Chapter 35 : Future Grandparent Shock Syndrome

Hi everyone! I am sorry that it has been a month, but I have just started back at school again and have spent the last month trying to fix school schedules, and figure out my future in photography and writing. I'm pleased that my book is coming along great, and now that things have calmed down, I'll have a little bit of time to write for you guys again!

IF YOUR NAME IS JENNA, AND YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE, I am really, sorry for not updating. Also, it is because of Jenna that I am updating tonight. She reminded me…last month…and a few days ago, so GO JENNA!

Jenna's POV

With the surprising new, I was on the brink of fainting, but who knew how long I could stay conscious. Hermione was pregnant? And at eighteen too, wowsers. Based on the contents of the brief letter, Draco seemed to be dealing with it quite well. And he would have said something if Hermione had not been dealing with it too well. But I knew immediately that I had to see her. She had been that ill, survived, and was going to, somewhere within the next few months, have a baby. I had to make sure that she was okay, and offer my support and time if need be to keep Hermione well. After-all, judging on Hermione's behaviour during the time I had known her, she would be an extremely difficult to reason with, very hormonal, very annoying pregnant woman.

"We have to go see them!" I exclaimed, dropping out of my train of thought.

"I know, but maybe it should just be you. I'm not quite sure if I could trust Hermione. She already was easy to make angry, and now, in a mansion that is sure to be filled with an endless supply of sharp and heavy objects, I'm not sure if I'll feel very safe. What if she's really temperamental and hormonal?"

"Of course she'll be a bit hormonal, but it's not like she could be that pregnant. Her and Draco hadn't shagged at school, as far as I know, and being one of her best friends, I should know. She's probably a couple weeks along at the most. That is, unless they managed to shag each-other senseless, and she just forgot to tell me about it! Which, by the way, she would never do! So get over it already! First, you have an extreme fear of taxi-cabs, and now you're afraid of a poor, helpless eighteen year old woman?"

"Hey, she is anything but helpless! She has a wand, and a mind that is chalk full of spells that I'm sure could injure me in a way that I would much rather never come across this young in my life. Please don't make me go. Can't you asses her danger level and come back to get me?"

"Blaise Zabini, unless you want to stay here with my parents, and afterwards live your life in a sad, sorry state of loneliness for the rest of the holidays, you will accompany me to the home of our best friends while they are in a time of need!"

"Fine," he grumped, glaring at me out of the corner of his eye.

"Mum, Dad, I am so very sorry, but we have to go visit Hermione and Draco for a few days. I need to make sure Hermione is okay, and I'm sure Draco will want some male company. We can't leave them in a mansion at this time, alone, and without anyone to help in case another emergency comes up. I'll send word by Patronus Charm when we know how long we'll be and what's going on. I really am sorry. I didn't expect anything like this to come up during the holidays. And certainly not for Hermione and Draco. I mean, I expected that they would start having children pretty much right after getting married, but not before then. We should go." My parents nodded. They each gave me a long hug before saying their goodbyes. As for Blaise, he got a 'goodbye', a 'sorry', and a quick hug from my mother followed by a handshake from my father.

Blaise and I walked to the center of the room, where I picked up a copy of 'A Muggle guide to the wonderful world of Wizarding life' and began to turn it into a portkey.

"Portus , lenn, amar, Lhûg," I whispered. The spell contained three elfish words as well as the introduction of 'Portus'. Loosely translated, it essentially meant 'journey home dragon'. I had used the word dragon to symbolize Draco, and the words journey and home in relation with Dragon to say I wished the portkey to take me to Dragon, or in other words, Draco's home.

"Since when do you speak rough Elfish?" Blaise asked, astounded.

"For a while now, actually. You just never thought to ask, did you?" He shook his head.

"It's ready? Why didn't we take a portkey here?"

"I've been over this Blaise, we had too much luggage with us, and we can only bring as much as we can carry. Let's get a move on then." Blaise placed his hand on the book that I held resting against the flat palm of my left hand. "Three, two, one," I felt a sudden pulling sensation right behind my navel almost as if a string had been attached inside of me that ran all the way up through to my head. A strange sensation to feel, but then again, stranger things had happened since the start of the school year. The room around us began to blur as we spun around and around in a fashion that resembled floating in midair. As the space around us became one giant colourful blur, shades turned from light to darker mahogany and greys. We landed on a wide, royal-esque grey brick walkway, surrounded by snow-adorned field, and before us, a vast manor. We walked up the walkway and to the front door which stretch higher and wider than most usual doors, yet not exceeding the vast height of the front door at Hogwarts. I lifted a hand and knocked on the large doors, hearing an echoing sound behind it as footsteps approached. Hermione appeared in front of me, her face a tad pale, but a smile quickly grew, spreading warmth and belonging towards us.

"Jenna! Oh my goodness! Blaise, you too…why are you hiding behind Jenna?" A concerned, and slightly amused look passed over her, giggles protruding from her small mouth.

"Mione, we've been so worried, how are you, are you okay, how's the baby?"

"It's not even a baby yet Jenna, it's just a few cells plastered together," Blaise announced in my ear. Hermione heard, and clearly she didn't like him saying that, because she pulled me through the door and shut it right in Blaise's face, locking it behind us.

"He'll freeze Hermione!" I exclaimed.

"He'll be fine. I'll send Draco down to get him in a bit, or he can climb through a window if he really wants to get in."

"Okay then…" I raised an eyebrow at her, finding her new attitude odd. "How's it going? What exactly happened anyways? We read the letter, but I'd like to hear it from you."

"Well, let's sit down first. I'll have Dilly bring us some tea."

"Yes Miss. Hermione, Dilly will bring the both of you ladies some cups of tea, she will." I squeaked, startled by the voice, but calmed as I turned to find a sweet little house-elf standing behind us, smiling. She was dressed in a green velvet jumper with a little pink t-shirt underneath which I assumed to be from a children's clothing store.

"Thank you so much Dilly, I trely appreciate you helping us as kindly and wonderfully as you do. What would Draco and I do without you?"

"Dilly is sure that Miss. Hermione and Mr. Draco would be fine without her."

"Nonsense Dilly, you're a part of the family, and I love you being here." Hermione reached down, and placed a quick kiss on Dilly's small head before the small elf skipped off and through a large door at the end of a corridor. Hermione showed me to the library which housed a couple of squashy armchairs, and strange as it was, a couple of Muggle bean-bag chairs. She darted straight for the purple bean-bag chair, settling quite quickly into it, as I settled myself into the green one.

"So, it be-ith time for you to explain what I have missed these past few days."

"Okay then, I will give you the cliff-notes version. The morning after Draco and I arrived here, I fell extremely ill, so I was taken to St. Mungo's, and it was discovered that other than a temperature, the only thing different with me was that I was pregnant. And you know how crazy magical pregnancy tests are. They can find out as early as minutes after a baby has been conceived. Anyhow, sadly, my extreme fever and some unknown factors have caused my symptoms to arrive much, much earlier than they should normally have. Also, witches have the symptoms of pregnancy weeks faster than Muggles do, so the mix of those factors combined with everything else caused me to get a double-whammy of stupid way too early. I'm under a week pregnant, and morning-sickness has been the death of me for the last day or two."

"Wow that sucks."

"But get this, Draco fainted when he found out. Twice actually."

"Ha, that's so like him."

"It's going to be a crazy year, that's for sure."

"When are you due, mid-September right?"

"They can't know for sure just yet, but it should be around September eleventh."

"Wow, what a great day. A bookworm had her bookworm child on the first day of school. Coincidence, I think so!"

"Yeah, sounds pretty good to me!"

"Hey Hermione, have you told your parents yet?" She had no time to answer, as Draco burst into the room, sweat adorning his brow, breath having evaded his lungs.

"Hermione, darling, we have a problem."

"What Draco?"

"Your parents are here, and your dad has a hunting rifle."