Good morning everyone :D Chapter seven of The Unexpected Baby (TUB) is up. I actually kind of like this one, it didn't turn out how I expected it to but I'm glad! Thanks once again for all of your amazingly wonderful reviews which always make me happy. Eugh once again the storms have come back to Northern Ireland and I do not like it! How do I make them go away? Should I do the opposite of a rain dance? lol. Okay so I hope you enjoy xxxx
Disclaimer: I do not HP or power to banish thunder lol
The Unexpected Baby
Chapter Seven: An early start
"Good morning Charlie," Hermione said with dark chuckle. As she entered her kitchen already dressed in her working clothes she caught sight of Charlie, her new roommate who had moved in the previous day, standing with his head rested against her muggle refrigerator. Charlie muttered something unintelligible as Hermione sat down to her prepared breakfast of toast, lightly buttered, a glass of milk and a bowl of freshly cut apple.
"Tired?" Hermione asked nonchalantly as she picked up her first triangle of toast. Charlie half opened his eyes and glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall. It was nearly 6am and he'd been up since 5:15. His body ached at having slept in an unfamiliar bed and his eyes were so heavy that he was finding it a chore to keep them open.
"I am," he managed to say as he felt a yawn coming on. Hermione chuckled darkly once again as the sleepy Dragon Keeper tried miserably to stifle a huge yawn.
"Why do you have to get up at this time?"
"I start my shift at 6:30 so I have to be there and ready to start by that time. I only have a couple more early shifts to do before they change my schedule. We pregnant women need our sleep you know so I estimate that if I'm ever to start early again I'll be starting at 9:30," Hermione informed him as she continued to eat. Charlie nodded his head without really hearing what she was saying. He was never usually up this early in the morning. In Romania the earliest he'd ever had to get up had been 7am and that was because the reserve was having an inspection. If there were ever any problems during the night the special after dark team was usually called into action.
"Right well I'd better be going," Hermione finally said after she'd finished most of her breakfast, for some reason the apple slices seemed to be turning her stomach and to avoid being sick she left a few slices in the bowl.
"What time will you finish your shift?" Charlie enquired as Hermione went to get her white consultant jacket.
"I should be back home by 5pm but if you need me you can come by the hospital. I've put your name on the list of people who are allowed to see me without an appointment so you can basically walk right into my office, that is if I'm not with someone," the surprisingly chipper Healer told him as she shrugged into her long, official, important looking coat.
"Okay then. I'm going to go back to bed," Charlie said as he gave Hermione a chaste hug and bid her goodbye. For the brief seconds that Charlie had hugged her that unexplained warmth had returned to Hermione's body.
"Bye," she whispered, feeling once again a sense of loss as Charlie walked back to his new room.
"Herrrrrrrrrrrmioneeeeeeeeee," said a sweet and cheerful voice from the door to Hermione's office. The busy Healer looked up from her paperwork and smiled genuinely as Ginny and Molly walked into the room.
"Good morning," she said brightly, "Someone's in a better mood today." Ginny winked at her best pregnant friend and plonked herself down in one of the chairs opposite the huge desk Hermione was working at.
"How are you dear?" Molly asked the slightly dishevelled looking witch behind the desk. Hermione ran a hand through her hair and sighed heavily.
"I'm fine, thankfully no sickness this morning but Healer Marks left me a load of research to do. I swear men have no feelings for the working pregnant woman in the early stages. Just because there's no bump doesn't mean that it's not there," Hermione grumbled as she ruffled her papers. Looking briefly at her watch Hermione realised that it was time for her first break and that Molly and Ginny couldn't have come at a better time.
"It's time for my break now; would you ladies care to join me?"
Five minutes later the three ladies were found in the fifth floor tea room. Molly was sitting down to a nice large cup of tea and Hermione and Ginny were sitting down to healthy glasses of orange juice. Needless to say they'd also bought a few snacks.
"I thought you said coffee turned your stomach?" Ginny asked as Hermione buttered a slice of scone. Hermione looked up at Ginny and made a point of sniffing loudly.
"It only happened that one time which is strange but now I can smell all I like and it doesn't seem to bother me," she informed the two ladies sitting in front of her.
"Pregnancy is a strange thing," Molly said in a mystical voice before she tittered lightly into her tea cup. Ginny sighed at her mother and rolled her eyes.
"So what's with the visit?" Hermione asked politely and then took a bite out of her scone. Molly smiled guiltily and then said glumly, "I'm afraid it's my fault that we're here. My arthritis is playing up again." Hermione looked at the aging woman with concern in her eyes and then she asked to see her wrists, the place where the arthritis was the worst in Molly's body. She took out her wand and muttered a few spells and then took out a note pad, a quill and some ink from her handbag.
"You're going to need a strong anti-inflammatory potion to start off with and then you'll need a tub of special jellied potion for external use on the wrists. I'm going to write all of this down for you and then you have to take it to reception. They'll then send you to the Pharma-Healer who'll then prescribe you the items," Hermione deduced expertly as Molly and Ginny gaped at her in awe which they did every time she made a diagnosis.
"It stinks that you can distribute the stuff for us," Ginny said with a pout on her lips as Molly took the small piece of parchment from Hermione.
"I know it does but rules are rules. I can diagnose and treat you but I can't personally give you any substances to take home with you," Hermione said importantly.
"That's fine dear we understand. Thank you so much for helping me," Molly said gratefully, stuffing the piece of parchment into her bag and then grabbing her tea again. The women proceeded to chat about typical things such as Harry's latest case, Ginny's sore back, Arthur's sore back and Charlie moving into Hermione's flat.
"So then he tells me that he'll make me breakfast in the morning. I told him what time I got up at and his face just fell!" Hermione told the listening women who proceeded to laugh along with her.
"Charlie's so sweet," Ginny said with mirth in her eyes as she swirled the remaining dregs of her orange juice in her glass.
"That's my boy," Molly said proudly but then her face went serious. "Hermione dear there is something I've been meaning to ask you." Hermione looked at Molly sceptically and nibbled on her bottom lip, she always got uncomfortable when Molly looked at her like that.
"When will you be telling your parents?"
Hermione's heartbeat, which had increased a substantial amount under Molly's gaze, slowed back down to its normal pace as she fanned her slightly flushed face. She'd thought she was going to be told off by the grandmother of her unborn child for some strange reason.
"I was thinking about telling them when I'm about 13 weeks pregnant. I want to tell them when I know there is only a slight chance of a mischarge. Although..." she said trailing off at the end of her sentence.
"Although?" Ginny and Molly asked in unison.
"I'm afraid that they won't accept it. They are very traditional people when it comes to things like this," Hermione said softly as she motioned towards her womb. Ginny grimaced and glanced at her mother who was smiling sweetly at the worried Healer.
"Dear I don't think that they won't accept your child. A grandchild is a grandchild after all. I'm sure it will be fine and yes I think it is a wise decision that you've made," Molly said tenderly as she placed her hand over Hermione's and squeezed it softly. She'd always thought of Hermione as her adopted daughter and she hated to see her worrying about things.
"I don't know," Hermione mumbled as she fiddled with the knife she'd buttered her scone with. The thought that her parents wouldn't accept her situation had been playing on her mind since she'd found out about her baby however she'd never said anything about it.
"Herms," Ginny said sweetly to the troubled witch as she took her other free hand in her own. "Mum's right. I think you're parents will be thrilled, after all you're their only daughter and they love you to pieces. Besides if you tell them that the father is a member of the Weasley family then I think that they will have no reason to be angry, they know us and know what we are like and so I think they will be proud!"
Hermione mulled this over in her mind. She still wasn't convinced but she did feel a little easier about the predicament. She felt Ginny and squeeze her hand and she looked up at her best friend.
"Plus if they don't like the idea you can always blame Charlie," the redhead said with a snigger causing Hermione to laugh and Molly to look at her daughter with disdain.
Sighing heavily Hermione wiped her forehead on the sleeve of her jacket as she tried to concentrate. The patient before her had been involved in a nasty broom accident and Hermione now had to heal the damage.
"Healer Granger?" Hermione turned to see a trainee Healer standing in the doorway to the room the patient had been taken to.
"Yes what is it?" Hermione said sharply as she thought of different spells to help heal the injured patient. The trainee Healer gulped nervously, Healer Granger looked slightly vicious when she was concentrating hard.
"There is a man here to see you," the trainee, whose name was Paul, informed her in a scared manner.
"What man?" Hermione asked again in a sharp tone. Paul trembled slightly, Healer Granger wasn't just concentrating she was in a bad mood.
"A M-M-Mr. Charlie W-W-W-Weasley," Paul stammered as he slowly backed out of the door. Hermione felt the tension in her body release slightly. She turned to the patient whom she'd placed under a Rentan Charm and then glanced back towards Paul.
"Tell him he can stand outside of the door and wait for me," she told the trainee who was practically pressed against the wall opposite the door. Paul nodded and ran down to reception. Hermione checked the pulse of the patient who was a male. There was no bleeding, that she could see, but it was obvious that his bones were broken and that his face was going to be terribly bruised unless she acted soon. She heard a knock on the door and seen Charlie peeking through the window. Hermione smiled at him, waved and then shut the blind over the window with her wand.
"Healer Granger should be with you shortly," Paul told Charlie in a whisper as he summoned Charlie a chair.
"Thanks," Charlie said cheerfully to Paul who was sweating slightly and glancing nervously at the door. Charlie's brow furrowed as he looked from Paul to the door and then something clicked in his head.
"Are you scared of Hermi- Healer Granger?" Paul jumped at Charlie's statement and muttered that he had to go to a class and ran down the corridor towards the reception area. Charlie chuckled; he found it hard to believe that anyone could ever be scared of Hermione. For as long as he'd known her she'd been a nice, polite, sensible girl who'd only ever raised her voice to Ron. Maybe doing this sort of job required Hermione to be a little more forceful than she usually was. He continued to chuckle as he thought of different scenarios that might cause Hermione to be intimidating until he heard a shriek from the room that she was in. As he got up from the chair he heard the sound of running footsteps and then spotted several Healers dashing for the door. Hermione pulled the door open and Charlie gaped in horror as he seen blood smeared all over her clothes and white jacket.
"Perform the Taylor Charm then the Bux Charm and don't forget to cast the Rentan Charm again," Hermione instructed the Healers as she staggered out of the room. The Healers nodded and went into the room except for one who was looking at Hermione with concern.
"Are you alright Healer Granger?" she asked Hermione who'd turned a terrible shade of white.
"I'm fine Barbra just get in there!" Hermione instructed. Barbra didn't look convinced but went into the room as instructed. Hermione turned to face Charlie who was standing right beside her with his hand on her shoulder.
"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked clearly worried about her. Hermione sighed and placed a hand to her forehead, she was shaking as Charlie placed his other hand on her free shoulder. The witch swayed slightly on her feet and before Charlie knew what was happening Hermione threw up all over his shoes. With tears streaming down her face Hermione placed a hand to her mouth as Charlie stared wide eyed at her.
"I'm sorry I wasn't expecting that," she mumbled tears dripping onto her blood soaked clothes. Charlie's eyes remained wide and his jaw was locked in place.
"It's alright," he finally said not daring to look at his feet. Hermione obviously seemed distressed by this event and so his gaze softened and he tried to give her a reassuring smile.
"I think I need to throw up again," Hermione whispered staring into Charlie's gentle eyes.
"Just don't throw up on my feet," Charlie said making Hermione laughed a little bit. He placed a hand under her elbow as he made to walk her towards her office but before they went anywhere Hermione flicked her wand at the mess on the floor and vanished the evidence.
Emerging from her bathroom in a clean set of clothes Hermione went to her desk and sat heavily on her chair. Charlie sat opposite her smiling pleasantly; he'd insisted that he helped her in the bathroom while she threw up some more. His reasoning had been that she'd thrown up on his shoes and that allowing him into the bathroom while was sick was like a sort of payback. However Charlie found out pretty soon why Hermione didn't like anyone helping her. He'd tried to rub her back but she told him not to touch her. When he'd tried to hold her hair back for her she'd shouted at him not to touch her. Then when he tried to hold her hand she told him that if he didn't stop touching her that she'd hex him into next week. All he'd been allowed to do was watch her and talk gently to her.
"Why don't you like anyone touching you?" he asked confusedly. He couldn't understand it at all, when he'd been young he'd loved his mother cuddling him and rubbing his back when he was being sick.
"I just don't," Hermione explained as she sipped on a glass of cold water. Her face was partially flushed and her hair was ever so slightly damp with sweat.
"But why?"
"Honestly I haven't a clue; I've always been like that. My mother hated it when I was a child as all she wanted to do when I was sick was hold back my hair, cuddle me and rub my back. People are just different I guess," she explained running her hand through her hair and cringing at its slight dampness.
"You're odd Herms," Charlie said with a laugh as he leaned back in his chair. "What happened in that room?" he then asked casually as Hermione took a brush from her handbag. Hermione glanced at him and simply said, "I can't tell you."
"Well if you can't tell me that can you tell me what made you sick?" the inquisitive Dragon Keeper asked. Hermione sighed, if she didn't tell him something he might pester her all night for an answer.
"I think it was the smell of the blood. All I can remember before I was sick was that the metallic smell from my soaked clothes was making me feel a little strange. I didn't think that the smell of blood would make me vomit however." For some reason a tear slipped down her cheek and as the flow started Charlie got up from his chair and went round to her. He got her up off the chair and pulled her into his strong arms. By now her cheeks were saturated with tears.
"How am I going to be a great Consultant if I vomit at the smell of blood?" Hermione said, her voice straining with emotion. Charlie stroked her hair and whispered comforting words in her ear as the distressed witch continued to cry. This event must have shocked her more than he thought.
"It's only a phase it should pass in no time then you can go around smelling all the blood you want," Charlie whispered to her. Hermione hiccupped, giggled a watery a giggle and nodding slightly she completely nuzzled her face into Charlie chest. It was solid yet comfortable at the same time and the warmth had returned again along with a weird tiny fluttering sensation in her abdomen. It was calming her down and she had to admit to herself that she was somewhat enjoying his embrace.
"Did mum tell you that we're having dinner in their house tonight?" Charlie whispered into her ear. His breath tickled her and it caused the tiny flutter to flutter even more.
"Yeah she did, she was in earlier to see me."
"Do you want to go now then or do you want to head back to the flat first?" he asked her softly causing her to get unexpected Goosebumps on her flesh. Tiny shocks, which Hermione only realised were occurring, rippled down her spine as he continued to stroke her hair.
"Let's go back to the flat first; I want to get changed again."
"Let's go to the floo station then," he murmured pulling away from her slightly however Hermione pulled him close again, not wanting to lose the comforting heat.
"I have a couple of weeks left in which I can apparate lets just go from here," she whispered making a point of hugging him tighter. Charlie, although quite surprised, grinned into Hermione hair and secured his arms around her now tiny waist. Once they were both ready they apparated on the spot back to their home in each other's arms.
A/N: 1,2,3...Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!! How sweet and sentimental ;D Did you like this chapter? I hope you did, please Review with all of your thoughts xxxxx