House: Gryffindor

Position: Prefect

Category: Additional

Prompt: [Genre] Drama

Word count: 1978 words excludes header, title, and A/N.

Beta: CK and Tiggs. Thanks lovelies!

A/N: Mrs. Weasley's reaction is solely based off how she treated Hermione at the TriWizard Tournament when she thought Hermione was two timing Harry. I am aware labor doesn't progress this quickly but for the sake of this story it did. This was written for The Houses Competition Y3R5.

The Only Way

Hermione stared at the wooden door in front of her. She had walked through that very door hundreds of times. So why was she hesitating? She knew the people behind the door were exactly the same, but maybe that was the problem? She was no longer the same person that had walked out of those doors two years ago.

She straightened her shoulders knowing that she had to tell them before they found out through someone else. She sighed and brought her fist down gently on the doors.

Two years ago….

Hermione blinked up at Ron.

"You want to what?" she asked. Her head was spinning and it was becoming harder for her to breathe.

"I think we should break up, see other people and sow our oats!"

"You want to sow your oats?" Hermione repeated incredulously.

"I can talk to Mum if you still want to stay with us," Ron said, ignoring her questioning. "It might be weird but I am sure it will be fine in time."

Hermione quickly stood, her hands clenched into fists at her side. "You want me to stay here while you parade one girl after another in front of me? Absolutely not!"

"Hermione, don't make this difficult. Where would you even go?"

She walked over to Ron. Her palm stung as she slapped him across the cheek. "That is no longer your business!"

She stomped down the stairs and slammed the wooden door behind her.

She hadn't been back in two years. She had kept contact with all of her friends, Ron included. At first, she didn't want to see him. She thought it would hurt too much. She had thought she loved him but then… well, once she settled in Paris, she was happy. She had found a new love. One that both challenged her and excited her, but she knew her friends would never understand. If she was being honest with herself, he was the reason she never visited before, not Ron. It was much easier for her to lie in Owls then it would be face to face.

Hermione heard the door start to squeak open and began to chew on her lip. Harry's eyes lit up as he opened the door. He pulled Hermione in for a big hug and gushed about how excited he was to finally have her back home.

"You never told us you were coming back."

"I know," Hermione said, her eyes welling with tears. "I didn't think I would be coming back but things... change," she said quietly.

One week ago…

"Hermione, you can't stay here, they will kill you."

"You promised me!" Hermione cried. "You promised me you would always stay with me! You promised!" She grabbed a vase and threw it at the wall behind his head, tears streaming down her face.

He held her as she cried against his chest. Her fists angrily pounded into his flesh with each breath she took, but he still held on until her strength failed her and she slouched against his chest, defeated.

"I know, love, I know, but it isn't just you and me anymore. If they knew… " his voice cracked. "If they knew, Hermione, I couldn't imagine what they would do to you. It would kill me if something happened. You know that right?"

He held her face in his hands and wiped away her tears with his thumbs.

"I love you but I need to protect you. You need to leave; it's the only way."

He kissed her gently and they spent one final night together.

Present...

Hermione wiped at her eyes and gave Harry a small smile. It did feel good to be back; she had really missed her friends, but her heart was broken and she didn't know if she was going to ever be able to tell them the truth.

"Is everyone here?" she asked hopefully. Harry nodded and brought her into the living room, beaming.

The moment Harry announced her arrival she was surrounded. She forgot how claustrophobic this place made her feel. It was one of the reasons she had left London. She loved them, but her life had begun to revolve around them and she had felt herself getting lost in the chaos. After she and Ron broke up, she felt no reason to stay. Nothing was tying her to London anymore, so she left.

Still it felt so good to be loved right now. She gave each Weasley a giant hug and they all sat down in the living room expectantly waiting for her to tell them about her life while she was gone. She looked at all of the eager faces before her and felt her resolve waver. She had to tell them. She took a deep breath and quickly blurted out her reason for returning.

"I'm pregnant!"

The smiles fell off of everyone's faces and gasps filled the room. The room was spinning and she could hear the collective whispers and shocks from everyone in the room. She knew what question was coming and she still wasn't prepared for it when Ginny asked.

"Who is the father?"

Hermione shrugged, the tears threatening to spill again, and she looked at the floor. She mumbled a quick 'I don't know' and tried to focus on her breathing. She could hear her heart thundering in her ears; she should have told them but she couldn't make the words fall from her mouth. They wouldn't understand.

Molly rose quickly and stalked towards Hermione.

"You came back into my house just to tell us you are pregnant?" she spat at Hermione. "Ron has been worried sick about you, we all have, and you come back to tell us you are a hussy?! Pregnant and you don't even know who the father is? Shame on you, Hermione Granger. I suggest you leave like you did two years ago but don't think about ever coming back this time!"

Hermione turned to her friends, waiting for them to speak up in her defense, but they never did. She nodded slowly and walked out of the house. It was much different from her storm out two years ago. She had expected this reaction; she had been prepared to leave this time. She looked over her shoulder and took in every detail of the house. It had once been a loving home to her but now it would just be another place filled with people that she used to know. She was quickly acquiring more memories of places and people that she used to know than she knew what to do with. The weight of her life crashing down around her was suffocating and she could feel herself begin to crumble with it.

Harry was pacing in the living room of the hallway of the apartment that she had rented. He was trying to make sense of her life and Hermione wanted to laugh at him. The great Harry Potter trying to solve another mystery, trying to fix another problem, but even she didn't understand what was going on in her life. She couldn't understand how she got here, pregnant and alone with no plan. Everyone had always called her the brightest witch her age but right now she felt lost and stupid.

"Harry, I'm not going back. I have always known Mrs. Weasley never liked me and now I have proof."

Hermione shrugged and ignored Harry's pleas that she return to The Burrow. She had decided when he left her, she wasn't going to be the victim anymore. It was about time she made true to that promise.

Harry helped during her pregnancy where he could but she could sense his uneasiness with the situation. She knew that he could tell she was lying about something. Despite having not seen each other in two years, they were still best friends. She could sense the questions burning underneath his tongue, dying to be asked every time he came over, but she ignored them. She was just happy that someone had chosen her for once and she didn't want to ruin that. It might have been selfish of her but Harry was all she had.

Harry had chosen to stay with her during the final few weeks of her pregnancy despite Ginny's objections. She knew that Ginny wouldn't tolerate Harry being there much longer; if the baby didn't come soon she feared what it might do their relationship. She savored Harry's decision to choose her but she didn't want to ruin his own relationship either.

Luckily, the baby got the memo and two weeks after Harry decided to start staying at her place she felt her stomach begin to tense. She shouted to Harry and saw his face pale when she bent over in pain. She could feel the contractions coming on stronger and faster and slowly made her way to the Floo with Harry's help.

They made it to the hospital just in time. She had been ushered to a room where she immediately gave birth. Harry let the rest of the Weasleys know, not that they would care, that she was in labor and waited in the lobby.

She had been sleeping, her baby by her side, when Harry walked in. He smiled brightly at her before he caught sight of the baby. His eyes narrowed and he turned his accusatory gaze towards her.

Her lips trembled and she shook from exhaustion and nerves. She felt like the room was turning sideways and she couldn't make her lips form any words. This was the moment of truth.

Harry spoke through clenched teeth, his voice high and shaking with anger. "Who is the father, Hermione?"

Hermione bit her lip to try to keep the tears at bay but it was no use, they were pouring down her cheeks and blurring her vision. She couldn't see Harry's eyes filled with rage but she could hear it in his voice.

"Did you sleep with Malfoy?" he asked, his voice turning into a shout.

Hermione was frozen. She felt her whole world come crashing down around her but still she said nothing. She stared at Harry with wide eyes.

"I gave up everything for you, Hermione."

He curled his fist in anger and turned on his heels. He groaned and punched a wall in frustration before turning back to her once more.

"Mrs. Weasley was right about you."

He stormed out of the room, his heavy footsteps mimicking the pounding in her chest. The heavy door slammed shut behind him. She stared after him in a daze, his words echoing in her head.

The next morning Hermione stared down at the newspaper in shock. Malfoy Heir to be Wed. She reread the little scribbled message in the corner over and over again, wishing it would change. She could almost picture Draco scrawling down the message while he drank his cup of coffee in the morning.

This is the only way.

He had been to her room. He had left this for her and he hadn't even woken her. Had he even looked at their son? Had he even cared?

She felt hollow. The only warmth in her life was her son, his wispy blonde hair shining golden in the morning light. His wide silver eyes stared up at her and she was immediately reminded of Draco. She could almost see memories of her and Draco reflected in this infant's eyes, a replica of his father's. She could feel words that Draco used to whisper to her in her ear.

"You and me. That's all I want. Forever."

He had lied. She stared down at those grey eyes. She had lost everything but she still had her child. He smiled up at her and her resolve strengthened. She would get through this; she always did.