Harriet Potter and the Alpha in the Dungeon

Chapter 28 - A Princely Father

Severus's scowl turned from one of concern to one of disbelieving anger as he asked, "I beg your pardon......May I ask what that phrase means? 'Take my daughter to seek care'? Is this not the best wizarding hospital in the country?"

"Well, yes sir, of course." The healer nodded, "Although......premature birth is such a rarity in our world. I've heard the muggles are quite ingenious at dealing with this kind of thing. Their hospitals will be better equipped than we are to look after the infant. A colleague of mine said that muggle hospitals even have plastic boxes to warm babies who are born too early."

".....Are you suggesting that I abandon my omega to take my daughter away from her?" Severus asked the healer with a dangerous glare, ".......And then leave my defenseless newborn helplessly alone with a group of strange muggles when I return to visit my wife?"

"I'm terribly sorry, Mr. Snape." The healer said with an apologetic shrug, "But we don't have a unit here for premature infants.....I'm frightened that we won't be able to meet the child's needs."

Severus glowered at the healer as he snapped and demanded, "Tell me......what are my daughter's needs?"

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Leave his wife to save his daughter.

Leave his daughter to visit his wife!

Severus was in awe of the healer's stupidity for even suggesting that he do such ridiculous things.

If Harriet had been strong enough, then Severus could have taken her and the baby both to the muggles for care, but as she lay sleeping while her body repaired itself and new blood cells grew in her bones, Severus refused to entertain the option of separating his little family.

Severus felt that it was cruelly unnatural for an infant to be kept away from its mother.

Besides, after everything that they had been through, Severus couldn't bear to have either Harriet or their new baby out of his sight.

Their baby......

The medical staff looked after Harriet well while she slept.

They nourished her with sustenance charms, vanished away her waste, and kept her clean.

Harriet had been frightfully pale when they had first arrived at the hospital.

Severus celebrated silent victories as more and more of her healthy color returned with each passing hour, but their small daughter remained largely in his care.

Under the healers' instruction, Severus had volunteered to act as a living incubator for his newborn.

Severus had been a bit uncomfortable about holding his baby girl against his bare chest at first, but once he had her settled snugly against his breast, tucked into the blankets that swaddled her and the comforting heaviness of his black robes, his qualms eased.

The pieces of cloth that diapered her were so desperately little that Severus could hold one on the tip of two fingers.

His small daughter nearly fit into his two hands and when he held her in his arms, she had plenty of room to stretch herself.

The baby whimpered occasionally, but Severus still hadn't heard her cry on her second day of life.

Harriet continued to sleep without waking although Severus had barely rested.

Hour after hour, his dark gaze flickered worriedly from Harriet to the brittle, tiny life that their love had created.

Severus watched over his little daughter vigilantly.