Title: Secrets to the Wind
Author: Lady B
Pairing: Harry/Draco, Severus
Rating: rated per chapter; this one - PG13
Warnings: per chapter; this one - language
Summary: If you reveal your secrets to the wind, you should not blame the wind for revealing them to the trees.  ~Kahlil Gibran, Sand and Foam
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created by JK Rowling. I claim no rights to these, only my original plot devices and any original characters I've created from my own mind. I am not making any money from this story.
Author's note: Yeah, another freaking plot bunny bit me. I'm beginning to hate those bunnies. Takes place in Seventh year and completely ignores anything and everything after Book/Movie 5. I'm taking serious liberties with the plots and time lines at the end of OotP.

- - -

Part 3

-Fast-forward to the start of Seventh Year-

Once again, King's Cross Station at Platform 9¾ was a busy one. Familiars in cages, trunks, students in uniform and out of it and various family members milled about. Laughter followed as friends found each other once again after the long summer.

But for one group of people, it was anything but a happy time. Off to the side, standing near the portal between the platforms were Ron, Hermione and Ginny. They had sent letters to Harry all summer long asking about him and they all came back unopened. This worried them greatly, especially Ginny, who was determined to win back her love.

"Do you think he'll be here?" Ron asked for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"I'm sure he will be. Remus said in his last letter he was returning." Hermione replied.

"I don't get it. Why is Remus answering Harry's mail? Don't we deserve to know what's going on with our friend?" Ron demanded.

"I don't know, Ron. Harry's been through a lot the last few years, seen and done things we can only imagine in our dreams. He's growing up without us."

"Well I hate it. I want my friend back." Ron grumbled, crossing his arms.

Just then, the portal shimmered and the familiar face of Severus Snape stepped onto the platform. He glanced around, sneering at some of the students who noticed him, glaring at the three Gryffindors before turning back to the portal.

"What's he waiting for?" Ginny asked. Her question was answered when the portal shimmered again and the young man they'd all been waiting for stepped through. He wobbled on his feet for a moment before Severus reached out to steady him, and it was then that Hermione noticed he was holding the hand of a small toddler.

"Who's that?" Ginny asked, noticing the little boy the same time as Hermione. Hermione stared at the little tyke for the longest time, seeing the resemblance to the man standing at his side. He was chatting with their Potions Professor while keeping a tight hold on the small hand. As if sensing he was being watched, the little boy tapped the leg next to him for attention and Harry picked him up, easily holding him against his waist, without pausing in his conversation. The little boy rested his head on Harry's shoulder and popped his thumb into his mouth. Severus quickly pulled it out and put a magical binkie between the cupid bow lips.

"I didn't know Harry had a nephew." Hermione stated.

"Maybe it's his cousin's?" Ginny asked.

"Bloody hell!" Ron gaped, staring at Harry and Snape. Snape had just leaned over to give Harry a hug and dropped a kiss on the small head beside him before Apparating (it was assumed) to Hogwarts.

- - -

Harry stared at the spot where Snape had vanished before taking a deep breath and turning to meet the stares of his (former?) friends.

You can do this, Harry. I have faith in you. Were the words echoing in his head, spoken by none other than Snape. He took another deep breath and made his way toward them.

Before he could, a body blocked his way and he found himself staring into stormy gray eyes.

"Well, well, Potty. Bringing muggles to school with you? Bit much, don't you think?" Draco sneered.

"Out of my way, Malfoy." Harry replied in a calm voice. Around them, all eyes were focused on the two. Ron, Hermione and Ginny had never seen Harry looking so calm. It was scary.

"Or what? Your little band of do-goobers going to hex me? Who's your friend?" Draco stretched out a hand to touch the small boy and in the blink of an eye, Harry's wand was pointed right between Draco's eyes.

"Don't even think of touching him, Malfoy!" Harry growled.

Now Iggy was very smart for being only a year old. Harry was shocked when his son spoke his first word at only six months of age. But then again, he was the son of Harry Potter and magic sang through his veins life quickfire. By the time Iggy's first birthday had come, he was already mastering wandless magic. Harry couldn't have been more proud.

Iggy pulled the binkie from his mouth and stared at Draco's white-blond hair.

"Blue!" he giggled, clapping his hands. Before everyone's eyes, Draco's hair changed color to Ravenclaw blue. "Blue, Daddy!"

Harry had to bite the inside of his cheek very hard to keep from laughing out loud at the stunned looks on the faces he could see around him. The silence was so thick, he could have cut it with a knife.

Ginny's jaw fell open in outrage. Harry had a son! Harry had slept with someone else and had a child!

Beside her, Ron was just as shocked.

"Harry? What the hell is going on?" Ginny demanded. Harry looked at her.

"What, Ginny?"

"Who's he?" she demanded, pointing a shaking hand at Iggy, who was now looking at her strangely.

"He's my son. That's all you need to know. And I meant what I said, Malfoy. Stay away from me and mine or you just may end up becoming a ferret for the rest of your life."

Then Harry turned on his heel and headed for the train.

Once he and Iggy were safely ensconced in a compartment, only then did Harry release the laughter he had been holding, tears rolling down his cheeks. Iggy stared at his father as if he's lost his mind and touched his cheek with a small hand.

"Ignatius, this certainly will be an interesting year with you around." he smiled.

"Daddy happy Blue?" Iggy asked.

"Daddy's very happy, my baby." Harry grinned.

"Iggy make Daddy Blue happy?"

"You can try." Harry grinned, wondering when Draco would notice his new hair color.

"POTTER!" came an enraged shout not a moment later. Both Iggy and Harry fell over, peals of laughter echoing throughout their compartment.

Then Iggy's expression became somewhat serious.

"Daddy, no like Dragon Lady. Dragon Lady feel mean." Harry looked his son in the eyes. Lately, Iggy had been manifesting empath abilities and Harry always took his son's feelings to heart.

"Ginny?"

"Dragon Lady." Iggy nodded in agreement.

"She bears keeping an eye on then. Should we tell Poppa Sev about her?"

"Mmhmm." Iggy nodded. Harry reached into his shirt and pulled out the onyx jewel hanging around his neck. He tapped it with his wand and spoke the password.

"Severus?"

"Harry? What's wrong? You're not having problems already are you?"

"No, nothing like that. Ignatius was getting some bad vibes off Ginny Weasley. Thought you'd want to know about it."

"I'll keep an eye on her in class and during meals. What about when you're in the tower?"

"Um...I may have forgotten to tell you something."

"..."

"It's nothing bad, I promise."

"..."

"I...um...Professor Lupin came to the house last week. He knows what happened."

"...Didn't we agree that the fewer people who knew the better?"

"He's family, Severus. I couldn't lie to him."

"So what did he suggest?"

"He convinced Professor Dumbledore to give me my own rooms this year without Prefect or Head Boy status. He didn't tell Dumbledore the reason why, just that I need the extra privacy this year. They're near your own so it will be easier for me and Iggy. I won't have to step foot in Gryffindor unless it's for a visit."

"That's satisfactory. I will see you at the feast then."

"Bye bye Poppa!" Iggy called.

"Goodbye, Iggy." Harry could hear the grin in Severus's voice as he deactivated the pendant, stuffing it back into his shirt.

Iggy yawned.

"Sleep, baby." Harry smiled, cradling his son in his arms. He watched his son drift off before he turned to stare out of the window.

It was definitely going to be an interesting year.

TBC...