A/N- EEEPS! I know, I should have posted this a loooong time ago…but it slipped my mind, as Afterglow currently has all my attention, when it comes to posting chapters. Please enjoy, and review!

Oh, and someone asked 'Why Callisto?'…I'm not entirely sure anymore. I've grown to rather dislike my choice, actually…It's a tad bit Mary-Sueish, now that I re-read it. Not in the sense that I've attempted to model her on myself (I am NOT an infant!) but in the sense that I was attempting to be unique, and failing miserably. However, what's done is done, and, I assure you, I will be opting towards another avenue in Afterglow. Though, if you're reading that one, I'm not willing to give it away just yet. (Insert large grin here)

There it was again. That bloody wailing sound. How Severus loathed it. He wondered why Potter still hadn't taken his orders….er….advice and placed a silencing charm over his room. The original argument had been that if something went wrong Severus would only be a scream away. However, what really got on the potions master's nerves about that particular situation was his own agreement. That was to say, the fact that he had actually conceded. To Potter, of all people.

Damn the brat for being so manipulative.

Growling to himself, Snape gripped onto his pillow and shoved it over his head, clamping his eyes shut. It was two in the morning. He hadn't slept properly in over 48 hours. Christmas was only a few days away. He needed as much rest as possible for the coming days.

The crying didn't stop.

Severus snarled in frustration, tossing the pillow aside. What was taking the Gryffindor so damn long to shut the mini-Potter up? The thought invoked a series of answers, none of which were all that believable, but a few instilled fear into his mind. What if something had gone wrong? What if Harry and the baby were in terrible danger and he was just lying in bed, mentally complaining about the noise? What if-

"Merlin's Balls." He cursed his internal monologue out loud, cutting it short in the process.

The notion of anything dangerous happening in his house was absurd. Then there was the fact that he was actually worrying over the possibility…. and concerned about 'Harry Potter' no less…

It was all incredibly ridiculous. After all, he could still remember a time when Potter had been the last person on his 'to give a damn about' list…but that had been over a year ago, now…

And that awful racket still hadn't stopped.

Heaving a sigh of irritation, Severus forced himself to leave the warmth of his bed and trudged towards Harry's room. He knocked on the door.

"It's open." Harry's voice, sounding tired and strained, came through the wood.

Scowling, although he had no idea as to what, precisely, he was scowling at, Snape turned the handle and pushed the door open. "Is there any particular reason as to why she has been screaming for the past twenty minutes?" He asked coldly, still miffed at having his sleeping privileges erased by an infant.

The younger man turned to him, cradling the writhing child uncomfortably, his eyes red and watery. "She wont stop. I've tried everything…" His voice cracked. "I think she hates me already…"

Despite his resolve to allow Harry to see his other side, and not just the sarcastic, harsh professor image, Severus rolled his eyes. "Cease the melodramatics, Potter. They don't become you."

Before he had the chance to even think about taking house points, the younger man let out an anguished, somewhat strangled, sob.

"I'm sorry…" Harry pleaded, closing the space between them. He motioned to the bundle of flailing arms and legs currently in his grasp. "I can't get her to stop…I'm sorry I don't know what I'm doing…I'm sorry that you, of all people, have to be the person to see me like this…I'm sorry that you, of all people, are being inconvenienced…I'm sorry…" He tried to calm himself again, "Hell, I'm just sorry…" The baby was proffered to Severus, "Take her?" Harry begged. "She likes you…You know how to look after her…."

The potions master bit his lip, but accepted the child into his arms any way. Adjusting her so that they were both comfortable, he rocked her and padded around the room a little, trying to calm her. It eventually started to work and he allowed himself a small smile of self-appreciation.

Then he caught sight of the look on her father's face.

"See what I mean?" Harry asked him, his tone mirroring the emotions displayed by his expression. "She hates me…She likes you…I tried for ages and nothing…You, on the other hand, try for five minutes and she's asleep…" He turned and dropped down onto the bed, his head in his hands. "I hate my life."

Sighing pointedly, Severus put the baby back into her bassinet and sat down next to the teenager. "She doesn't hate you." He started, earning himself a derisive snort.

"Oh, really? Then what was-"

"That was a baby responding to the vibes in the atmosphere." The elder chided, "Infants pick up on the mood….You were incredibly frustrated, and she was merely reflecting that herself."

The Gryffindor looked away, frowning. That made sense…but he refused to accept it. "I left her with you." He stated, more for his own benefit than anything else. He had to voice his problems. Had to get them out in the air before he could fix them. "The first person she had a chance to bond with was you…" His eyes latched onto Severus'. "I…What if she doesn't…"

"Oh, for Merlin's sakes…" The head of Slytherin scowled, "Yes, we have established that you might have played the situation better. But you didn't. We cannot and will not attempt to change what has been done. I've told you on more than one occasion now that she is your responsibility, and once you accept that-"

"She. Still. Hates. Me."

"She's barely two days old! She's not intelligent enough to make that decision yet!"

Harry opened his mouth to protest, but Severus' glare silenced him. Both men remained silent, staring at each other, neither wanting to back away from the confrontation. And so they stayed, eyes drilling holes into each other…until Harry yawned. With the break in connection, Snape shook his head and turned back to the door.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going back to my room to savour as much sleep as possible." He said, stalking out.

With a sigh, Harry settled himself back in bed and, with a swish of his wand, the candles illuminating the room went out. He placed the wooden rod on his bedside table and leant back into his pillow, willing himself into a dreamless -yet somewhat peaceful- slumber.

-?-

Hours later found the potions master and his student seated at the breakfast table, eating in relative silence. The bassinet containing a wide-awake, although mercifully quiet baby girl was on the kitchen bench, barely meters away from her father. Callisto seemed quite content to drool and gurgle where she was, and neither man was complaining. They'd learnt that moving her could prove disastrous, Severus still maintaining that her lungs and voice box were in too good a condition for his liking.

Harry sipped gingerly at his hot chocolate, revelling in the warmth of the drink, while Severus seemed to be enjoying his coffee to the same extent. There was still a lot left unsaid between the two men, though they had silently agreed to discuss the more…intricate details at a later time. Breakfast was not suitable for such a talk, and it was good to have the precious moments of comfortable silence, as they were few and far between.

Placing his mug down, the elder man sighed. It was the signal that conversation was about to start between them, an unavoidable one, at that. Harry copied the action, looking directly into Severus' gaze. He inwardly smiled at the return of his confidence. There weren't too many people that could look into the potions master's eyes for more than ten seconds at a time, simply because most found that stare too intense. It had taken him a while, but Harry was no longer one of those people.

"Yes, Severus?" He asked, feeling particularly bold.

A small smirk flitted across Snape's face, before disappearing. "I was pondering a trip to Diagon Alley today…" came the monotonous reply, "Perhaps you wish to join me? After all, there are numerous items you're going to need to buy for your daughter."

"Ah…" Harry diverted his gaze. Perhaps he wasn't as confident as he thought. "I don't…I mean….who would be here to look after her?"

"You'd bring the child, naturally."

The younger man's green eyes widened in horror. "What? Have you lost the plot? She's a newborn! It's freezing out there! She'll-"

"Be fine as you will cover her with a specially charmed blanket and clothing." Severus cut him off. If Harry didn't know any better, he'd have to say that the older man seemed extremely amused with the entire scenario. His eyes were practically dancing with laughter, although his face was still stuck in that stoic resolve.

"But…" The saviour of the wizarding world tried, "What are people going to think? What are they going to say? I mean, you and I carting a baby up and down Diagon Alley-"

"I will be doing no such thing."

Harry scowled. The eyes were definitely laughing at him now. "What? I thought you said-"

"That you would bring the child. She has nothing to do with me, Harry."

Harry felt his heart sink at the words, although he really didn't know why. After all, it was the truth….and there was nothing between he and Severus to suggest otherwise. Swallowing, he shook his head, "I know, but it'll still look strange and-"

"The wizarding world is going to find out sooner or later." There it was again. That annoyingly calm voice of reasoning. Harry despised it, but couldn't argue. So he stayed quiet while Snape continued. "And, personally, I'd prefer sooner, if I were in your position. The longer you attempt to hide her existence from everyone-"

"-The more extreme the reaction." Harry supplied, his tone one of defeat. "I know, I know."

Severus nodded, lifting his mug to his lips once more. "Good. We'll leave once you have changed and fed young Callisto and-"

"WHAT?!" The younger snapped in amazement, "I didn't agree yet!"

"Ah, yet, which signifies that you were about to." Snape observed matter-of-factly. "So, I don't see the problem." He motioned across the table, towards the younger man's abandoned toast, "If you are done, I suggest tending to your daughter's needs so that we can be off before the pre-Christmas rush starts. Damned last minute shoppers…"

Harry snickered, "Says one of them."

That earned him a patented scowl and sneer. "Unless you have already purchased all the items necessary for raising a baby, I doubt you are one to talk." Another sly smirk slid across the older man's face, "Besides, I never said that I was planning on shopping, did I? Just that I was planning a trip to Diagon Alley."

The Gryffindor knitted his eyebrows together in confusion. "Then what" Realisation dawned; the 'planned trip' was for him. He'd never actually had the choice of whether he wanted to go or not. "Oh…right."

Shaking his head in a mixture of amusement and discouragement, Severus drained the last of his coffee and stood up. "Will half an hour be sufficient?" He asked. Harry nodded. "Good. I will retrieve that blanket I mentioned earlier for your child and we'll be off."

Harry didn't even get a chance to protest as Severus gave him a final nod of dismissal and left the room with a swish of his robes. Nobody could say that Severus Snape didn't have a flair for the dramatic, that was for sure.

Callisto's whimpering cut into his thoughts, not for the first time that day and definitely not for the last, and Harry moved towards her. He sighed.

How he was supposed to survive the next week or so was completely beyond him.

-?-

"Severus…." The Boy Who Lived tried as they stood outside the older man's manor. "Are you sure apparating with a baby is safe?"

The potion's master glared at him. "Would you prefer floo? Or portkey?" Harry flinched, not liking the memories that either form of wizarding transport had for him. He sighed resignedly.

"Fine."

With a roll of his eyes, Severus reached out and pulled the younger man against him, pretending not to notice the blush rising to Harry's cheeks. He supposed it was due to a break in pride, considering the fact that Harry hadn't even attempted getting his apparating licence like the others had. At the time he'd thought it rather odd, as most teenage wizards leapt at the ticket to freedom, but had let it slip. It wasn't until that moment –when he realised that Harry had been pregnant, and thus concerned about the possibility of splinching with a baby inside him- that it all clicked in Snape's mind. Perhaps if he'd questioned the teenager…No. It was no use dwelling on the past. Even he knew that.

Harry, meanwhile, was furiously trying not to think about how good the older man's arms felt wrapped around him; their child nestled snugly between them. It was so…WAIT! Back up! Their child? Where the HELL had that come from?

The Gryffindor's blush deepened and he clenched his eyes shut.

He wasn't imagining living a 'happy family' scenario with Professor Snape. He couldn't be. Because, for one, the man was 20 years his senior. He was also so….so…Snape!

It was ridiculous.

He couldn't be attracted to him. It was unthinkable. It was…wrong. And furthermore-

"Harry!"

The potions master's voice cut his internal rambling short. He opened his eyes slowly, only to come face to face with two dark eyes laced with obvious concern. "Is everything alright?" The man asked him, "The apparating-"

"I'm sorry…" Harry felt his face flush and he smiled sheepishly. "It was fine…My mind was elsewhere."

A patented scowl marred the older man's features as he pulled back. "Quite."

The Boy Who Lived sighed sadly. "I just…this is going to be difficult."

If he was expecting sympathy while they were in public, he was sorely mistaken. Severus snorted and passed him the carrier for Callisto. (He'd obviously had time to enlarge it while Harry daydreamt.) "Something you should have considered-"

"Before I fucked up." Harry finished grimly, "I know." He stared into the Slytherin's eyes angrily. "But, come on, what were the chances? Although-" He snorted derisively at himself, "-I'm Harry Bloody Potter. The sodding 'Boy Who Lived'. Saviour of the god-damned world." He seethed, "I shouldn't have expected any less than to be one of those rare and mystical cases. Which, by the way, I had no idea was even a possibility 'til after the fact, considering that I was raised muggle. And-"

Yes, he was aware that he was ranting. Yes, he was aware that he was creating a scene. No, he didn't really give a toss.

Severus, on the other hand, did. "Potter…" He tried warningly.

Harry, naturally, ignored him, choosing instead to verbalise his issues right then and there. "You know what? That's typical as well. The fact that us muggle raised wizards aren't informed of the mere possibility-"

"Potter," Snape tried again, this time extending an arm towards the younger, raving man.

He was, yet again, ignored.

"Cos, okay, I know that even in the wizarding world it's not really a big portion of us guys to be gay…but there ARE and to not be told there is a possibility-"

"Harry!" Severus finally exclaimed, clamping his hand down on the suddenly frantic man's shoulder. Perhaps it was too early to be bringing him out in public after all. He certainly still had a lot to deal with…but there were items that they needed, and Severus would be DAMNED if he were caught shopping for cribs, toys and disposable nappies, among other things.

At least there weren't many people in the Alley right then, and nobody had paused during the younger man's tirade.

"Harry," He said once more, pulling the Gryffindor and baby further away from the main stretch of shops. "Potter, calm yourself…."

Taking deep breaths, Harry glanced up at Severus sheepishly. "I'm sorry…I can't…"

He stopped talking, choosing instead to look directly into Severus' eyes. His own were clouded, the older man supposed with the residue of his emotions running rampant from earlier.

"Potter?" He asked, suddenly feeling a little uncomfortable with their position. The younger remained silent, although Severus recognised something in those green orbs. "Harry?" He attempted once more, willing himself to take a step back. Suddenly they were too close. Too close. Too-

Harry's lips met his.

-Close.

Internally, Severus cursed. This was definitely not a good situation.

One of the Gryffindor's arms snaked up around his neck, and he found himself unwilling of protest.

Nope, not good at all.

A/N- Just one final plea: PLEASE review! It might remind me to post the next chapter faster next time….