Disclaimer: I own nothing! Nothing I tell you!
* A/N * Everyone who reviewed my story, YOU ARE THE BEST!!! Thank you so much! So . . . not much to say here, please R&R!!!! Thanks everyone! You are all beyond amazing!
Chapter Seven: Keeping The Baby
Harry stared at Hermione blankly. Did she actually just say what he thought she said? Pregnant? Oh God . . .
"Umm . . . Come again?"
"I'm pregnant, Harry" Tears filled Hermione's eyes. Harry didn't know what to do. This was not something he had prepared for.
"But . . . are you . . ." Harry broke into a smile despite himself. "We are going to a baby?" It was beyond Harry how exactly to react. He knew how hard this would be. They were only seventeen, but somehow, he couldn't help but smile at the thought of them together in a little flat with a tiny green-eyed baby.
"I can't do it, Harry. I can't be pregnant! My parents . . . They'll kill me!!" The tears were now streaming down Hermione's face. " I think we did all this too fast, Harry. I do love you, I really do. And I'm sure that if we met when we were older and the same things happened, we would be really happy together. But, we're not older. We are two really screwed seventeen year olds. I don't know what we can do. I need . . . I need answers, I need time." Hermione leaned in and kissed Harry on the forehead. "I need . . . I need to go." Hermione got up and ran out of the hospital wing. Harry sat there in shock.
*~*~*~*~*
Hermione ran into the common room, and headed straight for her dormitory.
"Herm?" Ron said as she sprinted in. "Herm, what's wrong?" Hermione didn't stop to listen. Ron and Lavender exchanged meaningful looks, and Lavender got off Ron's lap to go after Hermione.
"Hermione? Are you okay?" Hermione was crying into her pillow. Lavender sat down on the bed next to Hermione and patted her back. "It's okay, Hermione. Whatever it is, we can all help you. We are all here for you." Hermione sat up and looked at Lavender through tear stained eyes.
"Lav, I can't do this!"
"Do what? What happened?"
"I'm pregnant, Lav. I'm going to have a baby. My parents are going to kill me." Lavender, though shocked by the news, did just what Hermione needed. She didn't ask questions, or offer advice; she just leaned in and gave Hermione a long, comforting hug. After a few moments, Hermione pulled back.
"What can I do, Lavender? My parents - "
"Forget them. What do you want? This is your life, your baby, and your relationship. What do you want, Hermione?" Hermione shook her head.
"I don't know. I just don't know." Lavender looked intently at her.
"That's what you need to decide. No one can make those decisions for you. We are all here to help you, no matter what, but only you and Harry can decide what to do about your future." Lavender gave Hermione another quick hug. "I'll let you think on it." Hermione smiled slightly. Lavender was right. She needed to figure out what she wanted.
Back in the common room, Lavender went down to find Harry and Ron talking. She joined them, taking her preferred seat on Ron's lap.
"I wish she would talk to me about it. I know all this is harder for her than me, but I hate that she is alone right now. I wish I could help her."
"I just talked to her. She needs some alone time, to think about what she wants." Harry nodded.
"I'm going to write to Sirius." Harry got up and left for the owlery.
*~*~*~*~*
Sirius, Hermione is pregnant. I don't know what to do. She is in her room now thinking about what she wants to do, but I know her parents will be really upset when they find out. What can we do, Sirius? Please write back soon, I'm so . . . lost. Harry
Harry attached his brief letter to Hedwig's leg and went into the garden and picked out a single red rose. He put it in his pocket for later. Harry walked down to the lake. How was it possible that his life had changed so drastically in the course of just a few hours? He dearly loved Hermione, but he wished they could rewind a few days. He wished he could erase their night together, as wonderful as it was. Why had they been so reckless?
Harry tossed a stone into the lake and it skipped across. They had to talk this out together. They were a team. Sitting alone wasn't helping the problem at all. Harry made his way back to the common room.
Harry opened the portrait hole. Ron and Lavender sat snogging by the fireplace. Harry crept up the stairs to Hermione's dorm. He pulled the rose out of his pocket and went inside
"Mione? Honey?" Hermione looked up.
"Harry - " Harry put his finger to his lips.
"Don't say anything, Mione. I'm not here to pressure you. I just want you to know that no matter what we decide, I will love you forever." Harry dropped the rose on Hermione's bed. "This is all going to be hard, Hermione, I promise you that. No matter what we chose to do. Just remember that I love you, Hermione Granger. And that is what counts. This is real, Mione. This isn't fairy tale romance, but it is true love. That what it all comes down to: True Love."
Hermione smiled despite herself. She didn't need time to think this out alone; she needed Harry. Her dear Harry. She looked into his warm emerald eyes, and for the first time didn't just see the warm love they shared. She saw a future. She saw them growing old together, deeply in love. Harry was right. This was true love. It came with problems and challenges, but they had to at least try to overcome them together. She picked up the rose off the bed and put it in her chocolate hair.
"And roses." Hermione added. "It all comes down to true love and roses." She pulled Harry in for an amazing kiss, filled with passion, romance and truth.
"I want to have this baby, Harry. I want to have it with you. I want us to be together, no matter the cost." Harry smiled and kissed her gently on the forehead. Harry held Hermione in his loving embrace. They didn't move until an owl started tapping on the window.
"What's Hedwig doing here?" Harry got up and opened the window.
"I sent a letter to Sirius, about our situation." Hermione smiled. A dose of Sirius's advice was just what they needed. Harry opened the letter.
Harry and Hermione, This is very serious, I'm sure you don't need to tell you that. The important thing to do is to decide what you want to do. Other people will give you advice, but the only people who can make this decision are you two. Once that is done, we can take the necessary steps to make the situation work. I want you both to know that I am here for you, whatever the decision. Sirius
"Sound's like Lavender. I still . . . I'm just really worried about my parents." Harry wrapped his arms around Hermione.
"I think maybe we should tell them sooner rather than later. Otherwise it's just going to be there, hovering over us." Harry gave Hermione an encouraging smile. She returned it reluctantly.
"Yes, I guess so. Let's get a fire. They should be home now. You'll come with me?"
"Of course." Harry and Hermione made their way out to the common room fire. As Seventh Years they were able to use the fire to visit home on weekends. Harry tossed some floo powder into the fire.
"Ladies first." Hermione looked uncertainly at Harry.
"You sure we should do this now? I mean, wouldn't it be better to wait a few months? Maybe nine? We could just bring the baby home!" Hermione tried to pull Harry away from the fire. "It's a perfect plan!!!" Harry steadied Hermione and looked intently into Hermione's eyes.
"Hermione, is that really what you want?" He didn't loosen his grip on her. "Or are you just a little scared?" Harry kissed Hermione on her forehead and wiped away a single tear. Hermione nodded.
"Let's go, Harry." Hermione said, with less certainty than she had hoped, right before she stepped into the fire and was whisked away to her parent's house. Harry gulped. They could do this, right?
* A/N * Everyone who reviewed my story, YOU ARE THE BEST!!! Thank you so much! So . . . not much to say here, please R&R!!!! Thanks everyone! You are all beyond amazing!
Chapter Seven: Keeping The Baby
Harry stared at Hermione blankly. Did she actually just say what he thought she said? Pregnant? Oh God . . .
"Umm . . . Come again?"
"I'm pregnant, Harry" Tears filled Hermione's eyes. Harry didn't know what to do. This was not something he had prepared for.
"But . . . are you . . ." Harry broke into a smile despite himself. "We are going to a baby?" It was beyond Harry how exactly to react. He knew how hard this would be. They were only seventeen, but somehow, he couldn't help but smile at the thought of them together in a little flat with a tiny green-eyed baby.
"I can't do it, Harry. I can't be pregnant! My parents . . . They'll kill me!!" The tears were now streaming down Hermione's face. " I think we did all this too fast, Harry. I do love you, I really do. And I'm sure that if we met when we were older and the same things happened, we would be really happy together. But, we're not older. We are two really screwed seventeen year olds. I don't know what we can do. I need . . . I need answers, I need time." Hermione leaned in and kissed Harry on the forehead. "I need . . . I need to go." Hermione got up and ran out of the hospital wing. Harry sat there in shock.
*~*~*~*~*
Hermione ran into the common room, and headed straight for her dormitory.
"Herm?" Ron said as she sprinted in. "Herm, what's wrong?" Hermione didn't stop to listen. Ron and Lavender exchanged meaningful looks, and Lavender got off Ron's lap to go after Hermione.
"Hermione? Are you okay?" Hermione was crying into her pillow. Lavender sat down on the bed next to Hermione and patted her back. "It's okay, Hermione. Whatever it is, we can all help you. We are all here for you." Hermione sat up and looked at Lavender through tear stained eyes.
"Lav, I can't do this!"
"Do what? What happened?"
"I'm pregnant, Lav. I'm going to have a baby. My parents are going to kill me." Lavender, though shocked by the news, did just what Hermione needed. She didn't ask questions, or offer advice; she just leaned in and gave Hermione a long, comforting hug. After a few moments, Hermione pulled back.
"What can I do, Lavender? My parents - "
"Forget them. What do you want? This is your life, your baby, and your relationship. What do you want, Hermione?" Hermione shook her head.
"I don't know. I just don't know." Lavender looked intently at her.
"That's what you need to decide. No one can make those decisions for you. We are all here to help you, no matter what, but only you and Harry can decide what to do about your future." Lavender gave Hermione another quick hug. "I'll let you think on it." Hermione smiled slightly. Lavender was right. She needed to figure out what she wanted.
Back in the common room, Lavender went down to find Harry and Ron talking. She joined them, taking her preferred seat on Ron's lap.
"I wish she would talk to me about it. I know all this is harder for her than me, but I hate that she is alone right now. I wish I could help her."
"I just talked to her. She needs some alone time, to think about what she wants." Harry nodded.
"I'm going to write to Sirius." Harry got up and left for the owlery.
*~*~*~*~*
Sirius, Hermione is pregnant. I don't know what to do. She is in her room now thinking about what she wants to do, but I know her parents will be really upset when they find out. What can we do, Sirius? Please write back soon, I'm so . . . lost. Harry
Harry attached his brief letter to Hedwig's leg and went into the garden and picked out a single red rose. He put it in his pocket for later. Harry walked down to the lake. How was it possible that his life had changed so drastically in the course of just a few hours? He dearly loved Hermione, but he wished they could rewind a few days. He wished he could erase their night together, as wonderful as it was. Why had they been so reckless?
Harry tossed a stone into the lake and it skipped across. They had to talk this out together. They were a team. Sitting alone wasn't helping the problem at all. Harry made his way back to the common room.
Harry opened the portrait hole. Ron and Lavender sat snogging by the fireplace. Harry crept up the stairs to Hermione's dorm. He pulled the rose out of his pocket and went inside
"Mione? Honey?" Hermione looked up.
"Harry - " Harry put his finger to his lips.
"Don't say anything, Mione. I'm not here to pressure you. I just want you to know that no matter what we decide, I will love you forever." Harry dropped the rose on Hermione's bed. "This is all going to be hard, Hermione, I promise you that. No matter what we chose to do. Just remember that I love you, Hermione Granger. And that is what counts. This is real, Mione. This isn't fairy tale romance, but it is true love. That what it all comes down to: True Love."
Hermione smiled despite herself. She didn't need time to think this out alone; she needed Harry. Her dear Harry. She looked into his warm emerald eyes, and for the first time didn't just see the warm love they shared. She saw a future. She saw them growing old together, deeply in love. Harry was right. This was true love. It came with problems and challenges, but they had to at least try to overcome them together. She picked up the rose off the bed and put it in her chocolate hair.
"And roses." Hermione added. "It all comes down to true love and roses." She pulled Harry in for an amazing kiss, filled with passion, romance and truth.
"I want to have this baby, Harry. I want to have it with you. I want us to be together, no matter the cost." Harry smiled and kissed her gently on the forehead. Harry held Hermione in his loving embrace. They didn't move until an owl started tapping on the window.
"What's Hedwig doing here?" Harry got up and opened the window.
"I sent a letter to Sirius, about our situation." Hermione smiled. A dose of Sirius's advice was just what they needed. Harry opened the letter.
Harry and Hermione, This is very serious, I'm sure you don't need to tell you that. The important thing to do is to decide what you want to do. Other people will give you advice, but the only people who can make this decision are you two. Once that is done, we can take the necessary steps to make the situation work. I want you both to know that I am here for you, whatever the decision. Sirius
"Sound's like Lavender. I still . . . I'm just really worried about my parents." Harry wrapped his arms around Hermione.
"I think maybe we should tell them sooner rather than later. Otherwise it's just going to be there, hovering over us." Harry gave Hermione an encouraging smile. She returned it reluctantly.
"Yes, I guess so. Let's get a fire. They should be home now. You'll come with me?"
"Of course." Harry and Hermione made their way out to the common room fire. As Seventh Years they were able to use the fire to visit home on weekends. Harry tossed some floo powder into the fire.
"Ladies first." Hermione looked uncertainly at Harry.
"You sure we should do this now? I mean, wouldn't it be better to wait a few months? Maybe nine? We could just bring the baby home!" Hermione tried to pull Harry away from the fire. "It's a perfect plan!!!" Harry steadied Hermione and looked intently into Hermione's eyes.
"Hermione, is that really what you want?" He didn't loosen his grip on her. "Or are you just a little scared?" Harry kissed Hermione on her forehead and wiped away a single tear. Hermione nodded.
"Let's go, Harry." Hermione said, with less certainty than she had hoped, right before she stepped into the fire and was whisked away to her parent's house. Harry gulped. They could do this, right?