Warning

This story is not suitable for readers under the age of sixteen. It contains sexual content, including some non-consensual, and may offend some readers. If this subject is offensive to you, please do not read this story.

Chapter 32 – Back to School

Most of the first few days of term were spent catching up on all the events of the Christmas holidays. Hermione learned all about Ron and Harry's efforts to find the hidden tunnels, which had been discouraging. After exploring the dungeon from corner to corner, they were beginning to believe that the legend of tunnels to caverns under the lake was simply fantasy.

"You give up too easily," Hermione told them. "If you've explored everywhere, then maybe there more magic concealing the entrance. It has to be documented somewhere."

But neither of the boys looked particularly keen on the idea of more research. "The only area we've not been back to fifteen times," Ron told her, "is where we saw the Bloody Baron, and if that's where it is, I'm not so sure I want to find it!"

They also told Hermione about their exploits with Marmaduke.

"It was Crookshanks who eventually got it out from under Hagrid's bed," Harry explained. "Came down to Hagrid's with us, went straight towards the bed, and Marmaduke ran for the door! It was so fast that we still couldn't tell what it was. Hagrid was really upset about it – kept looking outside and worrying about where 'poor Marm' was going to sleep that night!"

Hermione laughed. "I bet Fang was happy, though!"

Ron snorted. "Yeah! When we finally got the great coward to come out of hiding. He's more scared of Crookshanks than he was of Marmaduke!"

It was pleasant to spend time with her friends. Lately, even before Christmas, Hermione had been spending so much time with Severus, that she had missed them. Whatever happened between herself and her lover, she was determined that nothing should spoil the friendships that she had developed over the past five years, with Ron and Harry. They had been through a lot together, and they were two of the most wonderful and kind people she knew.

As she sat, laughing, with them in the common room, she made herself a new year's resolution – to make certain that nothing could come between them.

"Midget Gems!"

Snape had never quite understood the headmaster's fascination with muggle confectionary, and always found the passwords to his office difficult to remember. This had been his third attempt at remembering the name of Dumbledore's latest favourite, and much to his relief, the entrance gave way to him.

At the top of the stairs, he knocked, entering when he heard the headmaster's voice.

"Ah, Severus! Come in. Come in! Have a Midget Gem." He offered Snape a small bag, which was politely refused.

The Potions Master sat, at Professor Dumbledore's gesture towards a chair, and came straight to the point. "Headmaster, I wanted to make a request – to allow Hermione Granger to take her Potions N.E.W.T. a year early." His piece said, he then waited in silence for a response.

The older wizard was rummaging in the bag of sweets, and it took a few minutes for him to answer, although whether this was because he was considering the request carefully, or simply trying to find his favourite colour, was not quite clear. Finally, he gave a simple "I see!" Severus once again waited.

At last, Dumbledore popped a green sweet into his mouth and sat back in his chair, hands clasped on the desk in front of him, gazing thoughtfully at the teacher. When he spoke, it was not about the exam.

"You left the school rather suddenly at the end of term, Severus," he said. "I assume that the fact that you have had the opportunity to discuss this with the young lady in question means that your premature departure from the school was a 'misunderstanding'."

Snape gave a single nod, reluctant to discuss his motives in too much detail.

Dumbledore clearly expected more than this, but when it was clear that it would not be forthcoming, he continued. "I was under the impression that Miss Granger went home for Christmas."

"Her plans changed, headmaster," Snape's tone was low and guarded – a fact that did not seem to go unnoticed.

"I see." He sighed, resignedly. "This must put her in an awkward situation with her parents. If they knew ... "

Snape interrupted him, quietly. "They know," he rumbled, frowning at the memory.

The details of the conversation were not important, but Snape gave Dumbledore the gist of the dialogue. Throughout the explanation, the headmaster began to look more and more concerned about the situation. It did not surprise him that Hermione's parents had not contacted him to complain. For several years, he had suspected that the girl's parents' feelings about the wizarding world were less than warm, so it was no shock that they placed little faith in the results of a complaint to the headmaster of Hogwarts.

Standing, he began to pace up and down his office. "I don't like this situation, Severus. It is a mess, and I am beginning to regret my decision not to step in earlier and put a stop to this." He stopped and stared at the wizard on the other side of the desk. "I hope that this sudden wish for Miss Granger to take her exam early is not so that you can make your relationship public once you are no longer her teacher!"

Snape started. "I have no desire for my private life to become a public concern!' he growled. Then he reconsidered, a little, and softened his voice. "Yes," he admitted, "that is a part of it – but even without making this public, surely you agree that it would make the situation less ... dangerous?"

The headmaster was not easily swayed. "She will still be a student at this school! Whether you are her teacher or not will make little difference."

Dumbledore began to pace once again, and Snape waited in silence. Finally, the suggestion seemed to have been considered, and Dumbledore turned.

"I will allow Miss Granger to take her exam early, Severus, as I believe that she is more than capable of it. However, I still have grave misgivings about the whole situation." He fixed Snape with a penetrating gaze, regarding him for a long moment, then sat once again at his desk. "I will bring up the subject with Minerva – her permission, as head of Gryffindor, will be required for Hermione to take the N.E.W.T. early."

Snape stood. "Thank you, Headmaster. I will inform Ms. Granger."

Once outside the door, he allowed himself a sigh of relief. Things between himself and Dumbledore were definitely strained lately, and he knew that he was putting the wizard in a difficult situation. It was not a comfortable state of affairs, but it could not be helped. Hermione was his love – his life – and well worth a few strained relationships!

Ron breathed a sigh of relief as he entered the common room. "Finally," he told Harry and Hermione, "I've got my project drafts handed in. Just dropped them off at the staffroom."

Hermione gave him a long-suffering look of 'well you should have finished before Christmas', but wisely managed to avoid saying it aloud.

"It's not my fault," Ron countered, noticing the look. "I just about had it ready, but I wanted to add in the extra information I got from Charlie over Christmas about dragon eggs!"

Harry handed him a chocolate frog. "I'm not sure that encouraging Hagrid is the right thing to do!" he laughed. "He'll probably have another go at getting Dumbledore to let you have a real dragon!"

"Probably!" Ron quickly grabbed his frog as it tried to jump over his shoulder. "By the way, Hermione, I ran into Ginny on the way to the staffroom. It looks like Alistair Baddock hasn't given up on you yet!"

Hermione was puzzled by this news. She hadn't seen much of Alistair, but he had managed to smile a 'hi' as they had passed in the corridor the other day. "Why, what have you heard?"

"Well, nothing about Alistair, actually, but Ginny says his little brother was asking about you!" Ron relayed Ginny's account of the conversation. Malcolm had approached her in the library, and been very friendly (" ... which is suspicious in itself," said Ron), asking her about her Christmas, whether she had spent it with her family – whether Ron, Harry and Hermione had gone home. Ginny had been very wary of the Slytherin, but he had seemed friendly enough, so she'd tried to be pleasant. She had got the feeling, according to Ron, that Malcolm had been asking on his brother's behalf.

Naturally, Ginny knew nothing about Hermione's real reason for not wanting to go out with Alistair, and had seen no reason to be too evasive. "Alistair's a nice guy," she had told her brother. "I don't really understand why he's in Slytherin, although with Malcolm it's obvious. He gives me the creeps!"

Hermione didn't understand why Malcolm would be asking about her, when she had already told Alistair she was seeing someone else. "I wonder why Alistair would get his brother to do that?" she asked her friends. "I hope he's not still thinking I might go out with him, because it's not going to happen!" But, no – Alistair had seemed okay about things when they had passed each other a few days earlier – it was probably nothing. She dismissed the conversation as nothing to worry about, and thought no more about it.

She had other things on her mind than whatever Alistair Baddock's little brother was up to. She had made up her mind, the day term started again, that she did not want to wait to find out if the Christmas carelessness would have serious repercussions, and had determined to go to see Madam Pomfrey.

Several times, since making that decision, she had headed in the direction of the Hospital Wing, but each time it seemed to be crowded. It was crucial that no-one know she had even been there, as it would not take long for Ron and Harry to put two and two together.

It was a few days after returning to school that Hermione finally got the chance to talk to the matron. Cautiously, she stepped inside the Hospital Wing and looked around, checking that no-one was around.

Madam Pomfrey looked up from where she was tidying the shelves of spare sheets and pillows, and smiled as she entered. "Miss Granger. I've not seen you for a while – come in!"

Hermione gave her a half smile, which the matron interpreted correctly as troubled. "I wanted to ask for your advice, Madam Pomfrey," she said quietly.

The older witch's manner was immediately kind, but business-like. "Then why don't we step into my office?" Once seated, she continued, facing Hermione, "Now what can I do to help you, Miss Granger?"

Hermione took a deep breath. Madam Pomfrey was always discreet, but there was still a part of the student that was nervous about saying this to a teacher. What if this got out? But, reflected Hermione, if she told anyone, it would probably be Professor Dumbledore, and he already knows more than Madam Pomfrey does.

Now that she was faced with the possibility of a quick and definite answer to her question, she also found herself extremely nervous about hearing the truth. Either result would have its own implications, and she was not entirely sure how she felt about them. Her mind was telling her that having a baby would be disastrous, with exams coming up – whether this year or next – and at her young age. There was also a part of her, though, that couldn't help liking the idea of having Severus' baby. It was a possibility that she hadn't wanted to think about too much – it was an entirely emotional response, and she was more used to logic and thought – but now that she was face to face with Madam Pomfrey, it was forced to the front of her mind. What answer was she hoping for, she wondered?

Well, you're not going to find out if you don't ask, she chided herself. Just do it, and deal with the answer one way or another.

Resolved, she spoke. "I think I might be pregnant," she said simply.