Chapter Forty-Nine
She sighed, and looked away, tears forming in her eyes. Poppy answered, "A foetus."
The three professors gasped.
"A foetus, Poppy? You must be joking. Harry can't have been pregnant," Remus gasped, but he knew the truth. Severus and Sirius just stood there and stared.
"How...how far along was he?" Sirius asked, and he couldn't take his eyes away from the small towel.
"About three months," was the answer.
"The aconite," Severus whispered, realizing. "I killed..."
"No. It only sped up the inevitable. Harry was going to miscarry anyway. There was too much damage done to him earlier," Poppy said sharply. "You did nothing. And there was no way for you to know anyway. He's been in a coma for a month. He wasn't sowing signs before the battle."
Severus didn't say anything else to her. I killed my unborn child.
"I thought men couldn't get pregnant without potions and spells," Sirius stated. Remus hugged him tightly.
"It's uncommon, but not impossible. It takes two very powerful wizards, or witches, to become pregnant with a partner of the same sex. And they have to want it very much," Poppy answered.
"Both of them?" Sirius asked, looking to Severus for the answer.
"Yes," the Potions Master nodded, the thought still running through his head. I killed our baby.
"How could this have been missed?" Remus asked the medi-witch.
"The symptoms of the Wizard's Flu stood out more than the pregnancy. There were to many similar signs to see two different afflictions. The nausea, vomiting, and fever can be attributed to both, and the spell only shows the most dangerous."
"That's why it took so long to bring him out of the coma. He was trying to heal, and keep the baby alive.
Finally, the pain of everything was too much for Severus, and he let himself slump to the floor, not caring who saw him cry.
***
"We should tell Draco," Sirius said to Remus, eyeing the Potions Professor as he held hte towel wrapped foetus. Remus nodded in reply.
"Do you want to, or should I?" the werewolf asked.
"You probably should. You're more parental, and I'm going to try to knock some sense into this git's head," Sirius answered, jerking his thumb back to point at Severus. The D.A.D.A. professor nodded again and stepped out into the main Infirmary.
"How is he?" Draco asked immediately.
"Mme Pomfrey says he'll be all right now," Remus sighed, trying to think of a good way to tell him.
"What was wrong?" Fred asked his former professor.
Remus hesitated. "Could I speak to Draco alone? Harry might not appreciate it if everyone knew."
"Of course," George nodded, and Remus pulled Draco aside.
When they were far enough apart that Remus was sure the others would not hear, he stopped.
"What was wrong?" Draco repeated Fred's question. Remus hesitated again.
"Moony, what is it?" Draco asked fearfully.
"He was pregnant, Draco. He lost the baby," Remus looked down.
"Oh Merlin," Draco clasped his hand over his mouth. Remus pulled him into a hug.
***
Sirius sat down beside Severus quietly as the Potions Professor watched lovingly over the Boy-Who-Lived. He hadn't been able to hold the foetus long, not with the thoughts of I killed my baby surging through his head. What was worse, his voice hadn't began to argue with him, so he thought that he was right.
"Hey," Sirius said. Severus gave an uncommitted grunt in reply as he stroked Harry's cheek lovingly. "I'm glad you love him, Snape."
Severus turned his head in surprise. Sirius gave a small grin at the Slytherin's shock.
"Harry loves you, Sn-Severus. And you make him happy. He always talked about you, and he was happy and in love when he did. And just now, in your quarters, the way he looked at you, that was the same way James looked at Lily. You make Harry happy, and for that, I'm grateful. But if you hurt him, I will kill you."
"Harry is the best thing that's ever happened to me. I assure you, I'd kill myself if I hurt him."
Sirius heard the sincerity in the Potions Master's words as he resumed petting Harry's cheek.
"I know what you're thinking," Sirius said after some time. "You heard what Poppy said. The potion didn't do it."
Severus shook his head. "Just stay out of it, Black."
"You didn't do it," The Transfiguration professor said again.
"Black," Snape growled.
"Snape," Sirius retorted. "You're just going to hurt Harry if you keep thinking that you did it."
Severus looked distressed at the thought.
"The only one to blame is Malfoy, so quit blaming yourself, or Harry will start to believe that he is the cause, if someone so close to him can believe it," Sirius told him. Without another word, the animagus stood, and left the private room, leaving Severus to think his words over.
***
Sirius walked into the main Infirmary to see Draco and Remus embracing as only a parent and child could, an even though the reason was morbid, the Transfiguration professor felt his heart swell with happiness that the two were bonding so well.
The two welcomed him into the hug, and because of their tears, Sirius felt his own.
"How are you, Draco?" Sirius asked when they all managed to pull themselves together.
"I'm all right, I guess," Draco replied, wiping at his face.
"Good. Harry's sleeping right now, but you can visit him when he wakes up," Sirius responded. "Where are Ron and Hermione?"
"To the kitchen to bring food. FrednGeorge went with them," Draco said to his black haired father. "How's Professor Snape?"
"He'll be all right. He thinks it's his fault, but I said some things that are changing his mind."
"Good. I'll kick his arse if he hurts Harry by feeling guilty," Draco glared at the wall.
***
"Who're you two choosing for your best men?" Ron asked as he, his brothers, and Hermione walked to the kitchens.
"Lee, and you," the twins told him.
"Really?" the youngest Weasley gasped. Hermione smiled slightly.
"We asked Percy, and he declined, so we asked Lee, and you," Fred said.
"You asked Percy?"
"Well, we wanted to show him that he means something to us, no matter how much of a prat he is," George said.
"That, and mum said we should have a family member," Fred grinned slightly.
"You know, if you wait long enough, Percy and Oliver's child could be in the wedding as a flower girl of ring bearer," Hermione commented. The three Weasleys looked at her blankly.
"What's a flower girl?"
"And a ring bearer?"
"Wizard weddings are different...To the Library!" Hermione turned around and headed in the other direction.
"She's a bit odd," George said, and the other two nodded.
***
{Harry jumped slightly as Severus walked through the door. Harry relaxed instantly and stood to greet his husband. Severus smiled as Harry waddled to him. His young lover was heavy with child, as it was his seventh month.
"Sev!" Harry smiled brightly as he leaned up to kiss the Potions Master on the cheek. The older man reciprocated with a passionate kiss that left his young husband breathless.
"Today's a good day, isn't it?" Severus grinned as Harry tried to get the flush from his cheeks.
"She's not as restless now," Harry placed his hand on his enlarged stomach.
"Good," Severus stepped forward, and Harry had a strange sense of foreboding. The older man came even closer, and Harry looked up into his stormy grey eyes.
"Grey?" Harry said aloud as he took a step backwards. Raven hair turned to blonde, Malfoy blonde. Lucius smirked and stepped again, and thrust his hand forward. There was a sharp pain in his stomach as the Death Eater stepped back, pulling a knife from the Boy-Who-Lived's abdomen.
Shocked, Harry brought his hands to his stomach and pulled one away to look at. Blood dripped from his fingers. Lucius laughed, and Harry glared at him. Then, the Malfoy changed. His cheeks became fuller, and he shrank a few inches. His hair shortened, and his eyes became a more blue colour.
Harry started crying as Draco laughed while holding the knife with Harry's and his unborn child's blood.}
Harry cried out and struggled against the hands holding him.
"Harry! Harry, calm down. It was a nightmare, just a nightmare," Severus whispered into his hair. The seventh year stopped fighting against his lover and began crying into his shoulder. "It's all right, Harry. It's over now. It's all over, now. You're all right. You'll be all right. We'll be all right."
Severus rocked the battered boy and rubbed his back until the Gryffindor cried himself to sleep.
End Chapter Forty-Nine
Well, here it is! Chapter Forty-Nine! Next is Chapter Fifty!
Again, foetus is the U.K. spelling for fetus.
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