Disclaimers et al in part 1

Chapter 15 - A Snowball Starts Rolling Downhill

"Harry, are you okay?" Moria asked.

"Yeah," Harry said, quietly. He slowly sat down on the couch behind him. "It's just so... real."

"But I thought you said you already knew," Draco asked, confused.

"I did, but there's a difference between knowing and really knowing," Harry said. It didn't make sense to Draco but he wasn't going to argue.

"Are you going to use Madame Pomfrey for your prenatal care?" Moria asked.

"Do I have a choice?" Harry asked.

"You can find another one if you like," Moria said, "but there's a risk that someone will find out."

"There's always a risk," Harry said.

"One of the books we read said to use the concealment charms sparingly," Draco said. "It said the continued use of magic could be unhealthy for the baby. Something about not letting its own magic develop like it should. It was how we planned on hiding the pregnancy."

"You're going to have to tell your professors as well," Moria informed Harry.

"No!" Harry exclaimed. "We can't tell them!"

"Harry, what would happen if you got hit by a stray hex in Defense?" Moria asked, quietly, "or one of Hagrid's creatures went after you?"

"Okay," Harry sighed. "I'm going to have to write Sirius as well." He looked at Draco. "So much for keeping it a secret."

"In a way, this is good," Draco said. Harry and Moria just looked at him. "The more people who know, the less my father will be able to away with."

"Good point," Harry said. "I still haven't decided what to tell everyone, though."

"Well, you could tell them we got drunk one night and I took advantage of you," Draco said with a smile. "When we found out you were pregnant, Dumbledore and my father forced us to get married. It's not too far from the truth."

"Too many people would believe it," Harry said with a frown.

"I don't mind," Draco shrugged. "What do I care if they see only what they want to see?"

"But you're not like that," Harry protested, "at least, not any more."

"We all have roles we have to play," Draco said.

"Changing the subject," Moria smiled. "When do you want to start decorating the nursery?" Draco groaned while Harry fell over on the couch.

"So the potion worked," Severus said later that afternoon. Moria had gone to his chambers after having lunch with the two teens.

"Don't sound so surprised," Moria told him. "You knew it would."

"Well, one always likes to hear the results of one's hard work," he sniffed. She wasn't fooled.

"You have every right to be proud of your work," she said. "More than one company would love to have you in their research department. You know that."

"Believe it or not, I like teaching," he confessed. "I just wish...." His voice trailed off.

"One day, all the masks will come off," she said. "One way or another."

"From your mouth to the gods' ears," he said. He took her hand. "Any plans for New Year's Eve?"

"Lucius is going to a party with some... 'business associates'," she said. "Knowing my brother like I do, it will probably turn into a bacchanal. I, on the other hand, have no plans."

"Would you like to spend them with me, Ms. Malfoy?"

"I would be honored, Professor Snape."

"We need to tell Dumbledore," Draco said.

"Can't it wait until tomorrow?" Harry moaned. "I just know the minute we tell him, that damn twinkle in his eyes is going to take up his entire face."

"I thought I was the only one that twinkle annoyed."

"I'm pretty sure he's annoyed everyone with it at least once," Harry said. "We've tell him after breakfast tomorrow and then we can talk to Madame Pomfrey while he informs the rest of the professors. Right after that, I need to write Sirius and Remus."

"Any idea what you're going to tell them?" Draco asked.

"The drunken night of passion is sounding damn good," Harry sighed. "It doesn't matter what I tell them. The minute Sirius hears about it, he'll show up here."

"Are you going to tell him the truth?" Draco asked.

"I like him out of Azkaban, thanks," Harry said, "which is where he'd land if we did because he'd try to kill your father."

"You're assuming Father lets him get that close," Draco pointed out.

"There is that." There was a moment of silence. "This is going to be bad, isn't it? Really bad."

"Yeah, it is."

The meeting with Dumbledore the next morning didn't last very long. Harry told the headmaster that he and Draco needed to speak to him after breakfast. When everyone was through, they walked silently back to his office.

"Do you already know or do we actually have to say it out loud?" Draco asked the headmaster moved to sit behind his desk. The two boys sat across from him.

"Say what, Mr. Malfoy?" Dumbledore asked. There was that damn twinkle.

"The potion worked," Harry said, forestalling any other discussion. "I'm pregnant."

"I see," Dumbledore said. "Have you decided whom you are going to tell and what you are going to tell them?"

"At first, we thought about not telling anyone," Draco said. "Unfortunately, that isn't a choice. We won't be able to use a concealment charm like we thought so once Harry starts to show, we're going to have to tell them what's going on. As for what happened, a story about too much smuggled in firewhiskey seems to be the best way to go. That and the fact you made us get married."

"Would I do that?" Dumbledore asked.

"In a heartbeat," Draco answered. Harry just looked at the old man.

"I guess I had my reasons for doing so," Dumbledore said. "I suggest you let anyone who knows the true story know what you intend to tell people."

"We will," Harry said.

"You best be off to see Madame Pomfrey now," Dumbledore said. "She's be most displeased if you don't start letting her take care of you from the beginning." The two nodded and left the office, both wondering how the man knew they were going to use Hogwart's Medi-witch.

After they had left, Dumbledore sent a note to all the teachers telling them there would be an important meeting in the staff room after lunch that afternoon. After that, he sat back in his chair, musing about this current events.

"Lucius, it has begun," he said, quietly. "Merlin help you if you harm either of them or their child."

Madame Pomfrey walked out of her office just as Harry and Draco walked into the infirmary. She frowned when she saw both boys. The only time they usually showed up in the infirmary together was when they had been hexing each other.

"Well, what have the two of you been up to to bring you here this early?" she asked. The boys looked at each other then Harry mumbled something she didn't understand.

"Excuse me, Mr. Potter?" she asked.

"I said I'm pregnant," Harry said again.

"I see," she said. "What makes you think you're pregnant?"

"I did a pregnancy spell," Draco said. "It was positive."

"And why were you the one doing the spell, Mr. Malfoy?" she asked, looking at the other boy.

"Because I'm the father, the other father," he told her.

"Did you curse him?" she asked.

"No!" Harry exclaimed. He calmed down. "I mean, it wasn't anything he did... at least not by himself. I mean, it's both our faults."

"What he's trying to say is that we got drunk one night and ended up in bed together," Draco said.

"Haven't either of you heard of contraceptive spells or potions?" she asked then sighed. "No matter. What's done is done. Just how far along are you?"

"Two weeks," Harry said. He didn't think it would hurt to fudge on that a little.

"I see you've done the honorable thing," she said, noticing the bracelets.

"Father insisted and Dumbledore agreed," Draco said. "Father said something about a Malfoy heir having to be legitimate."

"Well, let's have a look at you," she said. "Remove everything but your undergarments and lie down on the bed."

Harry blushed bright red as he followed her instructions. Once he was on the bed, she walked up and ran her wand over him several time then checked the chart at the end of the bed where the results appeared.

"Is everything all right?" Harry asked.

"For the most part," she said. "You're a little underweight and being a teenager doesn't help anything either. You'll have to be extra careful to make sure everything goes as it should."

"And the baby?" Draco asked.

"At this stage, it's too early to get anything except general readings but those appear to be normal," Pomfrey said. "It'll be a few more weeks before we can tell anything definite. Get dressed while I get some information for you out of my office." She turned and walked away as Harry sat up.

"That wasn't so bad," Draco said.

"Says the one that wasn't laying in the bed nearly starkers," Harry muttered. He grabbed his clothes and began dressing. He finished just as the medi-witch returned.

"Here's a list of do's and don'ts," she said, handing him several pieces of parchment. "There's a list of symptoms that, if you experience, I want you to come and see me immediately. There's also a list of foods you should avoid and ones you should each more often. There's one other thing. Sex is all right for the time being but if it becomes uncomfortable or a danger to the baby, you stop at once. There's other things we'll need to discuss but they can wait. I will see you again in two weeks."

"Yes, ma'am," the boys said in unison. They turned and hurried out of the infirmary.

"Do you think she believed us?" Draco asked when they were well away from that part of the castle.

"It doesn't matter," Harry said. "The only person she'll say anything to is Dumbledore and he'll misdirect her if he needs to."

"At least we're not the ones who has to tell the professors," Draco said. "We might want to avoid them for the next few days."

"I think you're right about that," Harry said.

"Come on," Draco said. "Let's call Aunt Moria and see if she'll take us to Hogsmead."

Moria agreed, saying she would pick them up and they could have lunch at the Three Broomsticks then do some shopping. The boys decided to pass the time by going over the lists that Madame Pomfrey gave them.

"Oh, no," Harry moaned. He was reading the do's and don'ts list while Draco looked over the food list.

"What?" Draco asked.

"No more flying," Harry said. "I'll have to give up quidditch."

"I hadn't thought of that," Draco said. "It makes sense, though."

"What?!"

"What if you fall off your broom or get hit with a bludger?" Draco asked. "It could kill the baby."

"I know, I know," Harry sighed, "but that doesn't mean I have to like it."

"No, you just have to do it," Draco said. Harry stuck his tongue out at the other boy, making the blond laugh. "Come on. Let's get ready to leave."

They met Moria at the front entrance and set off for town. As they walked, they told Moria about the story they'd concocted and the visit to the medi-witch. She asked them a few questions about what Madame Pomfrey had said. They promised to show her the lists they had received.

After lunch, they went strolling down the streets of the town. There was the required stops at Honeydukes and Zonko's. Moria indulged them at the candy shop but quickly ushered them out of the joke shop. She was muttering something about not wanting to get herself in trouble much less the boys.

They were passing by clothing shop when a display in the window caught Harry's eye and they stopped. There was a set of baby wizarding robes. The robe itself was dark blue. There was a matching cloak the same color but covered with silver and gold stars. The set also included a hat, socks and booties. As he looked at them, his hand went to his stomach.

"Is something wrong, Harry?" Draco asked. He and Moria noticed the lone tear that ran down the other boy's face.

"Damn them," Harry said. "Damn them all to hell!" With that he turned and started running down the street.

"Harry, wait!" Draco called as he and Moria hurried after him.

They caught up with him just outside of town, Draco first then Moria a minute or two later. Harry sat on an overturned tree trunk while Moria sat next to him and Draco leaned against a tree.

"Damn who?" Draco asked when he'd gotten his breath back.

"Your father for forcing this on me," Harry said, practically screaming. "I'm sixteen. Sixteen. I'm supposed to be worrying about the next quidditch match, not whether or not my baby is going to be all right. Damn Dumbledore for not finding a why out of this. He could have done it, I know it. He could have found a place to hide Sirius and Remus where no one could have found them. Damn Snape for being so good at his job. Damn Voldemort for making me the Boy-Who-Lived. Damn the wizarding world for making me take care of problem they can't or won't do themselves." He fell silent.

"And me?" Draco asked after a while. "Do you include me in that list. I mean, I am the one you're married to and the one who got you pregnant."

"Not your fault," Harry said. He looked at Moria. "Yours either." She took his hand and squeezed it.

"Do you feel better?" the woman asked, handing Harry a handkerchief.

"Sorry about that," Harry muttered. He wiped his face. "I shouldn't have yelled at you. I mean, neither of you caused it."

"We were handy, I suppose," Draco shrugged. "Personally, I'd like to yell about it myself."

"You have permission to yell at me any time you like," Moria said.

"Thanks," Harry chuckled.

"Harry, listen to me, both of you listen," Moria said. "Your life was full of highs and lows before this. The marriage and especially the baby is just going to increase that. I just want you to remember that if you ever need me for anything, even if it's just to talk, all you have to is call me or owl me and I'll be there. Everyone else may have their own agendas but my only one is you two and this baby. Remember that, okay?" Both boys nodded.

"Good," she smiled. "Let's finish shopping. I'll even buy you that baby set you were looking at." They got up and headed back into town.

What no one noticed was the beetle that had crawled up the tree trunk just in time to hear the last part of the conversation.

tbc...