Chapter Three

Date lines

Monday morning found Hermione taking the floo network to the Ministry of Magic.

"Hello Hermione," said a cheery voice from a tall girl with long curly strawberry blonde hair who stepped out of the fire next to her.

"Hi Rosie," Hermione said glumly.

"Someone is in a bad mood," Rosie smiled as they walked towards the lift. Rosie Jarrow was a few years older than Hermione and possibly the most optimistic person Hermione knew.

"Rosie," Hermione cried suddenly "what is that on your finger?"

"Oh," Rosie said smiling "Jack proposed." Rosie had been dating Jack Keynes a Canadian wizard who worked for the muggle newspaper "The Independent" since she had thrown up on him during her first trip in a muggle airplane four years earlier.

"I think I need the loo," Hermione said suddenly rushing down the nearest corridor to the ladies she bolted the door and sat on the cold floor "she was never getting married," she thought "within a year she would be a nineteen year old single mother with a young baby who was going to date her?" She had always thought she would get married have a white wedding and then children. She never thought that she would be eighteen, single and pregnant by Draco Malfoy. On that bathroom floor she quietly prayed that the baby looked like her because if it had Draco's eyes or hair then she knew Ginny, Ron or Harry would guess the identity of her baby's father. She looked at her watch five to nine it would not look good to be late.

She jumped in the lift with several others and a large amount of memos.

"Come on," she thought looking at her watch running out of the door then down the corridor and into the office at just two minutes to nine. Rosie mouthed, "Are you ok?" and Hermione nodded as she headed to her tiny office in which worked just herself, Petrarch French-Myers the head of the office and in Hermione's opinion well overdue for retirement Petrarch was convinced that Hermione did not want to work for reform on werewolf law and was very ambitious and just trying to get into magical politics by any means it severely annoyed Hermione particularly as she had done a significant amount of work on the loopholes of the law and discrimination in her two short months in the office.

The only other person in the office was Catherine Morgan the kind of person Hermione always imagined that Draco would marry, tall with long black hair and a year round tan Catherine was a professional socialite and was married to the slightly older and very rich Zach Morgan she only worked two days a week and treated the office like a charity she volunteered at.

"Granger," barked Louis Robins, Robins was the head of the Control of Magical Creatures Office he had a very long career cataloguing rare animals and despite his poor handling of most humans he was a fantastic team leader and excellent with animals. Hermione entered his office every surface was covered in animal artifacts and pictures.

"I want you to take over the werewolf office."

"What?" Hermione asked.

"You heard what I said Granger."

"I have only been here a few months and what's happened to Petrarch."

"Frenchy is retiring," Louis said casually Hermione raised an eyebrow she could not see Petrarch just sitting at home. "He got a grant to do some study of Asian werewolves for six years Morgan doesn't really work here she graces us with her presence." He paused and took in a deep breath. "Don't make me say it again but your bright Granger I don't want you poached by another department and I think that you care about what you do."

"I can't take it," Hermione said almost through gritted teeth. Robins almost exploded.

"And why the hell not?"

"I'm pregnant," she almost whispered. Robins tapped his fingers on the desk.

"How long do you want off?"

"Errr….six months."

"I'll give you one but from when it's born until it goes to Hogwarts you only have to work from nine 'til half two." Hermione thought about it, it really was a good offer over ten years she would have much more time with her child than her current nine to five allowed.

"Okay."

"I'll move Jarrow into your office she'll take over when you're off."

Hermione walked into the small office of the werewolf department hearing Louis bark, "Jarrow get in here," the office was covered in dusty books and shelves of antiquated case studies and werewolf laws. There were three desks in the room and the largest and the oldest that had always been crowded with animal parts and moldy coffee cups was now completely empty. Hermione moved her own personal stuff from her corner window desk to the larger desk.

The end of the week saw a very different office. Hermione had been hard at work changing the office the old files and laws that had been cleaned and catalogued a small bookshelf with Hermione's own books had been put up. She had even managed to convince the maintenance department to enlarge the window. It was currently 4:50pm and Hermione was nervous. She had arranged to have dinner with Ron and Harry at their flat after work. She knew she had to tell them about the baby and she also knew it was going to be an awful lot harder to get them not to ask awkward questions about the father than it had been to deter her parents. She was woken out of her daydream by a knock on the door.

"Come in," she called.

"Hermione," Ron smiled as he opened the door with Harry behind. She looked at her watch.

"You're early," she said.

"By ten minutes," moaned Ron "come on Hermione."

"I can't,"

"You run this office now,"

"Exactly,"

"Oh for goodness sake Hermione you've done enough unpaid overtime this week," Rosie said shaking her head.

"You can leave too then Rosie." Hermione then took her time closing her desk locking the office then pretending she had forgot a book she needed for the weekend.

"So Hermione," Ron said as they all appeared in the lobby of Ron and Harry's building not that the muggle authorities knew it but this was the heart of wizarding London very close to Diagon Alley and that meant this block of Edwardian houses that had been converted into large flats and nearly all were occupied by wizards or witches.

"Oh hey," a female voice said to the left as a door opened.

"Hi Rome," Ron said shyly and Hermione noticed his ears going a little red. Rome was very pretty rather tiny Hermione would have been surprised if she had been over five foot. She had short brown curly hair and bright blue eyes. Smiling as she picked up the milk bottles outside her door.

"I'll meet you upstairs guys," Ron waved rather absent minded.

"How long has that been going on?" Hermione asked Harry.

"What?' Harry replied, "nothing is going on he likes her an awful lot but he cannot get the courage to ask her out."

"Isn't Rome nice?" Ron gushed when he entered the flat.

"Why don't you ask her on a date?" Hermione asked, Ron shook his head,

"I couldn't do that she is way out of my league."

"If you don't ask her you will never know,"

"That was amazing Harry does Ginny know you can cook that well?" Hermione asked as she put her knife and fork down.

"She taught me to cook when I stayed at the Burrow over the summer. I have a question to ask you two."

"Mmmmm," Hermione replied absent minded. Harry whipped a small blue box out of his jacket pocket opening it nestled in the cushioning was a beautiful sliver engagement ring.

"Do you think Ginny will like it?" Hermione looked to Ron who she thought Harry was really seeking permission from. Ron froze for a moment before grinning at his best friend.

"Its nice mate," Hermione let out an almost audible sigh.

"It's beautiful Harry when are you planning to propose?"

"New Year she is staying at the Burrow for Christmas and then I thought I could ask her come to London for the New Year."

"That sounds lovely," Hermione said smiling.

"Are you okay Hermione?" Harry asked I thought you would be a little more excited." This is it Hermione thought I really have to tell them now.

"I am excited for you honestly I am sure you will be the most amazing married couple ever. I just have a lot on my mind," she took a deep breath and after what seemed like the longest pause.

"I'm pregnant," two tiny words spoke very quietly but both boys reacted completely differently. Harry looked like someone had hit him in the face whilst Ron went bright red and spluttered.

"What? Hermione I misheard you,"

"No you didn't,"

"How can you be pregnant? It's you."

"So what?" She asked slightly angrily.

"Hermione," Harry said much softer as she was going to grab her coat please sit down. Hermione sat down rather unceremoniously on the sofa with Harry sat in the armchair opposite her and Ron next to her.

"Please tell us what happened," Harry said softly.

"I had a one night stand just after we got back from Hogwarts," Hermione knew it was quite an atrocious lie but she had thought it was the most acceptable thing that she could get away with she just had to hope her parents and her friends didn't talk.

"Do you know anything about him?"

"Not really I don't even know his name I think he was Swedish or Finnish or something. I know it was stupid but I am not getting rid of her."

"Her?" Harry asked, "It is a girl?"

"I don't know I just have a feeling that it is a girl."

"I know it's not expected but congratulations you'll be an amazing mum."

"Thank you,' Hermione smiled the first relaxed genuine smile that she had all night.

"You really will be amazing Hermione." Ron said, "I just wish I could beat this guy up."

"If only you knew," Hermione thought, "that you've been trying for the last seven years."

"Just don't let the baby hear you say that, at the end of the day biologically it is her dad."

"Oh," Harry said as if thinking suddenly "was he a wizard or a muggle?"

"Wizard," Hermione said before thinking.

"Really?" Harry said.

"Yeah," Hermione replied, "I was at the new magical nightclub Underworld."

"Oh do your parents know?'

"Yes I went back to Oxford last weekend."

"When is it due?" Harry asked.

"Late March,"

"Spring baby." Harry smiled.