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A/N: For review replies see 'The Voice Of Alexian' review.
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Beta by Kristine Thorne
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Chapter Summary - Ron hangs out with Harry and Sev and comes closer to figuring out what is going on. Harry discusses a problem with Hermione and she fails to reassure him.
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Chapter Twenty One - The Truth…
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Harry and Severus lay in bed and were alone to look at their baby catalogue in peace at last. Harry didn't really resent having to wait, they had used their time to entertain Ron for the evening and Harry had been pleased of the chance to further cement their friendship. Ron was still down in the dungeon now having opted to borrow the sofa rather than make the journey back up to Gryffindor.
"We have to do something for him," Harry reminded Severus, since that evening he had mistakenly offered Ron the use of their fireplace without realising that the turbulence of using the floo system made Ron unable to sit up or orientate himself in any way for hours afterwards.
"We can take a shopping trip if you like," Severus offered as he flicked through the baby catalogue.
"It would help if we knew what we wanted," Harry moaned.
Severus pointed to an item on the page he was looking at, "What about this?" he asked.
Harry looked at what Severus was pointing to, it was a levibar in the shape of a horseshoe, in the picture a toddler was using it to balance while he learnt to walk, "It's a bit small isn't it?"
Severus sighed, "It would be easy enough to ask for a larger one to be made."
Harry noted that another adjacent photo showed the toddler using the bar to walk down stairs, the levitation magic in it keeping the bar at optimal height for the user, providing a solid but advancing support no matter where the floor was in relation to it.
"I imagine that it works through similar magic to that which controls broomsticks although it is not as sophisticated," Severus commented, "It's a wonder your brainy Miss Granger didn't think of this."
"Hermione has a hidden agenda these days and controlling Ron in a desperate attempt to not end up on her own is one of her main goals."
"Silly girl," Severus observed, "Providing a welcoming atmosphere and getting him drunk seems to work perfectly, he will even speak to me under such circumstances, why ever would she need to resort to such cruel measures."
Harry smiled, "Don't ask me."
"Do you think something like this will suffice?" Severus asked pointing once more to the picture in the catalogue.
"I think so," Harry replied, "When I've walked with him he's been able to move well, it's really only balance. He has periods of days at a time when it gets a lot worse and he has to go to bed but I don't think we can do much about that."
"But for the most part this will help?"
"Yes," Harry confirmed, "I think it will, the only thing that makes me hesitate is that this should have been thought about already, I wonder if I have missed a reason for why it wouldn't work, with Hermione being as she is though, who knows."
"It's not an expensive item, should I place an order?" Severus asked.
Harry grinned, "Yes."
"Then it is as good as done," Severus confirmed putting the catalogue on the table by the bed.
Harry snuggled up to Severus as he discarded one of the pillows he had been using to sit up in the bed. It was almost a nightly ritual now and this night was no different, Severus felt Harry's hand come to rest on his abdomen as soon as the candles were extinguished. Severus placed a hand on Harry too.
"Everything all right?" Severus asked after a while.
Harry ducked under the covers and kissed where his hand had recently been, "Yes." He replied and he kissed again, "How am I doing?"
"Fine also," Severus answered.
Harry came up from beneath the covers and kissed up Severus' chest till he reached his neck and then his lips.
"I'm feeling well at the moment," Severus informed Harry.
Harry kissed Severus again, "I will be gentle with you, silence charm please."
"No," Severus replied, obviously feeling mischievous, "You will just have to be quiet."
"I didn't want it for me," Harry responded nuzzling at Severus' neck.
Afterwards Harry lay peacefully in Severus' arms thinking about things that weren't worries or problems. He felt a lot calmer and happier when he could see that Severus was all right and not being ill for a while.
"It's nearly summer," Harry mused, "The crops will be growing."
"What crops?" Severus asked sleepily.
"Will's garden, it was all barren when we were there but he will have planted a whole load of vegetables and they'll be coming up now."
"I suppose."
"Can we go back sometime?" Harry asked.
"Yes, of course we can, when things are a little more settled."
Harry didn't know whether Severus was referring to his stomach or their new quarters, "I think sometimes, of what it would be like to turn up in our robes one day, he would get such a surprise."
"He certainly would!"
"I didn't like lying to him, I would like to tell him one day, can we?"
"If you wish."
"Are you going to agree with everything I say?" Harry asked.
"Yes,"
"Do you want to go to sleep now?"
Severus squeezed Harry gently, "Yes."
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Ron woke the next morning on the sofa and for a minute he didn't know where he was exactly. The voice coming from the other room reminded him and he decided to pretend to be asleep for a while. He hadn't planned it but it would certainly help him with his concerns if he listened to them for a little while. He still couldn't get the idea out of his head that Severus might be pregnant instead of Harry despite the fact that he had very flimsy evidence and that Harry had clearly stated that it was the youngest Kin who had the ability. There was also the fact that it was Harry that had been exhibiting more feminine traits and that was not something that could really be said about Snape. Quite apart from anything else it actually made sense that the youngest Kin should be the one. The idea persisted in Ron's brain nevertheless.
Ron didn't get any information from Harry's conversation in the bedroom at all, it seemed to be very one sided, muffled so that Ron couldn't make out the words and interspersed with short periods of complete silence.
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Severus lay on the floor of the bathroom propped up against the bath looking ill and exhausted. Harry came to kneel at his side holding a glass of water. Severus had had to get up really early to run for the bathroom; only just managing to get a silencing charm cast before the projectile vomiting began. The projectile variety had quickly given way to the dry retching kind and Severus now had his arms wrapped around himself with the pain of it.
Severus drank some of the water and stayed on the bathroom floor. He noticed that Harry looked concerned; indeed it had been the worst morning yet.
"I will see to the building wizards today," Harry offered, "You just go back to bed for a while."
"I can't, what about your friend?"
Harry frowned, realising that it complicated matters, "He will have to have the bathroom for a while but I can make up an excuse for why we're leaving you here when we go up to breakfast. You'll just have to get dressed and sit in the living room for a little bit."
"Right," Severus said not looking very happy at all, "I suppose I don't strictly speaking need a bathroom when I can use my wand to clear everything away." He grumbled, somehow it just seemed more appropriate that he was sprawled on the bathroom floor when he was ill. Severus didn't want to move at all, his whole body shrieked nausea as soon as he tried to.
Harry helped Severus get dressed, using his wand instead of the shower and bringing Severus' clothes to him, then helping him get dressed without moving him too much. Harry was pleased though when Severus' pants were a little bit difficult to fasten but it could have just been the way he was sitting.
"It would help if you would tell someone, you don't have to tell everybody, just tell one person and it will be all round Hogwarts in seconds, then we won't have to keep making up excuses," Harry suggested.
"I don't want to," Severus said simply.
Harry looked at his Kin and knew that he couldn't venture out just yet. The sickness wasn't the biggest secret that he was attempting to conceal by not telling anybody that he was pregnant. No, the biggest secret was that Severus Snape could cry, seemingly for little or no reason and he couldn't stop it to save his reputation or his life.
Harry tried to comfort Severus but he knew that for the most part the tears didn't come from discomfort and therefore couldn't be comforted away. Everybody hated him, or so he thought, but he was used to that and since Harry didn't, he didn't care about it anymore. He was feeling awful and that didn't help, so all Harry could do was hold him till it passed.
When Severus seemed to be a bit more composed Harry went through to the living room to make sure that Ron was awake and ready for the switch and after three attempts to leave the bathroom, Severus managed to get on his feet and walk to the living room while Harry ushered Ron quickly out.
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When Harry had come to wake Ron he had pretended to wake up.
"Severus is having the shower first," Harry explained, padding around the living area in a nightshirt and bare feet.
Ron tried to listen but could not hear the sound of the shower running. Ron sat up on the sofa and noticed that through Harry's thin cotton nightshirt he could see a bandage wrapped round his middle, though he knew that Harry wasn't injured. He had to file it away on the 'weird kin things' parchment he was compiling in his head. Harry sat beside Ron till Severus eventually emerged fully dressed and took a seat at his desk.
When Harry went for his shower he took Ron with him into the bedroom, leaving Severus on his own. Ron was quite thankful for the arrangement since he was still a bit nervous about Severus and that morning he looked particularly unapproachable, sat at his desk with a face like thunder not saying even so much as a good morning to him.
Ron sat down on the edge of the bed and after Harry had disappeared into the bathroom he noticed the rumpled bed sheets and felt a bit weird about that too. Were they both restless sleepers, Ron wondered, or had they both been at each other like rabbits. Ron frowned to himself; Severus hadn't looked capable of doing anything of that nature, he'd moved slowly as well as looking his grumpy and nasty old self, as he had taken his place at the desk. He had been perfectly affable the previous night, well not bad for Snape anyway.
Ron could hear the sound of the shower perfectly well from his position on the bed and it was loud enough to suggest that it would be detectable from the other room too. Ron had to conclude that they had been using a silencing charm and the look of Severus that morning ruled out the likelihood of any mischief having taken place. Ron suddenly remembered the long silences that used to occur sometimes when Hermione used the bathroom and his discovery that time had been pregnancy induced sickness, something she had felt compelled to hide from him but it was obvious anyway because there was no sound of anything when a silencing charm was cast.
Ron looked around the bedroom since he had the rare privilege of being left alone there. It was sparsely adorned with possessions; he supposed that neither Harry nor Severus had many things since they had been forced into hiding the previous year. Ron noticed the baby catalogue on the bedside table but that just meant that one of them thought that they were pregnant, it didn't give any indication as to who it was.
Harry emerged from the bathroom wearing a long white shirt, which was nevertheless much shorter than the nightshirt had been, and underpants. Ron had looked up as he passed through the door but now turned away. It was as if knowing that Harry had extra bits downstairs made it somehow indecent to look, even though it had been common practise to walk around in such a state when they had been students in the dorm together.
Harry noticed that Ron had turned away and immediately that made him feel self-conscious himself, he quickly pulled on his robes noticing that his own pants weren't getting tight yet although they had been a reasonably generous fit to begin with.
"Would you dry my hair for me?" Harry asked Ron. His hair was towel dried but was still very damp and all over his face. He usually asked Severus to do it.
Ron obliged without a word, it was a common request for one wizard to make to another since it was hard to reach with your own wand. Ron had done this for Harry many times when they had been students; Harry's next request was something new though.
"Could you help me tie it up?" Harry asked next producing one of the muggle hair bands he still had, "I thought maybe a ponytail but just the top bit not a full one, what do you think?" Harry added, he had drawn some of his hair up with his hand to demonstrate what he meant.
Although he took Harry seriously Ron couldn't help but be amused at Harry's behaviour. He didn't now know how he had ever thought it could be Severus; it was so obviously Harry who was the one who was getting hormonal in the female way.
"Leave some of it out at the front," Ron suggested and Harry approached him.
Harry sat down on the bed beside Ron and Ron took over with the hair band.
As soon as Ron was finished Harry jumped up and twirled in front of the mirror.
Ron kind of wished that Hermione could have seen it and then felt glad that she had not when he remembered what her reaction might be.
"Your turn for the shower," Harry announced, "Or bath," He added realising that Ron probably couldn't use the shower.
Harry took Ron's arm again and led him into the bathroom where he slid onto the floor before turning on the bath taps. Harry pushed the plug in.
"Give me a shout if you need anything," Harry offered as he turned to leave.
"You are not coming in here when I am in the bath, I can manage," Ron insisted.
Harry retreated, he hadn't thought about the nakedness thing and Ron was quite right, he wasn't going in there.
Once Ron was on his own again he had another opportunity to snoop although there wasn't a lot to look at here either. No pregnancy testing kit, one strip for not pregnant, two strips for Harry and three strips for the nasty potions master. Ron chuckled a little at his own joke. The only thing that Ron could see was the freshly washed bandage hanging over the shower curtain rail and he had no problem filing that away with the other weird thing.
When the bath was the right temperature Ron got an arm and a leg over the edge of the bath and pulled himself over, only becoming a little surprised when he discovered that it was a magically wide bath. A similar procedure was followed in order to get out and Harry shouted through when he heard him thump down onto the floor.
"I'm fine," He had to shout back before Harry came bursting in. His method for getting in and out of the bath wasn't particularly graceful but it was better than a long fall and a broken nose.
Ron got dressed in the bathroom, Harry had passed him all his clothes before he had shut the door and when he emerged Harry was sat waiting for him on the bed.
"We can go to breakfast now, hold on a minute," Harry announced leaving Ron on his own while he went to speak to Severus.
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Harry found Severus slumped over his desk, he was still sat in the chair but he was not looking very well at all. He held his wand at the ready but Harry had no way of knowing if he had used it or not. The desk seemed clean enough.
"Are you feeling any better?" Harry asked coming to Severus side and wrapping an arm round him, Severus leaned up against his Kin and tried to take comfort from the hug but it seemed to serve as a way of not having to sit up by himself more than anything else.
Severus shook his head.
"Go back to bed after we have gone," Harry instructed, "I'll bring Ron through now."
Severus nodded and pulled himself upright.
As Harry left with Ron, Severus called to him, "Your hair looks nice today."
Harry appreciated the effort it had taken and smiled back at his Kin, "Glad you like it, see you later."
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Ron wasn't too upset that Severus wasn't coming to breakfast and he didn't question it when Harry gave him the excuse, at least it would mean that he could have a decent breakfast himself. As they walked down to the hall Ron wondered if it wasn't that Severus was pregnant but that he was ill, Harry certainly seemed worried. Ron began to feel worried too, remembering all that stuff about the suicide pact that was a part of the Kin Bond, if Snape died then Harry would be as good as dead too. Although both Harry under Severus' instruction and Severus himself were powerful enough to sort out illnesses for each other, Ron considered, whatever was going on they must be powerless to cure it.
When they reached the table in the hall Ron joined Hermione for a while, despite everything he felt a little guilty for leaving her on her own and he also needed to slip her some more potion.
"So what did you find out on your latest trip to the dungeons?" Hermione asked as soon as Ron was seated.
Ron didn't feel like giving anything away, "Nothing," He answered.
"Fine, don't tell me," Hermione snapped.
As Ron had expected a full English breakfast was on offer and he tucked in to a nice big plateful, ignoring Hermione who had twisted her face in disgust.
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Later that morning Harry met with the building wizards to hand over the plans and discuss the details in preparation for the building work, which was to commence in a week's time. He wanted to make sure that their new quarters were perfectly equipped for their needs from child rearing, defence and potion making angles. Severus was to have his own workroom in addition to there being two extra bedrooms, he didn't know it yet but Harry was sure he would be pleased when he found out.
He couldn't imagine Severus giving up all his former duties just because Hermione had taken over as teacher, sooner or later he was going to want to brew if only for pleasure. It would certainly be inconvenient if he had to trail down to the dungeons all the time, especially when he became much bigger. Maybe he could encourage Severus to embark on some research, Harry thought.
"Headmaster Snape," One of the building wizards was prompting Harry.
He had drifted off in his thoughts Harry realised, "Sorry."
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After lunch Harry asked Ron where Hermione might be, it seemed that she had dumped him in the hall and gone off without eating anything herself.
"She's in the library," Ron informed Harry.
"What a surprise, has she ordered new books for the place? I would have thought she would have exhausted the restricted section years ago," Harry commented.
"Oh yeah, we had to get the shelves reinforced and everything."
"I need to speak to her,"
"Good luck," Ron responded with sympathy.
Harry smiled at his friend, "What are you going to do?"
"Don't know."
"Where would you like to go?" Harry said making sure that Ron knew that he was offering.
"I wouldn't mind going up to Gryffindor."
"Right," Harry said holding out a hand for Ron to take, he would be asking Severus how he was getting on with their order later.
After dropping Ron off and promising to come back for him later Harry went straight down to the library.
He found Hermione sat at a table by the window reading a book and slid into a chair next to her. Whatever she said he was determined to keep his cool, he needed to pick her brains about something and she was really the only person he could ask.
"Hello Harry," Hermione said mildly enough but with surprise.
Harry gave thanks to Severus and his potions; it seemed to be working at last.
"I need to ask you about something," Harry said straight away knowing that he had to just say it and not get worked up and nervous.
"Yes?"
"About pregnancy," Harry continued, watching Hermione's face so that he could tell if he was just going to get another lecture or not.
"Oh," Hermione responded, she wasn't going off on one but she wasn't exactly making it easy either, "Can't you just get Severus to find you a book?" Hermione challenged.
Harry felt rather embarrassed to have to talk to someone else about any of this, "Yes, well I could, but you have experience of most of it, I thought that asking you would be better than a book."
"Oh."
"I need to know about sickness," Harry persevered, "I need to know if it means anything, you had some didn't you, Ron told me."
"Yes I did," Hermione replied, "And it means that you feel like crap, have you been sick?"
"No, not yet," Harry continued, "I mean, does it mean anything about the pregnancy?"
"Like what?"
"Might I lose the baby?" Harry mumbled miserably.
Hermione scoffed at Harry's concern then sobered when she realised that he was seriously worried, "No, it doesn't mean that, but you haven't had any sickness anyway."
"I know, I just wondered."
Hermione was just getting started, "You are young Harry, it's much less likely because of that, miscarriage is much more common if you are older, say over thirty five for example. You have nothing to worry about."
Harry was not as consoled as Hermione would have expected him to be, after all, he hadn't been asking for himself and Severus was over thirty five. At least she had sounded as if she believed him now, Harry thought.
"Certain other circumstances can make it more likely too," Hermione continued reaching for a book, "Here look."
Hermione opened the book at the right page, it was a muggle book that she had been flicking through herself and had left it laying on one of the shelves. Harry looked and read, then paled considerably. He had thought that asking Hermione would dispel his fears but it didn't help one little bit.
"Of course with you being a man, who knows what will happen," Hermione continued and by now Harry was wishing that he had never asked and that she would shut up.
"Ron says that I am getting rather girly."
"Well there you are then, your hormones are obviously getting going or whatever is happening to support the pregnancy in your case, I mean you are still clearly a man." Hermione responded, "Did you know that if you have an undetected breast cancer when you become pregnant, then the progression of the tumour accelerates dramatically causing it to spread like wildfire, all due to hormones. I read that in a muggle book, though I imagine the situation is different for us witches and wizards and uncharted territory for someone such as yourself."
"Thank you for your help," Harry said hurriedly before Hermione could say anything else to reassure him.
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Hermione returned to Gryffindor before dinner time and found Ron sat on the sofa in the old common room with two of the orphaned children, they were asleep in his arms, something that Hermione secretly thought was rather sweet.
"Did you see Harry?" Ron asked, "He said that he was coming to see you."
"Yes," Hermione answered, "He wanted to ask me about pregnancy, I think I managed to reassure him."
"So you believe him now?"
"I certainly believe that he believes it."
"Is anything wrong?" Ron asked.
"No, he was worried about morning sickness, which is ridiculous because even he admits that he hasn't got any. That was what made me want to believe him, if it was some kind of strange phantom pregnancy surely he would be trying to make out like he has everything, in an effort to convince himself as well as us."
Ron smiled to himself; he knew that Harry hadn't been asking for himself. With glee Ron realised that Harry was worried about Severus and that this was what was wrong with him. Well there was nothing wrong with Severus at all, he was just expecting. What Ron had suspected was true for sure. Ron suddenly remembered what Harry had said about Severus being Kin with his brother before Harry; it had to have been an older brother, meaning that Severus had gone through the change too; it all fell into place. The truth was that Severus Snape was pregnant and Ron certainly wasn't going to tell Hermione, no, this was his little secret and he was keeping it.
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TBC very soon
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Coming next week - Chapter Twenty Two - ...And Then Some - Severus gives Ron a gift which will change his life, later that day Ron ends up in bed with his old potions teacher in an attempt to show his gratitude. Why is Hermione watching, why is she impressed with his technique and what will Harry think when he finds out?
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A/N: For review replies see 'The Voice Of Alexian' review.
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Beta by Kristine Thorne
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Chapter Summary - Ron hangs out with Harry and Sev and comes closer to figuring out what is going on. Harry discusses a problem with Hermione and she fails to reassure him.
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Chapter Twenty One - The Truth…
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Harry and Severus lay in bed and were alone to look at their baby catalogue in peace at last. Harry didn't really resent having to wait, they had used their time to entertain Ron for the evening and Harry had been pleased of the chance to further cement their friendship. Ron was still down in the dungeon now having opted to borrow the sofa rather than make the journey back up to Gryffindor.
"We have to do something for him," Harry reminded Severus, since that evening he had mistakenly offered Ron the use of their fireplace without realising that the turbulence of using the floo system made Ron unable to sit up or orientate himself in any way for hours afterwards.
"We can take a shopping trip if you like," Severus offered as he flicked through the baby catalogue.
"It would help if we knew what we wanted," Harry moaned.
Severus pointed to an item on the page he was looking at, "What about this?" he asked.
Harry looked at what Severus was pointing to, it was a levibar in the shape of a horseshoe, in the picture a toddler was using it to balance while he learnt to walk, "It's a bit small isn't it?"
Severus sighed, "It would be easy enough to ask for a larger one to be made."
Harry noted that another adjacent photo showed the toddler using the bar to walk down stairs, the levitation magic in it keeping the bar at optimal height for the user, providing a solid but advancing support no matter where the floor was in relation to it.
"I imagine that it works through similar magic to that which controls broomsticks although it is not as sophisticated," Severus commented, "It's a wonder your brainy Miss Granger didn't think of this."
"Hermione has a hidden agenda these days and controlling Ron in a desperate attempt to not end up on her own is one of her main goals."
"Silly girl," Severus observed, "Providing a welcoming atmosphere and getting him drunk seems to work perfectly, he will even speak to me under such circumstances, why ever would she need to resort to such cruel measures."
Harry smiled, "Don't ask me."
"Do you think something like this will suffice?" Severus asked pointing once more to the picture in the catalogue.
"I think so," Harry replied, "When I've walked with him he's been able to move well, it's really only balance. He has periods of days at a time when it gets a lot worse and he has to go to bed but I don't think we can do much about that."
"But for the most part this will help?"
"Yes," Harry confirmed, "I think it will, the only thing that makes me hesitate is that this should have been thought about already, I wonder if I have missed a reason for why it wouldn't work, with Hermione being as she is though, who knows."
"It's not an expensive item, should I place an order?" Severus asked.
Harry grinned, "Yes."
"Then it is as good as done," Severus confirmed putting the catalogue on the table by the bed.
Harry snuggled up to Severus as he discarded one of the pillows he had been using to sit up in the bed. It was almost a nightly ritual now and this night was no different, Severus felt Harry's hand come to rest on his abdomen as soon as the candles were extinguished. Severus placed a hand on Harry too.
"Everything all right?" Severus asked after a while.
Harry ducked under the covers and kissed where his hand had recently been, "Yes." He replied and he kissed again, "How am I doing?"
"Fine also," Severus answered.
Harry came up from beneath the covers and kissed up Severus' chest till he reached his neck and then his lips.
"I'm feeling well at the moment," Severus informed Harry.
Harry kissed Severus again, "I will be gentle with you, silence charm please."
"No," Severus replied, obviously feeling mischievous, "You will just have to be quiet."
"I didn't want it for me," Harry responded nuzzling at Severus' neck.
Afterwards Harry lay peacefully in Severus' arms thinking about things that weren't worries or problems. He felt a lot calmer and happier when he could see that Severus was all right and not being ill for a while.
"It's nearly summer," Harry mused, "The crops will be growing."
"What crops?" Severus asked sleepily.
"Will's garden, it was all barren when we were there but he will have planted a whole load of vegetables and they'll be coming up now."
"I suppose."
"Can we go back sometime?" Harry asked.
"Yes, of course we can, when things are a little more settled."
Harry didn't know whether Severus was referring to his stomach or their new quarters, "I think sometimes, of what it would be like to turn up in our robes one day, he would get such a surprise."
"He certainly would!"
"I didn't like lying to him, I would like to tell him one day, can we?"
"If you wish."
"Are you going to agree with everything I say?" Harry asked.
"Yes,"
"Do you want to go to sleep now?"
Severus squeezed Harry gently, "Yes."
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Ron woke the next morning on the sofa and for a minute he didn't know where he was exactly. The voice coming from the other room reminded him and he decided to pretend to be asleep for a while. He hadn't planned it but it would certainly help him with his concerns if he listened to them for a little while. He still couldn't get the idea out of his head that Severus might be pregnant instead of Harry despite the fact that he had very flimsy evidence and that Harry had clearly stated that it was the youngest Kin who had the ability. There was also the fact that it was Harry that had been exhibiting more feminine traits and that was not something that could really be said about Snape. Quite apart from anything else it actually made sense that the youngest Kin should be the one. The idea persisted in Ron's brain nevertheless.
Ron didn't get any information from Harry's conversation in the bedroom at all, it seemed to be very one sided, muffled so that Ron couldn't make out the words and interspersed with short periods of complete silence.
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Severus lay on the floor of the bathroom propped up against the bath looking ill and exhausted. Harry came to kneel at his side holding a glass of water. Severus had had to get up really early to run for the bathroom; only just managing to get a silencing charm cast before the projectile vomiting began. The projectile variety had quickly given way to the dry retching kind and Severus now had his arms wrapped around himself with the pain of it.
Severus drank some of the water and stayed on the bathroom floor. He noticed that Harry looked concerned; indeed it had been the worst morning yet.
"I will see to the building wizards today," Harry offered, "You just go back to bed for a while."
"I can't, what about your friend?"
Harry frowned, realising that it complicated matters, "He will have to have the bathroom for a while but I can make up an excuse for why we're leaving you here when we go up to breakfast. You'll just have to get dressed and sit in the living room for a little bit."
"Right," Severus said not looking very happy at all, "I suppose I don't strictly speaking need a bathroom when I can use my wand to clear everything away." He grumbled, somehow it just seemed more appropriate that he was sprawled on the bathroom floor when he was ill. Severus didn't want to move at all, his whole body shrieked nausea as soon as he tried to.
Harry helped Severus get dressed, using his wand instead of the shower and bringing Severus' clothes to him, then helping him get dressed without moving him too much. Harry was pleased though when Severus' pants were a little bit difficult to fasten but it could have just been the way he was sitting.
"It would help if you would tell someone, you don't have to tell everybody, just tell one person and it will be all round Hogwarts in seconds, then we won't have to keep making up excuses," Harry suggested.
"I don't want to," Severus said simply.
Harry looked at his Kin and knew that he couldn't venture out just yet. The sickness wasn't the biggest secret that he was attempting to conceal by not telling anybody that he was pregnant. No, the biggest secret was that Severus Snape could cry, seemingly for little or no reason and he couldn't stop it to save his reputation or his life.
Harry tried to comfort Severus but he knew that for the most part the tears didn't come from discomfort and therefore couldn't be comforted away. Everybody hated him, or so he thought, but he was used to that and since Harry didn't, he didn't care about it anymore. He was feeling awful and that didn't help, so all Harry could do was hold him till it passed.
When Severus seemed to be a bit more composed Harry went through to the living room to make sure that Ron was awake and ready for the switch and after three attempts to leave the bathroom, Severus managed to get on his feet and walk to the living room while Harry ushered Ron quickly out.
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When Harry had come to wake Ron he had pretended to wake up.
"Severus is having the shower first," Harry explained, padding around the living area in a nightshirt and bare feet.
Ron tried to listen but could not hear the sound of the shower running. Ron sat up on the sofa and noticed that through Harry's thin cotton nightshirt he could see a bandage wrapped round his middle, though he knew that Harry wasn't injured. He had to file it away on the 'weird kin things' parchment he was compiling in his head. Harry sat beside Ron till Severus eventually emerged fully dressed and took a seat at his desk.
When Harry went for his shower he took Ron with him into the bedroom, leaving Severus on his own. Ron was quite thankful for the arrangement since he was still a bit nervous about Severus and that morning he looked particularly unapproachable, sat at his desk with a face like thunder not saying even so much as a good morning to him.
Ron sat down on the edge of the bed and after Harry had disappeared into the bathroom he noticed the rumpled bed sheets and felt a bit weird about that too. Were they both restless sleepers, Ron wondered, or had they both been at each other like rabbits. Ron frowned to himself; Severus hadn't looked capable of doing anything of that nature, he'd moved slowly as well as looking his grumpy and nasty old self, as he had taken his place at the desk. He had been perfectly affable the previous night, well not bad for Snape anyway.
Ron could hear the sound of the shower perfectly well from his position on the bed and it was loud enough to suggest that it would be detectable from the other room too. Ron had to conclude that they had been using a silencing charm and the look of Severus that morning ruled out the likelihood of any mischief having taken place. Ron suddenly remembered the long silences that used to occur sometimes when Hermione used the bathroom and his discovery that time had been pregnancy induced sickness, something she had felt compelled to hide from him but it was obvious anyway because there was no sound of anything when a silencing charm was cast.
Ron looked around the bedroom since he had the rare privilege of being left alone there. It was sparsely adorned with possessions; he supposed that neither Harry nor Severus had many things since they had been forced into hiding the previous year. Ron noticed the baby catalogue on the bedside table but that just meant that one of them thought that they were pregnant, it didn't give any indication as to who it was.
Harry emerged from the bathroom wearing a long white shirt, which was nevertheless much shorter than the nightshirt had been, and underpants. Ron had looked up as he passed through the door but now turned away. It was as if knowing that Harry had extra bits downstairs made it somehow indecent to look, even though it had been common practise to walk around in such a state when they had been students in the dorm together.
Harry noticed that Ron had turned away and immediately that made him feel self-conscious himself, he quickly pulled on his robes noticing that his own pants weren't getting tight yet although they had been a reasonably generous fit to begin with.
"Would you dry my hair for me?" Harry asked Ron. His hair was towel dried but was still very damp and all over his face. He usually asked Severus to do it.
Ron obliged without a word, it was a common request for one wizard to make to another since it was hard to reach with your own wand. Ron had done this for Harry many times when they had been students; Harry's next request was something new though.
"Could you help me tie it up?" Harry asked next producing one of the muggle hair bands he still had, "I thought maybe a ponytail but just the top bit not a full one, what do you think?" Harry added, he had drawn some of his hair up with his hand to demonstrate what he meant.
Although he took Harry seriously Ron couldn't help but be amused at Harry's behaviour. He didn't now know how he had ever thought it could be Severus; it was so obviously Harry who was the one who was getting hormonal in the female way.
"Leave some of it out at the front," Ron suggested and Harry approached him.
Harry sat down on the bed beside Ron and Ron took over with the hair band.
As soon as Ron was finished Harry jumped up and twirled in front of the mirror.
Ron kind of wished that Hermione could have seen it and then felt glad that she had not when he remembered what her reaction might be.
"Your turn for the shower," Harry announced, "Or bath," He added realising that Ron probably couldn't use the shower.
Harry took Ron's arm again and led him into the bathroom where he slid onto the floor before turning on the bath taps. Harry pushed the plug in.
"Give me a shout if you need anything," Harry offered as he turned to leave.
"You are not coming in here when I am in the bath, I can manage," Ron insisted.
Harry retreated, he hadn't thought about the nakedness thing and Ron was quite right, he wasn't going in there.
Once Ron was on his own again he had another opportunity to snoop although there wasn't a lot to look at here either. No pregnancy testing kit, one strip for not pregnant, two strips for Harry and three strips for the nasty potions master. Ron chuckled a little at his own joke. The only thing that Ron could see was the freshly washed bandage hanging over the shower curtain rail and he had no problem filing that away with the other weird thing.
When the bath was the right temperature Ron got an arm and a leg over the edge of the bath and pulled himself over, only becoming a little surprised when he discovered that it was a magically wide bath. A similar procedure was followed in order to get out and Harry shouted through when he heard him thump down onto the floor.
"I'm fine," He had to shout back before Harry came bursting in. His method for getting in and out of the bath wasn't particularly graceful but it was better than a long fall and a broken nose.
Ron got dressed in the bathroom, Harry had passed him all his clothes before he had shut the door and when he emerged Harry was sat waiting for him on the bed.
"We can go to breakfast now, hold on a minute," Harry announced leaving Ron on his own while he went to speak to Severus.
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Harry found Severus slumped over his desk, he was still sat in the chair but he was not looking very well at all. He held his wand at the ready but Harry had no way of knowing if he had used it or not. The desk seemed clean enough.
"Are you feeling any better?" Harry asked coming to Severus side and wrapping an arm round him, Severus leaned up against his Kin and tried to take comfort from the hug but it seemed to serve as a way of not having to sit up by himself more than anything else.
Severus shook his head.
"Go back to bed after we have gone," Harry instructed, "I'll bring Ron through now."
Severus nodded and pulled himself upright.
As Harry left with Ron, Severus called to him, "Your hair looks nice today."
Harry appreciated the effort it had taken and smiled back at his Kin, "Glad you like it, see you later."
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Ron wasn't too upset that Severus wasn't coming to breakfast and he didn't question it when Harry gave him the excuse, at least it would mean that he could have a decent breakfast himself. As they walked down to the hall Ron wondered if it wasn't that Severus was pregnant but that he was ill, Harry certainly seemed worried. Ron began to feel worried too, remembering all that stuff about the suicide pact that was a part of the Kin Bond, if Snape died then Harry would be as good as dead too. Although both Harry under Severus' instruction and Severus himself were powerful enough to sort out illnesses for each other, Ron considered, whatever was going on they must be powerless to cure it.
When they reached the table in the hall Ron joined Hermione for a while, despite everything he felt a little guilty for leaving her on her own and he also needed to slip her some more potion.
"So what did you find out on your latest trip to the dungeons?" Hermione asked as soon as Ron was seated.
Ron didn't feel like giving anything away, "Nothing," He answered.
"Fine, don't tell me," Hermione snapped.
As Ron had expected a full English breakfast was on offer and he tucked in to a nice big plateful, ignoring Hermione who had twisted her face in disgust.
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Later that morning Harry met with the building wizards to hand over the plans and discuss the details in preparation for the building work, which was to commence in a week's time. He wanted to make sure that their new quarters were perfectly equipped for their needs from child rearing, defence and potion making angles. Severus was to have his own workroom in addition to there being two extra bedrooms, he didn't know it yet but Harry was sure he would be pleased when he found out.
He couldn't imagine Severus giving up all his former duties just because Hermione had taken over as teacher, sooner or later he was going to want to brew if only for pleasure. It would certainly be inconvenient if he had to trail down to the dungeons all the time, especially when he became much bigger. Maybe he could encourage Severus to embark on some research, Harry thought.
"Headmaster Snape," One of the building wizards was prompting Harry.
He had drifted off in his thoughts Harry realised, "Sorry."
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After lunch Harry asked Ron where Hermione might be, it seemed that she had dumped him in the hall and gone off without eating anything herself.
"She's in the library," Ron informed Harry.
"What a surprise, has she ordered new books for the place? I would have thought she would have exhausted the restricted section years ago," Harry commented.
"Oh yeah, we had to get the shelves reinforced and everything."
"I need to speak to her,"
"Good luck," Ron responded with sympathy.
Harry smiled at his friend, "What are you going to do?"
"Don't know."
"Where would you like to go?" Harry said making sure that Ron knew that he was offering.
"I wouldn't mind going up to Gryffindor."
"Right," Harry said holding out a hand for Ron to take, he would be asking Severus how he was getting on with their order later.
After dropping Ron off and promising to come back for him later Harry went straight down to the library.
He found Hermione sat at a table by the window reading a book and slid into a chair next to her. Whatever she said he was determined to keep his cool, he needed to pick her brains about something and she was really the only person he could ask.
"Hello Harry," Hermione said mildly enough but with surprise.
Harry gave thanks to Severus and his potions; it seemed to be working at last.
"I need to ask you about something," Harry said straight away knowing that he had to just say it and not get worked up and nervous.
"Yes?"
"About pregnancy," Harry continued, watching Hermione's face so that he could tell if he was just going to get another lecture or not.
"Oh," Hermione responded, she wasn't going off on one but she wasn't exactly making it easy either, "Can't you just get Severus to find you a book?" Hermione challenged.
Harry felt rather embarrassed to have to talk to someone else about any of this, "Yes, well I could, but you have experience of most of it, I thought that asking you would be better than a book."
"Oh."
"I need to know about sickness," Harry persevered, "I need to know if it means anything, you had some didn't you, Ron told me."
"Yes I did," Hermione replied, "And it means that you feel like crap, have you been sick?"
"No, not yet," Harry continued, "I mean, does it mean anything about the pregnancy?"
"Like what?"
"Might I lose the baby?" Harry mumbled miserably.
Hermione scoffed at Harry's concern then sobered when she realised that he was seriously worried, "No, it doesn't mean that, but you haven't had any sickness anyway."
"I know, I just wondered."
Hermione was just getting started, "You are young Harry, it's much less likely because of that, miscarriage is much more common if you are older, say over thirty five for example. You have nothing to worry about."
Harry was not as consoled as Hermione would have expected him to be, after all, he hadn't been asking for himself and Severus was over thirty five. At least she had sounded as if she believed him now, Harry thought.
"Certain other circumstances can make it more likely too," Hermione continued reaching for a book, "Here look."
Hermione opened the book at the right page, it was a muggle book that she had been flicking through herself and had left it laying on one of the shelves. Harry looked and read, then paled considerably. He had thought that asking Hermione would dispel his fears but it didn't help one little bit.
"Of course with you being a man, who knows what will happen," Hermione continued and by now Harry was wishing that he had never asked and that she would shut up.
"Ron says that I am getting rather girly."
"Well there you are then, your hormones are obviously getting going or whatever is happening to support the pregnancy in your case, I mean you are still clearly a man." Hermione responded, "Did you know that if you have an undetected breast cancer when you become pregnant, then the progression of the tumour accelerates dramatically causing it to spread like wildfire, all due to hormones. I read that in a muggle book, though I imagine the situation is different for us witches and wizards and uncharted territory for someone such as yourself."
"Thank you for your help," Harry said hurriedly before Hermione could say anything else to reassure him.
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Hermione returned to Gryffindor before dinner time and found Ron sat on the sofa in the old common room with two of the orphaned children, they were asleep in his arms, something that Hermione secretly thought was rather sweet.
"Did you see Harry?" Ron asked, "He said that he was coming to see you."
"Yes," Hermione answered, "He wanted to ask me about pregnancy, I think I managed to reassure him."
"So you believe him now?"
"I certainly believe that he believes it."
"Is anything wrong?" Ron asked.
"No, he was worried about morning sickness, which is ridiculous because even he admits that he hasn't got any. That was what made me want to believe him, if it was some kind of strange phantom pregnancy surely he would be trying to make out like he has everything, in an effort to convince himself as well as us."
Ron smiled to himself; he knew that Harry hadn't been asking for himself. With glee Ron realised that Harry was worried about Severus and that this was what was wrong with him. Well there was nothing wrong with Severus at all, he was just expecting. What Ron had suspected was true for sure. Ron suddenly remembered what Harry had said about Severus being Kin with his brother before Harry; it had to have been an older brother, meaning that Severus had gone through the change too; it all fell into place. The truth was that Severus Snape was pregnant and Ron certainly wasn't going to tell Hermione, no, this was his little secret and he was keeping it.
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TBC very soon
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Coming next week - Chapter Twenty Two - ...And Then Some - Severus gives Ron a gift which will change his life, later that day Ron ends up in bed with his old potions teacher in an attempt to show his gratitude. Why is Hermione watching, why is she impressed with his technique and what will Harry think when he finds out?
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