Chapter 1 - Discovery

One overheard little conversation wrecked Hermione's entire world. She had just found out from the healers that she was pregnant with her boyfriend Ron's baby and she was so happy. She could hardly wait to tell him so they could plan together their wedding and their future. She knew she would have to quit work...Ron would insist on it...but she thought that he and their baby would make it worth while. Or so she thought. Now everything was in ruins!

Hermione had taken the day off so she could go to the healers and find out why she had been feeling so nauseous. Once she got the unexpected but good news that she was pregnant, well she needed to celebrate! She sent her patronus to Luna Lovegood and the two of them arranged to meet for an early lunch at her favourite Muggle cafe! Hermione was certain that no one would hear her sharing her good news with Luna...which was rather important as in some wizarding circles, unwed pregnancies were looked down on...but if she and Ron married during the first month, no one would look down on her...she hoped!

Hermione arranged to have a booth for herself and Luna right at the back of the cafe. Luna started to ask what was the good news when Hermione motioned for her to be silent. Hermione could hear Lavender Brown's boisterous laugh and wanted to hear what made her so happy. This is what she heard: "Did you know that there is an archaic but still valid wizarding law that if an unwed witch gets pregnant, then the unmarried father of the child can force her to marry him, regardless of her wants or wishes...or he can just take the child away from her at the birth and again, she can't stop it?"

"No...wait, are you pregnant?" Romilda exclaimed.

"No, not me, silly. I am just giving you the back-story so you will understand what is happening. Anyway, there is another bit of rather quietly done legislation that regards one Hermione Jean Granger. Apparently the Wizengamot and Chief Warlock are unhappy that she is still single. They wanted all of the Golden trio to marry and reproduce but Hermione was dragging her heels. The Chief Warlock has declared a bounty of a million galleons to any which who marries Hermione and has at least one baby with her!"

Luna gasped and put her hand over her mouth.

"So...you can't marry Hermione so what is happening?

"Well you know my boyfriend, Ronald Weasley..." Lavender said.

"Ah...I thought he was dating Hermione?"

"No, he can't stand her. His aim is to get her knocked up...he is using a fertility potion on himself and secretly on her...with a few drops of lust potion...to get her pregnant so he can force her to marry him...or if she refuses, to just take the baby away from her until she pays him what the Wizengamot were prepared to pay for a wedding/baby. And then, after she pays up, still take the baby and Ron would then marry me and I would raise the child. Ron doesn't want her Muggle ways to rub off on HIS kid! We are just waiting for her to find out if she is pregnant before he tells her his intentions. Oh, and if she decides to marry him, he is going to insist that she wears a magic-dampening bracelet...and he intends to keep her knocked up, pumping a baby out each year for the next dozen or so years...and then kick her to the curb as "used goods" ...and of course, she won't be allowed to see her children either!"

"Ron must really hate her guts!"

"Oh he does," replied Lavender. "She comes off all high-and-mighty and she got an Order of Merlin first class, while his was only second...she got more money and more fame. So he wants to run her into the ground and take everything away from her. And there won't be a single thing she can do about it. Even if she hears about the bounty placed on her, she is still screwed...the second she finds out she is pregnant, well that's when she finds out Ron's plans for her!"

"That's rather harsh!"

"Don't you say a thing to her...there is nothing she can do about it anyway as she is bound to be pregnant now. Ron told me that she wasn't feeling well so she stayed home today. I expect we will hear the "good news" next week and then Ron and I can get back together again officially! I can hardly wait to flaunt my ring in her face!"

Hermione was numb...her heart was breaking. No, her heart was smashed to pieces. Luna reached over and patted her hand. Then she cast a notice-me-not and put some money on the table to cover their bill, before she led Hermione out of the cafe and around back where she was able to apparate them both back to Diagon Alley. Hermione collapsed...all her dreams had turned to ashes. What she had hoped for was all gone now... Ron had her trapped and if what Lavender had said was true, then there was nothing she could do...he had all the control and she had none. She shook so hard...she had been horribly betrayed and was so screwed over. Luna wrapped her arms around the now shaking Hermione and apparated Hermione back to her flat.