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Hermione's Baby

This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

A Father's Gift

Hermione looked around, desperately trying to locate her son. She couldn't move a muscle but she could see the form of little Harry lying near her. He had some sort of strange cloth bag over his head; she couldn't tell if he was alive or not.

"Ah, Miss Granger, back with us I see," said a raspy voice that Hermione instantly recognized as that of Rufus Scrimgeour, Minister for Magic. "I am going to release you now Miss Granger but you must promise me that you will not attempt to escape. So far no real harm has come to you or the child but that can all change very quickly. When I release you just lay there as if you were still under the body bind curse, any movement at all will put the both of you in the greatest danger."

Scrimgeour took out his wand and pointed it at Hermione, "Finite Incantium."

Hermione immediately felt as if a giant weight had been lifted off her. She wanted to grab little Harry but instead obeyed Scrimgeour's instructions to the letter.

"Very good Miss Granger, you follow instructions well."

"What about my baby? What have you done to him?"

"No need to worry my dear, he has not been harmed. He too has been subjected to a body bind curse but that is all."

"What about that sack thing covering his head? How can he breathe?"

"We felt it necessary to take that precaution my dear; we have all seen what your talented son can do with a mere look. The sack covering his head prevents him from making eye contact with anyone while at the same time allowing him to breathe normally. We hope to remove the sack soon but that depends on you Miss Granger and how well you can control your child."

"Control him? Are you mad? I have no control over him with regard to his powers! I haven't had anything to do with any magic that he has performed!"

Hermione felt herself being overcome with rage but she still didn't move, she would do nothing to jeopardize little Harry.

"Very good Miss Granger, it's very obvious that you would like nothing better than to kill me right now and yet you still remain motionless as I directed you to do. I think that your love for your son will in the end allow for the three of us to come to an understanding."

"The three of us?" asked Hermione.

"Why yes Miss Granger; you, myself and of course your son. "

The Burrow was a scene of chaos. Everyone was talking at once while at the same time double checking that they had their wands with them and trying to decide what else they might need to take with them on their quest to rescue Hermione and Little Harry.

"Quiet everyone! Quiet now! We have to form a plan to get them back! We can't just go storming off to the Ministry in a frontal attack, they would stop us in our tracks," said Arthur, his voice rising above the fray.

"But Dad…!" started Ron but he never got a chance to finish his sentence as there came a pounding on the kitchen door.

"Open the door! It's me, Kingsley!"

The Weasley Wizards pointed their collective wands at the door as Arthur cautiously opened it. It was indeed Kingsley Shackelbolt and he was somewhat the worse for wear as he showed signs of multiple bruises and abrasions.

"Kingsley, come in and sit down; you look a mess," said Molly.

They helped him to a nearby chair and Arthur poured him a tall glass of Ogden's Old Fire Whiskey.

"Thank you Arthur, that helps," said Kingsley, gratefully.

"What has happened Kingsley? What has happened to Hermione and the baby?" asked Molly.

"It's the minister; he's gone completely round the bend! He seems to think that the Ministry for Magic can somehow harness little Harry's powers and turn him into some sort of weapon, controlled by the ministry to do its bidding," said Kingsley as he downed the potent drink; Arthur poured him another.

"I say we go in there right now and take them back by force!" said Ron, his face reddened with anger.

"No doubt that is what the Minister expects and wants you to do Ron. They'll be waiting for you if you try that," said Kingsley.

"How did it happen? How did they overcome you?" asked Arthur.

"Slipped a sleeping potion in my drink they did. One moment I was enjoying a glass of wine while working on some reports in my quarters and the next thing I knew I was in a full body bind curse and chained in the dungeons with the Minister plucking hairs from my head for the Polyjuice potion!"

"How did you manage to get away then?" asked Molly.

"Madame Arnot; bless her soul. She had seen them spiriting me away to the dungeons and managed to release me after the Minister and his minions were done with me. I sent my patronus to you straightaway," said Kingsley.

"Where is Madame Arnot then?" asked Ron.

Kingsley looked down at his drink, his face registering deep pain.

"As we were escaping the ministry the alarm was sounded and we had to fight our way out. Before she could apparate she took a full blast from a killing curse; her crumpled form was the last thing I saw as I apparated away from the ministry," said Kingsley.

"Such a brave woman," said Molly.

"We'll make them pay for her death, I assure you that," said Kingsley.

"But how, how will we get into the ministry and set things right," asked Ron.

"It will be difficult, they will be guarding the ministry even more closely now, probably expect us to use their own Polyjuice trick to get in," said Kingsley.

I had thought of that but I don't know who we could get ingredients from or how we would get them," said Ron.

"WAIT!" yelled Ginny, her voice rising almost to a shriek.

"What is it Ginny, what's wrong?" asked Molly.

"I think I have the answer Mum. In that old chest that Hermione keeps in her room!"

"Yes, yes what about the chest?" asked Arthur.

"Hermione told me once that she kept several items that belonged to Harry, Harry senior that is, in that chest. One of those things was Harry's invisibility cloak which he had wrapped around Hermione to protect her when the Death eaters were closing in. If the cloak is there one of us can use it to enter the ministry and then let the others in!" cried Ginny.

Without a word everyone charged off to Hermione's room where they dragged her old chest out of the closet.

"I hope it's still there; hope it's big enough to go round me," said Fred.

"What do you me go around you? I'm the one who's going!" shouted George.

"Quiet the both of you! Let's see if the cloak is still there before we argue about who is going to use it," said Arthur.

The chest was locked but that presented no problem to a room full of witches and wizards who soon had the lock blasted off and the chest opened. There, lying neatly folded on top of the other items from Harry James Potter's meager legacy was his invisibility cloak.

"Quick, hand it here so I can get going!" yelled Fred.

"Not so fast mate, who says you're to go?" asked George.

"You both seem to be forgetting something. Hermione is my finance and if anyone is going to rescue her it's going to be me," said Ron, clenching his fists and staring defiantly at the others.

A huge argument erupted over who would be the best choice to enter the ministry, covered by the invisibility cloak. Finally a small but powerful voice made itself heard above the din.

"Stop it! Stop it all of you! We have to act quickly we don't have time for this. The logical person to go is me and I'm going," said Ginny.

"Ginny, no; why you?" asked Molly.

"Yes, why you?" came a chorus of voices.

"Because I'm the smallest and the cloak would have trouble covering any of the rest of you, except for Fleur of course."

Fleur smiled at this unexpected compliment from Ginny, even though Ginny hadn't realized it was a compliment.

"Ginny, Kingsley and I know the layout of the ministry better than anyone here; one of us should go," said Arthur.

"Both of you are too big to be adequately protected by the cloak and Fleur can't go because she knows nothing about where things are at the ministry. It's time for all those trips you took me on to the ministry to pay off Dad," said Ginny.

An argument started to build once again but stopped immediately when Arthur raised his hand.

"What's your plan for getting inside Ginny?" asked Arthur.

"Arthur, no!" pleaded Molly but Arthur bade Ginny to continue.

"Pretty simple actually, Dad. I thought I would just insert myself into the mob of early morning workers and lose myself in the crowd. The cloak should be able to keep me well hidden and then I can try to figure out where they are keeping Hermione and little Harry."

"I might be able to help you there Ginny. I suspect that they are holding them in a small room near the Minister's office. That room is often used by the Aurors when they have a special person that they want to hold for questioning. There is a floo connection right next to that room so that if you determine that is where they are being held you can send your Patronus with a message to us and we will attack in force through the floo connection," said Kingsley.

"Why don't I just use that floo connection in the first place?" asked Ginny.

"Can't do that Ginny, you know how the fireplaces flare up when someone is arriving or leaving, that would warn them that someone was using the network, invisible or not," replied Arthur.

"Besides, we need you to make sure of Hermione's and the baby's location before we go busting in," said Arthur.

"I should also try to set them free before I send my Patronus, so as not to delay our escape," said Ginny, rather calmly.

"No! I won't have it! It's too much to ask of a child! I won't let her do it, I won't let her risk her life!" wailed Molly.

"Mum, stop it!" yelled Ginny, staring directly at her Mother. "I am not a child any longer, I am a full-fledged, wand-waving witch and I am best suited to enter the ministry and find Hermione and Harry. You say you won't let me risk my life! What about the lives of Hermione and little Harry; would you have me just stand by and do nothing?"

Molly turned away from the group and began sobbing heavily. Ginny put her arms around her Mum and held her tight.

"I'll be careful Mum, I promise."

Molly turned to face the group and attempted to dry her eyes.

"All right then, if my little girl is going to do this thing then let's go over the plan."

They all gathered around the kitchen table and plotted the rescue of Hermione and her baby.

Two men camped beside a small stream near the Muggle village of Ottery St. Catchpole. One of the men was quite large, over six feet tall and near three hundred pounds. The other man was much smaller but that was not what distinguished him the most. This second man was bent and misshapen, his face horribly disfigured and it seemed as if every step caused him the utmost agony.

"We could have just apparated right to the place you know, instead of camping out in the damp," complained the big man.

"You know my reasons, Alec," replied the smaller man.

"Yes, yes I know your reasons and I think their codswallop!"

"Never the less, I am in charge of this mission and you will do as I say. Is that understood Alec?"

"Yes I understand, Jamison. I still can't get used to calling you by that name."

"It is the name I have chosen."

"I know it is the name you have chosen but I still think you are making a mistake. You should go talk to them; you should especially talk to the girl. You know that she would want to see you, be with you, especially since she has…"

"That's enough Alec! I know you are just trying to be a friend but you know as well as I that I can't go to her. When we have observed them you have seen how happy she is now, she deserves better than this broken mess you see before you."

"I don't think it would make any difference to her."

"That's just the problem Alec it wouldn't make any difference to her."

'Then why did we come here in the first place Jamison if you aren't even going to see her or her family."

"We need information Alec. With all of the death eater activity in the area it's quite possible that the Weasleys will have some information that we can find useful. We are going to go to a spot in the woods near the house. You will contact them while I remain in hiding."

"If that's the way you want it Jamison then that's what we will do; it will give you a chance to see…"

"Yes, it will give me a chance to see him too…"

Ginny tried to control her heavy breathing. She had made it undetected into the Ministry of Magic and she was now working her way towards the Minister for Magic's office. She had been inside this office before on a trip with her Dad. Her actual target was a small room next to the minister's office; this was the room where Kingsley felt they might be holding Hermione and little Harry. She inched herself along being ever so quiet until at last she had reached the Minister's office. She could hear voices coming from the small, adjoining room.

"So Miss Granger, do we have a deal? I remove the hood from your son and you keep his magic in check, agreed?" said Scrimgeour.

"I can't guarantee that! I told you, I have no control over his magic!" pleaded Hermione.

"Well you had better control it or it will go badly for the both of you," hissed Scrimgeour.

Ginny's mind raced. She wasn't sure that she could get through the door, fight off whoever might be in the room and rescue Hermione by herself. She made a split second decision.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

In an instant Ginny's Patronus, a silvery horse, sped away to the Burrow with a message that Kingsley had been right, they were holding Hermione and little Harry exactly where he thought they would. The whole Weasley clan would be responding in seconds, Ginny just hoped that no one had seen her Patronus take form.

Just as Ginny had expected, the Weasley family plus Kingsley all came roaring through the giant fireplace in one huge mob with wands at the ready. Ginny pointed at the door to the small office and Molly instantly waved her wand and yelled "Bombarda!" The door was blasted open and Molly led the charge into the room. The minister and two henchmen looked up dumbfounded; they were completely caught off guard. Scrimgeour's lackeys were soon dealt with but before anyone could stop the minister he had managed to grab Hermione and little Harry and exit the room through a hidden panel in the wall. This panel was soon opened but it had given Scrimgeour the time he needed; he, Hermione and little Harry were gone.

Hermione hit the ground with a thud. Next to her knelt Scrimgeour with one hand around little Harry's neck and the other holding a wand pointed directly at her.

"I think I have found a way to control this little bugger. Just threaten his Mummy and he can sense that she is in danger. Listen to me little man, my wand is pointed directly at your Mum, try anything and I'll still be quick enough to kill her in a most horrible way."

"Go ahead Harry! Kill him! He won't be fast enough to get you too!" screamed Hermione.

Little Harry did nothing; he just sat there quietly, looking at his Mum.

"Just as I thought Miss Granger, he can sense that any move on his part would put you in mortal peril."

Hermione looked around and suddenly realized where they were. They were next to the small woods situated near the Burrow.

"You foul creature, why did you bring us here?" asked Hermione.

"What better place for you and your misbegotten spawn to meet your fate Miss Granger? This is as good a place as any for you to join me in death; there will never be happiness associated with this ground again. It will always be known as the place where Hermione Granger and the bastard son of Harry Potter met their fate. You see Miss Granger, I don't have much time left, one of your family was adept with the Sectumsempra curse and I am wounded most foul."

Hermione looked up and noted for the first time that Scrimgeour was bleeding profusely from a gash to his stomach; he was rapidly losing blood.

"So you see Miss Granger, not wanting to die alone, I am going to take you and your little brat with me!"

Scrimgeour pushed little Harry to the ground and pointed his wand at the baby; in a last desperate move Hermione threw herself forward to cover her son and shield him from Scrimgeour's curse… "AVADA CAD…"

"AVADA CADAVRA!"

Hermione didn't move. She knew that she was still alive but she had heard the curse. Little Harry was wiggling under her and he seemed to be alright too. She slowly raised her head and grabbed little Harry up in her arms. A very large man was approaching them; he was a wild looking man but had a kind smiling face.

"There now miss are you okay? Let me help you up darlin."

"Who are you? What brought you here? Thank you so much for saving us," said Hermione.

"Well now miss my name is Alec and I'm an Auror, me and my partner over there was coming to the Burrow to ask Arthur if he had any good information to pass our way about death eater activity in the area. It was just luck that we happened to be here. As for saving you, Auror Jamison over there gets credit for that, he's a dead on expert when it comes to casting spells."

Hermione turned and said, "Thank you for saving my son Mr. Jamison and thank you for my life as well."

Jamison said nothing he just kept his head bowed and his face covered by the hood of his robe.

A series of pops announced the arrival of several people apparating to the Burrow. The Weasleys had returned!

"Hermione!" screamed Molly as she ran to embrace her future daughter-in-law. "We fought with some of Scrimgeour's supporters for a bit and after we had driven them off we decided to come back here and plan our next move."

Ron moved his Mum out of the way and took Hermione in one arm and little Harry in the other. "I'm never letting go of you again Hermione, neither one of you."

Hermione smiled and snuggled in Ron's arms as little Harry grabbed a handful of her hair.

"Hermione what happened here?" asked Arthur as he looked down at the body of Scrimgeour.

Hermione explained to them all about Scrimgeour and how he had planned to kill her and little Harry and how they had been saved by Auror Jamison and his partner Alec.

Hermione turned to introduce Jamison and Alec.

They all gathered around Alec and hugged him and thanked him for what he had done; they did not approach Jamison as they almost instinctively recognized that he was someone who did not like to be touched. They did verbalize their thanks to Jamison and asked if there was anything they could do for the two Aurors. Alec allowed as how it had been some time since he had a taste of Ogden's Old Firewhiskey and wondered if Arthur might have a drop or two available.

"If Molly hasn't gotten in to it I should have some," said Arthur.

"Arthur Weasley you stop that! Come into the house won't you Alec?" asked Molly.

"You too of course Mr. Jamison," said Arthur.

Jamison said nothing and just kept his head lowered.

"Jamison doesn't drink anything stronger than Butterbeer Mrs. Weasley," said Alec.

"Well can I get you a Butterbeer then?" asked Molly.

Jamison said nothing but shook his head no.

Everyone then trooped into the house except for Ron, Hermione and Jamison. Hermione noticed that little Harry seemed to have an interest in Auror Jamison and especially his full, coal black beard. As the baby stretched out his arms Hermione asked, "Would you like to hold him?"

Jamison seemed hesitant at first but then reached out to accept little Harry. Hermione was amazed when the baby squealed with happiness and showed the stranger how much he liked him by grabbing two handfuls of beard. She was just about to admonish her son when she saw that Jamison was slowing rocking the baby and little Harry was enjoying it very much.

After a time Alec and the rest came back outside; Alec was looking pretty refreshed.

Jamison handed little Harry back to his Mum, all the time being careful not to let himself be seen.

"Where are you off to now, Alec?" asked Arthur.

"I believe we'll gather up some more Aurors and see about cleaning out that mess at the ministry. Right, Jamison?"

Jamison nodded.

The Weasleys once again thanked the two Aurors for what they had done; Alec apparated away to the ministry. Jamison lingered for a moment taking in the sight of the Weasley clan one more time; little Harry smiled at him with the biggest smile he could muster.

Jamison waved at little Harry and was gone…

THE END