Harry Potter and The Charming Prince (BP7)

"And, God, my feet are killing me," said Hermione leaning back against the sofa. Her belly extended like Harry's, but he still found it stranger to see her like that than himself.

"Mine too," he agreed, peeling the wrapper off his chocolate frog. Several sweet coverings already littered the coffee table in front of him. He had several small stacks of the chocolates wobbling precariously on the rounded table that his stomach formed. "My back, too."

"Oh, yes," Hermione groaned in agreement. "Pass me one of those."

"I thought you wanted to eat healthy," Ron teased.

Hermione rolled her eyes at him, holding her hand out for the chocolate. Her own stomach held the carefully folded wrappers from the chocolates since it was too much effort to place them on the coffee table. She added the new wrapper to the growing pile.

Draco was seated at the chess table with his four year old son across from him. Valen looked so much smaller when he sat in a straight-backed chair.

The boy's eyebrows were furrowed as he concentrated on the board. He reached a small thin hand and pointed to his father's knight. "This one jumps sideways," he said, clearly trying to puzzle out what Draco's next move would be.

Draco nodded. "Two then one or one then two places." He glanced over at the other adults and rolled his eyes. "Trying to get them to eat like normal people is a lost cause, Ron," he asserted.

Harry huffed and shoved another chocolate in his mouth while glaring at Draco as Ron chuckled.

April, who was busy playing with Uni and Uni's best friend, Sarah the horse, stood then, chocolate spread over her face from eating the frogs as well. She crossed to her brother, watching him. "That's like Sarah," she said as if the information would help Valen, pointing to his knight.

The blond boy smiled at her. "Yes, a horse," he said. "It has a rider, see." He pointed to the little figure on the back and the figure waved back.

Draco chuckled in amusement and used the knight to take his son's bishop.

April giggled, and then turned and walked over to Harry. "Daddy Harry, I want more," she said, pointing to the chocolate.

Harry raised his eyebrows. "You've already had quite enough, don't you think?"

April pouted. "You have one," she pointed out.

"Yes," said Harry. "But you're three, and I have a baby in my belly."

Hermione laughed at him. "You'll get a tummy ache," she told April.

April still looked disgruntled and shook her head.

"A baby brother," Valen said smugly, looking over at his Daddy Harry before returning his focus to the board. He smirked and moved a piece, his queen taking Draco's knight.

Draco smiled and nodded. He held out a hand toward April. "Come here, my little one," he cooed at her.

April turned her little pouting, scrunched up face on Draco, arms crossed over her chest. She took a few small steps towards him, close enough for him to pull her forward.

Draco scooted his chair back, scooped up the little girl and placed her in his lap, wrapping arms around her and petting her thick dark hair.

Harry sighed, handing a last frog to Hermione and banishing the rest. He supposed it really wasn't nice of him to eat chocolate in front of a three-year-old being denied said chocolate. "Her face is messy," he said in warning to Draco, though the man couldn't have missed the fact.

Draco smiled at the smeared face of his child and reached for his wand. He Summoned a cloth and then used it to gently wipe her face. "Such a messy pretty thing," he teased her, eyes flicking to his husband.

April sniffed, scrunching up her face even more as Draco wiped at it.

Harry snorted. "And I suppose you're saying she gets that from me?" he said, trying to cross his own arms in front of him although the huge belly somewhat ruined the effect.

"Well, of course she does," said Hermione with amusement. She reached and lightly flicked the corner of Harry's mouth.

Sure enough, he found chocolate there when he licked at the spot. Harry smiled and shrugged.

Draco laughed in delight and kissed his daughter's forehead. "Beautiful girl," he told her.

Valen rolled his eyes but still smiled.

Draco moved his next piece. His son was so different from April, hardly ever a spot on the boy.

April smiled at the praise and happily lay back against her Daddy Draco's chest. "Daddy Harry?" she asked.

"Hmm?" said Harry absently, still licking at his mouth in search of chocolate. He began to wish he had kept his stacks of chocolates. The cravings didn't seem to be going away and all he had now to satisfy them were the traces of sticky sweetness lingering on his face and fingers. Harry now eyed his hands before sticking one finger in his mouth to suck it clean. It wasn't quite the same but it would do for now.

"When is that baby coming out of there?"

Harry looked over at her. "Well, soon, I hope," he mumbled around his finger.

"Soon, Hermione will also have a girl," Draco told his daughter, gently stroking her hair back. "Do you like that idea?'

April smiled and nodded. "She will be pretty like me, huh, Daddy Draco? And I will play with Uni with her, and maybe she will have her own, since Uni is mine."

Hermione and Ron smiled at April, and Harry shook his head, hearing exactly what that little "Uni is mine" comment meant.

Draco smiled and nodded. "Yes, when she gets bigger, she will play with you," he agreed. He heard the possessive tone and looked with amusement over at his husband, thinking how much it sounded like Harry as well.

"And my brother is in Daddy Harry's belly?" April asked Draco, even though she asked almost every day, and said it all the time.

"Yes, your baby brother is growing there. When he is ready, he will come out," he assured her.

"Do you think he will have pink hair maybe?" she asked as if trying to persuade Draco to make him have pink hair.

Harry laughed, picturing a newborn with pink hair.

"No, baby," Draco soothed. "His hair will most likely be like either Daddy Harry's or mine."

Valen snorted at the idea of pink hair but moved his chess piece.

April frowned at her big brother. "I think he might have pink hair though," she said decisively.

"And purple skin?" said Harry with a wink at her.

April's eyes widened into perfect little circles and she looked up at Draco.

"Nobody but Tonks has pink hair," Valen said in a haughty tone.

Draco gave his son a warning look of disapproval. Then he turned his gaze back to his daughter. "You will just have to wait to see what he is like," he told her.

April poked her tongue out just barely at Valen, a tiny bit of pink barely peeking out but enough to satisfy her.

Ron was chuckling at them as he asked, "Who's winning over there?"

Draco arched an eyebrow at the redhead, clearly indicating what he thought of the question of whether or not a four year old could beat him.

Ron laughed. "You never know with that kid," he said.

"He is learning fast," Draco acknowledged and Valen beamed under the praise.

Harry smiled. "Could probably beat me," he said, grinning at how Valen took the compliments.

Valen preened under the approval of his fathers and Ron.

Draco smiled back at his husband.

Harry chuckled and shook his head. "Who's hungry?" he asked, rubbing his belly.

"You just ate half a box of chocolate frogs," said Ron.

"Coming from the man who can eat a whole box and then three servings of dinner?" said Hermione, raising an eyebrow.

"We'll join you when we finish the game," Draco answered, setting April back on her feet.

Harry nodded and then sighed, attempting to push himself to his feet.

"I suppose I could eat," said Hermione, and Ron stood to help her. When he bent to pull her up, she stood halfway and then made a bit of a strange noise, before going completely still.

Draco looked back over his shoulder at the sound.

Ron frowned. "What?" he said, leaning closer.

Hermione was frowning as well. "I -" she said. "I don't know. It might be ...."

Harry stared at her with wide eyes, and April hurried over, grasping Harry's leg. "What's the matter, Aunt 'Mione?" she asked.

"Nothing, sweetheart," said Hermione uncertainly. "I'm sure it's nothing."

Draco glanced at Harry. "Hermione, is it a contraction?" he asked.

She looked over at him. "It ... well, it feels like one," she said.

"Like before?" asked Ron, going a bit pale. He was speaking of the false alarm Hermione'd had the previous week.

"Maybe," said Hermione, still frowning. "They're supposed to be five to ten minutes apart."

Draco got up from his chair and came over to them. "Why don't you sit down and we will wait to see," he said. "Even if it is, it will be hours before anything happens."

She nodded and Ron lowered her back down with great care. Harry had to smile a bit.

Hermione began to rub her belly and April moved a bit closer to her. "Do you have a tummy ache from chocolate?" she asked with an air of great seriousness and sympathy.

"No, not a tummy ache," said Harry, laying a hand atop April's head.

"Is the baby sick?" Valen asked, sounding worried.

Draco smiled back at him. "No, we think she might be trying to decide if it is time to be born," he answered.

"She's getting out of there?" April asked, looking back at Harry.

"Maybe," said Harry, smiling at her.

"Will he come out?" she asked, turning and laying a little hand on Harry's belly.

"I don't think today, love," Harry answered.

Valen got up and came over to stand just behind Draco, slipping his hand into his father's.

***

April giggled as the baby kicked in Harry's belly again, her little hand pressed against his skin. It was absolutely amazing to her, so much that she demanded Harry to make the baby kick. He smiled at her, petting her hair.

He was laying in bed with her, Valen and Draco. Shredni, Draco’s grey cat, had decided to join them as well, perched on the mattress and flicking his tail.

"Emawy kicks feet too!" April said happily. "Hey, Daddy Harry, can she play with me today?"

"Well, she's real little still, baby," said Harry. It had turned out that Hermione hadn't been having a false alarm. Only a few days previously she'd given birth to a healthy, red-headed little girl, Emily Jean Weasley. Ron, to everyone's amusement – but especially Fred and George's – had taken the birth worse than Hermione had. He'd nearly passed out in the delivery room and the Healers had needed to fetch him water and a Calming Draught. Emily was a beautiful baby though, and Harry had never seen Ron and Hermione look so happy.

Valen pretended not to be as interested in the kicking of the baby inside Harry. But Draco knew better. He had seen the way the boy would reach a hand out to rest on Harry's belly when his sister wasn't paying close attention. At the moment, though, he was curled up with his head on Draco's chest. He had been fairly quiet since Emily’s birth. "What will we call him?" Valen asked suddenly but quietly.

Harry frowned thoughtfully. "Good question," he said. "Daddy Draco and I haven't talked about it really."

Draco arched an eyebrow and looked between his son and husband. "So, Valen, did you have any suggestions?"

The boy looked for a moment like he wasn't sure if he should speak. He clearly had something in mind.

Harry smiled at him. "Come on," he said. "What is it?"

April watched as well, staring at her brother.

"Severus," Valen said firmly, holding his chin up a bit defiantly.

Harry's eyes widened and his brows rose high on his forehead. "Severus?" he said, looking at Draco.

Draco's eyes widened and he smiled, looking quickly down at his son. He had, of course, told him stories about Severus Snape, the man who had been his godfather and had eventually sacrificed his life for Draco. But he had not suggested this to his son. Draco smiled and cocked his head at his husband.

Harry frowned slightly, laying his hand on his belly next to April's. "Why do you say that name, son?" he asked, wondering how on earth the little boy could possibly know how to name someone after someone else. But then again, Harry was always wondering exactly how Valen managed to ask and know the things he did.

"He was smart. He taught Daddy Draco potions," the boy insisted. "And then he died for him."

Harry's eyebrows rose again. "Yes ..." he said slowly. "And that's what you want to call your baby brother?"

Draco kept his mouth shut, very curious about how this conversation would go. He would have been reluctant to suggest the name given how difficult Severus Snape's relationship had been with Harry. But he liked the idea.

"Would I have a brother if he hadn't done that?" the boy asked Harry.

Harry's eyes remained wide. "You astound me, Valen," he said quietly, gaze flicking to Draco again. "That is quite a name."

Valen smiled, taking Harry's words as praise. "It is a strong name," he insisted.

Draco nodded, smiling at his husband and stroking the boy's head.

Harry sighed. He really had got past everything that had ever happened between the Potions Master and himself, but he had never imagined naming a son after him. "What does Daddy Draco think?" he asked.

Draco arched his eyebrow again. "Can't argue with his logic," he replied.

Harry sighed once more. "Okay," he said. "Let's say I agree to this – hypothetically. What for a middle name?"

Valen and Draco exchanged glances and then identical shrugs. Draco looked up and smirked.

Harry released a quiet half-snort. "What do you think, April?" he said.

April had laid her head on Harry's belly, but looked up. "Paul!" she said a few moments of thought.

Harry raised both eyebrows. "Paul? Why Paul?"

"'Cause Grandad Arter likes Paul from the wireless!"

Harry continued to frown confusedly. "Who's Paul from the wireless?" he asked.

"He's a bug," said April firmly.

Harry laughed loudly then, understanding what she meant. "Is he a beetle?"

"Yeah!"

"Has Grandad Arthur been trying to get Muggle stations in again?" Harry asked Valen, still chuckling, realising his daughter was talking about Paul McCartney from The Beatles.
Draco snorted and shook his head. "How about one from each side of the family instead," he said.

"Yes, I don't think Paul will work," said Harry. April pouted, but Harry petted her hair. He sat back, thinking. "How about James?" he said with a wry smile, half joking.

Draco nodded, considering it. He was amused, thinking how annoyed both men would be with the combination. It appealed to his sense of humour. "I like it," he said.

Harry cocked an eyebrow. "Seriously?" he said.

"Severus James," Draco said aloud, testing the sound of it. He looked down at his son. "What do you think?" he asked.

Valen raised both eyebrows, obviously really thinking about it. "Yes," he said.

Harry hummed quietly. "Severus James," he said aloud as well. He was quiet for a few moments. "Well," he said finally, "I'd never thought I'd name my son that." He smiled a little.

"Sebrus James," said April, obviously not wanting to be left out.

"Sev," Valen said, rubbing Harry's belly with a small gentle hand. The smile that he shared with Harry was worth naming their new son Severus, Harry decided.

The baby – Severus – kicked at his big brother's hand. "Sev," Harry repeated. Merlin, wouldn't that be something to get used to? "Severus James Malfoy."

***

The birth had gone almost exactly as April's birth had. Harry had started having contractions while sitting with his family. April had cried, because she had thought that her Daddy Harry was hurt, but Valen had been the one to calm her down.

Severus had been born only a short while later. His hair was as black as April's, which Harry found quite appropriate, but he had Draco's nose, like Valen. He seemed very quiet so far, which was a relief after April. Harry adjusted him in his arms, smiling down into that tiny little face as he waited for his husband to return.

Draco went to retrieve both the older children from the care of Hermione. A little hand in each of his, he led the way back to the Master Suite of the Manor.

"We are going to meet Severus now," Valen told his sister.

"He came out?" April asked, still a little snuffly.

"Yes," Draco answered. "He is fine and so is your Daddy Harry." He released Valen's hand and opened the door following the boy inside.

Valen actually paused inside the door, looking uncharacteristically reticent.

April poked her head into the room curiously.

Harry looked over at Draco and April, smiling a little tiredly. "Hey," he said, and then spotted Valen, smiling at him as well and beckoning with a hand.

April squeezed Draco's hand, trying to stand on tiptoe to see what her daddy was holding.

Draco picked up the little girl and walked forward, setting her on the bed. He looked back at his son. "Valen?"

Valen took a deep breath as if steeling himself for something and then walked slowly forward to stand beside the bed.

Harry exchanged a curious glance with Draco before pulling the little blanket off of Severus so that the children could see.

The tiny little boy scrunched up as if trying to hold in the warmth and made a grunting sound.

April gasped. "Is that him?"

"Yes, your new brother, Severus," Draco encouraged. He smiled with warmth at both Harry and the baby and then looked down at Valen who stood beside him. "What's wrong, Valen?"

Valen made a face that said he didn't want to tell but sighed. He looked up at Draco then and said in a small voice. "What if he doesn't like me?"

Harry smiled at Valen, feeling his heart and chest fill with warmth at that little voice. "Come up here," he said.

Draco smiled too, nodding to the little boy. He had the urge to pick him up like he did April but knew that Valen would resist. He had reached a stage now where he insisted on doing everything himself.

Valen grabbed the edge of the bed and climbed up, crawling over to Harry. He stopped just short of touching his daddy. Harry saw the small signs of worry on Valen's face. He hadn't yet mastered the art of hiding his feelings as well as his Daddy Draco, in spite of how alike they were. Harry smiled reassuringly at Valen and rested a calming hand on his son's knee.

"Look," Harry said quietly, showing the baby to Valen more clearly. "He's your little brother. He loves you already, just like April did when she came."

April smiled at the mention of her name, tearing her intent eyes away from Severus to smile at Valen. "He loves you, Baawin," she said reassuringly, laying a small little kiss on her big brother's cheek. "And me too?" she asked both her daddies, looking between them.

"You are his big brother and big sister," Draco said. "He loves you and he will need you to take care of him and teach him."

Valen nodded, seeming to look proud at Draco's words. "Can I touch him?"

Harry smiled, nodding, and leant in closer to Valen.

Valen reaching out and tentatively touching Severus' hair. "Hi, Sev," he whispered.

Sev made another tiny grunting noise, opening grey eyes. Valen's own eyes widened and the two brothers studied each other for a moment before the sleepy baby closed his eyes again and Valen looked up at his Daddy Harry and grinned, his face shining in delight. Harry smiled back and patted his oldest child on the knee where his hand still connected the two of them.

"His hair is like mine," said April, not wanting to be left out.

"Yes," Harry agreed. "And it looks like he's got the same nose as you, Valen."

Valen peered at his brother as if trying to evaluate the baby's nose.

Draco sat down on the bed, smiling in delight at his family. His grey eyes shone as he reached and rested his hand on the small of Valen's back.

Harry looked up at his husband, sighing with contentment. "I love you," he said quietly, leaning up a bit for a kiss.

"I love you too," Draco answered, kissing his husband. The baby squirmed in Harry's arms.

"Oh, you'll get used to it, Sev," Valen whispered to his little brother.