Harry couldn't help it as his knee bobbed up and down in the waiting area of the sixth floor of St. Mungo's hospital. 'Maternity Care and Fertility'. He fiddled with the embroidery of his robes and tried to ignore the people staring at them. Severus was calm as day, reading a book, though after a while he placed a hand over Harry's knee to keep it still.
"You're going to drill a hole on the floor." He told him blandly without looking up from his book. Harry laughed nervously and thought back to the disaster of last night.
"Was Scorpius alright in the end?" Harry asked gently. Severus nodded.
"He was alright by the time Draco came to pick him up." Severus said. "It's not your fault Harry, you've never been close to a baby in your life."
That was something Harry could agree with. So how was he going to take care of their own baby? He caught a nervous mediwitch approaching them then.
"Mister Potter-Snape? I'm from the intensive care ward… there was a mother who was wondering if you could provide her child with a blessing." She said. Harry looked up at her shocked. A blessing?
"I'm not a priest…" Harry said frowning in confusion.
"A priest?" The witch asked not understanding. Severus held Harry's hand and leaned in to whisper.
"Powerful wizards are sometimes asked for blessings…" He said. Harry bit his bottom lip.
"What am I supposed to do?" Harry asked his husband.
"You just wish the person well, or that they get better or wish them protection, things like that." Severus said. "You don't have to do it if you're not comfortable." Harry looked down.
"No… I can do it… whilst we wait." He said gently as he stood and went with the mediwitch. Harry's heart raced as he saw the babies encased in a magical bubble to protect them from the world around them. The child he was taken to was a small premature baby. The mother stood when he saw Harry and held his hands.
"Oh thank you… thank you… The doctor said… she might not make the night." She sobbed. Harry's heart clenched painfully as he saw her crying and looking at the baby. Harry gulped. Did she expect a magical cure? He really hoped not. Harry was brought closer to the bubble, his hands being cleaned by the mediwitch.
Harry reached toward the baby, petting the little cheek. The baby twitched and shifted at the other's touch. Harry felt his magic at the tip of his fingers. What blessing could he give the child?
"Be strong…" Harry whispered. He felt the magic flowing into the baby. "Stay strong." The baby twitched gently as the warm magic flowed inside her and brought her little fist to her mouth to suck. Harry chuckled and truly wished for her to get better before removing his hand.
"Harry, we have to go." Severus said seeing a mediwizard looking for them. Harry nodded and said goodbye to the woman who thanked him again and again. Harry glanced back to glance at the baby and saw the way the woman just stared at the infant child. His heart warmed at the sight and held Severus' hand tightly feeling more confident about the appointment.
-o-O-o-
"Professor Snape, mister Potter-Snape. I'm Eileen Meriwether. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'll be your mediwitch." Harry saw Severus pause at her name but quickly recover and they shook hands.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Madam Meriwether." He said and Harry nodded shaking her hand also.
"Now, Harry, may I call you Harry?" Harry nodded. "I believe you're not quite certain about what's going to happen."
"I read some books on the subject but… I'm not quite sure of some things, but I figured I'd ask as the situation called for it." Harry said shrugging. She nodded.
"Very well, who will be the carrier?" She asked.
"Um… we thought I would…" Harry said finding himself blushing softly.
"Wonderful, now Harry, let me explain. The egg is formed with both your genes, then it's tied to your magic. The baby needs your constant, stable supply of magic to make sure it grows properly. In most ways it's very similar to a normal pregnancy, for one you can't take any potions, there are certain foods you should avoid, no alcohol of course, and you would need to carry the egg at all times." She explained.
Harry nodded at this slowly. There was no backing up now. Even if he might end up being the worst parent in the history of magic.
"Anything else?" He asked slowly. She smiled.
"Well, only that you shouldn't apparate or travel by floo, or fly. Portkeys are also off limits." She said. "The months ahead will be a very delicate time for you, but the babies tend to be very resistant." Harry nodded and took a deep breath looking at Severus who held his hand tightly but didn't show any expression.
"How long does it take?" Harry asked.
"We would set another appointment to get both your genes and after that the egg should form within the next hour. Then you would take it home, if it's successful you will feel very tired when your magic connects to it and go straight to sleep. If it's unsuccessful we would try again. After the connection is formed there's a risk period that lasts for three months, after that there are rarely any problems." She reassured him.
Harry nodded feeling his knee start bouncing again. She smiled gently and spoke with a soft tone. "It is a lot of information, if you still want to think about it—"
"—No." Harry said looking up at her, keeping his leg still and smiled at Severus. "I'm ready."
-o-O-o-
It didn't take as long as Harry had thought. By the next day they had another appointment. Nerves started twisting Harry's stomach as he walked in with his husband, the cauldron bubbling in the middle of the room.
The mediwitch left them alone and Severus was the one to pull Harry's eyes from the cauldron up to him. Harry felt his cheeks heat up and his heart start racing at the intense way Severus gazed at him with his dark eyes.
"I love you." Severus whispered. Harry smiled and leaned up to kiss him.
"I love you too…" Severus then approached the cauldron picking up the athame on the side and gently pulled Harry's left hand closer. Harry braced himself as Severus pressed the blade to his palm, slicing over in one swift movement. Harry winced and groaned. Severus did the same and held both bloody hands together, bringing it over the cauldron.
Harry watched as their mixed blood dripped down onto the bubbling cauldron, the green mixture turning a soft peach colour. Severus knew when to pull their hands back and healed Harry's first.
Madame Meriwether seemed to know when it was done and returned swiftly after their hands were healed. She looked down at the cauldron and switched the fire off. "Brilliant, it's all going well… now we just have to wait."
Harry looked at his hand were no scar remained from the athame. He sat with Severus in the room, holding his hand and leaning his head against the other's shoulder.
"Everything will be alright wont it?" Harry asked. Severus smiled.
"You don't have to worry so much Harry… we will handle everything just fine." Severus reassured him and Harry nodded.
"I believe it's time." The mediwitch said after forty-five minutes. "Harry, you should reach into the cauldron to pull it out." She said.
Harry came over, nervous yet again and reached into the cauldron, his sleeves rolled up as he felt through the large cauldron. He felt it then and pulled it up carefully.
Just like the mixture the egg was a soft peach colour and just perfect in every sense of the word. It was as big as an ostrich egg and he faintly wondered how he would carry this around with him all the time. The more he stared at it, however, the more attached he became and he soon realised that even if his arms felt like they were about to fall off he would never let go of this little one.
Holding the egg close to his chest he looked at Severus who pressed their foreheads together and petted the egg gently.
"What happens now?" Harry asked gently.
"We go home… and see if it attaches to you." Severus said simply.
-o-O-o-
The moment they were home Severus would follow every one of his movements. Harry was getting more and more nervous as he looked down at the egg, petting it gently.
"When will I know?" Harry asked. The moment the question left his lips however he gasped feeling a pulling against his stomach. He groaned loudly, gasping as a great pressure wrapped around his back and the egg.
"Harry?" He heard Severus say and come to sit next to him. Harry felt the pressure receding and felt the connection form, it was warm. Harry's entire body relaxed as his hands stayed around the egg holding it in place.
"I'm really tired…" Harry mumbled, feeling his eyes closing as he started nodding off. It seemed as if it only took Severus a second to lay him on their bed, his hands remaining protectively around the baby. He felt Severus pass his fingers through Harry's hair and kiss him. "I guess it's done huh…" he mumbled feeling the warm connection draining him and tiring him out.
"Yes… My perfect husband." Severus whispered kissing him lovingly once more. Harry half responded, but he was asleep by the time Severus pulled away, legs curled slightly onto himself as he slept on his side holding the egg in place instinctively.
