Severus and Hermione decided to wait until the next morning to tell
everyone about Hermione being pregnant. They felt that they needed to keep
it between themselves, if only for a few hours or so. Now Hermione sat
down at the table playing with the food on her plate, but not actually
eating any of it. Her nerves wouldn't allow it. She was overjoyed about
finally being pregnant, but why was it so difficult to tell her closets
friends, her family. Perhaps it was the fact that within four hours time
they would have to go check the wards on Voldemort. Hermione had the
oddest feeling that something was amiss today. Something was out of place
in the universe. Hermione was brought back down to earth by a sharp jab in
her ribs. Hermione turned and glared at Draco who was smiling sweetly.
"Plan on eating that?" He asked pointing to her mangled eggs and the few slices of fruit on her plate. Hermione shook her head and pushed it aside.
"I've seemed to have lost my appetite." Hermione smiled reassuringly to Draco.
"You okay Hermione?" Draco asked, a little bit of concern falling into his grey-blue eyes. She simply nodded. "You sure? You have this weird glow about you." Hermione frowned a bit at his last statement.
"I'm perfectly fine Draco, I'm just trying to find the right words for an announcement Severus and I have." Hermione turned away from him before she could see his knowing smile. He laid his hand across hers in understanding.
"Just get up and blurt it out." He whispered.
Hermione shook her head as she looked around the staff table. Albus and Minerva were talking quietly, slipping glances at her for some reason. Professors Flitwick, Sprout, and Hooch were also in a conversation, while Remus, Sirius looked as if they were about to start a food fight. Well, at least Sirius looked like it. Remus looked like he was trying to talk him out of it since his sights were set on Severus. Severus, her beloved, was out of character this morning. A small smile crept creeping over his lips as he stared at nothing in particular.
As Hermione looked around the room she didn't see Draco silently slipping an extra fork off the table. She hadn't noticed his hand leaving the top of hers or the fact that an evil grin had spread across his face. Draco looked down both sides of the table before jabbing the fork quickly into Hermione's back side. She yelped in pain and shot from her seat. Every head at the table turned to stare at her, including Severus. She rubbed the hurt away ruefully and gave Draco a look that could kill.
"Didn't you have something to say?" He asked innocently.
"Yes, Hermione, don't you have something to tell us?" Albus' voice rang clearly through the empty hall. She turned to look at the Headmaster who had that damned twinkle in his eyes.
"Well, since I was so rudely unseated," here she shot Draco another glare, "Severus and I did have some news." Hermione's voice caught in her throat. Why was this so hard? Draco poked her again with the fork, harder than before. "I'm pregnant!" She blurted out.
There was a flurry of colors as all the female members of the staff rushed towards Hermione and embraced her expressing their joy that she and Severus were going to be parents. Severus had left his chair, and was shaking hands with the males. Sirius had clapped him soundly on the back. This isn't that bad, Hermione thought as she was pulled into another hug by Minerva.
"I suggest that we take these congratulations outside, before anyone else is attacked by a rouge fork." Albus spoke clearly over the mass of chatter. Hermione noticed with some satisfaction that a pink tint had crossed over Draco's cheeks.
"Hermione dear, have you been thinking of any names yet?" Minerva asked kindly, while they guided her from the room.
"Well, Severus and I have been discussing it, but no. Not yet." Hermione looked over at Severus wistfully as she seemed to be pulled away further and further away from him. She caught his eye, and time seemed to stop as they just stood there and stared at each other over the heads of and in between their friends. "Hmmm? What did you say Poppy?" Hermione attention was snapped back to the stout medi-nurse.
"I said that I've always found Bridget to be a lovely name." Poppy Pomfrey smiled as Hermione's mind continued to linger elsewhere.
"Oh, what about Sara? Or perhaps Hannah?" Minerva said glancing at Poppy, and the elder females continued on in this fashion for sometime, not that Hermione heard a word after Poppy.
*****
Harry and Draco spoke quietly to the two aurors in front of the heavily warded door. It took several spells to confirm that they were all indeed who they said they were. Unfortunately, not all of the Death Eaters had been captured, and had yet to be found. Hermione shivered, trying to picture what sort of existence the regal Lucius Malfoy had now. Draco and his mother still lived at the manor, with very happy lives without that bastard. Hermione shook her head to clear it. She had to stay focused in there because she had no idea what would happen.
The aurors, Severus, Harry and Draco removed the wards and slowly opened the door. It creaked loudly on its hinges, a sign of how often it was used. The men went in first of course with wands raised. Hermione would have smiled at the thought of them being her knights in shining armor, but at the moment nothing would be able to make her smile. She took a deep breath before stepping into the room tentatively.
The air of the room was thick with a distant smell of decay. Hermione wrinkled her nose in disgust as she continued to walk towards the center of the room. Voldemort sat at the back wall, eyes distant and unfocused. Hermione shuddered as he didn't looked any different from when the put him in here. His eyes were still a blood red, his skin as pale as ivory, contrasted by his black hair. The only thing missing was the cruelty in his face. Without being able to move or speak, Voldemort looked as docile as a kitten.
Hermione gathered her cloak around her and slowly knelt in front of Voldemort's unmoving body. Her heart was racing a mile a minute from fear that as soon as she touched him he would strike out at her. Swallowing her fear Hermione brought her hands to either side of his face. She held them there for a second, mere inches from his flesh. Draco and Severus each put a reassuring hand on her shoulders. She took a deep breath and closed her hands around his temples.
A/N And there's the end of chapter four…JK! You didn't think I would actually end the chapter like this did you? All right, maybe I would, but not this time. Back to the story!
Voldemort watched them enter in mild amusement. Severus, Harry, and Draco. What a surprise to have three of them there, but where was his conduit? Where was Hermione? She would have to come to check his condition. He watched with anticipation as she slowly entered the room. She looked as delicious as he remembered. Soft milk white skin, golden chestnut hair, with two streaks of silver framing her face. Her eyes fell upon him and flashed gold for a spilt second as she hesitated.
That's right, Voldemort thought. You sense something is wrong, but you will still come to me.
On cue Hermione continued to walk towards him, gathering her cloak from around her ankles as she did. Slowly she kneeled before him, and even more slowly she reached her hands out to touch him. She stopped mere inches from his temples, and a frown creased her luscious mouth. Draco and Severus both put their hands on one of her shoulders and then she clamped her hands around his temples.
*****
A rush of cold ran through Hermione as she finally touched Voldemort. Her body gave a violent jerk and she was thrown backwards with Severus and Draco. Harry stood in shock as the three of them began to shake violently with cold. Severus was the first to take back control of his body, but Draco and Hermione were still trembling. Moments later they became very still. Hermione looked around the room in horror, as if she were searching for someone or something. She turned to Severus with panicked filled eyes.
"Are you, you? Do you feel any differently?" Hermione asked in a rush. Severus nodded that he was fine. She turned to Draco hurriedly. "Draco?"
"I'm fine." Draco answered while clenching and unclenching his fist. "What the hell happened?"
Hermione rushed from the room checking both of the aurors outside. She then proceeded to run different spells over them and Harry. She frowned trying to figure out what could have happened. Draco rushed after her and caught her arm.
"Hermione what happened?" Concern filled his voice, and Hermione couldn't help but answer with a tremor in her voice.
"I don't know. I felt as though something had come out of Voldemort, and shot straight through me." Draco guided Hermione back into the room where Severus was still standing.
"Hermione, why don't you try to check again." Draco said soothingly. "I'm sure everything's fine." He took her shaking hands and placed them back on Voldemort's head, his own hands never leaving hers. Hermione sighed in relief.
"He's still there I can feel him."
With that in order the Professors of Hogwarts left the room, warded it once more and left to go home. Unfortunately, they were bringing one extra person along for the ride.
A/N Okay, this is the end of the chapter. Still slightly evil cliffhanger, but not as bad. So tell me what you think.
Arcee- I do like the name Bridget, so I'll keep it in mind. I hope you don't mind that I put it in the chapter.
Aries-Overgrown schoolboy? I'll have to remember that. ; )
MountainDewChika- Sara is another fine name, so it's also in consideration.
If anyone else has any name suggestions for Severus' and Hermione's baby girl please let me know. You can either e-mail me @ ElfkinWarrior@aol.com, or leave it in a review. Thanks to Everyone!!!
"Plan on eating that?" He asked pointing to her mangled eggs and the few slices of fruit on her plate. Hermione shook her head and pushed it aside.
"I've seemed to have lost my appetite." Hermione smiled reassuringly to Draco.
"You okay Hermione?" Draco asked, a little bit of concern falling into his grey-blue eyes. She simply nodded. "You sure? You have this weird glow about you." Hermione frowned a bit at his last statement.
"I'm perfectly fine Draco, I'm just trying to find the right words for an announcement Severus and I have." Hermione turned away from him before she could see his knowing smile. He laid his hand across hers in understanding.
"Just get up and blurt it out." He whispered.
Hermione shook her head as she looked around the staff table. Albus and Minerva were talking quietly, slipping glances at her for some reason. Professors Flitwick, Sprout, and Hooch were also in a conversation, while Remus, Sirius looked as if they were about to start a food fight. Well, at least Sirius looked like it. Remus looked like he was trying to talk him out of it since his sights were set on Severus. Severus, her beloved, was out of character this morning. A small smile crept creeping over his lips as he stared at nothing in particular.
As Hermione looked around the room she didn't see Draco silently slipping an extra fork off the table. She hadn't noticed his hand leaving the top of hers or the fact that an evil grin had spread across his face. Draco looked down both sides of the table before jabbing the fork quickly into Hermione's back side. She yelped in pain and shot from her seat. Every head at the table turned to stare at her, including Severus. She rubbed the hurt away ruefully and gave Draco a look that could kill.
"Didn't you have something to say?" He asked innocently.
"Yes, Hermione, don't you have something to tell us?" Albus' voice rang clearly through the empty hall. She turned to look at the Headmaster who had that damned twinkle in his eyes.
"Well, since I was so rudely unseated," here she shot Draco another glare, "Severus and I did have some news." Hermione's voice caught in her throat. Why was this so hard? Draco poked her again with the fork, harder than before. "I'm pregnant!" She blurted out.
There was a flurry of colors as all the female members of the staff rushed towards Hermione and embraced her expressing their joy that she and Severus were going to be parents. Severus had left his chair, and was shaking hands with the males. Sirius had clapped him soundly on the back. This isn't that bad, Hermione thought as she was pulled into another hug by Minerva.
"I suggest that we take these congratulations outside, before anyone else is attacked by a rouge fork." Albus spoke clearly over the mass of chatter. Hermione noticed with some satisfaction that a pink tint had crossed over Draco's cheeks.
"Hermione dear, have you been thinking of any names yet?" Minerva asked kindly, while they guided her from the room.
"Well, Severus and I have been discussing it, but no. Not yet." Hermione looked over at Severus wistfully as she seemed to be pulled away further and further away from him. She caught his eye, and time seemed to stop as they just stood there and stared at each other over the heads of and in between their friends. "Hmmm? What did you say Poppy?" Hermione attention was snapped back to the stout medi-nurse.
"I said that I've always found Bridget to be a lovely name." Poppy Pomfrey smiled as Hermione's mind continued to linger elsewhere.
"Oh, what about Sara? Or perhaps Hannah?" Minerva said glancing at Poppy, and the elder females continued on in this fashion for sometime, not that Hermione heard a word after Poppy.
*****
Harry and Draco spoke quietly to the two aurors in front of the heavily warded door. It took several spells to confirm that they were all indeed who they said they were. Unfortunately, not all of the Death Eaters had been captured, and had yet to be found. Hermione shivered, trying to picture what sort of existence the regal Lucius Malfoy had now. Draco and his mother still lived at the manor, with very happy lives without that bastard. Hermione shook her head to clear it. She had to stay focused in there because she had no idea what would happen.
The aurors, Severus, Harry and Draco removed the wards and slowly opened the door. It creaked loudly on its hinges, a sign of how often it was used. The men went in first of course with wands raised. Hermione would have smiled at the thought of them being her knights in shining armor, but at the moment nothing would be able to make her smile. She took a deep breath before stepping into the room tentatively.
The air of the room was thick with a distant smell of decay. Hermione wrinkled her nose in disgust as she continued to walk towards the center of the room. Voldemort sat at the back wall, eyes distant and unfocused. Hermione shuddered as he didn't looked any different from when the put him in here. His eyes were still a blood red, his skin as pale as ivory, contrasted by his black hair. The only thing missing was the cruelty in his face. Without being able to move or speak, Voldemort looked as docile as a kitten.
Hermione gathered her cloak around her and slowly knelt in front of Voldemort's unmoving body. Her heart was racing a mile a minute from fear that as soon as she touched him he would strike out at her. Swallowing her fear Hermione brought her hands to either side of his face. She held them there for a second, mere inches from his flesh. Draco and Severus each put a reassuring hand on her shoulders. She took a deep breath and closed her hands around his temples.
A/N And there's the end of chapter four…JK! You didn't think I would actually end the chapter like this did you? All right, maybe I would, but not this time. Back to the story!
Voldemort watched them enter in mild amusement. Severus, Harry, and Draco. What a surprise to have three of them there, but where was his conduit? Where was Hermione? She would have to come to check his condition. He watched with anticipation as she slowly entered the room. She looked as delicious as he remembered. Soft milk white skin, golden chestnut hair, with two streaks of silver framing her face. Her eyes fell upon him and flashed gold for a spilt second as she hesitated.
That's right, Voldemort thought. You sense something is wrong, but you will still come to me.
On cue Hermione continued to walk towards him, gathering her cloak from around her ankles as she did. Slowly she kneeled before him, and even more slowly she reached her hands out to touch him. She stopped mere inches from his temples, and a frown creased her luscious mouth. Draco and Severus both put their hands on one of her shoulders and then she clamped her hands around his temples.
*****
A rush of cold ran through Hermione as she finally touched Voldemort. Her body gave a violent jerk and she was thrown backwards with Severus and Draco. Harry stood in shock as the three of them began to shake violently with cold. Severus was the first to take back control of his body, but Draco and Hermione were still trembling. Moments later they became very still. Hermione looked around the room in horror, as if she were searching for someone or something. She turned to Severus with panicked filled eyes.
"Are you, you? Do you feel any differently?" Hermione asked in a rush. Severus nodded that he was fine. She turned to Draco hurriedly. "Draco?"
"I'm fine." Draco answered while clenching and unclenching his fist. "What the hell happened?"
Hermione rushed from the room checking both of the aurors outside. She then proceeded to run different spells over them and Harry. She frowned trying to figure out what could have happened. Draco rushed after her and caught her arm.
"Hermione what happened?" Concern filled his voice, and Hermione couldn't help but answer with a tremor in her voice.
"I don't know. I felt as though something had come out of Voldemort, and shot straight through me." Draco guided Hermione back into the room where Severus was still standing.
"Hermione, why don't you try to check again." Draco said soothingly. "I'm sure everything's fine." He took her shaking hands and placed them back on Voldemort's head, his own hands never leaving hers. Hermione sighed in relief.
"He's still there I can feel him."
With that in order the Professors of Hogwarts left the room, warded it once more and left to go home. Unfortunately, they were bringing one extra person along for the ride.
A/N Okay, this is the end of the chapter. Still slightly evil cliffhanger, but not as bad. So tell me what you think.
Arcee- I do like the name Bridget, so I'll keep it in mind. I hope you don't mind that I put it in the chapter.
Aries-Overgrown schoolboy? I'll have to remember that. ; )
MountainDewChika- Sara is another fine name, so it's also in consideration.
If anyone else has any name suggestions for Severus' and Hermione's baby girl please let me know. You can either e-mail me @ ElfkinWarrior@aol.com, or leave it in a review. Thanks to Everyone!!!