The love of a child
I would like to say thank you to my beta Founders Child because she is the best in the entire world, I bow down to her greatness :)
Chapter one – Untold secrets
Having destroyed what he saw to be his remaining bit of humanity Harry Potter had withdrawn himself from the wizarding world completely, leaving his lover and the majority of his friends behind. He knew that he should have died in his final duel with the Dark Lord; it was the result of another that he had survived, a child growing inside of him who preferred her 'mother' to be invincible.
Two months before his confrontation with Voldermort he had slept with his lover who was still away dealing with rampaging deatheaters and had not been in contact for months. He therefore was unaware of Harry's blissful condition. Harry wasn't even sure that he wanted to tell Severus, as it wasn't exactly a secret that he hated young children, calling them brats at every available opportunity. It was thought that the man would rather die than call a child his own.
Harry, after graduating from Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry had gone to Brighton and set up home for him and his baby, which he had discovered three weeks ago was going to be a girl. He had spent at least two weeks decorating her room just right and had spent over one thousand galleons on furnishings, toys and clothes. He had charmed his rapidly expanding waistline to be invisible to muggles, this was important as he lived in an all muggle town.
Hermione and Ron were the only two who Harry had kept in contact with, they were aware of course of his condition but they were busy with their own three children. Twin girls Phoebe and Rebecca and their two-year-old son Ryan, not to mention Hermione was three months pregnant. Dumbledore and Madame Promfrey were the only other two who knew about Harry's baby. Harry didn't want any media attention when it came to his daughter; he wanted her to have as normal up bringing as a child could have, considering that as soon as she got to Hogwarts she would be treated with great respect for being his daughter.
It was almost December and Harry had been forced to move into the hospital wing as he was already a week over due and Poppy wouldn't allow Harry to stay alone in case something went wrong. He was already becoming overly sick of the hospital wing but at least he had his own bed, courtesy of all his quidditch accidents during his school years. He was getting increasingly more worried that Severus would come back and find him like this and never speak to him again, especially since he was due back any time now.
Harry had been having stomach cramps all day but he had thought nothing of it until the most painful one over took him as Poppy was serving him lunch, he felt his waters break as he clenched his stomach.
"What is it dear?" She asked though she already had a pretty good idea what was happening.
"My baby, she's coming." Harry gasped.
Ten agonising hours later Poppy handed Harry a tiny baby girl who Harry was happy to see did not have her fathers hooked nose.
"She's so beautiful."
"Do you have a name for her?"
"Bonnie Lily Potter."
"Just Potter?"
"Yes, just Potter."
Harry then placed Bonnie in the crib next to his bed and let sleep over take him. The following morning when Harry awoke it was not to his daughter's cries but to the sound of the headmaster discussing a patient's condition with Poppy.
Harry slid out of bed trying to ignore the protests of his aching body. He moved his way over to the bed opposite his own and recognized the man as one of those to accompany Severus on his mission after Lucius Malfoy who had fled to France. Harry quickly looked at the other two patients, none of them were Severus. Harry thanked Merlin for this miracle.
"Headmaster Dumbledore." Harry said going up to the elderly man who had only just finished conversing with Poppy. "Is Severus in the castle?"
"I should think he is in his chambers resting, he was asking after you."
"Did you tell him I was here?"
"No, I said I would tell him where you were after I thought he had rested enough, Poppy will discharge you later today so you can go home, he will never know you were here."
"Thank you Sir."
Harry made his way back over to Bonnie who was beginning to stir and picked up the bottle Poppy had left him to feed her. As she drank she watched him with her brilliant emerald eyes Harry couldn't help but smile. Bonnie finished her bottle and Harry burped her, but as he attempted to put her down she began to whimper, wanting to be held some more. Harry complied not having the strength to deny her this. She yawned sleepily, her little fist clenching Harry's already crumpled t-shirt so he could not put her down. To him she was the most beautiful thing in the entire world; nothing would ever replace her in his mind.
"You're my baby girl; no one will ever hurt you I promise."
Harry watched as she nodded off. He kissed her forehead gently so not to wake her from her slumber. As he watched, he was glad that he no longer had to participate in any order activities, most were still searching for deatheaters that were still on the run.
When Severus Snape came up to the hospital wing to check on his fallen comrades Harry was long gone, Dumbledore sat waiting for him as Severus knew that he would be.
"How are you feeling this afternoon?" The headmaster asked.
"Rested." Snape returned pointedly. "How are the others doing?" He continued with holding himself from asking the question he was dying to know the answer to.
"They are all fine, they are asleep at present but Poppy has managed to fix them all as good as new."
"Now will you let me see Harry, I need to see him, I haven't in so long, I miss him."
"That I do not doubt."
"He's not seeing any one else is he?" Snape asked now slightly panicked.
"No, he's not; he has been too busy to be dating any one new."
"Then I must go and see him, where is he, I'll apperate there right away."
"I suggest for Harry's own sanity that you do not just turn up, why don't you write to him and ask him if you may come and stay with him for the remainder of the holidays."
Severus was looking more than slightly confused by this but nevertheless nodded and went off to the owlery as fast as he could, without looking anything less than graceful in the process.
Harry had finally managed to get Bonnie settled down in the living room by putting her in the living room, on her play mat. As she lay there just taking in her surroundings and occasionally gurgling. Harry sat in the sofa reading, and every few minutes he would watch her. He could still hardly believe that she had come out of him.
He was distracted by his musings by the front door bell ringing. "Back in a second baby." He told his daughter getting up and going to the door, once he had opened it he saw Hermione and her two year old son. Harry smiled and hugged her before inviting her in. "How are you?"
"Fine, my life's a bit hectic at the moment, sorry about not keeping in contact, Dumbledore said you gave birth yesterday so I thought I'd come round and see you."
"I now understand what you mean, babies are so adorable but hard work, Bonnie is in the living room if you want to come through."
"I'd love to."
The two of them went through and sat down, Harry conjured tea and biscuits and they talked. Ryan playing with a few toys, Bonnie lay sleeping on Harry's lap. Ron was dying to come and see Harry himself or so he found out but he had taken the twins shopping today as they were at the stage where they couldn't sit still for a moment.
Harry couldn't ever imagine his life changing now, he may have been a single parent but he had good friends, he had a load of money to give his daughter the best life he could give her. Even if Severus did feel an obligation to stay, Harry at this point wouldn't have cared. It wasn't that he didn't love Severus, he did but Bonnie was far more important.
This is now beta read, my beta Founder's Child (I love her to bits for her great work) will work on each chapter so I will be re-posting the majority of this story. Review pleease xxx