Holding On by JAWorley
Summary: Where once a boy of 17 had to learn to let go of his burdens, now a man of 18 must learn how to hold on when all in his life seems to go awry. Harry and Severus are still learning how to live as father and son, and Harry and Ginny are learning how to cope with their new little family as well. Voldemort’s terrorist attacks are on the rise, and Harry and Ginny are in more danger than they ever were, with more at stake than ever. Sequel to Letting Go.
Categories: Healer Snape, Teacher Snape > Trusted Mentor Snape, Teacher Snape > Professor Snape, Parental Snape > Guardian Snape, Snape Equal Status to Harry > Comrades Snape and Harry, Teacher Snape > Unofficially teaching Snape Main Characters: .Snape and Harry (required), Arthur, Bill, Charlie, Draco, Dumbledore, Flitwick, Fred George, Ginny, Hagrid, Hedwig, Hermione, Lucius, McGonagall, Molly, Neville, Oliver Wood, Original Character, Other, Pomfrey, Remus, Ron, Shacklebolt, Tonks, Voldemort, Wormtail
Snape Flavour: Snape Comforts, Snape is Kind, Snape is Loving, Snape is Stern
Genres: Action/Adventure, Angst, Drama, Family, Fantasy, General, Hurt/Comfort
Media Type: None
Tags: Alternate Universe, Injured!Harry, Injured!Snape, Pregnancy
Takes Place: 8 - Post Hogwarts (young adult Harry)
Warnings: Profanity, Romance/Het, Torture, Violence
Prompts: Grampy Sev
Challenges: Grampy Sev
Series: New Life
Chapters: 3 Completed: No Word count: 11355 Read: 7380 Published: 08 May 2011 Updated: 22 Jan 2021
Story Notes:

A Secret Place by JAWorley
Author's Notes:
It's finally here! And I graduate college in June so I'm hoping to write on this all summer long.

Be sure to read Letting Go first or this won't make any sense at all.
"Ginny wants to put in a wishing well." Harry sat on the cool dewy grass by the edge of Ilwyn Lake, fishing rod in hand as the early morning light warmed his skin.

"Oh?" Severus sat beside him with his own fishing pole, several fish already strung up next to him in a bucket of water. "Is there something she wishes for?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't think so. Aren't wishing wells just made up Muggle things?"

"No." Severus jerked his pole suddenly and Harry watched in amazement as he reeled in yet another fish. Harry had yet to catch one, as this was his first ever real fishing trip. "A true wishing well has Felix Felicious in the bottom with the water and you wish and then draw water from it to drink. It has such a small amount of the potion that it is not harmful to drink from it often, and eventually the well will once again become unlucky."

"Hm." Harry thought on that. "And you just dig the well out and line it with rocks to start with?"

Severus eyed him as he put more bait on his line and cast out again. "She is your soon to be bride, so to be more accurate, you just dig the well out and line it with rocks. I would suggest you do it in the woods towards the brook, but far enough back from the water that the potion will not dissipate out into the stream. We do not need lucky fish." He chuckled then and Harry shook his head as his father pulled out another trout.

Harry enjoyed the calmness of the morning, and the occasional banter back and forth with his father. He was so lost in peacefulness that he had almost forgotten about the third member of their fishing party until he let out a loud whoop of joy and a fish came flying out of the water towards Harry's face.

"Ugh!" Harry dodged it and the fish landed between him and his father. Harry looked out into the lake, where Draco stood waist deep in the calm water grinning.

"See Potter! Told you it wasn't that hard!"

"Well it's not fair if you cheat!" he shouted back. "Your catching my fish before they get to my hook!"

Draco shrugged and stuck his hands back down into the water, closing his eyes as he waited patiently.

"How does he do that?" Harry asked.

"I have told you before. He has elven blood in his ancestry. His grandfather I believe was half. He calls the fish to him and waits until he feels them between his hands."

"Calls them?"

"Elves are more in tune with nature than most, although I am surprised Draco has the skills needed to do as he does. His father does not acknowledge his elven ancestry and therefore does not practice their magic."

Harry hated being reminded of Lucius Malfoy, or of anything else having to do with Voldemort. Ever since he had been captured at the end of the school year, he was more anxious about the evil wizard and his followers. Draco was as well judging by the fact that he had not gone home yet, and likely wouldn't unless he wanted to face his father and join the Dark Lord, and Harry knew for a fact that he didn't want that. They had returned from Hogwarts three weeks ago to stay with Harry's father in Gildywen mountains, and had since added another bedroom to the house, and tightened security measures along the perimeter, even going as far as to add anti burning and anti explosion charms to the very wood with which the house was built. It was all in preparation of Ginny's seventeenth birthday and arrival in a week.

Despite not wanting to be away from his wife (well, not technically, but with a baby on the way he couldn't help but think of her as such) Harry had agreed with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley that it would be good for Ginny to spend the first few weeks of the summer at home with them. Harry suspected it had something to do with Mrs. Weasley not wanting to let her youngest child and only daughter go so soon, but knew she wouldn't have a choice when Ginny came of age and so he allowed her one final month of free reign. Ginny was not pleased, but was resigned to let it happen.

"All in good time," Severus said quietly next to Harry.

"Huh?" Harry looked over at his father. Had he been talking and Harry had tuned out?

"You were thinking about Ginny again. She will be here in good time."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, I guess."

Her getting there was not what Harry was worried about. That had been worked out already. In exactly one week, Harry would go to the Burrow for Ginny's birthday, spend the day, and then bring her home. It was what was to happen at the end of the summer that he was worried about. He wanted to stay with her or near her and had not secured a flat near the castle yet, and had also not secured a job. It wasn't that he needed one with the pile of gold in his Gringotts account, but he wanted to be set with a baby boy on the way and wanted that little boy to have everything he did not have growing up... a big room full of toys and books, the best racing broom, a nice soft bed with warm blankets, stuffed animals, food... and most of all, two loving parents. Harry smiled to himself then and realized that his son would also have a loving grandparent... three to be exact.

"Has the Headmaster said anything yet about me being allowed back into the castle to see Ginny between classes?"

"She will be allowed to go home on the weekends and holidays, and during the week you will be allowed into the castle, but not to stay the night, unless under certain circumstances such as illness."

"Oh." Well, it was better than nothing, he thought. At least they would be able to see each other, but he was worried about after the baby was born. Was he to have the baby all by himself while Ginny was in classes? What about at night? What if she wanted to take him at night and then Harry couldn't be with them?

"It is best to stop worrying yourself over things at this point in time Harry," his father said calmly, and Harry let out a long, low sigh. He was still trying to figure out how to let the burden of some things fall on his father instead of on himself. It was a lesson hard learned with three ulcers. He had had two of them during the school year, and then a third in the last couple of weeks, which his father had already cured him of, but not without great cost of potions supplies.

They continued fishing for another hour before Severus went inside to prepare and store the fish, and Harry drug Draco around to the back of the house where the garden and shed were to look for shovels.

"And what do you need a shovel for?"

"Going to dig a wishing well." He smiled as he found two old shovels and used his wand to sharpen the edges of the two tools.

"Let me rephrase," Draco said. "What do you need two shovels for?"

Harry thrust the taller of the two shovels at his friend and said, "Come on. I'll never finish by myself without your help."

"What am I? Your best mate now? What about Ron?"

"We'll see. For now just help me find a good place."

They trekked off into the forest in search of the perfect spot that was not too close to the stream. An hour later found Harry breaking ground as Draco watched, leaning on his own shovel.

"Come on then," Harry urged him. "Or one day you'll need me to help with something for some girl you love and I'll just stand there lazing about."

Draco rolled his eyes but began marking a circle with his shovel. "I'll have you know we have wands for a reason."

"Dad says we can't use magic on this or it won't work."

"I know," said Draco. "Shame isn't it?"

At lunch time Draco gave up when they'd hit several rocks and a tree root, and had only dug the well a foot deep. Harry stayed behind however, determined to have it done for her. He dug well into the evening when Severus was finally forced to come and retrieve him for dinner, and was impressed with Harry's progress of three feet.

"Save the rocks in a pile over there," he instructed. "You will need them to line the well. I will conjure some rope for you in the morning as well because you will need for getting in and out of the well."

Harry frowned. "How deep does it have to be?"

"You dig until you hit water. In this case I would say fifteen to twenty feet."

As he followed his father back and took a fast shower before scarfing down a meat sandwich, Harry shuddered at the thought of being in such a deep, enclosed space. Even before being trapped in a cell and small cage at the hands of Voldemort, Harry had been slightly claustrophobic, the product of living in a cupboard under the stairs for nine years. Maybe owling Ron wouldn't be such a bad idea after all. Even if Draco helped, Harry doubted he could dig twenty feet in the remaining five days he had.

Before he went to bed, he sent a letter to Ron asking him to come the next day to work on a surprise for Ginny. He hoped his friend would show up and be willing to work, or else he was in for the long dirty haul by himself.

* * *

"Pull!" Ron strained with Harry and Draco to dislodge the large stone stuck in the dirt at the bottom of the six foot hole. He had managed to get the rope around it and tugged on it as Harry and Draco pulled at the rope from the top.

"Damn it!" Ron kicked the side of the well in frustration and then allowed himself to be pulled out of the hole by Harry and Draco. The sun was starting to set and they were all tired and hungry. Draco had grown bored after about an hour of watching the two former Gryffindors dig by themselves, and had joined in, only to get fully engrossed by the task himself.

"Reckon we need more help?" Harry asked. "I wonder if the rock goes a lot deeper than we thought."

"I don't know," Ron said, "but I could probably get Fred and George to help. Ginny's been helping in the joke shop for money so they could probably leave her at it for the day."

"Drag them here in the morning then," Harry said. "Come and have dinner before you go. I think dad has cooked something on the grill." They had been smelling something good for the last couple of hours, and Harry was sure it was something cooked over an open fire in the outside grate on the side of the house.

Tired, achy, and dirty, the three boys made their way back through the woods and to the house. Two eighteen year olds and a seventeen year old needed meat, and it appeared that Severus was ready to deliver with massive hunks of steak marinated in some sort of red sauce that was sweet and tangy at the same time.

They barely thanked him before sitting down on the grass and digging into it, gulping thirstily at the glasses of water he had brought out for them.

"What is your progress?"

"Six feet, but there's a stone stuck at the bottom," Draco said between bites of meaty, juicy goodness.

"Ron's going to see if Fred and George will come back tomorrow," Harry said, and his father nodded, amazed at their determination to get the well dug. Harry and Ron he could see, but Draco surprised him. Severus secretly knew that Draco often enjoyed manual labor, despite the fuss he put up about his hands being to fair to work with tools. It was a secret kept from Lucius, who had always insisted that Draco would not engage in common tasks fit only for servants.

Later that night, after Ron had left and Harry and Draco had retired to their rooms, Severus knocked on Harry's door, but received no answer. Curious, he opened it to find an empty room. Following a hunch, he set out with his wand and a lit lantern into the night to find his son down in the six foot hole with a hand trowel digging out the edges of the rock as much as he could in the darkness.

"Shall I bind you and carry you off to bed?"

Harry looked up with a grin, face covered in grime. "Not yet. If I can just dig out under the rock some more then I think we can get it tomorrow."

"Have you considered breaking it up?"

Harry shook his head and Severus reached down a hand and motioned for Harry to grab it so that he could be pulled up.

Looking around to the pile of stones they had already dislodged and pulled out, Severus cast a charm at one and then used his wand to levitate it high above the hole.

"I thought you said no magic," Harry protested.

"No magic in digging the well. The rock will lose its magic the second the hovering charm is released however and no harm will be done."

"You think that big rock will break just by dropping the small one on it?"

"I have made the small one permanently heavy. You will have to haul it out in the morning, but I believe it will be worth it."

"All right then." Harry nodded and Severus released the charm, letting the stone plummet to the bottom of the well. There was a loud thud and cracking noise, and Harry shined his wand light down into the hole to see that the large stubborn stone had been broken into three.

"Now, will you come to bed?"

"Yes."

They headed off in darkness, and Severus said, "I did not realize you enjoyed manual labor so much, or else I would have assigned you lines as detention instead of cleaning."

Harry shrugged. "I'm just used to it is all."

"Good, because this came for you by owl after you snuck out of the house."

Harry took the parchment being offered to him and said, "I didn't sneak. I turn 18 in a couple of weeks you know. I used the front door."

"Read the letter," Severus instructed as they made the house again and were bathed in warm light in the entryway.

Harry noted the yellow seal on the parchment with a B and then tore it open.

"To Harry James Potter, previous Seeker and Captain of Gryffindor Quidditch team of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: We hereby invite you to tryout for the primary or backup Seeker position for the Bixby Beetles, on Monday, the thirtieth of July. Pay upon acceptance is 20 Galleons a month, with a 5 Galleon per match bonus, and additional 5 Galleon per winning match bonus. Newest top of the line broom model Zephyr or White Fire (your choice) will be provided at no cost if you are accepted onto the team."

Harry let his hand drop along with his mouth. "They want me to try out!" He couldn't help but be a little excited at the thought of playing Quidditch professionally as well as the high payout and new broom stick.

"They require many hours of work outs as well as game practice, although I believe it is less for a Seeker than it is for other positions."

"Wow," Harry said. "I need to talk about this with Ginny."

From behind his back then Severus withdrew another roll of parchment with a blue wax seal and an arrow and said, "You should talk this over with her as well then."

"Another one?"

"It arrived by a different owl but at roughly the same time. I believe they are now competing for you."

Harry opened it and said, "It's from the Appleby Arrows... that's not far from here!" He was quiet as he scanned the letter, and then ready to give the highlights he said, "They're offering a 20 Galleon sign up bonus with 20 Galleons and 1 Sickle a month pay, 5 Galleon a match bonus and 5 Galleon a win bonus, and choice between a Zephyr or White Fire. They also say they're aware that I have a child on the way and they're willing to work around my schedule, and that I don't even need to try out!"

Severus thought that it was possible that Harry might actually jump for joy, and watched with amusement as his son actually whooped loudly, drawing Draco out of his room.

"What's this about then? Don't you know I'm trying to sleep in there?"

Harry launched straight into his Quidditch offers and got Draco riled up before Severus finally ushered them both back off to bed and told Harry to wait until morning to send those offers off to Ginny in case any more came in. There were three more by breakfast, but Harry only sent the original two off, not wanting to play for the Irish team, not wanting to play for the Falmouth Falcons (rumored to be vicious in their tactics), and not wanting to help start up a new Quidditch team in Wigtown to go against the Wigtown Wanderers. There was an offer for Draco as well from the Falmouth Falcons, but Draco wasn't even going to consider replying.

"I thought you liked them," Harry said as they headed out towards the well in the morning mist."

"I do, but I like my neck better. Think about it. You're a high security risk and they'll probably have all sorts of Ministry security at your practices and games, but not me. I'm liable to just disappear one day and never be heard from again."

"Oh," Harry said. He hadn't thought of that, and suddenly he wondered if Ginny would not want him to play Quidditch then just because of his high profile and the likelihood that Voldemort would try to kidnap him again.

As promised, Ron showed up with Fred and George, and they worked hard all day, getting down to twelve feet after they finally managed to haul the tiny, and yet tremendously heavy stone Harry's father had broken the large one with out of the well. Ron, Fred and George also reveled in all of the Quidditch invitations Harry had received (two more by lunch), and discussed all of the possibilities with him. One team even offered to practice at Hogwarts so that Harry wouldn't have to travel, but Fred and George nixed that idea with the reminder that Dumbledore probably wouldn't allow it.

"Too bad," Ron said. "They were offering you two brooms and all... you know, in case you had a friend that wanted a new racing broom for Christmas." Ron grinned and Harry playfully pushed him.

"Take all these to Ginny and come back tomorrow. Maybe we'll get this thing dug so we can start lining it with stones."

Harry dug by himself until around ten o'clock that night, and when Severus could not coax his son out of the dark, deep hole, he conceded to join him for an hour if his son would finally go to bed. They enjoyed the time together so much however, that it was one in the morning before Severus finally dragged Harry up out of the well, and back to the house.

By the next day they had hit water and stopped digging, but more than being one step closer to his goal, Harry was pleased to receive a reply from Ginny by owl. It had two words on it and a lipstick kiss. "Applby Arrows," he read allowed, and Draco rolled his eyes.

"Pushover," he said. "Well, at least I don't have to watch you flying around in bright red anymore."

Harry grinned and took the evening to relax. If he could get the well lined with stones tomorrow then it would be finished, and his father had already brewed a large phial of Felix Felicis to add to the water. He couldn't wait to see the look on Ginny's face. He couldn't wait to see Ginny and the little bump in her stomach that was their son.

To be continued...
End Notes:
What do you think so far?


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