Chapter 23 Hermione Feels Harrys Presence

It's late April and the end of Hermione's 2nd Trimester. Getting up in the mornings, with her husband beside her, is difficult now that her belly is even larger, making it very difficult getting around. Dobby helps her walk around, but the effort is still almost more than she can sometimes bear

. There was a knock on the Headmaster's office door.

"Come in, Dobby." Dumbledore announced, looking up at the closed door that was just now opening and seeing Dobby walk in, softly.

"Headmaster, sir, Dobby has a request to make of you in helping Mrs. Weasley."

"What is it, Dobby? How can I help you?" Dumbledore asked.

"Dobby has noticed that Mrs. Weasley has a difficult time getting around school, walking the long

hallways and especially walking up the long stairs to the upper floors. She's 6 months along and in a great deal of pain. Well, Dobby wants to ask Headmaster's permission if Dobby can apparate Mrs. Weasley directly to her classes, so she will not have to walk so much. Her legs and feet are very sore, sir." Dobby asked, hesitantly, nervously.

Dumbledore smiled at Dobby, for he knew the elf's' desire was to ease Hermione's burden as much as he could.

"Of course, Dobby, you have my permission to apparate Mrs. Weasley to and from classes and anywhere else she needs to go. You have my permission to do anything else you deem necessary to assist Mrs. Weasley. I trust you completely in this matter." Dumbledore replied to Dobby.

"Oh, thank you, Headmaster, Sir. You've given Dobby a great honor that he is most happy and grateful to carry out."

With that said, Dobby apparated directly out of Dumbledore's office and directly to where Hermione was.

Dobby found Hermione sitting in the Great Hall, eating Breakfast. She'd been helped downstairs by Ron, ever so gently.

"Mrs. Weasley, Dobby has some good news for you!" Dobby was telling her in his squeaky voice, very excited.

"Oh, Dobby, it's good to see you here with me. What is it?" Hermione asked.

"Dobby came from Headmaster's office and Headmaster has given Dobby permission to apparate you to anywhere in the castle, or outside, that you want to go. Dobby has noticed how your feet and legs are swollen and hurt you. Dobby just wants to ease your pain and burden." Dobby looked at Hermione; his big eyes were so tender towards her.

"Oh, Dobby, Thank You so much, for that! I won't have to walk so much now, especially down to those dungeons for Potions and having to walk back up again. Dobby, that is the nicest present I could have right now." And with that said, Hermione leaned down and hugged Dobby right there in the Great Hall, in front of the rest of the students. This gave Dobby great insight into how much Hermione felt towards him as a good trusted friend. The other students saw this and took note.

As Hermione was being taken around the school there were times when Hermione stopped walking and held her head in her hands, pains shooting through her, pain like she'd not felt before.

"Is there anything wrong, Mrs. Weasley?" Dobby asked, concern obviously written across his face.

"No, Dobby, but thanks for asking. I get headaches, sometimes, terrible ones." Hermione replied.

Dobby held onto Hermione's hand. He had an idea. "How long have you had these headaches?" Dobby asked.

"Only since I've been pregnant, Dobby. Why?" Hermione replied.

"Do you still talk to Harry Potter? Do you still feel his presence, inside you?" Dobby asked.

"Yes, Dobby, Harry's presence is stronger than ever now. I can feel his thoughts, but these pains, they hurt me so much that I can't think straight, even my vision is blurring."

With that said, and just barely, Hermione collapsed on to the floor, in the hallway. Immediately, students all around her parted their way to give her, and Dobby, more room.

"What can we do, Dobby, to help her?" One of the students asked.

"Dobby will take her to the Hospital Wing", Dobby said quickly.

Dobby just held onto her and they both immediately disapparated.

Dobby apparated in the Hospital Wing and placed Hermione in a bed. Madam Pomphrey came in and dobby told her what had happened and about the headaches.

"Go and get the Headmaster, Dobby, quickly, Dobby, please." Madam Pomphrey asked quickly. Dobby did as he was asked.

Dumbledore came up to the Hospital Wing immediately and looked at Hermione.

"What happened, Dobby?"

"Sir, Mrs. Weasley was complaining about headaches since she became pregnant. Sir, I remember how Harry Potter was affected by his headaches, and these were just like his. Dobby is afraid, Sir." Dobby told Dumbledore.

"I see, Dobby, I understand, but don't worry." Dumbledore told Dobby.

Dumbledore looked at Dobby: "Dobby, since you know a lot more about Hermione than others do, except for Ron, I'll tell you what it is. Since Hermione is Lily, Harry's natural Mother, you know who her child is, the one she's carrying. Harry will always have some of his previous life with him; that's just the fabric of who he really is, and in this case Harry's scar gave him headaches, headaches that were a connect between him and Voldemort. And, now that she's carrying him, she'll begin to feel those pains also. It can't be helped."

"Sir, Dobby will be with Mrs. Weasley, always. I'll be here to help her in any way I can." Dobby told the Headmaster.

Dumbledore smiled, and placed an arm about Dobby. Dobby looked up at him and smiled. Madam Pomphrey came in and saw the two of them and smiled, shaking her head, and smiling, at the most unusual sight: wizard and Elf, friends together. She went to tend to Hermione, giving her some medication to make her sleep and other medications to subdue the pains. Hermione slept peacefully, and waking up in the morning, saw Dobby sitting there beside her, holding his vigil.

Ron came up, looking into how Hermione is getting along. Madam Pomphrey met him at her bedside and told him what had happened.

"I'm so sorry about what'd happened to her. I just didn't think that this of all things would come back to haunt us. I just didn't think it'd be possible. But I'm so happy that Hermione is ok. I'd not want anything to happen to her. She just means so much to me, to us all." Ron told the school nurse.

"Just let her sleep, she needs her rest. You can look in on her in the morning. She's got Dobby here beside her and he will let me and you know if anything goes wrong." The school nurse told Ron sympathetically.

"Thanks, Madam Pomphrey. I appreciate your help." Ron told her.

Ron left the Hospital Wing and went back to their room in Gryffindor tower to think on what had happened. He knew of her strength of will, her strength of her character and realized that she'd not let anything happened to their baby. One thing he appreciated was having Dobby here with her. Ron realized that the elf was helping her so much, and was taking a lot of worries from her. Ron then knew of Dobby's importance more, now, than he'd ever thought he would.

As Ron was left in his and Hermione's rooms, a thought occurred to him: Why had Hermione had such a powerful headache? He remembered Harry's episode's when his scar started hurting him and it was a prelude to Voldemort doing something evil.

Ron was concerned. Something was happening and fast. And, worst still: Harry was 'not here' and Hermione was pregnant! What could a pregnant woman do?