Sigh No More Chapter 11: Who will love you? Who will fight? Who will fall, far behind?

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

A/N: So, I've decided that after this chapter is posted I am taking down the poll for the baby names. Only two people have voted so far, which is fine since I like all the names anyways. Also, I promised a one shot for those of you who reviewed last chapter. I will post that soon! Anyways, on with the chapter!

I felt as though I was walking through a dream that I would never wake up from. Two months had passed since the night Draco and I had finished a third of the spell, and I had known for a month now that I was indeed pregnant. I had decided not to tell Draco yet, since I wasn't sure of my plans. When he had revealed to me that the Dark Lord would be involved in this baby's life, I felt as if Draco had covered me with a false blanket of security only to rip it off. No matter what I wanted for Rose, I knew that I couldn't allow my innocent child to be given freely to that monster.

There was no denying that I was attracted to Draco on a physical level; he was unquestionably good-looking and held himself with a very attractive amount of confidence. He was always so sure of himself and his capabilities that I found it hard not to get sucked in. And being intimate with someone after losing Ron...was difficult at first. I had found myself feeling extremely guilty that first night as I laid in Draco's arms while he slept. I felt disgusted with myself that I had enjoyed it as much as I did, and while I knew in my mind that Ron was gone, my heart felt as though I had betrayed him by given my body to another man.

And yet, I continued to give myself to him in the hopes of protecting Rose as long as I could. If Draco hadn't of told me about the Dark Lords plans to be involved in my child's life, I don't doubt that at some point I would have gotten quite comfortable in this new, yet comfortable, life. As it was though, he did tell me, and I couldn't just sit idly by and allow it to happen.

I wasn't showing yet, and had no bouts of morning sickness for which I was grateful. Rose was getting so big at six months it was unbelievable that less than a year ago she was growing inside of me. She could stay sitting up by herself now, and loved to talk in her own little language. When I would tell her stories now she would make cooing and gibberish sounding noises back at me, or when she was excited about something. Her smiles were bigger and brighter, and she could crawl after me if I let her.

Her mahogany colored hair waved gently at her ears, and I smiled as I thought of when Draco had gotten her ready the other day. He had placed her hair in little pigtails that stuck out in an adorably cute manner, with matching pink ribbons to go with her shockingly pink dress. I had teased him mercilessly about buying her the outfit when he showed it to me, but he had only replied with 'pink is a little girls best color'.

"What are you thinking about?" A smooth, deep voice that wasn't Draco's shocked me out of the memory. I turned around to see a tall, caramel colored man with rich, earth colored eyes. He was dressed in all black, which at first glance seemed simple, and yet on closer inspection you could see that the fabrics were of the most expensive material, and tailored perfectly to his frame.

"Nothing, just a silly memory." I replied, a bit hesitant. I tried to keep my face a mask as I thought of my options. Rose was asleep in her room, which was down the hall and out of the way some. Draco had left a few hours ago for some business and hadn't told me when he would be coming back. My wand was in my pocket, but still had the restrictions that Draco had placed upon it, so I couldn't really inflict damage if this situation turned dangerous for me.

"It looked very peaceful." He gave me a soft smile and I frowned openly. "Ah, you don't remember me do you?"

"Am I supposed to?" I said warily, wondering if I had met him in a fight of some sorts and he wanted retribution.

"Well, for my own ego I just assumed that you would." He gave a small laugh and shook his head. "We were in the same year at Hogwarts, although I was in Slytherin which might be why you don't recall me."

"I would have remembered..." I stopped what I was saying and stared at him a bit harder, imaging a bit of a softer face and less of a build. "Blaise Zambini, fourth in our year. Although you never played Quidditch, or taunted the Gryffindor's like most of the other Slytherin's did." I realized, a small smile gracing my face. "Draco said that you had offered me your gardens to walk in, that was very kind of you."

"So you do remember." His smile was wide, and only made him that much more attractive. Really, these Slytherin's were a much too attractive lot. But then again, Snake's drew their prey in with their hypnotizing powers, so I suppose beauty was another form of that.

"I do," I nodded, now a bit calmer. Although I was still suspicious of what he was doing here when Draco was clearly not. "What brings you here today?"

"I thought I would stop by and visit an old classmate of mine," he shrugged. "And from what I've heard, you haven't had much company besides my friend and his mother."

"I have Rosie to keep me on my toes." I gave him a smile. It was nice to be around someone who had never given me any problems for being who I am. It was strange to feel this trust for someone who was serving on the opposite side of what I stood for, but he had never looked down on me the way Draco had while we were in school.

"Yes, so I've heard. I have another reason for coming here today actually."

"Oh, what would that be?" I watched him as he looked over my painting that was placed in front of the window. It was just an eye, but one I knew was etched perfectly and permanently in my mind.

"I've come to invite you and your daughter over to my house for a late lunch with my fiancé. You might remember her as well-Pansy Parkinson?"

"I seem to recall a Pansy back in school." Was my controlled response. Pansy Parkinson had been a living nightmare to me at Hogwarts; always mocking me with insults about my blood, taunting me whenever she got the chance. "I'm not very sure she would like to have lunch with me."

"It was her idea." He said much to my surprise. "So, would that be a yes or a no?"

"I...I'm not sure if Draco would-"I began, completely furious that I sounded like a controlled little girl.

"I've already talked with him about it, and he thought it was a wonderful idea. Get you out of these rooms, and I'm sure Rose would love to crawl about the garden." He sounded to sincere that I couldn't help but smile.

"I'd have to pack some things for her, and wake her up from her nap."

"What are you waiting for?" he motioned for me to be about my business and I gave him one last look before taking off to the nursery to do just that. I transfigured a pillow to turn into a diaper bag and made sure to pack a couple sets of extra clothes just in case, some bottles with formula, a few jars of organic baby food that Narcissa had bought by the ton, and of course her diapers. I also packed a few toys to keep her entertained and a blanket she could lay on if she got tired. I looked at my own outfit and shrugged; Narcissa had made sure my closet was filled with something that a pureblood wife would wear. It was insulting at first to have to wear nothing but dresses and I felt completely out of place in them, but no one was around to see me in them anyways.

I picked up Rose as gently as I could, hoping to keep her asleep until I absolutely needed to wake her up. She stirred for a moment and opened one sea blue eye at me in glare before being pulled back to her dreams. When I returned to the main rooms I saw Blaise going through my paintings, and to my embarrassment he was holding one in particular.

"You've captured the mood of the battle and yet there's something there that I didn't feel...that I can't identify." He said, not turning around to face me. I swallowed, unable to voice what I felt. My paintings were personal, private. Even Draco never looked at them.

"I..."He turned around to face me, the painting still in his hands. "How are getting to your house?" he seemed to be able to sense that he had over stepped a boundary with me and gently set the painting down.

"You'll be flooing there with Rose, and I'll be following you." I nodded, wishing I could get out of the house if only to apparate. "Draco doesn't want you apparating anywhere." He added, and I frowned.

"Why wouldn't he want me apparating?" I puzzled the question over in my head, blushing when I realized the answer. "Oh, I see."

"He's just being cautious you know. He doesn't want it to hinder any progress the two of you might have made in your efforts to conceive." I looked away from him, completely uncomfortable with the topic change.

"It doesn't affect the baby you know, I apparated when I was with Rose until I was around seven months." He studied me for a moment and I caught my slip, my eyes widening.

"Why haven't you told him yet?"

"Does he suspect?" I countered his question with my own.

"No, not really. You should tell him—he'd be overjoyed." Blaise looked at me hard, obviously not liking the fact that I was keeping this from his friend.

"I'll tell him, I only just found out I was." I lifted my chin up in challenge, daring him to say something else.

"That's normally something you share with the other person right away." He scolded me, his eyes not as soft as they were when we had first talked.

"Yes, when you've chosen to be in a committed relationship it normally is." I snapped, not entirely sure I wanted to go over to Blaise's house anymore. That seemed to shut him up, and he frowned at me.

"You know he's not a bad person Hermione." He said after we stood there in silence for what seemed like forever.

"You're not me Blaise, and you're not in my position."

"You should be grateful! He's keeping you and your daughter safe from everything that's happening on the outside! So many people would kill for this opportunity."

"And so many people are." I glared at him. "Don't think that for one minute I would rather be here, in this house where I was tortured by his family, then out there with my loved ones fighting for what I believe in." He opened his mouth to talk and I cut him off. "I feel useless, like I've betrayed everyone and everything I stood for, and I'm stuck here. Do you think I enjoy being dressed in these fancy clothes? That I like having house-elves waiting on me hand and foot? That I welcome the embrace of a man whose Aunt killed my husband? And now he's playing father to our daughter?" I blinked back the tears, surprised by my sudden outburst and anger.

"So after all he's done for you, you still don't care?" Blaise inquired, a frown marring his normally smooth features. "You would rather live in fear surrounded by death then here, where someone is taking care of your every need?"

"You all are ridiculous!" I laughed, shaking my head. "I don't need anyone to take care of me. I'm not some delicate pureblood girl who's never seen death, who's never faced fear. I fight my own battles Mr. Zambini, I have my own strength. Now all that's taken away from me, and I've been forced into having another child with a man I don't love. No, don't you dare tell me that I should be grateful."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pushed you. It's not my place." He gave me a charming smile, as if that would make me forget my anger. "Let's continue on our way then yes? I'm sure Pansy is getting impatient, we're a bit late." He led me out of Draco's rooms and down the hallway, and I held my wand tightly in my free hand. Draco had never taken me out of his rooms, and suddenly I felt a deep anxiety take over me.

"Why can't we use the fireplace in the rooms?" I questioned, keeping closer to the one person that I hoped I was safe with.

"The one in the library has more space, and it's faster. We'll have to take two trips since you have Rose—we both won't fit in the fireplace. You go first." He opened the door to the library for me with a dramatic flourish and I forced a smile out, not pausing to take in the amazing room in front of me.

"Thank you." I nodded my head at him and made my way to the fireplace, grabbed a handful of floo powder, and stepped inside.

"Say 'La Casa Delle Rose' very clearly."

"The House of Roses? Not very masculine." I mentioned casually, my mind racing.

"Si parla italiano? Sei fluente?" he questioned me, a large grin making him look like the young man he was.

"I miei genitori mi portarono lì in vacanza molto come un bambino. E 'scortese non parlare la lingua madre del paese che si visita." I replied, a little distractedly.

"Wonderful! I look forward to talking with you more when we get to my house." He motioned for me to go and I smiled at him, the first genuine one since our argument.

"The feeling that you couldn't identify in my painting...its hope." I threw down the floo powder and said my destination before he had a chance to reply.

It was rude of me, and I hadn't packed anything for myself and barely a thing for Rose. In all honesty, I had assumed that Blaise would have side-apparated us to his house. When I had discovered that he intended on using the floo, I knew it was my only chance to escape. Draco would probably be even more restricting on what I did and where I went once he found out I was pregnant, I knew that Blaise wouldn't have let me keep it secret from him for long. I had used the floo to go to the Ministry, since it was the only fireplace I could get to without placing one of my friends in jeopardy. It was lunch time, so there were plenty of people using the floo's as well which mean that my arrival wouldn't be as noticeable.

It was a risky choice since I was still a wanted fugitive according to everyone else. I had taken my new appearance into account; Hermione Granger never wore dresses and her hair was always rather messy. I was wearing a nice dress, my hair was wavy and smooth and covered one side of my face as I had pushed it to one shoulder. Not to mention the fact that the Hermione Granger everyone was looking for didn't have a child. I made my way to the front doors as fast as I could without drawing suspicion to myself, and once outside I apparated to a muggle hotel bathroom I remembered from my previous trips with my parents.

Luckily there was no one there, and I looked through Rose's diaper bag to find something I could transfigure to look like a suitcase and a purse. At this point Rose had been awake and was staring at me with her trusting eyes, and I knew what I had to do. I casted several charms on myself and her, changing the way we looked. I even changed the dress to a simpler one so as not to attract unwanted attention. After checking my reflection in the mirror to make sure I looked nothing like myself, I made my way to the front desk.

"Hello Ma'am, welcome to the Plaza, what can I do for you?" A young girl with a bright smile greeted me cheerfully.

"Hello, I would like a room please." I gave her a smile back, stifling my urge to look around me to make sure no one had followed.

"How many nights?"

"Three." I made sure that no one was around the front desk or paying us any mind and aimed a compulsion spell on her. "I've already paid, it's under Gillian Tenners, and you're ready to find me an available room now."

"Of course, follow me." She checked the computer for a moment before finding an open room and grabbing the key for it. Once she had let us in and handed me the key, I closed and locked the door, setting wards around the room quickly. I just needed to figure out my next move and make sure that Rose was fed and content before doing anything else. I cuddled her close, taking in her calming scent, and grabbed a bottle from her bag. I could go back to Ginny's, but I didn't want to risk her and James being found by anyone following me. Although, if she lifted the apparation wards, I could apparate straight there. A Patronus would be the fastest route, and unless anyone else had started snooping around Ginny's house, should go unnoticed by anyone but her.

"Ginny, I've escaped. I'm hiding, but I have nothing besides Rose and a diaper bag. I'm pregnant. Lower the apparation wards in ten minutes for five." I sent of the silvery otter, estimating that it should take a bit of time to get there since we were across an entire country. I could have just apparated around her home and knocked on the door, but I didn't want to cause any commotion for her neighbors and it would look quite odd to see a woman with a child coming out of the forest. I sighed, hoping Ginny would believe that it I wasn't trying to trick her into anything. I sat down on the bed and fed Rose, figuring that after that and burping her Ginny would have gotten the message and lowered the wards.

Rose held onto the bottle with me, her tiny fingers holding on in a strong grip in case I tried to take the bottle away from her for some reason. Merlin, she was beautiful. The excitement of my escape was wearing off, and my nerves were catching up. What I had done had been extremely stupid. I had placed not only myself, but my children in danger. I was lucky that Blaise hadn't caught on to my plan until it was too late, and that no one in the Ministry had recognized me. Even my apparation plan had been completely dangerous. It took a lot of concentration and power to apparate to another country, and while I could normally do that no problem, I had to take into account the fact that I had apparated while I was pregnant and holding onto Rose.

I had been a git, and something bad could have happened. I was taking another chance by apparating to Ginny's since it was so far away and I was already tired, but I was too nervous. We weren't safe in this hotel. Rose's hand hitting my chest snapped me out of my thoughts and I noticed she was done with her bottle.

"Well you certainly were hungry, weren't you?" I nibbled on her cheeks playfully and she laughed in delight, she loved to play now. I made sure that she wasn't in need of a diaper change burped her quickly, not wanting to miss the opening to apparate into Ginny's. I picked her up and took down the wards to the room, making sure to erase all evidence that we had ever been there. I counted to fifty in my head, and then the world twisted and turned as I apparated us away.

Alright! Sorry to leave you with a cliffhanger since if I'm doing this in order you won't find out what happens to Hermione and Rose until the chapter after next. Or maybe Draco will find them, who knows Once again, I will leave the poll up for the baby names for 48 hours after this chapter is posted, so if you wanted to vote do it now! I hope everyone liked this chapter, and that it took you by surprise! You didn't think Hermione would just sit there in the Manor the whole story did you? Please review and let me know what you thought!

The Lyrics I used for this chapter are from the song Skinny Love by Bon Iver. Check it out! Its one of my favorites