Taming the Beast

Chapter 17

Human Nature

"You won't be human again for at least another year," Lupin had said to her.

Hermione was silent for a full minute, the implications of what she had been told did not sink in immediately. Ron gripped her hand tightly, his face pale and guilty. What had he done to the girl he loved?

She was going to have children, and she would raise them as an animal for a year. It finally dawned on her. Her breathing quickened, her heart pounded. Tears ran down her face. She curled up into a ball in the chair and cried. Comforting gestures by made by both Ron and Lupin, but to no avail. Dumbledore raised his hand and shook his head. It would have to run its course. Hermione sobbed uncontollably, more frightened than she had ever been before in her life.

Before long, she coughed, wiped the tears from her eyes, and grabbed the hands of Lupin and Ron. Her voice was weary and small.

"W'a's gonna happen t' me," Hermione asked weakly.

"Well, now. I suppose you'll have some decisions to make. As will you Mister Weasly," Dumbledore said kindly. "Professor Lupin tells me that you retain your mind when transformed, so we will make what arrangements we can to ensure that your mind is kept active. I will of course be contacting your parents, but I suggest you go see them yourself." He turned to Ron. "As for you, Ron, I do hope that you will be marrying this young lady, they will be your children. As to whether you speak to your parents, I shall leave that up to you."

"What shall we do now," Ron asked.

He smiled. "Now, I want you to take off for the rest of the day. Go to Hogsmead. Go to the library. Enjoy yourselves, and talk things over. I'll notify your parents Hermione, and tell them that you are coming home for a few days, I'll leave the revealing of the actual details to you. If either of you need to talk, we are available whenever you need us. Dismissed!" The two teens left.

"Hermione......I don't know what to say....I'm so sorry."

"Me too. I wish we had known." She turned to him. "You know I don't blame you for any of this, Ron."

"I guess not. But it doesn't change the situation, does it?"

"No. So why worry about who's to blame?" She turned to him. "Ron, I'm really scared about what is going to happen to me, but I'm glad that it was with you." She hugged him tightly. "And I want you to make love to me again tonight."

Ron's mind swam. "I guess you really DON'T blame me!" Hugging her back he asked. "So...who are we telling?"

"What, the fact that I'm pregnant with your child or the added bonus of me being a real bitch for a year? Oh, but I guess they are inseparable aren't they? We'll tell Harry and Hagrid first of course. Then Ginny. And somehow I've got to think of what I will tell my parents."

Ron thought briefly. "No problem. 'Hey folks, I slept with my best friend, he got me pregnant, and I'll be a wolf for about a year, and delay my graduation from Hogwarts about that time. But you'll be grandparents at 45!'"

Hermione snorted. "Great plan. Nice and tactful. Will you be marrying me?" Might as well be straight with him.

"I want to make the day I propose special and surprising. But I'll have you know that the person I'll be proposing to bears a striking similarity to you."

She snuggled up to him. "Fair enough."

Harry, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Luna and Hagrid had all squeezed themselves into Hagrid's hut.

"Been kind a quiet this year, ain't it," Hagrid asked. "Jus' as well I suppose, what with Hermione 'avin tah put up with all she's got."

Guess I might as well let them know what's going on now, thought Hermione. "Well, I just found out that I'm going to be a mother, Hagrid, so there's an additional thing I'll be worrying about"

Hagrids mouth opened wide enough to accomodate a small automobile. Harry leaned back along with Ginny, both stunned. Luna looked quizzically at Ron who was almost able to conceal a small smile.

"Well...I.....Well ain't t'at sumpthin!? Who's the lucky father then? Yeh know them kids'll be just like you, not that that's too much of a problem, mind."

"I'm the lucky father, Hagrid. Hermione and I left Hogsmead, went to where she goes for the full moon...and one thing led to another...."

"Jesus H Katy Christ on a crutch Ron!! You and Hermione!?!"

"Why not," Luna asked. "Ron and Hermione had been at each others throats...and spending so much time together along with Harry that it's obvious that the two of you would be an item. You're a cute couple."

Ginny kissed Hermione on the cheek. "So I guess I'm getting a big sister? And a nephew? Or a niece?"

"Or yer gettin both maybe? Ron, I'm hopin yer gonna do the right manly thing and propose to this young lady, eh?"

Ron stood up and stretched. "Oh, more than likely. Question is whether there will be enough living material to make the proposal after my mother finds out. Me getting married to Hermione isn't really the problem though..."

Hagrid looked confused. "What d'ye mean 'isn't the problem' then? Ye...." Hagrid suddenly remembered. Teaching Care of Magical Critters didn't really cover werewolves, but he remembered enough about their natural history. "Oh, tha's right isn't it? Oh, Hermione, what ye gonna be doing about tha'?"

Now it was Harry and Ginny's turn to look confused. "Are we missing something here Hagrid?" Luna turned to them soberly. "A female werewolf stays in wolf form when she's pregnant and weaning the cubs. Hermione is going to stay a wolf for a year at least. And when they change back, well..."

THIS seemed intriguing. "What do you mean, when they change back," Harry demanded.

"Harry, I really don't know," Luna said. This isn't a common occura nce. I know of only one case like this my dad covered: A woman got pregnant as a werewolf, she stayed a wolf for 14 months, she changed back only partially, she still had fangs and paws for feet, and she had aged about 8 years. I don't know if that will happen to Hermione. I certainly hope not."

As if she didn't have enough to worry about. Hermione raised her head to the ceiling and sighed loudly. "Well, I suppose we can cross that bridge when we get to it." Her insides were churning now, nauseated. "Right now, we have to worry about our parents, and what I'm going to do for the the next year. I'll probably stay at Hogwarts, picking up whatever information I can get without actually practicing. It's hard to practice without an opposable thumb."

After a while, they walked back to Hogwarts.

Hermione emerged from King's Cross station and found herself in the arms of her parents. "We got the letter last night from Professor Dumbledore," her father said. "I guess you have some things to tell us?"

"I sure do. But how's my little brother?"

Her mother laughed. Oh, he couldn't be better. A little bit of colic now and then, but other than that just wonderful." Hermione took her little brother in her arms. It was good to be home.

They arrived in Aylebury after a short (1) and scenic drive along the A413 just in time for tea. "All right, Miss Granger," John Granger said with a wry grin. "You had something to tell us. What say you?"

"Mom, dad. I'm pregnant."

This was hardly what the parent had hope to hear. Her mother looked at her with disappointment. "PREGNANT? Oh, Hermione, how could you? Who was the father," she demanded shortly.

"It's Ron Weasley, Mom. He wants to marry me. I want to marry him. But there is a complication."

This time her dad spoke. "I do like Ron, but believe me, I am angry at both of you. How did this happen?"

"I think it's just my new instincts, Dad. I had strong feelings for Ron before I was bitten, and with my hormones going the way they were... Ron didn't take advantage of me, I think if anything it was the other way around."

Her mom asked her. "And what is the complication, surely you haven't been pregnant long enough for something to happen already."

Hermione explained the situation of the pregnant werewolf. "And so I'm not going to be human again for another year..."

"Oh God, Hermione!! Noooo" Her mother wept bitterly as she embraced her daughter. "Stay here, please!"

"Mom, I can't do that. You'd be in danger. I'm sure I'll need a pretty constant supply of wolvesbane to stay in my own mind, and I need to keep up my studies as much as possible, to say nothing of the food I'll need. I'll have to stay at Hogwarts, but you can come up and visit." Hermione's voice softened. "I wish you wouldn't have to see me, or your grandchildren like that."

Her father asked, "Hermione, how much time do you have left till you change again?"

"Two weeks, exactly."

"Can we plan and have a wedding that quickly. I want my grandkids born to married parents."

Hermione thought a minute. "Let's go back to Hogwarts tomorrow and talk to Ron."

Ron, in the meantime was having similar thoughts as a small envelope appeared on his bed that evening. He had written his parents that morning.

RONALD WEASLEY!!!

WE ARE ABSOLUTELY FURIOUS AT YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE!!! We are not sending you a howler because Hermione deserves her privacy. Do you have ANY idea what you have done to that girl? Do you have any idea of the ramifications of your actions. You have condemned that lovely girl to be a wolf for a year at least, if not for the rest of her life! You have condemned at least one child to a life of lycanthropy!

You have quite possibly wrecked the life of someone you say you love. You should be ashamed of yourself. We can only hope that you do the honorable thing and marry Hermione. We do not want a werewolf as either our daughter-in-law or our grandchild, but that would be infinately better than a dishonorable son. We will always love you, but if you do not marry Hermione and support that child, we can never forgive you.

Your Loving but ANGRY Parents

Ginny looked over her brother's shaking shoulder.

"I'll second that Ron!!"

(1) I guess "short" is a relative term. We Yanks tend to think of anything less than 100 miles as a "short drive"