Chapter 38:

Hermione was sitting down by her desk, writing feverishly. It was early in the morning, and Draco was still sleeping soundly. Hermione took the chance of being alone to write a very long letter to her parents.

Hermione wrote about all the events that happened recently. She described her relationship with Draco as best as she could, and told them all about her engagement. She sealed the parchment and tied it to her owl. She knew that the owl would find them sooner than any other means of post.

Hermione stood by the window and sighed deeply as she watched the owl fly away into the clear blue sky. It was already the middle of august. Her parents were to come back August 31, and she was both happy and bothered with that fact.

She was happy because she missed them very much, and couldn't wait to see and embrace them again. Especially since their parting wasn't as long as she now wished it to be. It was during the dark days, when Hermione couldn't do anything but think about her late headmaster and cry.

Now all was different, she had Draco by her side, and he seemed to make every day worth living. She was especially nervous about the day her parents would meet Draco. She agreed to marry him without even confining it with them first. After all she was their little girl, and they had the right to know.

August 15th, the wow time flew by. It was three weeks since Hermione last heard from Harry. She was wondering where he was and what he was doing at that exact moment. She knew Harry was alive, because she felt it in her heart, but she still didn't know what he would have to face in the near future. She had no idea whether he found the last horcrux or not, neither did she know where Harry was, and where he was heading.

The time seemed to be flying by but something did feel awkward. She didn't know what it was but something seemed to be off. It was the middle of august, what was she missing? Was she supposed to go somewhere she didn't go? Or do anything she didn't do? She decided not to ponder over those questions anymore and headed to the shower.

The warm water felt good against her skin and drained all of her worries away. In the middle of washing the hair conditioner out of her hair Hermione remembered that her period was late. Her period never concerned her before, because her cycle was steady, but now that she thought about it, it's 3 days late.

Hermione panicked and rushed her way out of the shower. She quickly got dressed and ran out of the house without even leaving a note. On the way to the pharmacy that was conveniently located a walking distance from her house, Hermione kept on thinking about the consequences this situation might have.

'No, I'm not pregnant, I can't be. It makes no sense. Yes I'm sexually active but we use protection. We used it all the time didn't we? Urgh, why now? Why me?

No I'm not pregnant, I just know I'm not. I will buy a test now and prove it to myself."

She kept on saying the same thing to herself yet she wasn't sure if she believed it. What would she do? Will she be brave enough to tell Draco? She wasn't old enough, she wasn't responsible enough.

No she would not think of it. What's the point of pondering over a thing that was still unknown? She would just have to take a tiny little test to reassure herself that it is just panic, nothing more.

Hermione blushed the whole entire time she was in the pharmacy. When she paid for it she mumbled a quick thanks and practically ran out of the store as fast as her feet would take her.

When she got home she was happy to notice that Draco was still asleep. She slipped into the bathroom quietly and looked at the box she had just purchased.

"First Response Pregnancy Test." she sighed to herself. It detects the pregnancy hormones five days prior to the monthly period, and it surly can't be mistaken.

She opened the box up slowly and looked at the plastic wrapper that was covering the test strip. After taking forever in ripping the wrapper open she took the testing strip out of the wrapper and stared at it.

"Now, you will hold my future and my life. You better be correct or else." she said to the tube.

'Beautiful, now I'm talking to myself.' She thought to herself sadly. She had no other choice, it was now or never. She followed the instructions and put the tube down on a flat surface and started her wait.

Three minutes. Three long minutes. What was she supposed to do during these three minutes? She had no idea. All she knew was that she was hoping for one red stripe. One red stripe would mean that she's not pregnant and it was just a false alarm. It had to be a false alarm!

The three little minutes stuck in the bathroom seemed to take forever to pass. She pondered back and forth in the first minute, and remembered quite clearly that they didn't use protection during their first intercourse in the second minute.

The third minute passed slower than ever, and Hermione couldn't help but shake with anxiety. When the three minutes passed Hermione looked at the strip that was on a flat surface some distance away from her. She knew what was coming, but she was too afraid to do it.

She had to look at the strip but she didn't want to. She closed her eyes with her hands, resembling a child that is scared by what she was seeing. After she breathed three deep breaths, she gathered all of the strength that was left in her, and looked at the test strip.