Chapter 9: I'm A What?
"She, she's my what? I'm a what? Hermione?" Harry looked from Hermione to the child.
"She's your daughter, you're her father." Hermione said still trying to comfort her little girl.
"I ca-can't be, it's not, not possible, if she was mine you'd, you'd have told me -" Harry stammered in disbelief.
"I don't know what I can tell you Harry other then the truth. Here look at her for yourself if you don't believe me." Hermione said offering Lily to Harry. He took her, very unsure of what he was doing. But as the little girl settled into his arms she opened her large emerald eyes and all of Harry's doubts were taken away.
"Lily, Lily, I told you we were going to let Mum and Dad talk. I'm sorry Hermione I tried to keep her away, but she was upset and wouldn't listen." Ron called down the hallway not realizing that Harry had already come back into the hall was standing there with Lily in his arms.
"You knew," Harry said and Ron stopped dead in his tracks. "Ron you knew about this? You knew I had a child and you never told me."
"No I didn't, not before today." Ron said shacking his head. "I swear mate, I didn't know." Harry was unconvinced.
"Really Harry he didn't know until he stepped into the top box a little while ago. I never told anyone but Ginny." Harry looked at her in disbelief.
"If everyone is going to be down here then I'm not waiting back there. People are looking at me and pointing." James said running down the hallway. Harry's eyes widened in shock.
"Who's he?" Harry asked Hermione.
"Your son James, I gave birth to twins nine years ago."
"He looks just like my father."
"I know."
"Hermione, we have to talk about this."
"I know."
"Listen," Ron interjected, "how about I take these two back to Ginny's house and let you two talk?"
"Hold on for just one minute. Lily what happened that got you so upset?" Hermione said rubbing her daughters arm supportively.
"James said I was the reason Dad never spent time with us." Hermione rounded on James
"Why would you say something so horrible to your sister?"
"She was annoying me." James said almost apologetically.
"She is your sister; she's bound to annoy you sometimes. I raised you better then that James, making your sister cry over something you know isn't true."
"I'm sorry Mum."
"Don't apologize to me - apologize to your sister."
"I'm sorry Lily." James said walking over to his sister.
"You mean it?" She asked looking down from Harry's shoulder.
"Yeah and what I said, it wasn't true, you were just annoying me with all your questions. He didn't stay away from us because of you." Lily smiled at him and he smiled back.
"Now that that's settled, Ron, it'd be great if you would take them back to Ginny's. She and Dan aren't there so could you stay with them a while?"
"Yeah no problem - I'll let Luna know what's going on and stay until you get back."
"Thanks Ron. Goodnight James," Hermione said hugging her son. "Behave for Ron wont you?" She whispered in his ear.
"I will Mum." Hermione smiled at him and then turned to Harry who still had Lily tight in his arms. Harry understood what she wanted. He hugged his daughter tight one last time and whispered "I love you, never doubt that" in her ear before giving her back to Hermione. He didn't know how he could love someone that he had just met so much, but he knew it was true.
"Goodnight my sweet girl." Hermione said hugging Lily and putting her down.
"Goodnight Mum."
"Alright come on you two, I'm taking you back to Ginny's and then you are going to bed." Ron said taking them both by the hand and walking down the hallway.
"But we're not tired." Lily and James said in unison.
"Well I am." Ron said as he turned the corner and the three of them disappeared from sight.
"Hermione," Harry said sternly pulling her attention off her children. She turned to see a stone faced Harry looking at her. "We need to talk."
AN: I know, I know really short again and but it's not really a cliff hanger because we know what they are going to go do, but at least now he knows and you've seen a bit of his reaction - even if he is in shock and his reaction is a bit muted. Up next…the talk.
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