Of Hope And Love

Of Hope and Love

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Chapter 2:

Unexpected Revelations

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"Remus?" Harry asked, now more than slightly worried. Was something wrong with his lover?

"I'll leave you by yourselves," Headmaster Dumbledore said, then left the room before Harry had time to say anything.

"Remus?" Harry asked again, this time testingly. He walked slowly over to his older lover, whose eyes were fixed on the floor and lips tightly pressed together. "Remus, what's wrong? Has something happened?" he questioned, wrapping his arms loosely around the werewolf's slender waist.

"Harry," Remus spoke quietly. "I have something to tell you."

"Yes?" the teenager replied warily.

"Harry, love... at first, I want you to know that this is by no means your fault," Remus said hoarsely, and Harry was startled by the sheer pain and agony in the werewolf's eyes. "You didn't know that it could happen... I'm the only one to blame."

"But it is because of me, isn't it?" asked Harry darkly. Remus didn't speak, but the look in his eyes was more than an answer to Harry. "It is," he concluded. "Remus, I could never blame you about anything."

"Wait till you hear my news," the older wizard said strainedly. He lowered his eyes to the ground, then said very quietly, "Harry... I'm pregnant."

For a moment, Harry just stared at him, his mouth hanging open. Remus hadn't said what he thought he'd said... or had he?

"I know this shocks you," Remus said quietly, drawing himself away from Harry's arms. "Being raised by Muggles, you couldn't know that wizards could get pregnant. I knew, and I should have thought better." He raised the now teary amber eyes to the bespectacled boy. "Harry... I'll understand completely if you don't want anything to do with me or this child anymore. You didn't know, you didn't mean it... You're of no responsibility."

"No, Remus," Harry said firmly, getting over his first shock. "I'm not leaving you -- you or our child." He wrapped a strong arm around Remus's shoulders, drawing him again near, and placed his other hand protectively on his lover's still perfectly flat stomach. "I am responsible of your condition, love. Not knowing is not an excuse. I want you, and I want the baby."

"You're still young," Remus replied quietly. "You shouldn't ruin your whole life for a man enough to be your father and a bastard child."

"If we marry, it's not a bastard," Harry threw back. He then smiled at the other man's surprised and startled expression. "Yes, I do know that you can get married in the age of sixteen in the Wizarding World. And it wouldn't ruin my life, since you are my life, Remus."

"But what would people say?" Remus still tried to argue.

"Whatever they want," Harry said determinedly. "I love you, and there's no way I could leave you. You're stuck with me just as well as you're stuck with my child."

"That's just what I'm afraid of," the werewolf said quietly. "That you're only with me because of the child, because you feel responsible. Or that you do love me, but not the baby -- that it's just something you have to stand in order to be with me."

"No. I love you, that's right. But, I also do love the baby." Harry stroked affectionately the flat abdomen. "Please believe me," he then said with a bit softer tone.

Remus was quiet for a long time. Then, he broke into a smile. It was small and hesitant, true, but a smile nonetheless. "I love you," he muttered, and hugged his lover tightly.

"And I love you," Harry murmured back, wrapping his both arms around the lithe man. For a moment they just stood like that, holding each other tightly.

After some time, Harry leant back to look into Remus's eyes. He saw the amber eyes shining with love through the still remaining tears. The teenager wizard leant back in to kiss the last tears away, then smiled gently at his lover. "Well, what do you think about the marrying thing?" he asked, half teasingly, half seriously.

Remus raised an eyebrow, quickly gaining back his usual calmness after the hormonal outburst. "Is that a proposal?" the werewolf asked with the same half-serious tone Harry had used.

Now, the younger Gryffindor turned completely serious. "It is," he said softly. "And to make it even more clear... Remus John Lupin, will you marry me?"

Remus watched him intently for a moment, examining the younger wizard closely. Harry was very young -- most would consider him far too young to start a family yet. But he was also the Boy Who Lived, the one whose shoulders the fate of the world lay on. He'd grown up a lot during these past couple of years, and was now more adult-like than most of the adult wizards Remus knew.

And he loved Remus enough to be ready to take yet another burden on himself.

The werewolf gulped nervously, then quickly made up his mind. "Yes," he said hoarsely. "Yes, Harry, I will marry you."

"Good," Harry replied simply, then again leant forward to kiss Remus full on the lips.

After only a few seconds -- or forever, they couldn't really tell the time -- they were interrupted by a discreet cough. They both spun around, slightly flushed, only to find Dumbledore watching them with the ever-so familiar twinkle in his eyes.

"I take it that you have come to a decision?" the ancient wizard asked, a broad smile on his lips.

"Yes," Harry said firmly, wrapping his arms protectively around his lover's waist. "I proposed. Remus accepted."

"That's good, my boy," the Headmaster chuckled. "I wouldn't have waited any less from you. Please, take a seat, you both. We have to discuss this matter."

The two took seats, Harry's hand still clasped on Remus's. Then they watched closely the Headmaster, who in turn eyed them intently.

"You are aware that this will require certain actions," Dumbledore said. As they both nodded, he went on, "Remus, from now on, you are to stay safe and hiding. Somewhere in this castle, if possible, if not, then in the Headquarters. As soon as Voldemort learns about your pregnancy and the child's other father's identity, he'll be after you and the baby."

Remus nodded, his lips pressed tightly together. "I understand," he said quietly.

"We'll do all we can to ensure your safety," the old wizard assured him. "Nobody but your closest friends are to know about this, unless absolutely necessary. Severus will have to know, since the Wolfsbane Potion has to be slightly altered it the werewolf is with a child. But otherwise, shall I say, only Kingsley, Tonks, Molly, and Arthur need to know. And Ron and Hermione, of course, should Harry desire to inform them.

Remus nodded again, slowly. Then he said, "I know Severus probably has to inform the Dark Lord about my... condition, but he doesn't have to tell that he knows about the other father, right?"

Dumbledore returned Remus's earlier nod. "That's what we count on, at least," he said with a quiet sigh. "But we'll never know what Voldemort thinks."

Neither of the younger wizards said anything. They just grasped on each other's hand even tighter than before.