The Potion Master's Apprentice

Chapter 17

The next two months, Severus often caught Harry staring off into the distance with a gentle smile on his face and his hand resting on his belly. Of course, Harry had caught him absentmindedly rubbing the same exact spot after a bout of lovemaking, while he was holding him, just before or after sleeping…

“Sev, have you heard anything I’ve said?” He snapped out of his stupor and focused on Harry’s smirk. 

“I heard you perfectly. As for listening, I fear I wasn’t.” Harry laughed. 

“I was asking if you think you’d be okay with Hermione coming over for tea soon? I know we talked about it, but you still weren’t okay with that idea.” Not being okay with it was a bit of an understatement. The topic had been brought up and Severus had spent several hours holding Harry tightly in their bedroom with the door locked and warded. 

But he found that he didn’t mind the idea of the Granger girl coming for tea all too much now. She and Harry wrote to each other often and he felt something awful that he was keeping the young man away from his friends. 

“You know, I find I’m not opposed to that idea as much as I was previously. I suppose you can invite her for tea. But she can’t take offence if I have to kick her out.” 

Harry chuckled before telling him she would be more than understanding should that be the case. 

And so that’s how he found himself currently sitting on the couch across from the brown haired know-it-all. Harry had his legs tucked under him and was leaning into Severus’s side while sipping on his chocolate mint tea.

“Molly and the Weasleys send their greetings and love. They miss you, you know.” Harry nodded, a guilty expression passing over his face. 

“I know, I’ve been meaning to write to Molly again but I keep getting sidetracked whenever I start. I’ve probably started half a dozen letters in the last two weeks.” 

“Nonsense! She knows you’re adjusting. Unless you’re hiding something?” She looked at Harry pointedly and Harry blushed. He couldn’t keep a secret to save his life.

“Well...yeah, we are hiding something. But you can’t tell! Molly will have my hide for not saying anything sooner.” A shrewd look came over her and she leaned forward with interest. 

“This wouldn’t happen to be related to whatever’s been wrong with you, would it? You’ve been avoiding it whenever it comes up in our letters, and I’m dying to know!” Harry’s cheeks reddened and he looked up at Severus. 

“Can I tell her? She’ll figure it out eventually.” Severus smiled and nodded at him. He couldn’t seem to deny Harry anything. Harry turned back to Hermione, practically bouncing in his excitement. 

“I’m pregnant!” If Severus was concerned for his own sanity having the two of them together and gossiping about every little thing then he was sorely unprepared for the unholy squeal of delight that passed Hermione’s throat and reverberated through Harry as a response.