Silver and Gold 17/? DH Spoilers
SPOILERS FOR DH


Title: Silver and Gold 17/?
Author: Eriador117
Rating: NC-17, Snape/Harry
Spoilers up to and including Deathly Hallows.
Summary: Things are never quite what they seem. Epilogue, what epilogue? ;)
Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the Potterverse, I'm just playing in it.
Beta'd by Rakina, many thanks :)
Warnings: AU, Angst, Mpreg. There are some other things I am not warning for as it will give away the plot and I myself don't exactly know where the story is going yet.



Earlier Parts

Part Seventeen

The next morning, Madam Pomfrey allowed Harry to sit upright so he could eat his breakfast and drink down some more potions. He had to sit sideways on the bed so that he didn't accidentally cause any more damage by leaning against something. Harry wasn't feeling very hungry but he ate everything on the tray so that he would hopefully get out of the infirmary that much quicker. Once the breakfast tray was cleared away, Madam Pomfrey allowed him to go the bathroom by himself and once he returned she gently unwrapped the bandages.

Before she Banished the dirty dressings, Harry caught a glimpse of the blood and pus staining them and he winced.

"It's healing nicely, Harry. I think it will be completely better within the week," said Madam Pomfrey as she soothed some more healing salve onto his back. His skin didn't feel so tight anymore and Harry was prepared to believe her; the matron always seemed to know what she was doing. If she said he'd be better within a week, then he would be.

"How are you feeling this morning, dear?" she asked as she finished wrapping him in clean bandages and came around to face him.

"My back's fine, but my stomach is a bit sore. It started yesterday and Professor Snape said I should tell you if it still felt the same."

"Where are you sore, dear? A lot of people say stomach when they really mean their abdomen."

Harry blushed, realising she was right. It was his abdomen that was aching. He placed his hand there, just above his groin.

"What sort of pain is it? Sharp and intense? Or more like a nagging ache?"

"More like a nagging ache. It's not there all the time but it does feel weird, I've never felt anything like it before."

Madam Pomfrey removed her wand and scanned Harry's whole body from head to toe. "Well, except for your injuries from yesterday, everything else is coming up normal. Did you have a bowel movement this morning?"

"Yes."

"And was it normal? Was there any blood or pain?"

"No, it was normal," said Harry, beyond blushing by now. Madam Pomfrey was always very professional.

"Hmm. There is something – maybe – but it's so rare. I'll do a blood test. How are you with needles, Harry?"

"Fine, I think. I mean, I've never really had anything to do with them."

"Didn't you get your Muggle vaccinations before you came here?"

Harry shook his head; the Dursleys wouldn't have cared whether he was protected from getting sick.

"I see," said Madam Pomfrey briskly and Harry knew the matron was remembering all the times he returned from Surrey weighing less and with bruises that he wouldn't explain. Harry was so ashamed at what the Dursleys had done. It was as if Harry felt it had been his fault and that if he admitted that the Dursleys had done those things people would think he had done something to deserve it. As yet in their counselling sessions, they had never discussed Harry's abuse but Harry guessed the matron already knew and was waiting for Harry to bring it up. "Very well, Harry, just extend your arm for me and make a fist."

Harry did as he was told but had to look away when he saw the conjured syringe in the matron's hand. She swabbed his arm with something cold and then he felt a small pin-prick on his inner elbow. "There, all done. I'll just go and test the blood now. I should only be about ten minutes or so."

After Madam Pomfrey walked to her office with the vial of Harry's blood he did nothing but worry. Did he have some rare wizarding disease? Or maybe a Muggle one as he'd never been vaccinated? Harry could only think of mumps and measles, but he wasn't sure what their symptoms were. Did they cause aches in the abdomen? Maybe it was some form of cancer. Harry didn't know much about the disease, just that it was very bad and was most often fatal. Harry felt the urge to pace up and down the room, but worried that doing so might hinder his recovery.

When Madam Pomfrey emerged from her office after what seemed to Harry hours later, she was smiling broadly and Harry sighed with relief. If she was smiling, that meant he probably wasn't dying. She sat in the chair by the bed, the same chair Severus had been in last night.

"What is it? What's wrong with me?" asked Harry.

"There's nothing wrong with you, Harry, but you do have a very rare genetic condition called Gaian Syndrome."

"Gaian Syndrome? I've never heard of it."

"No, a lot of people haven't. It's a very rare condition that only affects wizards, but as I said, very rarely. Wizards with Gaian Syndrome are males who are able to bear children. The pain that you are feeling is happening because it's the first time you are ovulating. When I scanned you, everything was coming up as normal because ovulation for someone with Gaian syndrome is normal."

"No, there must be some mistake," said Harry. "I can't get pregnant. That's not possible. Boys can't get pregnant."

"You're thinking like a Muggle, dear. Some wizards can indeed become pregnant and you are one of them. I tested your blood's hormone levels; you have Gaian Syndrome and you are ovulating at the moment."

"But why now? I've never had this pain before," said Harry.

"No, and it probably won't be as strong next time either. It's just because it's the first time. I'm guessing it didn't happen sooner because you were so underweight before. Now your body is at its optimum weight for conception, ovulation can occur. Your womb is also starting to enlarge. It would normally have happened during early puberty but because of your low weight, it is only happening now."

"Does this mean I'll have periods and stuff like girls?" asked Harry worriedly.

"No, you'll have a different type of cycle, not a menstrual one. It's more like an oestrus cycle."

"Oestrus?" It was as if the matron was speaking in an entirely different language.

"You won't be able to get pregnant all the time; just at certain times when your body is in what's known as 'season' or 'heat'. At that time you will crave sexual contact very strongly and the craving will not diminish until you become pregnant. Because you have Gaian Syndrome, your own sperm are sterile, you would never be able to get a girl pregnant, but you can get pregnant yourself by another man."

Harry stared at her, wishing it all to be some sort of joke. "It's not a joke, is it?"

"No, dear. I know it must be a bit of a shock to hear, but it's best we found out now or you could have got pregnant without even knowing about it. You'll need to take a contraceptive potion every month to prevent you from going into season. It won't stop your normal libido, but it will stop ovulation and the manic craving for sex."

"But what about now? You just said I was ovulating. Does that mean I'll be craving sex now?"

"No, the first time you ovulate is more like a test run just to see if your body can cope with it, which it can. Do you want something for the pain?"

Harry shook his head. "No, the pain's gone now." The pain may have been gone, but not the shock. He could get pregnant? He could have children? It just didn't seem possible, but then a lot of things that happened in the wizarding world wouldn't have seemed possible to Muggles – flying about on broomsticks; transforming into an animal; repairing things with magic and all the hundred and one other things that were possible for wizards. Why should a male getting pregnant be any stranger than that?

But it was strange. Maybe it was because it was happening to Harry; he thought he'd be more accepting of it if it was someone else who had Gaian Syndrome. Yet because it was him, it just seemed another thing to add to the long list of things that marked him out as something different, something unique, something freaky. He just wanted to be normal and a boy getting pregnant didn't seem to be that.

When Harry had thought of having children – and he had thought about it sometimes – he'd imagined it happening in the usual way with him falling in love with a witch. To be told that he wouldn't be able to father children that way but could in fact get pregnant himself was not something he'd given any thought to as he hadn't thought it was even a remote possibility.

"I'll leave you to rest now, dear. If you need me, I'll just be in my office."

"Oh. Okay," said Harry feeling a bit like he'd just been run over by a very large lorry and had survived the impact.

He was still feeling a bit dazed when Severus arrived a few moments later to visit him. Harry was still sitting sideways on his bed and dangling his legs over the edge.

"Should you be sitting up?" asked Severus in a concerned voice as he took his seat.

"Madam Pomfrey said I could; the wounds are healing."

"That's good to hear."

Both of them were silent for a few more minutes. Harry didn't know how Severus was going to react if he told him about the Gaian Syndrome. Would Severus no longer want to Court someone who was such a freak?

"Harry? What is it? You're not usually so quiet. Are you still in pain? Do you need me to get Poppy?"

"I'm fine, Severus. Well, maybe not fine, but I'm not in any pain. Your potions are good."

"So what's the matter?" Severus leaned over and caressed the back of Harry's hand.

"I'm a freak, that's what the matter! The Dursleys were right all along!" Harry yanked his hand away, feeling unworthy of the comfort. Tears leaked down his cheeks but he didn't rub them away.

"Harry, you are not a freak. And how can you believe anything those vile excuses for human beings ever said to you? What makes you think this now? I thought you were getting better?"

"Maybe you should just go," said Harry.

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what is bothering you. Nothing you will tell me will make me love you any less, Harry. I thought you knew that."

"Love? You love me?"

"I thought my Letter of Intent was enough to show you that, but perhaps I was wrong. I love you, Harry. Real love has no conditions. I will love you no matter what."

"Oh, Severus!" sobbed Harry, lurching forward and wrapping his arms around Severus, forgetting all about his damaged back. "I love you too!"

Severus stroked his hair but avoided touching his back. "So what is it, Harry? Why are you so upset?"

"Madam Pomfrey told me I have Gaian Syndrome, that's why my abdomen hurt yesterday. I didn't think you'd want to be with someone who was such a freak!"

"Hush, Harry. You're not a freak. It's rare certainly, but not unknown. And did you really think so little of me that I would leave you because of this?"

"I – I don't know," Harry admitted.

"Harry, this is not a disaster. You're not ill, you're not dying. It's a gift to be able to bear children, especially for wizards. The population is on the wane, wizards need new blood. All this pure-blood mania has taken its toll; there are fewer witches and wizards being born and we need to be more accommodating to Muggleborns and half-bloods. I have to admit that I thought my own orientation precluded me from ever having children."

Harry leaned back so he could look at Severus' face. "So – so you'd like to have children one day? With me?"

"Harry, if you wish it, I would be honoured to be a father with you."

Harry began crying again and couldn't seem to stop. He'd never cried so much since he'd been a scared child locked in a cupboard with no food and no love. And now here was Severus telling him he would be loved unconditionally. Harry burst out giggling; they hadn't even kissed and here they were talking about having children together! "God, I feel weird," said Harry once he'd calmed down enough to speak.

"Probably your body is getting used to different hormones," said Severus. "When you're feeling better; I've arranged with the headmistress for us both to have leave to go to London all weekend. We'd be staying from Friday night and would come back Sunday evening. Would you like that?"

"Staying?" gasped Harry, his heart thudding madly as he thought of shared hotel rooms and perhaps shared beds.

"Don't worry; we'll be in separate rooms. Your virtue is quite safe from me, Harry. For now," said Severus and winked at him.

TBC