Intimacy

29th November 1998- Sunday

Harry sat there, stunned into silence. He stared wide-eyed at the Healer, searching the woman's expression for any sign of deceit. She was watching him with a soft, open gaze, nodding seriously. It took him a few minutes to even begin to think.

"I'm...Pregnant?" Harry was hesitant to even speak the words out loud. He didn't feel grounded in that moment, almost a spectator to his own body's reactions. His heartbeat had sped up after stuttering briefly, and he could feel the way his hands had become clammy as they twisted together on his lap.

The Healer nodded again, bowing her head respectfully at his lapse in control, her hands seeming to make an aborted movement to reach out and hold his own. He grabbed one, noting the way his were shaking, and stared at her as she looked upon him, surprised. The grip tightened. "Yes, Your Highness. Only around six to seven weeks along, mind you, so there aren't any physical symptoms yet. If I'm estimating correctly, your due date should fall around mid-July time next year."

Harry swallowed. He'd have a baby before his next birthday. Young, younger even than his parents. That was... fine. Surprisingly. "How can you be sure that I am pregnant?"

"Would you like to see the results, your Highness?" The woman handed over the parchment readily, which Harry took with trembling hands. There, clearly etched upon it, read the words 'Pregnant- Approximately six to seven weeks'. Below it, the sheet seemed to go into specifics and a more in-depth overview of his condition, charts of colourful colours and strange symbols hurting his stinging eyes. The words blurred before his eyes, and Harry wiped at them with the sleeve of his robe.

He let out a sudden, strangled sound, sniffing, the paper scrunching within his fist.

"Your Highness, are you alright?" Harry's head snapped up, and he met eyes with the flustered healer.

She knew. She knew about the fragile life growing within him, of how this could affect everything for him, how this could affect the whole Harem and the Emperor too. Harry was not blind, he could see that he was clearly ascending quicker than anyone else and his predecessors, already a Concubine and showing no sign of losing the Emperor's interest as of yet. In fact, it only seemed to be growing, and obviously.

This life, this baby growing in his belly, would solidify his position, and secure him a place in the fight for the honoured position as the Emperor's primary spouse. And the Healer knew about that, someone he didn't trust in the slightest, who could run off to the nearest concubine once she left and blab about his condition, bringing upon him attention and a threat he could not afford.

"Do not, under any circumstances, inform anyone about this!" Harry hissed, hand retracting from where it had been grasping her own, instead settling on his stomach. He already felt overwhelmingly protective.

The Healer stepped back, looking shiftily around the room. "But, Your Highness, The Emperor must be informed of this-"

His eyes hardened. "Do you wish to be the one blamed when I mysteriously miscarry His Majesty's precious child? Do you think you could afford that scrutiny being placed upon you? Because if I lose this child, you will be the first I blame. Do not say a word to anyone." Harry spoke icily, stressing his words to emphasise his sincerity.

"Yes- Yes, Your Highness!" The Healer stuttered, no longer watching him warmly. Instead, her eyes were filled with fear and trepidation, reaching for her bag to begin packing her stuff. Good, it was better she feared Harry and the consequences he could bring rather than see him as an easy target to exploit.

"Anya," Harry turned to his maid, who had stood behind him loyally the entire time. She was watching the woman with cold eyes, but turned to him readily. "Complete a vow with her and make sure it has no loopholes. I need this child's existence to stay hidden for as long as possible."

"Yes, Master."

"It is only one, correct?" He faced the Healer once more, straightening to sit more comfortably on the sofa. She was still watching him warily, slowing down her rushed packing.

"I-I cannot be sure, Your Highness. To discover such, I'd need to cast a few more spells."

He waved the woman closer, and hesitantly, she swished her wand around, this time focusing on Harry's stomach area. "Well?"

"From what I can see, It is just the one, Your Highness. You are far along enough currently for that to likely remain unchanged."

Harry let out a breath he didn't even know he'd been holding. That was... a surprisingly welcome piece of information. He didn't know if he was ready for more than that, especially not for his first pregnancy, despite the acclaim that would bring him. It'd immediately place him above the large majority of the harem, even a single child would, in fact.

But now, he had a bigger problem to worry about. He was carrying the Emperor's child, and he knew with certainty that the others would do all they could to slow his rise. This put him, both of them, in grave danger.

1st December 1998- Tuesday

Harry sat on his seat with a heavy sigh, resting back into it as much as he could. He stemmed a movement to cradle his stomach as he did so, the motion having become a reassurance the past couple of days despite the lack of a physical bump. The action would be too obvious, despite his loose robes, to dare.

He was surrounded by people who wished him the worst, after all.

Looking around, Harry noted that Bellatrix was immersed in conversation with Isla and Penny, the three wearing matching, serious expressions, which was bizarre in itself. The number of times the three had been seen to be genial with each other could be counted on one hand by Harry. He watched as Bellatrix gestured wildly, looking put-off, hands flying down to grip the hand rests when Penny made a consoling gesture. She seemed to huff, looking back to Isla with a scowl, who looked equally vexed.

Most were engaged similarly in conversations. The meeting had begun a little while ago, with the Consort allowing time to talk beforehand rather than after, as was usual. However, Harry had sat in silence so far, due to the antagonistic personalities surrounding him. To his right sat Patricia, happily engaged in conversation with Alecto, which at least removed her attention from himself. To his left sat Pippa, who, while nowadays less outwardly hostile, still gave him an obvious cold shoulder, whether out of hatred or fear. Most likely, it was a combination of both.

Directly in front of him sat Cordelia, who was ignoring both Regulus to her left and Jasmine to her right, picking at her fingernails instead. Despite their more recent impartial conversations, Harry still felt no desire to interact with her outside of necessity.

As if reading her thoughts, the woman's icy eyes glanced upwards and clashed with his own. She held his gaze, her bland expression unchanged except for a single raised eyebrow. Cordelia blinked, tilting her head slightly, almost cat-like, before her attention slid off of him and turned to Patricia instead. 

Harry, intrigued, glanced unobtrusively at the other, taking in her hostile expression as she stared at Cordelia, who refused to break eye contact. She looked almost... amused.

The almost palpable tension that was beginning to build around the pair, attracting the attention of those surrounding them, was broken with Bellatrix calling their attention. "His Majesty only had a singular decree for his Harem today, so, as it is prudent we interact with one another, I decided to leave this business for last." With a flourish, she unfurled the short scroll, taking in the words there with a raised eyebrow. "Attendant Lovegood." Bellatrix sounded, eyes fixed on the girl, who didn't even startle at the sudden address. Harry watched, awed and filled with trepidation, as his friend seemed to ignore the Consort outright. "Attendant Lovegood," She bit out again, voice filled with anger this time. Luna's head twitched, and he thought she was going to turn and apologise, but the girl simply swayed, lost in her own mind. "Attendant Lovegood, will you pay attention!" Bellatrix yelled for the third time, sounding irate.

Luna looked up, cloudy eyes fluttering like butterfly wings. She pursed her lips, looking confused. "Apologies, Consort Slytherin-Black, I was lost in my head."

Bellatrix breathed out deeply through her nose, seeming to recalibrate herself as she drew up, acting composed as if she hadn't just yelled at the other. "His Majesty has generously, on the grounds of you being pleasant, promoted you to the rank of Third First Class Attendant. I hope that you will treat this promotion with the respect it demands." She spoke the last bit with gritted teeth and a pointed stare, the animosity of which seemed to simply float over his friend's head.

Luna hummed, bowing her head. "I am thankful for his generosity." She said so blankly, before retreating back into the confines of her mind. The stares she received for her lacklustre reaction were hostile and mocking, making Harry think back to the whispers and sneers that had followed Luna throughout her Hogwarts years. He'd hoped, when he'd discovered she too had joined the Harem, that she would no longer have to face such childish torment, but his hopes had been too high.

However, Harry knew that she was strong of mind, and if she was ever truly in need, he was now in a stronger position to help her. And soon, perhaps an even more effective one.

5th December 1998- Saturday

After yet another mentally exhausting meeting, in which his progressing, hidden pregnancy was weighing heavily on his mind, Harry was desperately in need of a relaxing walk, away from the confines of his Palace.

Ever since moving into the Palace of Radiant Allure, despite its much larger size and greater opulence, Harry felt as if he had been placed into a smaller cage than before. Closer to the Emperor's residence, the security was tighter, as it was anyway with his new position as an official spouse. It also felt like the space was less Harry's, and more suited for his position rather than for his comfort. Even his maids felt like they had changed. They had all become more respectful, less likely to simply talk to him without excessive honorifics, even Anya, who was following three feet behind.

She had argued with him to bring an entourage instead, but the whole point of this excursion was to relax, so that would have defied his objective. She let it go quickly when he explained himself, although begrudgingly. Harry was nowadays clinging to those moments where she questioned him, too used to the servers of the Court obeying his every command.

He had been wandering the Court without aim for a couple of hours, his feet beginning to ache and mind finally clearing, when he stumbled across people he knew personally.

Rounding the corner, Harry blinked as he saw double. On one side, he saw Dahlia clinging to a more youthful version of himself, both looking bashfully up at the imposing Emperor, and on the other, he saw simply Thomas and Dahlia, standing a meter apart from each other. Frowning, Harry took another step forward, and the scenes merged. There, walking through the gardens he had been heading to, were Thomas and Dahlia, walking side-by-side as a veritable army of maids and Eunuchs trailed after them. Most bore the sigil of the Emperor's Household, although a few wore the medium dull blue reserved for First Class Attendants' maids.

Harry hesitated at the scene, stepping back a little, debating whether he should turn back the way he came. He had wanted to take a seat in this specific garden, it being one of the most beautiful, but he knew there were plenty of others to choose from. As if sensing Harry's indecision, Thomas' red eyes flashed to him then, piercing and harsh. Once they settled, a smirk grew on the man's face, and his eyes visibly softened.

'Harry', he seemed to mouth, and Thomas took a step forward. What Harry and the others heard, however, was: "My Concubine, have you come to join us on a walk?"

At the unexpected mention of his name, Dahlia, who had been preening under the Emperor's sole attention, snapped her head in his direction, and a frustrated frown grew on her face. She stared at him icily, teeth gritting. Tounge in cheek, she pouted up at the man, who was still looking toward Harry. "Your Majesty, I thought that we were having a walk. Alone."

Without taking his eyes off of Harry, Thomas responded. "We were never alone in the first place." The Emperor brushed her off, approaching Harry who had stayed rooted in his spot ever since he'd been spotted. "My Concubine, are you joining us?"

Harry hesitated. His feet hurt, he wasn't put together enough to try and impress the man, and he was too exhausted for the mental gymnastics such an interaction called for. He'd have to contend with Dahlia's snipes and jibes and fend off her insults, whilst also entertaining the Emperor and battling mentally with him in a different way. Less hostile, but still as tiring. He looked at Dahlia once more, who was mouthing something at him with a scowl, and twisted back to gaze at the Emperor instead. "I would be delighted, Your Majesty."

Thomas' resulting smile was as pleased as a cat who had got the cream, staring down at Harry as if he had exceeded his expectations. "Excellent." Curling his arm around Harry's, the Emperor began to drag him back to where Dahlia was standing, the girl visibly fuming as she glared at their interlocked arms. They began walking together, following the paved path that weaved throughout the hedges and flowerbeds, Dahlia rushing to keep up on the Emperor's other side after a few moments of seething. "It's been a while since I've been able to spend time with more than one of my concubines like this. Most are averse to each other, but I've heard that you and Miss Malfoy are childhood friends."

It wasn't a question, more a prying statement. Of course, the Emperor had obviously heard of their many spats, he'd personally seen Dahlia punished for one of them not even a couple of months ago. He was trying to dredge up that hostility for his own amusement. "Yes, we were close when we were younger." At his non-answer, Thomas tilted his head, a brief leer twitching at his lips.

"And not so much now?"

"No, we have both grown up. There is no need for such a thing within your Harem, Your Majesty." Dahlia butted in, tone cold and pompous. She really resembled Draco then, when he was in what Harry called his 'Pureblood fanatic mode', where he believed he was superior just because his family liked to marry back into itself.

The Emperor, hearing her words, simply hummed noncommittally, glancing down at her briefly. "I suppose it is not needed, but isn't existing lonely when there is no one to rely on?" The rawness of his words surprised Harry, although, he shouldn't be shocked. Who was the most powerful and feared man in the world supposed to rely on, if everyone wanted to use him for their own gain?

Even Harry wasn't conceited enough not to admit the reason he was attracted to the man was mainly due to his power, and the safety that had brung to his family. Strangely enough, Harry felt pity for him at that moment, his usually tightly controlled feelings surrounding the man loosening.

"It might well be, although I admit that I have a reliable friend in Attendant Luna," Harry admitted, locking eyes with an affected Dahlia, before glancing up at Thomas, taking in his inquisitive stare.

"I am glad for that. To be alone in the Harem, that is something I do not wish on any of you."

Dahlia cleared her throat. "Well, I have Auntie Bellatrix, and Attendant Daphne and Theodore. I am equally content." 

The Emperor moulded his face into a faux innocent expression. "Really? I remember my Consort informing me she was quite upset with you at the moment?" Dahlia, off-guard at the unexpected comment from him, gaped. Harry was equally stunned. The usually impartial, content to watch from the sidelines Emperor, had just publically spoken out against one of his concubines. And in front of a crowd of Eunuchs, Maids, and his newest Concubine. Dahlia blustered, Thomas simply looking down at her with that expression still creasing his forehead. "Am I mistaken? My, It's best if I don't speak on such matters." But he already had. "Are you enthusiastic about the upcoming visit to Australia, My Concubine?" He deflected incredibly obviously.

Was this what fondness, the kind reserved for a lover, felt like?

Harry blinked up at the man, his lip twitching at the noticeable side-step. It was so unmistakable, it had to of been done so obviously on purpose, to really cement his words into the minds of the Eunuchs and Maids present. "I suppose so, although, is it not a diplomatic visit?" He answered, playing along.

The Emperor smirked. "It is, but that doesn't mean there won't be any time for fun." He heavily insinuated, and Harry felt his cheeks darken.

"Then, I will be looking forward to the trip more than I thought." He replied, and Thomas chuckled delightedly, his expression taking on a noticeably darker manner.

"If the Australian Ministry is partaking in the actions that I have heard rumours of, then I have doubts you'll enjoy it all that much, but I digress."

They continued the walk for another hour, and by the end, Harry's feet were numb, but he was wholly satisfied with how he'd spent his afternoon. Of course, his elevated mood only lasted until the Emperor was out of eyesight, and Dahlia rounded on him, only their respective maids present now. Notably, Dahlia was surrounded by four of hers, whilst only Anya stood loyally at his shoulder.

Harry was higher ranked than she, yet she went around with more maids than he did, only sparing two to continue running her apartments whilst she was out.

"I can't believe it, how dare you ruin this for me?! It took me a week of requesting to be able to meet with His Majesty alone like this, and you just had to be selfish!"

Harry's eyes rolled, and he huffed out a deriding breath. "Selfish? I suppose I am, if that's what looking out for myself is."

She fumed further, scoffing. "And crass enough to outwardly admit it. You are a disgrace, Harry Potter, I have no idea how I was able to tolerate you and your despicable personality for so long. You clearly used me to enter His Majesty's Harem, and now you are only using me further to endear yourself to him through deceit. You're even sabotaging my interactions with him, because you are jealous of me, and always have been. The only consolation I have is that you aren't pregnant yet, and I hope that you never are!"

His mood plummeted further. Harry's hand made a jerked movement to cradle his stomach, only containing the movement when he locked eyes with the girl in front of him. She'd exploit that, he knew. No past fondness would save the baby growing within him from her 'revenge'. If there was any past fondness, after all, with what she had just revealed. "We are Royal concubines, we aren't here to fight each other and wish infertility on others. Nor to baselessly accuse each other. Our main goal is to give His Majesty heirs, to revive the Slytherin line, not to hoard his attention-"

"But that's exactly what you're doing! Hoarding his attention-"

"I'm not hoarding anything, Malfoy!" Harry exploded, raising his voice. She stood firm, the pair of them practically in each others' faces. "His Majesty is giving me it freely, not that you'll ever see it that way! I have never used you, you just can't admit that I can attract his attention without you, and that you're failing to even catch his eye!"

She screeched, lunging for him suddenly, and Harry dodged, his instincts going haywire at the threat she was posing, both to himself and the fragile life he was carrying. Stumbling, she turned to face him, blue eyes wild with rage. "You are nothing without me, Potter!"

Glaring down at her with cold eyes, the last fondness he held for her evaporated at the pitiful sight before him. Dahlia's hair was in disarray, blonde locks sticking to her face, her robes creased and rumpled, her eyes bloodshot, and Harry could finally see Dahlia in all her imperfection. "I am everything without you."