Expecting The Unexpected

Chapter Four - Potions Problems and Big Reveals

Harry's new-found philosophical optimism lasted until lunchtime the following day, when he could be found hurling up his lunch into the rose bushes in the Hogwarts grounds, after he mistakenly thought some fresh air might ward off the imminent sickness he felt after tucking into a large slice of treacle tart. The revelation that he would no longer be able to eat his favourite dessert for the rest of the pregnancy was the last straw as far as he was concerned, and he spent the rest of the day in bed in a cross between sulking and feeling sorry for himself.

The second unpleasant piece of news of the weekend came the following morning when Professor McGonagall informed him that it was no longer safe for him to play Quidditch, and he would have to surrender his captaincy and resign from the Gryffindor team. At that he simply gritted his teeth and walked away from her, his hands balled into fists.

This pattern of anger, upset and self-moping continued for the next two weeks. Harry alternated between snapping at Ron, Hermione and Ginny over very minor things (with Hermione rushing around reassuring Ron and Ginny that, "Harry doesn't mean it; it's the pregnancy hormones," which just made him snap at them more), and apologising tearfully to them. He even found himself apologising to Malfoy, who was on the receiving end of Harry's particularly venomous tongue frequently. It was testament of their truce (and no doubt the fact that Harry was carrying Draco's baby), that Draco took everything Harry flung at him and never raised his voice (or his wand) in retaliation. And in Harry's calmer moments, the two of them were managing to get along with each other fairly well. Malfoy had even taken over brewing Harry's pregnancy-approved potion to calm his sickness, not that Harry thought it helped much.

Harry's roommates couldn't fail but to notice that Harry was out of sorts. So he took the decision to tell them what was going on, about a week after he had told Ginny by the lake. Although he refused to reveal who the other father was, he made it clear it was a Polyjuice incident cock-up and, for once, he actually wasn't involved. They were obviously shocked, but once the initial surprise had worn off they were very supportive. Neville especially (whom Harry privately thought probably felt guilty about Ginny, even though he had no reason to) became particularly protective of Harry, which Harry appreciated.

In between the hormonal rages and bouts of sickness, Harry did find himself beginning to feel excited about becoming a dad. Hermione would sometimes catch him sitting in his favourite tatty armchair by the fire in the common room long after the other Gryffindors had gone to bed, textbook in his lap which he was paying no attention to whatsoever, hand subconsciously placed on his abdomen, and with a contented small smile playing at the corners of his mouth whilst his eyes had the faraway expression of one experiencing a particularly wonderful daydream. She never told him she'd seen him, but the sight warmed her heart. Despite the circumstances of the baby's conception, and the fact Harry was only eighteen, it was obvious he was going to be a natural father.

Hermione did, however, suggest to Harry that he kept a journal, writing to the baby in which he could express his private thoughts. Harry scoffed at this, calling Hermione 'ridiculous', yet that night, after a Halloween Feast he just wasn't in the mood at all for, he slipped a sheet of parchment out of his schoolbag, Transfigured it into a diary, and began to write.

*

31st October 1998. I am ten weeks and three days pregnant.

Dear Baby,

Should I even call you 'Baby'? Do you look like a baby yet? Should I call you 'Blob' perhaps? Or, 'That Lump That Has Me Throwing Up Every Day'?

I've known about you for exactly a fortnight now. And the shock has worn off, even if the nausea hasn't. I wonder if I made my mum this sick when she was expecting me? I wish she was around for me to ask. I've been thinking about my mum and dad a lot since I found out I was going to be a parent myself. I wonder what they'd have thought of their son being pregnant! And at eighteen, to boot. Not to mention me making them grandparents before they reached their forties. Wherever they are now, I hope they're looking forward to meeting you, like I am.