Disclaimer: Nope, don't own Harry Potter
You're going places, Hermione
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Chapter Nine: The signs
"Oh," Hermione moaned, "I am so fat! No, I'm fatter than fat. I'm spawn of fat, I'm fat that was spawned from the greatest of fat and then doubled and tripled in size to become-"
"Even more fat?" Ginny wondered, plopping herself down next to her friend with a large book in her hands.
"Yes," Hermione mumbled, "Why did I ever agree to this?"
She pointed down at her slightly protruding stomach with unreserved disgust.
"Because, you are a good person and it was the right thing to do."
"No," She shook her head, "Because I'm stupid and gullible and your brother can talk me into almost anything."
Ginny grinned, "And you didn't even hear half of what he was going to say."
"What else was he going to convince me to do?" Hermione wondered, sighing heavily.
"Oh, it was only the one thing," Ginny told her, "He wanted you to have to baby, and he was going to raise it if you said you didn't want too and then if you didn't like his idea he was going to suggest that he went to America with you to raise the baby there. And if you did like that then he was going to ask you to marry him."
Hermione's eyes widened and she gaped at her friend.
"Alrighty then," Ginny opened the book she was holding, "I have Concealment Charms, Illusion Charms and Sensitivity Charms but that's about it. I've been trying to find a spell that would reverse that one you put on yourself too but I haven't as yet-"
Hermione stopped thinking about Ron and marriage for the moment and frowned.
"And why would I want the spell reversed?" She demanded.
Ginny gave her a look; "Well I figured that since you're going through with the pregnancy it might be nice if a relationship could be established. Or do you want to have the baby grow up not loving you? And not to mention you not loving it."
"I don't care." Hermione said with a shrug.
"That's not what you truly feel, that's the spell talking!"
"Well it doesn't matter because I've already told you that the spell can't be reversed so forget about it," Hermione scowled, "Now tell me about the spells I can used to hide my stupid stomach."
"Oh! Read about them your bloody self!" Ginny snapped as she stood up and strode out of the room.
"Fine then I will." Hermione muttered in irritation.
This was how things had been recently. She usually ended up fighting with Ginny about one thing or another. Ginny seemed to take Hermione's pregnancy rather personally, which Hermione didn't understand.
She was four months pregnant and starting to show so it had been impertinent that some spells were found to help hide her appearance because no one but Ron, Ginny and herself knew. She hadn't gotten around to telling Harry yet.
"There's something I could do now," Hermione told herself as she stood up, "Tell Harry."
She quickly put a Concealment Charm on herself before she hurried downstairs. Ron and Harry were playing a game of Wizards Chess in a corner and Hermione made her way over to them.
"Hey Hermione." Ron smiled broadly. Things between them had really picked up since the night in the Room of Requirement.
"Shut up Ron, I'm here to talk to Harry."
Well, things had picked up. The problem was that Hermione's temperament had worsened.
"Sure thing," Ron said breezily, "I'll just go and sit by myself in a corner then!"
He stormed away a little huffily and Hermione took his seat, looking directly at Harry. Harry shuffled uncomfortably.
"I'm not in trouble am I?" He asked, "I mean, are you mad at me for something, because I didn't do anything."
"I know you didn't do anything," Hermione snapped, "I'm here to tell you something that you don't know about me."
"Oh!" Harry sat back, "Oh."
She didn't notice his tone and quickly cleared her throat, unsure of how to start. At least it would be easier telling Harry than it had been to tell Ron.
"I'm pregnant." She said quickly.
"Get out!" Harry's eyes widened.
"No, I'm being serious. A few months before Christmas Ron and I-"
"I can't believe this! Wow, this is just…wow. I'm shocked. You know what I am? I'm shocked. Really, really shocked."
Hermione narrowed her eyes, "You already knew, didn't you?"
"What? That you were pregnant?" Harry sighed, "Well, yeah. Ron told me the night you told him. He came up to the dorm room ranting and we talked about it. But he said not to say anything about it until you told me yourself. But-"
"Oh! I can't believe him. He just goes around telling people!"
"Well, he technically only told me. But he also said that I wasn't to tell you that-"
"Why don't I just put a big poster up that says 'Ronald Wealsey and Hermione Granger are having a baby'! Would that make him happy?" Hermione sulked angrily.
"I think you're overreacting. But you have to know that Ron told me that I wasn't supposed to tell you that he told me what you told him, so can you not?" Harry asked.
Hermione shot him an annoyed look and sighed.
"Fine, I won't. But I'm going to glare at him from afar."
They sat in silence for a few moments before both seemed to subconsciously decide to continue the chess game. Harry placed forward a Knight to try and capture Hermione's Queen before he watched it get brutally slaughtered.
"I can't believe it." Harry said quietly.
"Well, you really should know better than to attempt that move." Hermione told him.
"No, I mean that I can't believe you're pregnant," Harry put his head to the side, "What's it feel like?"
"I don't feel anything yet. I'm only four months pregnant."
"Oh," He paused, "You know, I really did think that you would go through with that…abortion thing even if Ron tried to convince you not too."
"I probably should have," Hermione sighed, "It's going to be too much trouble for Ron to raise a child on his own. You know how immature he is. "
Harry grinned, "Well yeah, but he really wants too. He keeps on talking about it you know."
"About what?"
"How he's going to raise the kid. He's planning everything he needs to get and all of that," Harry shook his head, "He'll be able to handle it. Especially with Mrs Weasley helping him."
"Has he written to his mother yet?" Hermione inquired.
"Well," Harry rubbed his chin, "He did. He just hasn't sent the letter. I think he's worried he'll get a Howler. You written to yours?"
"Actually no," Hermione lowered her head, "I think it would be best if I didn't. Despite my misgivings about the baby and Ron raising it…ultimately it will all be finalized without me in the picture. They don't need to know because it won't affect me, and therefore not them."
"Sounds a bit unfair on your part Hermione."
"I don't mind at all," She paused, "Except that there are so many things to think about Harry. I didn't consider everything as much as I should have when I gave into what Ron wanted. I should have thought about how the child is going to be raised without a mother and have a father without a career. It's going to be brought up in an unstable environment!" She bit her bottom lip, "I was so inconsiderate of that, and now it's all I think about in relation to the baby."
"But I thought you weren't attached to it because of that spell you cast?" Harry wondered, before adding quickly, "Ron told me about that too when he was ranting."
"I'm not attached. All I worry about it how I'm going to be fat and in pain. But that doesn't mean I don't think it's wrong for any child to be brought up the way this child will be." She said sadly.
"Well, you won't need to worry about that because you'll be in America, won't you?" A voice said harshly.
Hermione watched Harry lower his eyes to the chessboard and she herself felt her cheeks flush.
"I wasn't trying to offend you Ron." She said.
"Yeah, you were just being practical right?"
His ears had turned pink and the look on his face reminded her of the times when they had gotten into heated arguments.
Hermione didn't say anything until she stood facing him, "Listen, I'm going through with all of this aren't I?"
"Yes you are, but when you're done you're going to be gone." He said angrily.
"That was the deal," Hermione said defensively, "I wasn't going to go through with it otherwise!"
Ron decided to say nothing and sat back down when he had been previously, staring at Harry with a face of stone. She knew he wasn't going to talk to her until he had cooled off.
"Fine Ron, be a child. But this is exactly what I was talking about, wasn't it Harry?" She put her hands on her hips.
"Please keep me out of it." Harry said quietly.
Hermione scowled, "Alright. Fine, I'm going to go. We can all talk later when you are both ready to be my friends again!"
And with that Hermione walked away, back up to her dorm room. She knew she wasn't being fair. It wasn't really her place to put judgement on how her child was going to be raised. Those that knew about the pregnancy also knew that she didn't care what happened to her child.
So many things were going to go unsaid over the next few months, Hermione knew that. Especially where her relationship with Ron was concerned. She didn't know where they stood. Sometimes they had good days and sometimes they had bad days like today. Nothing was ever really discussed. She assumed they were still together, but Ron hadn't kissed her in weeks.
Hermione heard her dorm room door creak open and she turned to find Ginny standing before her, holding a bag.
"I come bearing gifts," Ginny held up the bag, "Chocolates, cakes and sweets. Courtesy of Ginny Wealsey Apologises for Being Rude Incorporated."
Hermione smiled, "Oh Gin, I don't know how I'd get through this without you."
* * *
"I'm getting fatter every day," Hermione complained, popping some chocolate in her mouth.
"Doesn't stop you from eating though does it?" Ginny said with a smile.
Hermione scowled, "Shut up, I'm eating for two."
"More like ten."
"Shut up!"
Hermione rolled on to her back and sighed. If she raised her head she couldn't see past her stomach. It seemed that six months of pregnancy would do that too you.
"So what's happening with you and my brother?" Ginny wondered as she too helped herself to some chocolate.
"What do you want to know? That we aren't going out anymore? That he hates me while I'm still in love with him? That I can't bring myself to talk to him? Or that he's really a woman?" Hermione asked her, smiling slightly, "Because all but the last one is true."
"Hermione, please," Ginny giggled, "Be serious."
The smile faded from Hermione's face.
"I'm sad to say I actually am."
Ginny didn't reply and for a moment she simply stared at her friend in shock. Hermione knew how she felt. She herself had been shocked beyond belief when Ron had pulled her aside after Transfiguration three days ago.
"Yes Ron, what is it?" Hermione had asked him. It was unusual for him to approach her without Harry by his side. Their relationship was once more transgressed to that of forced politeness.
"I'll just be quick shall I?" Ron gulped, "I…well, I love you…you know that right? Anyway, I still want to raise the kid, I'm still all for it but…you and me are kind of like a broom ride, 'cept that mostly we're tumbling to the ground-"
"Is this you being quick?" She wondered with a smile.
"Well I'm trying-"
"Not very hard but."-
"I think we should stop seeing each other alright? I think we should break up." Ron said quickly.
Hermione's jaw dropped, "But…what? Why? I mean, I know we haven't been at our best lately but that can be fixed and once the baby is born-"
"Nah Hermione," Ron said gently, "You know it'll be too hard with you being in America. And because of that spell you put on yourself, there'll be no need for you to see the baby. I'm sorry."
Hermione had nodded mutely, her eyes filling with tears as he walked away. She had spent the last few days crying compulsively every time she was left alone, as well as crying herself to sleep at night. But she found that it was best to put on a brave face about it. More than anything she didn't want Ron to see how upset she was, for he seemed to be rather fine with it all.
"Ron broke it off a few days ago." Hermione said, trying to sound nonchalant.
"The prat!" Ginny's face darkened, "Why did he do it? What did he say?"
"He said he still loves me - but I don't believe that - and since I'm going to Sister Salem a relationship would be too difficult," She sighed, "It's okay though. We hardly had a relationship anyway. It went down hill after the first month."
Ginny observed her friend.
"Do you think everything would still be great if you two had never slept together?"
"I ask myself that everyday," Hermione admitted, "I don't know. It might have stayed the same."
Ginny nodded and ate some more chocolate, "I thought I was pregnant the other day."
"WHAT!" Hermione sat up quickly as she could and gasped at her friend.
"Gotcha!" Ginny said with a laugh.
"That isn't funny!" Hermione sulked as she lay back down.
"No, I suppose it isn't," Ginny put her head to the side, "Do you really love my brother?"
"More than I can express." Hermione said quietly.
"You could always stay you know, here in England. There are plenty of good Universities you could get into." Ginny said softly.
"Gin…" Hermione smiled stiffly, "You know I can't. You know I wouldn't give up Sister Salem."
"Yeah I know," The redhead stood up, "But I had to suggest it anyway."
Hermione nodded at her and rolled on her side, "Are you going?"
"Yeah, I feel like a walk."
"I'd join you but by the time I get to the door you would already have finished it," Hermione joked, "I'll see you later."
"Yeah," Ginny eyed her carefully, "Listen, don't worry about Ron. He loves you too, I know it. He's just having trouble handling all of this, I don't doubt he'll have trouble accepting all of it until he holds the baby in his arms. See you!"
Ginny disappeared from sight and Hermione ate the rest of the chocolate greedily while she thought about what her friend had said.
She was having trouble handling everything as well. She was giving birth in three months, she had her exams in a little over two and then she was going to have to say goodbye to her friends and family while she went to America in nearly four.
Hermione frowned. Would everything really have been different if she and Ron hadn't slept together? It would do no good to worry about that now. More importantly, would she be able to get over Ron and carry on with her life?
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A/N: Sorry it took so long to update! Something is up with my computer…it keeps putting a dash every time I press enter and…well, nevermind, sorry it took so long to post!
I'll just say a few things…
The students are in their seventh year, in case no one had guessed, and there is NO way for the Disattachment spell to be reversed. But if you hold your breath (not REALLY) and wait then you'll see that something will be done that kind of…fixes things slightly…you'll see…
NEXT: THE BIRTH
THANKS FOR THE AWESOME REVIEWS! I'M GLAD YOU GUYS LIKE IT!