber of Ron and Hermione's being wanted to go to Harry and hold him. But the couldn't. They didn't understand it but they'd known for months now touching Harry was out.

"Please Harry please tell us what's going on. I'm begging you. Nothing is worth this." Ron said devastatingly. He'd never in all his life seen pain like this. It was excruciating to watch. He couldn't even imagine what it was like to feel it.

"I can't I can't" Harry said shaking his head between sobs his face in his hands now.

"Anything Harry anything you can give us so we can help you." Hermione said crying silently tears as well.

Finally, finally after almost 7 months of silence, Harry cracked. "Glamour," he whispered between sobs gesturing to his body.

Ron was bewildered but Hermione understood the message. She gestured for Ron to move out of the way. He got up to stand back beside her in the middle of the classroom. She didn't know what glamour Harry was using but it didn't matter. She knew a spell strong enough to despell the most powerful of glamours.

She took a deep breath to steady herself and looked to Ron to make sure he was ready. It didn't matter what they were about to see. Neither of them could react without causing more harm to Harry. Harm he most defiantly didn't need right now. Ron knew that well as she. It's what they'd discussed about the results of the diagnostic spell they'd originally planned. Ron seemed to be struggling more than she to center himself but eventually she saw the tension leave his shoulders and he nodded.

"terminus omnis fallaciae," Hermione intoned quietly.

Ron's sudden grip on her arm would definitely bruise tomorrow. That wasn't possible. Wizards can't it's not possible. She thought lost and horrified.

She looked to Ron bewildered. He'd not made a sound but he looked like every drop of blood had drained from his face. He also looked like he might be sick himself.

Something in his face forced Hermione's mind away from the impossibility of what she was seeing and to see the reality that was in front of her. She started cataloging,

Doesn't like to be touched

Panic at being trapped

Depressed

Angry

Constantly stressed to the point of illness

Oh my god.

"Who" Ron said with no inflection. Harry just sobbed harder.

Harry looked about 6 or 7 months along to Hermione. She started counting back. It'd have been at the start of the summer beginning of July or maybe end of… June. She closed her eyes. This wasn't happening.

This just wasn't happening.

Hermione's mind began conjuring a million different nightmare images of that night. She remembered how lost and broken Harry'd looked in the hospital wing. It could have been any one of them. All of them even. She was going to be sick. Voldemort. Not happening.

She didn't know what to say. What do you say to this?

"Harry who did this?" Ron asked again more insistent. He looked ready to kill now.

"Ron," she whispered as quietly as possible hoping Harry wouldn't hear over the sound of his own sobs. He turned on her so fast his head looked like it would spin clean off. He opened his mouth to say something angry to her no doubt. "June" she whispered.

Ron was confused for all of a second. One second he immediately wished had lasted a lifetime because then he understood to.

"Merlin," he whispered before turning back to Harry.

This wasn't even on the list of things they'd thought might be going on with Harry. Closest they'd come was thinking perhaps he'd been closer to Cedric than anyone knew and this was some type of grief reaction.

Harry's sobs were finally slowing down. Not that he was done crying just more he'd run out of steam again and had no energy.

"Ok," said Hermione trying to get some normality going. "Ok, Harry was right, calming draft is definitely out."

Harry let out a chocked laugh. Yeah, he'd known that already.

"Harry, we're going to make you talk about this," Harry immediately tensed. "Not now definitely not now but soon. When you're ready. And you will be ready someday. I promise. The only thing we need to know right now is what YOU want to do about the… baby."

Baby. It was the first time he'd thought that word. IF he thought about it, and that was a rare as he could make it, it was always the child. A child he'd find in the chamber and then get rid of.

"I… I haven't… there's an opening out of the castle through the chamber of secrets. It… can't stay here. It's not safe." Harry mumbled all this not looking up from his stomach. Despite showering daily it was like he was seeing it for the first time.

Somehow confessing to Ron and Hermione had brought everything into sharp relief. He was pregnant. He was pregnant. There was a CHILD growing inside him. Suddenly he looked up at them wildly.

"We were doing stunning spells. That wouldn't be safe."

"You're right that wouldn't have been," said Hermione soothingly. She started moving over to Harry. He'd clearly had enough today and wasn't up for much conversation.

This time she made it to his side. He may flinch away from her but she wanted to offer him any comfort she could now that he was calmer. He watched her approach and watched her sit on the floor next to him. Very slowly she started extending her arm to wrap around him. She hadn't fully extended it and he was in her arms. Almost in her lap really. He'd glued himself her side as if by magic and laid his head on her shoulder. She finished wrapping her arm around him holding him as tightly as she could.

Ron made his way over to his other side. He didn't reach out to hold Harry because he didn't want to overwhelm him but he got as close as he could. He was going to kill them. Every single one of them who dared. Their deaths would take months, years. They'd long beg for death before he'd grant it to them. And if Voldemort was on that list than so be. He'd find a way where no one else had.

Never in his life had he known rage like this. Never had he known rage like this was even possible. Oh he'd heard horror stories about what Death Eaters did to their victims. Never had he seen the end result paraded in front of him. The horrible fallout that's left in a person's life after that. Harry had been falling apart for months. They'd thought disease or blood poisoning or grief trauma. Never ever did this pass through their minds. And as if what'd they done wasn't enough, Harry was sitting here with the permanent consequences growing inside of him.

Ron had never heard of a pregnant wizard in all his life. Didn't even know how it was possible. That was going to have to be for Hermione to find out. Let her research that. He'd research what he was going to do to the bastards. One by one he'd hunt them down. It didn't matter if they'd touched Harry that night in the graveyard he decided. If they'd been there they were dead.

To Hermione it was clear Harry hadn't made any true plans about this… whatever this was. She'd never heard of the like in any of her studies. The sanctioned or the unsanctioned ones. She worried immediately about the safety of this. Male bodies weren't meant for this.

"Harry, you don't need to talk about when it happened but I need to know… wizards can't get pregnant so."

"Hermaphroditemagus." Harry mumbled.

"What?"

"Like Metamorphmagus only different." Harry sighed not wanting to discuss this. "I have books from Sirus' house. They explain it, you can read them."

"Ok Harry, I still have your occlumency reading list for you too." Hermione didn't push. That explained the missing books then, Another mystery solved. Though the term Harry had used was pretty self explanatory at least as to how he'd gotten pregnant. No doubt the books would explain the rest of the mechanics to her.

For now she'd just sit and hold her friend. After they'd dealt with this she needed to talk to Ron. First and foremost she'd start helping him with the plans he was already, no doubt, making for those responsible for this. Then they'd discuss Harry's training.

They'd waited too long as far as she was concerned. It might not have made a difference but the whole reason Ron and her had been studying Slytherin's library was so they could defend themselves and help defend Harry. That training had done Harry no good that night. They hadn't been there. They hadn't been able to protect him.

They couldn't change what had happened. They could make sure going forward that Harry could protect himself.

HPHPHPHPPHPHP

AN: wow hadn't expected that. That totally wasn't how them finding out was going to go. Honestly Severus was supposed to figure it out first ages from now. Then Flitwick had to do stunning spells and it just rolled out. I couldn't see Ron and Hermione letting Harry out of that room after a reaction like that.