Disclaimer: I do not own or ever will, the rights and such to the Potter Universe. Please don't sue me, I'm poor.

Chapter 3: Surprise

"Henry, we must get going or we won't make the train!" Hermione yelled up the broad stairs towards her stepson's room. She heard shuffling and then a light huff. He was down the steps shortly and with his large trunk with Henry's initials engraved in Olde English writing on the top of the trunk, beaming towards the ceiling in golden colours.

She had picked his trunk out from the wood carvers just one year before and had been delighted to find one so like her old one that she was able to relive some memories long forgotten. "Is Micah in her cage?" Hermione asked as Henry walked past her to the breakfast table.

"Yes, I made sure she had water and treats as well, Mum, so don't ask. I do know how to take care of an owl. You gave me that book when I was seven." Henry smiled towards his Mum and was glad that she looked upset at his leaving. He had grown quite close to her throughout her marriage to his Dad was sad to be leaving her knowing that this Christmas, when he returned, there would be no father to greet him.

"Let's go then, before the train takes off and leaves you here." Hermione laughed, ruffling his blonde hair transfiguring his trunk into a small box. Once at King's Cross, Hermione felt the first pains of his leaving.

Henry had grown so much over the summer and made Hermione feel as though she was letting go of a young man instead of the boy Henry had always been. She knew Ron would visit and eventually Harry, Susan, and Veronica would drop by, but she wouldn't have Henry around to make her laugh or remind her of Wallace.

"Oy, Michael, save me a seat!" Henry yelled towards a rather happy looking boy who stood close to a group of children.

"Be quick about it, Henry, or we'll leave without you." The Michael boy called out towards Henry and Hermione.

"Well, you don't have to hug me if it will embarrass you, but at least shake my hand." Hermione offered, looking towards the boy and feeling a little awkward, as she hadn't said goodbye to him before by herself.

"Don't be silly, Mum, you know I couldn't leave without hugging you." Henry said, wrapping his arms around Hermione's shoulders. He was much too tall for a twelve year old.

"I love you, Henry. Write me when you can and come home when you want to over break."

"I love you too, Mum. And I'll be home for Christmas." She waved as he walked towards the brilliant red engine and sighed softly knowing she wouldn't be seeing him for another three months at least.

As she turned away from the train, she caught a familiar face before her, but turned quickly, caught in her emotions. She didn't want anyone to see her so vulnerable and alone, so naked to everyone's prying eyes.

"My nephew and your son have become friends I gather." Severus Snape said as she walked past him trying to ignore his presence at the terminal.

"Yes, apparently so."

"Henry will find comfort in Michael. They have both lost their parents recently and that has made them both exposed." Severus continued as if she hadn't spoken a word.

"Where is Atticus this morning?"

"He and Harrison are at the manor."

"Harrison?"

"My other and youngest nephew."

"Is he in school?"

"Yes and no. I am tutoring the young boys this year."

"Is he five?"

"No, three, he is in the pre-schooling." His expression hadn't changed from his times as her professor. She wondered if he even worried about his nephew who was suddenly further away then before.

"Henry knows that he can rely on his friends and professors if he feels the need to talk. I fear my own selfish behaviour has caused a rift or two where we could have healed."

"He will learn as most children his age have in the past." Severus replied with all of the comfort he could offer her.

"Well, I must be going, the bookstore must be in shambles without me." She laughed weakly and turned slightly from the man before her to walk towards her apparition point.

"Do feel free to trim those hedges anytime, Madame." She could distinctly hear the sarcasm in his voice, but nodded politely and walked further down. As she edged to the spot where she could apparate safely, she stopped suddenly as a brief wave of nausea hit her completely, head to toe. As she stood, she stumbled slightly against the harsh concrete.

Once able to stand without feeling an intense need to either use the restroom or vomit, she resumed her mission and apparated to the bookstore.

"Why don't you just go home and rest, Hermione, you look dreadful." Ron said after watching Hermione work half-heartedly for an hour or so. She removed the damp cloth from her head and walked towards the register.

"Yes, I will go home early today." She bent slightly and kissed Ron's cheek before grabbing her purse and leaving her store. She would have to hire someone to work extra for times when she needed to leave early. On her way home, she stopped in at a muggle drug store to gather some home remedy type goods and also one very specific item that would answer several questions at once.

"Thank you, Madame." The clerk said as she left the store with a large bag of muggle junk food and supplies. Once home she went directly to the kitchen and drank two glasses of water. Her stomach felt somewhat better, but knew anxiety was taking over.

"How long does this take?" She cried out in frustration while looking at the directions for the home pregnancy test she had acquired at the general store. She was almost certain it would be positive. She and Wallace had been trying for over a year and she really hadn't thought about it much since he had died. She remembered so clearly the last time they had made love. It was actually two weeks before Wallace died and the most romantic experience she'd ever had.

If a child was to be born of that night, than she was extremely pleased. She had always wanted children and knew that Wallace would be happy to know that something of their life together had come to be, if it was positive.

"Come on you stupid thing." She yelled looking intently at the stick wondering if she had wasted her money on something that she could've done herself by casting a spell. She reminded herself that if she was pregnant, than she didn't want to know the sex of the baby and using said spell would confirm her pregnancy and tell her the sex of the baby.

As she thought, she saw two very bright, very blue lines appear on the little strip and instantly, she felt relief that she was finally pregnant, if a little sad that Wallace would never know his little son or daughter. She would have to make an appointment to see a mediwitch and also write to Henry to let him know of his impending older brother status.

She decided first to contact a mediwitch and mail Henry a letter later. The next morning, Hermione got up as usual, not feeling particularly under the weather or drained. She wondered if any of the first time mothers experienced mid-afternoon sickness instead of morning sickness. She had made an appointment for one o'clock, but wished she'd made it earlier as she was so excited that she could barely notice

Henry wasn't singing in the shower and Micah wasn't hooting to be let out. She fed her own new kitten a bowl of milk and then drank the rest of her tea. Her walk to the bookstore was dreary as the morning fog was religiously heavy and upsetting. She felt every need to shout to the world her great news, but then remembered her husband wouldn't ever see his new child or know it's sweet face.

Suddenly, she stopped about a block from the bookstore and began crying as if he had just died. Wallace's eyes were staring directly into hers in memory and she couldn't help but wonder if he could see her or know that she was thinking of him that morning. In instinct, she pulled out the handkerchief her mother had knitted for her as a child and wiped her eyes. With each tear, she knew there would be roughly seven more months of this wondering and then the lifetime of the child to wonder about Wallace and his feelings or lack-there-of.

A final sigh escaped her lips and she headed for the store once more with fervour. She mourned her husband dearly, but knew that the great powers that be were sending her relief. Relief from Wallace's death and from Henry's return to school.

"Morning, Ron." Hermione said as she entered the store at half past eight. She rounded the small counter and set her bag underneath the counter.

"You seem to be feeling better. Get some rest last night?" Ron asked, wheeling around and watching her as she finished her morning routine.

"Yes and no. I feel better but I didn't get very much rest last night. I have to see a mediwitch this afternoon at one. I think it's time I put an advertisement for some temporary help."

"Why is that?" Ron asked looking towards her with one eyebrow cocked.

"I can afford it and sometimes we both need a break. The kids are in school again and I would like to be able to leave when I need to work at the house without putting so much work on you. It's such a nice service to have you here as it is, I don't want to push you away." Hermione poured herself a second glass of tea and drank one sip.

"You shouldn't drink so much tea, Hermione."

"Why? I can drink as much tea as I like."

"Too much caffeine. No wonder you never sleep." She laughed a bit and smiled towards him, wondering if he was sleeping at all anymore.

"You're one to talk, Mr. Weasley." They carried on for another thirty minutes and opened the door to let in fresh air. Hermione noted that the fog had lifted and the air seemed to dry up a bit. She put a sign up on the door indicating they needed part time help and then counted down the hours until she was to leave for her appointment. It was at twelve o'clock in the afternoon when someone finally came in to ask about the sign on the door.

The woman was of medium height and light hair. She seemed rather young and rather uncomfortable at first.

"Come with me to the office and we can talk, Miss..." "Jordan." The young woman replied, still looking ill at ease with Hermione.

"My name is Hermione Stuart and the man out there is Ron Weasley. We both prefer to be called by our given names. Basically, we need someone to help with shipments and also the regular cleaning and dusting of the store. I will be unavailable for a while in the near future and will need someone to fulfil my duties of the book keeping and also ordering. Why did you stop in today?"

"I love bookstores. I've never been to this one, but it looks lovely. I was walking down Gentry when I saw the sign and decided it was exactly what I was looking for. I need to raise a little money, but mostly I just want time away from home." Hermione sympathized with the girl, noticing her dark eyes darting from her own face towards the pictures on the mantle behind her.

"Are you available both mornings and afternoons? I only ask because sometimes I would need you either times."

"Yes, I can be here whenever you need me. I live close by, so the distance is very short if you needed me in an emergency."

"I live on Sedna Station, at number 10." Hermione smiled at the girl, noticing she had relaxed somewhat and handed her some forms.

"Once you fill these out, we can talk about your hourly rate and also work shifts and the like. I do need to get to an appointment around one, so you can fill these out here or at your home. Once I review them and unless you object, I will probably need you starting on Wednesday."

"That would be fine, Madame Stuart."

"I never caught your first name." Hermione said as they both stood.

"Sarah, but most people call me Sallie with the exception of my Uncle." Sallie smiled at Hermione and put the forms in her large bag. They exited the office together before leaving the store.

"She seems nice." Ron said as Hermione reached for her own rather large bag.

"Yes, she does."

"Well, see you in a bit. Everything's good here, so don't worry, just get well." Ron watched her walk out of the store, hoping she hadn't caught the bug that was travelling around the town. When she reached the end of the street she apparated to Osgood's a local hospital for the wizard or witch in need of medical assistance, but not in need of any terminal medical treatment. She turned down a long hallway as she entered the hospital and then found her floor.

"Sign in here, Miss, and we'll call your name." Hermione signed her name on the form and instantly saw a little checkmark to indicate that she had an appointment. It was only ten minutes later that she heard a booming voice above her head.

"Hermione Stuart, please come to room eleven." Obediently she stood and walked down a hall towards room eleven.

"Good afternoon, Madame Stuart. I am Melissa Hughes. So, you think that you might be pregnant, well we'll find out in just a sec. If you don't want to know the sex of the baby, turn away from the light or else you'll know immediately. Now, hold still, this won't hurt a bit." Hermione obeyed the mediwitch and turned her head, not wanting to know her babies sex.

"Definitely pregnant and quite far along considering you're just now coming to see us. Three months, dearie. "

Hermione turned towards the mediwitch and smiled a smile that she knew emanated all of her joy and happiness. She couldn't quite remember the month of late May and what exactly she had been doing, but obviously she and Wallace had been trying that month.

"You are lucky you missed all that morning sickness, Madame Stuart. Some first time mothers decide not to be second time mothers because of all the sickness. So, you're looking towards a March baby." Hermione took the form the mediwitch gave her and stood.

"You'll need this potion once a day to ensure the health of your baby and you'll need to visit me once a month until the seventh month and then twice a month after that. I hope you are looking forward to this adventure, Madame, because it only gets better from here."

Before leaving, Hermione read the directions for the potion and stuffed the papers in her bag. She would write Henry that night and perhaps call upon her good neighbour to see about obtaining some ingredients for her potion.