The love of a child

I would like to say thank you to my beta Founders Child because she is the best in the entire world, I bow down to her greatness :)

Chapter three - Intentions

It had been many hours later when Albus had returned with any news, although it did little good, they had located her but were unable to reach her, the magical shields and protection charms around Riddle manor were almost unbreakable, any one with good intentions would not be able to get through them with ease. Severus who had only just managed to calm Harry and stop his ludicrous chanting had to redo his work as Harry's breathing had sped up and the wall lamps were flaring up.

"I assume that you have been told Severus." The potions professor nodded, he had still been able to control the urge to ask questions however his determination not to was wavering after the hours he had spent trying to make his young lover stop his relentless crying.

As soon as the headmaster had left them Severus broke and asked, "What is her name?"

Harry's emerald eyes now came to focus upon Snape's own almost black eyes as if he were searching for the answer to a question himself. "Her name was…is Bonnie Lily Potter."

Snape was stumped at this, his child did not hold his surname, there was something there that stung, it hurt that Harry had not added Snape to the end of her name, it was after all a respectable pureblood name, then again that was perhaps the reason why he had not.

"She does not have my name." Severus mused aloud deciding to have Harry answer the question that plagued his mind of present.

"You weren't there…for any of it." Harry answered simply, "I knew you never wanted children so I didn't tell you, I'm not sorry I didn't, I never intended for you to know at all."

"But Harry, why did you not trust in the fact that I love you and know from that, that I would never leave you, no I didn't want children but it is a wizarding law that the father must stand by his children."

"I don't want you to stay with me because you don't want to end up in Azkaban." Harry spat moving himself out of the loving embrace he had enjoyed for the past few hours, until the topic of Bonnie had been raised for discussion. "I won't tell any one."

"That isn't the point and you know it." Snape said losing the soft edge to his tone of voice. "Bonnie is the heir to both the Potter and Snape fortunes, do you really think that I would not acknowledge her existence?"

"Before I answer that I want to know one thing." Harry paused but it was not one in which he expected Snape to give his approval for this question to be asked. "If I had told you when I found out would you have recommended an abortion?"

Severus considered this for a moment, if he said no then he would have been lying, if he said yes it would only push Harry further away and he wanted to do neither however he had remained in his pensive silence a moment to long and it had answered Harry's question for him.

"I want you to leave us alone, when I get my daughter back you are never to contact us again, I know that you love me but the thing was you never told me, not once in the year we were together."

"That is a lie, I am sure I told you." Snape said heatedly, he was almost positive that he had at some point professed his love for them boy.

"No, it was always I who said those words, you would always return 'me too' or sometimes it would be 'I know' you never actually said it. But none of that matters any more, I knew what I was doing when I decided to keep her, I would be dead if it weren't for her, I owe her my life and will therefore raise her to the best of my ability."

Snape was shocked by this, no one had known before him that Harry had been saved from death in the final battle by the immense force growing inside his magically constructed womb. "What do you mean by that?"

"The link that connected Voldemort and myself was stronger than even Dumbledore could predict, severing it in such a way in which we did should have killed me, the force alone was enough to make Voldemort explode. It was her power that healed me very slowly from the inside out. If it wasn't for her you wouldn't have either of us."

"Oh Harry…I had no idea." Severus said regret covering every last syllable of his words. "I do love you, I have been such a fool, can you ever forgive me, perhaps take me back into you're life? I know that I don't deserve what I ask you for…"

"Then why are you asking?" Harry asked heartlessly, he wasn't going to lie to himself and say that he despised Severus and that he could never love such a callous creature but his forgiveness had to be earned as many had discovered and failed to do.

"Because, I want your forgiveness."

"But you don't want Bonnie, and as far as I am concerned she comes before my happiness any day, if I was to ever even consider taking you back there would have to be a reason. I want you to leave me alone or take me to Riddle Manor." Harry demanded having stood up leaving Snape sitting on the ground trying to absorb everything that Harry had said.

"I doubt you would be any help at Riddle Manor Harry, you should…" Severus was however interrupted once again, this time by an infuriated Harry who all he wanted in the world was to have his daughter back safely.

"Believe me Severus, my intentions are no better than Voldemort himself was, now, either take me there or I shall go myself."

It seemed as though Severus had no choice, if he wanted to get back into Harry's good books then he needed to go against his better judgement and Dumbledore's orders to do as Harry saw fit. The two of them headed out towards the apparition point just outside the castle grounds, neither spoke as Severus could feel the rage admitting from his younger lover. He dare not encourage his wrath, he knew his fellow deatheaters were in a lot of trouble for not only allowing Harry Potter to have a grudge against them but also a mothers protective nature over his child. This was going to be his last trip to Riddle Manor he had no doubt about that.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter, more coming very, very soon. xxx