TWENTY-NINE

Thursday, 26 November 2020; twenty-four weeks

The closer they got to the hospital, the less pain Hermione felt. By the time they arrived, the urgency to be seen was nearly gone, but she stayed to make sure all the same. The wait itself at the emergency room was a long one seeing as how it was packed. It seemed that their holiday dinner wasn't the only one interrupted by a family brawl. And as they waited, each time she saw James' face with dried blood, blackening eye, and split lip or Sirius' bloody knuckles she felt guilty all over again.

It was when her name was called nearly an hour later that she and James followed the nurse into one of the triage bays. The nurse took her vitals, jot down the reason for her visit onto her roving computer station, and then told the to sit tight; that the doctor would be over to see her soon. Neither she or James was surprised that it took nearly another hour for the doctor to get there.

She could already tell that she was fine, but hearing the doctor say that her exam checked out was still a huge relief. And when her lips had parted to decline his suggestions for an ultrasound just to be sure, James beat her to it and asked for whatever diagnostics the doctor wanted to run. In order to do that, the doctor explained that she would have to be admitted for the rest of the night and there would be a bit of a wait due to the sole machine on property. But with how the night had progressed, she wouldn't mind the chaos of the hospital as opposed to dealing with her thoughts at home.

It took another hour and a half before a room became available and then another fifteen minutes for her to be moved into it. No sooner had she settled in did the nurse inform her that she was going to take some blood samples. That since being admitted, the doctor would like some other tests done just to be sure. She was surprised and worried at the same time when the doctor returned in a rather short span of time, but he came with good news. He said that there was nothing wrong, just general dehydration which he had ordered some IV fluids to be started until discharge. That her blood had been rushed because she was pregnant.

As the nurse came in to start a line, James got a call from Sirius and excused himself to go meet with his friend in the lobby. She was glad the nurse was there in his absence as she was not ready to be alone with her thoughts. It was already hard enough not to drown in the sound of Harry's pain laced voice or the look of despair in his eyes when he'd found out the truth.

"Is it always this busy on Thanksgiving?" she asked the nurse as she pulled the band around her lower bicep.

She chuckled. "Should have seen it earlier. It's usually about the time that people go to check on their over oiled turkeys or their makeshift keg oven explodes that we get a bit backed up." She tapped the crook of Hermione's elbow in search of a vein. "Christmas is worse."

"That's depressing."

The nurse nodded and Hermione looked away as she reached for the needle and tapped her vein for the fluid line. "It can be, but some of my best memories around here come from holiday times." Hermione kept her attention focused the other way until the nurse stood up to adjust the machine. "Did you at least get to eat before you came here?"

Hermione nodded as she looked over at her.

"That's good," she said after a moment and flipped through her chart. "Doc didn't say anything about not eating before the ultrasound. Did you want anything?"

Hermione shook her head and gave a smile. "Thank you, but I'm alright."

"If you change your mind, just press the button and I'll see what I can get for you. It shouldn't be too long for the machine," she said, checking her notes again. "Looks like you're fifth on the list."

"Thank you," she said again, not sure what else to say.

Hermione was glad that James returned just as the nurse was stepping out. She was surprised to see her overnight bag and purse slung over his shoulders as he entered. "Sirius went and got your stuff when you got called back a bit ago."

She nodded, clamping down on her tongue before she could ask about anyone over at Harry's. She wasn't sure she could handle knowing how things had gone after her departure. It was why she shook her head when he offered her her phone. He held it out for a moment before giving a stiff nod and slipping it back into her purse. He then gently put everything in the corner of the room and moved to stand beside her, taking her hand in his.

"Is he getting looked at?"

James chuckled as his thumb swiped across her knuckles. "Not the first time either of us has taken a punch or given one. We'll both be fine."

"James-"

"He took a cab back to Harry's so he could get his car while he was there. I have my keys so as soon as you're discharged we can go home right away. If there's anything you need, I can let him know and he'll bring it to our house so it's there when we get home. I'll get your car sometime this weekend."

Our house.

It sounded so foreign, yet so natural that she wasn't quite sure how to feel about it. So instead of digesting it, like everything else that night, she just nodded and pushed it to the back of her mind.

James moved the chair in the room closer to her bed and continued to hold her hand as they turned the television on for background noise. They both drifted in and out of sleep as they waited for the ultrasound technician to arrive. When they did show up, it was coincidence that the doctor came in a moment later, meaning they didn't have to wait long for results.

As per usual, Hermione uncovered her stomach; something that left her a bit more exposed that time since she had been wearing a dress and knickers, but she was too tired to care. The gel was slathered over her stomach and then the wand was there, roving over her skin. The doctor and the tech stared just as intently at the screen as she and James did. It wasn't as clear a picture as the one in her OBGYN's office, but seeing her son and hearing his heartbeat was still enough to bring tears to her eyes.

James helped her wipe off the gel as the doctor made his final assessment with the technician. A few minutes later, he was telling her them good news. That there was nothing wrong, just a bit of stress related scares and that she should get as much rest as she could over the long weekend. Not much longer after he left, the nurse was back to disconnect her from the fluids and finally discharge her for the night.

Though as she finally saw the time instead of just glazing over the clock, she discovered just how much time had passed since she'd left Harry and Ginny's. It was still a bit too early for the sun, but she knew it wouldn't be long before it began to rise. Meaning it was still dark outside. when they walked out of the hospital in search of wherever Sirius had left James' car. When they found it, she was more than ready to crawl into bed and sleep until her eyes refused to stay shut any longer.

James' hand covered hers when she reached for the handle on the passenger side door, preventing her from opening it. He laced their fingers together and then used his other hand to guide her towards him and then cupped her face. His thumb pressed against her chin, tilting her face up towards him, forcing her eyes to meet his.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her lashes fluttering against her cheek as tears blurred her vision. "I'll understand if-"

"Whatever you're thinking right now, Hermione…" he started, his hand squeezing hers. "Don't."

It was as though her tongue froze to the roof of her mouth. Whatever she wanted to say was gone. Instead, she just stood there, shaking like a leaf as he leaned in and placed a kiss to the center of her forehead.

"It was a big shock to everyone and with time, they'll get over it. I know it might not feel that way right now, but they're family." His thumb brushed away her tears and he brought their joined hands up between them so he could kiss her knuckles. "I'm not going anywhere. Harry can be mad at me all he likes, but I'm not abandoning one son for another." She inhaled sharply as he leaned his forehead against hers and dropped his voice even lower as he whispered, "You're my family too, Hermione. Always have been…" His lips brushed over hers once before adding, "Always will be."

She reached for him then, her fingers curling around whatever part of him she touched first. When his lips brushed over hers again she stretched up to capture him for a deeper kiss, one that she hoped conveyed how much he meant to her. Had she been in a better frame of mind, she might have been able to use her words, but in the meantime, she would have to settle for this method. And when he pulled away to open the car door for her, there was a look in his eyes that told her he'd gotten the message.

Their drive home was silent. They hadn't even bothered to turn on the radio. Hermione leaned against the window, wondering how she was still awake. The closer they got to home, the more the exhaustion from the emotional and physical drain was getting to her. But just as they rounded the last corner, she saw a familiar car parked on the street next to their driveway.

James looked over at her when she sat up, suddenly more alert as a splash of panic began to creep its way to the surface again. "They were trying to get ahold of you," he said as he pulled into the driveway. "But you didn't want your phone."

"Did you-"

He shook his head. "It wasn't me."

She swallowed hard and let out a shaky breath, but decided it was better to just get it over with. Quick, like a BandAid. She didn't wait for James to open the door for her this time. Instead, she went around the car to where her parents were getting out of her father's car, leaving James to get her things from the backseat.

"Are you alright?" her father asked as he and her mother pulled her in for a tight, yet careful embrace.

"I'm fine."

"Ginny called and said that you'd left abruptly and that James took you to the hospital, but no one had heard from you," her mother said, eyes roving over her with worry. "And then neither one of you answered so we thought it best to just drive home. We just didn't know what hospital you might have gone to so we waited here."

"I'm sorry I didn't return your calls, Mom. It was just a really long night. But the baby and I are fine."

"What happened?" her father asked, looking over her at James as he came to stand behind her. She could tell from her father's expression that he was sizing up the way James' face was evidence that something not so pleasant had gone done earlier that evening.

"We should get inside," James said, ignoring the question. "It's cold."

She started to move, but her father placed a gentle hand over her bicep, keeping her from taking more than a half step towards the porch steps. "I think you've been taking advantage of Mister Potter's hospitality enough. You should come home, Hermione. Your mother and I will take care of you from now on."

She pulled herself out of her father's grasp and shook her head. "Until I mess up again and you tell me to leave. Again."

"We never told you to leave, Hermione," her mother said, voice stern. "You left on your own volition."

She shook her head again and stepped back, closer to James. "I appreciate the gesture," she said, voice tight. "But I'm fine here."

"I'm sure Mister Potter-"

"Mister Potter," James interrupted, his presence so close at her back she could feel the warmth of him despite the cold night air. "Has no issue whatsoever with his house guest. Hermione's welcome here for as long as she wants to stay."

"This is a family matter," her mother started. "I think-"

"James is family," Hermione corrected, thinking of what he had said to her in the parking lot of the hospital. She sighed, knowing that it was now or never. Everyone else already knew; she might as well just get it over with. "It's his child I'm having," she said, trying her best to keep her voice steady.

She wasn't surprised in the slightest at her parents' reaction. Of how her mother let out a startled gasp and brought a hand up to cover her mouth. Or how her father's eyes darkened in anger as his gaze bounced back and forth between the two of them. "You're walking the Devil's path, Hermione. First a divorce and now a child out of wedlock with a man twice your age." He took a step forward as he looked at James. James stepped forward too, putting himself in front of her as he had at Harry's. "All those times she stayed in your care when she was little-"

"It was never like that, Russell," James insisted. "I swear on my life, I never touched her until six months ago." There was a pause as the two of them stared one another down. "And I've been there for her this whole time when you've looked the other way because the choices she made didn't follow your beliefs." He took a step back, his hand finding hers. "And I'll be there to support her until she tells me she doesn't want me in her life anymore."

The silence that lapsed around them was thick with tension. Almost thick enough to block out the cold entirely. Almost. But it was her father's words that allowed the chill to permeate her skin once more and settle all the way down to her bones.

"I hope you come to your senses and ask the Lord for forgiveness soon. If not for you, then for the sake of your child. Until you've earned it, you're no daughter of mine."

Hermione just stood there, too numb to feel anything else that point. She watched as her parents got back into their car and drove off into the night.

James' hand tightened in hers once their car disappeared and he tugged her towards the front door. Silence still surrounded them as he continued to lead her up the stairs and into his room at the end of the hall. He deposited her things by the foot of the bed and then helped her out of her clothes before shrugging out of his. She wasn't even aware that he had guided her to the bed or that they were laying down until she felt him settle in at her back after drawing the covers around them.

Being far to drained to process everything that had happened in less than twelve hours, Hermione closed her eyes. As she drifted off, she heard James promise, "We'll get through this, Hermione," over and over again. Her last thought before exhaustion claimed her was that she hoped he was right.