Please...

Chapter Thirty

"Daddy!" Harry squealed, skipping around the room. "Daddy, Daddy, DAddy!!"

"Yes, Harry?"

"Swimmin' 'ow? Pretty please?" 

Severus crossed his arms. "Hmm... Well... Did you eat all your vegetables when you had lunch yesterday?"

Harry nodded enthusiastically. "Mmm-hmm!!"

"Did you put on your trunks?"

"Hmm? But- I don' have one!!" Harry exclaimed. "I needs one, Daddy!! Ca' I have one!? Pretty, pretty please?"

"Alright, close your eyes," Severus said. Harry grinned and did so. "Okay, open!"

When Harry opened his eyes, he saw that Severus was holding a pair of blue swim trunks covered in cartoon fishes. 

"Fishies! Thanks you Daddy!!"

"You're welcome, bambi. Go ahead and put them on in your room. Then we can go down to the lake."

"YAY!!!" Harry ran to his room, leaving Severus laughing.

"So, I take it he's excited?" Remus asked, walking out of the bathroom. 

"Obviously. He's never been swimming before," the Slytherin replied. "Of course, he'll probably just be splashing and running in the water, not much actual swimming. He's too energetic to actually spend time learning how to swim."

"I guess so. Why don't you go change, I'll pack a lunch and get Harry's floaties."

"Yeah. Make sure you bring some fruit and vegetables. Can't have him living off of strawberry sandwiches."

"But they's yummy!"

Both men jumped, turned around, and saw Harry. Both started laughing. "You scared us, Hare!" Remus exclaimed. "D'you want to help me get some lunch?"

"Yeah! Sorry I scareded you, Pappy. Up?" He raised his arms above his head. "Can Fulbert come with?"

"No, Harry," Remus replied as he lifted Harry. "Fulbert has to stay home. But we can say goodbye before we leave, alright?"

"Okay! To the kitchen! Bye-bye Daddy!" Harry rested his head on Remus' shoulder. "Pappy?"

"Yes, honey?"

"Does... Is swimmin' hard?"

"Well... It can be, a little bit. But you'll have me and Daddy right there with you! And it's okay if you don't do the best the very first time."

"Really?"

"Of course!" the man said. "Swimming is s'posed to fun! If you want, we can just splash around in the lake until you're tired."

"Love you, Pappy."

"I love you, too, cub. Now lets make some lunch, yeah? You go ahead and pick out some fruit and some veggies."

"Hmm..." Harry scrunched his nose as he thought hard about what to choose. "Ooh! B'ackberries an' carrots! An' 'nanas!!!"

"Brilliant choices, Harry!"

Remus continued to pack their lunch into a small basket while Harry chose to sit in the living room and build with his blocks. Remus felt good. Both he and Severus had been a bit worried after the Boggart incident. Harry had been so... sad the few days after, but maybe he was getting back to being the happy little boy he had finally healed enough to be. Scared sometimes, and still worried, but happy and loved most of all.

"Hi, Remi."

"Hello. Ready to go?"

"Yes. I have sunscreen, towels, hair ties- speaking of which, we should see if he wants his hair cut. If he doesn't it's fine, but it is getting awfully long."