A Helping Hand

Cartoon Shakespeare

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters. That privilege goes to J.K. Rowling and only her.

"Draco, I don't know why you insist on dragging me along to deliver a blasted letter!" Snape snapped at his godson.

Draco had a hold of Snape's forearm, physically taking him to the owlery. Earlier that day, Draco had received a letter from his father stating that he had a big surprise in for him when he go home from the school year the following week. As always Draco couldn't wait, so he wrote a letter back stating that he would want to know now instead of later.

Snape knew for a fact that's what the letter stated, but he had yet to hear why he was coming along. He wrenched his arm from Draco's hold and stopped as they reached the owlery doors. Draco burst inside and called his owl down, who landed on his amr immediately ready to deliver the letter.

Draco attached it to the owls leg saying, "Take this to father" before the owl took off out of the window.

Snape sighed. "There Draco, you've sent it, now may I go continue with my life instead of wasting it sending useless letters to your father.

"Hey! They are not useless! He might tell me this time." Draco scoffed, crossing his arms as they descended the owlery stairs with Snape right behind, rolling his eyes.

Once they reached the bottom of those stairs they turned to go down another set of stairs.

"OHhhhhhh!"

They both stopped. The noticeable sound of a painful moan came from down the far hallway behind them, from the astronomy tower.

"What the hell was that?" Draco voiced.

Snape's brow was furrowed as he stared at the tower stairs. Again the moan came, only louder.

"OHHHH! GOD!"

Heavy breathing accompanied the exclamation and continual soft moans followed. Snape knew it was a male student by the voices tone. With unknown teacher instincts kicking in, he turned quickly, running down the hallway, toward the astronomy tower stairs with Draco right behind him. He ran up the stairs with ease, throwing the door open and crashing it against the wall behind it. He and Draco openly gasp at the person who lay on the towers floor.

His untamed black hair was covered in dust from rolling on the floor, his glasses askew on his tear streaked and sweat ridden face. Although you couldn't see them, his electric green eyes were scrunched in pain.

"Potter?!" Draco yelled, very confused.

He received no answer. All they saw the boy do was roll onto his back and grab his abdomen.

Snape rushed forward to him and placed a hand on his forehead. His face was blood red, indicating a blistering fever, but he was not burning up, only warm from over exhaustion. Draco kneeled down on the opposite side of Harry, looking at the by intently.

"Potter!" Snape yelled trying to get the boy's attention with no avail, so he tried a different approach.

I'm going to regret this he thought

"Harry?" His voice was soft and comforting towards the boy on the tower floor.

The boy's eyes opened and he gasp. There was a look of pure agony in his eyes.

"What the bloody hell is wrong with him?" Draco asked.

Harry screamed again and clutched his abdomen. Snape was at a loss on what to do. What could possibly be wrong with the boy? The problem was obviously with his stomach, but what, he could not figure out.

"I don't know Draco." He said before turning to Harry. "Harry, what's wrong? What is going on?"

Harry only moaned in response and Snape scowled at the reaction. He leaned to the right to regain a better balance when his hand splashed into a puddle. He looked down towards the sound and found a puddle of clear fluid surrounding Harry's lower body, he pants were soaked in it.

"What did he do? Wet himself?" Draco asked skeptically.

Snape lifted his hand and moved the substance between his fingers. It's texture was too thick to be water or urine. If he did't know any better he'd say it was…

His eyes widened at the epiphany he received and turned to the sweating boy. He quickly straightened and took the boy's face into his hands, causing the boy to look into his eyes.

"Harry, this is important! Are there any glamour charms on you?" he asked

Harry looked very frightened at the question but nodded dumbly.

Snape quicly pulled out his wand, causing the boy to yelp in fright as he cast the anti-glamour charm.

"Aperio"

Immediately, Harry's stomach grew to the size of a watermelon and Snape cursed while Draco gasped

"What the hell is that?!" Draco demanded as he watched Harry grow.

Snape ignored Draco's question and instead said, "Nevermind, Draco help me get him up, I have to get him to Madam Pomphrey."

"NO!" Harry spoke for the first time. "No you can't, she doesn't know, no one does."

Snape looked at Harry in shock. No one knew? Didn't the boy get prenatal care? He looked into the teens face and saw pure sorrow and worry. Silently Snape agreed to help the boy. He turned and transfigured a pebble into a short inclined table with some type of holders at the bottom of it.

"Draco help me get him onto the bed." Snape ordered.

Draco quickly did as he was asked. "What's going on Sev! Tell me!" Draco yelled.

Snape adjusted him so his bottom was hanging off the edge of and his legs were in the holsters while he lay inclined on the back of the bed.

"He's in labor Draco" Snape reported. "I want you to stand beside him and give him our hand, offer him your support."

Immediately Draco did as he was asked while Snape walked to Harry's lower body as Harry cried out again. "AHH!" he yelled, gritting his teeth

Snape looked down to the stomach, he knew that held a child and saw it convulse. "Draco record how long it lasts and how long until the next contraction."

The teen nodded and winced as the grip on his hand became tighter.

With another transfiguration spell, another stone became a large white blanket. The older man draped it over Harry's lower body, then cast a thorough cleansing charm on the whole room. Next, to go was Harry's shoes, socks, pants and underwear, showing everything to Snape.

Harry blushed a deep shade of red and Draco raised both eyebrows causing the potions master to roll his eyes at his godson. He quickly transfigured a piece of straw that lay on the floor into a stool he could sit on and several other objects in the room into necessary things he would need.

Once he found he was all ready to proceed he sat on the small stool and moved closer to Harry.

"Harry, I need to check your dialation."

The dark haired boy simply shut his eyes and leaned his head back, nodding his consent.

"This will be a little uncomfortable."

Again Harry nodded and Snape visibly felt Harry tense as he go closer to his opening. With a slight push he entered Harry and went in knuckle deep.

Harry gasp at the pain that engulfed him. Uncomfortable his ass! This as down right painful!

He gripped Draco's hand and the blonde gasp in pain.

"OW! Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow." He chanted as his flawless hand was crushed.

Both boys heard Snape gasp at the end of the bed. "God's Harry, you're fully dilated! How long have you been here?"

He opened his mouth to respond but gasp as another contraction hit while Snape's finger was still inside him.

"That's two minutes Sev" Draco reported after looking at his watch.

He nodded and asked his question again.

"I-I've been here since this morning. I was in the owlery when the pains started to be intense. I was writing to my lover about the pains I had been having but after the owl left the pain started to make me feel weak. I only made it to the bottom of the stairs when I remembered that no one knew of my condition, so I went to the astronomy tower."

"What did you plan to do, deliver the baby all by yourself?!" Draco asked incredulously

Harry made movement to argue with Draco but instead they got, "Oh god….here comes another one!" he cried.

It hit harder than any of the others and the feeling of being ripped in half came to him. He screamed louder than anytime before.

Snape looked down and back up, but ended up doing a double take. He could see what looked like a bubble coming out of Harry's opening.

"Merlin! Draco help him take deep breaths, Harry I want you to push as hard as you can."

Harry let out another scream as he pushed, and Snape watched as the baby's head descended slowly into the outside world. After Harry's contraction ended, only half of the head was out.

"Alright Harry, that was good. I want you to do the same thing on your next contraction.

Harry dumbly nodded as sweat fell down his face. His eyes were closed and he followed Draco's breathing.

Snape pushed a finger in between the head of the baby and Harry's openening and slowly made his way around.

The raven-haired teen hissed. "W-what are you doing?"

"I'm stretching you more so it allows the babes head to come out better."

Snape stretched the opening slowly so as not to create more pain. Soon the finger was removed and it appeared to be right before a contraction hit. Harry gripped Draco's hand tighter and placed the other hand on his stomach.

"Ok Harry, push!"

Slowly the baby's head moved and released itself with a small 'pop'. Harry let out a deep breath of somewhat relief from the loss of pressure. Tears flew down his face from pain and happiness that his child was almost here.

"Ok Harry, you've done a great job so far, but you have to pass the shoulders, then you can hold it."

Harry smiled and nodded as the contraction came. Pushing with all his might, he delivered the shoulders and the baby slipped from his body into Snape's hands. Tears of joy ran down his face as his child cried for the first time. He didn't care if his rival saw him cry, at this moment all he cared about was the little life that just gained it's first breath.

Snape gathered the babe into a towel and pulled the shrieking life close to him. With a quick spell, the umbilical cord healed leaving a perfect navel in its place. Next, he performed a gentle cleansing charm and could now see the babes full features.

She was a very petite child, but not unhealthy. She possessed tufts of platinum blonde hair atop her head and the face of someone he could not quite put his finger on. He could not see the eyes of the newborn but he had a hunch that he would possess the striking eyes of Harry. He looked up to the tired face of a newly made father…or would it be mother? He didn't really know but he was sure that Harry would have his preference to what he would want to be called. He raised the babe a hair and let Harry she the child.

"Congratulations Harry, it's a girl"

He saw Harry's smile widen and he cried more, holding out his arms for his newborn daughter.

"Hold on Harry, you need to deliver the afterbirth first." He said, seeing Harry nod. He gestured toward his godson. "Draco can you take the babe for a moment."

"W-what?! M-me?!" Draco stuttered

Snape rolled his eyes. "Yes Draco, you"

"B-but I don't know how to hold a baby!"

Snape sighed and walked to his godson. "Here" he said handing the baby to Draco. "Support the head with the crook of your arm and hold it to your body. Make sure the baby is covered up so she does not get cold." He made sure Draco was holding the baby right before he walked back over to Harry's lower half.

Many minutes later, by the instructions that Snape gave him, the huge mass was passed and disposed of with the flick of his wand, along with any blood that fell from the birth. The older man covered Harry's lower half and walked back to Draco, who looked like he would have a panic attack at any second, and took the baby from him. He silently handed her to Harry, and immediately the boy checked the babe for her ten fingers and toes before rubbing his cheek lovingly, marveling the new life.

"Thank you" Harry gave a barely audible whisper.

Snape simply looked to Harry's face and gave a nod of acknowledgement, and although Harry would rather rest, he had questions for his young student.

"Harry, why did you hide this from everyone?"

The boy looked from his child's face and into that of his mentor's.

"I couldn't tell," he answered. "The moment everyone found out I knew I would be ridiculed, shunned and possibly expelled from school."

Snape frowned. "That wouldn't have happened Harry. You took a very risky chance Harry. No having prenatal care for a wizard pregnancy is-"

"I had prenatal care" Harry interrupted.

"But you said that Pomphrey didn't know?" Draco questioned.

Harry shook his head. "She doesn't, my lover made sure I had the best and planned appointments every Hogsmead weekend.

"And who would you lover happen to be?" Snape inquired.

Harry smiled and shook his head. "I'm sorry but I can't answer that, but something tells me you'll find out soon"

Draco and Snape exchanged looks, but did not say a word. They watched Harry lean back onto the bed, closing his eyes to rest but Snape quickly shook him.

"Harry don't fall asleep just yet, I need to ask you if I can take you to Madam Pomphrey?"

Harry became wide-awake when her name was mentioned. "No, please, you can't. I'll be expelled."

Draco and Snape raised their eyebrows and Draco was the one who broke the silence.

"Harry I hate to burst your bubble, but how are you going to explain a baby just dropping out of thin air?"

The boy chewed on his bottom lip. He had thought of that but he still hadn't come up with a solution to that problem.

"Harry, you need better medical attention then I can give you. I don't want you to get any kind of infection." Snape told him.

Harry went into deep thought, but hesitantly nodded. Snape's reaction was almost immediate as he removed Harry's legs from the holsters and transforming the bed into a floating stretcher.

Draco opened the door and left the room first, followed by Snape and a floating Harry with his daughter. Down several and up many staircases they went towards the Hogwarts Infirmary, getting several curious glances. However, Harry didn't care. He had his child, no, their child and that is all that mattered.

Draco opened the infirmary doors and Snape came in right behind him.

"Poppy!" Snape called.

A woman in medi-witch robes of different shades of red and white came out of her office with an annoyed look on her face.

"There's no need to yell Severus." She snapped.

Snape simply threw her a sneer before clearing his throat and gesturing toward a cooing Harry.

"What is going on?" she asked quickly.

The potions master snorted before floating Harry over to a bed and settling him down. Madam Pomphrey was promptly there struggling to see what was in Harry's arms.

"My goodness Harry! Is that a child?!"

Harry smiled up at her. "Yes" he said in pure joy "Isn't she precious" he breathed.

She took a good look at the child and smiled at her two new patients. "Yes Harry she's beautiful, but you know I have to report this to Dumbledore, don't you?"

Harry whimpered but nodded, and the medi-witch left to inform the headmaster of the new addition to the castle. The boy continued to shake in fear of what would come to pass and the blonde headed teen placed a comforting hand upon his shoulder.

"Don't worry, we're both behind you all the way." He smiled

Harry gasped but smiled gratefully. "Thank you" he said for the second time that night.

Footsteps could be heard coming into the hospital wing and Professor Dumbledore showed up with Madam Pomphrey. His eyes were twinkling madly as they walked up and he set his gaze upon the baby.

"Well, well Harry you seem to surprise everyone yet again. How on earth did you keep this a secret?" Dumbledore asked.

Harry flushed but mumbled, "I had some help."

"From whom my dear boy?"

"Me" a voice called from the doorway.

Everyone turned around with shocked faces except for Harry, who simply beamed.

Standing proud in the doorway stood a man in elegant black robes and black gloves. His long blonde hair flowing over his shoulders and his shocking blue-grey eyes piercing the room, a man called Lucius Malfoy.

"F-father?"

Draco looked incredulously at the older blonde in wonder. Did he just say he's the one that helped Harry?! He thought frantically

Lucius simply ignored his son and all that stand in the room, only focusing on Harry and the bundle in his arms. Swiftly, he moved forward with his cane clutched in his hand from the nervousness and excitement he felt in his soul. He stopped at the bedside and looked down to the boy in the bed.

Harry looked up to him smiling. "She's beautiful Luc…" he praised.

By now Dumbledore was smiling while everyone else stood stuttering in shock as the Lucius Malfoy bent down to look at the small girl before he placed a kiss upon Harry's forehead. "That she is Raven." He said softly

Harry looked up to him again. "I was so scared Luc…"

The older blonde placed another kiss upon Harry's cheek. "I'm sorry Raven, I got here as soon as I could, but don't worry I'm here now"

"What the hell is going on?!" Draco finally intervened

Lucius and Harry looked to Draco then back to each other before smirking.

"Well Draco, it seems you get your surprise early after all…" Lucius chuckled as Draco paled. "Say hello to your sister and soon-to-be stepfather."

Draco stared at his father then looked to Harry, then the baby and as everything clicked, he fell to the floor in a dead faint.

All eyes watched the blonde fall and listened to Harry laugh at the teen. "I guess being a big brother was too much for him." He chuckled.

"Indeed"

Snape sighed at the pair before looking to his best friend and patting him on the back. "Leave it to you, Lucius, to knock up Harry Potter."

Harry blushed fiercely while Lucius simply smirked his reply. Everyone chuckled at the bit of fun that Snape was able to make about the situation. Harry looked to his mewling daughter and back to his lover.

"What should we call her Luc?" the raven haired boy asked.

The older man seemed to be in deep thought before he smiled.

"Lilliath Guinevere Malfoy-Potter"

Tears formed in Harry's eyes. "Thank you Luc" he sighed.

"No need to thank me raven" he breathed.

Lucius gathered Harry into his arms and for a moment it seemed like it would last forever. Just the two together with their loving family and a lifetime of memory's to make.