"Can you see it?" The healer asked, as she moved her sensor slowly over Hermione's slightly rounded belly.

Hermione's eyes fixed greedily on the screen. "That's my baby! My baby!" She had tears in her eyes.

The healer smiled indulgently. "It certainly is Hermione. In a few weeks we'll able to see which sex it is. Would you like that honey?"

"Oh!" Hermione exclaimed, still in raptures over the fuzzy black and white picture in front of her. "I don't know," she breathed, mesmerised.

"Well, you have a few weeks to decide. Some mothers prefer to know so they can kit their babies out accordingly, some want it to be a surprise. It's entirely up to you."

Hermione nodded. "I'm having a baby!" She spluttered excitedly.

The healer laughed. "Yes, you are!" She replied. "And it looks like you're just about 4 months pregnant. Have you not been to a healer before you moved house?"

Smiling guiltily, Hermione blushed. "I didn't know I was pregnant until my friend made me use a pregnancy test the other day. And we worked out I was between 3 and 4 months so I booked an appointment – and here I am."

"I see. Well, you are 4 months along, I'd say, which puts the conception date in the middle of April, around the 13th, according to your test results. This means you're due sometime mid January."

"A New Year's baby!" Hermione exclaimed, her eyes shining.

"You'll be starting to show soon, I expect dear. You've already got a slight bump now. Have you had to chance to buy maternity wear?"

Hermione looked down at her 'bump'. "I thought it was too many chocolate frogs! It's not really noticeable yet is it? Not to people who don't know I'm pregnant I mean. Because I can tell – and you can tell-"

The healer cut Hermione off. "I'd say unless you suddenly start wearing skin tight tee shirts then no one will notice for a few weeks. Why all this secrecy?" The healer was quite bemused at the girl's question.

"Oh! No reason. Just wondering." Hermione spoke quickly, tucking a brown curl behind her ear.

"You're safe to tell people, so don't worry about superstition. The old wives' tale specifies the first trimester – and well, you completed that without even realising you were having a baby!" The healer chuckled.

Hermione laughed too. "Oh good. That's ok then."

Hermione reluctantly allowed the healer to turn off the machine that allowed her to see her baby and wiped the gel off, straightening her clothing. She was about to leave when another thought crossed her mind.

"Healer Puckle?"

"Yes Hermione?"

"Is apparition safe?"

The healer studied her for a moment. "Yes, although I wouldn't recommend it in your later months. Try and stick to the Floo and brooms though. Portkeys are safe too, although unless you've had practice at landing I'd avoid them – they are quite uncomfortable at the best of times, and if you find the morning sickness doesn't go then you're asking for trouble with a portkey! In general, any method of transport is fine for pregnant witches, so don't worry about it too much. Just the risk of splinching with apparition has worse effects on witches if they're pregnant. Some witches decide not to take the chance. But again, it's a personal decision – if you're confident of your apparition skills then go ahead." The healer nodded in confirmation.

Good, that mean I can travel however I want basically. Now, time to pay Mum and Dad a visit. I'll take Ginny, she can bolster my story about house sharing. Lucky they believed me really. Hermione looked at her watch, doing some quick thinking. After a moment she Apparated home, and used Aithne to send a quick scribble to Ginny.