Hermione had felt this before. A strange tingling, fluttering feeling, but the last time she had felt it, she hadn't been herself. Now, now she knew what the feeling was and as much as it filled her with a secret joy, she knew that feeling it before was undoubtedly a bad thing.
Sitting behind her desk she could allow her hand to smoothly slide off the desk and under her robe. In many ways it was good to work in a world where she had to wear a robe, it hid the truth.
She hadn't told anyone yet, except Ron, and Ron was delighted – of course he was – but they were still worried. Worried that this baby inside her may not survive like the few she had lost before. Now that her stomach was swelling, now that people may be able to tell there was a baby growing inside her she allowed herself to hope.
Only a few days ago had she begun to feel a strange flutter, Molly had delighted in telling her that it was her baby's first wriggles. In those days she had begun to understand why she knew that wriggle, why it made her unsettled.
It had taken her a while to pinpoint and when she did pinpoint the feeling then she had assumed it was anxiety. Now, knowing it wasn't, made her wonder if her lack of knowledge, her age and innocence, had perhaps done something horrible – or at least had not prevented something horrible.
There was a knock on the door, a cautious mop of black hair peaking around the edge.
"Harry?"
Her age-old friend pushed the door open, letting himself in and shutting the door behind him.
He shoved his hand's in his pockets, looking down at the floor and holding his breath. He didn't speak. There was a heavy silence.
"I don't want you to panic,"
"What's happened, what's he injured this time?"
Hermione sighed, even though she could feel her heart thumbing in her chest. She always worried, always thought that one day Harry would come to her office with worse news. Ron wasn't quick enough, he wasn't as committed as Harry to being an Auror and she worried the news he was sitting on would make it harder. Just a few more weeks and they would tell everyone, just a few more weeks.
"He's mostly bruised, a few decent cuts which have been Ditany'd, He'll be ok." Harry sighed again, he still wasn't making any eye contact. He shook his head.
"I don't know, he's been off recently, there's something on his mind. I think, I think I might know but, maybe I don't, and it's not my place to ask -,"
Hermione stood up clumsily, her new centre of balance making it harder to walk in heels, and walked over to Harry, her finger raised in front of her.
"I think you know too. But, I think, Harry, I think I might know something – something dangerous."
This time he looked her right in the eye, waiting for her to speak.
"Under the influence of Polyjuice, I feel I felt something – years ago. Now, due to my own experiences currently, I think – and I can't be entirely sure - ,"
"Hermione, just tell me."
She breathed in, blurting it out as fast as she could.
"I have reason to believe that Bellatrix Lestrange might have had a baby."
His eyes widened, he swallowed. He stared but said nothing.
"I had a strange feeling when I was in her body which I now suspect was quickening – the first detectable movements of a foetus. Harry, I can't be certain, and I don't feel it is worth anyone worrying just yet but I can't sit on it."
He nodded, once more studying the carpet. He was thinking, she could tell he was thinking.
"And," he began to say slowly as though trying to add everything together as he spoke.
"I'm presuming you also don't think the father of that baby was Rodolphus."
Hermione shook her head, biting her bottom lip.
"It could all be coincidental, I don't know how we could know, how we could find this baby. Andromeda wouldn't know and she will clearly never again speak to the sister that killed Tonks. Narcissa, she's never going to tell us anything."
"Do you think it could be a threat to Teddy?"
Hermione shook her head once more,
"No, I don't think they would expose the child to our world yet. I think, if there is a baby, and the baby has lived, then I worry there could be something bigger on the horizon."
Harry nodded.
"Yeah." There was a pause.
"I think we keep an eye, we keep a very close eye, and we don't let our guard down. He's going to be a constant shadow on our lives for a long time to come."
"But Harry, that poor child, it could become another Tom Riddle."
Harry walked across to the window, staring out into the rain.
"I think that's a risk we have to take, for all we know it didn't live. We just have to be sure, we need to keep an eye on everything and everyone."
Hermione crossed the room also, perching on the edge of her desk, being careful to wrap her ropes loosely around herself.
"I don't want to turn into Fudge."
Harry turned, giving a half-smile,
"You'll never be like Fudge, you've only been in the job a couple of months, Minister, but I've known you for eleven years. I know you'll do this well. I know you can change the politics at play here, and we will keep a close eye on all ex-death eaters, an eye on all magical children who could be associated with those families. And, I'll keep it up even when you're away in a few months."
"Away?" She questioned, having know idea where she was going, she wasn't aware of any big summits or foreign visits, unless she had forgotten something.
Harry grinned knowingly.
"I know why you recognised that feeling in Lestrange, I know you've been keeping it quiet but, I've seen that look, in Ginny. Don't worry about all the politics, don't worry about the possible kid out there. Enjoy this, you deserve it – both of you."
Hermione sucked in her lip, smiling softly. She sighed.
"Don't tell yet, I'm not sure I'm ready."
Harry laughed once, slowly walking back towards the door.
"Hermione Granger, you are the first Muggle-born Minister for Magic and you think a baby is going to be hard?"
She shrugged,
"Mistakes have been made Harry, many mistakes. You turned out great, but there's no promise for any child, not yours or mine. And, call it intuition, but I don't think I've come across the last of the Lestrange baby."