The request

 

Suddenly the door opens with a bang causing Harry to jumped to attention from the armchair he’d nestled himself into, scattering the numerous parchments he’d acquired in the last 10 minutes across the office floor. Wand tightly gripped in his hand facing the sole entry point he was ready to fight. Even knowing his fate he wanted to die on his terms by Volemort’s hand.

 

 In front of him stood a bloodied, battered and bedraggled collection of wizards and witches all familiar faces to Harry but he couldn’t relax yet. Almost silently, he performed Petrificus Totalus on each of the seven witches and wizards in front of him it didn’t surprise Harry that the three at the front of the group were Neville, Colin and Ginny. Still in combat mode, Harry emotionlessly stated that he would ask them each a question only they would know. He started with Ron and work his way through to Remus when each person’s identity was confirmed he asked Remus, Tonks, Ginny and Hermione to wait in the anteroom.

 

 

 Colin, Neville and Ron looked at Harry expectantly.

 

“Hi guys sorry to pull up here but I need something doing before I hand myself over to Voldemort ...”

 

At this all three young men in front of him interrupted loudly asking him what the hell he was thinking Harry didn’t have time for this so casted a Silencing Charm at them and continued.

 

 “Voldemort is using items to prevent death and Hermione, Ron and myself have destroyed all but two” at the last remark Ron looked confused but was still unable to speak so had to let it go. “The last thing that needs to be destroyed before I face Voldemort is his snake Nagini. I was wondering if you three could hunt her down and kill her before the deadline, unfortunately several things have come up which only I can do that are going to take up the time I have left . I trust you three with my life I know it’s a lot to ask but would you be able to this for me.”

 

The three young men in front of Harry nodded. “Ok Ron do you have or know where the Basilisk Fangs are?” Ron nodded and pulled two from his pocket Harry indicated Ron to hand the spare to Colin.

 

 On instinct Harry suddenly spun on the spot pick the Sorting Hat off of a nearby shelf and handed it to Neville telling him to think of killing the snake suddenly the sword of Godric Gryffindor appeared in a shocked Neville’s hands seeing this Harry smiled.

 

“See Neville I always knew you were a true Gryffindor Dumbledore once said to me ONLY a true Gryffindor could pull that sword from the Sorting Hat” at this Neville seemed to grow and radiate the same confidence Harry had seen when entering the Room of Requirement earlier that evening.

 

 

“Right I need to deal with other things the sword and the fangs are the only way to kill the snake please be very careful Nagini is deadly and I could not stand it if any of you got killed doing something at the direct request of me.”

 

 

With that Harry hugged each of the young men in front of him asked them to stay safe, thanked them for their support and asked them show the others waiting outside in. The three men exited the office abet Ron hesitantly.

 

 

Harry looked at his watch as a group of four entered the room and saw an hour and 30 minutes left. Looking at the faces of those now in front of him he could see the apprehensiveness, uncertainty, fear and in Ginny’s case a little bit (or maybe a lot) of anger. Rather than focus on that he knew he needed to push on and unfortunately that meant pissing off Ginny more for the next ten minutes or so. He looked at Ginny in the eye and casted Petrificus Totalus at Ginny for the second time in 15 minutes hoping that she could see the love in his gaze. Tonks, Remus and Hermione eyed Harry curiously but did not comment. Harry looked at the prone figure of Ginny and spoke for the first time since the foursome re-entered the office.

 

 

“Sorry Ginny but I need to speak to these 3” motioning to Tonks, Remus and Hermione “privately before we talk forgive me but I didn’t want you to be outside alone and this way I get to spend a little more precious time in your presence.” He then asked Tonks to conjure a bed for Ginny to lay on and proceeded levitate Ginny onto the bed.

 

Then Harry cast a Muffliato charm over the small group around him and proceeded to tell them his undeniably fate. Shortly after starting his tale the three people around him were in tears and Harry was only just mastering his own emotions but he knew he couldn’t afford to lose control yet.

 

Ginny was watching from the corner of the room still seething at Harry for his actions towards her since his abrupt arrival in the castle after months of her waiting for sight or sound of him. Her heart had leapt at the sight of him but had shattered all over again at his dismissal in the room of requirement. Now she didn’t know what to think but one thing she was certain of based on the expressions of those across the room, was that when Harry finally did speak to her it was not going to be the happy reunion she had been imagining for the last 9 months.

 

Across the room Harry was starting on the more difficult part of the discussion “... obviously I wanted to tell you 3 before it happen as you’re the closest thing I’ve got to family. Hermione I choose not to tell Ron coz I honestly didn’t think I could handle his reaction he’d make it about he and that’s not what I need right now. I also I think he will react very badly to something I need to say in a bit and I needed somebody out with Neville and Colin who definitely knew how to destroy a Horcrux.” Hermione relaxed slightly as she was not comfortable with Ron’s exclusion after what they had been through the last few months but she knew Harry would not do anything without good reason

 

 

Hesitantly Harry began “one of the reasons I bought you here looking at Tonks and Remus was to ask for your agreement to name Teddy the receiver of the Lord Potter title on my death obviously that will mean Tonks acting on his behalf until he reaches majority due to the anti werewolf legislation currently in operation.” Tonks and Remus look slightly taken back that their 3 month old son will become a lord in a few hours but they gave their support. “This brings me to another other problem Hermione do you remember our chat by the lake at The Burrow in the summer of our 5th year?” Hermione’s eyes widen and mouth dropped open Harry could have sworn he heard her uncharacteristically say bloody hell under her breath. Tonks and Remus looked on confused waiting for one of the two to enlighten them.

 

 

Neither Remus nor Tonks had had much of an upbringing in pureblood traditions Remus because of his werewolf status and Tonks because of her mother’s expulsion from the house of Black when she married Tonks’s father. Although both of their thoughts were heading in the right direction.

 

While not moving his eyes from Hermione Harry start to speak again “Since the end of my 5th year I have been Lord Black and since I came of age I am now Lord Potter too although I have not acted on it due to the situation of the last year I am now Lord Potter-Black. However due to the discriminatory laws still prevalent in the wizarding world I can only give Teddy the rights to 1 title and 1 Wizengamot seat meaning I need a blood heir if I don’t want the house of Black to end up under the control of Malfoy’s or Lestrange’s.” Comprehension dawned on Remus and Tonks’s faces but they stay silent wondering where this emotionally draining conversation was going next.

 

“Firstly before I do anything major apart from to ask about Teddy one of the reasons I asked you here Tonks was to ask you and Hermione to support myself and Ginny while I tell her my fate. I love her more than life itself and it’s knowing that my death will allow her to live and love in peace that’s keeping me going at the moment. It’s her that’s giving me the strength to sacrifice myself right now and I’m not sure what her reaction will do to me ironically it’s my love for her that is the biggest threat to achieving peace right now, she is the only person who could get close to talking me out of this now”. Both Tonks and Hermione could feel the pain and fear radiating off the young man and both silently vowed to themselves to do whatever they could to ease the burden of Harry in any way they could.

 

 

“Hermione this is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to ask anyone but based on what you told me two summers ago would you possibly be willing to have my child?” Hermione was shell-shocked she had been expecting something like this since the conversation started in this direction but thinking it a possibility and being directly asked were two very different things.

 

 

Tonks and Remus moved away slightly feeling they were intruding on something incredibly personal regardless of the answer.

 

 

Meanwhile Hermione mind was going a mile a minute; could she do this for Harry? Did she want to do this for Harry? What would it mean for her future? What would happen if she said no? Why wasn’t Harry asking Ginny? No wonder Harry didn’t want Ron here. Merlin if she said yes what would that mean for her and Ron? Was she willing to risk that for Harry? Could she handle having ‘Harry Potter’s’ child? It’s bound to be a nightmare regardless of the war’s outcome. If she said yes would she and Harry have to sleep together could she do that to herself, Ginny or Ron? Does she love Harry enough to sacrifice so much more for him?

 

Finally, she organised her thoughts and narrowed the thoughts into two questions.

 

“Harry, why aren’t you asking Ginny first? Surely given your love for each other she would be a better choice.”

 

 

Harry replied instantly like he was expecting the question “I’m asking you first because you are the closest thing I have to a sister, you have been with me through thick and thin from the beginning. at this point after all the time in the tent you know me better than anyone, I trust you, you’ve always been loyal to me regardless of what anyone else has said about me and I know that you would be able to raise my child with the belief I would wish them to have. I would have given you a title if I could but there is no way given the time-frame and the ministry we currently have, if you agreed to this providing we win you would have a powerful position of influence for the future where you could use that brain to transform our society.”

 

 

Harry pauses as if uncertain whether he should say what on the tip of his tongue but he’s Gryffindor bravery seems to power through.

 

“I intend to ask Ginny as well although she has no reason to say yes; after all I’ve put her through. Even if she did, I’d still ask you, I need to do this to protect my house and you are one of the few people who I trust enough to ask. Although I am doing this because of circumstances, I want any children that may emerge from this awful situation to have as normal and as good childhood and life as possible and I know you would try to give them that to the best of your ability. You are one of the strongest witches I know and I that if this was successful the burden I would be giving you, Ginny and possibility a child is a heavy and one, which is truly unfair, but you could handle it. “

 

Hermione considered this for a second and concluded that given the circumstances asking both of them was a very sensible idea chance of pregnancy even with magic aren’t 100% certainties.

 

Putting her concerns about Ron aside, she decided she had to at least try. She needed to do this for her best friend, as she was not sure she could live with herself if she didn’t. If nothing else if it work she would always have a part of Harry. Yes, she might be giving up a lot but Harry was giving up sooo much more. She loved Harry maybe not in the same way she loved Ron but her love for Harry was just as strong Harry was her Brother in all but blood, her best friend and he brought out the best part of her. There may not be the passion of romantic love but in some ways the love she felt for Harry was stronger she knew it would never break her and it gave her strength and comfort always. Still the idea of having a child with and for Harry was odd. She thought Harry would always be in her life just not like that. She had until a few minutes ago had this image in her mind of an older version herself and Ron and Ginny and Harry standing on platform 9 and ¾’s waving off a gaggle of red, brown and black haired children as they boarded the Hogwarts Express. Regardless of her decision, she now knew that that image would only ever occur in her mind. 

 

Tonks and Remus had been bystanders in this part of conversation so far but felt as if they are intruding on an intimate moment between the two young people in front of them both of whom they considered family. Although shocked and sadden by the nature and necessity of Harry’s request they couldn’t help but respect the two. Both Harry and Hermione had always done what was right their family, friends and unfortunately for them the wizarding world at large even if it was at the detriment of themselves. Deciding they should give the two some space they back away for the pair into an uninhabited corner of the office.

 

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Meanwhile Ginny still frozen on the bed was watching the scene unfold was great interest trying to piece together what on earth was happening on the other side of the room. Watching Harry even this battered and world-weary version of him in front of her now was making her heart jump out of her chest she wondered how she had managed all these months without his presence she never wanted to let him go ever again. Even if he didn’t want to be with her anymore she knew at that moment she would always need to be a part of his life even if it was from the sidelines. She saw the look of horror appear on Hermione’s face and imagined it was mirrored on the faces of Remus and Tonks whose backs were facing her. Harry continued talking with that serious look on his face that she had seen enough times before to know even in the context of this war she should be very worried, she could see as always he was trying to mask his emotions but it was taking a lot of effort. Suddenly he looked directly at Hermione with was that nervousness?

 

 

 

Suddenly Tonks and Remus moved away from her love and her best friend they went to the opposite side of room, raised their wands in a movement which looked like another a Muffliato charm and entered into work appeared to be an argument at furious speed. Ginny turned her attention back to Harry and Hermione Tears were now streaming down Hermione’s face, Hermione open her mouth to respond to an unnoticed question. Then a slight nod of head Harry closed the space between himself and Hermione taking her hand in his and hugging Hermione lightly. At this Ginny could not help the jealousy that rose up inside she wanted to rip them apart and hex them both to oblivion it was a good job for them she was frozen in place. She tried to rationalised what she was seeing but struggled they only thing that was keeping her in one piece was the knowledge that neither Harry nor Hermione would ever be that cruel but then she started to wonder if they even remembered she was in the room.

 

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Harry barely noticed Tonks and Remus’s departure from the small group his eyes were firmly fixed on the young women in front of him, he could hardly believe that she hadn’t run away or slapped him yet. This was the biggest thing he’d ever asked of anyone and he hated that Voldemort had yet again dictated his actions and caused him the once again to drag his friends into the shit that his life had tended to be. He’s feeling were not help by the years neglect and abuse at the hands of Dursley’s who had instilled in him from as long as he could remember that he wasn’t worth a minute of anyone’s time and here was someone he loved considering giving him a lot more. After a minute of silence and by the look on Hermione’s face deep compilation.  Hermione quietly but confidently said “Harry I love you like a brother, I hate that this is happening to you and this isn’t how I imagined having a family but I would be honoured to have your child”. Hearing this Harry couldn’t believe his ears Hermione had agreed he stood a chance of protecting his name and insuring a legacy. He didn’t know how to express his gratitude to the amazing women in front of him he tentatively grasped for her hand. Harry wasn’t often one to initiate physical contact courtesy again of life at the Dursley’s but he couldn’t think of how to show Hermione how much this meant to him but he soon realised holding her hand wasn’t enough he cautiously entered into a hug. Taken back by Harry’s actions but liking them Hermione happily returned the hug then a thought hit her that she just couldn’t keep in “Harry we’re going to have to sleep together, aren’t we?”.

 

Now before Harry had asked Hermione to carry his child he had thought through thoroughly just what that request would entail including the conception and as much as Harry did not want to die a virgin he didn’t want to force his friend into something that she deserved it to be something special not something rushed out of necessity. Over the last year he had imagined his first time 100s of times, it had always been Ginny with him, and he wasn’t sure he was ready to give that up. So Harry had been trying to think of a way round the problem he had a few ideas but he wasn’t sure if they’d work.

 

 

“I don’t know Hermione but I need to talk to Ginny first either way.”

 

They parted and Harry looked for Tonks he knew Ginny would need her for the conversation they were about to start and time was ticking away quickly 15 minutes had passed since the quartet entered the room. He noticed that Tonks and Remus had moved to the side and looked like they had just finished an argument Tonks looked determined and Remus looked unhappily resigned. As Harry and Hermione approached Remus waved his wand removing the invisible barriers between the two couples.

 

 

Before Harry or Hermione could say a word Tonks spoke “Harry I want to offer to carry a child for you” Harry and Hermione’s mouths hit the floor , Harry couldn’t believe what he was hearing and all he could was stare dumbfounded at the couple in front of him. “I know this is a shock and you would never ask me out of respect for Remus but this is something I feel I need to offer you. Since I met you all those summers ago I have been astounded by your ability to handle what life has thrown at you the fact that you are still such a loving, selfless young man is frankly astounding. I want to do this for you because I know the more chances you have for an heir the better for our whole future and myself and Remus” she shoots a look at her slightly uncomfortable husband a look almost daring him to contradict “would happily raise our child with the love and security we wish we could have given you and hope we provide for Teddy”

 

 

“Nymphadora” earning a glare from the witch in question “I can’t let you...” Harry begins only Remus interrupts before he can finish.

 

 

 ”Harry I love you like a son and I wish more than anything I could have saved you from the hard life you’ve had but alas my furry little problem has kept me at arm’s length for too much of your life., I’m Proud of you and I know your parents and Sirius would be too. I trust you with my life and I can’t think of anyone better to be my son’s godfather if though you won’t be around. Tonks and I have been briefly talking over what you’ve just told us and although I’m not thrilled with what my wife is suggesting because it’s so soon after Teddy as well as the obvious reasons please hear us out. I’m supporting Nymph in this offer not just because it’s the right thing to do, as it will give the future you plan on sacrificing yourself for, a chance but because this is for once something we can do this for you for once. Also because of mine and Tonks’s marriage if necessary we can hide the child’s true paternity from most of the wizarding world if needed” pausing for breath Remus continued,

 

 

“Harry I know you well enough to know you are noble enough to still refuse but there is another more selfish reason for the offer, Nymph wants another child and although teddy’s fine I don’t want to chance having another child with the risk of them inheriting it too. As much as I love teddy he wasn’t planned and I would never deliberately take the risk to have a child. By doing this for you it would solve that issue and I promise you I would love any child of yours as my own.” Remus stated sincerely.

 

 

Resigned Harry decides it’s their decision to make and he should accept their offer but he double checks with Hermione non-verbally before agreeing as this now affects her too. At Hermione’s slight nod and smile he accepts the Lupin’s offer providing a way can be found to impregnate Tonks that doesn’t involve intercourse as he refuses to sleep with his father figures wife, the Lupin’s accept this condition and Remus looks noticeably relived.

 

 

Just as Harry is about to suggest they go and talk to Ginny Hermione’s eyes light up like when she knows an answer in class at the look Remus is compelled to ask “what is it Hermione?” an excited Hermione answers energetically “a turkey baster”. At the utterly bemused look of the three around she proceeds to explain the muggle home conception method but she suggests that it would be better to use a needleless syringe. This gives Remus an idea and he suggest a number of spells that could improve the success rate of the method.

 

Remus asks if they can do this method to Tonks right away as he wants to check the post break plan with the rest of the order and he knows he isn’t required for the conversation with Ginny. Remus also requests that he is the one to inseminate Harry’s sperm. Harry happily agrees to both suggestions and Hermione transfigures a syringe, two pots and a screen divider. Tonks smirked while asking harry if he needed any more materials or assistance causing both himself and Hermione to blush furiously Harry unable to meet anyone’s eyes. While Remus looking on chuckled at his wife’s antics.

 

Hermione, Tonks and Remus quickly headed to the far side of the room and cast several muting charms in Harry’s direction and proceeded to became instantaneously engrossed in a very engaging conversation between the 3 of them in order to give Harry some privacy to perform the required act. Completely forgetting about the fifth very confused person in the room who currently had a very good view of a screen...