Revelations

A/N: Here there's angst (sort of), and the set-up for fluff (again, sort of). Sorry if it's getting complicated! This isn't supposed to be a pleasant chapter, sorry. It should have tears, fighting, and unwanted pressure. Please bear with me!

This chapter is for FiestyOrange, who has risen to the challenge of remembering things about Rev, and who is also posting my request for info on a forum! THANK YOU!!! Please rate and review, people, I love them! - FallenAngel

~*~*~*~*~*~

Ron, Ginny, Hermione, and Draco cautiously approached Harry's hospital bed. He was pale, and his red-rimmed eyes betrayed that he'd been crying. "Harry?" Ginny asked softly, gently carding her fingers through his hair. "Is...um..."

Harry smiled weakly. "The baby is okay, but I can't leave the hospital wing for a week. Maybe more." He laughed quietly. "But as long as I'm careful, for the rest of the pregnancy, the baby will be fine."

Hermione blinked back tears, giving Harry a watery smile. "And how are you feeling, Harry?"

"Weak, and a little tired." His smile wavered and tears slipped down his cheeks. "And scared. I wasn't even sure I really wanted the baby. And it didn't really even seem real to me. And now..."

He took a shuddering breath and continued brokenly. "All...all I can th-think about is...is what if...what if my baby dies and how...how badly I want to hold her in my arms...even if it's only once..."

"It's a girl?" Draco asked softly. Harry nodded and Draco inquired. "How do you know?"

Harry smiled at the blonde. "Get Poppy and I'll show you guys how I spent my morning."

Ron left the curtained off area and returned moments later with Madame Pomfrey. The mediwitch bustled over to Harry's side and straightened his blanket. "Mr. Weasley said you needed me for something, Harry?"

"I want to show them the baby." Harry replied. "This will be the last time today." He added pleadingly when she looked stern.

She smiled and gave in. "Oh, alright!" She handed Harry a potion, which he drank quickly. She performed a spell and, above the bed, an image appeared. It was very much like a muggle ultrasound, the baby appearing as a dark, shadowy silhouette. The difference was that this particular ultrasound was three-dimensional. Poppy smiled, smoothed Harry's covers once again, and said. "Just call me when you're ready to stop it." She nodded at the others, then bustled back out.

Harry nodded to the image above his stomach. "I watched her all morning." Harry placed his right hand on his stomach and rubbed gently. He grinned widely when the baby's image shifted slightly. "I can feel her move, and watching her as she does is so amazing."

Hermione smiled gently. "Oh, Harry, she is amazing! Have you chosen a name for her, yet?"

"Kelsea." He said softly. "Kelsea James." He watched reverently as the baby began to suck on her thumb.

"Oh, that'll burn Snape's arse." Ginny all but cackled. "To name her after your father..."

Harry nodded. "Yah, well, if he doesn't like it he can just shove it." Harry grinned evilly. "He should just be glad I'm not naming her after Sirius as well."

They all laughed at that, knowing their Potion's Master wouldn't see it quite that way.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry sighed, watching Kelsea curl around herself a little bit more. 'She's so beautiful...so perfect.' He thought. He smiled, placed his hands gently on his stomach, and began to speak to his daughter, unaware that Snape was on the other side of the curtained-off area, listening.

"Don't worry, Kelsea. I promise to do my very best to give you everything I didn't have growing up." Severus heard him murmur soothingly to their unborn baby. "I'm only sorry I can't give you the kind of family you deserve. But I'll do my best on my own. And I'll make sure you never forget how much I love you." There was a pause, then Harry continued. "And your Uncle Draco, your Uncle Ron, your Aunt Ginny, and your Aunt Hermione love you, too."

Severus heard Harry sniffle and also noticed the tears in his voice as he added. "And Kelsea, your Grandfather loves you, too. He's not your real Grandfather, but Albus will always treat you like family. And he'll love you with everything in him, as your Aunts and Uncles do. And as I do."

Severus couldn't help it. He walked past the curtain and was floored by the sight of Harry, eyes closed, hands on his stomach, an ultrasound hovering over him. It had been a week since he'd found out about his daughter's existence, but the first time since then that he'd seen Harry. Unable to resist, Severus walked to stand beside the bed. He lightly touched Harry's exposed stomach.

Emerald eyes flew open, meeting obsidian ones; Severus whispered softly. "Your other father loves you too, Kelsea." Harry was a bit surprised that Snape didn't argue about the name. "I love you very much and can't wait to hold you in my arms."

Harry sighed softly, tears in his eyes. "Do you mean that? Do you truly love her? Because..." He hesitated, then continued. "Because if you aren't going to be a part of her life, for whatever reason, I want to know now."

"I will be there for her." Snape assured Harry. "I want to be a part of my daughter's life." He glanced down at Harry's stomach, up at the ultrasound, then back into Harry's eyes. "I won't make you raise her alone. I helped create her, however unknowingly, and I won't abandon her."

'Her.' Is all Harry can think. 'Snape won't abandon her, only me.' He shook his head. That thought didn't belong. 'I want his protection only because of Kelsea.' He told himself. He intended to say it over and over to himself. Surely it would become true if he said it enough. It just had to...

~*~*~*~*~*~

"He wants to marry you?" Ron looked horrified. "But...but why?"

Hermione sighed. "Honestly, Ron, you are so thick sometimes! Snape wants to marry Harry for the baby's sake!"

And still, Ron looked confused. "Yah, but why? Harry already agreed Snape could have a part in Kelsea's life!"

Draco answered him. "It's simple, Weasley." He drawled. "Sev wants Kelsea to be his heir. That means she has to have his last name. And he has to be married to her other parent."

"Kelsea James Snape." Ginny said aloud. "It's not quite as pretty as Kelsea James Potter, but it seems a bit more, I don't know, feminine. At least, in an exotic sort of way."

They all had to agree, it did. "So, are you going to marry my godfather?" Draco inquired after a moment.

Harry sighed. "I don't know. Albus wants me to, and he's never steered me wrong before. Not when it came to a situation involving my happiness, anyway." They all nodded. "Not to mention I want the most protection possible for Kelsea."

"Snape's residence is bound to be well protected." Hermione put in. "And after Kelsea's born, you could start training."

Draco nodded. "Sev's house is extremely well-warded. I don't think anyone outside me and Dumbledore are ever allowed in. My dad never even goes to his house."

"And starting your training as soon as possible will be a good thing." Ron stated. "If you're living with him, then you two can train more."

Harry nodded. "Yah, you're right about that." He sighed and picked at the sheets. "I've thought about it a lot and I don't see any better options. But I always wanted to marry for love." He blinked rapidly. "You know, how my parents did. Not because of something like this."

"Sirius was happy." Hermione said softly.

Harry's head snapped up. "What's that supposed to mean?"

She shrugged. "I owled Remus, asking if Sirius had the spell on him, being from a dark, pureblood family. Being the womanizer he was as a young man, Sirius was furious when the spell chose a guy."

Harry leaned forward, enthralled. "So, who did it choose? Was it someone he hated?"

"No, it was someone he cared about very much. And that only made it worse." She explained. "He couldn't stand to see his friend suffer, so they married. But the marriage had to be consummated to make the spell go away. Sirius hated the thought of doing that with his male friend, but he couldn't let his friend suffer.

"After the first time, his friend said he loved him. Sirius was torn between wanting to make his friend happy, and insisting he wasn't gay." Hermione smiled softly. "He agreed to continue having sex with his friend and after a while, fell in love as well. They were eventually very happy together."

Ginny frowned. "Okay, so did Remmy share with you who Sirius was married to?"

Draco laughed. "I know this one. My family keeps track of all out various connections, and Sirius Black is my mother's cousin."

"So," Harry inquired, looking eager. "Who is it, Draco? Who was my godfather married to?" Ginny and Ron nodded; they wanted to know, too.

Draco smirked and answered Harry's question with a question of his own. "Haven't you ever noticed the wedding band that Lupin wears, Harry?"

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Go away, Snape." Harry growled moodily. "I'm sick of you harassing me."

Severus purred back smoothly. "I'm merely checking upon the health of my daughter and fiance."

Harry glared. "Our daughter is fine. And I am NOT your fiance. I don't recall EVER agreeing to marry you."

Severus waved his hand. "We will marry, Potter. Just accept it already." He sneered. "Now, I was thinking about my daughter's middle name, and..."

"MY," He stressed. "Daughter's middle name is James. Is that clear? Kelsea James."

Snape's pale complexion turned red instantly, obsidian eyes flashing fire. "My daughter will not be named after that arrogant, bullying, stubborn, obnoxious prat." He growled softly. "I will not allow it to happen."

"Too bad." Harry snapped. "She's my daughter and her name has been chosen. I won't change it." His own eyes flashed angrily. "And if you don't like it, Snape, you can suck it."

Unable to resist, Severus said snarkily. "I believe I've already done that, Potter. It's your turn."

Harry gasped, then burst into tears, startling Sev. "H-how d-dare you...m-mention...th-that to...to m-me..." He sobbed, still glaring at his former-professor. "Y-you have...n-no...no r-right to...t-to s-say...a-an-anyth-thing..."

Poppy bustled over, looking angry. "Severus, why are you upsetting Harry?" She admonished.

"We were merely talking, Poppy." Severus replied through his teeth. "I just thought..."

"Obviously you didn't." The mediwitch broke in sternly. "Harry is still in a dangerous position. Upsetting him puts his and Kelsea's lives at risk. Please leave."

As Severus left, she turned to the still-crying Harry and chided gently. "Now, Harry, stop fussing, right now. You'll give yourself and Kelsea the hiccups again. Remember how uncomfortable that was for you?"

~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N: Hey. This chapter wasn't what I expected. It sort of wrote itself. Harry will be at Sev's place within three or four chapters, 'kay? Any idea what it should be called, because my cousin made me realize 'Snape Manor' is highly over-rated as a name, not to mention over-used. Let me know what you think! Please rate and review! - FallenAngel

ONCE AGAIN!!! THIS IS A REPOST...IT IS COMPLETED! MOST OF THE A/N'S ARE THE ORIGINALS...IGNORE ALL CHALLENGES AND REQUESTS FOR IDEAS!!! Thank you. ~ FA