WARNING: As written in the story notes, there will be mention of MPREG. I know this causes squiks for some people, so, if you will want to know beforehand if the theme will play a major part in the fic, just ask! I would tell you here, but it would be considered spoilery ^^

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scene ii
Counter-clockwise Dreams

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"Out with it, Potter. I don't appreciate being gawked-"

"Wha-I am notgawking!" Harry scoffed.

"I gather your pathetic upbringing has taught you to interrupt as well?" Snape raised a questioning brow and met Harry's incredulous eyes. "Yes, gawking, as in staring rudely, gazing. Need I proceed? Gaping, ogling-

"Ogling? I was not ogling. And if I were, I mean, like I would, or, I wouldn't be-that is to say, I wasn't ogling, sir." Harry trailed off, deciding that he did need to speak with the professor on an important matter and if he wanted a straight answer it would be smart to not get on the man's bad side, or rather, on his worse side.

"Eloquent as always, Potter. Will you be spouting more of your fluent lines and thereby telling me what is on your muddled mind then? Or perhaps, you'd rather I cast a Legilimens?"

"No! I-no, sir, that won't be necessary. I wanted to know if Malfoy will be called as well."

"Of course, Potter. The Dark Lord always did need his right hand to function."

"I meant to ask of Draco Malfoy, sir."

Severus glanced at Harry who was currently stirring the potion they were brewing. The potions master noted that during their conversation Harry was able to keep his hand relaxed and was moving in a clockwise steady manner at the precise angle that the potion called for. Harry's mind was obviously on another matter, and yet, he brewing a complex potion as if it were second nature. Potter really had come a long way in such a short amount of time, Severus thought. But he would never say that to Harry, of course. "Why do you ask?" he asked, clearing his parched throat.

Potter looked up just as he finished his twentieth full turn of stirring the potion. "Well, in order for me to defeat Voldemort, I'm going to need to know what I'm up against," Harry said as he added mooncalf jelly to the cauldron.

Severus sprinkled in its powdered shell in unison with Harry until they used up the ingredient. Then the older man moved away from the cauldron. They were nearly finished. They only had to wait until the potion was at room temperature for it to be safe to bottle up. "Nonsense, Potter, as it pains me to even think of what had transpired during the last few days of the past school year, I am very much aware of your... relationship with my godson. And I'd rather not hear of you pursuing-

"With due respect, sir, no matter what you'd rather I do, that is our business," Harry said, facing the professor.

"Very well then," Severus said in his usual monotonous, expressionless tenor. But he was surprised. Not for the younger boy's statement but of its uncharacteristic composed delivery. This is not the first time Severus had encountered such unfamiliar territory from Harry, but it still staggered him nonetheless. Not that he cared. Much. Severus grabbed an empty potion's bottle as he held Harry's gaze. "Malfoy will be called. The chances are likely that he will be completing his initiation at the next gathering."

"He will be asked to kill?" Harry asked, already knowing the answer.

"What do you really want to know, Potter? Beating around the bush is not how I'd like to spend my time."

"I... I had a dream."

"I don't want to hear it."

"It's prophetic. I think."

"Then all the more reason for me NOT to hear of it. I suggest you speak with Dumbledore on the matter." The older man turned away to reach for another bottle.

"Severus, I'd rather speak-"

"I'd rather you not." Severus did not miss the use of his given name, but he decided he would let it slide. "I know too much as it is. The risks-"

Harry stood up, meeting Severus' eyes. "Bullshit! Like Voldemort could get through your thick-"

"Don't test me, Potter," Severus said, his voice low. Harry's outburst was the kind of thing he was familiar with, but even this was on a different level entirely. Severus challenged the younger boy, his gaze unwavering.

Harry turned away, breaking eye contact, knowing that a yelling match would not gain him any favor with the professor. He tried to reign in his emotions until his breathing returned back to normal.

For the next several minutes neither man said a word.

"I think it's time," Harry said, peering into the cauldron.

"You think or you know?"

"I know."

Severus nodded once. He handed an empty labeled bottle to Harry. Once the bottle was filled and corked, he handed another.

He glanced at Harry and he found himself infuriated. And he didn't have a single clue as to why, which infuriated him even further. Bloody, Potter, he very nearly muttered. And then with an audible sigh: "What was your bloody dream?"

Harry bit back his smile and slowly turned to meet Severus' eyes again. "Erm, you see, well, it's like-

"Tell me in coherent sentences, Potter. I haven't the patience for your fatuous babble."

"Right. So, Malfoy, he was in this dream and he was holding a baby," Harry said in a rush and then for some reason he wasn't able to continue.

"Go on," Severus prodded when Harry fell silent. "Am I to guess the significance of—-"

"The baby looked like us. I think. I never had a clear image of the baby, but there was this this familiar feeling. And I felt anger. Malfoy's anger. I woke up as soon as I made the realization that the baby was mine. That is all I remember." Harry gauged Severus' face, but wasn't able to make out any kind of reaction. "I wanted to know, sir, are male pregnancies possible?"

"Anger, you say? Directed to you? The baby?" Severus asked, not answering Harry's question for the time being.

"No, towards someone or something I couldn't see."

Severus nodded. "When did you dream this?"

"The night we had to catch the rat in the Hufflepuff dorms."

"And you only come to me with this information now?"

"Well, I thought it impossible then. But now that... Not that we had-I don't know. I'm confused. It's still impossible!" And then in a whisper: "Is it possible, sir?"

"Potter, you should know by now, nothing is impossible."

"Has it happened before?"

Severus regarded the younger boy and then shook his head once. "There are no human instances that I am aware of. There are stories, yes, but they are only that. Stories. Fictional stories, born of wishful thinking."

Harry inwardly sighed and looked away. He realized he had been holding his breath. He didn't know what to think right then. A few days ago he knew without a doubt that it would be impossible to have a baby with Draco and believed that the dream was just a nightmare brought on by a bad dinner. A baby with Draco was impossible as they were both males. Two males don't make a baby. That fact he was certain of. And, also, they weren't even remotely in the kind of relationship for a baby to be worked into the equation. But after a recent and rather unexpected shift in their relationship, Harry was no longer so certain. After all, if he and Draco, once rivals, could break the odds and forge together, then what is considered impossible?

"Potter."

Harry turned to face the potion's master.

"It only has to happen once to make a male pregnancy possible."

Harry nodded, he realized right then that he had come to the same conclusion. Not that it would have made any difference. He was still shaken, and if he was aware of it, he would have known that his fingers had trembled.

"Place the bottles on the top shelf. We're done for the day. It's late, you won't be able to brew any further potions without it going to ruin."

Harry only nodded. He knew the professor was not going to say anymore on the subject.

"Tomorrow I will not be here. I will be in contact with Albus. You will ask him how we shall proceed with your training. You may go to your dormitory now." Harry nodded again and then made his way towards the door.

"Potter?"

Harry paused and looked over his shoulder.

"Grimmauld Place may be still an unpleasant dwelling at this point but with time and effort, even a person of lesser caliber than that of your own person can make something of it."

Harry scrunched up his eyebrows. "Was that... was that a compliment, sir?"

"No, I didn't intend to give you a compliment, Potter. Why add a drop to a cauldron full?"

"Because Professor, one drop too many or one drop not enough could render a potion useless. While a potion that contains the right amount of drops could give you fame, glory, or even save your life," Harry repeated the words Severus had once said in their first potion's lecture. A smile played at the corner of his lip when he saw Severus' astonished look that was gone too soon.

"You realize that by saying that you've managed to become an even bigger dunderhead?"

"I realize that, sir. But thanks." Harry smiled and left before he could hear another response.

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Instead of going straight to his dormitory, Harry went up to the owlery. He didn't know why until he pulled out a scrap piece of parchment from his pocket.

Not ten minutes later, Hedwig was in flight.

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That night Harry dreamt of a pregnant Severus wearing his Aunt Petunia's yellow frock, only it had the letter 'S' stitched on it, like a Weasley sweater. Also, Hermione was pouting because Blaise had eaten all the marmalade. And Draco had walked in arguing with Ginny and Pansy that a mauve sky just made more sense because it coordinated better with his eyes. Furthermore, he had two of them. Harry woke up screaming: "But I have to feed Henry!"

He plopped his head back into his pillow and waited for his breath to return back to normal. He closed his eyes again. "Rats can very well feed themselves," he muttered before he fell back to sleep.

The next time Harry woke, it was to the sound of Hedwig flying into the dormitory. He moved to untie the parchment. "Thanks Hedwig."

The snowy owl made a purring noise and then flew over to the desk where Harry normally kept a bit of food in a bowl.

Harry hastily got his glasses so that the loops on the parchment turned into Draco's neat, elaborate handwriting. "I knew it would look flowery." Harry grinned.

Potter,

You surprise me. I didn't expect you would write me. It's rather thoughtful of you. However, delivering straight to the manor? Next time try to be a bit more discreet. At least use a standard owl. I'm sure even you can manage that.

As for your request, I suppose I could manage coming early. That was the question, am I correct? Your handwriting is as neat as the hair on your head, Potter.

DM

P.S. Tell Henry I miss him.

Harry smiled to himself as he realized that Draco just agreed to meet and stay with him a full week before seventh year started. He licked his lips as he recalled their last kiss. He wished that he didn't have to wait to do that again.

As it were, he had other things to work out before meeting with Draco. He got out his quill and wrote another letter, but this time addressing it to Ron and Hermione.

Hedwig once again took flight after the parchment was secured in place. Harry then took whatever was left in the bowl of food he kept for Hedwig and pulled out a green, silk covered pillow from under his bed. Atop the pillow was Henry. Harry shook his head. "Misses you, does he? I'm the one who has been taking care of you. You know, rats should be able to find food for themselves," Harry muttered as he gave Draco's pet rat his food.

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