Lana
It was done, it was final. He walked out of his grandfather's office feeling extremely vulnerable, but somehow slightly protected by the man standing next to him, barely taller than himself. It was lunchtime, but Harry didn't feel hungry in the least. He was terrified someone would react exactly the way expected everyone to react; horrified and humorously. He was prouder than he had ever felt before, as he looked more like his mother than he ever had, and his father was seen plainly in him. It had been a week and a half since he was first notified of Severus Snape being his father, but he was slowly adjusting and accepting the idea. Having a father around wasn't nearly as bad or as uncomfortable as Harry had originally thought it would be; he knew if he ever got in a jam, Severus would be there to bail him out best he can – a definite contrast to the prior actions of the Potions Master.
His first encounter was with Draco Malfoy; to Harry's surprise, Draco's eyes passed over him and landed on Severus without a nasty comment or look.
"Hello, Professor." Draco drawled, "Having a good day?"
"Much better than usual, Draco." Severus replied, smiling inwardly at the shocked look on Harry's face.
Draco then turned towards Harry, a look of slight confusion on his face. "Who are you?"
Harry laughed, "I'm not at all surprised you don't recognize me."
Drano cocked his head and bit and looked up at Harry's face. "No… I don't think we've met."
Harry shook his head, "Ok, if you insist. What's your name?"
"Draco Malfoy. Are you a Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw?"
"Gryffindor." Harry smiled wryly.
"You? In Gryffindor? So looks can be deceiving… What's your name?"
Harry sucked in his breath and glanced over at Severus for permission. He merely nodded.
Harry extended his hand and as Draco took it, revealed his name. "Harry Snape. Nice to meet you."
Draco turned towards Severus, a surprised expression on his face. "You have a son?"
"In Gryffindor, none the less." Severus smirked. "Draco, this is my son, formerly known as Harry Potter."
The look on Draco's face was priceless as Harry forced himself not to laugh.
"Harry… Potter?" Draco examined his face once more. "Snape's… son?"
"It's a long story, Draco, one of which shall be explained to you possibly later tonight." Severus waved his student off, "You will find out with the rest of the school." With that, the two kept on walking until they reached the Great Hall. Harry waited until Severus was inside, and then walked in. He felt dozens of pairs of eyes burning into the back of his neck as he quickly made his way to a spot between Ron and Hermione. When the two saw him sit down next to them, they gasped.
"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, "You look… quite different."
"Now is that a good different or a bad different?" Harry asked quietly, glancing around the table at all the pairs of eyes starring at him.
"It's a good different… A very good different…" Hermione smiled.
"You're taller than me!" Ron exclaimed, "Damn it!"
"People are starring at me…" Harry said quietly. "God…"
"What did you expect?" Hermione asked through a mouthful of food, "Everyone to just not care? You're the most famous person in school, Harry. When you change you looks this drastically, people are bound to notice."
"I guess I'll get used to it." Harry sighed, "But as long as I don't have to look like that… asshole… I'm perfectly fine."
Ron noticed Harry's empty plate, "Not eating?"
"No appetite." Harry shrugged, "Too nervous."
"So are you now officially Harry Snape?" Ron asked quietly, making sure no one else could hear him.
"Yeah… I wanted to share the same last name as my Mum and Dad, so I figured I might as well change it also. Gets rid of the whole Potter genes." Harry shuddered, "Ron, promise me, if I so much as look at my girlfriend the wrong way, smack me upside the head."
"That's a will do." Ron nodded, "Can I punch you too?"
"Feel free to do anything, as long as I can still produce children afterward." Harry grinned, "Oh, by the way.."
Hermione's eyes widened. "Don't tell me…?"
Ron choked on the piece of fruit he was swallowing, "Harry! Good God, I didn't need to know that."
"I guess there's a reason Mum preferred Severus to James." Harry laughed, "But we won't get into that."
"I think I just lost my appetite." Ron sighed.
"You're really bigger? It changed everything?" Hermione asked, still wide eyed.
"'Mione!" Ron exclaimed, "That's private!"
"Not if he insists on broadcasting it all over the Great Hall…" Hermione shrugged, "Why, are you jealous?"
Ron looked flabbergasted, "Me, jealous? Why on Earth would I be jealous? I…" he glared at Hermione, "Never mind. No, I'm not jealous in the least bit. I have no reason to be."
"You know what they say about tall guys." Hermione smirked at Ron's obvious discomfort. "Let me see your hands."
Ron sighed and held out a splayed hand. Hermione took on of Harry's hands and put it up against Ron's.
"Same size… Congratulations, Ron. You have nothing to be jealous of."
"God Harry, how much did you grow?" Ron asked, slightly miffed.
"Do you mean height or…?" Harry asked.
"Height! What do you think I meant?"
"Well, as the subject was on – "
"Height." Ron interrupted him. "Just height."
"5 inches." Harry answered, "I went up two sizes in shoes also."
"Not bad." Ron commented. "So when's the official introduction going to take place?"
"Tonight during dinner." Harry said, "I'm nervous."
"No one knows who you are as of now." Hermione commented, "So you'll be fine."
Harry shrugged, "It's not that, it's just… the most hated teacher in school, former Death Eater. Actually…" He thought for a moment, "He never really was a Death Eater. Worked for my grandfather the whole time, apparently."
"How do you know that?" Ron asked.
"He let me see his past with my Mum." Harry admitted, "Yesterday. To make sure I wanted to do this."
"What did you see?" Hermione asked eagerly, leaning forward slightly.
"Very few things I didn't already know, but the emotions were intense, to say the least. It was if I had taken Sna – …my Dad's place. I saw things no one else had ever seen before; their first times, which was rather disgusting, their last time as a married couple without James in the picture, which was also rather sad and disgusting… The time I was conceived… That was amazing, I gotta tell you." Harry shook his head, "Still, the thought of Snape and my Mum… it hasn't quite sunk in yet. James was an asshole, I came to terms with that the moment Dumbledore told me. I've accepted the fact Severus is my father; that was almost as easy. I've always wanted a family, so to me it was a natural progression, I guess. But my Mum shagging Snape? That's just a little over the top for me."
Ron shook his head in disgust, "I'll second that. I can't see Snape having any kind of love life, even if you are the byproduct of it."
"I think it's sweet." Hermione said, sighing slightly. "Everyone falls in love at some point in their life – why not early on?"
"Because it's just disgusting." Ron shook his head once more, as if he was trying to get rid of the thought.
"I guess you'll get used to it," Harry shrugged. "It's a relief to finally know for sure, even though I was certain for fifteen years. I feel a lot better now."
"Don't look now, but Malfoy's coming this way." Ron said quietly, turning away from Draco's gaze.
Harry looked up, an amused expression on his face. "Yes?"
Draco crossed his arms in front of him, "This isn't some sick joke, is it? Because if it is, Potter, this is an all time low."
Harry shook his head, "No joke, Draco. And it's Snape now, not Potter."
"Why'd you do it?" Draco persisted, "Especially with your fame."
"I don't think you'd understand, Draco." Harry shot back, "Especially with your understanding of family."
Draco smirked, "I still don't believe you're his son… Everyone knows about the whole Potter/Evans/Snape love triangle. My father told me a long time ago… They almost got married, you know. Snape got your mother pregnant, but even though it wasn't the first time, I suppose it wasn't the last, was it?"
Harry resisted the urge to punch him. He slowly stood up, watching Draco's expression as he towered over him. "Draco, run along. I could squish you like a bug if I wanted to, and I'm the last person you want to cause trouble with."
Draco shook his head, "You do realize how unbelievable your story is? I wouldn't be surprised if you got expelled for cooking this up with Snape."
Harry scoffed, "Good thing Dumbledore's my great-great-great-great-grandfather then, eh?"
Draco paled slightly, then back away. "Suit yourself, Potter. Oh wait, so sorry, Snape."
Harry sat back down and unclenched his fists. "That son of a bitch…"
"Now, now… Narcissa wasn't nearly as bad as her husband." A voice spoke up behind him. Harry spun around quickly, just as he realized who it was.
"Sorry." He smiled sheepishly, looking up at Severus. "Son of a bastard, then?"
"Much more appropriate." Severus nodded, looking down at Ron and Hermione. "Getting along well now?"
Harry grinned, "It's nice not having anyone recognize me for a chance, but it's a bit eerie having people stare at me like they are."
"They're get used to it." Severus shrugged, "To humans, what is new is always different, and what is different is always worth a stare, no matter how obvious."
"True." Hermione agreed with him, speaking up a bit.
Severus looked down at her, "I'm sure both of you knew the whole story just as Harry learned it."
"Yes sir." Ron answered, trying to avoid eye contact with him.
"I assure you, Ron, I'm not going to put a hex on you." Severus chuckled a bit. Ron shot Hermione an odd glance. Snape was laughing - with Gryffindors, no less.
"I have to prepare for my next class. I'll see you three later this afternoon?" Severus asked. The three of them nodded in unison. "Very well then… If anyone gives you any trouble, Harry, get either Dumbledore or myself. Goodbye."
With a swish of his cloak, he disappeared among the students.. Ron let out a breath he had been holding while Hermione just shook her head.
"What did you do to him? He's definitely changed."
"Strange, isn't it?" Harry sighed, "It's almost as if he's a whole other person."
"Maybe he was, when you Mum was alive." Ron suggested. "Losing a loved one can definitely change people.'
Harry shrugged, "Maybe.. It's definitely entirely
possible." With that, the three got up and left the Great Hall, moving
on to their next class.