A week had passed since all of the pieces had clicked together in Harry's mind; the eggs, the strawberries, and most recently Hermione's disgust with Harry's shampoo. He had known it was true the moment he saw all of the symptoms clearly but he had doubted himself. Surely, with all that had happened in his life, this wouldn't be possible. He had thought that perhaps his biggest secret; the deepest desire he had was playing tricks on him. He thought that because he had secretly wanted something so badly his mind had decided to see what it wanted to see. He had told himself countless reasons why his suspicions were wrong and it was all in his head, so he waited. He waited and watched, took note of every little change. He didn't want to say anything unless he was right; he was scared of Hermione's reaction and didn't want to alarm her needlessly. The final piece of evidence he needed came one day when they were sitting in the library working on a particularly nasty essay for Potions.
They had just finished up the outline and were about to start actually writing the essay when the brunette slumped in her chair, her face a bit paler than usual. "Harry… just looking at the list of potion ingredients is enough to turn my stomach. I need to take a break from this." Nodding in understanding, he stood and moved around the table, turning Hermione in her seat and kneeling on the ground in front of her.
"Love…" Harry said gently, reaching up and stroking her cheek gently. "I think we should go see Madam Pomfrey."
"What? Why Harry? Are you alright? Is something wrong? Are you feeling ill?" the girl asked in rapid-fire, reaching up to cup his cheek and feel his forehead as her brow creased in worry.
His heart squeezed at the amount of worry that showed on her face at even the idea of Harry being unwell. He had never before in his life felt so loved or so happy. Reaching up, he gently touched her hands, pulling them from his face and lacing his fingers with hers. "No baby, I'm perfectly fine." He reassured her, scooting forward so that he was kneeling between her legs, leaning up and pressing a kiss to her lips gently. "But I worry that you aren't." He finished gently.
"What do you mean? I'm fine…" She said, though her voice hitched ever so slightly; no one but Harry, who knew her better than he knew himself, would pick up on it.
"Hermione…" He said softly, looking deeply into her eyes. "I love you…" Another kiss was softly given. "I've noticed things, things that add up to a specific conclusion." Yet another kiss, this time on her jawline, reassuring that he was still there and reinforcing the emotions he felt as he spoke.
Leaning back to look into her eyes once more, he saw the fear there. The anxiety she was clearly feeling written in the set of her shoulders and tightness around her eyes. Pulling one of his hands free from her grasp, which had steadily grown tighter, he slid along her leg and up, stopping to rest over her belly. Keeping eye contact, he gently caressed her stomach, asking with his eyes things he hadn't been able to find words for.
She sat frozen for a few moments before nodding, barely an incline of the head. Harry's heart stopped at that one small movement. He knew that he had been correct in his suspicions but he had been so scared, both that he would right and that he would be wrong, that he had forced himself to remain silent.
With that incline of her head, Hermione had changed the course of their lives and the war itself.
Harry could feel things shifting inside him. He felt as though molten steel was coursing through his very veins. He knew what this development could mean for them. The danger facing them, with that simple gesture, had increased a thousandfold. The green-eyed Gryffindor knew that the instant anyone on the opposing side found out about this new information, even more of a target would be on his girlfriend.
He was also wary of the so-called Light. Harry trusted no one and nothing when it came to Hermione's safety. He had a feeling that the ones who were supposed to be on his side would use this as leverage to force him into action; force him to escalate the war ahead of schedule and keep him under their thumb.
Neither of these possibilities was acceptable to Harry. As far as he was concerned, the world could burn if it meant keeping his burgeoning family.
As he knelt there in the library facing Hermione, one hand still resting on her stomach, his other reaching up to cup her face, caressing along her bottom lip tenderly, he knew that the time for peace was over for them.
All hell would soon break and he would be pushed to do things that he never in his wildest dreams had thought he would be capable of before now. He knew blood would be spilled by his hands and a cold calmness settled around him as he accepted what this change would mean for them.
"I will protect you…" He whispered, looking up into her eyes, his own flashing with determination before softening drastically, his gaze falling to rest on his hand over her currently flat tummy. "…both of you." He finished in a gentle and barely audible voice.
A couple of days later found Harry and Hermione curled up together in an armchair near the fire in the Gryffindor common room. They had agreed that while they did need to consult a Medi-Witch, neither trusted the school matron not to run to Dumbledore with the news of this development. The couple wasn't sure who, if anyone they could trust. The thought that the people that were supposed to be on their side would use something that was supposed to bring joy as a means of controlling their "Savior" was a painful one to both of them.
Harry was determined to keep the two people he held most dear safe. Hermione was determined that what they had created, unintentionally though it was, out of love would not be used as a pawn just as her lover had been for so much of his life.
The raven-haired male tightened his arms around the girl, nuzzling into her dark brown locks. "Christmas holidays are coming up soon." He whispered for her ears alone. "We should look into finding a private Healer. One that we can trust."
Nodding in agreement, the brunette turned her head up to press a chaste kiss to Harry's lips. She knew him better than he even knew himself in some ways. This led to her ability to feel the tension in his body, even as he held her gently as though she was made of the finest china.
"Until then, I can look into the potions that may be needed and brew them myself." He continued as their lips parted. "I won't allow the time we're forced to wait to cause damage to either of you."
"Are you sure?" Hermione looked up at him, worry creasing her brow slightly. Much like her, Harry knew her better than anyone else. He could read the lines and shadows of her face as easily as if it were a book, one that was open only to him.
"I'm positive. My brewing has improved a hell of a lot these last few months." He reassured her. "I should be able to find what I need in the library and order any ingredients that I need by owl." Pressing a light kiss to her neck, he slipped a hand down to stroke lightly over her flat belly as he had grown prone to doing as they sat together.
"I don't doubt that you can do it." She said with a smile. "I just don't want to put any more stress on you." She whispered.
"It would stress me more to think that you going without necessary potions could cause damage to you… either of you." He said firmly. "I will take care of you." He finished, his words almost sounding like he was making her a solemn vow.
At that moment the portrait hole swung open and in stumbled Neville.
"Harry!" the round-faced boy gasped. "I'm glad you're here!" He said, bending over to rest his hands on his knees to support himself as he attempted to catch his breath. "Ron is on his way up."
"Okay…?" Harry said, the question as to the relevance of this statement clear in the tone of his voice.
"He…" Neville started but didn't quite finish before the portrait hole opened again, the redhead they had just been forewarned of stomping in.
As Ron's eyes landed on the two people who had once been his best friends, he almost snarled. "Well if it isn't the Golden Couple!" He sneered in a way reminiscent of Malfoy.
"What do you want Ronald?" Harry said in exasperation.
"From you, Potter? Not a thing." He almost spat, his eyes turning to Hermione. "I want a word with 'Mione." He said, his face flushed with what seemed to be anger. "Alone." He emphasized.
"Not likely…" Harry said, his arm tightening around his girlfriend reflexively and his eyes darkening dangerously. He didn't want to come to blows with Ron again, but he wouldn't back down. He had known this was coming since the underhanded comment Ron had made about getting Hermione's 'help'. The third to their supposed 'Golden Trio' had fallen into disgrace after that night. No one else in Gryffindor wanted much to do with him, either from fear of Harry's temper or the simple fact that they thought he was scum. He had single-handedly gotten himself ostracized from his fellow lions and he had been licking his wounds ever since.
"Why don't you let her speak for herself?" Ron almost roared. "You don't fucking own her!"
"No Ronald, he doesn't own me." Hermione snapped out, her own eyes flashing dangerously. "He just knows me well enough to know that I wouldn't want to be alone with the likes of you." She finished with a huff.
"I said I wanted a word with you." Ron said before making a fatal mistake.
In his frustration and determination to get the girl off somewhere away from prying eyes, he had reached out and taken ahold of her arm. "Come here!" He yelled, attempting to roughly pull her from the other boy's lap.
As Harry heard the pained yelp leave his girlfriend's lips from the redhead's grip digging painfully into the flesh of her upper arm he saw red. That one small sound, that one action would cost their former friend much more than his pride.
Without warning Harry lashed out, his hand wrapping around the other boy's wrist as he slid himself out from beneath Hermione. He applied pressure to the nerves, forcing the hand to relax enough for him to pull her arm from the grip. Once she was freed he increased the strength of his hold as quickly as possible, twisting viciously until he heard a series of sickening pops and crunches. Ron howled in pain as his wrist was not only broken but the tendons were badly torn.
"She said no you piece of shit." Harry snarled, his teeth bared as he held Ron up by his injured wrist. Locking eyes with the boy, he let him see the malice in those deep green orbs before suddenly surging forward and bashing his head into Ron's face, shattering his nose.
Ron dropped but that didn't stop Harry. Keeping a tight hold on that mangled wrist he shoved the boy around, forcing his arm up his back hard and fast until he heard a pop signaling the dislocation of a shoulder and possibly an elbow.
Leaning down to crouch behind Ron, the raven-haired teen whispered into his ear. "You're getting off easy." He stated, his breath ghosting menacingly down Ron's neck. "If you ever lay your fucking hands on Hermione again I will gut your worthless carcass and toss you out for Aragog and his children." Harry continued. "Do I make myself abundantly clear?" He asked only to receive a panicked nod from the boy.
"Good." Harry said, giving the broken wrist one last cruel squeeze before using it to shove him away. The smell of urine permeated the Common Room and all that could be heard was the panting and sobbing of the injured Gryffindor on the floor.
No one moved to help Ron, no one even dared to breathe too loudly. No one had ever seen Harry in such a state, they had never seen him go so far. Sure there had been scuffles with the Slytherins over the years but nothing like this. The attack on the redhead had been swift and brutal with no trace of remorse showing on the pale features of the boy standing there, his aura radiating anger and his magic crackling in the air.
Ginny had seen the whole ordeal and while Ron was her brother and she should feel for him, she knew better than to cross Harry. Hermione was his and the moment that her brother had touched her he had almost invited the boy to harm him. The youngest Weasley had heard her brother's grumblings about the couple and about how they had tossed him aside. How they had turned the whole of their house against him and he would have to deal with them. She didn't know what he had had in mind when he demanded to speak with the bushy-haired girl but she had known from the moment Ronald had open his mouth that this interaction would end very badly. If she was honest, if only with herself, she was almost surprised that her brother was still conscious and breathing. She was thankful Harry hadn't done worse damage because while Ron was a fool, he was still her brother.
Looking over to Harry almost pleadingly as he met her eyes he nodded curtly to her. "Ginny take him. Get his sniveling ass out of my sight." He snarled.
Nodding nervously she moved forward and grabbed Ron by the bicep of his uninjured arm. "Up you moron. Get up!" She hissed. "You're lucky to be alive, don't push his patience." She said under her breath as she got him to his feet and hauled him out of the common room and toward the infirmary.
With a sigh, Harry seemed to slump slightly, turning and reaching out questioningly to Hermione. She moved into the circle of his arms without a moment's hesitation, burying her face into his chest. "I have to get you away from here." He whispered. "We're in as much danger here as out there."
"I know…" Hermione whispered against the folds of Harry's shirt. "We will leave tonight." She said, not needing to look up to see the agreement written all over the boy's face.
Everyone in the common room stood frozen, not daring to move lest they bring the boy's wrath down on them as well. None could hear the whispered conversation and none cared to.
The couple finally moved from their position in the center of the common room. They knew that as soon as Ron made it to the infirmary Professor McGonagall would be called and then the two of them would be pulled for questioning as to the incident. Both of them highly doubted that the shunned third of their trio would be truthful about the events of the evening. Indeed, they were fairly certain he would paint himself as the victim and say that the two of them had attacked him without provocation. Turning, Harry met Neville's eyes and nodded for him to follow as he laced his fingers with Hermione's and led her out of the common room.
Harry could feel his magic pulsing, knew they were running out of time to escape the castle. Something about Ron's behavior had been bothering Harry for a while now but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Knowing that time was of the essence he picked up the pace, leading the other two down one flight of stairs after another before finally coming to stand before the bare stretch of wall that he knew hid the Room of Requirement. Pacing quickly he asked for a place to hide for a brief moment of time before leaving the castle.
As the doors appeared, the raven-haired teen quickly shoved them open, pulling in his girlfriend and holding the door open for Neville. As soon as all three had cleared the entrance, Harry slammed the doors shut and bolted them.
Looking around at the room Harry smiled as once again the castle had gone above and beyond. The Room of Requirement had transformed to look like a study with two loveseats facing each other in front of the fire. It was a warm and welcoming environment and the raven-haired teen silently thanked the castle for it. His nerves were absolutely shot and he needed to reign in his emotions and plan.
Meeting the eyes of the other two in turn, Harry moved forward still holding his girlfriend's hand and dropped down onto one loveseat, pulling her down with him and slipping an arm around her waist.
Taking his cue from his friends, Neville moved over to claim a seat on the loveseat across from the couple. The round-faced boy knew that there was a reason he was here but thought better than to push Harry for details.
The three sat in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts before Harry finally spoke, calling out for a house elf. "Dobby!" He said, looking the small elf over as he appeared.
"Yes Master Harry Potter Sir! What can Dobby be's doing for you?" The excitable creature asked animatedly.
"Dobby do you trust me?" Harry asked, making eye contact with the elf, his face impassive and distant.
The small creature almost looked affronted at the question. "Of course Master Harry Potter Sir!" he squeaked. "Dobby be trusting Harry Potter! Why would Mister Harry Potter Sir doubt Dobby?" the elf said, almost on the verge of tears.
"I need your help Dobby." Harry said by way of answer. "Hermione and I are in danger and we have to escape. We must leave here tonight and I am trusting you with the information of why but first I need you to go to Gryffindor tower and pack all of our belongings please." He continued, his face softening slightly. "Only you would I trust with this, Dobby. Our safety is in your hands. No one must know we are gone until we are far from here."
"Dobby will do as Mister Harry Potter Sir asks!" Squeaked the elf. "No one will know and Dobby will be making the beds look as Mister Harry Potter and Missy Mione is only be's sleepings." He said, bobbing up and down. "Dobby keeps the three ofs yous safe!" he squeaked causing Harry to almost flinch. He had forgotten that the houseelves being of familial magic would know what had happened.
Neville looked at the little elf in confusion. Why was he in need of protection? Moving his gaze up to rest on his friends he raised an eyebrow in question as Dobby popped off to complete the request given to him.
"Neville…" Harry began, faltering with the actual words, knowing that anything he said could put his friend in a bad position. He didn't feel right asking the boy to keep their secret at his own risk. Looking into the earnest face of the fellow Gryffindor, the boy he had shared a dorm with for years… he knew that to keep him in the dark and run with no explanation given would hurt Neville more. He was a kind-hearted and loyal person but he hated being seen as weak for it. Harry would not insult him with a lack of faith. "Hermione is pregnant…" He finished, his voice trailing off as he took in his friend's reaction. Hoping that his faith had not been misplaced.
Neville was shocked for a moment, his brain unable to process what had been said. His eyes locked with Harry's he saw the truth there. Looking to Hermione he could see the fear in her eyes and his heart clenched.
"And if Dumbledore or anyone loyal to him finds out he'll try to take the baby to use as leverage." The round-face Gryffindor said, his stomach churning at the thought. "And worse if Voldemort finds out, he'll try to kidnap or kill the baby to hurt Harry."
At the nod of his friends, a wave of need crashed over him; a need to protect his two dearest friends, the only two who had ever trusted or believed in him. "I'll come with you." The boy said and a hint of stony resolve could be heard in his voice.
"Neville, you can't…" Hermione started to say but was quickly cut off.
"I can and I will. I have to 'Mione." He said unwaveringly. "You both are in grave danger, especially you. The baby will drain your energy and magic and in a couple of months, you won't be able to use magic. You will need help." Looking to Harry, Neville crossed his arms. "We all know you are exceptionally powerful, no one could ever doubt your abilities but two wands are better than one."
"All good points but we need eyes on the inside, we need someone we can trust to keep tabs on the Dumbledore and his Order." Harry said, worry lacing his every word.
"Luna." Said Hermione suddenly. "We can trust Luna implicitly, I've gotten to know her well over the last few months. She said something the other day and I didn't put much stock in it because… well she's Luna, but she knew we would be leaving."
"What did she say?" asked Harry, mild panic in his voice.
"She said that when the lions retreat to their cave, the eagle watches vigilantly, ready to screech at signs of danger." The girl said as she replayed the conversation in her head. "We were just leaving Care of Magical Creatures and she was heading in, so I just put it down to her having read some muggle book on animals." She said with a shrug. "This must be what she meant. She's a Ravenclaw, their sigil is the eagle. She basically laid out that she would watch out for us."
"I think you're right Hermione, we need to get Luna here." Reaching into his pocket, Harry pulled out the Marauder's Map and began looking for Luna's dot, snorting when he saw it right outside the Room in which they were currently hiding. "I should have known." He mumbled to himself. "Neville, will you open the door, she's right outside."
Doing as asked, the boy unlocked the door and pulled it open just far enough to peek out and see that the girl in question was indeed standing there with a look of serenity on her features. "May I come in?" She asked in her usual musical tones.
Nodding, Neville stood back and pulled the door open. The moment the door was wide enough for the petite blonde to slip inside he pushed the door closed and replaced the lock.
"Hello, little lions." She practically sang to them.
"We need your help Luna." Harry said, his arms instinctively tightening around his girlfriend.
"Yes, Harry." The small blonde girl said, nodding. "The eagle must keep watch over her lions." She said in her usual dreamy manner. Her eyes met Harry's and sharpened, wisdom beyond her years reflected there. "You need to leave and soon. Stay no longer than it takes to collect what is yours; to stay even until the morning would be a terrible miscalculation. The head of the pride is already on the hunt for the two of you."
"McGonagall." Hermione said softly, worry lacing that single word.
"Yes." Luna said. "But you must listen. Go directly to the goblins. There are things you need to be aware of, things that you will not believe coming from me alone but must see with your own eyes. You need to see the irrefutable proof with your own eyes. Trust only Neville and the goblins outside of the castle. Take Dobby with you and keep him close. It is known that you truly care for the little fellow and he would be killed to draw you out. While at Gringotts many new truths will be revealed to you but it is imperative that you do not linger there. Learn what you must, collect what you need, then go. You MUST be out of Diagon Alley by sunrise. Do you understand Harry?"
"Yes Luna, be gone from Diagon by sunrise." The boy replied.
"Exactly. Any longer and you will face exposure. Under no circumstances are you to go to Longbottom Manor as Neville's Gran would turn you over to the ministry." At that, she paused only to send an apologetic look at the boy in question. "Stay away from Grimmauld Place. Dumbledore has traps laid all over inside and around it and the wards are tied to him. You must go to the place of ancient family. The seat of power for the three brothers. You will know it when you see it, it is in your blood if only you would have it tested and open yourself." She finished. "Hurry now, it is nearly twilight and you must be gone from this place before true night has set."
"Thank you Luna." Harry said, still trying to digest all that the blonde girl had said. "Dobby!"
With a loud crack, the tiny elf appeared next to the coffee table. "Mister Harry Potter Sir! Dobby is being finished!" With a snap of his fingers, two trunks appeared by the door. "Dobby is so happy to help Mister Harry Potter Sir!" the tiny creature squealed excitedly.
"Thank you for your help Dobby but I need a couple more things from you. Neville will be leaving with us, can you pack for him and fix his bed as well?" Harry asked hopefully.
"Oh, Mister Harry Potter Sir! Dobby is being thinking yous Nevvie is leaving to and already dids his packing and his beds." And with another snap, a third trunk appeared.
"Well done Dobby, thank you so much. Now, I have an offer for you." The raven-haired teen said anxiously. "I know you enjoy being a free elf but how would you like to be my personal elf? I would still give you one week off a month and your current wages, more if you wanted it. Soon there will be a baby and we are in danger, I need someone I can trust to help with the baby."
As Harry's words tumbled from his mouth, he could see the look on Dobby's face, tears started pouring from his bulbous eyes. "Oh, Mister Harry Potter Sir! Dobby would bes honored to be your elf, Sir!"
"I'm so glad you accept Dobby." Harry said a relieved smile blossoming over his face. "How do I bind you to me, Dobby? I've heard that houseelves are bound to their masters but never how."
Neville cleared his throat before Dobby could answer. "You have to bind with blood, Harry." He answered. "I know this is going to sound barbaric but to bind a new elf to a family, you have to slice open your palm and press it to their forehead. They are magical creatures and it will absorb into them and your blood becomes part of theirs."
Harry blanched and looked down at Dobby, very well aware that his girlfriend was just short of seething next to him. He squeezed her hip, silently begging her to trust him. "Are you okay with that Dobby?"
"Master Harry Potter, yes!" The little elf squawked. "Dobby would be most honored to be bound to the Ancient and Most Noble House of Potter!"
At that Luna stepped forward, knife in hand. As she passed it to Harry she whispered. "Hurry! The shadows are descending on us. Do this and run to the goblins. They will handle everything else."
Harry nodded, grasping the knife in his left hand and taking a deep breath. Quickly and firmly he sliced along his right palm, blood welling up over his skin. As quickly as possible he pressed his hand against the little elf's forehead. The moment his blood touched Dobby's leathery grey flesh magic swirled up around them, bright and pure, a visible sign of the binding. "I, Harry James Potter, bind thee Dobby with my blood. To serve me and my house all the days of your life until death takes you or your master release you." As the words ended the glow faded and Harry could feel the blood that had been between their skin soak into the little creature. Slowly he pulled his hand back and wasn't really surprised to see the wound healed, leaving only a small scar.
"Thank you, Master Harry Potter Sir." Dobby said, bowing deeply.
"Thank you Dobby. But now we must go. Can you please shrink the trunks? I will handle getting you a new uniform when we are safely away."
"Yes, Master." The elf said happily.
Harry stood and moved over to Luna. "Be safe and stay quiet about your association. If they know they will hurt you to get to me." He said softly.
"I know what to do Harry. I will walk amongst the shadows and find those who will stand by you. Trust no one unless they come to you through me." She said sharply. "But now you must go, big brother."
He smiled down at her and kissed the top of her head. "Be well, little sister." He replied.
Turning back around he saw Dobby slip the last shrunken trunk into a pocked on his pillowcase. "Dobby can you apparate the three of us to Gringotts?"
"Of course Master." He said excitedly, reaching out his arms. Neville and Hermione took his little hands and Harry firmly wrapped a hand around his upper arm and just like that, they were gone from the Hogwarts grounds.