Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters. I'll give them back to JK Rowling when I'm done. No money was made from this endeavor.
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A/N: Continuation of A Camping We Will Go and Wanted: Single,Older Male for a Roommate. Thanks also go to my friends at the HPRoundRobin livejournal community for their continued support and understanding. This chapter has not yet been beta read, so please forgive any errors you may find. I would also like to apologize for my lateness in getting this chapter out. My muse had taken a holiday.
Chapter 4 - I May Be Blue
by goldenpaw
They entered single-file into the master bedroom and they all saw a very blue looking Severus. Harry burst out laughing at this, not expecting the other wizard to look so comical. Alicia giggled, Molly and Albus also had a chuckle at the Potion's Masters expense.
Severus shot them all an evil glare, reminiscent of his time as Professor and Harry just laughed even harder. The others though quieted down a bit and moved forward slowly into the room. None of them thought it best to voluntarily tell the sick man why they were all there.
Severus sighed and waited for one of them to speak first.
After getting tired of the wall of silence that met his inquiring look, Severus asked as politely as he could, "Harry, why is the Headmaster here and who is that little girl with him?" His tone of voice, however indicated his displeasure at having so many people invade their private space.
"Severus, Albus came by with little Alicia here for a very important reason. I'd like to tell you why they are here, however I'm not going to tell you, at least not until you've gone through all four stages of the measles." Harry held up his hand and shushed his lover when he saw that the other man had taken exception to this.
"Trust me, Severus. It's best you hear their reason for being at our house when you are feeling more the thing."
"Very well, I don't like it, but you're probably right. I'm not at my most reasonable at the moment. Well, don't just stand there, bring the child forward and introduce her to me."
Harry held out his hand to Alicia and she took it shyly. He led her forward to Severus and then helped her up onto the bed next to Severus, who scooted over.
"Severus, this is Alicia Cuthbertson, she's a muggle-born. She's temporarily deaf, so speak clearly and use as simple a language as possible. Albus tells me that he's placed a charm on her so that whatever we say is spelled out in front of her like magical writing, but only she can see it."
Severus held out his blue hand to Alicia and she took it. She looked down at and brought it close to her face. She petted it and giggled again. He placed his hand under her chin and tilted it up so she could see him speak to her. "Hello, Alicia. How are you doing?"
Alicia looked at Severus for a moment, and the the others watched as she opened her mouth to speak, "Fine. Why are you blue?"
Albus smiled and chuckled, along with Molly. Albus thought it might be best to let them get better acquainted, so he gave Molly a speaking look and they left the room to Harry, Severus and Alicia.
Severus smiled at the little girl, and Harry thought perhaps things might go better than he'd hoped. Severus rarily smiled to anyone other than himself, and if the other wizard could smile at the little girl after she'd asked such a question, then maybe Severus would let the little girl be theirs.
"I have the measles. Do you know what measles are?" Severus asked gently.
Alicia shook her head negatively. Severus frowned and tried to think of some other way of answering her question in terms she'd understand.
"Measles are something that other people can catch. You probably have caught them even now. They make you hot, they make you itch and they will turn you blue." Severus stopped speaking when he realized just what he'd said and looked at Harry. "Oh, dear. She's going to be sick as well. So you'll likely be sick tomorrow, Alicia as well, and I'll still be in this stage or the next. Okay, now I'm glad Molly is here, but just don't let her know that." Harry chuckled and then finally sat down behind Alicia and placed his hands on her shoulders and gave them a slight squeeze. Alicia looked up at him and he gave her a quiet, gentle smile, which was reflected in his eyes. The eyes spoke of caring and possibly love. She gave him a brilliant, toothy grin in return and leaned back into him.
She found that these two men were nice and gentle with her. Grandpa Albus had told her that they would be her new parents and that they would love her, that they would spend lots of time with her. He told her about how the older man might be a little prickly and grouchy, but that he was a kind, good man underneath. She could see that he would be fun, especially if she had her way with him. He also had told her that the younger one, Harry, was a fun person who had also had a troubled, lonely childhood and would understand her a lot. Alicia was a magical child, both in her heart and mind, for she loved playing make believe and doing those little bits of magic, which was what Grandpa Albus told her she could do all the time if she lived here.
"I'll be blue, too?" she asked Severus with a smile tugging at her lips.
"Yes, you'll be blue, too. Then spotted and itchy." Severus looked at the little girl and looked into her clear, cornflower-blue eyes and saw a mischievous imp lurking there. He saw her with Harry behind her; he saw the hands resting on the frail, little shoulders and saw how they held her gently. Instantly, he realized what it was that Harry was wanting. Severus looked up into Harry's eyes. Harry was surprised to see that Severus understood, everything -- what he wanted for them, what Alicia meant to the both of them, the chance she represented for them to be a family.
Severus loved Harry so much, that he would willing allow this little girl into their life and to be honest, he was already a bit in love with the little imp already, with her bright eyes, whimsical smile and soft blonde locks of hair. Severus reached out his hand, rested it on top of Harry's and sqeezed it gently. He smiled at the both of them and slowly sat up and put his arms around the two of them in a hug. Alicia squealed in delight!
"We're gonna be a family?" Alicia looked from one to the other.
"Are we, Severus?" Harry asked his love.
"Yes, we're going to be a family. That's why Albus brought her to us, isn't it?"
Harry just nodded his head. Harry tilted Alicia around so that he could face her. "Alicia, do you want to be with Severus and I? Do you really want to be our little girl?"
Alicia nodded her and said, "Yes." She hopped up on the bed, so that she was now on her knees and threw her arms around Harry's neck. Then just as quickly, turned and hugged Severus as well.
"So, do I call you both Daddy now?" Alicia looked at the two of them, puzzled a bit as to what she would now call these two men. She knew it was unusual, that she would no longer have a mother and father, but now two fathers. However, since she had never really spent any time with her other mother and father, family dynamics were still a mystery to her.
Severus quirked an eyebrow at Harry, who responded by shaking his head in uncertainty.
"No, Alicia, you don't have to call either of us Daddy or Papa or Father, if you don't want. Only if you feel comfortable with it. You may call us Severus and Harry if you like." Severus tucked a stray lock of hair behind Alicia's ear as he spoke, then stroked her hair gently.
"Okay. Can I go downstairs to play with Grandpa Albus and that other nice lady?"
"Grandpa Albus?" Severus and Harry asked at the same time, both ended up laughing heartily at that. As Severus was the one currently facing the little girl, he nodded and told her yes. She hugged the two men once more, before she hopped down off the bed and ran downstairs. They could hear her calling for Grandpa Albus.
Harry scooted closer up to Severus, and swivelled himself so he could lay down next to his lover. "You really are okay with having Alicia as a daughter? I mean, I know we haven't discussed it, and we've only been together as a couple for 3 months now. I just... I mean, it feels right to me. But if it doesn't feel right to you, you have to let me know." He didn't want Severus to feel pressured into this decision because he knew that Harry wanted it so much.
Severus wrapped his arms tightly around Harry and planted a loving kiss on his head. "I'm fine. She's an adorable little girl. I'm sure she'll help fill that spot that's been missing in our lives. I've been aware that something has been troubling you, and when I saw you sitting there behind her, I knew what it was at that moment. I know it's soon for us, but like everything that has come before, we will adjust."
"I love you, Severus. You are a remarkable man." Harry wrapped his arms around his companion and snuggled in close.
"And I love you, Harry Potter." Severus lifted a hand and ran his fingers through the tossled mop of short black hair. Severus chuckled as he thought of the muggle wedding vows he'd heard once. "In sickness and in health."
The younger wizard held his breath and looked up with inquiring eyes. Severus realized that Harry knew the reference, after all he had been raised in the muggle world. Severus had one more revelation and it stunned him. He had known that he would spend the rest of his life with Harry, but to make it binding was a step he had never before considered. That is until now.
"Do you?"
"Will I, you mean?" Harry quirked an eyebrow. He quite understood what the question was. It might not have been the most romantic way of asking, but he would take this man anyway he could.
Severus quirked a smirk at his love and rephrased the question, "Will you?"
"Yes, I would love to."
~tbc~
AN: Thanks go to the following reviewers: WittchWay, alima21, Sakura Snape, Sepia, Elehyn, Stryfechild, SEP, Ruth, Angie/Les', ImmortalFlick, Hunter, Winnie2, darkanglefrmhell, sev1970, fairygirl31129, HecateDeMort, Avemtilla, ResQGal, HermioneGreen, Anarane Anwamane, athenakitty, Nymphy, sherdelune, Corgi1.