Darkness Shadows Light

CHAPTER EIGHT - STRESS IS WHEN YOU WAKE UP SCREAMING AND REALISE YOU HAVEN\'T FALLEN ASLEEP YET

The next few weeks were pretty much a misery for Harry. Despite the absence of morning sickness thanks to Snape\'s potion, Madam Pomfrey could give him nothing for the tiredness he was experiencing. Frequently he found himself falling asleep during class and each night he would crawl into bed only to wake up feeling almost as tired as he day before. Harry was also finding himself horribly emotional, one day he even burst into tears when Professor McGonagall told him off for not paying attention during class. Very embarrassing. The whole of Slytherin had dined out on that for days.

Harry was not getting much support from his own house either. He had given up Quidditch as ordered and handed over the captaincy to Ron. Unable to think of a good excuse, he had said he was behind on his studies and no longer had time to play. An excuse that was met with intense disbelief by the team and the rest of Gryffindor. Hundreds of rumours were flying around about what the real reason was, from the almost believable (Dumbledore had forbidden him from playing as he was too important in the fight against Voldemort) to the completely ridiculous (Malfoy had paid him off so Slytherin had a chance of winning the cup this year). Though Harry mused the real reason was probably more fantastic than any of the rumours.

However, no matter what the reason, Harry\'s housemates were not happy with him for jeopardising the Quidditch cup they already regarded as theirs. If it wasn\'t for Ron\'s support, Harry did not think he could have coped. He found himself turning to Ron more and more as the time progressehe ohe only person he could talk honestly with.

With Harry\'s intense fatigue, his visits to Snape\'s rooms late at night had become a thing of the past and he hadn\'t seen him outside of class or meals since the disastrous discussion about Grindelwald. In class Snape seemed to have reached new levels of vitriol when dealing with Harry - which wasn\'t helped by Harry\'s inability to concentrate in any class - but whereas before Harry had found it quite amusing, now every sharp remark seemed to cut to the core. It didn\'t help that he didn\'t know what Snape was thinking or feeling. Occasionally he would feel his lover\'s gaze upon him, but when he did catch him looking, those dark eyes would quickly look away before Harry could discern what was going on within them. He did miss Snape horribly and would have felt terribly alone if he hadn\'t had Ron to lean on.

Harry hadn\'t told Ron what Snape believed about the likelihood that their baby would be a powerful dark wizard. didndidn\'t want to scare Ron more than he had to.

Harry had heard from Sirius several times, but had sent back short, obtuse replies to his enquiries about how he was. He knew that his godfather was one of the first people he should tell, but he didn\'t want to tell him in a letter. In his last letter, Sirius had said he would try to visit Harry soon, though as he was still on the run, this was difficult. Harry hoped he could make it, before the whole world found out.

Through all this Hermione was on the sidelines bewildered and getting more and more curious about what was going on with Ron and Harry. She frequently caught them whispering in corners and stopping as soon as they saw her. She was also very worried about Harry\'s erratic moods and constant tiredness, and hurt that they were shutting her out. She confronted them over and over again, but to no avail.

\'This is getting silly,\' said Ron to Harry one day after Hermione had once again demanded to knhat hat was going on. \'We have to tell her before she works it out for herself.\'

\'I know,\' said Harry wearily. He had hoped to wait a bit longer, but Hermione\'s constant questions were driving him crazy. \'But not the whole truth, nothing about Snape.\'

Ron nodded, he wasn\'t happy about lying to Hermione that he was the father, but he understood why Snape\'s part in this could not be allowed to get out.

\'We could tell her tomorrow afternoon, we\'ve all got a free lesson then.\' Ron suggested.

Harry agreed reluctantly. \'Okay, but I think we should go down to the lake, there\'s less chance of anyone overhearing us there.\' Since Harry\'s odd behaviour had started, he had found himself being scrutinised most of the time and he was keen to avoid anyone trying to overhear a very difficult conversation.

******

Snape had also been finding the past few weeks tough going. He bitterly regretted the lack of support he had given Harry that last night. He assumed this was the reason that he no longer sought him out. He almost considered sending a note to Harry asking to see him, but his pride just wouldn\'t let him.
*If he wants me he knows where to find me* he told himself over and over again, it almost became his mantra. Still it didn\'t stop the tha that rejection hurt like hell.

Dumbledore seemed to know that something was wrong, and every week wordlessly handed Snape a copy of the report on Harry\'s health and the progression of the pregnancy. So at least he knew everything was fine in that respect, though it was hard to believe when he saw Harry\'s pale face and the dark circles under his eyes.

Whenever Harry caught him staring, he had to quickly look away; he didn\'t want him to see the longing in his eyes. God he missed him...

He knew he should be pleased that Ron was obviously being so supportive, but the jealousy that had risen its ugly head when Harry had suggested him as the pseudo father, had never really abated. Despite Harry\'s assertion that Ron was in love with Hermione, he frankly saw precious little evidence of it.

*******

Professor Dumbledore sat at his place in the Great Hall and sighed unhappily. Things were not progressing as well as he had hoped. Although he had expressed disapproval to Severus over his involvement with Harry, he had secretly been pleased that two of his favourite people had found happiness together (though their timing could have been better). Now it seemed that the thing that should be bringing them together was actually tearing them apart.

*The idiots need some sense knocked into them* And he was very much tempted to do it himself. But no, for once, the headmaster refused to intervene. He reasoned that this was something they would have to work out for themselves...