Chapter 3:
Hermione was sitting in the library, reading a book, when an owl flew in the window. Seeing that it was a Ministry owl, Hermione took the letter, and allowed the owl to fly away. Sitting in her chair again, Hermione opened and read the letter.
Dear Miss Granger,
You did not appear at your marriage today. Unless you have proof that you are exempt from this law, you must appear at 9 o'clock to be married to Mr. Lucius Malfoy. Failure to comply will mean that a warrant for your arrest will be issued.
Dolores Umbridge
Head of the Department of Marriages
Hermione sighed when she read this, she had suspected that the Ministry would do something like this, but she hadn't expected it to be so soon. Gathering her courage, Hermione got ready to go to Saint Mungos.
SBHGSBHGSBHG
"I need an appointment with a pregnancy specialist," Hermione stated when she got to the front desk of Saint Mungos.
"Healer McBride has an available appointment tomorrow morning, will that work for you?" the receptionist asked. Just when Hermione was about to tell her that she needed the appointment by 9, someone came up behind her, and gave her a hug. Hermione tensed a little, but the hug felt reassuring.
"Play along," Sirius murmured in Hermione's ear. Hermione's breath caught, what was Sirius doing in such a public place, and not even as Snuffles. Twisting her head, so she could see him with the corner of her eye, she saw that Sirius now had blonde hair, which wasn't quite as whit as Malfoy's but was close, and sparkling light blue eyes. Sirius turned to the receptionist; "We have an appointment with Healer Jones."
"And you are?" the receptionist asked with a critical gaze.
"Orion White," Sirius flashed his trademark smile that made women go weak in the knees, and Hermione had to stifle the laugh that threatened to escape her.
"You don't have an appointment," the receptionist said, eyeing Sirius critically.
"She's a close friend, and owled me assuring that it would be okay," Sirius' smile was working wonders on distracting the receptionist from everything else.
"Very well," the receptionist said, trying to retain her composure, "You know where her office is, I'm sure." Sirius nodded, and began to lead Hermione away.
"What are you doing here?" Hermione hissed.
"Calling in a few favors, and helping you out," Sirius replied, then he stopped, and looked her in the eye, "You didn't expect me to abandon you, knowing full well that you were pregnant with my baby, did you?" Sirius looked almost worried, and his normal composure was gone, and fear was in its place.
"Of course not," Hermione stated, surprised that Sirius would question that, "I just didn't think that you would be able to come. How are you here anyways?" Hermione's natural curiosity overrode any worry's she had at the moment, how would Sirius avoid being caught.
"You'd never know the wonders some muggle hair dye and contact lenses can accomplish," Sirius winked at her, and began ushering her towards the office again. Hermione was surprised that Sirius knew what they were, and that he had successfully used such muggle items successfully.
"But your face still looks the same, and you have the same haircut," Hermione said, not that she was complaining, though, she loved Sirius' haircut.
"Three years of good, regular food will do wonders for a person's figure," Sirius said, and Hermione tried not to snort at the image of Sirius as a model while saying that. Hermione leaned into Sirius' arm that was around her waist, and lead her to the elevator, "Come on, we have an appointment to make."
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"Thank you," Hermione said, they had just finished their appointment with Healer Annabel Jones, "Can you also send this to the Ministry? They require proof of my pregnancy to be sure that I truly am exempt from this law."
"Of course," Healer Jones replied, she had been a good friend of Sirius' and knew that he was innocent.
"Thank you," Hermione said as she and Sirius were walking back to the elevator.
"Your welcome," Sirius replied as he squeezed her closer to him with the arm he had around her waist, "You didn't expect me to get anything less than the best for you and the baby, did you?"
"Miss Granger," Sirius and Hermione tensed up, and turned to see Lucius Malfoy standing behind them, "Fancy meeting you here."
"Mr. Malfoy," Hermione replied stiffly, this was on her list of things she didn't want to do.
"Now, now, my dear," Lucius responded, "Is that anyway to address your future husband?" Sirius growled at this comment, and Hermione had to put a hand on his chest to keep him from attacking Malfoy.
"I'm afraid you are mistaken, Mr. Malfoy," Hermione replied evenly, "We will not be getting married."
"You would prefer to go to Azkaban?" an eyebrow raised, "My, my, my, would it really be that bad to marry into the most influential Wizarding family?"
"She won't be going to Azkaban either, you bastard," Sirius growled, Hermione shot him a look for defending her when she was perfectly okay defending herself, and the fact that Sirius had said bastard.
"And who are you?" Malfoy asked, paying attention to Sirius for the first time. Hermione sighed in aggravation as the testosterone levels in the hallway rose to ridiculous levels, as much as she would like to see Malfoy hurt, Sirius would then be brought to the attention of authority figures, which could lead to his undoing.
"He's the father of my baby," Hermione stated coolly, "Now if you'll excuse me, I don't believe we have anything to discuss, Mr. Malfoy." Hermione began to drag Sirius out of Saint Mungos, and he continued to glare at the shocked Lucius Malfoy.
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"Did you have to act like that?" Hermione demanded as soon as they were safely inside Grimmauld Place.
"What?" Sirius asked, "He was being a stupid Pureblooded bigot."
"You'd better hope that you have that mouth of yours under control before the baby comes, at least you should if you ever want to see your child." A gasp came from the kitchen doorway, and Sirius and Hermione turned to see Ron standing in the doorway, mouth hanging open in astonishment. They all stood there, frozen, until Ron turned, threw the towel he was holding onto the table, and walked up the stairs. A look of devastation crossed Hermione's face as she chased after Ron, "Ron! At least let me explain!" For his part, Sirius was trying to reign in the inexplicable sense of jealousy he had. Once he quelled his jealousy, Sirius began to think carefully about what Hermione had said, and how people knew him, and how a child would view a father that acted the way he had acted during his life. When faced with how his child might view him, Sirius felt the urge to have a drink of Firewhiskey, but realized that that would be doing the same thing he had always done, and not changing anything.
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"Ron!" Hermione was standing outside his door, on the verge of tears at the thought of the loss of her best friend, "Please talk to me, Ron," she begged.
"Why him?" Ron asked quietly when he opened the door.
"Oh, Ron," Hermione launched herself at him, "Will you let me explain?" in response, Ron stepped out of her way, and Hermione walked in and sat on Harry's bed across from where Ron sat on his bed. Taking a deep breath, Hermione began her explanation, trying to make Ron understand that she loved him, but only as a brother.
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"What's wrong with you?" Harry asked when he walked into the library and saw Sirius sitting there, reading a book on Ministry laws.
"I'm going to be a parent," Sirius began, but he was cut off by a snort from Harry.
"And what does that have to do with you reading a book which a week ago you said was only good enough to use to light a fire?" Harry was partially confused, but mostly amused by Sirius' weird turnabout.
"I am going to free myself," Sirius replied, and Harry looked at him with a mixture of shock and interest, "Severus Snape's Quarters, Hogwarts!" Sirius called, and Harry's shock grew even more.
"Black?" Snape growled, irritated that he had been taken out of his Potions book, and especially that it was Sirius Black, "What do you want?"
"I want you to capture me, and turn me in to the Ministry." Snape and Harry both stared at Sirius in shock.
"Sirius," Harry said when he recovered from the shock, "Why would you want to do that? Especially now that you don't only have to worry about yourself."
"Harry, that's why I have to do this," Sirius sighed, "Snape, just come through the Floo, and I'll explain the plan to you." Snape nodded, and appeared in the fireplace as soon as Sirius had moved.
"Now would you like to explain why you want to die?" Snape asked in his usual snarky attitude. Sirius sighed, and went and picked up the book he had been reading, he had known that this wouldn't be easy, cooperating with Snape, but the reward would be worth it.
"Snape, Harry, sit down," Sirius sat in the chair across from the two chairs they sat in, "Snape, first I would like to apologize for the way I have treated you, and if you ever need anything that I can help you with, I will," Snape looked shocked, but he still shook the hand Sirius had offered to him.
"Sirius, what does any of that have to do with you wanting to be arrested and sent to Azkaban?" Harry demanded, he didn't want his godfather to be arrested and he wanted to know what had made him think of this ridiculous idea.
"Did you know that if a criminal is placed under a citizen's arrest, they have to be given a trial," Sirius looked up, and saw a hint of understanding in the other men's eyes, "and in that trial, they can ask that anyone be brought to the stand, and fed Veritaserum."
"So you want me to arrest you, just to get you a trial?" Snape asked with a small sneer on his face.
"Not entirely, if I have a trial, and I can use anyone as a witness-," Sirius said, but he was cut off.
"What is this about you being arrested, Sirius Orion Black?" Hermione demanded from the doorway, "Do you have no sense of responsibility? Is that how you are going to avoid responsibility this time? I won't allow it!"
"Miss Granger," Snape interrupted Hermione's rant, "What are you going on about Black avoiding responsibility?"
"Just because he doesn't want to be a father, doesn't mean he can escape that easily!" Hermione glared at Sirius with such intensity that it was a miracle that he didn't burst into flames.
"Well, Black, what do we have here?" Snape asked, "You managed to knock up the Gryffindor Golden Girl, and now you want to escape?" Sirius and Harry both snarled at Snape for his insults, but Hermione was too busy glaring at Sirius.
"Have you not been listening to anything I have said, Snape?" Sirius demanded, "I want you to arrest me, then I will go on trial, Lucius Malfoy will testify using Veritaserum that you have made, and I will also testify, and show my memory of when we switched Secret Keepers, and than I will be free." All three of the other people in the room stared at Sirius in shock. They couldn't believe how good and thorough a plan Sirius had come up with, especially because the law that it revolved around was obscure, and Hermione hadn't even heard of it.
"Thank you, Sirius," Hermione said as she hugged him, she was extremely happy that he had decided to be responsible, and she was happy that this man was going to be the father of her child.
"Not bad, Black, not bad at all," Snape said, "When are you planning on doing this?"
"Tomorrow, if that is at all possible," Sirius replied as he stroked Hermione's back.
"Very well," Snape said as he went to the fireplace, and prepared to Floo, "See you tomorrow," and then Snape Flooed away.
"Good job, Sirius," Harry said as he patted him on the shoulder and walked out of the room, leaving the future parents alone.
A/N: Sorry I didn't include the entirety of Ron's reaction. Also, I'm sorry that he may not have exploded in the way people imagined. I was thinking he was too hurt by the idea of Hermione not liking him to do any exploding, though I might include something along those lines later, once he has recovered. (And if I do that, it will be for you, StaticEcho19 ;D )
