Disclaimer: I own nothing, and only borrowed the characters for a little while.


Hermione found herself humming as she stood and perused the papers before her. Sparing a glance out the window she mused that mayhap life was good.

Pressing a hand into her back, she heard a very familiar voice behind her. The voice trailed off as she turned and his gaze dropped to her very apparent pregnancy, all seven and a half months on show.

"Oh Herimone," he said. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Hermione looked blankly at Ron. "Tell you what?"

"That you're expecting my child."

Memories flooded back and she was embarrassed that she had forgotten about their one fumbled night together.

"It's not yours."

"You slept with someone else?!"


Later that night, she sat beside Snape in the comfortable silence that often reigned between them as they both did their own thing.

He broke it tonight, even as he continued to massage her swollen ankles.

"Why would Weasley think he could make such a claim?"

She didn't bother asking how he knew, and neither did she bother fudging on the answer.

"I slept with him before I slept with you."

She saw the raised eyebrow.

"I mean a week before we, ah, came together," she corrected, now flustered. "It was a mistake."

"Oh."

She saw the eyebrow rise once again and blasted the insufferable man to hell and back when all he did was simply return to reading his journal.


Next chapter: Labour.