"You have a visitor downstairs", Petunia said rather blankly. "Vernon's in a fit about it. She seems normal, but I know better." She scowled at him.
"What's he done, mum?" asked Dudley. "What's that awful smell? That's not pee!" Said Dudley realizing what happened and bounded out of the room in a fit of laughter.
Harry grabed the nearest pair of pants without bothering with underware. He figured Hermione would understand with the hope that she wouldn't smell the faint scent of dead fish emitting from his loins. He put on a basic t-shirt and his slippers and thumped down the stairs in a slow even rhythm.
He saw Hermonie on the couch in the living room. Vernon sat across from her looking very uncomfortable, ready to jump at any sign of chaos or magic.
"What did I tell you about having your friends visit, or call? I've been keeping an eye her. There best be no funny stuff. All my funiture and fixtures best be in tact when your meeting is over or I'll make you wish you never were a freak. In fact it would best if you did it OUTSIDE!" He stood up in a hurry and stomped out of the room.
Hermonie looked at Harry rather sullen. "Wow, Harry, I never thought it was as bad as this. Your uncle wouldn't even shake my hand or barely look at me. It's too bad they misunderstand us so much. I was hoping that I could break the ice a bit. I even told them about my parents. It just didn't seem to help.."
"Hermonie, you do like to get me into trouble, don't you? What are you doing here? You know how furious they will be. It's not like I can run away again like two years ago. It's too dangerous. If they kick me out of here I'm as good as dead."
"Please, Harry, I know. Don't scold me. I'm in a spot of trouble and... and... I don't know what to do." She burst out crying. It was so loud that Vernon peeked into the living room to make sure the room was as he had left it.
"Shh.. Hermonie, it's ok.. let's... let's go outside. I'll get my shoes." A moment later Harry returned with his shoes on and they went walking down Privet Drive.
"Oh, Harry, it's been an awful summer. I've been so confused and things have changed, Harry. They've changed alot. I don't know where to begin. I.. I don't think I can return to Hogwarts next year not now.. not.. like this!" She burst out crying again. Harry, not used to having girls cry in front of him, and rather peeved by their giggles, was awash with confusion. She seemed desperate. Hermonie the solver, the master wizard, bound to be one of the best aurors England had ever seen, collapsed in a lump of tears and pain. Harry was stunned. The strong headstrong know-it-all girl rolled on the ground in front of him weak, sobbing and helpless. He looked around to make sure none of the muggles who also lived in Privet Drive noticed her.
"Hermonie, please, get up. What's wrong? I've never seen you like this. What is it?" He crouched next to her and rubbed her back. "Please stand up," he said. Hermonie after writhing on the ground in sobs and wails, pulled herself together and stood facing him.
"I've left home." She said franticly between sniffles. "Parents kicked me out. Had to stay at Ron's for the summer. He doesn't know. None of them know. Not yet, you understand, Harry? They think I'm just visting, but I've been there three weeks and they're starting to get suspicious. I have to stay there, Harry, I've no place to go!"
"What's this all about, Hermonie? You've changed! Where's the brave know-it-all, stickler-for-the-rules I used to know?" She actually smiles behind her tears at this and a small giggle stumbled out of her. "That's it," he said "It'll be alright. I'll help you."
"Thanks, Harry." She sniffed. "Although I don't think there is much that you can do. You know I saw Viktor over the summer."
"Did you? And.."
"Well, my parents and I went to down to take in the sights of Bulgaria early in July and they decided that it would be ok if we went round to see him. We stayed a few days and.. oh Harry it happened so fast. Krum and I spent a lot of time alone together and well, hit it off rather well." With the last phrase her posture changed. It was as if she was remembering something sensual, something physical. Again, it was behaviour Harry had never seen before. Her innocence cascaded off her and she stood before Harry a woman, fully grown and developed, having known all the pleasures, common or otherwise, that only women are priveledged to know.
"Uh, Hermonie," he ventured tentatively. "how far did you and Krum, um, go?"
"go?" She looked at him inquizitively, "OH! Harry, honestly, I thought you could put two and two together." She said flatly.
"You mean, you um, did...it?"
"Yes, Harry, we did, God, why don't boys ever get it? Everything just has to be spelled out for you doesn't it. He was my first, and probably my last. He's so sweet, even he offered to help; offered to elope with me, but we're so young! It'll never work. OH! Harry!" She threw her arms around him and began to sob. "I don't know how I'll ever get out of this."
"For God's sake, Hermonie, what is it?"
"I'm... pregnant."
"What's he done, mum?" asked Dudley. "What's that awful smell? That's not pee!" Said Dudley realizing what happened and bounded out of the room in a fit of laughter.
Harry grabed the nearest pair of pants without bothering with underware. He figured Hermione would understand with the hope that she wouldn't smell the faint scent of dead fish emitting from his loins. He put on a basic t-shirt and his slippers and thumped down the stairs in a slow even rhythm.
He saw Hermonie on the couch in the living room. Vernon sat across from her looking very uncomfortable, ready to jump at any sign of chaos or magic.
"What did I tell you about having your friends visit, or call? I've been keeping an eye her. There best be no funny stuff. All my funiture and fixtures best be in tact when your meeting is over or I'll make you wish you never were a freak. In fact it would best if you did it OUTSIDE!" He stood up in a hurry and stomped out of the room.
Hermonie looked at Harry rather sullen. "Wow, Harry, I never thought it was as bad as this. Your uncle wouldn't even shake my hand or barely look at me. It's too bad they misunderstand us so much. I was hoping that I could break the ice a bit. I even told them about my parents. It just didn't seem to help.."
"Hermonie, you do like to get me into trouble, don't you? What are you doing here? You know how furious they will be. It's not like I can run away again like two years ago. It's too dangerous. If they kick me out of here I'm as good as dead."
"Please, Harry, I know. Don't scold me. I'm in a spot of trouble and... and... I don't know what to do." She burst out crying. It was so loud that Vernon peeked into the living room to make sure the room was as he had left it.
"Shh.. Hermonie, it's ok.. let's... let's go outside. I'll get my shoes." A moment later Harry returned with his shoes on and they went walking down Privet Drive.
"Oh, Harry, it's been an awful summer. I've been so confused and things have changed, Harry. They've changed alot. I don't know where to begin. I.. I don't think I can return to Hogwarts next year not now.. not.. like this!" She burst out crying again. Harry, not used to having girls cry in front of him, and rather peeved by their giggles, was awash with confusion. She seemed desperate. Hermonie the solver, the master wizard, bound to be one of the best aurors England had ever seen, collapsed in a lump of tears and pain. Harry was stunned. The strong headstrong know-it-all girl rolled on the ground in front of him weak, sobbing and helpless. He looked around to make sure none of the muggles who also lived in Privet Drive noticed her.
"Hermonie, please, get up. What's wrong? I've never seen you like this. What is it?" He crouched next to her and rubbed her back. "Please stand up," he said. Hermonie after writhing on the ground in sobs and wails, pulled herself together and stood facing him.
"I've left home." She said franticly between sniffles. "Parents kicked me out. Had to stay at Ron's for the summer. He doesn't know. None of them know. Not yet, you understand, Harry? They think I'm just visting, but I've been there three weeks and they're starting to get suspicious. I have to stay there, Harry, I've no place to go!"
"What's this all about, Hermonie? You've changed! Where's the brave know-it-all, stickler-for-the-rules I used to know?" She actually smiles behind her tears at this and a small giggle stumbled out of her. "That's it," he said "It'll be alright. I'll help you."
"Thanks, Harry." She sniffed. "Although I don't think there is much that you can do. You know I saw Viktor over the summer."
"Did you? And.."
"Well, my parents and I went to down to take in the sights of Bulgaria early in July and they decided that it would be ok if we went round to see him. We stayed a few days and.. oh Harry it happened so fast. Krum and I spent a lot of time alone together and well, hit it off rather well." With the last phrase her posture changed. It was as if she was remembering something sensual, something physical. Again, it was behaviour Harry had never seen before. Her innocence cascaded off her and she stood before Harry a woman, fully grown and developed, having known all the pleasures, common or otherwise, that only women are priveledged to know.
"Uh, Hermonie," he ventured tentatively. "how far did you and Krum, um, go?"
"go?" She looked at him inquizitively, "OH! Harry, honestly, I thought you could put two and two together." She said flatly.
"You mean, you um, did...it?"
"Yes, Harry, we did, God, why don't boys ever get it? Everything just has to be spelled out for you doesn't it. He was my first, and probably my last. He's so sweet, even he offered to help; offered to elope with me, but we're so young! It'll never work. OH! Harry!" She threw her arms around him and began to sob. "I don't know how I'll ever get out of this."
"For God's sake, Hermonie, what is it?"
"I'm... pregnant."