Disclaimer: All characters and things associated with Harry Potter belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

Summary: Set at end of HBP. As the ministry falls further under Voldemorts control a new law is passed, forcing Hermione into a life she wasn't ready for. How will it affect the horcrux hunt and the fight against Voldemort?

CHAPTER 38

Hermione eased herself down onto Ginny's cot with a book in her hands like she had for the past two days, and sighed, flipping the book open in hopes of finding something related to Ravenclaw that could possibly be a horcrux.

It had been two days since everyone had returned from the assembly bloody and beaten. It had been two days since Ron and Harry had been sneaking off late at night, toward the Ravenclaw Common Room, trying to find the next horcrux. It had been two days, and already Hermione was regretting the promise she made to stay in the Room of Requirements.

First of all, they had gotten nowhere with the horcrux, and Snape was only getting crueler with the students. Every time they returned from class, Hermione noticed another cut or bruise on a face of her fellow classmate. Second, Ron had insisted the halls, even in the wee hours of the morning were too dangerous for her to accompany the boys to look for the horcrux. Lastly, she was sick of being cooped up in the Room of Requirements, someone always asking how she felt, or how far along she was, or if they could touch her stomach.

Hermione didn't understand the last part in the slightest. As far as she was concerned her stomach was not cute, or neat, like so many students had called it. It was fat, and round, and large, and she had no idea why Ron liked to cuddle with it so much, aside from the fact that it contained his offspring. An offspring that was currently using Hermione's organs as a drum set.

Hermione sighed, closing the book and trying to get comfortable on the cot as the baby continued to kick. When she finally looked up, she saw Ron, who was across the room with Harry going through some boxes, glance over at her. The three of them were the only ones in the Room of Requirements, as everyone else was in class, and it was easy to tell her sigh had not gone unnoticed.

Hermione scowled at Ron, her hormones making her particularly moody that day, among a million other reasons why she would not be happy, and before he could say anything, she answered the question he knew he would ask. "I'm fine, Ron."

"Right, sorry…you just look—" Ron started.

"What? Fat?" Hermione snarled.

Ron shook his head, caught off guard by her attitude. He had never experienced the mood swings in her pregnancy yet, and he was not sure how to handle it. "Uh…I was going to go with uncomfortable."

"Well, I'm that too…" Hermione crossed her arms over her baby bump.

Ron sighed, running a hand over his face and masking his mouth so that only Harry could hear and see his lips move. "Bloody hell…"

Just then the door to the Room of Requirements swung open and the students entered, Ginny and Neville in the front.

"You better go sit with her…she seems a bit upset…" Harry motioned to Hermione.

Ron nodded and moved toward his wife while Harry moved toward Ginny and Neville, who looked a little winded, as if they had been running.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked, when he reached the pair. Ginny's eyebrow was bleeding and it did not go unnoticed to him as he gently touched it.

Ginny winced and shrugged his hand off. "Nothing…apparently I was walking too quickly in the hall…trying to get a Slytherin off a first year Hufflepuff…"

"The Slytherin got the worst of it. Ginny gave him a good black eye..." Neville smiled.

Harry smiled too at his girlfriend who was now looking rather impatient. Clearly, she was not exactly proud of whatever she had done to the Slytherin.

"Is something else up?" Harry asked.

Ginny sighed and glanced at Neville before turning her attention back to Harry. "We can't keep this up…Snape is getting worse by the second, and I'm certain he knows you are here. Its just a matter of time."

Harry frowned. "We still haven't sorted the horcrux out…"

"We know…but…we dunno how much longer we can keep lying." Neville chimed in.

"We need more help, Harry." Ginny added.

Harry sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "What do you suggest?"

"We need the Order. Remus…the lot of them. They can help." Neville said.

Ginny nodded feverishly in agreement and it was clear to Harry that she and Neville had already discussed this much.

"Well…I guess I could go back to Aberforth's. Tell him to get word out…if he will help…" Harry sighed, unsure if Dumbledore's grouchy brother would even want to help.

"He'll help. He believes in what we are doing…even if he doesn't act it." Ginny said quickly.

"Alright well…I just head back through the picture then?" Harry glanced at Neville.

"Yeah…Aberforth will be there." Neville nodded.

Harry nodded back and then took a deep breath, making his way across the Room of Requirements, toward the portrait he, Hermione, and Ron had climbed out of two days earlier.

Ron dug his hands in his pockets as he made his way over to the cot Hermione sat on. She was no longer looking at him, her arms folded stiffly across her ballooning stomach and her head turned away from him. He was not sure what to expect, not sure he deserved the attitude she was giving him, but he knew he had no choice but to take it.

Ron reached the side of her cot and cleared his throat.

Hermione's head snapped back at him and it was clear, though she acted surprised to see him standing there, that she knew perfectly well he had been walking over.

"What?" Hermione dared him.

"Hermione, I'm not really sure why you're so cross with me right now but whatever I did—" Ron started.

"What you did? You did nothing, Ronald. Except…oh wait, the reason I'm like this is because of you…" Hermione motioned to her pregnant stomach.

Ron's mouth dropped open in shock. Was she really going to do this right now? With everything else going on, was she really having one of those pregnant woman moments that Fleur had warned him about back at Shell Cottage? Of all the times and places to do so, Ron couldn't figure out why Hermione had chosen now, given everything else they were dealing with.

"And now…because of what you did…I can't help Harry or you or anyone! I can hardly sit up by myself and its only going to get worse for the next four months!" Hermione snapped, though Ron was certain he saw tears threatening her eyes.

Ron eased down on the cot next to her and gave a small smile. "Its less then four months…you're a little over five months already…"

"Don't be smart with me, Ronald…" Hermione pouted, and Ron definitely saw tears rising now.

"Hermione, don't be upset…" Ron gently took Hermione's left hand, forcing her arms to unfold as his fingers played with her wedding band. "You've helped plenty, and we are stuck now anyway…no one knows what to do next…"

"I just feel useless…" Hermione whispered, lowering her head.

Ron instantly picked her chin up. "Hey, you're not useless. Trust me…we'd be dead without you, remember?"

"That's what I keep telling you…" Hermione smiled a little, causing Ron to smile back at her. He hated to see her upset, and he certainly didn't want her to feel useless.

"And that's why you are here…no matter how much I fight with you 'bout how stupid it is." Ron teased her a little.

Hermione smiled and wiped up the one tear that had slide down her cheek, laughing a bit. "Merlin, I am a mess…"

"No, you're stunning." Ron told her, meaning every word of it. She was stunning, especially to him. She was beautiful.

"Stop lying." Hermione told him, glancing down at her stomach.

"Hermione, I'm not lying. You look amazing…even when you look like you are going to bite my head off like you did a few seconds ago…" Ron smiled at her.

"I'm sorry about that…its just…these hormones…" Hermione shook her head.

"You're fine." Ron told her.

Suddenly, Hermione's small smile left her face and her brow crossed as she glanced over Ron's shoulder.

"What?" Ron turned to see Harry climbing through the portrait and then turned to find Ginny. She would know what was going on.

Ginny saw Ron glance at her and mouthed "The Order" so that no one else could hear.

Ron nodded at her and turned back to Hermione.

"Where is he going?" Hermione asked.

"To get the Order. I guess we need them…" Ron said.

"I thought Aberforth said the Order was finished." Hermione remembered.

Ron shrugged. "I was talking to Gin about it last night…she said they are still very much together. Maybe Harry thinks its smart to let them know he is here."

"Or maybe it means we really need help…" Hermione sighed.

"Maybe things are worse then even we think…" Ron sighed as well, and then grew silent for a moment.

Hermione could tell Ron was thinking hard and so she squeezed his hand a bit. "What is it?"

"Just…I mean I'm thinking…if things get worse then we can imagine…if something happens to me…I know you want to stay, but if things get out of hand…maybe you should get out of here…get to Australia…find your parents…" Ron stammered over the thoughts that had been in his mind since they had arrived at Hogwarts.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Ron, I thought we were past this…"

"We are. I'm saying if its worse then either of us thought…I know you want to do this as a family but…I mean the kid being alive with one parent is better then it being dead along with both of us…" Ron reasoned.

"No one is going to die." Hermione said, as if saying the worse out loud would make them true.

"I'm just thinking about the next step. I'm trying to be responsible here, Hermione." Ron told her.

Hermione sighed. She had to admit that lately similar thoughts at been on her mind. "Well, I have thought about that as well…but Austrailia is out. I can't drag my parents into things…if something happens, I am still a mudblood…"

"Where would you go?" Ron asked.

Hermione shrugged. "I thought maybe…America…Canada…somewhere off the continent."

Ron's brow furrowed in thought. "You've really thought about this?"

"A little…but it won't matter, because it won't come down to it. Nothing is going to happen to you, Ron." Hermione gently moved her hand to cup his cheek. "Not if I can help it."

"You might not be able to help it." Ron told her.

"Stop talking like that, I don't like it." Hermione said back.

Before Ron could say another word, however, the portrait swung back open and Harry stepped through.

"Bloody hell…that was fast." Ron said, standing as Harry climbed down from the portrait.

"Get me up…" Hermione whispered.

Ron, his eyes still on Harry, pulled Hermione up without even glancing and laced his hand through hers as they walked toward Harry. Lately, they had been so in sync that it hardly took more then a glance between them to figure out what the other was thinking.

"Did Aberforth do it? Did he contact the Order?" Neville asked, over the crowd who was now watching Harry.

Harry nodded. "He sent word out…they know."

A cheer erupted from the crowd as Ron and Hermione pushed through to speak with Harry.

"Are they coming?" Ron asked.

"I think so." Harry nodded.

"Brilliant. They will be of some help…" Hermione said, one hand supporting her back as the other lay gently on her stomach.

Harry cocked an eyebrow, realizing Hermione truly seemed pregnant now. He had been so wrapped up in everything lately that he had hardly noticed, but now he could think a little bit more straight, see a little bit more clear. He was happy to have the support of the Order and he hoped it would help.

Everyone was so excited that no one noticed the first year Ravenclaw come through the Room of Requirements doors and move up to Ginny, tugging at her jumper and then whispering something to her.

Ginny's face went a bit pale as she straightened herself out. "Listen up!"

Silence instantly filled the room.

"I was just told—" Ginny started.

Harry led out a grunt of pain, cutting Ginny off as he held his head. Everyone immediately turned their eyes on him.

"He's seeing him…he's seeing You-Know-Who…" Hermione looked to Ron with a worried expression.

"What is it, Harry?" Ron coaxed, putting his hands on Harry's shoulders.

"He's coming. He's coming to the castle." Harry managed out when the vision was done.

"Oh bloody hell…" Ron straightened back up, exchanging a worried glance with Hermione.

"Well, that would explain why Snape wants us all in the Great Hall…" Ginny said motioning to the first year she had just spoken with.

"I want to come." Harry said, shaking his head now and feeling better.

"Harry, that's too dangerous." Hermione said quickly.

"No its not. The Order is on the way…you and Ron can meet them and I will head to the Great Hall. We still have a bit of time left…You-Know-Who won't be here yet…it will just be Snape, we can take him…" Harry said quickly.

"Well, that plan sounds great and all except for the part where Hermione is leaving this room, because that's not happening." Ron responded.

Hermione scowled at Ron. She had promised to stay put if they were in danger, but meeting with the Order wasn't dangerous. If anything, they would be able to protect her.

"I'm coming, Ron. I can help…" Hermione said.

"What? Hermione, we talked about this! You're not coming—" Ron shook his head.

"Yes I am." Hermione folded her arms.

"You promised me…you said you would stay here…" Ron reminded her.

"If things got dangerous. They aren't quite there yet…" Hermione said.

The rest of the room's heads ping-ponged back and forth, watching the married couple row.

"Hermione, please don't make me go over what a promise is…" Ron said.

"I know what a promise is, Ronald, and I am not breaking mine…not yet." Hermione said, an air of finality in her voice.

Ron was about to say something when Ginny pulled her older brother closer to her, speaking low enough for only Ron to hear.

"Ron, let her go if she wants…" Ginny said.

"What? Ginny, that's bloody stupid…" Ron scoffed at his sister.

"Is it? Mum will be there…she will see Hermione…and you know for a fact that whatever sense you're to getting through to Hermione's thick head, Mum will…" Ginny said simply.

Ron opened his mouth to speak and then quickly shut it. Ginny had a point. His mother did have a way with words, and a way with her children, and Hermione was as good as her daughter now. Surely, she would knock some sense into Hermione, or she would cause a big enough scene that Hermione would have to listen.

Ron nodded at Ginny and then turned to face Hermione, a small smile on his face. "Fine, Hermione…you can come."

"Thank you." Hermione said, not sure what Ginny had said to change Ron's mind, but not really carrying either. As long as she was able to help; that was all that mattered.