For Love or The Law?

Chapter Sixteen

Hermione was ecstatic, over the moon with joy as she and Harry stood outside the door to her parents' home. She placed a hand over her abdomen, her heart swelling as her thoughts drifted to the two babies growing inside her womb. She was going to be a mother.

Harry caught sight of his wife staring into space as he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her body closer to him as he rested his hand atop hers. Such an immense weight had been lifted from their shoulders now that they were indeed pregnant. The couple heard a fit of laughter coming from inside the Granger residence, causing Hermione to stir from her thoughts and grin happily. "You ready, love?" Harry asked his wife as he raised his first to the door.

"More than ever." Harry nodded, gently knocking on the front door. No sooner than a minute later did the door open, Karen standing behind it as the presence of laughter etched on her face. "Harry, Hermione! What are the two of you doing here? Your father and I weren't expecting you to pick up Teddy for a couple more hours." Karen asked surprised, pushing back a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Well we just came from the Healers Office and we thought we'd stop by early." Hermione replied, noticing the smudge of flour residing on her mother's cheek. Karen's eyes went wide at the news. Ever since her daughter had given herself and Roger the heartbreaking news of her infertility she had spent countless mornings and nights praying for her daughter and son-in-law to get the news they most desperately wanted to hear.

"Please, come in." Karen told them, opening the door wider for the pair to enter. " Your father and Teddy are in the kitchen, placing the last of the cookies on the sheet to bake. Roger Teddy, Harry and Hermione are here!" She called out. With the sound of a chair scraping against the marble floor, a small figure appeared around the corner, his electric blue hair changing soft brown.

"Daddy, Mummy!" he cried excitedly. He ran down the halway, his arms open wide. Harry knelt down to his level and scooped him up in his arms, giving him a big hug. Over the last year, Teddy had noticed all the other children his age calling their parents "Mummy" or "Daddy".He knew he had biological parents who had died for him, to protect him as his godfather's parents had done, but he couldn't help but wonder if he was allowed to call Harry daddy.

*****FlashBack******

One evening while Harry and Hermione were visiting Teddy and Andromeda for dinner, Teddy had called Harry "Daddy" out of the blue. Harry, Hermione and Andromeda shared a look. Harry felt unsure of how to approach the subject with Teddy, since ever since the lad could talk he's only ever called him "Uncle Harry". Andromeda stood up from her place from the table and walked over to her three-year-old grandson.

"What did you say, baby?" Andromeda had asked quietly, raking her fingers through his hair.

"Daddy." Teddy repeated, pointing his finger in Harry's direction. His grandmother smiled softly, tears welling in her eyes. Harry opened his mouth to speak, yet nothing came out. Hermione grabbed hold of his hand, squeezing it lightly.

"That's right, That's your Daddy Harry." She replied, her eyes flickering to Harry who continued to sit there quietly, unable to speak. Andromeda summoned a photograph from the next room, holding it in front of her grandson and asked him, "Do you know who this man is?"

"Yes, that's my Daddy Remus." Teddy responded as he touched Remus face. "And that's my Mummy, Dora. They died when I was a baby because there was a bad man trying to take over our world."

"That's right love, they did." She told him, placing a tender kiss upon his forehead. Andromeda stood up, her attention now focused on Harry. "Don't worry Harry, Teddy and I have already had the discussion a few days ago when he overheard the other kids call their parents mummy and daddy. He knows who his biological parents are and what they died for. He also understands that his parents named you his godfather and left him in your care if something were to happen to me. I told him I wouldn't think anything less of you or Hermione if he started calling you mum and dad, but it would be his choice and his alone. Aside from myself, the two of you are the closest thing he has to parents."