The pregnancy potion test glowed in Daphne's dark living room, the potion giving everything the faintest green tinge, and she despaired. Merlin, when had that happened? If the hue was to be believed, a little bit over a month ago. How could she have been so stupid? She was barely getting her first few good jobs on the Daily Prophet, and Harry was just now getting his first missions as an Auror...
Besides, his friends - Granger and Weasley, and the girl Weasley, and Longbottom... Half the current wizards alive, really, but she seemed rather neutral about her - had different degrees of dislike for her, ranging from a "you're kind of weird" to "you were a Slytherin and I still don't trust you". Long story short, they disliked her. How would they react to her having Harry's child? Badly, she supposed. They didn't take to her; why would they take to her child, even if it was also Harry's?
Daphne shook her head, hugging her knees as she bit her lower lip. It wasn't time to ponder. It was time to plan ahead, to scheme and to -
To flee, she guessed, hugging herself tighter. Daphne had never had the most loveable parents, and, well. Harry would never be happy with someone his friends actively mildly disliked to hated, and he'd turn bitter at her; she would replicate her parents' marriage in another time, and she didn't want to raise a kid like herself: weird, socially stunted and shy, a pawn to her parent's mind games. She refused to keep the vicious cycle her family was entangled in going.
She realized this wasn't a normal thought process, but the idea of being able to make sure her kid wouldn't be a pawn took precedence.
With a heavy sigh, Daphne passed a hand through her messy hair, deciding to make herself some tea and ponder on the subject. She left the potion on the table; Harry wouldn't arrive for a few hours, and it wasn't like he was going to break routine, anyway. She knew him well enough to say that with confidence.
The proof of the pregnancy could be thrown away later, but for now, she wanted to eat something. There was enough flour for a batch of scones, and Astoria had sent a homemade raspberry jam that tasted divine...
Daphne was in the middle of pulling the scones out of the oven to let them cool, humming to herself, when she heard Harry's voice.
"Daphne, you'll not believe what happened on the office!" He said, cheery in an almost odd way, and weren't it for the fact had left the positive pregnancy potion on the living room table, she'd engage him. But alas, that wasn't the case.
She cast a quick time spell, and cursed out loud: she had gotten lost while making the scones, and as such, the pregnancy potion was still on the table, still glowing slightly and bathing the room. Daphne left her scones to cool, forgetting all about perhaps Accio'ing the potion as she moved to the living room, finding Harry staring at it.
Did he know what it was? If he didn't, then maybe...
"Harry..." She started, slow and quiet. He looked at her, stars shining in his eyes, and Daphne could feel a lump in her throat starting to form. He knew what it was.
She could tell - yes. Daphne should tell. It was fair. Still, fear took hold of her mind, a lie being formed on her tongue before she bit it out.
Daphne wasn't her mother. Harry wasn't her father. Maybe things could be different. Besides, he had seen it, so he might as well get the truth, right? What could it cost her?
"I'm pregnant." Daphne blurted, eyes cast down before she looked at him, expectantly, and Harry simply grinned. "Won't you mind being a parent so soon? I will understand if you don't. I can raise the baby alone, and..."
He approached her with quick steps, holding Daphne as if she was made of crystal.
"Daphne, I've always wanted a family," He interrupted, and Daphne blinked, surprised at the reaction he had.
Sure, they had discussed kids before - they never had agreed on names, and Harry had the worst sort of taste for it that she'd ever found -, but she would have never guessed Harry felt that strongly about it.
Well, in one hand, he was an orphan, and what little she knew told her it wasn't a happy life, the one he had led.
"But - " Was she making excuses, now? She was. "But what will others think? What if they badmouth you because... Well, because of me?"
Daphne knew that some people did not like her, and that Harry was the Saviour of the Wizarding World. They were unmatched, like night and day.
Harry looked at her, quiet for a moment, and Daphne could feel the pause in the air, muting all other sounds. For a second, it was as if they were the only people in the world.
That is, until Harry laughed, and Daphne looked at him, confusion shining clear in her mind.
"Why should I care?" He started, putting his hands on her shoulders, still staring at her eyes. She just stared at him, dumbfounded at his easy acceptance. Was it really supposed to be that easy? "Daphne, as long as I have you, I don't care about anyone else's opinions. And, let's be honest, they're going to talk bad about whatever choice I make anyway, so again, why should I care?"
Tears stung her eyes, but Daphne blinked them away, holding herself to Harry as if he was a steady place - a home, so to speak. It felt like it was the first time Daphne had a place to call home, but she wouldn't tell that to Harry, promising to herself she'd give her unborn child a better place than hers was. And, apparently, Harry was onboard with the idea.
"Let's get married," He said, against her skin, hands on her waist, and Daphne sighed, content with herself.
"Yes, of course." Daphne could feel Harry's smile, and she thanked every historically important witch and wizard she could name he had come home before the usual time; Merlin only knew what could've happened, had he not.
No, she didn't want to think; this was the future that she had accidentally created for herself.
Harry kissed her softly and murmuring words filled with soft love. That was all that mattered, because that was the reality she lived in, not some tragic realm where she decided by herself. She had Harry on her side, and nothing or no one was going to take him away from her.
He let go of her, and Daphne smiled at Harry.
"I love you." She said, and Harry blushed slightly. He looked cute, even in the low light, and Daphne hoped their child looked like him.
"I love you too. You two?" He tried, and Daphne mock-slapped his arm, making Harry laugh the tiniest bit, a smile breaking over her face. "Hey, it was a good joke."
"No, it wasn't." She sighed, turning back, Daphne's hand on his, the pregnancy potion long forgotten. "Do you want some scones? I made a few."
"I'll have some, sure. I'm starving, and you're too, I bet." Harry replied, as she took him to the kitchen, her now cold scones still where she had left it. Daphne nodded to herself, and put some water on the kettle, sitting with Harry, touching her stomach lightly.
The future had never seen so bright.
