Chapter Three: But It's Better If You Do
(You know it!)

Disclaimer: The plot is all I own.

Rating: M
(Just a friendly reminder!)

Author's Note:
Because I am so very kind... I have given you 2 chapters in one day! Oh, I know how great
I am already. No need to tell me! Ha. Okay, so yes. Please read & review!

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Hermione couldn't take it anymore. She knew, but she had to make sure. She told Blaise that she was going to the library to study. She grabbed her books and headed to the Hospital Wing. She thanked Merlin that it was empty. Madam Pomfrey was busy wiping down everything but alone and, at this point, that's what mattered.

"Excuse me?" Hermione said.

"Oh," Madam Pomfrey said, jumping a little. "You startled me!" She paused and looked at Hermione. "What can I do for you?"

"I need you to conduct a test on me."

"Yes?" Madam Pomfrey eyed her. Hermione suddenly lost her nerve and couldn't say anymore. "My dear... what kind of test?"

"I need to find out--" she stopped and looked down at her feet, ashamed. "Will you tell anyone?"

"Not if I don't need to," she said, now looking more curious than Hermione had hoped.

"Well, I need to-to find out if I-I-I'm," she stuttered. "I need to find out if I'm pregnant!" She blurted out and stared straight into Madam Pomfrey. She saw her response, her mouth dropping and the way her eyes bulged. Hermione knew what she was thinking: Hermione Granger? Impossible! But it was possible, very possible and Hermione needed to know right now.

It took a minute for Madam Pomfrey to respond. "Uhh, of course my dear. Come here. Come here." She led Hermione into a room where there was a small bed that Hermione sat upon. Madam Pomfrey asked Hermione to take off her shirt and Hermione obeyed. She then proceeded to rub a jelly-like substance on Hermione's flat stomach. Pulling out her wand, Madam Pomfrey waved it around Hermione's stomach and Hermione stared in horror as it glowed.

"What's going on?"

"I am seeing if you are pregnant."

"Well?"

"Give me a second, Miss Granger."

Hermione sighed. She needed to know and after waiting for another whole minute the glowing stopped. Madam Pomfrey backed away, waved her wand and Hermione's stomach stopped glowing.

"Well?"

"Miss Granger... " Hermione couldn't take it any longer! "Miss Granger. You are pregnant." Hermione's heart sank and she couldn't think straight. "Are you going to be fine?" Hermione barely managed to nod. "You do know I am obligated to tell the Headmaster?"

Hermione shook her head, "No, please. At least let me do it."

"As long as you promise you will."

"I will." Hermione got up. "Thank you. Thank you for letting me know for sure," Hermione smiled half-heartedly at the nurse who was looking desperate to hug Hermione.

"I need to know one thing, Miss Granger."

"Yes?" Hermione said.

"Whose baby is it?"

"I don't know," Hermione lied. For now, she decided, it would be for the best.

----

She passed Blaise who was sitting in the common room with Draco Malfoy, saying nothing and headed straight to her room. She flopped onto her bed and buried her head in her pillows. She let the tears flow now. She couldn't hold them back anymore.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

"Hermione?" A male voice called into her room.

Silence. Hermione didn't want to talk to him right now.

"Hermione? I'm coming in!"

"NO!" She shouted back, desperately trying to dry her eyes.

"I am coming in! Right now!"

Hermione ran into her bathroom and locked the door. She heard Blaise open the door slowly and then his footsteps as he walked towards the bathroom door. "What's wrong, Hermione?"

Everything. But she said nothing.

"Seriously! How can I help if I don't know what the problem is?"

Do you really want to know? I didn't think so. Her eyes were clouded, once again, with the prospect of tears.

"Hermione!"

"Just leave me alone."

"Not till I know what is going on here!"

"Why would you care?"

No response. Got him.

"Because I just would. Is that a problem?"

Yes. Hermione couldn't manage to say it though.

"I just want you to leave. NOW!"

"I said I am not leaving until you tell me what is wrong!"

Hermione gave up and opened the bathroom door. "Are you sure you want to know?"

"It can't be that bad, Hermione."

You have no idea! "Yes, it can. And I need to know that you are prepared to hear this."

"Fine. I am prepared." But she noticed the little beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He gulped too.

"Blaise, well, I'll just get straight to the point: I'm pregnant. And it's yours."

Blaise just stood there, stunned. Hermione knew what was going on in his head.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I just got back from the Hosiptal Wing. Madam Pomfrey tested me. I'm pregnant."

"Are you sure it's mine?"

"Positve," Hermione eyed Blaise. He knew that she wasn't lying because he would have noticed if Hermione had brought in any other random guys over the last month.

"How long have you known?"

"For a week now."

"Okay," he said. "What do we do now?"

"Madam Pomfrey says we're supposed to talk to the Headmaster."

"Uh, yes. Right. Right. Did you tell her it was mine?"

"No. I didn't. I said I didn't know who the father was--"

"Hermione!"

"Well, what else was I supposed to say? What if they blame you? What if they kick you out of school or something?"

"Why would they do that?"

"I don't know! I was just thinking... I don't know what I was thinking! I suppose I should have just told her!"

"Thank you. For not telling her, that is."

"It doesn't matter. Now should we go and talk to Dumbledore?"

"Um, yes. I guess so." Blaise said, awkwardly.

Hermione felt the butterflies grow in her stomach. She felt better now that she knew for sure that she was pregnant and Blaise knew. Hermione grabbed some tissues and wiped her eyes. She flattened the front of her robes and walked out of her room with Blaise. She had completely forgotten that Malfoy was still there. He sat on one of the chesterfields looking as smug as ever with a little smirk on his face. "Hello Granger," he said, smiling. He knows... Hermione thought. "I heard you and Blaise have been having some fun the last little while, eh?"

"Shut up, Malfoy!"

"Draco," Blaise said. "We have to go do something quickly... so if you don't mind." Blaise gave him the hint and Malfoy winked at him.

"Do something quickly eh, Blaise? Is that something Granger?"

"Draco! Just get out of here." Blaise said, annoyed.

"Okay! I'm going. Have fun." He walked out of the portrait hole, leaving Hermione and Blaise alone.

"Let's just get this over with." Hermione headed out of the portrait hole in front on Blaise.

----

"Ah, Miss Granger and Mister Zabini. What a nice suprise. What can I do for the two of you?"

"We've come to talk to you about something, sir." Blaise said.

"Sit then. Sit. Sit." All three of them sat around Dumbledore's desk. "Now what can I talk to you about?"

"Well, Headmaster, Blaise and I have a small issue we need to discuss. It's rather, uh, personal." Hermione said. And this is so not awkward at all. Hermione could feel the shame in her voice. She wanted to hid behind something and die.

Dumbledore's face turned from delighted to serious, "Very well. What is it?"

Blaise started, "Headmaster, Hermione and I are here to discuss something we have just found out about--"

"I'm pregnant," Hermione said, looking into the eyes of the Headmaster, the shame no longer there. "And, yes, it is Blaise's."

Blaise and Hermione sat in silence as they both watched Dumbledore's reaction. For such a serious matter, it was very subtle. Hermione furrowed her brow when the silence egged on too long. "We were wondering what we were to do, sir?"

"That is up to you, Miss Granger. You and Mister Zabini, I suppose." With that he waved them out. Hermione and Blaise both let out the breath of air they had been holding in. That's it, Dumbledore? No advice? No ANYTHING? Hermione stared at his back with annoyance. Thanks.

She got up and Blaise put his hand on her shoulder, whispering in her ear, "We'll figure this out." At least he was being supportive and helpful.