Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any characters contained within this story, J. K. Rowling does, and she kicks ass, so I wouldn't steal her stuff from her.

A/N- ok guys. this is my last chapter of Appearances! Don't cry, because I decided I wanted to change the format and stuff a bit, so my new story is a spin-off on the Ginny/Snape plotline told through first person narratives. the new piece is called In This Diary, and I hope you like it!

Chapter 14: From One Life to the Next

Ginny's eyes fluttered open and she adjusted herself to her surroundings. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Hermione busily running about her room packing. Groaning loudly she sat up and rubbed her eyes. "My parents are coming today, aren't they?" Stopping and turning towards the bed, Hermione screwed up her face and nodded. "You'd better get out of bed, because they're going to be here really soon. I think all the other students have left, too." She turned back to her packing quickly.

"Fine," Ginny said throwing back Hermione's covers dramatically and putting her feet on the carpeted ground. "I'm going to go upstairs and pack all my stuff up." She yawned and stretched widely.

"Oh, no need," Hermione said without glancing up. "I was up really early and took care of it for you." She stopped for a moment and looked at Ginny. "You shouldn't be doing too much strenuous activity in your condition, you know."

Ginny's eyes widened. "Be quiet!" she hissed. "Do you want everyone to know?" She plopped back down on the bed, exasperated, and Hermione just shrugged and went back to her packing.

On the table, Ginny noticed an unsealed white envelope. Curiously, she picked it up and turned it over to see "Severus Snape" written on the front. Her cheeks began to grow pink and a knot formed in her stomach. Hands shaking, she opened the envelope and pulled out the letter with Hermione's delicate scrawl on it. "Professor Snape," she began to read to herself. "I know that it is not any of my business, but I feel that you should know that Ginny is pregnant with your child."

Livid, she jumped up, crumpled the letter and threw it at the trashcan, missing by a mile. "How dare you!" she screamed at Hermione. "I saw that letter you wrote to Severus! You had absolutely no right!"

Hermione froze over her trunk. "I know," she whispered. She stood up slowly, afraid that any sudden movement would enrage Ginny further. "I know, I know, I'm sorry that I wrote it. I wasn't really going to give it to him."

Ginny just stood there, seething.

"I think you should tell him, but it is your decision," Hermione said more definitively. "I just wanted to get my thoughts out on paper, it makes me feel better about a situation."

Loosening up a bit, Ginny walked towards the door. "Fine, but make sure it doesn't go any farther than that." She opened the door and slammed it emphatically behind her.

In the common room, Ron and Harry were playing a game of exploding snap with their and Ginny's luggage piled around them. "Want in?" Ron said looking up at her.

"No, I want my clothes."

"Hermione left you an outfit on your bed upstairs," Harry said turning to look at her. "Your parents will be here in a half an hour, then we're going to meet Draco and talk to Dumbledore for a few minutes."

Ginny grimaced. "Sounds fine." She walked silently upstairs to change.

"She's really bummed about having to go home, isn't she?" Harry asked Ron and turning back to the game.

Ron stared at him. "If you had to go home to my mother after getting kicked out of school for a year for messing around with a professor would you be excited?"

Harry paused. "Nope, I'd be dragging my heels the whole way."

"Exactly."

Dragging her suitcase out of her room a little while later, Hermione backed through the door and threw herself down on the couch next to Harry. "You excited for another stay at the Burrow?" she said sarcastically.

"Oh yeah," Ron said equally acerbically. "This is going to be a hoot."

Hermione was becoming enthralled in Harry and Ron's game when Dobby walked in. "Happy Christmas, Dobby," she said giving him a warm smile.

"And a Happy Christmas to you three as well," he said cheerfully as he walked up to them and presented them with shabby poorly wrapped gifts. "Dobby made them himself, but you can't open them until Christmas day."

Harry and Ron gave him fake smiles as hey accepted their gifts. "Don't worry, we won't," Ron said. Hermione shot him a menacing look.

"Thank you, Dobby, they look wonderful," she said sweetly.

Dobby grinned sheepishly. "Dobby must straighten your rooms now, but he wants to tell you that Mr. Ron's parents are on their way this very moment." He smiled again and headed off for Hermione's room.

Moments later, there was a knock at the Gryffindor common room door. "Must be Mum," Ron said, getting up to open the door. "Let's all put on a happy face."

Before Ron could reach the door, it swung open revealing a chattering Mrs. Weasley and a patient Mr. Weasley. "That fat lady has been there for decades and she doesn't even recognize a Weasley, for goodness sake!" she cried. She looked and saw Ron standing there with a fake grin plastered on his face. "Oh Ron! Look at you, you've grown up so much in the past few months. Hasn't he, Dear?"

"Oh yes, quite a bit taller," Mr. Weasley responded. "How are you doing, Ron?"

"Fine Dad, just fine," Ron said dropping back into the common room.

Hermione and Harry stood up to greet the Weasleys. "It's so great to be going back to the Burrow, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione said. "And I can't wait for you to get to know Draco better than what Ron and the twins have told you, he's a much better man than that now."

"That's wonderful, Hermione. This is going to be a lovely break," Mrs. Weasley said, smiling. "Speaking of breaks," she said, her face faltering slightly. "Where's Ginny? Shouldn't she be ready to go by now?"

"Here I am, Mum," a small voice called from the stairs. Ginny descended the steps slowly in a dress that made her look like a nun. Her head was bowed as she walked up to her parents.

Mrs. Weasley cupped her hand under Ginny's chin and lifted her face up to look in her eyes. "Ginny, we're not going to lock you in your room for the next year. Everything's going to be all right. You were blinded by love and made some bad decisions, it's all over now. Things will be back to normal in a year."

"No they won't," Ginny whispered. She cleared her throat and backed away from her mother's hand. "Mum, Dad, Ron, Hermione, Harry," she began more assuredly. "I have something that I need to tell you all about my suspension. Obviously you know that it was because I was sneaking out at night to meet someone, and you know that it was Professor Snape and that we're completely over with now. Well, a part of him is always going to be with me from now on."

"Ginny, dear, it's natural to hold onto your first love," Mr. Weasley interjected.

She held her head up and swallowed. "No, Dad, that's not what I mean. I'm."

"Don't tell me," Mrs. Weasley gasped.

"What?" Ron yelled.

"Ron, shut up," Hermione and Harry hissed.

"I'm pregnant!" Ginny blurted.

No one said anything for a few minutes.

Ron broke the silence. "You mean, you're going to have Snape's baby?" he asked calmly. Ginny nodded. "Ah, well then," he said, looking at his dumbfounded parents. "This is going to be a very interesting break indeed."

"Ron, be quiet!" Mrs. Weasley hissed at him. Mr. Weasley's mouth opened and closed, but no sound would come out. "When we get home, we're going to have some words about this Virginia," Mrs. Weasley said calmly. "Right now we have to meet Draco in Dumbledore's office and have a short chat before we leave."

One by one they all left the room in silence and headed towards the office. When they entered, Draco stood up and went to hug Hermione. "No touching!" Mrs. Weasley shouted abruptly.

Everyone jumped back, startled, and looked at her. "Ah, Mrs. Weasley, good to see you and Arthur again," Dumbledore said. Motioning for them to take seats, he sat himself. "So, I'm assuming you've heard the good news about your daughter?" he asked them with a glimmer in his eyes.

"I don't know if you'd call it 'good,' Albus," Mr. Weasley said, shifting uncomfortably.

"A baby is always a blessing!" he chuckled. "I'm just hoping that the year off from school will be sufficient time away to have the child and get acclimated to life as a mother before finishing classes."

Ginny's eyes teared. "You knew?" she asked. "How could you have possibly known? I didn't even know when I went to the professors."

Draco's jaw dropped and his eyes grew wide. "Ginny's pregnant with Snape's baby?" he squeaked.

Eyes twinkling, Dumbledore smiled knowingly. "Yes, Mr. Malfoy. And I tried to expel Ginny so that she could raise the baby properly, but Professor McGonagall made a strong point and I couldn't deny one of our brightest students the last year of her education, so I provided you with a 'sabbatical,' if you will."

Ginny rose from her chair and walked over to Dumbledore. "Thank you," she whispered as she put her arms around him and cried silently into his white beard.

"There there," he said gently, prying her from his chest. "Have you told the father yet?"

She immediately stopped crying and straightened up. "No," she said, looking directly at Hermione. "And I'm not going to. I have my reasons." Mrs. Weasley opened her mouth to speak. "And I'd prefer not to be pressed on the issue," Ginny finished. "It's a done deal."

Mr. Weasley stood up and looked at his daughter. "I'm not thrilled with the decision, Ginny, but I know that there's little to no chance of changing your mind. So I say we get this vacation started and head home."

"Excellent idea," Ron said throwing himself from the chair and practically running towards the door. "Have a good holiday, Professor!" he said.

Harry, Hermione, and Draco said their goodbyes and left the room as well. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley followed them out. "Goodbye, Professor," Ginny said. "Thank you for everything."

Dumbledore just smiled. "Take care of that baby, and I want to see him or her in nine months."

Ginny walked out of the room and caught up with her family who was nearing the huge doors in the entranceway. "You all ready to go?" Hermione asked. Ginny nodded. Smiling, Hermione hugged her tightly. "I know you'll miss it, but you'll be back soon enough, and you'll be a better person then too, trust me."

As they walked through the doors, Ginny noticed Dobby waiting just inside. "Have a good holiday, Dobby," she said cheerfully. "I'll see you next year!"

He smiled nervously in return. "Goodbye," he said and continued to wait.

Dobby watched the Weasleys and company leave the grounds and he continually checked the entranceway for someone or something. He perked up slightly when he heard quick and heavy footsteps approaching. When the dark shoes and billowing black cloak reached the door he finally spoke up. "Professor Snape," he said sheepishly.

Snape looked down and scowled. "What?" he snapped, shifting his weight and moving slightly away from the dingy looking Dobby.

Dobby reached up under his hat and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. "Dobby found this mail for you while he was cleaning and thought he should deliver it in person, sir." He extended the paper to Snape.

Snatching it away he smoothed out the wrinkled envelope and read his name on the front. "Please take more care in handling others' mail from now on. I'm sure you didn't find it in this state."

Dobby shrank back and scattered away as quickly as he could. Snape frowned and looked at the envelope closely. Turning towards the door again he shoved it into the pocket of his robes and left Hogwarts for good.