Chapter 29
Feeling Settled
A few weeks had passed since that awkward dinner had taken place and Hermione found that time was passing quickly. Jamie had started at his new school and had settled in quickly. Harry was back at work, although he was keeping much more sociable hours and was often home before Jamie. Mary had tried to get Hermione a job at the Prophet, but found she didn't have enough of a reputation yet to be able to get her anything decent. She had assured Hermione that if she was allowed to name-drop the name of her 'boyfriend' then she could get Hermione a job instantly; but Hermione had said no to this straight away. Hermione had decided to keep busy and still wrote articles to fill her days. In the end it had been Luna who got her a job; her Father may have been approaching retirement age, but he was still firmly in charge of The Quibbler and when Luna had mentioned a friend in need of a writing job he'd agreed to take them on a trial basis. She had submitted three pieces to Mr Lovegod and was delighted that all had been accepted; although she did find it ironic that she was pleased that she'd gotten something published in a newspaper that she had once considered to be totally full of drivel.
Both her and Harry seemed please with the way their new relationship was progressing. At first they had both been afraid that they would get too clingy with each other, but once they had talked this through they were both much happier. They slept together most nights, but Harry was careful to creep out of Hermione's room before Jamie woke up. They still hadn't told anyone officially and Jamie still didn't know, but Hermione had confided in Ginny and Mary and then Luna, while Harry had chosen only to tell Ron, who was immensely pleased for them both.
They were very happy as was Jamie, and it showed. Harry was staring to feel like he had a real family and went everywhere with a huge smile on his face. Jamie was excelling at school, and getting keener to learn how to fly as each day passed and Hermione finally felt settled. She had been afraid that she and Harry would end up like her parents, bitter and resentful and definitely not friends, and so had avoided anything that might provoke an argument; but Harry had seen this coming. One night he deliberately needled her and they had an argument at the dinner table. She was shocked when she realised what she was doing, but she noticed Jamie wasn't afraid by their bickering- in fact he looked quite amused. She had realised that Harry had got her, but it did make her realise that just because they'd argued didn't mean that they wouldn't make up, didn't mean that they wouldn't be friends and didn't mean that Jamie would feel unsettled or unhappy. They had argued and bickered a few times since then, but like the old days made sure they never went to bed angry. Both felt happy and content with their new life; each marvelling that life could be like this, for their own reasons.
They were even planning on going away on holiday together, and had finally decided on Paris, since Jamie and Hermione both missed it and Harry had never really been. Harry had gone in early to the Ministry to ask Kingsley if he could take a long weekend off work, and one of Jamie's new friends had called for him early, so he had gone to school. This left Hermione at home on her own, reading through the Prophet and the Quibbler. Dumbledore had managed to smooth over the scandal by now; he had been the one to announce Jamie's existence to the work and had asked that the papers leave them all alone to get used to their new family. Ensuring that Jamie wasn't bothered at school wasn't a problem, since many of the children that attended also had famous parents. For about a week, there had been press camped outside of the Ministry and Hermione and Harry both felt thankful that they couldn't find them at home; there was simply too much magic protecting Grimmauld Place for reporters to attempt to find them. The press then found a more interesting story about an ex-Minister for Magic committing fraud, and hadn't really bothered them that much. Hermione found though, that she still preferred to read the papers cover-to-cover, just in case anything was written about them. This morning she had found a story about 'the boy that lived' buying a new suit and one for his son, which Hermione knew were for Ginny's upcoming wedding, but luckily the papers didn't know about yet, as well as some comments in the editorial about Hermione being the luckiest witch in Britain; stories she assumed she'd just have to get used to.
All of a sudden she felt sick. She wondered if the comments in the paper had upset her or even if the milk she had in her coffee that morning was fresh; but as she was wondering she was also running to the bathroom. She made it just in time and proceeded to throw up her breakfast and perhaps some of her supper from the night before. She felt awful and decided to just go to bed. When Harry woke her just after lunch, to say they wouldn't be able to get away at least until after Ginny's wedding, she felt better and didn't think about it again that day.
But then she was sick again the next morning.
A/N: I know some have you have already guessed the next part, but unfortunately thinks aren't going to be that straight forward.