PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO READ THIS: Alrighties, guys. c: I came to the realization last night that, oh, many of you weren't expecting MPREG for this story and last night's question kind of scared you a little. (My favorite review was from an anon saying, "I can take a breather outside the diner with Paul.") But before you freak out, last night's question was NOT for this story! C: It's for my /other/ story...I don't do the chapter questions with them, but I may start because of last night. xD Anyways. There MAY be Mpreg in this story, but it will not REVOLVE around Mpreg. If there is any Mpreg, it will be contained to a couple of mentions and maybe an epilogue with the 'new family' or whatever. This story's plotline has to do with Bellatrix. Not babies. You didn't sign up for that. DON'T WORRY.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything you recognize. c:

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The New Dawning

Chapter Fourteen: Valentine's Day

"kisses are a better fate

than wisdom." ~e.e cummings

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February 14, 2000

"Shh," Paul whispered to Seth, arms full of all things pink. "Don't wake him up. I want to surprise him."

"I thought you were fighting?" Seth demanded, eyebrows raised. His arms, too, were full of things.

"Not...exactly," Paul stressed, looking around. If they were caught now it would mean trouble. After all, you don't usually see two huge men fumbling around in the dark on the morning of Valentines Day, trying to sneak into someone's house in order to surprise them. At least, not a good surprise, usually. "We were...coming to an understanding."

It had taken him three and a half days to come to his senses. It was largely due to Emmett Cullen, actually – he and Emmett also had an understanding, a simple one. They were the two best video-gamers in the area. It made sense for them to play against each other, even if their species hated each other. In the middle of their game, they'd been grunting and talking as they tried valiantly to murder each other, and Emmett had stated:

"Well, dude, if there's such a thing as vampires, and vampires who can get female women pregnant with half-vampires, and such a thing as shape-shifters who can imprint on wizards, who says those wizards can't get pregnant?"

Just the tone of Emmett's voice, the way he'd said everything, as if it was the easiest concept in the world... at the same time Emmett killed him, Paul had realized that the older man was right. And it wasn't really such a terrible idea, except he was still not keen on the 'children' thing and it wasn't like they were even together yet, let alone fu- er, having sex. He had a long time to get used to the idea. Harry was only nineteen.

(A nineteen year old raising a toddler, his mind reminded him, and Paul shoved the thought away.)

"And understanding, sure," Seth snickered, feeling along the top of the door for the key Harry had placed there for the wolves. After he found it, he slipped open the door and looked around.

Harry's house, as always, was impeccably clean. It was early, five or six in the morning, but it already seemed that someone was up...and that someone happened to be a little boy with lemon yellow hair stuck up in messy little spikes all around his head.

Teddy Lupin glanced up at the 'intruders' with disinterest, then went back to what he'd been doing. He was sitting in the dark, in his Buzz Lightyear pajamas, watching a cartoon on the television and eating dry cereal. The colors from the television lit up his face and made him seem surreal.

"What doing?" Teddy asked, his voice a loud whisper, as he continued to watch the television and munch his cereal.

"Umm..." Seth said, eyes wide. "Making a surprise. For your Uncle Harry."

"Oh," Teddy mumbled. "Be quiet."

As Paul and Seth went about hanging all of the disgustingly pink decorations they'd brought over, Teddy became more and more interested in what they were doing. His little purple eyes followed them around the room in an eerily unnerving way. Every time Paul caught him watching, the little boy would duck down until he couldn't be seen behind the couch.

The sun was making an appearance as they finished, and Seth departed with a wave and a goodbye to the small boy. "Be good for Paul while your Uncle Harry sleeps," he told Teddy.

"Okay," Teddy agreed. When the door had shut behind Seth, the little boy picked up his plastic bowl still half-full of cereal and padded to the kitchen (where Paul was beginning to make pancakes in the little heart-shaped pan Emily had lent him). "Milk please," he said, holding the bowl up.

"What-?" Paul asked, glancing down with irritation.

"Milk. Please," Teddy said again, hid bowl now held completely over his head like he was using it to shield himself from the rain.

Paul, cocking an eyebrow, took the bowl from Teddy and opened the refrigerator. A gallon of milk could be seen sitting well out of Teddy's reach, which explained why he'd been eating dry cereal.

"Uhh..." Paul looked around. "Go sit at the table."

"Milk?" Teddy asked, a little confused.

"I'm getting it, kid, I'm getting it," Paul groused, shooing the little boy away.

When Teddy had scrambled into a chair at the table, sitting with his knees under him, Paul took the milk out and poured it into the bowl. He brought the bowl to the table and Teddy cheered happily.

"Thankoo," he chirped, little arms giving him a fast hug before the boy went about eating his now-wet cereal.

Paul blinked in fascination, looking at Teddy before shaking his head. He turned and went back into the kitchen, not noticing how Teddy's skin and hair began to slowly darken.

– – –

"Mmmm," Harry murmured, stumbling out of his bed. Something smelled really good. Andy must have stopped over and made breakfast, as she often did. Teddy would already be down there with her – he always was – but he didn't hear anybody talking.

He'd made it to the bottom of the stairs before he noticed the decorations. His eyebrows shot up in surprise – he'd not put those up...but maybe Andy had. She always liked the silly holiday. Harry turned and hurried back up the stairs, opening a drawer in his room and pulling out the chocolate he'd gotten his godson. The boy was a chocoholic just like his father, and what holiday was the best for getting chocolate other than Valentine's Day?

Harry shuffled back down the stairs, looking all around, enjoying the bright pink decorations. He laughed a little, stepping lightly into the dining room. Teddy was slurping the milk out of his bowl, hair a peculiar brown color and skin on the tan side of orange. It was still steadily darkening, too – in the next thirty minutes it would probably be the russet color that most of the reservation donned.

"Morning, Teddy-bear," Harry murmured, setting down the small heart-shaped box in front of him. "Happy Valentine's Day."

"Happy Valen's Day!" Teddy parroted, beaming at Harry. "Seth came!"

"Seth?" Harry blinked curiously. "Why was Seth here?"

"Seth and...and...and," Teddy shrugged. "Seth 'n summun. To make a surprise!"

Surprise. Harry's curiosity only grew as he stepped into the kitchen to greet Andromeda and was instead met by the back of Paul and a plate piled high with raspberries and heart-shaped chocolate-chip pancakes.

"Oh!" Paul shouted, having been too preoccupied to hear Teddy and Harry's conversation. "Uhh... hi," he murmured awkwardly.

"Paul?" Harry shook his head. "What are you doing?"

"I wanted to...I just.." Paul looked around. "Look, Harry, I really like you. I wasn't lying when I said that. And I'll – I'm making an effort."

"An effort?" Harry asked. "With what?"

"Everything!" Paul tugged his hair a little, setting down the plate. "I came and made you breakfast and interacted with your godson. Obviously he was content because he – well, he didn't wake you up, did he? And I decorated your house and.."

Harry's eyes sparkled a little. Maybe it was the fact that he'd just woken up, or maybe it was the fact that Paul was just really sweet when he was so unsure of himself, but either way, Harry jumped forward and kissed him clear on the lips.

Paul pulled away, a little shocked. Paul was so much taller than Harry that the boy had to arch up onto his tiptoes and still wrap his arms around the man's neck in order to pull his head down.

"Harry?" Paul mumbled.

"Be quiet and kiss me," Harry ordered, tilting his head back again.

And Paul did as he was told, leaning in and kissing Harry in the most tender way the boy had ever been kissed. Harry's fingers entangled in the man's hair and he let his eyes slipped closed, content.

Until, of course, Teddy started screaming. They both jumped back in shock to see a very smug little boy standing next to them, looking like Paul's mini-me with purple eyes.

"I knew there was a reason you didn't like kids," Harry muttered, trying his best not to glare at his godson.

Paul just laughed.

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REVIEW! C:

Last Chapter: I've written singletons, twins, triplets, quadruplets, quintuplets, sextuplets, and septuplets. Yes. I have. And my opinion on this matter is: the more babies at once, the harder it is to write. Twins are my favorite to write, though my dabbling in septuplets as an original piece was actually amusing. (Aven, Aria, Del, Cam, Ben, Alex, and Q might not agree with me though...;3)

New Question: What is your favorite holiday? c: The most popular answer may be incorporated into the story..;3