Chapter twenty one

Harry couldn't stop smiling, Voldemort had lifted him into his arms and carried him into their bedroom. Harry was laid gently on the bed, then Voldemort lay beside him. Harry already knew that his lover would be protective of him, more now than he was before.

'I know there are still people out there who want to harm you, and me. I also know you're going to double, or triple the guards around me. You might not tell me everything, but I know there have been threats against me, there always will be, just as there will always be threats against you. When I first decided to do this, I also decided that until the child is born I won't be seen. I will stay in the closed off sections of the castle, I will stay at our home, which will depend on where you are. It will be safer for me and the baby. When he or she is born, then the world can know that Lord Voldemort has an heir. I do want to document my progress, which include pictures. But it will be safer for me and the child to stay out of potentially dangerous areas. After the few threats from some of the students, I knew there could be more. But there is one thing I never mentioned to you but had some students watched more closely.'

'It seems we were both keeping things from the other, but only to protect.'

'Yes, I did not want you to worry when I knew I could handle it, especially with the twins. You didn't want me to worry when you would take care of the problem.'

'All true. So tell me now what you been keeping from me.'

'Our monitoring orbs caught an interesting conversation. Naturally it started with Draco Malfoy, but others were in agreement. They all believed one of them should be your partner, not Harry Potter, Gryffindor's golden boy.'

'So that's why you had some students placed in the dungeon cells.'

'Yes, but I also made them take an unbreakable vow. With the help of the Lestrange twins and the Weasley twins, we made sure the wording was perfect. So even with the vow, I wanted them to know that they could still die, by my hand or yours if they tried anything. So I decided to keep them in the cells longer than normal.'

'So they plan to kill you then one of them would take your place as my partner.'

'Yes, but now they know it will never happen. With monitoring orbs that we placed in every part of this castle, apart from our rooms of course, no one can make plans without us finding out about them. I knew when I first made the deal with you that I would be targeted, not just from those that followed the old man, but from some Slytherin's like Malfoy. It would have been reckless of me to ignore the looks and threats. Now that I'm pregnant, if they found out our enemies will go to any length to kill me and the child in the hope it would break you. So being confined for a few months is the best solution, but it will also keep us from being worried. I still have space and I can come and go from here to our home, so it's not like I'm stuck in a small house. Double the guards, I already knew you would, but only the twins will be allowed in our rooms or when I want a bit of space.'

'That makes me feel better knowing that you will be safer. I know you have being confined, I cannot blame you for that my love. But as you said, it's only for a few months,' Voldemort very gently placed his hand on Harry's stomach, 'Our child will be powerful.'

'They will,' Harry put his hand over his lovers.

'There is something I have been thinking about for a while now. At first I did not believe we needed it. Then I began to want it. I just wasn't sure if you would. Now that we're having a baby, it's time to mention it.'

Harry picked up Voldemort's hand, kissing his palm, 'Tell me.'

'I want…no, I would like…' Voldemort hesitated then he stood up, then helped Harry off the bed, 'Will you marry me?'

Harry's eyes widened before his lips turned up into a huge grin. He launched himself at Voldemort until his arms and legs were wrapped around his lover.

'Yes, yes, yes,' Harry shouted then he was being kissed, but also being placed back on the bed, 'It wasn't legal, so can we?'

'I had that law passed a few months back. As you know, even though it was legal once it passed, it takes a while for all the paperwork to be processed. It will be another month or so before we can legally marry.'

'Then I better get started on plans for a wedding. Listen to me, first I'm pregnant, now I'm planning our wedding. It's like I'm the woman of this relationship.'

Voldemort laughed, 'You are nothing like a woman my love. But you can get help if you need it. This wedding will go down in history. We will also have to get married before you begin to show.'

'That's why I need to get stuck into the plans straight away. I could start showing from three months. It could be later but I can't take the chance. I'm just over four weeks now, so that gives me two months to get everything done.'

'As long as you don't overdo it and get as much help as you need. Now the reason I wasn't sure if you would like us to marry. Our name once we're married.'

'I would like to keep Potter, but add Voldemort so I'll be Harry Potter-Voldemort, unless you have another idea.'

'I do, to retake the name Slytherin. So I will be…Thomas Slytherin, and if you want to keep Potter then you will be Harry Potter Slytherin. I will stay being known as Lord Voldemort, but I thought you might like to be called Lord Slytherin.'

'I'd like that. And the hat did want to put me in Slytherin.'

'Yes, you mentioned that. But I also thought of adding Gryffindor to your name. Lord Gryffindor Slytherin. It will show that you are the heir of Gryffindor, and are married to the heir of Slytherin.'

'I like it. But are you sure you want to use your birth name?'

'As I said, they gave me life. Knowing that my father's family had magical blood lets me be comfortable taking his name. We will have to talk names for the baby, but we do have some time.'

'We do, but there is something I would like to ask, and it's for the baby.'

'Then ask.'

'Godparent's. I would like Rod and Rab to be the baby's godfather's, but I would also like to ask if Luna and Neville also be known as godparents. We both know anything could happen even with our guards and plans. I want to make sure our child has the best parental figures he or she can have if anything happens to us.'

'You have picked four great people, who will not only do their duty but also be loving parents, if anything happen to us. I have often seen Neville and Luna together. I believe they are more than everyone sees. That is for safety reasons. Neville is concerned for the girl he loves. But I have also seen Neville speaking with Rod. Neville does not hold anything against Rod for what his wife did.'

'No, he doesn't. But I agree with you about Neville and Luna. They are being cautious. Being my friends does give them a bit of protection, but it also places them in danger at the same time. Is there anyone else you want to name for our baby in case the worst happens?'

'Right now, no, but we have time. It might be wise to name a few others. As you said, in case the worst happens. We know it's almost impossible for us to die, but it is possible. But we have time so I'll think on it.'

It was the following day that Voldemort called all his inner circle to the meeting room at Slytherin's castle. He explained about Harry's condition and how he would have six guards around him at all time. The Lestrange twins will be in charge but they will be the only two who will be with Harry when he wants some privacy. Voldemort made sure the death eaters knew that Harry's safety was their number one priority. They were keeping it secret, for now, and Harry was going to stay out of public places, until the child is born. Voldemort dismissed all the death eaters apart from Rod and Rab. Harry came in at this time so he could explain how he wanted them, along with Neville and Luna to be the baby's godparents. Rod and Rab ended up speechless, for the first time neither of them could move nor speak. Harry ended up giving the two men a hug before he sat back with his lover.

Harry knew the next few months would be hard, so even though he wasn't fully confined, he still would not be able to just go to Diagon alley or have a fly. He would do all that was necessary to keep the baby safe. No one and nothing will ever get close enough to Harry to hurt the baby. Harry wanted to do everything he could to protect the baby, but it would also lesson the worry that he and Voldemort would have. It wasn't much of a sacrifice, he did have most of the castle to use, then he could also head home to Slytherin's castle. No one could get in there without being called by Voldemort. Voldemort planned to add Rod, Rab, Neville and Luna to the wards, but he needed to add some protection. It would be easy for one of their friends to be taken, imperiused to get to Harry and Voldemort. They could be kept prisoner, while someone used polyjuice potion. He would make sure that if the four arrived at the house they were the real Rodolphus, and Rabastan Lestrange. It would be the real Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood. He wanted Harry calm and relaxed during the pregnancy, so Voldemort was going to do everything in his power to make sure that happens.