Title: Sneaking Around Konoha
Author: enchanted nightingale
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Naruto, or the characters from them and I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Summary: Loneliness was not for him, Harry knew that. Then he met Kakashi and he found a solution to his problem.
Pair: Harry Potter/ Kakashi Hatake
CHAPTER 33 – Sorano Lupin
Lupin Sorano was introduced to her father a few days after she was born. Swaddled in a purple blanket, sleeping soundly in Kakashi's arms. The younger Shinobi had been in awe of her and had stood frozen just staring at her lavender hair, her scrunched face and her thick eyelashes.
"She's gorgeous," Teddy gasped.
Kakashi smiled behind his mask.
Harry, who was itching to hold was effectively his granddaughter (Merlin, he was too young to be a grandfather!), directed Teddy to sit and then Kakashi plopped – carefully – his newborn daughter in his arms. The green-eyed wizard was ready for it and snapped a quick picture of the moment, before dragging Kakashi a bit further away and hugging the man.
"Thank you!" he told his partner.
"She's family. I would be restless had I not gone to get her myself," Kakashi admitted. He shot a look to Teddy. "I've heard that my father was just as smitten with me. I was a bit worried, but I am so happy there was no reason for it."
Harry turned to look at his godson and his daughter. "She's going to drive us all crazy."
"She is," Kakashi agreed.
o
o
Sorano was a calm baby, much like Teddy at her age. The only time she cried was when she needed to be changed. When she was hungry, her hair would dull, and that was easy enough to notice and fix. She had no sleeping schedule and kept her family up.
Teddy at first had been to be smitten with her, and driven by instinct, to even consider having her away from him. His apartment was no place for a baby, so he had moved back to his godfather's house. Harry and Kakashi were the only people he were willing to have around his baby daughter. As she entered her second month, the young father started feeling a bit more calm with his instincts. And just in time because word had gotten around that they had a new family member and all sorts of people wanted to visit them.
The first people, outside the small, mismatched family, to lay eyes on Sorano were Tsunade and Shizune, who gave the girl an examination and a plenty of cuddles.
After them, came Kurenai, who had brought with her various soft toys for the baby and a pretty blanket in various shades of light blue colours.
Then came Teddy's genin teammates. Both Kenji and Akihiko were left staring at the Sorano in wonder and quite a healthy dose of fear, before Teddy actually forced them to approach his daughter and get to hold her.
After that, they received a few more visitors. Naruto came almost hesitantly, but Teddy was more than happy to let him meet his daughter.
"She looks prettier that Sasuke's son," their Hokage commented with a happy grin.
Uchiha Kuichi had been born about a week before Sorano and he had inherited his father's distinct characteristics. Harry had seen the baby boy a couple of times since then, since he was one of the few people Sasuke allowed around his son and the boy's mother. There had been no more attempts to steal the child after the Elders had been summarily and quietly executed for treason, well before Kuichi or Sorano were born. But it was best to be careful.
"Naruto, it is not a contest," Kakashi commented.
"Well, she's winning anyway," the blond Shinobi commented.
"Want to hold her?" Teddy asked his Hokage.
"Can I?"
As a reply Teddy handed over his daughter and after careful instructions Naruto was left holding the baby girl that had come out of wone of the worst misclassified missions under his reign as Hokage.
"You are one very lucky, very loved girl," he told her. "I'm glad I listened to Granny and Shikamaru's father," he told her family who were watching him interact with the baby.
o
o
Teddy had to go on a mission soon after Sorano turned three months old with an unknown time limit. He had been reluctant to part from her and at the same time glad to be able to get back in the thick of things, taking missions and traveling out of the village.
He had confided to Sasuke of all people that he felt conflicted.
"You are too young for fatherhood," the Uchiha told him. "You are good to her, and you love her, and that will never change. But she was a surprise. Even I think I'm too young to have a kid, but our late Elders practically forced me to have one. If it was up to me, I would have waited a few more years. I love Kuichi, and I don't regret him, but I don't think I was emotionally ready for another person to depend of me."
Teddy nodded, fulling understanding what his fellow Jonin was saying. "Without Harry and Kakashi I would be lost. They helped so much, with everything. I have no partner, so I am practically a single father, unlike you. But Harry and Kakashi… They are so supportive. I knew they would be, but at the same time I feared they would hate me for it. Harry spent his best years taking care of me, raising me. Now he has to practically raise another baby, so soon after. I feel guilty that I have to leave so soon, towards him, towards Sorano."
"Are you still seeing a councilor?" Sasuke bluntly asked.
"Yes, I am."
"Discuss this with them. Don't let these thoughts and feelings fester and grow," Sasuke warned. "And keep in mind, I know Harry. That man loves you and would never think to leave you alone to flounder. I have seen him how he is with Sarutobi's kids, and how he visits the orphanage and plays with the kids there. I have seen how he treats my son as well. He loves taking care of people. If he did not like something, he would tell you. That man is no push over."
Teddy nodded. "Thanks for this. I wanted to speak to someone that was not Kakashi and my teammates are just … too young to understand. No one my age is in this situation."
"You can talk to me," Sasuke told him. "I may be unable to help, but I can listen."
"Same to you. If you want to rant about sleepless nights and diaper changes…"
Sasuke quirked his lips in a smile. "Sure."
o
o
Hermione and Ron were practically pressed against the mirror surface, their faces full of awe in the view of Harry's granddaughter.
"Mate… She's gorgeous."
"She is so precious! And she got so big!" Hermione admired.
"She is a pretty calm baby," Harry replied.
"Her name appeared in a foreign language on the Tapestry and that's how we knew she was born," Hermione said.
"I wanted to call you earlier but all the women told me to wait until you called us," Ron commented.
"We did have our hands full for a while," Harry admitted. "Things got pretty hectic before and after she was born."
"How is Teddy?" Hermione asked.
"He's smitten," Harry replied. "He only left her because he had to get back to work."
"So he moved back home?" Ron asked.
"Well, his place was a bachelor pad. His neighbors are all Shinobi and a baby will cry, no matter how much or how little. That would disturb everyone," Harry reasoned. "And frankly, I wanted to be there to help him should he need it." He adjusted his grip on the baby. "But Sorano has been and angel and making it easy for her father. Makes me dread her coming milestones."
"She's obviously a witch then?" Hermione asked. "Hair and eyes aside."
"She's got Black blood in her veins. I dread when she starts her bouts of accidental magic. And a bit vindictive about it too, because Teddy was a nightmare at times."
"Payback?" Ron teased.
Harry laughed. "Hopefully he will be present for most of them. I plan for him and Sorano to stay with me and Kakashi. Not the same house. Actually, I have a very large plot of land and got an idea from one of my employees."
Hyuga Hirohito had been the one to suggest that since he had two active Shinobi in his family and now Teddy had offspring, they could technically apply to be recognized as a Clan, at least in the future. But that should not stop Harry from building more buildings on the property, like most clans did.
"The moment Teddy left for his mission I started the building of another house, close to mine. That will make it so Teddy has his independence but also has me close by when he needs me," Harry commented.
"That is a good plan," Ron mused.
"So, remind me again, who is entering Hogwarts and who is graduating?" Harry asked and the discussion continued on other matters. He had been careful to skip around the matter of how Teddy became a father. He knew his friends just thought the boy had been careless, and he was not about to correct their assumptions, or let them glimpse some of the darker matters of Shinobi life. But he was willing to let them coo over Sorano. It was the least his lovely girl deserved.
o
o
A week into Teddy's first mission away from the village, Harry tool Sorano and they visited the Uchina Clan house, where he had tea with Shinomori Kiyo. They put Kuichi and Sorano close enough that each child looked curious for a bit, before snoozing.
"Sasuke was closed lipped about what happened," Kiyo commented.
"She's been a welcome surprise," Harry replied. He took care to face her when talking. It took a bit of trial and error but they could now converse easily. "How are you? I heard from Tsunade that you had an easy birth. Are you healthy?"
Kiyo smiled at him. "I am. Uchina-san has been very attentive and accommodating. He also lets me mother Kuichi. I have heard horror stories about carriers in my position. They were never allowed to interact with the children they bore. He was also worried about my health and suggested I have someone help me at the house. Preferably a retired Shinobi. He worries that once Kuichi is mobile I will have a harder time caring for him. I admit that I fear that happening."
"My advice, if help is offered, take it. Now that everything is manageable, it is easier to adapt. Soon the little ones will be crawling, then walking and running. There is no shame in needing help. Better early than when you are already tired and near a breakdown. Just a small secret, adults throw tantrums, but it is less socially acceptable."
Kiyo laughed. "I will keep that in mind."
o
o
"Kakashi my Rival!"
The masked Shinobi was conversing with Sarutobi Asuma in the Jonin lounge when Guy practically burst in the room.
"I knew I forgot something," Kakashi muttered.
"I just heard the most GLORIOUS news!" the Taijutsu specialist exclaimed. "And most troubling as well."
"Yo," Kakashi responded.
Asuma chuckled and inched away. Several of the other Jonin present started watching the duo with expectant looks.
"Kakashi! I just saw Harry with a young baby in the market! It was most unyouthfull of you to hide your daughter from me!"
Kakashi blinked. "What?"
"Your daughter. Harry said that she's your daughter, but I could already tell, what with her slivery white hair and the mask covering her face."
Kakashi blinked again. "Um, I think I might have misheard. I have a daughter? Since when?"
Guy was now staring at him with a sad face. "Why did you hide this from me?"
"Guy, something is seriously wrong here. Maybe you misunderstood?"
"My rival! How could you."
Kurenai was just entering the lounge with Anko, when both women came across Guy being inconsolable and Kakashi trying to explain himself and understand what was happening. Several Jonin were being entertained. Asuma saw his wife and walked over to her, explaining the situation.
"As far as I know, only Sorano joined the family recently and she has lavender hair," Asuma commented.
Kurenai laughed. "I know what's happening now."
"What?" Anko demanded.
"It's payback. Harry probably was taking a walk when he saw Guy and decided to extract revenge off Kakashi," Kurenai explained. "How long has this been going on?"
"Long enough that most Jonin actually believe that Kakashi had a secret love-child. The rumour mill will be busy for weeks to come," Asuma replied. "Should I put a stop to it?"
"No, let them," Anko replied. "They should be entertaining. I would love to know what that idiot did to make Harry prank him."
"Knowing Harry," Kurenai mused, "It could be either something very minor or nothing at all. At times he reminds me of Naruto's pranking phase. I heard horror stories from Iruka."
Later that night Kakashi apologized profusely to Harry.
"I promise I will never again leave my shuriken lying around," the Shinobi solemnly swore. "And I will try and keep any weapons carefully stored and hidden."
"Good," the wizard replied, his green eyes hard. "Because Kakashi, if I come home again and find Sorano gumming on a kunai or shuriken, I will build an actual doghouse and have you sleep in it, while your ninken enjoy prime steak on your coin."
"Understood."
"Good."
"Will you let Guy know it was all a prank?"
"Actually, Tsunade bet money on this mess, so we'll see when he gets a clue. For an elite Shinobi he can be surprising dense, your friend," Harry commented.
"Harry…"
"Tsunade's punch if she loses money scares me more," the wizard replied. "Anyway, suffering builds character. You can take it, love. I believe in you."
Kakashi sighed. "You are evil."
"I love you, too."
o
o
Teddy got back from his mission on the three-week mark. Harry and Sorano (dressed in a cute onesie with puppies running around) greeted him in front of his new two bedroom house, located only a couple of hundred meters away from Harry's home. The young Shinobi greeted his daughter and his godfather with a wide smile.
"Harry…"
"She missed you dearly and she was not alone," Harry replied. "Welcome back."
"What is all this?"
"Well, the onesie was a present from Guy, once he stopped believing Soreno was Kakashi's biological child. A prank that got a bit away from me, but kept people entertained for a week or so. The house… A gift to you and a present to myself. If you want, you can decorate however you like. Two bedrooms, one big bathroom. A kitchen and a small space you can use as office, as swell as a living room area to greet friends. Yours, if you want."
Teddy smiled. "You have no idea how happy you just made me. I want to hug you so much, but I'm afraid to squish her."
Harry laughed. "We can both take it. Come here and give me my hug, Teddy."
The younger wizard smiled and did just that.
o
o
"Harry! Come quick," Teddy whispered urgently at the older wizard. "Kakashi, you too."
They were spending a lazy afternoon at home, with Kakashi making miso soup with eggplant and grilled mushroom skewers as a side dish, with Harry just watching and rambling about his day. The two older men paused curiously, noting the camera held in Teddy's hand. They both followed after the young father, pausing at the entrance to the living room, were Kakashi's pack of Ninken were all curled protectively around a snoozing Sorano.
"That … is too cute to handle," Kakashi commented.
"You took pictures?" Harry asked his godson.
"Enough to fille an album."
They all turned to look at the extremely cute picture the pile of dogs and the tiny baby made.
"Let's leave them," Kakashi whispered. "I'll grill them some meat. I think they earned a treat."
o
o
Kakashi was lounging on the deck area outside Teddy's house, conversing with the younger Jonin about his latest courier mission, the second mission he took after he had his daughter. Teddy was using one hand to feed his daughter her bottle. He absentmindedly took it further away from her lips and the girl whines in protest. Before Teddy could react and bring the nipple of the bottle back to her lips, a powerful magic wrapped around his hand, a glowing rope like light forcing him to reach bring the bottle back to her. Soon the girl was suckling her milk happily and the two men were left staring at her.
Kakashi blinked. "Was that…?"
Teddy nodded, staring his daughter in awe, and just a hint of dread. "I think it was. Oh, Merlin! It's too soon for accidental magic."
"I'll get Harry."
o
o
The green-eyed wizard looked winded because his lover has used the 'Body Flicker' technique to get him to Teddy's place, were his godson was low key panicking.
"Where's the fire?" he asked.
Kakashi pointed at Sorano, who was happily drinking her milk.
"What did she do?" Harry asked. "If you called me here just to change a diaper…"
"She used magic," Teddy blurted out. "I was careless and pulled the bottle away from her and she used magic to pull her bottle and my hand towards her and … she used magic!"
Harry blinked. "Did something explode?"
"No," Kakashi replied.
Harry nodded. Then he turned and smacked first Kakashi, then Teddy, hard on the arm, making both Shinobi wince.
"Next time lead with that, idiots!" he berated them.
He then knelt and picked up Sorano, who was beginning to fall asleep, while still suckling her milk. Harry carefully picked her up and hugged the small girl.
"You, my darling girl, are going to be such a big headache for your daddy," he told her, waving a hand in front of her, letting his magic spark and light to coat his hands.
The girl blinked and reached for the magic, unconsciously reaching with her magic. Slowly a smile appeared in Harry's face.
"She's doing it again," Kakashi mused, leaning closer. It was not often that Harry, or Teddy for that matter, were so free with their use of magic.
"It's in her blood, it's only natural," Harry said. He turned to his godson. "You did something like this as well, only you exploded the milk bottle."
They all turned to look at the girl, now being entranced by Harry's magic.
"Well, she will make things much more interesting," Harry commented.
"Should we invest in fire extinguishers?" Kakashi asked, making Teddy look offended.
"Between my magic and your water jutsu, we've got this," the green-eyed man replied.
End of chapter