Chapter Three

Big thanks to all reviewers and to anyone who enjoys the story. Also, thanks to my beta Dawn. This happens to be my favorite chapter of the ones I've written so far, so I hope you all enjoy it too!

Chapter Three

"You're what!" Harry looked extremely unwell. In fact, he looked remarkably like he had just had one of his unpleasant encounters with Voldemort.

"I'm pregnant, Harry." Hermione tried to seem calm. Inside she was feeling just as bad as he was. "The wizard at St. Mungo's did the test three times. There's absolutely no doubt." It was actually only a little later that same day. Hermione was facing Harry over tea sandwiches at a small Diagon Alley restaurant. She had decided it would be best to inform Harry as early as possible.

"H-how are you sure it's mine?" Harry asked, instantly feeling like an asshole.

Hermione bit her lip to keep from saying something regrettable. Harry was in shock. His reaction was completely understandable, if a tad rude. After all, it wasn't as if they were in a relationship; they had just slept together once.

"You're the only one I've been with in quite some time, Harry," Hermione said quietly, leaning across the table. "The only way it could have been anyone else's would be if I'd been pregnant since last March. As I'm not as big as a house, I'd say that's unlikely."

Harry gulped nervously. "And you're... having the baby?"

Hermione sighed, rubbing her eyes wearily. "I have to have the baby. Only someone raised by Muggles would ask such a question. Abortion is against wizarding law. The population's too small." Harry didn't think to ask how Hermione, a Muggle-born, knew more wizarding law than he did. She knew everything. "I could give the baby up for adoption, to wizarding parents only of course, but few would want the child of a Muggle-born. Add to that the fact that it will be your child and it's a tricky situation."

"So you're keeping it?" Harry leaned back, still looking extremely pale.

Hermione sighed again. "I think I have to. I can't come up with any other solution."

"I'll help," Harry volunteered weakly. "I'll take responsibility."

"I know you would, Harry." Hermione smiled at him sadly. "But you don't have to. I'll take care of everything. You really needn't worry."

"God, how can I explain this to Ginny?" Harry ran his hands through his hair. "Do you think she'll ever forgive me?"

Hermione's eyes flashed. She loved Harry like a brother (excluding what had happened between them of course) and she didn't want to see him unhappy. "We won't tell anyone it's yours. I'll say I was seeing a Muggle man, we broke up, and I learned I was pregnant after. No one needs to know."

"Come on, Hermione!" Harry exploded. "Another secret? It's bad enough having to cover up what happened, but this? This is a human life we're talking about! This is our child!" He sat up straight in his chair, glaring at Hermione intently. "I hate lies."

"Then don't think about it as me helping you lie to Ginny," Hermione insisted logically. "Consider this. What if Voldemort, who has spies everywhere, learned that I was having your child? That would make both me and the baby targets. Do you want to endanger us?"

Harry collapsed in his chair, slouching his shoulders and leaning forward despondently. When he looked up Hermione almost cringed at the look of defeat in his eyes. "That was a cruel card to play, Hermione." Hermione looked away, remembering the way Harry always blamed himself for the deaths of those around him. "But you're right, as usual. So I'll go along with this madness. The baby isn't mine."

"Thank you, Harry." Hermione reached across the table, grasping his limp hand. "Thank you. It's better this way, really."

"But I will help." Harry squeezed her hand back, smiling tentatively to show that he forgave her. "Every month I'm going to have some gold from my account transferred to yours, to help the baby. And if you ever need anything....."

"I know, Harry." Hermione smiled back, feeling tears in her eyes. "We are still friends after all, right?"

"Of course."

Hermione couldn't help but walk around the table and hug Harry right there. "Thank you."

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

"Happy Christmas!" Hermione walked through the unlocked front door of the Burrow on Christmas Eve, boxes of presents spilling from her arms and her small bag trailing behind her of its own accord.

"Hermione!" Mrs. Weasley ran from the kitchen to hug Hermione, arms and festive green and red apron covered in flour. "Welcome, welcome! Happy Christmas to you, dear!"

"Hi, Mrs. Weasley." Hermione tried to keep her gifts from falling. "Should I just stick these under the tree now?"

"Of course, dear, of course! Come into the kitchen when you're done. I've got some fresh cookies and a nice bit of eggnog for you. Just leave your bag in the hallway for now."

After depositing her parcels under the tree, Hermione wandered into the warm kitchen. Fred and George were already in there, munching on cookies as they discussed, in low voices, their inventions to be released for the new year. "Happy Christmas, Hermione," one of them said, glancing in her direction. "Hey." The other waved. Hermione nodded her greeting.

"Here you are, dear." Hermione didn't have a chance to protest as a plate of warm cookies and a glass of eggnog were shoved into her hands.

"Please, Mrs. Weasley, do you have anything a little less... strong?" Hermione begged after sniffing the drink. It seemed to have a higher alcohol content than firewhisky.

"Yes, yes." Mrs. Weasley nodded distractedly. "Any particular reason, dear?"

"No, just trying not to drink too much," Hermione lied. She was regarded with a tolerantly suspicious gaze before being handed a mug of hot chocolate. "Thank you."

"Mum?" The shout came from the living room Hermione had just come through. "Anyone home?"

"Of course, Ron, we're in the kitchen!" Mrs. Weasley yelled back, cheerfully running her rolling pin over the cookie dough spread before her. "Come in when you've taken you're cloak off!"

Ron entered a moment later, followed quickly by Lavender and then Harry.

"Lavender, darling, I wasn't expecting you!" Mrs. Weasley rushed to embrace her future daughter-in-law, still covered in flour. "I thought you were spending Christmas with your parents?"

"I am, but I wanted to stop by and wish you a Happy Christmas on the way." Lavender waved at Hermione and the twins. "Hey, Hermione, Happy Christmas!"

"Happy Christmas." Hermione lifted her mug in a mock toast.

"Do you have time for some cookies, Lavender?" Mrs. Weasley raised a plate temptingly.

"Sorry, no. I have to be getting home really soon or Mum'll throw a fit. But I'm glad I got to see you first." Lavender rushed forward for another hug, pecked Ron on the lips, and waved to Hermione, Harry, and the twins once more. "Happy Christmas all!" Then she was off.

"Good girl, that one." Mrs. Weasley nodded her approval. "She'll make a nice Weasley, she will."

"Thanks, Mum." Ron rolled his eyes behind her back, snatching one of Hermione's cookies.

"Don't roll you're eyes at me, Ronald." Mrs. Weasley waved her rolling pin threateningly. "And leave Hermione's cookies alone. You can have your own plate."

"How are you?" Harry asked Hermione quietly. "Everything all right?"

Hermione smiled at Harry, refusing to answer his questions. "Happy Christmas, Harry." Rising, she grabbed the rest of her cookies and put them in the pocket of her jumper for later. "I'm gonna take my bag up to Ginny's," she called, making her way out of the kitchen. She grabbed the bag and headed up to the bedroom, munching on one of her cookies as she went. She was happy her stomach hadn't been acting up that day as she had no desire to forgo Mrs. Weasley's cooking. When she opened the door to Ginny's bedroom, she was somewhat surprised to find Ginny already there, lying on her bed with a book.

"Ginny, I wasn't sure you'd arrived yet!" Hermione dropped her bag, rushing forward to greet her friend. "You look fabulous!" Working with dragons in Romania had agreed with Ginny. She was lean and muscular and had taken to wearing her hair in an efficient and attractive French braid down her back. She wore good quality leather clothing, normal garb for one who worked around the ever volatile and frequently dangerous dragons. "Did you know Harry's downstairs?"

Ginny's pale face flushed, making her even prettier. "He is? I hadn't realized...."

"He and Ron just got here." Hermione smiled at her friends excitement, ignoring the stab of guilt it brought. "Come on, I'll go down with you to say hello."

Ginny practically flew down the stairs, meeting Harry halfway. Evidently Mrs. Weasley had just told him that Ginny was already home. The two regarded each other awkwardly for an instant before throwing themselves into a passionate embrace. Hermione watched from the flight above as Harry kissed Ginny deeply, caressing her hair tenderly before pulling back to cover her small face in kisses.

"I've missed you so much." Hermione heard him whisper. "How long has it been?"

"Since last Easter," Ginny whispered back, burying her face in his neck. "Far too long, love."

Feeling like some perverse peeping Tom, Hermione cleared her throat. "Um, hey," she mumbled uncomfortably. The couple laughed.

The three of them returned to the kitchen, joining Ron to reminisce about past Christmases. The arrival of the rest of the Weasleys, excluding Percy of course, made the kitchen, if slightly more cramped, even more homey. Fleur in particular seemed to brighten up the room, as she always did, and her and Bill's daughter was made the center of attention. Like a tiny, golden-red haired version of her mother, Celeste was definitely a charmer.

Watching Harry cradle the infant, Hermione couldn't help but touch her own stomach. Harry saw, and regarded her solemnly. Mrs. Weasley, who caught the gesture but luckily missed the exchanged glance, gave Hermione a questioning look with one raised eyebrow that spoke volumes.

It was only a little past noon, but preparations had to be made to feed the huge family, so Mrs. Weasley shooed the menfolk from the kitchen and asked, more like demanded, Hermione, Ginny, and Fleur to stay and help. Hermione, who found this slightly sexist, pulled on an apron reluctantly, complaining that she wasn't much of a cook.

"Oh, don't be silly, dear," Mrs. Weasley waved her protestations away. "All women can cook, some just don't know how yet." But Hermione was still given the easiest job: peeling and chopping potatoes to be boiled. Mrs. Weasley quickly dressed a massive goose before secretively approaching Hermione. "Anything you'd like to tell me, dear?"

Hermione gave her a slightly surprised look before shrugging and accepting the matronly woman's prodding. "Nothing that you haven't already guessed, I'm sure." She sighed in exasperation. "No wonder you and Lavender get on so well, you must be a psychic!"

Mrs. Weasley chuckled appreciatively. "Not at all, dear, just a mother. We all have eyes in the back of our heads, after all. That's a skill you'll have to work on, I think." She said the last in a whisper, not wanting the other women to know yet. "Will you be telling everyone?"

"I was going to announce it at dinner, if you think that's a good idea?" Hermione felt a bit nervous. In many ways the Weasleys were more her family than her own parents were. The only child of two only children, Hermione didn't have a large or particularly close knit family like this one. She cared about Mrs. Weasley's opinion.

"A wonderful idea, dear." Mrs. Weasley patted Hermione's cheek fondly. "You lot really are growing up, aren't you." With a small sigh Mrs. Weasley made her way back to a second goose.

Dinner that night was a veritable feast. Hermione felt like she'd peeled and chopped a thousand potatoes, which might not have been too far off the mark. The huge table groaned under the weight of three geese, glazed carrots, fabulous salad topped with salted ham and french goat cheese, and mounds of mashed potatoes and gravy. The Weasley clan, Harry, and Hermione all dug in, surprisingly eating almost all of the huge meal.

"No one ever believes how much food it takes to feed all these mouths," Mrs. Weasley confided to Hermione. "They all think we don't make any money, but it's all gone into food!" She giggled over her wine glass, hiccupping slightly. "Pardon me."

Halfway through dinner Hermione rose, lifting her glass of cider. "Excuse me, everyone, I have something I'd like to tell you all." The family took several moments to hush themselves before turning to face Hermione. "You must know I think of all of you as family, so I thought I should tell you my news." Keeping her face as cheerful as she knew how, Hermione continued. "In roughly twelve years another Granger will be attending Hogwarts!" It took a moment for everyone to understand this.

"Congratulations!" was yelled several times as a few people came around the table to give Hermione hugs and slaps on the back. Ron was one such person, of course.

"Who's the father?" he asked quietly, smiling his congratulations. "Anyone I know?"

"No, just some Muggle bloke I was dating for a little while. We split before I found out, but it's really not important," Hermione lied easily. She had practiced this explanation. She didn't even glance in Harry's direction, although she almost looked at Ginny.

Forced to play his part, Harry approached Hermione immediately after, Ginny leading him forward by the hand. "Congratulations!" Ginny squealed, hugging Hermione tightly.

"Yes, congratulations," Harry murmured as he hugged Hermione next.

"Thank you, everyone," Hermione blinked away tears, smiling and trying to make it seem like they were tears of happiness. "But come on, lets not let dinner get cold!"

The meal was continued along with happy conversation. No one brought up the question of how Hermione would raise a child on her own in the wizarding world. They all loved her and had no wish to distress her, but the wizarding community in general was often somewhat archaic and single mothers were rare. Hermione knew all this, of course, but refused to let it bother her. Many wizards also disliked Muggle-borns, but she'd never let that stop her, had she?

After dinner everyone retired to the living room for more cookies and eggnog (more hot cocoa for Hermione). They all went to bed fairly early, however, because Mrs. Weasley insisted they should all be asleep for midnight so that Christmas could start in the morning. This was fine with Hermione, who was finding that she had less energy than usual. Following Ginny upstairs, Hermione thought her face might crack from yawning so much.

"Too bad Harry's in Ron's room, or we could spend the night together." Ginny sighed as she and Hermione readied for bed. "I haven't seen him for months and we're stuck here "

"I could just–" Hermione began, only to be cut off by Ginny's guilty protestations.

"Oh no, I didn't mean I wanted you out! I'm glad you're here. I've missed you too!" Ginny scrambled to explain. "I can spend time with Harry before the wedding. Besides," Ginny smiled slyly, "you need your rest now."

Hermione blushed, hiding her discomfort by grabbing her pajamas and changing behind the oriental screen Ginny kept in her room. "Oh, I'm fine," she muttered.

"What's the father like? I hope he was handsome; you wouldn't want an ugly baby," Ginny teased.

"No, he's not ugly," Hermione laughed somewhat nervously, coming out from behind the screen and climbing into bed.

"Well, tell me what he looks like " Ginny moved behind the screen.

"He's tallish, with dark hair and light eyes," Hermione smoothed the covers over her stomach. "He's a very nice man, honorable, kind. Charming when he wants to be."

"Why'd you break up?" Ginny asked curiously, climbing into the other bed. "He sounds like a catch."

"Well, for one thing he was a Muggle," Hermione braided her bushy hair into two braids to keep them out of the way while she slept. "And the other was that he was positively awful in bed." She giggled falsely, holding up the pinky of her left hand in explanation. Ginny giggled her appreciation.

"Better hope you don't have a son," she teased. Hermione blushed. "Well, I'm done-in. Good night, Hermione." Ginny waved her wand and the lights went out.

"Good night," Hermione whispered, turning onto her side to look away from her friend. Despite her exhaustion Hermione didn't sleep for a long time.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

"Happy Christmas!" Hermione awoke to Ginny's cheerful cry. Opening her eyes Hermione was startled to see Ginny leaning over her, grinning like a loon. "Presents time!" That got Hermione out of bed.

The two girls ran down the stairs, laughing happily to find everyone else already assembled in the living room, staring covetously at the huge pile of presents beneath and around the tree.

"Finally, she's up!" Fred, or maybe it was George, exclaimed. "Thought you'd sleep forever, we did!"

"Fred, be quiet, pregnant women need rest!" Mrs. Weasley wacked his head lightly. "Okay, everyone get your presents!"

There was a massive scramble while everyone searched for boxes with their names on them. At Ron's insistence Hermione sat on the couch watching and was presented with gifts as the others found hers. "This is silly!" she exclaimed, but she made no move to stand, enjoying the preferential treatment. Finally the gifts had been divided and it was time to unwrap. The amount of wrapping paper thrown around in the next few moments was almost alarming. Hermione took her time, enjoying every gift before opening the next.

Her first gift was a fossilized dragon egg from Ginny. It was a startling green color and more closely resembled dark jade than egg-shell. Her next gift was from Ron. It was a magnificent leather-bound book filled with information and brewing techniques for rare potions. Harry had gotten her a lovely charm bracelet with a Gryffindor crest charm already attached along with a charm of the Aurors' insignia. The twins had given her several of their new inventions, Charlie gave a vial of dragon's blood (a rare and expensive potions ingredient) and a highly polished dragon scale, and Bill and Fleur gave her another leather-bound book, though this one was about defensive spells useful for an Auror. From Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Hermione received a very fine dragon's hide bound journal with her initials engraved across the front along with another, much larger box. This proved to be full of hand-made baby clothing and toys.

"I threw that together for you last night." Mrs. Weasley smiled at Hermione's bemusement. "A baby always needs more clothing and I have lots. If you ever need anything, you just come to me." Hermione couldn't help but embrace the woman tightly, wishing this had been her mother.

The rest of the day was spent playing in the snow and eating cookies, and eventually there was another feast, this one just as satisfying as the one from the night before. Everyone stayed over that night too, but the next morning it was time to go home. Ginny and Charlie were the only ones who would continue staying at the Burrow; everyone else lived close enough that they could easily make it to the wedding from home.

"Happy Christmas, Hermione," Harry whispered, handing her a small parcel as she headed out the front door.

"Happy Christmas." Hermione hugged him before grabbing her bag and Apparating home.

Unwrapping the parcel on her living room couch, Hermione almost cried. Inside was a tiny brown teddy-bear. It was the softest thing Hermione had ever felt and it wore a miniature Gryffindor scarf around it's little neck. "Thank you, Harry," Hermione whispered, hugging the bear and leaning back on the couch.

TBC......

Preview:

"Oh, not at all, sir," Hermione blushed even darker. "I understand it's quite normal for a pregnant woman to feel sick, so I'm not worried."