Begin Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen: The Cat's Outta the Bag

  How could he completely forget to tell Ron about the small announcement that he was going to be an uncle? Or that his brother was going to be a father but didn't know it? Harry led Ron upstairs to their dormitory after explaining to the girls that he needed to talk mano a mano.

   "Ron, I found something out about Professor Dean but I think you need to sit down before I tell you." Ron looked quizzically at Harry but he sunk down in his bed all the same. Harry began to pace slowly, trying to word it the best way he could. He decided the best way to put it would be bluntly. "Ron, Professor Dean is pregnant… with Percy's …erm…yeah, um, you're going to be an uncle." Whatever reaction Harry was expecting from Ron, it certainly wasn't the one that he gave. Ron blinked twice and then after cringing for a second (no doubt he was thinking back to the night of the Yule Ball) he began laughing hysterically. Many of the boys in the other beds groaned so he lowered his tone of laughter.

  "Harry, that has been by far the grossest joke you've ever told me. Ah," he said, wiping tears from his eyes. His laughter began to falter when he realized (a little too late) that Harry was not laughing with him. "Bloody hell Harry. You don't mean to tell me that Percy and Professor Dean were...making babies? " There was a pregnant (a/n: ^_^ no pun intended) pause and it hit Ron that what Harry was saying was true. "Oh no," he said slowly. He put his head in his hands and he stood silent for a moment. "Percy hasn't got a clue, has he?"

  "I don't think so." With those words, Ron got up and walked out of the dormitory. Harry ran after Ron quickly. "Ron? Where are you going?" Ron turned around. His face was unreadable.

  "I'm going to talk to Professor Dean," he said tersely.

  "What? Now? Are you mad?" Harry looked at his best friend in shock. He had never seen Ron like this. There was this determinedness to him. Then it hit Harry: Ron was looking out for his brother. "Ron, at least wait until tomorrow. It makes more sense and you'll be calmer." Ron grumbled but he agreed. "You know, we still have to go downstairs and finish with unwrapping the gifts." Ron only nodded. They walked downstairs, where Hermione was chatting with Ava.  She stopped when she noticed the boys were back.

  "Oh, you two finally decided to come back. Accio!" All of a sudden, all of the gifts that were not opened came zooming down the stairs and landing in a neat pile on the ground.

  "Show off," Ava muttered jokingly. Hermione looked at her haughtily, despite the fact that she was smiling. Harry's stomach lurched when he looked at the gift on the top of the pile. It was his gift to Ava. His palms got sweaty as she slowly lifted herself out of the chair to get it. Ron, seeing her struggle, instructed her to stay put and he passed it to her. She smiled in return. Harry was so intent on watching her while she was figuring out how the box opened that he didn't notice he was holding his gift from Hermione for the past five minutes without opening it.

  "Harry? Aren't you going to open it?" Hermione looked at him expectantly. He snapped out of his daze.

  "Oh. Yeah," he said quickly. He opened the box to find a beautiful set of new Quidditch gear. Harry grinned broadly. "Thanks Hermione, it's great." He gave her a hug. Ron was gaping at his new Quidditch gear as well. He squeaked and gave Hermione a deep kiss as his thank you. They became immersed in their own gift giving that they weren't paying attention to anything else. Then Harry's mouth went dry when he heard Ava speak.

  "Dissendium," Ava said. The box sprang open and Ava's eyes widened. "Harry? I think you've made a mistake." Harry couldn't speak because his throat went dry. He could only shake his head to show her that it was hers. He noticed her hands tremble as she held the box. "Um, can you come here?" she stammered, still gawking at the ring. He walked over on wobbly legs and sat on the arm of the armchair. "Why? My gift wasn't as nice as this." Harry smiled at these words. Her eyes were oddly bright and Harry wanted to kiss her so desperately, but he held back.

  "Your gift was great, believe me. And you deserve it because…well you just do. It doesn't have to mean anything. Do you like it?" he asked after she just stared at it for a few moments. She nodded fervently.

  "It's breathtaking," she whispered. Harry lost himself in that moment.

  "Just like you," he said softly. She looked up quickly, her face shocked. Harry just realized what he said and he inwardly kicked himself. "I'm s-sorry. I didn't mean— Oh God, you probably think I'm trying to take advantage of you. I'm so inconsiderate—" Ava cut him off.

  "Harry?"

  "Yes?"

  "Shut up." And she kissed him. He was so shocked that he it didn't register in his mind for the first couple of seconds. But when it did, he wrapped his arms around her in an embrace. Immediately, he heard a whimper of pain and he instantly pulled away. Before he had the chance to apologize, Ava stopped him. "Don't apologize." There was an awkward moment of silence and Harry shifted uncomfortably. Ron and Hermione, sensing it was a little too quiet, looked over.

  "What does this mean?" he asked quietly. She looked down at the ring, still in the box. Then she looked at Harry's face. She reached up and touched his cheek.

  "I don't know," she answered truthfully. "I want to be with you Harry. You know that. But…things are different." Harry just looked at her, not really understanding.

  "What's different?" She looked at Hermione and Ron who (a little too late) realized that something was happening.

  "Not here," she said finally. "In time, I'll tell you." Harry took the ring box out of Ava's hands and pulled the ring out (Hermione gasped).  He took Ava's hand and placed it on her ring finger. She looked nonplussed.

  "Until you tell me, just wear it. It suits you." Harry then kissed her cheek gently while reveling in the fact that she leaned into his lips and he walked upstairs, feeling better about the situation.

**Next Day**

  The next day, Harry awoke to Ron getting dressed loudly and hurriedly. He was tearing his trunk apart, obviously looking for something. Harry groaned.

  "What are you doing?"

  "I'm going to Professor Dean's office," Ron said plainly. "And it's about time you woke up."

  "Why do you say that?" Harry said, shielding his eyes from the morning light.

  "Because you're coming with me." At this, Harry leaped out of bed, quite awake.

  "What are you talking about? I am not going with you!" Ron turned around angrily.

  "Oh, yes you are! You were the one who told me about this so I think you should come with me." Harry sighed resignedly. Ron was extremely determined and stubborn. Once he had his mind set on something, whether wrong or right, he ran with it. 

  "Fine," Harry said, defeated. "Lead on."

**Professor Dean's Office**

  In her office, Priscilla Dean was mixing a complicated potion despite the sickness she felt inside. Gillywater and rest had done nothing to ease it. So she was making an Aegrotatio Curo Potion from a book she bought secretly at Flourish and Blott's ("Nine Magical Months: Spells & Charms for Your Baby and You" by Sally Fletchler). No one knew of her condition except Madame Pomfrey and probably Dumbledore. Never misses a beat, that man. Despite all she was doing to hide it, she wanted nothing more than to shout it from the Astronomy Tower. She unwittingly had fallen in love with Percy Weasley (sigh). But she was absolutely positive that he did not feel the same way… well, almost positive. In a perfect world, she could marry him and Uncle Severus would be happy for her. But this world was far from perfect and she knew that Uncle Severus would be most angry. She even knew what he would say.

  "I didn't raise you this way. You were brought up to be a lady." This was true. Her Uncle had raised her to be most prim and proper, and what a waste that was. She could almost see his angry face swimming in front of her. Funny, Uncle Severus's face never had red freckles… Snapping out of her reverie, she came face to face with a very angry Ronald Weasley. Looking behind him, she noticed a very uncomfortable Harry Potter.

  "Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter. To what do I owe this unexpected visit," she asked coolly. Weasley bristled.

  "I'm sure you know," he said, venom in his voice. She immediately got on the defensive.

  "I'm sure I don't," she said tersely. His face turned as red as his hair, giving the impression his head was on fire. She smirked at the image.

  "Don't you smirk at me you scarlet woman!" At this, Potter put his head in his hands and sighed.

  "Scarlet woman?" Priscilla said cocking an eyebrow. These Weasley men were so odd…

  "Don't change the subject! You're pregnant with my brother's baby!" Priscilla dropped the tube of powdered asphodel she was holding and it went everywhere. How does he know? How did he find out?

  "What are you talking about Weasley?" Keep calm.

  "Don't deny it! I know you are! Harry told me!" When she looked at Potter, she thought he would soil himself. She had to stay calm. She took a deep breath.

  "Well, Harry I'm disappointed. I would never believe you were the type to gossip," she said calmly. "Ron, I won't deny it. Yes, I am pregnant and yes, it does belong to Percy. But I will go about this the way I want to whether you like it or not." Ron blanched.

  "You aren't even going to tell him are you?" He was positively screeching at this point and it was making her nauseous. Good thing she had that Silencing Charm around her room. No one from the outside could hear what was going on in this room and it had come in handy before.

  "I will, when I see fit."

  "You just used him! You don't even care about him!" At this, the anger bubbled up in her chest.

  "How dare you," she said venomously, letting the Snape out in her. "If anything he used me. I have not seen hide or hair of your brother and I have sent him no less than seven urgent letters, which he has not answered." She began to get carried away, her feeling of desperateness evident. . "He doesn't care about me, and yet, I love him!" She stopped quickly, realizing that she just poured her heart out to a sixteen-year-old. She cleared her throat shakily and composed herself. Ron for the first time this day had nothing to say. He was utterly speechless. Harry's jaw was hanging, as he had lost all dignity at that moment. "What," Priscilla said icily, "is the prospect so confounding that it has left you mute?" Ron seemed to get his speech back.

  "Tell him," he said resolutely. "Or I will. And I mean it." He turned around to leave the room, but he stopped at the door and turned around. He looked a bit awkward. "Take care of yourself. That's still my niece or nephew." And he left with Harry, leaving Priscilla speechless.

End Chapter Fifteen