Unexpected Comfort

The Beast and The Harlot

A.N.: Another long(ish) chapter...

Remus sat back in the booth grinning at Sirius as he ranted to himself. "Really Sirius. It's not all that bad." The grumbling man glared at his lover. "Sirius, you know nothing about shopping for a girl. You'd make her buy masculine clothing just to be difficult."

"What's wrong with that? Harry should want the more masculine stuff, Harry was a boy after all." Sirius glared at his mug of butterbeer. 'I need something stronger than this,' he thought angrily. He couldn't believe that sneaky Slytherin was in muggle London, doing Merlin knows what to his goddaughter.

He couldn't believe he let that snarky bastard distract him like that. And Harry, he didn't know what to do with a girl. He could barely handle Harry as a boy. "Oh, Siri. It's not all that bad," Remus said as he patted the man's leg. He pointed towards the door when he heard the bell above it ring. "See, Severus brought her back in one piece. And she's even smiling."

Sirius stood up, intending to drag his errant goddaughter home and lock her in her room when she caught sight of him and smiled and held up a ridiculous amount of shopping bags. Maybe it was best that Severus had gone with her. He hated shopping and it would have taken them all day to accumulate the amount that those bags most likely held.

"Hey Remi, Siri. Have you had lunch yet?" Harry asked as she slid into the booth next to Remus, smiling when the man motioned towards the back of the bar. "I'm so hungry. I never knew shopping would be this much of a workout." Remus quirked an eyebrow at the faint flush on Harry's cheeks, causing the girls blush to deepen.

"Is there anything else you need to get Harry? Or do you have what you'll need for the summer?" Remus smiled at the young witch as she pulled out the list Madam Pompfrey had slipped her when they left Hogwarts.

"Anyone have a self-inking quill or a biro?" She smiled as long fingers placed a quill on the table in front of her. "Well, I've got undergarments, a handful of sundresses, a handful of 'moderate' weather dresses, three cold-weather dresses and 2 formal dresses." Harry paused as Tom placed a butterbeer in front of her.

Severus grabbed the drink before she could touch it, pushing it back towards the kindly bartender. "Miss... Black would prefer juice or weak tea." Harry smiled brightly at the seemingly dour man.

"Hey! What gives you the right to tell Harry what she can drink?" Sirius whispered furiously. Not understanding why Remus and Harry looked almost content with the Potion Master's display.

"Sirius, even small amounts of alcohol in the beginning of a magical pregnancy can cause severe issues with the child and the mother." Remus patted the man's arm consolingly as he paled at the mention of Harry being pregnant.

"Well, I have everything but robes. Poppy wrote that I should get six everyday robes, three house robes, one dress robe and a cloak. One that can be adjusted depending on the weather." She pushed her list aside when Tom's wife came out floating four heavily laden platters before her.

"There you go, dearies. Do you need anything else?" Smiled at her hungry customers and bid them an enjoyable meal when she was told no.

"Harry?" Said girl looked up meeting Sirius' gaze and cocked her head to the side. "Remus and I were wondering if you had any...um... issues decided?"

"We'll help you no matter what you decide Harry," Remus was quick to insert, casting a glare at his mate.

Harry set down her silverware and took a sip of her tea before answering. "Only one thing has been decided, I'm going to carry the baby to term. The discussion that comes with that decision needs to be had and I'd rather do that in the safety and silence of Headquarters."