MY ONE MISTAKE

Chapter Six


Severus had let himself sleep for a few hours in Harry’s arms, then carefully got off the bed. He leaned down to place a soft kiss on Harry’s lips. “I love you, Harry Potter,” he quietly said.

“Hmmm . . . Sev’rus,” Harry sighed in his sleep, reaching up for another kiss, not hearing Severus’ declaration of love.

He returned the kiss, then reluctantly left the room. He had classes to teach, and a daughter to get out of bed to spend the morning with Flitwick. Over the years the Professors and friends had been a tremendous help looking after his daughter when he taught. It helped that he had Draco who also taught potions to the younger years, giving him time with Alexandra.


Harry had woken up missing the warmth that was beside him before. He pulled the covers up still smelling Severus on them, then fell back into a potion induced sleep.


He woke up again later in the day and sensed someone sitting on the bed beside him, before he opened his eyes. He was surprised to see a little girl sitting cross-legged beside him in blue jeans and a Chudley Cannon’s sweatshirt, her waist length black hair pulled back into a single braid. “Hello,” he hesitantly smiled, looking at the girls face.

“Hello. Boy, you sleep lots,” she grinned. “You must be special to get your own room.”

“I guess I was tired,” Harry smiled. “What’s your name?”

“Alex Snape, but father calls me Imp, or Alexandra when I do something wrong. He calls me that a lot,” she grinned.

“How old are you?” Harry asked, wondering why this little girl had Severus’ last name.

“I am four and half years old . . . or around that. My birthday’s in March. When’s yours?”

“July,” Harry replied. ‘My gods, why didn’t anyone tell me,’ he thought to himself as he sat up to get a better look at her.

“Are you my daddy?” she innocently asked, “because I heard Poppy call you Harry and my daddy’s name was Harry, and you have the same eyes as me.”

“Does your father know that you are here?” Harry asked, not sure on how to answer the rather blunt question.

“No. Grandpa Alby was supposed to watch me, but Peeves was up to no good again, so I snuck away. I saw father kiss you this morning. He never kisses anyone . . . well besides me. He kisses me a lot,” she smiled.

“Alex,” Harry said, placing his hand on her knee to stop her rambling. “I honestly don’t know if I am your daddy. I need to talk to Severus first.”

“Okay. If you’re not, will you help father keep his bed warm?” she asked.

“I don’t know. I might be in this bed for a while,” Harry replied, trying to hold back his laughter.

“Do you think you’ll walk again? I can help you if you want me to.”

“I’ll remember that,” Harry grinned.

“Do you like ice cream?”

“Yes,” he replied, laughing at the sudden switch of topics.

“I love ice cream, but father won’t let me have it for breakfast. My favorite kind is strawberry. What’s yours?” she asked.

“I like all kinds.”

“You must have a favorite,” she grinned.

“Hmmm . . . then I would have to say chocolate,” he answered.

“Chocolate’s good. Father likes vanilla. That’s so boring,” she dramatically sighed, rolling her eyes.

“It’s good with chocolate syrup on it though, and maybe some sprinkles,” Harry suggested.

“And gummi bears? I love gummi bears. Grandpa Alby has a jar of them in his office. Minni thinks he’s barmy for eating something called gummi bears. I think it’s better than the lemon drops though. I heard they have calming potions in them . . . or maybe that’s why his eyes are so twinkly all the time, all that sugar that’s in them.”

“Never thought of that,” Harry laughed. “You have to watch out for the tea he’s always offering too. He uses calming potions in that too. And one time he put in some laughing potion in the tea. That was the only time I saw Filch laugh.”

“I don’t really like tea, but I do like the cookies he has with them though,” she laughed.



“She’s telling your secrets, Albus,” Minerva grinned, whispering as the two of them stood at the open door. “Do you think it was wise for Harry to meet his daughter this soon?”

“He wouldn’t listen, so . . . ” Albus started.

“Bring the chatterbox to him,” she finished. “Severus will not be happy you did this.”

“I can’t help it if Alex got away from me again,” Albus replied, his eyes twinkling from all that sugar.



“Are you really an aury?” Alex asked, leaning her chin on her hands, her elbows propped up on her knees.

“An aury?” Harry asked.

“A wizard police man,” she replied.

“Oh, yes, I am.”

“Is that how you got hurt?”

“Yes, but I’ll be okay. Poppy said I’ll be walking in no time.”

“Did those earrings hurt?” she asked, leaning over to touch the two earrings in his one ear. “Father says I have to wait till I’m older to get my ears pierced. What do you think?” she asked.

“You probably should wait. You might not like them when you’re older,” Harry replied, hoping that he was giving the right response. “Have you ever had a needle?” Alex nodded, scrunching up her nose, “it feels kind of like that.”

Alex scooted closer beside him and traced the scar on his cheek with her little fingers. “What happened here?” she asked.

“It’s from a dragon,” Harry replied, taking her hand in his. “He didn’t like that I was going to take something away from him.”

“What were you taking?”

“He had a large jewel that belonged to someone else. He was sleeping and he woke up when I was about to leave with the jewel.”

“You didn’t hurt it, did you?” she worriedly asked. “Dragons are so pretty.”

“No, we didn’t hurt him. A bunch of us had to stun him so I could get away.”

“What kind was it?”

“An antipodean opaleye.”

“I know that one. It’s in the book that Uncle Drake gave me,” she smiled. “It’s not supposed to attack people though unless it’s really hungry. I can bring the book to show you if you’d like. It’s gots some really pretty pictures in it.”

“I’d like that, Alex,” Harry smiled.

“Oh . . . you know what I did last week?” she excitingly said. Harry shook his head. “I went camping with the Weasley’s. All of them . . . well, almost. We slept in big tents, and roasted marshmallows. They were soooo good. I had to help the kids though ‘cause they were burning them. And we went swimming in the lake. Charlie gave me some gillyweed so I could go underwater, but don’t tell Father that. I wasn’t supposed to tell,” she whispered conspiratorially. “Have you ever gone camping?”

“Not for fun,” Harry replied.

“What do you mean? Camping’s fun.”

“I was watching someone. I didn’t have time for fun.”

“Well, we should go. I’ll even roast your marshmallows for you,” she smiled.

Severus had come in mid-chatter about the camping trip and was leaning on the edge of the door frame, listening to his daughter’s exasperating chatter. He met Harry’s eyes seeing how tired he was, but he also looked happy to be talking with Alex. “Hello, Harry,” he said, coming closer to the bed. “Alex, why don’t you help Poppy with her patients,” he suggested.

“Are you going to kiss him again?” Alex asked, clambering off the bed.

“Alex,” Severus warned, then pointed to the open door. “And no turning her hair purple.”

Harry watched her leave, then looked at Severus who took her place on the bed. “Does she really do that?” he smirked.

“Among other things,” Severus sighed.

“Is she mine?” Harry bluntly asked.

“Yes, Harry, she is. The whole chatterbox package. I’ve been trying to tell you, but . . . ”

“I wouldn’t let you,” Harry finished.

“I had felt so betrayed the morning after that night Harry. I had overheard Ron and Finnigan talking about that bloody wager, and I lost it. I mean . . . why would someone as gorgeous as you want me? I sent you away before you could hurt me,” Severus quietly said.

“But Severus . . . ” Harry began.

“Please, Harry, let me finish,” Severus said, picking up Harry’s hand in his, his thumb caressing the knuckles.

“When I was eight months pregnant with Alex, Ron had come to ask if I heard from you. I was my usual snarky self until he told me you lost the wager. Why did you tell them you hadn’t shagged your greasy Potions Professor?” Severus asked.

“Severus, that night was the best of my life. Gods . . . I still get hard remembering it,” Harry sighed. “I had this crush on you since sixth year when we started to be friends. That night was better than any of my fantasies.”

“I looked for you after that, but you disappeared.”

“I was at the Ministry in the Auror training program there, when I was approached six months into it by the chief. They wanted me in their organization. I trained hard for about a year and a half before I went on my first assignment. I then became known as Raven. Harry Potter didn’t exist any longer for me.”

“That explains the tattoo on your back,” Severus smiled.

“Are you going to kiss him?” Alex said, poking her head through the door.

“Can’t argue that, can you?” Harry grinned.

Severus reached out to cup the side of Harry’s face as he leaned in. His lips pressed softly on his, not breaking his gaze from the green eyes that haunted his dreams. “I missed you Harry,” he quietly said against his lips. He reluctantly pulled away, his eyes smoldering with suppressed desire. “Happy now, Imp?” he asked not turning to look over his shoulder.

“Yes,” she giggled, then left them alone.

“Get some sleep Harry, we’ll talk later,” Severus said, standing up again.

“Can Alex visit later?” Harry asked, “I really would like to get to know her.”

“I wouldn’t be able to stop her now,” Severus smirked. “She reminds me of another brat that couldn’t stay out of trouble.”

“What can I say?” Harry shrugged, covering his mouth to cover his yawn.

“I’ll be back later,” Severus said, then left after stealing another kiss.

When Severus came back after putting Alex to bed, with Dobby the house elf sitting with her, Poppy was there massaging one of Harry’s legs.

“Hello, Severus,” Harry greeted when he heard him enter. “It’s too bad I can’t enjoy her hands on me,” he teased, getting a smile in return from the medi-witch.

“You will get feeling in them again, Harry. The massage will help loosen the toxins in your legs so they can dissolve faster,” Poppy stated.

“How often should it be done?” Severus asked.

“Two or three times a day I would say,” Poppy replied.

“I can do that for him,” Severus said.

Pomfrey looked to Severus then Harry who nodded that it would be okay. “I’ll do the morning for you while you have your classes,” she said.

Severus agreed to that and sat on the chair beside the bed as Poppy talked of some of the new mischief the students were getting into, thanks to some of the new products that the Weasley twins have come up with for their joke shop.

After she left, Harry patted the bed beside him for Severus to come up. “Lay with me for a while Severus,” he asked.

Severus took off his outer robe and shoes again to lay beside Harry, his head resting on the pillows. He pulled Harry to his side so that he was snuggled up against him. “I’m really sorry for what happened Harry. I can’t change that, but I’d like to make it up to you,” he softly said carding his fingers through Harry’s hair.

“So what happens if I piss you off again, Severus? Would you throw me out again?” Harry quietly asked. “It hurt that you did that to me. I didn’t know what had happened, why you would throw me out. I thought I had done something wrong.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t give you a chance to explain,” Severus replied.

“I don’t know if I want to be another mistake to you Severus. It took me a long time to get over that. I don’t even know if I’m over it still.”

“Give me a chance, Harry. I’ve had four years to grow up,” Severus said, with a wry grin.

“How about we take this day by day,” Harry suggested, “so we can get to know each other again.”

“Day by day,” Severus agreed, kissing Harry’s forehead. “So, have you talked to your godfathers since you’ve been back?”

“No.”

“You should, you know. They’d want to see you, as well as your friends.”

“Maybe Moony and Siri first,” Harry replied. “The others I’d like to see all at once, so I can explain things the one time.”

“Hermione is bound to find out now that Alex knows. Hermione is teaching the Ancient Runes class here.”

“Always knew she’d be a professor,” Harry mused. “So what about everyone else?”

“Remus and Sirius live on a ranch, which Alex loves to visit. Hermione as I said, is a Professor here and is married to Bill Weasley and have two children, both younger than Alex.”

“Bill?” Harry asked. Severus nodded. “I always thought her and Ron would hitch up.”

“They made a go of it, but I think Bill was more her equal. Ron works for the Ministry in the Department of Magical Games and Sports division. He’s married to Luna Lovegood and have two children also. Charlie Weasley is single but has a set of twins, the mother left after giving birth to them. Fred and George still own the joke shop and have expanded into Hogsmeade. Let’s see . . . who else?” Severus thought out loud.

“How about Ginny and Neville?” Harry asked.

“Actually, they are married . . . to each other. Ginny works in a bookshop in muggle London, and Neville assists the wizarding university herbology department on breeding plant life.”

“And the Malfoys?”

“Well, you saw that Lucius is alive and well,” Severus began, trying to get the image of Harry in the blonde’s lap out of his head.

“It was a case, Severus,” Harry reassured.

“I know,” Severus sighed. “Lucius is getting on with his life since Narcissa died during the war. There are rumors that he’s been seeing Tonks.”

“Wow. That’s an odd match,” Harry laughed.

“They kind of balance each other out,” Severus replied, laughing with Harry.

“Draco?”

“Draco is still. Draco, a spoiled prat that has his heart in the right place. He teaches the younger years potions here, and has been in steady company with Charlie Weasley quite a bit lately.”

“And you?” Harry asked quietly, tilting his head up to see Severus’s face.

“Me? I’ve been looking for that one piece of my life that got away all those years ago,” Severus replied, leaning down to kiss the corner of Harry’s mouth.

Harry met the kiss, closing his eyes as he pulled Severus down more. He smiled against his lips when Severus gave a low moan after he tentatively brushed his tongue to his lips.

After several minutes of slow kisses, they drew away from each other. Harry then lay his head down on Severus’s shoulder, drifting off to sleep. Severus lay there awake for a few more hours, indulging in feeling the warm body next to his. When he got up, he covered Harry up with the blanket, gave him a kiss on the unresponsive mouth, then left the infirmary.

tbc