Disclaimer: obviously not mine. Why would it be on a fan fiction site?

Chapter ten

It was nine days into February when Hermione found that she could no longer fit into her robes without her bump being visible for all the staff and student body to see. Only she, Malfoy, Pomfrey and possibly Dumbledore knew about her pregnancy and she didn't want to tell her friends until the last minute. Apart from the father being the 'enemy', she didn't want Harry and Ron to become all protective of her.

She examined herself in the long mirror for a few minutes longer before donning a large black jumper over her robes then, satisfied that no one would guess her secret, she skipped happily to her first class: potions.

"Right" Snape said once the class was settled and silence. He let his cold black eyes sweep the room before turning to the board and writing up the instructions for a secret keeping potion. When he'd finished writing he turned back to the class. "Get into pairs" he sneered and everyone got up to move to different parts of the room. Hermione looked around; neither Ron nor Harry was there for some reason. Malfoy was still sitting by himself but Hermione didn't want to be partnered with him. She hadn't spoken to him much over the last few weeks. If fact she'd been trying to avoid him completely: he was always asking if she'd told her parents and she hadn't so she thought it best to stay away. Malfoy seemed to realise he was being snubbed because after the first week of not talking to Hermione he began dating Pansy. Pansy saw Hermione watching Malfoy and, getting the completely wrong idea, gave her a dirty look and dashed over to sit beside her boyfriend.

Snape was just about to come over and inquire about Hermione's lack of partnering when Ron dashed into the room and sat down beside her, breathing heavily. Snape, quite taken aback by his sudden appearance, blinked several times before swooping down on the redhead.

"Why are you late, Weasley?"

"I-" he gulped. "I was looking for Harry."

"Potter's absence is not a good enough excuse for your own. Twenty points from Gryffindor."

Ron groaned as Snape strode away.

"Why were you looking for Harry?" Hermione asked conversationally as she began chopping newt's tails for the potion.

"Because he didn't come in last night and he wasn't there this morning. Its probably nothing… he's probably off somewhere with Dumbledore."

Hermione frowned. Now that she thought about it… she hadn't seen Harry since lunchtime the day before. Vowing to investigate later, Hermione continued with her potion.

When the potion double was finally over, Ron and Hermione set off together in search of their famous friend.

After an hour of scouring the castle and no sign of Harry, Ron suggested they go and talk to Dumbledore.

"Why didn't you come sooner?" Dumbledore asked harshly when Hermione had explained the situation.

"We – err – we didn't realise until about an hour ago" Hermione said, faltering under Dumbledore's immense gaze. Dumbledore gazed at her a moment longer before standing up sharply and vanishing with a loud crack.

"Where d'you think he's gone?" Ron asked in a whisper, staring avidly at the spot where the headmaster had recently disappeared.

"I don't know" Hermione said, standing up as sharply as Dumbledore had. "But I'm going to check the castle again. Just in case"

Hermione and Ron split up after that and spent the rest of the day searching for Harry. It was almost dinnertime when Hermione, who had been searching the east wing of the castle, ran into Cho, crying hysterically.

"What's up, Cho?" she asked, idly, glancing behind a tapestry where there was a small, hidden room.

"Its – its Harry!" she sobbed and Hermione whirled around to face her.

"Where is he?"

"He's – he's- he's dead!"

Hermione stared at her a moment longer before a tingling sensation overcame her body and she collapsed.

"Are you alright miss Granger?" Pomfrey's anxious looking face swarmed into view. Hermione sat up slowly and rubbed a lump on the back of her head.

"Ouch… what happened?"

"Miss Chang said you collapsed"

"Miss Chang? Oh my god, Harry!" Hermione tore the blankets off and jumped out of bed.

"Settle down, Hermione! Potter is fine!"

"Where is he?"

"Over there" Pomfrey pointed to a bed on the other side of the room where Harry was laying, quite motionless. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief.

"Cho told me he was dead."

"Yes… about that…" Pomfrey pushed Hermione into a vacant chair. "You collapsed when you found out about Potter. Hermione – is there any chance that Potter might be the father of your child?"

"Harry? Father?" Hermione's eyes widened. "Of course not! I've only had sex once and that was with Malfoy"

"Are you positive?"

"Dead set positive… why?"

"Sometimes, if something happens to a parent of a magical child then there can be extraordinary effects."

"I'm sure it was just shock. Can I see Harry now? How long have I been out for?"

"A day and a half" Pomfrey replied, watching as Hermione went to sit beside Harry's bed. "I've been letting you rest but" she shook her head sadly. "We can't seem to wake Potter…" she turned and strode up the wing and into her office. Hermione took Harry's hand in hers and kissed it.

"Oh, Harry" she said softly, tears blurring her vision of his pale, gaunt face. "What did they do to you?" she kissed his hand again. "Harry… there's something I need to tell you. I'll tell you now because you wont remember but I do really need to let it out. Harry… I'm having a baby…"

"YOUR WHAT?" Harry sat up, bolt right and scaring the living daylights out of Hermione. "Your what?" he repeated, snatching up his glasses so he could see her clearly. Hermione, still frozen with shock, mouthed wordlessly at him. Finally she found her voice.

"Harry, what happened to you?"

"Death eaters. But don't change the subject. What-"

"Your up! He's up!" Pomfrey came dashing out of the office, took one look at Harry then went dashing out of the hospital wing altogether, possibly in search of Dumbledore.

"Hermione, tell me who the father is" his eyes narrowed slightly. "It's not Ron, is it?"

Hermione nearly laughed.

"Ron? How'd you fit him in?"

"He's in abysmal love with you"

"Oh" Hermione frowned and shook her head. "Well it's not Ron. It's Malfoy"

"Well then" Harry slumped back against his pillow and smiled. Hermione stared at him.

"Harry, have you got concussion? I just told you I'm pregnant with Malfoy's child! You should be furious"

"Oh I'm furious," he said happily. "But I saw at that party how well Malfoy looks after you. I suppose he'd make a good father"

"Oh my god, Harry!" Hermione flung her arms around him, oblivious to his wince of pain. "I'm so glad you understand. I've been driving myself crazy trying to tell you and Ron."

"Don't tell Ron!" Harry sat up again looking shocked. "He'll go kill Malfoy! He's so unbelievably in love with you that he's almost picked out your wedding dress!"

"I'm sure Malfoy can defend himself. He was taught to fight by a group of assassins. But Ron will find out sooner or later. I can't hide a baby forever"

"Well tell him gently"

"I will"

At that moment Pomfrey reappeared with Dumbledore on her heels.

"Harry" he said abruptly, striding over to the bed. "Tell me everything"

Hermione left the hospital wing later that day feeling considerably lighter than she had before. Harry, though still not in his right mind, had given his blessing and now all she had to worry about was telling Ron and her folks.

A week after Harry got out of the hospital wing, Hermione found herself being cornered by Malfoy in the one-desk classroom.

"You haven't told them yet, have you?" he asked, already knowing the answer by looking at her scared expression.

"I'll tell them when I'm ready."

"What, when the baby's born? You can't keep them in the dark any longer!"

"Why not?"

"They have a right to know!"

"They're my parents! I'll tell them when I'm ready!"

"DAMN IT, GRANGER!"

"Wait!" Hermione said so unexpectedly that Malfoy stopped in his tracks, blinking stupidly. "Just shut up for a minute will you?" she pressed a hand to her stomach before lifting up her jumper to press a cold hand to the bare skin of her baby bump.
"What's wrong?" Malfoy asked, frowning.

"It's kicking!" she whispered excitedly, grabbing Draco's hand and pulling him forward so he could feel. He smoothed his hand over her stomach for a moment before his face lit up with a grin and he moved even closer so he could put both hands up her jumper. Hermione let herself fall gently back against the wall as her baby pounded against the wall of her uterus.

"Does it hurt you?" Malfoy asked quietly as he continued to run his hand over her bump.

"Who? You or the baby?"

"The baby"

"It feels like a worm"

Malfoy laughed softly and took another step closer.

"Am I hurting you?"

"No"

"Hermione?" Ron was standing in the doorway of the room, his mouth hanging open stupidly as he stared at the couple inside.

"Shit" Hermione whispered, yanking her jumper down and turning her back on the redhead. "What do you want, Ron?"

Ron took a few uneasy steps into the room. His face was red with anger.

"What are you doing to her?" he asked Malfoy, completely ignoring Hermione's question. Malfoy opened his mouth to answer but Hermione grabbed his arm.

"He doesn't know," she whispered and he raised an eyebrow.

Ron repeated his question, this time more forceful.

"What are you doing to her?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Malfoy sneered. Ron's face became even redder.

"You'd better not be hurting her or I'll…"

"You'll what?" Hermione whirled around as Ron balled his fists. "Why do you even care? It's none of your business what he does to me!"

"Hermione, if he's hurting you…"

"I can look after myself, Ronald! Just leave me alone!" she tore out of the room and ran the whole way back to the Gryffindor common room. Ron was hot on her heels.

"What were you doing with him, Herm?" Ron cornered her by the fire.

"Nothing"

"Why were his hands up your shirt?"

"He was…"

"Are you sleeping with him?"

"No"

"Have you had sex with him?"

Hermione didn't answer. She couldn't without blatantly lying. Instead she stared into the crackling fire. Ron's jaw dropped.

"You had sex with Malfoy?" he spoke with a high-pitched voice.

"Shut up, Ron"

"I can't believe it, you had sex with Malfoy!"

"Stop it"

"I knew you were fraternising with the enemy but… sex with Malfoy? Jeez Hermione, have your standards dropped that low?"

"Alright!" Hermione shouted in frustration, "alright, Ron! He shacked me up and now I'm pregnant with his kid! Anything else you'd like to know?"

She looked around and saw a few lingering people staring at her.

She couldn't help it; she burst into tears and ran to her dormitory.

"Was she being sarcastic?" Ron asked no one in particular.

"You insensitive jerk!" Ginny hissed as she ran past to comfort Hermione.

Ron stared after her, open mouthed, his insides becoming ice cold with shock. A loud ringing noise started up in his ears and his shock turned to blazing white anger.

He would find Malfoy, right now, and kill him for what he did to Hermione.

Slowly and deliberately, Ron turned and walked calmly out the portrait hole. He guessed that Malfoy would probably be in the entrance hall.

He was.

He was outside the doorway to the dungeons with Pansy. Ron noticed, as he strode across the hall, that there was quite a few people loitering around.

"Hoi, Malfoy!"

"What?" Malfoy snarled, turning to face Ron with a death stare.

Ron sent a fist into the other boys jaw.

"That's for what you did you Hermione, you prick!"

Malfoy, rubbing his jaw, turned his eyes on Ron and smiled that same insane smile he had used at Hermione's last party. Suddenly, and quite without warning, Malfoy grabbed Ron by the throat and slammed one of his 'iron' fists into his gut. Then he sent one into Ron's face.
"And that" Malfoy said triumphantly as Ron doubled over in pain. "Is how you fight, Weasel-bee. What happens between Granger and me is not your problem. Drop it, ok?"

Malfoy turned to walk away and Ron straightened up to charge him down and actually kill him when someone cut him off and pushed him away.

"Drop it, Ron!" Harry said defiantly, pulling his angered and beaten friend up the stairs.

"Do you know… did you see… do you know what he did to her?" Ron spluttered as Harry dragged him along corridors towards the Gryffindor common room.

"Yes, Ron, I do know. And I also know that Hermione and Malfoy are working together to make this work. They don't need you making it worse"

Ron blinked a couple of times before making Harry stop and face him.

"How do you know?"

"She told me"

We don't need no education
We dont need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teachers leave them kids alone
Hey! Teachers! Leave them kids alone!
All in all it's just another brick in the wall.
All in all you're just another brick in the wall

I've chosen names so there's no need to suggest anymore… I wont tell you what the baby will be called so you can just wait! Please review, I love reviews…

Til then…