Chapter 35

The Christmas holidays had flown past and soon they were deep into February. Their normally hectic lives had resumed with a vengeance, and Storm found herself conscious that between playing for two teams and her schedule being pretty much opposite to Hermione's, she rarely got to see her wife. They had continued with Storm playing early morning to come back for early afternoon, and Hermione taking the opportunity to spend the afternoons and evenings at the Ministry.

They would always make the effort to eat dinner together, a meal Storm would prepare for when the older woman finally made her way home around half six on the evenings. This was their saving grace and helped keep them both grounded. They also made sure they had at least one day a week spent the three of them, all day either adventuring with the little boy, or relaxing at home. Normally this happened to be a Sunday, the day after Storm's games were played.

It was one such Sunday that Storm found herself being gently shaken awake incredibly early on. Way before the sun had even begun to rise. She had to blink a few times before she registered the older woman sat beside her on the bed, Hermione looking a peculiar shade of green in the dim moonlight illuminating the room.

"Hermione?" She spoke, the worry pushing the sleepy husk out of her voice as she sat upright in the bed. A hand reaching out to push the brunette mane of curls away from the older woman's face.

"I don't know, I just don't feel very well" The older woman spoke quietly, her voice a little bit shaky as she did so.

"Why? What's the matter?" Storm questioned as she pushed herself out of the bed in order to make her way to the bathroom. Grabbing a washcloth out of the cupboard on the way. She leant back, keeping her eyes on the older woman as best as she could while running the cold tap and drenching the small cloth with it. Wringing it out so it wasn't soaking wet before making her way back into their bedroom. Flicking the light switch on as she made her way past in order to examine the older woman a little more closely.

"I don't know, I just feel incredibly ill" Hermione spoke, though her voice seemed a little calmer now. "It's passing" She spoke again as she pulled her hair up into an elastic band and off of her neck to allow the shifter to wipe the cold cloth across her exposed flesh. She hummed as the dampness eased her discomfort as soon as it made contact. A trick she often used on the shifter herself, Storm having a lovely habit of overheating in the night.

"Maybe you just got too hot?" Storm questioned, laying the back of her hand on Hermione's forehead for a moment. Her dark eyes taking in all of the older woman's features. She was relieved to see the green tint to her cheeks had started to subside and was being replaced by a much more normal colour.

"Well that doesn't usually happen" Hermione spoke, her features twisting up as if she were deep in thought for a moment. "That's only ever happened once or twice before" She added and then she paused completely. Her eyes growing wide as she moved to stare up at the shifter who was sleepily staring back down at her a little dumbly for a moment.

"What Hermione? You haven't got the flu, or something have you? Wouldn't you be all sniffly and gross? I can go and get something from that muggle drugstore if you need?" She quizzed, taking the opportunity to move across the room and push both of their large bedroom windows open. Immediately the winter air spilled in, bringing with it the smell of salt and sea air.

"Storm, I might be pregnant" Hermione spoke after another moment of thought, watching as the shifter's head whipped round so quickly, she was surprised she hadn't given herself whiplash. Dark eyes were impossibly wide as Storm now stared back at her, completely lost for words.

"How?" The dark-haired girl spoke after a moment, "I don't mean how, I know how. But I mean…" She stumbled over her own words as she finally moved to sit next to the older girl. Hermione looked incomprehensibly calm; they had tried but that had been months ago when the World Cup had started. Dark eyes found dark doe eyes then, they just stared at each other for a few moments. Hermione was quite clearly deep in thought once again and for once the younger girl beat her to a possible answer.

"The ministry" Storm whispered, her eyes growing wider in a moment of panic before she calmed all together and just laughed. "Well that was a Merry Christmas! Can't say I didn't give you anything good!" Storm spoke again, though through her laughter.

Hermione just watched her, staring incredulously as the shifter wiped her eyes before rubbing the back of her neck and muttering a quiet apology.

"Of course. That does make sense" Hermione added after a moment, of course it would be the Ministry. The whole place was essentially built on magic and the whole of Storm's reproductive ability balanced on having enough magic to sustain her being. She was surprised they hadn't thought about it before. Though she figured there wasn't much reason to, it's not like they made a habit of fornicating in her office. Though she was sure if she asked nicely there would not be much resistance from the shifter, if any at all.

"What do we do now?" Storm quizzed as she returned to watching the older woman, unsure of exactly how this process happened from this point. She had been left out of it the first time and was completely reliant on Hermione to guide her through in the most appropriate way.

"We need a pregnancy test" The brunette spoke quietly, moving to run her fingers through Storm's messy hair. Her stomach was now bursting with butterflies she would swear were the size of bats. She couldn't help the hope that built within her at the possibility at what might be.

"Can I get one of those at that muggle place?" Storm asked seriously, though her dark eyes had fluttered for a moment as Hermione's fingers pushed her hair back so nicely.

"I would assume so yes" The older woman answered an eyebrow raised in question as Storm all but shot up to pull clothes on over her barely there sleepwear. Her shoes coming next before Hermione could even ask what she was doing and why she hadn't bothered to pull a matching pair from the wardrobe.

"I'll be right back!" Storm spoke, and that was that. She had stuffed her wand and wallet into her pocket before shifting down into her usual owl form and taking off out of the now open window odd shoes and all.

Hermione just rolled her eyes, of course the younger woman would not be able to wait until dawn. Luckily the drugstore wasn't a huge trek and she knew Storm could be there and back in fifteen minutes flat. With a sigh she grabbed the T.V remote and flicked it on, watching whatever nonsensical programme that flicked across its screen. It was some kind of cartoon Storm had always laughed hysterically at. She was sure with some of the humour it was definitely not aimed at children, but more so childish adults.

She was sure she had gotten through more than half an episode when Storm reappeared in the doorway. Two bags full held within her grip as she made her way back into the room. "Hey! I love this show!" Storm spoke with a laugh, watching the antics on the screen for a moment before tipping the contents of one of the bags out onto the bed.

Hermione went wide eyed as she pulled the two tests out from amongst the cacophony of chocolate bars. She guessed the second bag was much the same, and she couldn't help but notice they were all the sort she had craved during the later stages of her pregnancy with Joey.

"Well, I thought it was best to be prepared" Storm spoke in response to the raised brow in her direction. Hermione just shook her head, only Storm could be organised when it came to sweets. "what do we have to do now?" Storm quizzed as she sat beside the older woman once again, pulling a chocolate bar she had slowly unwrapped to her lips.

"Well, we don't do anything. I'll just be right back" the older woman spoke as she stood from the bed, making her way towards the bathroom before disappearing for a minute. Storm waited patiently, figuring she wouldn't ask about anything that involved being alone in a bathroom.

She found herself too nervous to really watch the television and was relieved when the brunette finally re-emerged. The older woman looked how she felt, and Storm reached out to her when she sat down. Pulling the brunette down into her lap so she could wrap her arms around her waist and burry her nose in the heated skin of her neck.

Hermione's fingers found Storm's back as she traced lingering patterns across the fabric of her t-shirt. She found she was incredibly grateful to have the shifter with her this time, regretting the decision to keep the younger woman out of it the last time. Though, she knew they had known much less and the situation had been a lot harder to get their heads around.

A thought popped into her mind then, and she found herself questioning the difference between the encounter at the ministry and every encounter they had at Hogwarts. Surely the school had just as much magic within it's walls as the Ministry did. She wondered, what the difference had been. Or even if there had been a difference at all. Had they simply just gotten lucky that nothing had happened before the final celebrations? The thought sent a shiver down her spine, and she figured planning some kind of binding charm for when Joe went to the school wouldn't go amiss. Maybe one for Storm also, depending on what the test had come back saying.

Storm's mumbled voice met her ears then "When will we know?" She questioned before pulling away to look up at the older woman. Her dark eyes having become quite bloodshot as they did when she was over tired. The shifter had played two games that Saturday and had been exhausted by the time she had gotten home. A small part of Hermione felt bad for waking the girl, but she knew Storm would never complain.

Dark doe eyes flicked to the small green numbers illuminated on the alarm clock on her bedside table. Enough time had passed and suddenly the butterflies had returned. "Do you want to go look?" She questioned the younger girl. "The test is on the side of the sink" She added as Storm nodded quietly, standing up slowly the younger girl rubbed her eyes as she meandered her way across the room and into the open door of the bathroom.

"What colour is it supposed to be?" Storm spoke as she poked her head around the doorframe. Her features pulled up in confusion.

"If it's a colour Storm it's positive" Hermione spoke after a moment's pause, her dark doe eyes once again trained on the shifter's sleepy features as if she was afraid of what the younger girls reaction might be.

"Well…" Storm started, a crooked smirk tugging at her lips as she shut the bathroom light off behind her. "It looks like those socks I got you for Christmas really suck compared to this" She laughed, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly.

"I love my Christmas socks" Hermione spoke honestly as she moved to get under the covers of their bed once again. Watching as the younger girl flicked their light off as she made her way over. Shedding her clothes rapidly before climbing back under the covers.

"Do you feel better now?" Storm questioned seriously, moving back for a moment to take in Hermione's features. She was worried about the older woman still feeling ill, but it seemed that had passed a while ago.

"Much better" Hermione spoke honestly, moving to drape herself over the shifter. Her head coming to rest finally on the younger woman's chest. She felt peaceful in that moment and as sleep slowly seeped it's way into her clever mind she couldn't help the contentment that invaded her chest. They had definitely had enough excitement for one day, and the morning would come bright and early. There would be much to do to prepare and she figured there would be many more sleepless nights to come.

"Storm?" She spoke quietly into the darkness of the room.

"Yes Hermione?" came Storm's voice, barely above a whisper.

"Don't ever change" She all but ordered gently, her fingers finding their way to draw slow circles over the younger woman's collar bone as the shifters breathing became deeper.

"I love you" the younger girl muttered, moving to press a lazy kiss to the older woman's forehead. Letting her lips linger there for a moment before she ducked to take the brunettes lips in a searing kiss.

"I love you too." Hermione sighed, finally allowing the weight of their revelation to settle around them.

A/N: Well team… second to last chapter here.

Enjoy

Kass