It wasn't as easy as Harry thought. How in the world were they going to find-let alone agree on -a surrogate to give birth to their child?

As far as Draco was concerned, he was leaving the details to Harry. All he was going to do, he said repeatedly, was provide the sperm.

"She must be a Pureblood," he reminded Harry for the umpteenth time.

"I know. You've already said. But how are we going to do this? People can't know it's for us or we'll be swamped here at Hogwarts. And I'd hate to think what the Prophet would say about it."

"Well, it's got to be a secret, naturally."

"No shit, Draco. But HOW?"

"Don't you know anything, Potter? Advertise. Get an advert in the Prophet."

"And say what?"

"Must I do everything? Give me a quill." He snatched it out of Harry's hand and pushed him out of the chair. Dipping the feather in the ink, he scrawled on the parchment for a few seconds and handed it to Harry.

          SURROGATE MOTHER NEEDED
          Must be Pureblood and willing to give up parental rights. Anonymity a must. Applicants will be thoroughly screened and their genealogies carefully scrutinized. Squibs need not apply. Compensation will be worth your while and includes all medical expenses. All applicants must agree to be Obliviated should they not be chosen. Contact Box 456 at the Daily Prophet to apply.

Harry read it over. It seemed so cold-blooded. But he supposed it had to be this way, almost like a business transaction. But wait a minute. Where did he get the box number?

"Draco-"

"I already got the bloody box number, all right? I knew you'd bollux it up."

Harry smiled at him. "You are too cute by half."

"Too right." And Harry made sure that night that Draco knew it well.

But in the morning, Harry was certain that they'd never hear anything else about it again. Who would answer an advert like that? But it didn't take long into breakfast that they were flooded by owls. The students began to titter and then laugh as the numbers continued into the Great Hall and dropped their mounds of parchment in front of Harry and Draco throughout the meal. Dumbledore cocked his head at them, but they could only smile weakly in return. And even after breakfast, it didn't cease, with owls besieging them into their classes. The teachers in the staff room began to loudly speculate, but Harry and Draco kept silent on the subject.

Later Harry confronted Draco in the corridor. "We've got to stop the advert! We've gotten too many."

"Yeah, I didn't count on that. I'll firecall the Prophet-Oh no. I can't do that. They'll know who it's from. I'll transfigure my owl and send a note straight away."

The owls finally stopped by the next morning but there was still a mountain of parchment to go through. "Draco, how are we going to sort all this?"

"I'm certain some can be eliminated right off."

"But there's so many."

He looked at Harry. "Maybe…maybe we should enlist some help."

"I thought we agreed we wouldn't tell anyone."

He gestured to the enormous pile. "We obviously need help. I know someone who can keep a secret."

* * *

Hermione stepped into their suite at Hogwarts and looked pensively at their small table set up with tea things.

"Come on in, Hermione," said Harry sweetly. He gestured to Draco to pull her chair out for her. "Have a seat."

"Thanks," she said, taking off her cloak. Harry snatched it up and hung it on a peg. She sat gingerly on the chair and smiled at them, a suspicious glitter in her eye. "I don't think I've ever been invited to tea here before."

"Well it's high time you have, don't you think?" He looked at Draco for confirmation but Draco wore a subdued expression.

"I'll be Mother," said Harry, grasping the tea pot and then he looked guiltily at a wincing Draco.

Hermione watched Harry pour, and then he politely asked if she wanted sugar, milk, lemon. He offered her a plate of biscuits until she slammed her saucer down, the cup rattling precariously. "Harry. What in blazes is going on here? Am I dying or something?"

He stared at her uncomprehendingly for a moment and then shook his head. "No! Nothing like that. It's just…well. We really meant to have you over more often and-"

"Just tell her, Potter."

Harry hissed out of the side of his mouth, "Draco, I'm trying to have a conversation here-"

"She's on to you. Just tell her."

"I'm not just going to spring this-"

"Well one of you had better tell me something or I'll hex you both!"

Harry sighed and set the teapot down. "Okay. The thing of it is-"

"We want to have a baby and we need your help."

He glared at Draco who only shrugged. Leave it to the Slytherin not to have any tact at all.

Hermione was blushing furiously. "I'm…I'm very flattered, of course. But…but…this isn't something I can simply decide on my own. I'd have to think of all the ramifications; discuss it at the very least with Ron, who I don't think would go for it at all-"

"I don't want you to carry the bloody thing!" said Draco. "We just need help picking a surrogate. Honestly, Granger!"

She slumped in relief. "Oh. Oh that's better." She put her hand on Harry's. "No offense, Harry."

"None taken. You wouldn't qualify anyway, according to Draco's requirements."

Now she was scowling. "And just what are those requirements?"

"Since it's my child I require a Pureblood. Sorry." And he hastily slurped his tea.

"I see. Harry, aren't you going to add your genes to the pool?"

"Naw. It's not that important to me. Besides, it would be both of ours; mine and Draco's. It doesn't matter to me as long as it's healthy."

"And what a very healthy attitude to take," she said, turning to Draco with an annoying expression Harry knew well.

"Look, I'm not changing my mind. We already put out an advert. We just need you to help us screen the applicants."

"Hmm." She drank her tea and gazed at Harry over her tea cup, eyes shining. "I trust you've thought it through; talked to Dumbledore, for instance?"

Draco looked at Harry. Oops. He knew there was something he forgot. "W-why don't I go now?" said Harry, rising, "and the two of you can go through the applications."

Hermione stifled a laugh, but then didn't have to when Draco showed her the bags of letters. Harry let the door close behind him. He imagined how much worse it would have been if they knew it was the Famous Harry Potter who was looking for a surrogate, though perhaps finding out it was Draco who was to be the actual father would have cut down on them considerably. Not a nice thought for Draco, surely.

He arrived to the gargoyle statue and told it, "Gum Drops!" Once the griffin stair was revealed, Harry rode it to the top. He tapped on the door and heard Dumbledore's reply and opened it. The old wizard was stooped over a large tome on a stand, his gnarled and blackened finger tracing a printed line. He looked up through his half-moon spectacles and smiled. "Ah, Harry. How are you this fine Saturday?"

"Just fine, Albus. May I sit?"

"Certainly, dear boy." But before Dumbledore could conjure a chair, Harry did it non-verbally and wandlessly. The old wizard raised his brows but said nothing.

"I take it since you wish to sit, that this is a matter of some import. Would it by any chance have to do with a flock of owls?"

Harry grinned sheepishly. "It would." Dumbledore sat and settled and Harry looked at his headmaster with a growing sense of trepidation. Stupid, really. He and Draco were so used to doing things on their own that they never thought, never occurred to them that they may be violating some Hogwarts rule or some ancient Ministry procedure. Well, best to dive in and see what horrible obstacle they had to overcome this time. "Albus, it's like this. Draco and I decided that it was time to have a family, so we've been advertising for a surrogate mother. Anonymously, of course. So…so that's what all the fuss has been."

The headmaster nodded slowly, his peaked wizard hat bobbing with him. "I see. A family. No doubt these feelings have been brought about by the Weasleys addition to the Wizarding world."

"Er…yes. Though I have been thinking about it for a bit. I never had a proper family, you know. So it's very important to me."

"I know, Harry."

Harry sighed. "And here's where you tell me we've broken about fifty school rules and violated some Ministry law and must be strung up by our toes. Right?"

He chuckled. "Not at all. I merely wondered if you have considered your teaching schedules to care for such a child. This is a great responsibility and I shouldn't like to feel that the infant might be neglected."

"Oh no! I'd never allow that! Draco and I have been talking and I think we can work out a schedule so we're never teaching at the same time. Then that way, one or the other of us will always be available."

"Good. Then you have thought it out. Everything, that is, but coming to me prior to this."

"Y-yeah. I'm sorry. We were thinking of every contingency. Except maybe that one. I'm really sorry."

"Young love," he muttered and shook his head. "No matter. No harm done. I would be delighted to have a baby here at Hogwarts. I dare say, it might breathe new life into the place. I do like children, you know."

Harry sighed his relief. "Yeah, I got that. Thanks, Albus." Harry rose, but as usual, the old wizard wasn't done.

"Still," said Dumbledore.

Harry froze and then slowly eased down again.

"Have you considered, with this new mission of yours, how a child will play into it?"

He nodded. "I reckoned there was no good time to do it, so might as well do it now. I can't put the rest of my life on hold just because some Witch wants to be Queen of the World."

Dumbledore sat up straighter. "Witch?"

Harry unconsciously rubbed his scar. "Yeah. I know it's a witch. And she's not in England. She's in Finland." He hadn't known that until he said it, but now that he said it, he was certain. "I know I'll have to go soon. Well before any baby is born."

Dumbledore nodded gravely. "Harry, I want you in contact with the Auror's office. I believe Miss Tonks-pardon. Ms Lupin is the Hogwarts liaison these days."

Harry smiled. "Yeah. I heard that. Yeah. I'll give her a call-"

"I rather think it will require a visit."

Harry measured Dumbledore's closed expression. It wasn't a suggestion. Yes, something like this must be kept very secret. He nodded once and then rose. "Yes. I'll visit her very soon. Thanks Albus. Er…is that all?"

"If you've nothing more to tell me?"

"Isn't this enough for now?"

"Indeed. And Harry. Extend my congratulations to Draco, as well."

"Yes, sir. I will."

Harry left Dumbledore's office a little stunned. Never had any discussion with Albus Dumbledore gone so smoothly.

He was immediately worried.

* * *

Hermione spent the weekend with Draco sorting through the many parchments and it was remarkably easy to narrow them down to twelve serious candidates. Draco set up an appointment with the first one in Hogsmeade for the next evening. Harry told him he would let Draco handle it since he didn't know what to say. They made their farewells and thanks to Hermione, who promised to keep it all to herself.

Draco taught his classes as usual, feeling no undue trepidation at the evening's meeting, but as the time drew nearer, he began to feel the butterflies.

He took his cloak and pushed the hood over his head and decided to walk to Hogsmeade to work out his nerves. Not good to look nervous to the prospective candidate. Never look as if they had your bollocks. Not a good beginning. He was in charge and wanted whoever it was to know it right away.

He took a room at the Three Broomsticks and instructed Madam Rosemerta to send enquirers up. She never asked and he never volunteered, but he waited in the room, the hood still hiding his features and his long fingers tapping on the table.

He looked at the clock. She was late. Not a good sign. This one looked the best, too. Her information was written in an elegant hand with impeccable prose. He liked it right away. She explained how her family had fallen on hard times after the war and she could use the funds.

A scrape on the stairs. Did he hear footfalls? Someone approached the door and he heard a knock. "Come," he said, and the door opened.

A woman in a sheltering hood and cloak entered through the shadows and stood silhouetted against the doorway. Suddenly she threw back her hood and Draco gasped. He hadn't even realized when he jumped to his feet. His hood fell away and she gasped, too.

"Pansy!"


On to Chapter Six
"The Birds and the Bees"

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"Adventures in Babysitting"

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