Harry stopped at a balcony before going back to the hospital wing. He was not satisfied with Dumbledore's reasoning for this predicament, not at all. The only thing that kept him from leaping across the desk and choking the old man was his love for Hermione. He had an evil wizard to kill, a wife to support, and now a baby to raise. He could do none of that locked in Azkaban, nor would he give Voldemort the satisfaction of taking out Dumbledore for him. No, Dumbledore was powerful and they had a common enemy, a very powerful common enemy. Enemy of my enemy is my friend.
He sighed as he looked over the grounds of Hogwarts, thinking back to the first time he had seen the castle and the hope it had given him for a better life. He wondered how things would have been different if he had never left Privet Drive and the oppression of the Dursleys. It was not a case of longing for those days, but simply going over the what ifs. Being a wizard had not brought him the freedom he thought it would. Every year his life had been threatened. He wondered what it would be like to just be a kid, wizard or muggle. Baby, you're going to be just a kid. Hermione will have to show us both how to go about that, but that's what's going to happen.
Harry mulled over the situation. He reasoned that he had enough money in his Gringott's account to support the baby while he and Hermione finished school. Maybe he could hire Dobby to help out. They would have to have some help with NEWTs to study for. NEWTS.... if we live that long, he sighed. When Fred and George started to turn a profit, he would be making some money from his investment. He had told them he did not want the money, but now was glad they had insisted on making him a partner. He sighed again. There was no way he could train to become an Auror now. He had too much responsibility weighing on him to take on that lifestyle.
He ran a hand through his unruly hair. "Meddlesome bastard," he mumbled. At least he taught me to control my emotions. He probably did that for his own benefit since he knew how furious I'd be when this hit. He shuddered with anger, remembering that Dumbledore had called his rage a brilliant display. He planned it right down to me blowing up the water goblets. He let his frustration out in a noise that registered somewhere between a growl and a yell. He vowed that Dumbledore, nor anyone else would manipulate him like this again.
Harry inhaled deeply, telling himself to calm down so he could go back to Hermione. But how did he explain that this man they trusted so deeply had betrayed their trust for the greater good? He had almost forgiven Dumbledore for keeping things from him and the old wizard had done it again. When it came down to it, Harry was getting really tired of this elusive greater good that always seemed to need any normalcy in his life sacrificed. Still, it did not bother him as much that his life was being played with since he was getting used to that. What bothered him most was that Hermione had become another pawn in the game between Dumbledore and Voldemort. Yet, worst of all was there was now this innocent baby being manipulated too.
"He must be desperate," Hermione said resoundedly. Harry had returned to her side and given her Dumbledore's reasons. "I mean, he could go to Azkaban for giving us potions under false pretense."
Harry had not even thought of that. It was true; if he and Hermione made an issue of it, they could have Dumbledore sentenced to Azkaban. Sentenced. "He'd never go there," Harry told her. Dumbledore was far to powerful to be caught and imprisoned by anyone and he had shown that the previous school year.
"Not that I would want him sent there," Hermione added quickly.
Harry nodded. "You're a good woman, Hermione, more understanding than I could be right now."
"Think about it, Harry. I'm fifteen and pregnant. That's a startlingly extreme measure to go to for the sake of protecting me."
It amazed Harry that she could be so reasonable when facing this. "I don't understand why he would not talk to us about it. He wants us to act like adults, but he's not treating us like adults."
Hermione shrugged, thinking it over. "I just don't know," she said somberly.
Harry sat beside her and put his hand on her stomach, just below her ribcage. "Our baby is in there, Hermione. Can you believe that?"
She smiled and pushed his hand a lower on her abdomen. "Actually, it's probably about here."
"Oh," he patted her. "Hello, baby," he leaned over to kiss her stomach. "I'll do everything I can to protect you and your Mummy. You don't have to protect her. That's too much pressure for you to deal with. Of course, if you can protect her, that's great because you're really lucky to have her for your Mum. You're going to be a regular kid, or wizard, or witch, or if you're a squib, that's okay too. And, for your sake, I hope hair managability skips a generation."
Hermione laughed for the first time in hours. "Are you saying you don't like my hair?"
"You know I love your hair, get it all tangled it up," He grinned and stopped that train of thought. "But, come on, think of the kid."
Hermione placed her hand on top of Harry's.
He said, "I really hope he or she is just like you... smart, loyal, brave, and all around incredible."
"With you for a dad, there's no way this baby won't be all of those things," Hermione met his eyes, tears still welling in her own. "Are you sure you're not mad at me?"
"Why would I be mad at you?" Harry asked. "This is Dumbledore's doing. But I refuse to let this baby be just a toy. Hermione, whatever the circumstances, this is our baby and I love it and I love you. We'll manage."
"I love you, Harry," Hermione said as fresh tears streaked her cheeks. She was certain she had never cried from fear this much before in her life.
They were interrupted as Mrs. Weasley came tumbling out of the fireplace, covered in soot. "Harry! Hermione! What's wrong? I came as soon as I got your message!" She was still holding the parchment where Mum, we need you. Hospital wing. Harry was hastily scrawled.
"Honey, are you sick?" she rushed to Hermione's side. "Why are you crying? What is it?" she spoke very quickly as she felt Hermione's forehead.
The teens exchanged looks. "Listen, don't tell anyone," Harry started. "I mean, no one."
Before he could say another word, Mr. Weasley also came tumbling out of the floo network, holding a note that Mrs. Weasley had left him. "Molly, I found your note. What's going on?" he said, rushing to her side.
"I don't know. They were just about to tell me."
"Dumbledore gave us the wrong potion, only it wasn't the wrong potion. He meant to give us that potion, but we thought he was giving us something else. We took it and it worked," Hermione told them.
Her scattered message only made the Weasleys more concerned because it was so very un-Hermione like to not get to the point. They looked at her, each other, and then Harry.
"We're having a baby." Harry told them plainly.
"Oh my," Mrs. Weasly gasp, collapsing into the nearest chair. It rolled backward a few inches.
"We thought we took birth control, but it was a fertility potion," Harry continued.
"Oh my," Mrs. Weasley repeated.
"He gave you a fertility potion without telling you?" Mr. Weasley queried. "That's impossible. It's illegal. It's immoral. Albus Dumbledore did that?"
"He said pregancy would protect Hermione from evil curses," Harry told him, his voice free of emotion. He had worked himself into a calm state, telling himself that being angry would do no good at this point.
"Oh," Both Weasleys said as understanding dawned on them.
"He should have told us," Harry added. "He should have let us make that decision."
"No, it doesn't work that way," Mrs. Weasley argued. "If you conceived a child with the sole purpose of using it for protection, it would not hold the same magic."
"But he said that you guys..."
"Each of our children is a product of love and love alone," Mr. Weasley interrupted. "We both come from large families, you know. It was simply a bonus that Molly had a shield around her while she was expecting. We never planned a child to protect Molly. We wanted each one of them. Dumbledore's intent may have been protection, but you and Hermione were only acting in love."
"Love," Hermione said. They all turned to look at her. "It all goes back to love, doesn't it? Harry's mother's love saved him from Voldemort. Our baby is a physical embodiment of love, our love, and the love that Lily passed on to Harry."
"He can't touch love," Harry said, picking up on Hermione's reasoning. "It's like light to a vampire or holy water to a demon." He took Hermione's hand in his own. "Love is our greatest shield and our greatest weapon."
Mrs. Weasley came to her adopted son and daughter in law. "Don't you worry, my dears. This is going to work out. We'll help you however we can. Arthur, can you believe that we're going to be grandparents? Finally," she added. It was no secret that she was hoping Bill or Charlie would have given her grandchildren by now.
"Thanks," Hermione told them.
"Remember, please don't tell anyone," Harry said. "Aside from us and Dumbledore, Madame Pomfrey and Snape are the only ones who know. We best not let a word of this get out."
"I'm not even going to tell my parents until Voldemort has been defeated," Hermione told them. "They would only worry more."
Mrs. Weasley continued to fuss over Hermione while Mr. Weasley pulled Harry to the side. "Harry, there's something else I've been looking into since we adopted you," he started.
"What is it?" Harry asked softly, not wanting their conversation to alarm Hermione who was talking to Mrs. Weasley about morning sickness cures.
"I have six older brothers. Do you realize what that makes you?"
Harry thought a minute, assuming there must be a more significant meaning than he could find, "I'm their nephew?" he ventured.
Mr. Weasley laughed. "Aside from that. You're younger than Ron. When we adopted you, you became the seventh son of a seventh son."
"What does that mean?" Harry asked. He had heard the expression before, but had no idea what the legends were behind it.
"Supernatural powers, curative powers, psychic sense, immortality, and possibly becoming a vampire."
Harry's eyes bulged.
"Those last two aren't true," Mr. Weasley smiled.
"But I'm not really your son," Harry said.
"Haven't you realized how powerful and binding magical contracts are?" Mr. Weasley prodded. "You're just as magically bound to me as any of my other children."
"So, then all these seventh son of the seventh son powers just kind of fell on me when you adopted me?"
"If there's any substance to them, then yes. I can't tell you with any certainty if the legends are true. There are not a whole lot of seventh sons of seventh sons running around to verify anything. But I thought that you should be aware that if your psychic abilities become more pronounced, to take them seriously. We've all seen and felt a shift in your power."
"What do you mean?" Harry asked. How could anyone else feel such a thing?
"Harry you are different. Being around you is almost like being around Dumbledore. Don't take that the wrong way because of what he's done to you. Overall, he's always been a very good man, even if his ways have been unorthadox. I'm sure you know that feeling you get when you're in his presence. I'm sure you felt it the first time you ever met him."
Harry nodded, knowing exactly what Mr. Weasley meant. When he saw Dumbledore for the first time he knew he was standing before an incredibly powerful man. He also knew that his own sense of self had been changing in the past few weeks. He credited it to his training and the impending task of fighting the Dark Lord, but he had found himself more confident of his own power and found that the playing field between himself and the headmaster was leveling. No, he did not, nor would he ever consider himself Dumbledore's equal; but Harry knew that he could hold his own against Dumbledore or any other wizard who challenged him. "I've been training privately with Dumbledore," he said, thinking that may explain any changes.
"That may be the difference," Mr. Weasley said. "But I think you should be aware of any possibilities at this point."
"I'm glad someone feels that way," Harry responded. "You must be the only one who thinks I need to know what's going on in my own life."
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley gave them both a hug before leaving. Madame Pomfrey had decided to keep Hermione overnight, not because she was in any physical danger, but because she felt Hermione would benefit from some time away from her roommates to come to terms with this. She would have told Harry to return to the dorm, but considered that he needed time to cope too. She returned to check on her charges soon after the Weasleys departed and told them to go to bed. After Harry moved a bed to be close to Hermione, Madame Pomfrey gave them both some dreamless sleep potion, which they hesitantly took.
"Maybe things will look brighter in the morning," Hermione told Harry before drifting off to sleep.
"Maybe," Harry said, though he doubted it.
I just want to thank everyone for taking time to review this. Some of your comments help me see things I've overlooked or show me I'm going in the right directions because you ask about things I plan to address later. Special thanks to nurray for the detailed post. I got to read my 1000th review on my birthday!! (the 16th). That was so cool!! It's thrilling to be called sneaky. LOL Thanks for sticking with me this far through this elaborate set up. The battle is just around the corner and I know I'll struggle writing it, so just bear with me. I hope by the end, I'll tie together some of the things that may have seemed pointless, long winded, or out of character.