Where Others Fear to Tread

Chapter 49

“Potter you’re not helping the situation by pacing, sit, calm down and just enjoy the experience.” Harry stopped pacing immediately and bent over the end of Severus’ hospital bed, his fingers gripping the bed end in a white knuckled grip.

“Enjoy the experience?!” Harry ground out from between gritted teeth, clearly agitated by Severus words. “You wouldn’t be saying that if you had a dragon inside of you trying to claw it’s way out.” Another wave of pain shot through Harry and the boy cried out in agony as the wave passed, leaving him panting desperately.

“I resent having our child referred to as a dragon Harry.” Harry rolled his eyes as his lover who sat calmly in his hospital bed snacking on a tray of fresh fruits and sipping a goblet of water. “And you might cope with the pain a little better if you simply breathed like Madam Pomfrey showed you how.”

“You’re not helping Severus.” Harry bit out angrily as he resumed his pacing, all the while rubbing his hand back and forth over his stomach that felt as if it might explode at any moment. Harry completed another full pace of the hospital wing before a wave of pain hit him in the gut all but doubling him over.

“Owwwww! FUCK!!” Harry screamed in defiance as the pain finally subsided again leaving him weakly kneeling on the cold stone of the hospital wing floor. The pain was slowly beginning to get worse and the time between each wave was now barely a minute. Harry hurt, he wanted it over and he wanted it over now.

“Now there’s completely no need for that language Potter, and you’re quite overreacting with the screaming.” Harry looked up from where he was crouched on all fours on the floor panting, to where his irritatingly calm other half was now staring sternly down at him from over the edge of the hospital bed.

“I thought you said you’d help, ‘you’d be there with me all the way’ you said!” Harry looked incredulously up at Severus who sighed and pointed to where a tight wrapping of magically locked bandages was around his chest and the wound in his leg was being slowly healed by one of his own potions.

“That was before you liquefied three of my ribs Potter, you’re lucky I carry my brothers lucky charm wherever I go or I wouldn’t be here at all.” Snape snapped nastily down at Harry who groaned loudly as another wave of pain swept through his body.

“It was an accident Sev, I said I was sorry and need I remind you, you wouldn’t be here anyway if I hadn’t shot the bastard…ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!” This time a wave of pain followed directly after the other leaving Harry whimpering, breathless with tears streaming down his face. It had been almost eight hours since the incident down on the lake edge and Harry’s body was beginning to weaken as his labour progressed. At Harry’s suddenly outpouring of pain the maliciousness of Severus’ words faded their argument forgotten and the man all but crawled out of his hospital bed and over to where Harry was still kneeling on the floor at the foot of the bed.

“I want it out, and I want it out NOW!” Harry screamed in Severus face with pain as the potions professor knelt down beside Harry and cradled the tense boy against his body. Tears began to dampen the sleave of Severus’ bed robe but the man ignored them and merely reached for Harry’s belly that had swollen impossibly in the last hour. As much as Severus hated to admit it he knew Harry was in desperate pain, far more than himself with the curse still playing havoc with his insides.

“Shhh, I know Harry, I know. It’ll be over so soon I promise.” Severus cooed softly against Harry’s cheek as the boy’s body, now continually strung taunt in agony, shook against his. Just at that moment the doors to the end of the hospital wing were flung open and Madam Pomfrey strode inside, a tray of medical implements hovering behind her, along with a small army of house elves she’d recruited from the kitchens.

“Well it’s not perfect but it’ll do. We’ve never had to deliver a baby here at Hogwarts.” Severus glared at the cheery faced mediwitch who had the house elves help Severus back to his bed as she herself helped Harry into the bed beside his mates. Harry groaned as Madam Pomfrey lifted the young boy’s shirt, clinically running her hand around the round swollen belly of the young boy. Severus propped himself up with some pillows, pushing away the attentions of the house elves who were busily preparing things around Harry’s bed. Severus watched intently everything Poppy did, mentally cursing himself that he was currently incapably of performing the birth of his child as he’d planned to do. “Mmmm well I think he’s along far enough to put him out of his misery.” Pomfrey looked across at Severus calmly waiting for his inevitable disagreement to her assessment of his husband but none was forth coming. Severus it seemed was to lost in holding Harry’s hand across the small gap between the beds than the medical procedure about to happen. The mediwitch smiled secretly to herself having for the first time seen genuine, undisguised concern for Harry written across the professor’s face. “Nobby, the potion and rag please.” The doe eyed, house elf sitting on the end of Harry’s bed handed the mediwitch the uncorked potion bottle and a small square of gauze cloth, which she liberally dampened with the purple potion. “Okay Mr Potter, deep breathes and it’ll be over in no time.”

Harry had gone far beyond everything now and hardly even noticed as the potion soaked cloth was held over his mouth and nose. As he breathed slowly, the potion began to take affect and before Harry knew it he was soaring high up in the clouds on his broom, the wind rushing about his face blowing his hair around him. His robes were flying about him in a wave of material. Harry loved flying and he laughed and chuckled to himself as he looped the loop and ducked, weaved and dived through the cloud formations. Harry had never felt this good before, even after Dudley had snuck magic mushrooms into the stew one night at his Aunt and Uncles house.
Eventually though his dream began to fade and Harry slowly became aware of fingers tightly interlinked with his own and a gentle soothing hand brushing over his forehead.

“Shhh Harry, sleep you did so well my love.” Harry heard a very familiar voice whisper against his cheek but in his current state of mind couldn’t put a face to the voice. Slowly Harry closed his eyes again and as the fingers continued to sooth over his forehead Harry fell quietly into the darkness of sleep.

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Harry awoke groggily to many hushed whispers. Harry’s head felt like he had a really bad hangover, and his eyes felt red and sore. Squinting in the light of what he assumed was the hospital wing Harry could just make out lots of blurry figures standing in a huddle at the far end of the wing, their voices just hushed whispers. Intent on seeing what was going on Harry went to reach across for his glasses, which were perched on the bedside table. Before his fingers could reach the glasses however Harry hissed in pain at the stretch, his hand instantly falling beneath the sheets to his stomach where it hurt. Harry winced a little as he fingered the light bandage on his abdomen, an inch or so below his navel. It took all of three seconds for Harry to register that his stomach was flat again, and that the bulge that had been there when he’d fallen asleep was gone. More carefully this time Harry rolled over and grabbed his glasses slipping them on hastily before lifting the edge of the bandage on his stomach to glance at the damage beneath. What he saw however was now what he expected. A single burn like mark stretched from one side of his stomach to the other, it’s edges still a little purple and bruised but not a scar in sight. Stunned Harry dropped his blanket back into place and looked up at the crowd gathered in the corner of the ward. Sirius, Ron, Hermione, Mrs Weasley, George, Fred, Bill, Charlie, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Neville, Seamus and Ginny were among just a few of the faces Harry recognised. All of them were crowded around something or someone, some of them even holding wrapped gifts. Harry frowned as he tried and failed to see what they were looking at, and then he heard it. A soft cry of a baby coming from the centre of the crowd. Immediately everyone cooed at the baby and Harry couldn’t help but giggle at the sight of Sirius and Dumbledore making baby faces at the unseen crying child.

Harry’s giggle was louder than expected and almost immediately the entire group spun around to face Harry, who managed to wiggle his way to sitting up in bed.

“Mr Potter, ready to join us at last!” Madam Pomfrey emerged from the centre of the crowd and strode confidently over to where Harry was sitting up in bed. “How are you feeling? A little groggy still, that potion is one of the best made especially for you by the foremost potions masters in the country.” Madam Pomfrey winked at Harry knowingly as she inspected the wound below the bandage before fluffing his pillow and giving him a pepper-up potion to drink.

“Oh Harry he’s beautiful.” Harry smiled as Sirius immediately took up position beside Harry’s bed when Madam Pomfrey moved away.

“Absolutely adorable.” Mrs Weasley cooed from where she moved over to the end of Harry’s bed and was currently tucking in Harry’s blankets like a doting mother.

“And a healthy little tyke too, judging from the set of lungs he’s got on him.” Albus sat quietly down in the chair beside Harry having patted the boy’s hand warmly in congratulations.

“Oh well I’ll just have to believe you I haven’t seen him yet, in fact I didn’t even know he was a he.” Harry whispered his voice still a little raw from the considerable amount of screaming he’d done earlier. There was gentle laughter from those who’d heard Harry’s comment. From over in the corner the baby continued to cry and Harry watched as the small gathering parted and Harry saw for the first time what had held the groups attention for so long. In a warm beam of sunlight streaming in through the glass windows, sat Severus in a plush armchair, cradled in his arms a tiny little crying bundle. Harry couldn’t keep the tears from rolling down his face as he watched Severus look up at him a beaming bright smile stretching from ear to ear on his face.

“He really is the most gorgeous baby Harry.” Harry smiled at Hermione who had perched herself on the end of Harry’s bed, Ron dutifully standing behind her, a hand on her shoulder.

“Yeah and the best part is, he doesn’t look a bit like Snape.” Ron added cheekily before his mother swatted him across the back of his head. At length Severus rose from the armchair in the sunbeam and walked ever so carefully over to where Harry was, the bundle cradled so gently in his arms as if he was carrying his most precious potion.

“Don’t drop him.” Fred chimed in unhelpfully as Severus slowly sat down on the edge of Harry’s bed and softly transferred the still crying child into Harry’s awaiting arms.

“Yeah or he’ll turn out like Draco.” George muttered both twins again receiving double swats across the back of their heads from Mrs Weasley. Strange as it was Severus laughed at George’s comment something very few people had ever seen Snape do.

”So true.” Severus whispered up at his former students who all but passed out having seen the softer side of Severus Snape. “Isn’t he perfect.” Severus whispered as Harry settled with the child in his arm, the unfamiliar weight somewhat disconcerting. Harry didn’t know what to do now that he had an actual live son, and he was so afraid he’d fuck up as he stared into the pretty green eyes of his son.

“Yeah perfect.” Harry whispered back in aw as the child instantly settled down in his arms and closed its eyes in sleep. Gently Harry stroked a fingertip down his son’s rosy cheek feeling the baby smooth skin and the soft dusting of black hair on the baby’s head.

“You’ve got to name him yet, any ideas Harry? We’ve been throwing a few around all afternoon.” Bill appeared from beside his mother, Charlie on the other side both looking as cheeky as Fred and George who were still staring at Severus like he had another head growing. Silently Harry glanced up at Severus who merely shrugged his shoulders and instead gently brushed his fingertips back and forth across he new son’s forehead. Turning back to his son Harry thought for a moment before a name popped instantly into his head.

“Alexander James.” Harry whispered listening as the group murmured their agreement, and debated the prospects of giving the child such a strong and meaningful name.

“Very good choice.” Severus whispered as he leaned across and pressed a chaste kiss on Harry’s lips.

“Indeed.” Whispered Dumbledore as he stood up from his seat beside the bed, sensing the couples need to be alone. “…and in saying that, I believe our new resident family are in need of some recovery time.” Albus’ eyes twinkled in the sunshine as he looked from Severus to Harry and then to their quietly sleeping child. “I extended my invitation to all of you to join me for biscuits and tea in my office.” Everyone muttered their agreement and slowly one by one each and every witch and wizard bid their congratulations and farewells to Harry and Severus, until finally the couple were alone.

“Severus.” Harry whispered drawing his lover’s attention up from where Severus was again doting over his sleeping son.

“Hmmm.” Severus replied as he glanced up from Alexander to smile warmly at Harry.

“I’m sorry I killed Draco.” Harry wasn’t sure why he felt compelled to say that but he watched silently as a tear fell down Severus cheek and dropped silently on to the blanket Alexander was wrapped in.

“It’s okay. It’s just hard to separate the difference between the boy I knew as a baby and what he’d become. It needed to be done and I’m so unbelievably grateful that he didn’t take you or Alexander away from me or my life really wouldn’t have been worth living.” Harry blushed a little as Severus pressed a warm kiss to his lips before placing one on Alexander’s forehead.

“What are they doing with his body?” Harry whispered still a little hazy about what actually happened after he’d shot Draco.

“He’s going to be buried beside his father in a muggle cemetery in Kent. The Malfoy’s have been buried there for centuries, it’s a fitting end really.” Severus sighed sadly but then smiled again as Alexander squirmed in Harry’s arms, muttering his discomfort of having both his parents talking over him while he was trying to sleep.

“I think that’s a sign you both need to get some sleep.” Alexander whimpered and complained as Severus lifted him from Harry’s arms allowing Harry to settle back down into his bed. Harry smiled as he watched Severus coo soothingly to their child who snuggled back against his fathers robe clad body.

“You really are a hopeless sook you know that don’t you Severus Snape?” Harry spoke very matter of factly, as Severus settled himself in another armchair beside Harry’s bed, having tucked the blanket back around his son for warmth.

“I resent that Potter, I am and always will be Professor Severus Snape, snarky, sarcastic son of a bitch that I always was, it’s just now I’ve got something to look forward to coming home to at the end of the teaching day.” With a wink Severus watched as Harry chuckled before the boy put aside his glasses and rolled over onto his side. For a long while Harry listened to Severus whispering sweet things to Alexander as she slept, he himself beginning to drift into slumber. The very last words Harry heard as he fell into sleep was Severus’ voice whispering ever so softly into his ear.

“I love you Harry Potter.”…

TBC>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>