The Owl's Nest

"Damn that impudent brat." Severus raved as he threw the tumbler of brandy he had been drinking into the fire. His mate was missing. He'd come back from teaching the bloody sixth year Gryffindor and Slytherin class only to find his mate missing. Restlessly, he leaned back against his chair and thought to the night before.

Flashback

They'd just finished making love, as they always did at night. As much as he wanted to wrap the boy in his arms and sleep with him there all night, he knew it wouldn't be safe for the brat if he subjected him to that kind of danger. So he nudged the brat out of his post-orgasmic haze.

"Potter, get dressed and get out. I don't want to see you wandering the castle either."

His mate scurried off of the bed and threw his clothes on, looking over his shoulder with a broken expression in his eyes before he hurried out of the room.

End Flashback

Severus stood up and grabbed the parchment the boy had given him when he had discovered that Severus was his mate.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

Slowly, the parchment turned into a map of Hogwarts, revealing the names of all the students in the building. A quick glance revealed that his mate was not there.

Severus sighed and folded the map back up. "Mischief managed."

He was beginning to worry. Trepidation ran through him as he ran from the dungeons to the Headmaster's office, his robes spinning around him in a menacing manner.

"Mars Bars." He spat at the gargoyle, not pausing as it slipped open. When he reached the Headmaster's office, he stood panting before the man's desk.

"Severus, a pleasure as always. Sherbet Lemon?"

Severus shook his head and looked up at his mentor with panic in his eyes.

"Harry isn't in the castle."

SSHP

Harry James Potter considered himself one of the unluckiest Wizards of all time, if he was still a wizard. It was hard to believe that he could be when black and green wings had sprouted out of his back on the eve of his sixteenth birthday.

According to Severus, he was some sort of elemental Veela, but he hadn't been paying much attention to his mate's explanation of his creature status. Maybe if he had, his mate wouldn't have kicked him out of the castle.

He shivered in the cold January air. The Owl Tower wasn't exactly the best place to hide, but Severus didn't want to see him wandering around the castle, so he'd left. Now, he was regretting being so obedient. Damn his Veela genes for wanting to please his mate with absolute obedience. He pulled his cloak tighter against his body and leaned back against the wall.

Already, Harry had hidden as five students came to send letters home to their parents. None saw the small boy covered in feathers who lay in the corner. It only served to confirm that all he was good for was saving the world from Voldemort and being Severus's nightly shag. He shivered again and one hand fell to his stomach, which bulged out lightly.

'Does Severus know he got me up the duff?' Harry snorted at that thought. Why would Severus care? It wasn't like he wanted Harry, so why would he want Harry's child?

He could hear another student climbing the stairs of the Owl Tower. As fast as he could, Harry hid. It wasn't fast enough though. The last thing he heard before going unconscious from the cold was the worried voice of Hermione Granger.

"Oh Harry."

SSHP

Severus jumped out of his chair in the Headmaster's office as the floo roared to life.

"Albus! We found Mr. Potter. He was in the owlery and the poor boy is a mess. I need some of Severus's potions as fast as possible."

Before she could finish listing the potions, Severus was out of the office, running to the infirmary. He burst through the doors and pushed the bushy haired girl out of his way, sitting down on his mate's bed.

"Professor Snape! Harry is fine! He's just cold."

Severus growled at the girl and took in his mate's blue lips. How could she say Harry was fine when he was freezing? He was not fine. He was obviously going into hypothermic shock. Severus jumped up from the bed and went to one of the infirmary cabinets, grabbing a pile of blankets before returning to his mate. One by one, he covered his mate in the blankets, hoping that the extra warmth would return color to that beautiful face.

"Poppy," he called out to Madam Pomfrey, hoping she could enlighten him on his mate's condition. "What happened to Mr. Potter?"

"Well, Severus," she looked at him reproachfully, "It appears that he spent the night and most of today in the owlery. When Miss Granger carried him in, he was muttering about how his mate had ordered him out of the castle. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

Severus looked startled before his mask fell back into place. Potter had left the castle because of something he said?

"I merely told him I didn't wish to see him wandering around the castle when he left my rooms."

Hermione gasped and looked up at the Potions Master. "Sir, Harry would've interpreted that as you telling him you didn't want him in the castle at all. He couldn't return to the tower without wandering, so to speak, so he left."

Severus mentally cursed ignorant Gryffindors with everything he had in him. Looking back over at the medi-witch, he raised an eyebrow.

"Well, Madam Pomfrey, what can be done for my insufferably stupid mate?"

Poppy growled at him and approached the boy again. Running a hand through his tangled mess of hair, she looked back at Severus.

"He needs a Pepper Up- but it'll have to be altered slightly. He'll also need several prenatal potions and possibly something for morning sickness."

Severus felt his face go ashen. "Morning sickness? Prenatal? He's pregnant?"

Poppy nodded and Severus felt his legs collapse underneath him.

"Dear Merlin, no."