A/N: Wow. It's been months since I've updated this. I'd love to say I have a great excuse for that. The truth of the matter is that I don't. L It wasn't even really writer's block. I had most of this jotted down as a first draft in a notebook from my trip to China last June. So I guess the only thing I can put it down to is extreme laziness in actually getting around to polishing the chapter. So… anyway, here it is. I'm hoping it won't take me as long to get the next chapter out. And sorry for leaving you all hanging for so long.

And, most importantly, thank you for all the wonderful reviews.

Chapter Seventeen:

"There have been stirrings among the dark wizards. Rumours… that someone maybe attempting to replace Voldemort." Albus peered sideways at Severus as the pair walked down the hall. "It would seem we are not out of the woods just yet."

Severus grunted.

Albus clasped his hands behind his back. "It would be a great relief if Harry were to name his daughter. I worry terribly that something awful might happen to the little girl."

Severus stopped. He folded his arms tightly - defensively - across his chest and stared fixedly at the statue of Morgana before him. "Are you going somewhere with this, Albus?"

Albus blinked in feigned surprise and did a creditable job of hiding his twinkle. "I'm just an old man unburdening himself to a trusted friend. Surely you can forgive an old man that, Severus?"

Severus snarled. "You may be an old man, but you are not a fool Albus. Neither am I. I had thought Potter could be excluded from that number as well, but apparently I was mistaken." He rounded on the Headmaster, "As are you if you think Potter would listen to me, his most despised professor, where he won't listen to you, his friends or his god-mutt." Severus turned on his heel and stalked towards his dungeons. He pretended not to hear the Headmaster's last words.

"We both know there's only one person that Harry will listen to right now. And Severus, I know as well as you do who that person is."

Severus paused in the doorway, glaring at the figure by the crib. His mouth was already opening to snap a snide and defensive comment when he realised that both the occupants of the room were safely asleep. Severus stared, debating whether or not to turn and leave. He had no desire to be discovered here: his intentions could well be misconstrued. Would be if that over-emotional boy woke up to find him standing there like a half-wit, wand hanging loosely from his hand.

Severus brought his wand up in a fast flick and threw a gentle "somnus" over the boy, ensuring he would not wake inconveniently.

Confident that he would not, Severus allowed himself to really look at the boy for the first time since the school year had started. He looked… miserable was the only word that came to Severus mind, though he tried to deny it. Harry was curled in his rocking chair, his knees tucked against his chest in a foetal position. The only open thing about him was the arm that draped over the side of the crib, his fingers just grazing his daughter's leg. Harry's other hand clutched a blanket in his lap. Severus peered closer. A… green blanket. With silver lightning bolts.

Severus sneered and turned away. He edged nearer to the crib, peering in. Not a flicker betrayed him when he looked down at the blissfully sleeping baby.

Severus was not sure how long he stood there, mesmerized by the sleeping child, but the moon shadows had stretched to his feet before he could bring himself to leave.

It was only as he turned to do so that he saw Harry's face. The corners of the young man's mouth turned down just slightly, and his bottom lip looked as though it had been gnawed upon recently. Down his cheek there was a faint tear track.

Severus felt a sudden stab of guilt. He reared back with a sneer.

He shouldn't feel guilt: there was nothing to fell guilty about. He had done the right thing by cutting all ties. It had been – and still was – too dangerous for he and Harry to have anything remotely resembling a relationship. The fact that there was the baby to consider now just made it all the worse. It was best for all three of them if things stayed the way they were and Severus stayed out of Harry's life and as far away from the child as possible.

Severus dearly wanted to hex Harry for doing this to him. Instead, he left the room quietly, lifting the somnus as he went.

And if, as he closed the door after him, he muttered calefacto, ensuring the nursery and its inhabitants would stay pleasantly warm all night… well. There was no one to hear him.

"Oh, Harry, she's beautiful!"

"She's so tiny!"

"Look at her little hands!"

"May I hold her when she's finished feeding?"

Harry pretended not to hear Padma's question as he bent over his daughter. She was eighteen days old now, and Madam Pomfery had deemed them both strong enough to venture out of their rooms. The fact that half the female population was gathered around cooing at her didn't seem to faze Harry's daughter in the least. She was quite content to lie in her father's arms and suck on her bottle.

"She's so adorable!" Lisa Turpin rhapsodised in Harry's ear. He was grateful when Blaise none-too-subtly elbowed Lisa out of the way. Harry glanced up to find that his friends were insinuating themselves between the fawning crown and he and his daughter. He shot them a grateful grin.

Unfortunately, raising his head allowed Lavender to catch his gaze.

"She looks just like you, Harry!" – He didn't think so: her bone structure and hands were too fine to have come from him – "What did you say her name was?"

Harry's face went blank. "I didn't," he said matter-of-factly.

"Oh," Lavender said, but wasn't deterred. "Well then, what is her name?"

Harry met and held her eyes as he answered, "She doesn't have one."

There was a sharp silence and everybody turned to stare at him. The baby finished her bottle and released the teat, drawing Harry's attention. He set the empty bottle aside and raised her to his shoulder to burp her.

"But Harry, you have to name her!"

A black shape loomed at the edge of the gaggle of girls; Harry eyed Snape from the corner of his vision and deliberately raised his voice as he answered.

"No, I did the hard part. Now it's up to her father to name her."

Some of the muggleborn girls cooed, thinking it romantic. The others, however, were still regarding him in shock. Pansy Parkinson said, "Potter… you do realise that it's actually dangerous to leave your baby unnamed?"

Harry barely restrained himself from rolling his eyes, "Yes, I know all about the effect the Naming Ceremony has on the child's development. I also know that this is Hogwart's and that Voldemort is dead. Besides, it's not like she'll ever be without me or someone I trust with her."

No one really had anything to say to that, and there was another short silence. Parvati Patil broke it, chirping, "So Harry. May I hold her?"

Harry stiffened, and had opened his mouth to refuse when he saw Snape glaring menacingly at Parvati. Staring directly at the man, spite made Harry say, "Of course you can, Parvati. With only one parent, she needs all the love and attention she can get. Just be careful of her head."

The look Severus shot Harry before he turned and swooped away was positively murderous. Harry allowed himself a small smirk, ignoring Parvati's gleeful response. He did however return his attention in time to prevent his daughter being handed on to Dennis Creevey. He retrieved her and jealously cradled her against his chest, tucking her into the baby sling he wore.

At that point, Hermione and Blaise began shooing the crowd away, insisting that Harry needed to eat breakfast and that he didn't need an audience for that.

It was harder than he'd thought it would be, Harry discovered: juggling class-work and a newborn. He had to sit right at the front of each class now, right under the professors' noses. Dumbledore said it was so that they could stop him making mistakes that might endanger his daughter – Harry secretly thought just as much to stop the other students from distracting themselves over his daughter. He'd had to drop CoMC altogether. It just wasn't safe with all those creatures Hagrid brought in.

She slept so much that Harry though it would be easy for him to pay attention and take the notes he needed. He hadn't taken into account the fact that, not only did she not follow a set pattern of sleep, there were also noises away from the quiet of their rooms that would ensure she would wake up. Often. And then cry. The first few days back, Harry found himself spending more time out in the corridor trying to soothe her back to sleep than he actually spent behind a desk.

Then he had to feed and burp her. Often to the accompaniment of snickers (from the boys) and coos (from the girls). Not to mention changing her. Professor Flitwick had lost his classroom for a whole afternoon due a mishap: the smell was just too noxious for even Filch to eradicate.

His professors were all very understanding about the situation. With one notable exception.

By Wednesday afternoon, Harry was tired and so was his daughter. He was in no way looking forward to sitting through double potions. He hadn't been back to that classroom since the day his daughter was born; the day he remembered.

Harry lingered in the hall as he could. Hermione and Draco cast him curious glances as they filed past him into the classroom. The bell rang, and still Harry couldn't bring himself to enter.

Eventually, Hermione came back out into the hall.

"Harry?" She asked, her voice thick with worry, "Is everything okay?"

Harry lied, "Everything's fine, 'Mione. I just wanted to make sure my girl was safely asleep before I went in. Wouldn't want her to wake up and disrupt Snape's class."

Hermione narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Okay. If you're sure."

"I am," Harry steeled himself and marched past her through the door, "Let's go."

"So glad you could join us, Mr. Potter," Snape sniped without turning away from the board. Harry didn't reply; instead he sat down, arranging himself and his daughter comfortably.

"Now that everybody is here, I can finally begin today's lesson," Snape turned away from the board, "Please open your texts to page 746 and-"

Snape stopped, and stared fixedly at the bundle in Harry's arms.

"What do you think you are playing at Potter?" he said in a strangled voice.

Harry blinked in genuine confusion. "Nothing… sir."

Snape's arm came up and he pointed rudely at Harry's daughter. "Your child. Why is it in my classroom?"

Harry stiffened and wrapped his arms protectively about his baby. "I have to go to class sir, and I can hardly leave her by herself. None of the other professors had a problem with her."

Snape jerkily moved across the room to loom over Harry's desk.

"I don't care if the other professors have allowed you to bring your whelp into their classrooms," he snarled. "This is Potions. There are hundreds of dangerous substances in here. You are not going to bring my -" Harry sucked in a shocked breath and he could see, see, Severus fumbling to cover his slip "- my class to a halt just because you've poisoned your child! I will not be responsible for her safety!"

"No," Harry sneered, "No, you won't, will you?" Harry turned on his heel and stormed towards the door, cradling his fretting daughter closer.

"Don't you dare walk away from me, Potter."

"Oh, I'm sorry sir. I was just removing my daughter from your classroom." Harry retorted snidely.

Severus hissed. "Right. That's it. Thirty points from Gryffindor for insufferable insolence. And you will be here at seven o'clock tonight to serve detention."

Harry turned to look over his shoulder at the professor. "Can we make it seven-thirty?" he asked sweetly, "It's just that that's when I put my daughter to bed, and she won't go down for anybody but her father."

"Another twenty points for backchat. And you will be here promptly at seven-thirty for the next three nights."

TBC