A/N: Hello lovely readers, we have another flashback dream with just a little bit more after. I hope you enjoy. Also, what do you think of the new cover photo? I wish Severus looked a little older, but hey, can't be beggers and choosers. If you read Unwanted Affections, I REALLY love that one's new cover. I think it's clever.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Hermione looked at George across the dinner table. Her stomach flipped, and she was certain it wasn't the morning sickness. Despite her attempts to push him away, he had been there for her every day since their talk. A couple of times she tried to make sure that he wasn't awake, or tried to keep him away, but he was stubborn and wormed his way in. He had even fallen asleep on the bathroom floor one night so he'd be there when she came running in. After that, she'd given up pushing him away.

He'd convinced her that it was time to bring her parents back. And he'd also tried convinced her that it would be okay to tell the family exactly what was going on. She however wasn't ready to do that, because she wasn't ready to explain that she didn't hate that man. She wanted to tell her family first, and then Harry, because she wanted to make sure that he didn't blame himself, like he did for so many things that resulted from the battle.

She picked at the meal, not really hungry. She was too nervous to try eating.

"Hermione, is something wrong?" Mrs. Weasley asked, a look of genuine concern on her face.

"Yes," Hermione said, trying to smile and cast away the suspicion. "I'm just not hungry."

"Well you should still eat something."

Hermione nodded, and to appease the woman took a bite of food. But honestly, she had to force it down. Mrs. Weasley was a great cook, Hermione just didn't want to eat much of anything.

"Hermione, is something else bothering you?" Mr. Weasley, the usually less perceptive father asked.

"Oh, no. I'm just, I've just decided that I'm going to go find my parents starting tomorrow. I just feel that it's time."

"Oh, sweetie, that's a great idea. Do you need anything before you go?" Mrs. Weasley piped up.

"Oh, no thank you. I'm just going to pack my things and I'll leave early in the morning."

"I'm going with," George added. She shot him a glance, but it was too late.

"What was that?" Fred asked, looking at his twin.

"Well, I was talking With Hermione about it, and I offered to help her find them and just be there so she doesn't have to be alone. I kind of want to get out of the house anyway."

Hermione glanced at Harry, who seemed hurt that he hadn't been included. But she knew that he was about to start Auror training and he and Ginny were just beginning their fresh start together. And she wanted him to be able to stay in one place and actually relax, without some grand mission.

Dinner continued in a mostly awkward silence. There were several attempts to start a conversation, but nothing stuck. Hermione managed to finish her plate right as Harry did, so a few moments later she excused herself and followed him

"Harry, please wait," she called softly.

He stopped and turned to her. Hurt gleamed in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Harry. I hadn't planned on asking anyone to join me."

"Then why did George say he's going? Why didn't you even tell me?"

"Because George has decided to thoroughly implant himself in my life and push me to do things instead of putting them off. It's not like I invited him. He just told me that I should go find them now, and tell them everything. And he said he was going along because he was sick of sitting in a house of sadness and to ensure that I actually did what I set out to do."

"He doesn't seem to know you very well."

"I Just don't want to pull you away from anything right now, Harry. You finally have a chance at a normal life, and I don't want to get in the way of that."

"Hermione, you're like a sister to me, you'd never be in the way."

"I know, Harry. I just, this is something I need to do myself. George is just being stubborn."

"It is weird though. I mean, you and Ron…"

"What are you talking about?"

"It's just that George seems to be looking at you differently."

Hermione blushed, and fought the urge to cover her stomach. "I don't know what you're talking about, Harry."

"There's just, something there that wasn't there before."

"You're crazy."

He just shook his head. "Alright, Mione. I gotta go though. I have to be up early for training."

"Be safe, and kick their arses," Hermione said with a grin as she hugged her friend. "I'll let you know as soon as I'm back."

"You'd better."

She watched her best friend leave before heading up to Ron's former bedroom. She had chosen to stay in there, instead of her usual place with Ginny. She had felt a need to be surrounded by Ron's things. She'd found a shirt that still smelled of him, and had wrapped it around a pillow, holding it close each night. It felt surreal, sleeping in his room knowing that he'd never return to it. She'd once imagined it, but he had always been there. Holding her as they slept. That would never come to pass.

She packed everything into her bag with the undetectable extension charm, even though it was still illegal. And then she curled up in the bed, taking in the little remaining scent of her late best friend and love. She wondered if she would ever find a love like him again.

Hermione stood outside, about ready to leave. It was earlier than she and George planned, but she figured that if she got up earlier, she could avoid George. It's not that she didn't appreciate the things he had started doing. She just didn't want to be an inconvience to anyone.

As she was about to disparate though, and hand grabbed her wrist, "Stop!"

She looked at George, whose face was full worry. "You can't just disapparate."

"Look, George, I appreciate you wanting to-"

"It has nothing to do with that, Mione," he said, emphasizing the next word, "you can't disapparate. You can't travel by disapparation right now."

"Any why not?"

"Because you're pregnant," he whispered, just in case anyone else was awake.

Hermione looked at him, confusion glazing her eyes.

"It's actually against wizarding law to disapparate, even side-along, because you risk causing a miscarriage, or more accurately, splinching, which can leave the child behind or hurt enough to cause a miscarriage."

"Oh."

That wasn't something that had really been discussed in the class in school, though Hermione expected that the moment she actually saw a doctor she would be told.

"We don't actually know," she tried, playing on the one thing she thought might work.

"Hermione, you and I both know that the only reason you haven't seen a doctor is so that you can feign ignorance. Which is not like you, but given the circumstances, I understand. Now follow me, I already knew you would attempt this."

He led her to the fireplace and grabbed a small handful of floo powder. After stepping in next to her and wrapping his arm around her and threw down the powder and said "St. Mungo's!"

When they stepped out of the fireplace, Hermione glared at him. "What are you doing?"

"You need a check-up. You should get everything confirmed and you should make sure everything is okay."

"You can't make me face things I'm not ready to deal with."

"Hermione, part of the reason you're finding your parents is because you know you're going to need their help with this. Wouldn't you rather going into being able to answer most, if not all of their questions?"

"I don't want this to be my reality, George."

"Well, unfortunately it is. And you have to face it."

"Fine."

Severus woke again. It seemed odd that he was dreaming her memories, and he didn't understand why it was those ones. He looked to her and saw the same face she had in the dream, worried and frightened. He placed a hand on her cheek and she woke up.

"Whatisit? S'Harvey okay?"

Severus kissed her forehead. "Everything is fine. You looked like you might have been having a bad dream though," he said, wondering what she might say.

"No, not a bad dream, just, a confusing one."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," she said with a yawn and then snuggled her head against his chest. "I just want to sleep."

She was out within seconds and he wrapped his arm around her.