FIC: Family Reunion [Harry/Severus - G]
Title: Family Reunion
Author: goddess47
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Harry/Severus
Rating: G
Warnings: (highlight for spoilers) *mpreg*
Genre: Romance, post war, established relationship
Word Count: 1370
Summary: From this prompt: Few years post DH. Harry bumps into Dudley while out Christmas shopping. They go out for a pint. Dudley reveals what happened during the Christmas 1997 when the Dursleys were in hiding (you decide what it is) and Harry talks about his new girl/boyfriend (you decide who).
"Harry? Is that you?"
Harry loosened his wand in his arm-holster, and turned to face the not-quite-familiar voice. He hadn't expected anyone to recognize him while he was Christmas shopping in Muggle London. As a result, he had not put on all of his usual concealment charms. He had learned over the years that trying to do any otherwise everyday task as Harry Potter wasn't easy.
Harry looked at the young man standing near him in the aisle of jumpers.
"Dudley?" Harry was astonished. This was not the same Dudley he had seen over five years ago, fleeing Privet Drive with his parents. This Dudley had lost considerable weight, grown another six inches, and was wearing glasses.
"Harry! Good to see you again!" Dudley smiled broadly. He reached out a hand, and Harry shook it warmly.
"Dudley! How are you?" Harry asked.
"Do you have some time?" Dudley asked brightly. "I'd love to catch up." He hesitated, then forged on somewhat diffidently. "If you're interested, that is."
Caught totally by surprise by this personable and friendly Dudley, Harry gave in to his curiosity and agreed. "Sure, I have time."
"Friend of mine works in a tavern just around the corner," Dudley suggested. "It's small, but since it's not quite dinner time, we should have a quiet place to talk."
"Sounds good," Harry agreed. Even though he wasn't finished with his shopping, he was tired enough to want to get off his feet for a bit. He had been shopping for gifts for a couple of hours already, and a break would be good for him.
"Steve, this is my cousin, Harry. Harry, Steve." Dudley waved a hand at the bartender.
The young man behind the bar gave a casual wave to them, and Harry nodded a greeting in return.
"Can I get you a pint?" Dudley asked.
"Better not," Harry declined. "But if I could have hot cider, that would be good."
"Not a problem!" Dudley grinned. "Sit anywhere, and I'll be there in a sec."
As Dudley went to talk to his friend, Harry slipped into a booth along the side wall. He cast a small cushioning charm on the wooden bench, and sighed in some relief as he relaxed.
A tall mug of steaming cider slid in front of him, and Dudley dropped into the opposite seat with his pint. Dudley opened a packet of crisps and put it on the table between them.
"Help yourself! So, how are you?" Dudley asked. "Thanks for letting us know you survived that mad-man, but then it was like you dropped off the face of the Earth!"
Harry shrugged. "Once the… mad-man was taken care of, there was a lot to do. Collateral damage, so to speak." Harry wasn't going to go into detail about the deaths that had occurred around him. "Then, just got busy, and time evaporated."
"Don't I know it!" Dudley laughed.
"How are your parents?" Harry felt obligated to at least ask.
A brief shadow fluttered across Dudley's face. "Mum and dad broke up after that first Christmas. Being away from work, and all of us cooped up together, that wasn't good for dad. He started picking fights with me and mum, and totally lost it on Boxing Day. Started a huge fight, and, the final straw, he took a swing at mum. She grabbed me, and we left him there. We ended up at a hotel for a week before she would even talk to him. It took another year before she left him for good."
"What are they doing now?" Harry said softly.
"Mum's got a good job working for a decorating firm," Dudley answered with a note of pride in his voice. "They love her there and she has lots of new friends. Dad, well, he's been passed over for promotion a couple times now, and he's not a pleasant person. He's living with Aunt Marge, she's the only one he'll listen to. I go and see him now and then, but, well, you know..."
"Sorry about your dad but glad your mum is doing okay," Harry replied, taking a sip of his cider. He took a couple of the crisps.
"Mum and I had a long talk while we were in that hotel room," Dudley explained. "I was a right prat to you for so long, and you just took it. I know mum and dad didn't treat you well, but you turned out okay. I started thinking about that, and realized I needed to shape up."
"So, what are you doing now?" Harry asked.
"Took me a bit, but I finished school properly," Dudley admitted. "I had to make up a lot of work and it took me two extra years to get my diploma. By then, I was working as a laborer in a greenhouse. Turns out I have a green thumb and I'm now in charge of a couple different types of orchids."
"Dudley! How... unexpected!" Harry grinned. It made him think of Neville... he'd have to see about introducing them.
"I know," Dudley grinned back. "I met my girlfriend Nathalie at work. She's into perennials."
"A girlfriend!" Harry caught that reference. "How long have you been going out?"
"Almost two years, now," Dudley admitted. "Going to ask her to marry me on Christmas!"
Harry raised his glass in salute. "Here's to her saying 'yes'!"
They clinked their glasses together.
"Give me your address," Dudley urged, "I'd love to have you at the wedding."
"I'd love to come!" Harry replied. He dug into a pocket for his wallet, and plucked a business card out of it. "The house address is... guarded," Harry admitted. "But this is my solicitor, and he'll make sure I get the invitation." He got out a second card. "Give me your address, too."
"Someone still after you?" Dudley frowned as he wrote on the card.
"No. Well, not really," Harry was forced to admit. "But I'm famous enough that I have to protect myself and my family."
"Family?" Dudley asked, surprised.
"Yeah," Harry admitted. "Got married myself two years ago." He frowned. "Someone your mum will probably know. Severus Snape."
Dudley thought for a moment. "Didn't he go to school with your mum?"
Harry rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. "Yeah, but, well, we have a lot more in common than most folk think. And, well, our type of folk can live a long time and at some point the difference in our ages won't be so evident."
"You happy with him?" Dudley demanded.
Harry gave what he knew was a soppy grin. "Very!"
"Good enough then," Dudley declared.
Harry looked around. There was no one else besides Steve in the tavern. Harry shook his wand out from his sleeve, held it under the table, and cast a Notice-Me-Not over them. He then dropped the concealment charms he had on himself.
"Harry?" Dudley asked cautiously. "What?"
"I'm pregnant," Harry said softly. "I'm due in late March."
Dudley looked stunned for a moment, then smiled. "Didn't know blokes could get preggers. Good for you! Do you know what you're having?"
"Twins, a boy and a girl," Harry said with a grin.
"Surprised your Severus let you out on your own, then," Dudley said.
"Oh, I snuck out," Harry admitted cheerfully. "After he went to work. I wanted to do some shopping before I'm totally confined to the house."
"Well, I suspect that'll be sooner than later," Dudley shook his head.
"I left a note," Harry admitted. "And I have to get going if I'm going to be home before Sev gets there."
Harry cast his concealment charms, so he didn't look pregnant anymore.
"So glad to run into you, then," Dudley admitted. "I want to know when your kids are born! We both need all the family we can get."
"And I'm glad to see you again," Harry replied. "I'll make sure you get a note."
As they walked out of the tavern, Harry had a thought.
"You know, my mum had to get her magic from somewhere," Harry said. "Usually runs in families. You have a pretty decent chance of having babies who have magic."
Harry laughed at the gob-smacked look on Dudley's face.
Author: goddess47
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Harry/Severus
Rating: G
Warnings: (highlight for spoilers) *mpreg*
Genre: Romance, post war, established relationship
Word Count: 1370
Summary: From this prompt: Few years post DH. Harry bumps into Dudley while out Christmas shopping. They go out for a pint. Dudley reveals what happened during the Christmas 1997 when the Dursleys were in hiding (you decide what it is) and Harry talks about his new girl/boyfriend (you decide who).
"Harry? Is that you?"
Harry loosened his wand in his arm-holster, and turned to face the not-quite-familiar voice. He hadn't expected anyone to recognize him while he was Christmas shopping in Muggle London. As a result, he had not put on all of his usual concealment charms. He had learned over the years that trying to do any otherwise everyday task as Harry Potter wasn't easy.
Harry looked at the young man standing near him in the aisle of jumpers.
"Dudley?" Harry was astonished. This was not the same Dudley he had seen over five years ago, fleeing Privet Drive with his parents. This Dudley had lost considerable weight, grown another six inches, and was wearing glasses.
"Harry! Good to see you again!" Dudley smiled broadly. He reached out a hand, and Harry shook it warmly.
"Dudley! How are you?" Harry asked.
"Do you have some time?" Dudley asked brightly. "I'd love to catch up." He hesitated, then forged on somewhat diffidently. "If you're interested, that is."
Caught totally by surprise by this personable and friendly Dudley, Harry gave in to his curiosity and agreed. "Sure, I have time."
"Friend of mine works in a tavern just around the corner," Dudley suggested. "It's small, but since it's not quite dinner time, we should have a quiet place to talk."
"Sounds good," Harry agreed. Even though he wasn't finished with his shopping, he was tired enough to want to get off his feet for a bit. He had been shopping for gifts for a couple of hours already, and a break would be good for him.
"Steve, this is my cousin, Harry. Harry, Steve." Dudley waved a hand at the bartender.
The young man behind the bar gave a casual wave to them, and Harry nodded a greeting in return.
"Can I get you a pint?" Dudley asked.
"Better not," Harry declined. "But if I could have hot cider, that would be good."
"Not a problem!" Dudley grinned. "Sit anywhere, and I'll be there in a sec."
As Dudley went to talk to his friend, Harry slipped into a booth along the side wall. He cast a small cushioning charm on the wooden bench, and sighed in some relief as he relaxed.
A tall mug of steaming cider slid in front of him, and Dudley dropped into the opposite seat with his pint. Dudley opened a packet of crisps and put it on the table between them.
"Help yourself! So, how are you?" Dudley asked. "Thanks for letting us know you survived that mad-man, but then it was like you dropped off the face of the Earth!"
Harry shrugged. "Once the… mad-man was taken care of, there was a lot to do. Collateral damage, so to speak." Harry wasn't going to go into detail about the deaths that had occurred around him. "Then, just got busy, and time evaporated."
"Don't I know it!" Dudley laughed.
"How are your parents?" Harry felt obligated to at least ask.
A brief shadow fluttered across Dudley's face. "Mum and dad broke up after that first Christmas. Being away from work, and all of us cooped up together, that wasn't good for dad. He started picking fights with me and mum, and totally lost it on Boxing Day. Started a huge fight, and, the final straw, he took a swing at mum. She grabbed me, and we left him there. We ended up at a hotel for a week before she would even talk to him. It took another year before she left him for good."
"What are they doing now?" Harry said softly.
"Mum's got a good job working for a decorating firm," Dudley answered with a note of pride in his voice. "They love her there and she has lots of new friends. Dad, well, he's been passed over for promotion a couple times now, and he's not a pleasant person. He's living with Aunt Marge, she's the only one he'll listen to. I go and see him now and then, but, well, you know..."
"Sorry about your dad but glad your mum is doing okay," Harry replied, taking a sip of his cider. He took a couple of the crisps.
"Mum and I had a long talk while we were in that hotel room," Dudley explained. "I was a right prat to you for so long, and you just took it. I know mum and dad didn't treat you well, but you turned out okay. I started thinking about that, and realized I needed to shape up."
"So, what are you doing now?" Harry asked.
"Took me a bit, but I finished school properly," Dudley admitted. "I had to make up a lot of work and it took me two extra years to get my diploma. By then, I was working as a laborer in a greenhouse. Turns out I have a green thumb and I'm now in charge of a couple different types of orchids."
"Dudley! How... unexpected!" Harry grinned. It made him think of Neville... he'd have to see about introducing them.
"I know," Dudley grinned back. "I met my girlfriend Nathalie at work. She's into perennials."
"A girlfriend!" Harry caught that reference. "How long have you been going out?"
"Almost two years, now," Dudley admitted. "Going to ask her to marry me on Christmas!"
Harry raised his glass in salute. "Here's to her saying 'yes'!"
They clinked their glasses together.
"Give me your address," Dudley urged, "I'd love to have you at the wedding."
"I'd love to come!" Harry replied. He dug into a pocket for his wallet, and plucked a business card out of it. "The house address is... guarded," Harry admitted. "But this is my solicitor, and he'll make sure I get the invitation." He got out a second card. "Give me your address, too."
"Someone still after you?" Dudley frowned as he wrote on the card.
"No. Well, not really," Harry was forced to admit. "But I'm famous enough that I have to protect myself and my family."
"Family?" Dudley asked, surprised.
"Yeah," Harry admitted. "Got married myself two years ago." He frowned. "Someone your mum will probably know. Severus Snape."
Dudley thought for a moment. "Didn't he go to school with your mum?"
Harry rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. "Yeah, but, well, we have a lot more in common than most folk think. And, well, our type of folk can live a long time and at some point the difference in our ages won't be so evident."
"You happy with him?" Dudley demanded.
Harry gave what he knew was a soppy grin. "Very!"
"Good enough then," Dudley declared.
Harry looked around. There was no one else besides Steve in the tavern. Harry shook his wand out from his sleeve, held it under the table, and cast a Notice-Me-Not over them. He then dropped the concealment charms he had on himself.
"Harry?" Dudley asked cautiously. "What?"
"I'm pregnant," Harry said softly. "I'm due in late March."
Dudley looked stunned for a moment, then smiled. "Didn't know blokes could get preggers. Good for you! Do you know what you're having?"
"Twins, a boy and a girl," Harry said with a grin.
"Surprised your Severus let you out on your own, then," Dudley said.
"Oh, I snuck out," Harry admitted cheerfully. "After he went to work. I wanted to do some shopping before I'm totally confined to the house."
"Well, I suspect that'll be sooner than later," Dudley shook his head.
"I left a note," Harry admitted. "And I have to get going if I'm going to be home before Sev gets there."
Harry cast his concealment charms, so he didn't look pregnant anymore.
"So glad to run into you, then," Dudley admitted. "I want to know when your kids are born! We both need all the family we can get."
"And I'm glad to see you again," Harry replied. "I'll make sure you get a note."
As they walked out of the tavern, Harry had a thought.
"You know, my mum had to get her magic from somewhere," Harry said. "Usually runs in families. You have a pretty decent chance of having babies who have magic."
Harry laughed at the gob-smacked look on Dudley's face.