Disclaimer: I do not own any familiar Harry Potter characters.

Summary: Harry and Hermione are friends and live in the same house while Ron is married to Luna. Both of them are famous in both the wizarding and muggle world. A woman suddenly turns up in their doorstep with a baby telling them that the baby is not safe with her and if the people who are after her find out that the baby was hers, they would kill it. Hermione offers to look after the baby and take care of her child until her name was cleared. In this time, Harry and Hermione get closer ... Will they remain friends posing as a family..or something more? (H/Hr)

Author's Note: Just as everybody else had noticed, I have character not many people like, I decided to take the risk of getting all the reviewers flame me because of this. But I just had to put her there for reasons you will know in the later chapters.

The Baby

Chapter Six: Back to Hogwarts

After many long years, Harry had, once again, found himself seated in the Headmaster's office. It was a room he had not been in since he had started school. Sure he visited Hogwarts sometimes, but he never went back to that part of the castle for reasons unknown to him.

"Mr. Potter," Professor McGonagall, who was standing across from him and next to the Headmaster's chair, began with a voice of authority, "we would like to thank you for accepting the task we gave you."

"It's nothing, really," Harry replied modestly.

"You will find all of the things needed on your office," she continued as though he didn't say anything. "Please be down the Great Hall for breakfast for introductions."

"Okay," Harry said.

"Now, Harry," Professor Dumbledore said from his desk, "where, may I ask, is Ms. Granger?"

Harry squirmed in his seat. In truth, he did not know how or where Hermione was. When he woke up early this morning, she was not in her room. Neither was Angelica. He assumed that she had just taken her out for a morning walk.

"She's – er -- at home," Harry answered. "Resting."

He did not need to share his personal troubles with the Headmaster and his former Head of House.

"How is the child?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Uh, Angelica? She's fine."

"We hoped to see Ms. Granger and Angelica," she explained. "From all the rumors going around the school, I had to see for myself."

"Maybe, you'll see them later," Harry said. "They might come by."

True, they might come by. Hermione had never passed an opportunity to visit Hogwarts.

"We will see each other at breakfast," Professor McGonagall said. "And one more thing, we will show you to your room tonight."

Harry took that as a cue to leave. He stood up and went to his new office, the Defense Against the Dark Arts office. Thankfully, he did not meet anyone on the way. It was unusual to be entering the room. He had entered it numerous times before, but as a student, not a substitute teacher. He sat on the desk on the front of the room and looked around. It was just as he had remembered it. He sighed and started his planning ...

When Harry entered the Great Hall, all the students stopped talking to each other. They had seen Harry Potter before, he visited all the time. But they couldn't help it. He strode to the empty chair on the staff table. He chuckled at the look on Snape's face. The Potions master had always wanted the postion of Defense Against the Dark Arts. Harry secretly thought that if nobody accepted the part, he would be the one teaching it, which was one of the reasons he decided to take it.

"As you all know," Professor Dumbledore started, seeing as none of the students were talking, "Professor Edwards is unable to teach, due to an emergency. Mr. Potter has taken the liberty of taking his place for the time being."

The reaction of the students was just as he expected. The boys grinned and the girls giggled and whispered to each other.

Harry finished his breakfast and went back to his office, just to make sure everything was planned. Just a few minutes later, the door opened and students came in, filling in seats. Seventh Years. He glanced at his watch. Fifteen minutes 'til class actually started.

When the door opened, Harry looked up, expecting to find a student, but was mildly surprised when a woman of around his age stepped in. The woman had short, blonde hair and hazel eyes. She scanned the room quickly, then walked up to Harry.

"Potter," she said in greeting, flashing him a smile.

"Ethelsan," Harry nodded. He knew her from work, though he didn't like her much himself. Gwen Ethelsan was the type of girl that Harry disliked. She was very giggly when it came to boys and she flirted more that all of the Seventh Year girls put together ... at least Harry thought she was. Another thing was that she seemed to have a certain liking to him. There was something about her that he was not comfortable with.

"I just thought I'd drop by," she told him. "I volunteered to help Madame Pomfrey in the Hospital Wing."

"Great," Harry lied, and bit back a grin when he saw her struggling to sit on his desk. Gwen was short ... very short. She stood at 5'1 and even then, she was wearing three-inched heels.

"Anyway," Gwen said once she gave up, "I was just wondering if you wanted some company?" She walked to around the table and next to Harry. She reached for his arm and ran her hand up and down. "I can come over tonight," she suggested seductively as she leaned closer to him.

"No," Harry said prying her hand off, but she wouldn't let go. "Let go."

"Why, Harry?" she asked as she looked at him. "Why not?"

Harry didn't really know why.

"Because," he said, "Hermione." He did not really have anything else to say, so he said the first thing that popped in his mind.

"What she doesn't know won't hurt her," Gwen pouted.

"I'm not betraying her," Harry stated firmly. In truth, he wouldn't be, but he felt like he was. Not just because of the Angelica situation, but because of something else he couldn't quite make out.

"You seriously don't love that Mudblood do you?" Gwen snorted. "I mean, you're only with her because you got her knocked up and you stayed with her to keep your decency."

Harry was getting angrier at every word she said. His hands were clenched into fists in anger. Gwen, it seemed, didn't notice anything out of ordinary and kept on talking.

"She's so boring and plain," Gwen was saying. "I have no clue why the kid turned out like she did with her mother so ugly. I even doubt it if she's not screwing some random guy in bar when you're not home. And it can't be that girl – Heather Williams, was it? Everyone knows that you just like her because of her looks. But Harry, can't you see? I'm loads more prettier than her."

That was it. Harry was very collected when it came to things like this. But Gwen, with all the things she said about Hermione, pushed him over the edge. He didn't know what possessed him to do it, but he stood up from his seat quickly, making Gwen jump, and faced her.

"Don't you ever call her that word again," Harry said through gritted teeth. "Hermione is one of the most beautiful women I know and she is one of the nicest too." The blonde's jaw dropped, but he wasn't done yet. "Hermione would never sink as low as you. And Heather is a hundred times more attractive than you," he said as calmly as he could. "Get out."

"Harry -"

"Get out."

"But -"

"I SAID GET OUT!"

"I'll get you," Gwen said. "I'll do anything to get you." She then stood up and scrambled to the door. She then slammed it as hard as she could after giving Harry a pointed look.

Harry was breathing hard. He glanced at his watch. He still had four more minutes before his students came. He sat back down and put his head in his hands. What happened to him? He doesn't lash out on people like that, much less, to girls.

Harry's first day of teaching went fairly well except when the students kept on asking about his personal life, specifically about his 'little baby Angelica' and if it was possible if they could meet her. He had been telling them some stories of some of his adventures, careful to add in bits and pieces about certain spells and creatures to make the class more interesting. Once the bell rang, dismissing the class, Harry heard bits of conversations going between the students.

"He's so cool!" A student with brown hair exclaimed.

"I thought he was gong to be one of those big-headed people," a boy exclaimed. "But he was the complete opposite!"

Harry smiled and just went back to his work, getting ready for the next class to come in. During supper, Harry was once again reminded by Professor McGonagall that Hermione and Angelica had not been in the castle and that she would show him to his room after he ate.

Just as she said, Professor McGonagall showed Harry to his room once he had finished eating. It was decorated with colors of the four Houses of Hogwarts. The room made him feel at home. What disappointed greatly was that Hermione did not visit.

He sighed and looked at a picture of Angelica and Hermione that was on his bed side table. He took it when she was feeding Angelica. Neither knew that he was there. He stared hard at Hermione. It was true that she wasn't drop dead gorgeous, but she was beautiful. The Hermione in the picture was softly singing to Angelica and Angelica seemed to be falling asleep.

As he looked at her, he felt something in his stomach flutter. It was as though something erupted with in him. Something that wanted to get out of him for a very long time. Something he always avoided at all costs. He couldn't point out what it was because he had never felt that way before. He sat up hastily when there was a knock on his door.

"Come in!" he shouted. The door opened to reveal Heather. She closed the door and walked to him. Harry smiled and hugged her before telling her to sit beside him.

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked.

"I know about your fight," Heather said quietly. "Your fight with Hermione. I'm sorry."

"Listen, that wasn't your fault!" Harry told her.

"Yes it is! She thought we were doing something we were not suppose to!"

"Red, don't worry about that," Harry told her. "She'll come around soon."

"Yeah, but she thinks that you don't like her."

"Of course I like her," Harry said. "She's the mother of my daughter."

"Harry, you know that's not true."

"What do you -"

"Harry, I know about your secret," Heather said in a low voice. "I know that Angelica's not yours and I also know who her mother is."

Harry stared at her dumbfounded.

"What are you t -?"

"You know very well what I'm talking about!"

"How did you -?"

"That's not important," Heather interuppted. "What's important is that she knows you care about her."

"She knows I care about her," Harry said. Not bothering to deny that Angelica was not, indeed, his or Hermione's, knowing that, somehow, she found out. "She's my friend."

"Not like that!" Heather laughed. "Like her as in want to be with her!"

"No!" Harry said quickly. "I don't like her like that!"

"Harry, admit it!"

"No!"

"Harry, I've known you for many years," Heather said softly. "I know how you look at her and they way you look at other girls."

Harry looked down. Did he really? "Harry, look at me," Heather said as she pulled up his chin. "I'm not forcing you to tell me. I just want you to know that I'm always here to listen."

It was silent for few moments before Harry decided to tell her what was troubling him. He took a deep breath and started to talk.

"Maybe I do like her in a way I don't want to," Harry stated. "I do now, but I'll get over it," he said. "I have to."

A small smile appeared on Heather's face. "Your heart decides whom it likes and whom it doesn't," she said gently.

"I'll get over her," Harry said resolutely.

"Don't lie to yourself , Harry," Heather said. "You know that's not true."

"Harry, you can't tell your heart what to do," Heather said lightly as she put her had over his. "It does it on its own. It does it when you least expect it or even when you don't want it to."

"Heather, I didn't know you were into this kind of talk," Harry laughed. "I still don't believe in those. I'm sorry."

"Harry, you're such a baby!" Heather said impatiently. "I know it's true and you do too!"

He knew that what she was saying was true. But he refused to admit it to her ... to himself. Harry turned his head to look at her.

"If I do tell her, she might not have the same feelings I feel for her," he said sadly.

"You'll never know if you don't try, Harry," she said.

"Have you ever decided not to become a couple with a friend because you were too afraid to loose everything you had with them? No!" Harry asked with a lot more force than he intended. "That's how I feel right now!" he shouted. "Not that you would know!"

Heather stood up, shaking her head lightly. She crossed the carpet to the door and Harry immediately regretted his harshness her. She placed a hand on the doorknob and looked back at Harry.

"Harry," she began softly, "I do know how you feel. I know better than you think."

"What?" Harry asked confused.

"Yeah, I do know," Heather laughed bitterly. "Only when I decided to tell that person, it was too late."

"What?"

"Too many of us stay walled up because we are too afraid to care too much for fear .... For fear that the other person does not care as much, or don't even care at all."

"Red, I don't want to take that chance," Harry told her. "I'm scared."

"That's why you deny your feelings for someone. Because your fear of rejection is just too hard to handle," Heather said. "Life is all about risks, and it requires you to jump." With that, Heather opened the door, stepped out and was about to close it when Harry suddenly called out for her.

"What?" she asked smiling.

"Who was it?"

"Who was what?"

"Who was the person you loved?"

"You really are thick, you know that?" Heather smirked. "Really, really, thick."

"Hey!" Harry protested. "I'm not thick!"

"Could've fooled me!" Heather laughed. Harry motioned for her to come back and sit down but she shook her head. "I better get going, it's pretty late. And besides, I still need to drop something off by a Muggle car early tomorrow morning."

"Take care, Red!" Harry said. Heather smiled.

"Don't worry, I will," she said. "Bye, Baby!"

"You're not mad at me then?" Harry said relieved. "I mean when you call me by actual name when we're alone, that's when I know you're pretty angry."

"I'm not angry," Heather said. "Just a little irritated." Harry pouted. "Fine, I'm not!" she laughed. "Bye!"

"See you tomorrow?" Harry asked, a weird feeling in his stomach.

"Sure," Heather smiled. She waved one last time and closed the door.

There was a feeling in his stomach that he couldn't shake off. He felt dread. He turned in his sleep but he couldn't get any. Instead, he stared at the ceiling and thought about what Heather had said. He would put that in the back of his mind for a while. What Heather said could wait... couldn't it?

Author's Note: Thanks for reviewing! I really appreciate them. I'll update soon!

-Ria