AN:I'm back guys! I am SOOOO sorry it's been so long. My job got to the point where I couldn't work on it there anymore, and then I got laid off and my whole life turned into trying to find a new job. I got a new one and I'm into the swing of things with a little extra time in my schedule. I'm hoping to be able to do regular updates now until it's complete. Thanks for sticking with me. As always, see one of the first chapters for my disclaimer : D
Harry did sleep in the next morning. He woke around eleven o'clock and laid for a moment relishing the quiet of the empty dorm room. The baby must have still been asleep as he couldn't feel any movements from her. He smiled, reveling the fact that he now knew for certain that she was a girl. He laid a hand lightly against his belly.
"I'm going to have to start thinking about what to name you." He said quietly to the baby. His voice caused her to stir which made other needs present themselves. He smiled wryly. "I should have kept my mouth shut." He said with a chuckle. He levered himself out of the bed and grabbed some clean clothes as he headed for the bathroom.
His daily ablutions tended too, he made his way down to the common room. Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Neville were all sitting and laughing around a small table by one of the windows. Harry approached and bid them all a good morning. Ron smirked.
"Barely!" He said. "I was beginning to think you'd sleep all day." He said in a teasing voice. Harry stuck his tongue out at him and lowered himself into the empty chair beside Ginny. She smiled.
"Ignore him Harry, he's a git." She said as she pushed a plate of eggs and bacon toward him. "We kept a warming charm on it." Harry thanked her and started to eat with gusto. He was famished. "Hermione told me about last night. Are you alright?" Harry nodded as he swallowed.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I didn't like it though. Hopefully it's not going to be a common occurrence." Hermione glanced up from her book.
"I wouldn't be surprised it it does happen a lot, Harry. From what I've read it can be a very common occurrence, especially when the circumstances are unusual." Harry frowned.
"What circumstances are unusual?" Harry jumped about a foot off of his chair when Lee Jordan popped up beside him. Lee grinned mischievously and elbowed Harry in the shoulder. "What are we talking about?" He asked. Hermione looked panic stricken. Ron sat stuttering and trying to come up with a good answer. Neville, however, stepped smoothly in and saved the day.
"Me, getting a decent potion completed for Snape yesterday." He said in a self-depreciating manor. "Definitely unusual circumstances." Lee laughed jovially.
"Have any of you lot seen Fred and George? They've posted the Hogsmeade dates and I want to talk to them about our first trip." He said, explaining his presence.
"I think I saw them heading down toward Hagrid's after breakfast." Ron said. Lee nodded and headed for the portrait hole. Ron called after him. "When is the first week end Lee?" Lee looked back over his shoulder.
"Next weekend." He said. Ron waved his thanks as Lee disappeared through the hole. Ron turned back to the group smiling.
"That's great. I can't wait to hit Honeyduke's." He turned to Harry. "You're not sleeping in next Saturday, Mate. We're heading out early." Harry smiled hesitantly. "What?" Ron asked.
"I'm not sure if I should go. I'd kill for some of Honeyduke's chocolate right now, but, I just don't know…" Ron looked stricken.
"You have to go Harry! We always go to Hogsmeade together." Harry shook his head doubtfully.
"It's not as safe as the school Ron. I just don't know." Ron looked crestfallen. Ginny spoke up.
"How about if we all go in a big group? I'll come with you and Ron and Neville can talk with Dean and Seamus and get them to come too. Would that make you feel better about it Harry?" He considered for a moment and then nodded, still a bit reluctant. Ron's spirits rose again.
"It'll be fine Harry, you'll see." Harry ate the last few bites of his breakfast in silent contemplation as the rest of the crew continued to make plans. He just had an uneasy feeling when he thought about Hogsmeade.
Saturday dawned clear and chilly. After breakfast students started heading for the front gates of Hogwarts in groups of all sizes. Harry's winter robes still did a pretty good job of hiding his stomach, but no amount of cloth could hide the prominent waddle he now possessed as they headed down the road towards the village. Their breath came in foggy puffs as they laugh and chatted along their way. Harry smiled as his gaze took in his "guard". Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Dean, Seamus, Fred and George were all walking with him. Fred and George were meeting up with Lee once they reached Hogsmeade, but they had agreed to join the group that had deemed themselves Harry's escort.
They arrived at Hogsmeade with out incident and made a beeline straight to Honeyduke's. The delectable smells of the shop wafted out on a warm breeze as soon as the door was opened. Harry spent an entire galleon in the shop, buying various types of chocolates and candies that appealed to his most recent cravings. To Harry's delight the rest of the day progressed uneventfully from there.
The group hit Madame Malkin's so that the girls could check out the newest selection of dress robes, the apothecary to replenish potions ingredients, and Flourish and Blotts where Hermione added two new books to her already impressive collection. Then it was off to The Three Broomsticks for lunch. The wind was starting to pick up as they left the eatery about an hour later and after a few surreptitious glances towards Harry's wilting form, they decided to call it a day. Harry was relieved. All of the exercise was wearing him out. He was ready to relax in a nice soft chair by the fireplace with a nice cup of his ginger tea. His lunch was starting to repeat on him in the form of a raging case of heartburn. Hermione noticed him grimace and rub at his chest as they walked along.
"Do you have heartburn, Harry?" She asked in a hushed voice. There was a large group of fourth years not too far behind them. Harry nodded and grimaced again as the sensation got worse. Hermione started digging through her Honeyduke's bag. "Here, this should help." She said as she handed him a Ginger Newt. He popped the little lizard shaped candy into his mouth and sucked on it slowly as they walked back to the school.
Harry groaned loudly once they got back up to the common room and he was able to sink into an armchair. His back was protesting rather vehemently as were his feet which seemed to have swollen to the limits allowed by his trainers. He toed off his shoes and tried in vain to reach his feet to rub them. Between his aching back and a lap full of suddenly rambunctious fetus he didn't stand a chance. He hissed in a breath as he rubbed the aching appendages together in an attempt to ease them. Ginny looked up from the Madame Malkin's catalog that she and Hermione were perusing.
"Are you alright Harry?" He nodded but was dismayed to feel his eyes tear up in contradiction. Ginny's brow furrowed in concern as she moved over to squat down next to his chair. "What is it?" She asked. He swiped a hand quickly under his eyes and tried to wave off her concern.
"I'm just tired." He said dismissively. She reached up and brushed his hair back away from his face.
"And?" she said, giving him a look that said she knew it was more than that. Harry sighed.
"My back hurts, the baby feels like she's suddenly taken up gymnastics, and my feet are killing me." He said in a dejected tone. She smiled gently at him.
"You're not used to all that exercise anymore." She said. "The cause of the aching feet and back is obvious. But all of that walking probably had her rocked to sleep most of the day. Now she has plenty of energy to play with." She explained as she rested her hand on the heaving mound of his belly. She chuckled at the strong movements under her palm. "Take it easy in there, little girl." She said to his belly as she smoothed her hand over it. Her next action shocked Harry as she sat on the floor in front of his chair and pulled his swollen feet into her lap.
"Ginny! No, you don't have to do that!" He protested as he tried to pull his feet away from her grasp.
"Shush." She scolded as she got a good grip on his left foot. "I want to. It's alright. Now be still." He groaned and gave in as she started to massage his foot. It felt heavenly. He offered no protest when, after ten minutes or so, she put his left foot back into her lap and moved on to the right one. He must have dozed off because the next thing he knew he was blinking blearily up at Hermione as she draped a blanket over him.
"Sorry." She said sheepishly as she settled the blanket about him. "I was trying not to wake you." Harry stretched gingerly as he sat further upright and shook his head.
"It's alright." He said as he threw back the blanket and tried to retrieve his shoes. "I need the loo anyway." Hermione watched for a moment or two as he struggled with his shoes, then she gently took them from his grasp and slipped them onto his still swollen feet. Harry held his foot out to the front and shook his head at it. "They're really tight. I'm going to need to put my slippers on." He got gingerly to his feet and disappeared up the stairs toward the loo and his dorm room.
He did end up having to wear his slippers down to dinner that evening, but no one took notice. He was very grateful to slip his tired, swollen, achy body into bed that evening. He didn't think he'd be venturing into Hogsmeade again until after the baby came.
Harry slept late on Sunday and got to the great hall for his breakfast just after the mail delivery had come through. People were opening letters and parcels and skimming through their Daily Prophets as he started to dish up his breakfast. After a few minutes he started to get the feeling that he was being watched and looked up from his plate. He noticed various people around the room looking at him. Some of them were leaning in to whisper to friends and handing around their copies of The Prophet. He frowned in confusion and looked at his friends. Hermione was losing all color as he watched. Her hand came up to cover her mouth as she read the paper.
"Oh Harry." She said in a strained whisper. Harry felt his stomach clench painfully as she passed him the newspaper. About half way in was an article sporting two wizarding photographs of him obviously take the day before in Hogsmeade. The first was a picture taken at Madame Malkins'. It showed Harry looking longingly at some baby robes and smoothing a hand over his belly making the shape of it, beneath his robes, plainly visible. He hadn't even realized he'd done it. He swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. The second picture was taken as they were leaving The Three Broomsticks. It showed Harry facing into the increasing wind and talking to his friends. As he watched a gust of wind blew back one half of the front of his robes, exposing the curve of his belly for a second before he hastily pushed it back into place. His eyes moved up to the heading of the article.
Is the Boy Who Lived Hiding a Big Secret?
As Hogsmeade village filled with students on their first outing of the year yesterday, this reporter was thrilled to see Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, among them. I followed Harry and some of his friends into Madame Malkins Robes For Every Occasion and was surprised to see him stop in front of a display of infant's robes and proceed to caress what appears to be a very large tummy hidden under his robes. I can't help but speculate as to what the cause of his rather distended abdomen might be. Is he ill? A tumor perhaps? As you watch the first of the photographs accompanying this article you can clearly see the yearning on his face as he gazes at the tiny robes on display. Does the bump have a much greater significance?
After Potter and his friends left The Three Broomsticks, where the second picture was taken, and seemed to head back to the school, this reporter did a little investigating. Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson, classmates of Mr. Potter, informed me that he has given up flying at school and even quit his house Quidditch team. According to Ms. Parkinson he barely leaves the proximity of the castle. She and Mr. Malfoy informed me that the curriculum has also changed slightly at Hogwarts this year. Things such as alternate brewing methods in potions class, where half of the class brews using less potentially harmful ingredients. Guess which half of the class they say Mr. Potter is always in? As an investigative reporter, I am left with one burning question. Will we soon be hearing the pitter patter of new little Potter feet? The world wants to know Mr. Potter!
Harry felt his little bit of breakfast start to come back up as his stomach continued its painful clenching. He shoved the paper back at Hermione and got up as fast as his cumbersome load would allow, making a hasty dash for the nearest bathroom, a swell of whispered speculation following in his wake.
His stomach was empty, but he was still dealing with dry heaves when he heard the bathroom door open and someone enter. He was expecting Ron and was surprised when Madame Pomfrey's voice called out to him.
"Harry? Which stall are you in?" She asked. Harry reached up and unlocked his stall door, pushing it open.
"I'm here." He said in a half strangled voice. He heard her steps walk in his direction and raised his tear streaked face up to meet her sympathetic gaze. "I shouldn't have gone." He said in a hoarse whisper. "I knew something was going to happen. I knew it." He said as he dissolved into tears again. She came down on her knees beside him and gathered as much of him into her arms as she could.
"Hush, child." She crooned to him. "It's not the end of the world, Harry. We knew you wouldn't be able to hide it forever. Someone was bound to figure it out eventually. You made it to seven months undetected. That's pretty good." She said as she ran her hand up and down his back to help calm him. She paused for a second and reached up to unroll some toilet paper for him to blow his nose with. He took the paper and mopped up his face a bit as he sighed forlornly.
"I screwed up." He said as he shook his head. "I don't even remember rubbing my belly in Madame Malkins. I was so careful all day and didn't even realize that I'd given myself away in the second shop we entered." Madame Pomfrey took him by the shoulders and made him look at her.
"Harry, you have been so careful for so many months now. You had no way of knowing that you were being so closely watched in that shop. That meddlesome fool of a reporter is always sneaking around trying to dig up anything on you that she thinks will draw people in." She drew him back into a hug when she saw him start to tear up again. "At least it's out now. You can relax Harry. You don't have to worry about keeping yourself hidden anymore." She said as she pushed his robes aside and laid her hand on his belly. He sighed deeply and rested his hand next to hers. She felt him nod, reluctantly, against her shoulder. She gave his back one last brisk rub and then pushed him back up right. "Come on, Harry. It's time to face the masses. There no sense in delaying it any longer. And, besides, these old knees can't take kneeling on these stones any longer." She said with a groan as she used the wall to pull herself upright.
She gave Harry a hand up and then escorted him out to the sink to wash his face and rinse out his mouth. He started to leave the bathroom when she laid a restraining hand on his arm. She turned him around and quickly unfastened his robe and slid it off. Harry stood for a moment with his eyes closed fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. Madame Pomfrey draped his robe over one arm and slipped the other around his shoulders as she escorted him out of the bathroom and back to the Great Hall. He paused in the doorway and took a deep, fortifying breath as she gave him one last squeeze and handed him his robe. He took the robe over his arm, and resisting the urge to cup his belly walked back to his seat at the Gryffindore table. Excited chatter exploded all over the hall as he took his seat and stared resolutely at his plate. He felt Ginny's hand come up to rest on his back in a show of support and leaned into it slightly. The sound of a spoon chiming against a goblet was soon noticed above the chatter and the hall quieted as all eyes turned toward Dumbledore at the head table.
"Well, everyone, as you have no doubt figured out, there is some truth to the article about Mr. Potter in this morning's Prophet. The circumstances leading to his situation began at the end of last term, with the death of Ms. Chang. Harry was with the young lady when she was gravely injured by Peter Pettigrew. Ms. Chang was pregnant and in a bid to save the life of her child, she transferred the embryo to Mr. Potter." Harry blushed deeply as it felt like every eye in the room turned back to stare at him. "Mr. Potter has willingly and selflessly agreed to give the child a chance at life. He is nearly seven months to term and I am sure that from here on out everyone will wish only to help him as he approaches the most difficult and tiresome part of his pregnancy. Any harassment of Mr. Potter will not be tolerated and will be dealt with most severely." He paused and smiled at the students. "Now, although I am sure you are all bursting with questions, let us all go about our day and not pester Mr. Potter. I am sure this morning has been quite stressful enough as it is. We had been hoping to keep news of the baby quiet for as long as possible to keep her from becoming a target for Voldemort and his followers." He ignored the gasps and jumps scattered throughout the hall at mention of the name. "It is now up to all of us to help keep Harry and his most precious of burdens safe. I know you can all be counted on to do your very best. Thank you." He nodded to them, raised his glass to Harry and retook his seat.
Harry still didn't dare look up from his plate. Both Ginny and Hermione had their hands on his back at this point offering him comfort. Ginny leaned in to speak quietly to him.
"Do you think you can eat anything Harry? You should try or you'll end up feeling nauseous later." He tentatively raised his eyes to meet her gaze and nodded.
"Just some toast for now. I don't think I'll be able to keep too much else down." He said quietly. She nodded and set about buttering two pieces of toast for him. Activity in the hall slowly return to normal, and Harry felt himself start to relax incrementally. By the end of breakfast he was feeling much better, but was hesitant to leave the safety of the Headmaster's presence. He knew that as soon as he left the watchful gaze of his teachers he was going to be swarmed with students wanting to ask questions. He wasn't ready for it all. He reluctantly pushed his plate back and glanced at his friends, all of whom had long finished their meals. Ron smiled at him.
"It's alright Harry." He said. "We won't let them harass you. We can head right up to the common room." Harry started to nod, but was interrupted by Fred Weasley.
"Hey Harry. Sorry you got outed mate. Rotten luck. Thought you might like to know that there's a mob waiting just a ways down the hall. If my memory of the marauder's map serves me right, I think you can get to the back stairs for Gryffindor tower if you go out through the staff room. Might want to ask if you can go that way." Harry nodded gratefully.
"Thanks Fred." He got up from his seat and walked to the head table. The few teachers who hadn't previously been aware of his predicament, smiled at him and offered their congratulations. Harry thanked them and turned to the headmaster. "Fred says that there are a bunch of people just down the hall waiting to pounce. Isn't there a passage to the back stairs of Gryffindor tower just outside of the staff room? Could we go out that way, please?" He asked.
"Of course my boy, of course." Professor Dumbledore said happily. He got up from his seat and ushered Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny out into the staff room. Neville, Seamus, Dean and Fred said they would go out the regular way and make sure that Harry and his entourage weren't spotted.
The back stairs were blissfully empty and they made it to the common room unaccosted. Harry sank into his favorite arm chair by the fire and sat with an arm flung over his eyes as he tried to relax. He knew it was only a matter of time until everyone realized that they been dodged and made a beeline for the common room. The thought of facing just his housemates was a lot less daunting than trying to face the entire school. He thought he could deal with just his house. Soon enough he heard voices approaching and people started to pour through the portrait hole. It was surprisingly quiet in their corner of the room though. He uncovered his face and raised his head to look around. He nearly started to laugh. The common room was more than half full but they were all being held off by the force of Ron's glare alone. If anyone dared to try and approach that glare was quickly focused on them along with a visible tightening of the grip he had on his wand and they quickly retreated.
"It's alright Ron." Harry said with a smile. "I'm not so overwhelmed by just our house mates. If I tell them then the gossip can be spread and maybe it won't be so bad the next time I leave the tower." Ron nodded and he and the girls dropped their guard and relaxed a bit as well. Lavender Brown was the first to work up the courage to approach him. She asked if it was really true and he said that it was. She asked to touch his belly and he let her. She proclaimed him very brave to be doing what he was and he said thank you. This was repeated numerous times throughout the day with each person then scampering off to tell others what they had found out. As is always the case in any school, the gossip mill was in full swing and by the time dinner rolled around everyone was sure they had found out all there was to know and Harry was able to eat his dinner in relative peace with only a few interruptions. Luna Lovegood was the last one to approach as he was finishing up his desert.
"Hello Harry." She said in her slightly dreamy sounding voice. "Congratulations on your baby." She said as Ginny scooted over to make room for her to sit.
"Thank you, Luna." Harry said with a genuine smile. "You know, you're the first person all day to call her my baby." He said as he caressed his belly. "Everyone has just been saying how great I am to be giving Cho's baby a chance, but, she's my baby now. I may not end up being able to keep her, but for now, she's mine." He said as he looked down at his belly. Luna's hand joined his and the baby kicked at the pressure. Luna smiled.
"You'll keep her Harry. She'll be important to everyone, but none more so than you." She traced the baby's movements on his belly for a moment, then looked up at him. "You'll be a good Daddy." Harry covered her hand with his and gave her a watery smile. She gave him a smile back, gave his belly one last pat and then wandered off to do whatever it was that Luna did to occupy her time.
As they were getting ready to leave the great hall, Harry heard the last person he wanted to talk to call his name.
"Hey Potter!" He sighed deeply and turned to face Malfoy who had his typical smirk in place, surrounded by his usually gang of thugs and Pansy Parkinson. "Resorting to some pretty extreme measures to get attention these days, aren't you? Stealing babies is pretty low even for you." Crabbe and Goyle sniggered at his remark. Pansy seemed less than impressed though and the rest of the room went silent at his remark. Draco glanced around at the silence and his smirk slowly started to fall away. Harry looked around and felt his spirits soar. Every last person in the room, with the exception of only one or two other slytherins, was glaring at Draco. Harry heard someone from the other side of the room telling Malfoy to 'sod off' and grinned, his anger dissipating. He remembered something Ginny had told him a couple of months back. "Once people do find out about her, she'll have everyone from three of the four houses, looking out for her." Apparently, she was right.