The Similarities of Love and Hate

By Jinxd n Cursed

Disclaimer: Oh yes, I make five million a chapter on this story. Just kidding. I receive no profits and I promise to return everyone virtually unharmed. Except for Draco who I shall keep in my closet.

Chapter Seven

Influence

XxXxXxXxX

Hermione was four months pregnant. Thankfully, because of the potion she took, no one really knew other than the ones she had told. Her clothes still fit and thus far, she had missed only two classes due to her condition, both of them potions lessons dealing with the dissolving solution. She hated missing classes but she would have to make due with what she could do.

Unfortunately, with her fourth month of pregnancy came a check-up with madam Pomphrey. She lay back on the bed with her skirt hiked up and her knickers off, her knees bent while the medi-witch poked around down south. It was perhaps the most uncomfortable thing she had ever been through. The curtains were mercifully drawn tight around the bed but she could see the shadows of students waiting for Madam Pomphrey's attention.

"Everything looks fine down here," she said. "Tell me, when I do this, does it hurt?"

"No," Hermione replied.

"This?"

"No."

"This?"

"No, but it makes me have to wee."

Madam Pomphrey peeled her gloves off. "You can put your knickers back on now. I need to feel around your abdomen."

Hermione quickly pulled her knickers back on and lay back again. The witch pushed up the hem of her shirt so that her belly—which protruded more each day—was bare. She had not taken her potion this morning so her stomach showed. Cold hands passed over her abdomen, pressing in a few places. Hermione winced a little as she pressed hard just below her belly button.

"Do you want to know the sex?" Madam Pomphrey inquired.

Hermione nodded.

The medi-witch waved her wand over Hermione. Her abdomen glowed blue briefly before it faded. "You're having a boy," she said.

Hermione smiled. "Wonderful."

"As far as I can tell, you're doing fine at this point. If you want to hide it, keep taking that potion you've made. You still need to put on a little more weight however. You're allowed in the kitchens to get whatever you need. Make sure you eat plenty of fruits and vegetables so baby gets plenty of nutrients. I'll see you next month."

"Okay," Hermione said, sitting up and pulling her shirt down. She pulled a vial of potion out of the pocket of her robe, downed it quickly, and waited for the bump to disappear before she stepped out from behind the curtain.

It was lunchtime so she hurried down to the Great Hall and took her customary seat at the Gryffindor table, across from Harry and Ron, next to Ginny. Fish and chips were on the menu for the day so she helped herself to several thickly battered strips of cod and a plateful of chips.

"You do realize you're eating exactly like Ron, right?" Ginny asked.

Hermione shrugged and swallowed. "I'm hungry. I actually have to go to Potions today."

"I can't believe he let you skive off on two lessons," Ron said, through a mouthful of food.

"It's not like he had much choice," Hermione replied. "Let me off or be responsible for a miscarriage. It's not really that tough of a decision. Besides, I did have to write an essay to make up for it."

"And how long was it?" Harry asked.

"Well… Two rolls of parchment," she said.

"He assigned you that bloody much?" Ron asked. "He's evil."

"No, he only assigned two feet," she answered.

"Merlin, Hermione. Can't you lighten up even a little with your homework? You're pregnant!" Harry exclaimed.

"Way to share it with all of Hogwarts, Harry. Thank you," she said.

"Oh come on, it's not like anyone really heard," he defended.

She shrugged and finished the last of her food. "I really have to go. I left one of my books in my bedroom." Hermione hurried away from the table and to her room.

When she reached the common area of the head boy and girl's rooms, she noticed several feminine pieces of clothing spread about that were definitely not hers. With the tip of her wand, she picked up a lacy black thong. Looking towards the closed door of Malfoy's room, she dropped it disgustedly, ran to get her book, and made it to class panting and sweating, ten minutes early when she had been so sure she would be late. No one else was standing outside the classroom.

"Come in Miss Granger," Professor Snape's voice said from inside the classroom.

Quite hesitantly, she turned the knob of the door and stepped through. He was sitting at his desk, grading a stack of papers.

"Here is my essay, sir," she said, handing him the parchment.

"Your usual book on the subject, I presume," he said nastily, not looking up. "You've always needed to show off the knowledge you have on every subject imaginable."

She wasn't entirely sure of what to say.

"The potion you require is on the corner of the desk," he told her. "You are to take it and report immediately to the Hospital Wing for observation."

"What potion, if I may ask, do you think I require, sir?" she asked.

"The abortion potion, of course," he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Come now, a semi-intelligent witch like yourself should have come to your senses now."

Semi-intelligent? She was insulted. Her heckles were rising.

"Don't get yourself riled up. Take the bloody potion and get out of my sight," he said.

"I'm not taking the potion," she replied, stubbornly.

"Don't let your Gryffindor pride get in the way. Take it," he said.

"No. I'm keeping my baby," she said.

He stood up and stared her in the eye. "How long do you suppose the illegitimate child of a Deatheater will be allowed to live?"

"I don't know sir but I will find out," she told him.

"You're in for more heartache down the road," he said. "Take it now, before it's too late."

"No," she said. She walked away from the desk. "I don't care what you say. This is my child and I'm going to keep it. I love him."

Unbeknownst to her, an astonished Draco Malfoy (with several hickeys on his neck, left by a Slytherin sixth year whose name he didn't know) heard the whole exchange, listening in wonder at the girl who had the tenacity to stand up to the loathsome professor.

XxXxXxXxX

Chapters should come a little faster now that I have an idea of direction… I'm planning about 35 chapters to this one.