I don't own Harry Potter.
Trade Mistakes: Chapter 6
It had been two months since Draco had disappeared and Harry was nearing the end of his first trimester. If you asked Harry, this was happening none too soon. He currently laid with his flushed face pressed up against the side of the toilet in the 7th year boys bathroom in Gryffindor tower. He let out a low groan in response when Ginny knocked on the door and soon she was sitting beside him on a small stool she had transfigured out of one of Seamus' shoes that happened to be laying in the room.
"How are you feeling?" She asked, placing one of her cold hands at the back of his neck and the other on his forehead. Harry sighed in relief before propping himself up to heave into the bowl again.
"Like shit," Harry mumbled back. "I mean, I can't help but be a little bitter, you know? It's not like I knew I could get pregnant. Draco and everyone else seemed to think that was an unimportant detail and that I didn't need to know before letting him fuck me." Ginny flinched before sighing heavily as Harry carried on. "And maybe, just maybe, Draco didn't leave on his own free will. Maybe he had no choice in leaving me like this. But know I have his kid growing inside of me and I'm alone. I'm going to be one of those irresponsible teenage parents who has no one to raise their kid with."
With that, Harry dissolved into tears, his body shaking with sobs. Ginny let out a frustrated groan before slipping to the floor to hold her ex-boyfriend in her arms in an attempt to calm him down. She had drawn the short straw on who had to go and check on Harry this time. Ron had gone the day before and had had his hair turned green when he said something insensitive.
"Harry, love, it's going to be okay. You aren't alone, I promise you. Even if Draco isn't here, you have me, and Ron, and Hermione, and my family, and Remus and hell even Snape is supporting you. Just keep your head up. This whole morning sickness will end soon and you'll start to feel better. You'll see. And even if you don't want the baby now, I'm sure it will grow on you." Harry froze in her arms before looking up at her with wide eyes.
"You think I don't want the baby? Of course I want the baby! It's all I have left of Draco why would I not want it! I'm going to love this baby with all I have left!" With that, Harry tightened his grip around his waist and cried harder as Ginny tried to back pedal.
From the door Ron and Hermione watched on in despair. They stepped back into the hallway with their backs pressed up against the stones.
"Is he going to be okay?" Hermione asked in a quiet voice.
"Well, every experience I have with pregnant people ends with a lot of emotional outbursts and apparently a lot of screaming when the, uh, baby comes out. But I think all that's normal."
"I meant is he going to be okay doing this without Draco, Ron," Hermione answered with a sigh.
"Well then I guess we'll have to take Draco's place for now." With a small smile and a nod towards each other they walked into the bathroom to pry Harry off the floor and into his bed.
"How are you feeling, Potter?" Severus asked, gesturing to his couch at the end of the school day. With a sigh Harry dropped down, rubbing his head as a pounding began behind his temples.
"I'd feel a lot better if people would stop asking me how I was feeling," He grumbled, tucking his feet under his body. Snape let out a snort that didn't fit him at all. Harry smiled slightly back before letting his head fall back on the couch.
"Severus?" Harry asked after a few silent moments as Snape's quill scratching out grades was the only sound. "If…if I got pregnant after only one time how come Draco never got pregnant? I mean…We had a lot of…We had a lot of sex."
Snape sighed, lowering his quill. He rubbed his eyes slightly before leaving his desk and going to sit on the couch next to Harry.
"You…you have to understand, Harry, that this was hard for Draco. He betrayed his family's trust and was disowned. All he had left was the people in this castle. And as you know, the "Light Side" had some serious issues with accepting Draco after everything he had done. Draco feared that if you two should break up, there would no reason for the Order to keep you around." Snape took a deep breath.
"I don't understand?" Harry said quietly.
"You must not be angry with him. Draco thought that if there was a child-your child- in the picture, if you two should break up then the Order wouldn't send him off on his own. He never mentioned male pregnancies to you and probably wouldn't have until he got pregnant. I, however, know how my godson works. Each week since you two began having…intercourse, I have been casting a spell that is like a muggles birth control. It last for a week so I reapplied it every Sunday when he would come visit me in my quarters.
"He was always so reassuring that he was on the receiving end so I never thought to cast the spell on you, Harry. And for that I apologize." Harry bit his lip before nodding.
"It's okay, sir. You never could have known." The two men stayed silent for a long time. Finally, Severus broke the silence.
"I know this probably seems like a great inconvenience, Potter, considering the tasks at hand when dealing with the Dark Lord. But I'm hoping that you'll see the perk of this in the long run. Draco loved you, Harry. Of that I'm sure. Think of this as a way to keep a part of Draco with you. Now, we need to meet Professor Dumblefore to discuss everything."
Harry slowly climbed to his feet and followed Severus through the halls of Hogwarts to the Headmasters office. Once inside the room, Harry sunk into a chair and waited for the Headmasters verdict. Albus sighed, causing Harry to flinch.
"I can't say I'm not disappointed, Harry," Albus said. Dumbledore had always been like a grandfather to Harry and this hurt most of all. "I know that you weren't aware of the possibility of a male pregnancy but now we're in an impossible situation, Harry, where we have to keep both you and your unborn child safe."
"I'm…I'm sorry, sir," Harry mumbled, looking at his feet.
"It is quite alright, boy. We will figure things out. For now I want to cast a certain protection spell on you, my boy, which will keep the baby safe. This will help in classes and heaven forbid battle. But you still must be careful." With a clockwise wave of his wand, Albus sent a green and purple bubble towards Harry's stomach. The bubble moved slowly before finally sinking into his stomach. It tickled slightly before feeling like a dull weight.
"Now, we have to think ahead. There is no way to completely hide this, I'm afraid. Glamor spells are not safe for the child so we can't hide the fact when you start to show. I'm afraid the Prophet will know shortly after that happens. Which means Riddle will know also. We will do our best to hold off any fights until after the birth of your child. One thing that is important, Harry, most important are your visions. If you have any visions, if you can see into Riddle's mind, you must inform me right away. Do you understand Harry?"
Harry gulped slightly before nodding. "Yes, sir. But what…what about Draco? Have you found anything about him?"
"I'm afraid not, Harry. But do not worry, my boy. We are still searching and we have not lost hope. You shouldn't, either. Now, I believe you look like you could use some rest. Why don't you stop by Madame Pomfrey's office. I believe she will have an anti-nausea potion that is safe for you and that may allow you to get some sleep for once."
Harry nodded his thanks as he stood up. He didn't say anything until he reached the door, pausing with his head cocked to the side. "Sir? If the potion is safe for me then why am I only just now being given it?"
"Well Mr. Potter, my dear boy Severus here has perfected a potion in the last few week that will be completely safe for you. Before now there was no help that would harm the baby."
Harry locked wide eyes with Severus who nodded.
"Thank you, sir," Harry said quietly as he left the room, a hand over his less firm stomach.
AN: I hope you liked it. I know, no Draco in this chapter but we'll hear from him soon.