Harry was pushed towards the head table by the lanky haired Professor, shuffling his feet and averting his eyes. He could feel the negativity from across the hall, he was going to prolong his journey as long as possible to avoid the catastrophe waiting for him.

“You'll have to face them eventually, Potter,” Snape ground out from his right side, pushing Harry with slightly more force. Harry stumbled into his chair next to Professor McGonagall and kept his eyes on his cutlery. It was cowardly, but honestly anyone in his situation would be doing the same thing.

Harry reached for the bowl of mashed potatoes when Dumbledore cleared his throat, silencing the entire table and simultaneously freezing everyone as well.

“Do you not have anything to say, Harry?” Harry felt his face color as he was forced on the spot, and the piercing eyes of every Professor at the table caused him to tense up.

“Hello Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, Ron.” By the end of his greeting, both of the elder Weasleys were are eerie shade of red, Ginny was completely blanched, and Ron was also staring at him with his eyes narrowed. Oh hell.

All of them remained silent and the awkward atmosphere of the hall was increased ten fold. Dumbledore was beaming from his position at the head of the table and crunching away on steamed carrots. The other Professors were also eating silently, some throwing not-so-secretive looks at one another.

Harry spooned some potatoes onto his plate as well as some grilled chicken before engrossing himself in his food. He could feel the heated looks still focused on him and ate at a steady pace without talking so as to finish and get out of there. He didn't even care that he was going to miss the lunch time pudding, he couldn't take this tension anymore.

“Professor McGonagall, did you receive my letter earlier?” Harry looked at her from beneath his eyelashes, attempting to keep his head ducked so as not to see the Weasley's in his peripheral vision.

“Yes, we can go to my classroom after lunch and you may take the quiz.” Harry nodded solemnly, so he wasn't going to be able to skip out of the room because now he had to stay to complete some work.

“You are having him complete work early? And what will he do during the school year? You promised he would help take care of our Ginny, Albus,” Mrs. Weasley proclaimed, throwing her napkin onto the table and glaring at Harry. He shrank back into his chair, making himself look as small as possible.

“Harry has already gone to one interview this morning and received an offer of employment. He has another interview in two days time with the owner of Honeyduke's I believe.” Dumbledore glanced towards Snape, and Snape nodded slightly.

“Oh, a job?” The matriarch gasped, gazing at Harry now without as much hostility. Harry shrugged and remained looking down at his plate.

“He will be working from Tuesdays to Saturdays from four in the afternoon until seven in the evening. Eleven sickles an hour, just under ten galleons a week.” Arthur nodded slightly now, focusing on his food. Harry was surprised that Ron hadn't said anything throughout the meal, but he didn't expect him to in front of all the Professors.

When everyone was finished with their food, and another awkward silence had overtaken the room, Harry excused himself to the loo before his quiz. When he exited the bathroom, he was surprised to see Ron leaning against the opposite wall.

“Hey,” Harry whispered, avoiding his best friend's eyes.

“Hey.”

Harry shuffled in place nervously, absentmindedly rubbing his left hand over his right arm out of nerves.

“I can't believe this,” Ron said, now watching him with a hardened gaze.

“I know, it's crazy. I don't know how it happened, or even really when, but I'm not going to just up and leave your sister, I promise,” Harry proclaimed, raising his chin and stiffening his shoulders.

Ron just continued to watch him, and Harry felt like a bug being scrutinized.

“I don't know what to say to make you believe me when I say I didn't want anything like this, I don't even recall having sex with Ginny.” Ron flinched at the mention of his sister being with Harry, but held the other boy's gaze.

“That doesn't excuse it. You shouldn't have had sex with her in the first place. She's just fifteen-” “And I'm almost sixteen and was basically hauled out of the Dursley's, told I had fathered a child, and forced now to go to school and work as much as possible to support another human being. I didn't want this.”

“Ginny didn't either, you've basically ruined her reputation, made her look like a slut,” Ron sneered, moving threateningly towards Harry. Harry took a step back and encountered a wall.

“Everyone seems concerned about Ginny, but Ginny is the only one that remembers anything happening. She isn't having to work, she's basically being coddled while I am being forced to take full responsibility. It's complete shite!” Harry shouted, smacking the wall with the palm of his hand. “I didn't ask for this! How many times can I say that before someone believes me! How do I know I'm not giving up my life for the baby to basically not be mine! At least I'm taking responsibility while she's hiding away,” Harry continued, mimicking Ron's sneer.

“Maybe it's because they're tired of letting you get off scott free, have you ever thought about that? You get away with everything and the one time you're forced to own up to a mistake, you blame someone else.” Harry was shocked at his friend's words, and looked as though he'd been physically hit. Ron, registering the look on Harry's face, took a step back, shocked. “I-I didn't mean that, I'm-” “No, you're right.”

Harry turned his back to his friend- ex friend- he told himself, walking back towards the Great Hall.

“It's my fault Cedric died, it's my fault Sirius died, it's my fault that my parents were killed when I was a baby and that I'm this fucked up because of it. I'm sorry that I've apparently pushed all of my bad luck onto your sister. I'll stay away if you really want me to.” He sounded as if he were going to cry, and took a deep breath to compose himself. He left the red head standing behind him and continued walking, hands in his pockets.

It wasn't his fault that he had been dealt a life of hardships. And at that, Ron basically was saying that he pushed all of his issues towards Ginny. Ginny knew what she was getting into when she they had gotten together, that her life would be full of drama if the press couldn't help it.

She knew that people would questions her, be envious of her for her position. It wasn't him being over-confident or full of himself, it was just the way that the Wizarding World acted. He was hoisted onto a pedestal, ridiculed when the public wanted him to be, boasted as a savior the next second. He didn't want to be in the limelight anymore, negative or positive. He just wanted to be Harry Potter, an average teenager that was average at school and had an average family. Average, that was what he wanted the most out of his life.

It was at that moment that Harry decided, whether he was going to be a key part in this baby's life or not, that it was going to have an average life. He would be his Daddy and Ginny his Mummy, and he or she wouldn't have to care about the paparazzi. Harry would defeat Voldemort, and give this child a future that is bright, one that was infinitely better than Harry's own.

Walking back into the entrance hall, the Weasleys were quietly conversing with Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape. Harry stood off to the side, leaning against a wall, staring at the expanse of stone that used to hold Umbridge's ridiculous decrees. He was slouched there for not a minute when Ginny approached him nervously, fiddling with the sleeve of her shirt.

He watched her curiously, wondering what her first move would be. Would she apologize? No, and even if she did he wouldn't be able to accept it fully. Would she yell at him for her condition? Probably not, seeing as now all of the teachers and her parents were watching her approach. Mrs. Weasley looked ready to attack him, which caused him to sigh and push off the wall and walk away from Ginny.

She paused, staring at her boyfriend, her child's father, plotting her next step. Would he blame her? She wouldn't blame him, she should have used the protective spells she had read up on before they had ever messed around. Would he be angry that she had let herself become pregnant? Probably, especially because she had taken advantage of him, almost, when he was emotionally unstable. She saw her brother move into the hall, looking from the group of adults to Harry and Ginny, looking lost and regretful. What had he done?

Harry walked away, something that neither the parents or Ginny had been expecting. He didn't even look back when she whispered his name, probably not meaning for him to hear.

“I don't want to talk to you right now.”

He heard her gasp, but couldn't even call up the will to turn around and face his girlfriend- were they even together anymore? How could they be after this entire thing? A healthy relationship couldn't run on mistrust and the knowledge that a baby was on the way, that would be the only reason they would be together.

“What about me?” She cried, and this time he did turn around, pausing with one foot on the marble staircase with the intention of waiting outside McGonagall's classroom to take his quiz.

His hand tightened on the rail, and he balled his other hand into a fist. “What about me?” he echoed before turning and taking the stairs two at a time until he disappeared into the passageway on the right.

Ginny stood there silent for a moment, not caring when tears began to trickle down her cheeks and plopped soundlessly onto the floor. She felt her Mum pat her shoulder and lead her over to the group of teachers who were explaining the work she needed to accomplish over the summer to keep up and not get too far behind come March when the baby was due.

“Harry's doing this too?” She questioned in a meager voice, arms crossed in front of her and shoulders slightly hunched.

The teachers looked to Dumbledore who nodded and smiled. “He has agreed to get as much work done as possible so as to have plenty of time to provide for you and the baby.”

“Then why am I not doing anything? He shouldn't be the only one having to work, the baby is mine too.”

Madame Pomfrey bustled over to the teenager, smiling and patting her shoulder. “Yes, but you will soon feel the little one's presence and it will be difficult for you to get out of bed somedays, let alone carry the burden of a part time job.”

And now she knew why Harry was resenting her so much if he was surrounded by people that thought along these lines. She was the defenseless little girl forced to grow up too soon, they didn't seen her as the young woman she was. She shook her head and moved away from Pomfrey's coddling.

“I want to work for the first few months at least. He's already given up so much of his life, he shouldn't have to give up more without me making sacrifices as well.” The women of the group surrounding her looked scandalized, but she held firm. If Harry was going to work, she was going to as well.

Dumbledore looked to Snape who was eyeing the youngest Weasley critically. Perhaps he had misjudged her, perhaps it was Molly who was in fact having a hard time coming to terms with this new development. Miss Weasley had matured since this discovery, she had come to accept that her life would never be the same, but she wasn't going to let that fact stop her, break her will. If only Potter would take a note out of her book, Severus' life would be much easier.

“Perhaps, I can speak to my contacts and find a suitable job for Miss Weasley if she wishes.”

Dumbledore smiled and nodded, popping a lemon drop into his mouth before ascending the staircase towards his office. The group dispersed then, the Weasleys going towards Dumbledore's office as well to floo home.

Snape and McGonagall turned towards each other, both internally sighing as they also ascended the staircase to deal with a certain black haired teenager that took teenage angst to an entirely different level.

He was waiting outside of the classroom silently, his eyes closed and chin resting lazily against his neck in sleep. Severus had suspected he hadn't slept much the night before, but to fall asleep against a wall was entirely unacceptable.

“Potter, get in.” The teenager groaned, lifting his head slowly and flushing at seeing his Professors watching him. He shuffled into the room, hands in his pockets and eyes lowered towards the ground.

The teen sat at a desk facing the front of the room while McGonagall sat behind her desk and Snape leaned against the sturdy wood with his arms crossed.

“You upset Miss Weasley,” Snape deadpanned, narrowing his eyes when all he could see was the top of that unruly mop of hair.

Harry shrugged, placing his hands on the wood and fiddling with his fingers. “She's pregnant, hormones or something,” he mumbled, blushing at the end of the answer.

Minerva coughed to hide a small laugh and Severus smirked.

“She has agreed to take on a part-time job as well for the first few months of the pregnancy, which will significantly help your financial situation.” Harry's eyebrows knitted together as he realized he still had his parents' money in his Gringott's vault.

“What about my vault? That could support us for a while, at least get the baby some things.”

Snape seemed to look thoughtful as if he were mentally calculating something. Did Snape know exactly how much was in his vault?

“That vault was designed to support you until you are done with your schooling. You will not come to inherit the Potter vault until you are twenty-one, a small stipulation your mother had thought to put on the vault.” Harry didn't even know he was going to be receiving another vault, he thought the one he had was all the money his parents had left him.

“While the Potter vault is located in Gringotts it also doesn't carry a substantial amount of actual money, rather holding family heirlooms that have been passed down from generation to generation,” Snape added, tapping a finger against the oak of McGonagall's desk slowly.

Harry nodded again, waiting for one of his Professors to continue. He just wanted to take this stupid quiz and leave, it was turning into more trouble than he thought it would.

“Therefore, as such, you may have enough to furnish the baby's nursery before its arrival, but nothing more. You would have nothing left to take care of Miss Weasley and yourself the following year, nor would that even take into account the baby's other essentials.”

Harry cringed realizing just how much he did need to work. Him and Ginny may not be on the best of terms, but for the baby's sake, and this little makeshift family's sake, he would have to make it work.

“Pregnant women aren't supposed to do a lot though, right? I don't suspect there are many jobs in Hogsmeade that she can just sit, or something.” Harry was genuinely curious, because even if the baby was unexpected, it was still his responsibility. He didn't want Ginny or the baby getting hurt, or worse.

Snape retrieved a parchment from his robes, the same one he had written Harry's hours on earlier that day. He perused the paper for a moment for nodding slightly to himself.

“There is a counter job at Honeydukes that may be satisfactory, but we would have to talk to the owner and set restrictions on Miss Weasleys movement.” Harry hesitantly nodded, a small smile finding his lips. Maybe they could do this whole parenting thing after all.

Snape stood then, putting the parchment back into its pocket, nodded to McGonagall, and then disappeared into the floo.

“Now, Mr. Potter, you sent me a message about a quiz over the first chapter?” Harry nodded at his Head of House, still remembering the animosity she had been harboring towards him over the past two days.

She nodded and went through a folder, producing a single sheet of paper with questions on it.

“This should take you about thirty minutes, forty-five if you take your time. You may begin.”

Harry nodded, dipping his quill into an ink pot and filling out the sheet. It was much simpler than he thought it would be. He didn't expect to retain that much information as Slytherin had been interrupting him all that morning with his inane questions and talking. He had a feeling he was going to get sick of that portrait very quickly.

Finishing in thirty-five minutes, Harry handed in the parchment and waited for McGonagall to grade it. She gave him an Acceptable, marking the grade down into a small notebook beside his name, and sending him on his way.

Walking back to his rooms, he couldn't help but let his mind wander to his conversations with both Ginny and Ron. Perhaps he had been wrong about Ginny, she seemed one hundred percent sure that he was the father, she hadn't cheated on him. But then why didn't he remember anything? He put a hand to his forehead, rubbing at the curse scar adorning his skin. Was Voldemort behind this? Or maybe someone else entirely set on ruining his life?

And then Ron, he didn't even know what to think about his ex-best friend. Ron had seen how distraught he had been over Sirius' death, as had Hermione. The fact that his friend still had to be a prat, blame him for things he couldn't even control, was disgusting. Ron had witnessed his moments of weakness, his treatment at the Dursleys, but he seemed to forget about those hardships when he was angry at something Harry had done. And who was he to judge Harry anyway? Ron wasn't necessarily a saint either.

It was stupid, but he was hurt that Ron hadn't believed him. Not that he expected him to side with Harry instead of Ginny, but he expected his friend to hear him out. Especially after the Triwizard Tournament when he had known Harry hadn't put his name in the Goblet, but he had still acted as though Harry was the bane of his existence. It was going to be the same.

A cold chill ran down Harry's spine at yet another realization- the school was going to shun him again. This would be exactly like the Triwizard Tournament, but this time they would see him denying he was the father and ridicule him. They would see Ginny's belly growing and despise him further, especially when they realized just how difficult it was going to make everyone's lives.

He had seen the article in the Prophet, and he would bet that there would be many more. They would analyze every action he took, put him through hell, and in the end when they realized they were wrong they would just find something else about him to gossip about.

When would this end? This need for the public to scrutinize a sixteen year old because they had nothing better to do. Would it be when he was killed in his final battle with Voldemort? No, people would flood towards the Prophet and tell of their intimate relationships that never actually existed with the “hero”. They would use him to become famous, or as close to fame as they could. It was sickening.

He raised a hand to his scar once more and entered his rooms, plopping down onto the couch. All because of that stupid scar, they would never leave his life alone. They would continue to push and prod him, force him to be someone he wasn't.

As he curled up and slowly fell asleep, he couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to be just Harry, a teenager with no expectations, or better yet, with no child on the way.