Happy Birthday Alan Rickman. I miss you deeply. ❤️

Chapter 40. Mundane

It was hot and Hermione was sweating. She was largely uncomfortable because her nausea had returned strongly as she entered her second trimester and she had placed a heavy glamour on her midriff to hide her growing belly. While McGonagall, Severus, Draco, and possibly the entire school body was aware or at least believed that she was pregnant, the witch was in no mental space to be confirming the gossip. She had neglected to ask Draco that particular question and he had never mentioned it. As far as she wanted Hogwarts to know, her father had been in a skiing accident over Easter holidays and she'd been in Sweden looking after him until she absolutely had to return for her exams. Some of the staff were aware of the other circumstances, but she'd hoped Dumbledore wouldn't let his love of Harry get in the way of protecting her secret from them.

With a deep but shaky breath, she walked through the front gates, briefly acknowledging Severus who was leading the way. They had decided that it would be best, should anyone be looking, that it appeared he was simply charged with the task of gathering her. A task he was supposedly not thrilled to be doing. She was to ignore him as much as possible as they entered, he had even flinched away from her when she got too close. Her heart hurt, for a second, but she realized it was nothing personal. Dumbledore and McGonagall were standing at the front steps, McGonagall's hands folded in front of her and her lips pursed as she stared down her pupil. Dumbledore was fading. Hermione could tell that the war must have been taking a toll on him emotionally and was beginning to manifest physically.

"Welcome back, Miss Granger," Dumbledore greeted with a rasp in his voice. Hermione managed a smile, glancing briefly to her head of house whose eyes had wandered down to the young witch's abdomen. Clearing her throat, Minerva moved her stare back to the younger witch's face and returned her expression to its naturally severe character.

"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore, sir. I'm glad to be back," Hermione spoke softly, turning her attention back to the older wizard in front of her. His hand was darkened even more than it had been when she left and he was shaking a bit, but she had supposed he was likely just tired. Desperately Hermione wanted to look over to Severus, to see his face and find comfort in his presence, but Hermione knew that he wouldn't give her a twinge of a smile or any comfort. He was a good spy and a fantastic Occlumens, hiding his emotions deep within his psyche.

"And we are glad to have you, Minerva, may you-" Just as Dumbledore was about to instruct her Head of House, he was interrupted by a faint shout. All of the wizards turned and Hermione pushed up onto her tiptoes to see over the shoulders of her professors.

"Hermione!" The voice was clearer now, male, and if Hermione was correct, whoever was screaming was also barreling towards them. When the blond hair came out of the shadows, she couldn't help the smirk on her face.

"Draco," she whispered, as the boy pushed his way through the barrier of stunned staff.

"You're back," he said, hesitating just a bit as he looked about ready to throw his arms around her. She glanced over at Minerva who has softened her expression slightly, though she sent a sympathetic look at Severus. Hermione, looking to keep her deception believable, lept forward and gave the boy a hug. He gripped her tightly, though careful not to squeeze her stomach into him. When they parted, he looked her up and down, lingering at the area he had known to be far more swollen previously before looking back to her face. "No one told me you were coming back."

"We did not know, Draco, that Miss Granger would be returning to Hogwarts until this morning," Dumbledore interjected. "Had we the time, I'm certain we would have notified you." There was something in his tone that made Hermione shiver. There was obviously no intention of ever letting Draco know she would be returning, but she didn't see any reason why they would make a production out of not telling him. They were in a romantic relationship, as far as the general populace was concerned, and therefore should have been notified.

"How did you know to come to the front entrance then?" Hermione asked, her face twisting as she nearly fell into the gap of information. Draco coughed, seemingly taken aback by her keen observation.

"I had been looking for Snape and when he wasn't there, I thought I'd look about. I just happened to see the crowd and your wild hair," he justified, stumbling over his words just enough to leave a stirring emotion in her gut.

"From that far away you saw my hair?" Hermione asked, more out of offence then general curiosity.

"Now that we've reconnected the lovebirds, might we just move on inside? It's sweltering hot out here and frankly, I'd prefer to not melt in my robes before the end of the year," Severus sneered from behind her. She jumped a bit, having been caught up in her own interaction, but when they all agreed and began to walk forward, Draco slipped a hand into hers and squeezed. Hermione clenched her jaw, fighting the urge to rip it away or look behind her to Severus, but she held fast and continued into the grand castle.

"I wish I had time to prepare you," the blond whispered, leaning down to her ear. "There is a rumour going about, that you're pregnant, but it wasn't started by Weasel. It just happened due to your sudden disappearing act and the fact that you've been linked to me now."

"Ron didn't start it?" Hermione asked, looking up into the icy blues staring down at her. They had softened since she'd last seen them at Hogwarts. His eyes carried a tone of comfort after her months away from school.

"As far as I know, the blood traitor kept his trap rather clean shut after the train incident."

-x-

Having the glamour on her body all the time was beginning to give her more of a backache than she ought to be able to contribute to her four-and-a-half-month pregnancy. The rumours had all but dissipated at her return, given her obvious lack of pregnancy and the number of times she had shared her father's dramatic tale. She had almost come to believe it herself by the time she'd reached the end of the week. She had hardly seen Draco since she first came back, and he was never available to study with her. Hermione had mostly locked herself away in the library, piled in books and resting her back. Thankfully, as formal classes had ended, she was able to wear oversized t-shirts and jeans that helped her look comfortable but also worked to mask her growing belly. Everyone was too busy to really care about what she was wearing to studying.

Much like the rest of the week, Hermione had holed herself up in her favourite corner of the library with her Transfigurations textbooks splayed around her. Unlike those other times, there was a loud sigh accompanied by the thud of two people sitting across from her. The sudden interruption of her normally quiet space jarred her out of her thoughts. Across from her sat two very familiar faces of which she had yet to have the company since she first got back. Luna and Ginny had greeted her, even Neville spared her the time. Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs from her year had been curious enough to ask her what had pulled her away from school so long, but not Ronald Weasley or Harry Potter.

And yet, here they were. They were as dishevelled as ever, obviously having tried to study on their own and failed, and looking almost apologetic.

"Hi 'mione," Ronald mumbled, receiving a death glare from Harry.

"Listen, 'mione, I know that we have perhaps treated you poorly in the past-" Hermione bit her lip to keep from scoffing at the understatement. "But we want to apologize. After Gin told us about what happened with your dad, we thought- well... We haven't seen you with Draco since you got back and obviously that rumour about you being pregnant was fake-" Ron hissed but covered it with a cough. The two boys didn't seem to agree on that particular fact, but at the least The-Boy-Who-Mattered appeared to be on the side of her false pretence. "So yeah, we're sorry 'mione." With that, he nudged Ron who glared before he straightened his notoriously bad posture and cleared his throat.

"We're sorry for doubting you and stuff," he added. As eloquent as ever, Hermione noted internally. She knew what they were really there for and their pathetic excuse for an apology did nothing to hide that fact.

"Thank you, I suppose," the witch faked a smile and slowly shut her book, noting the textbooks lodged under their forearms were the very same she had. "You need studying help, don't you?"

"We're lost without you, Hermione, we really are. You were gone for so long, I had to do all the research on my own!" Ron lamented, forcing Hermione to keep herself from rolling her eyes.

"He's been getting quite a few Acceptables and even more Poors," Harry added.

"You're one to talk, without that bloody Potions book you'd be failing every course," Ron chastised.

"I'll help you," she interrupted before they could begin a loud argument in the library. They paused, blinking at her as though they hadn't expected her to actually agree to it. Reopening her book, they quickly followed suit and scrambled to find the page she was on. "What are you having trouble with?"

-x-

The trio spent the next few hours going over the notes they had made incorrectly and the mispronunciation of spells they had been mucking up the entire semester. She missed being needed. She deeply missed laughing with her friends. They had been cruel, but they kept her alive this long and they managed to make her feel wanted again. They were nearing the end of the middle chapter when Ron cleared his throat and made her pause.

"How's your dad?" He asked in a quiet but broken tone. Clenching her jaw, she pictured her father enjoying the cooler weather in Australia over the summer while her mom sat on a couch and wrote letter after letter to her daughter. She'd never send them though. If they ever got into the wrong hands, Death Eater's would know where Hermione Granger's mother was hiding and they could attack. What better way to lure out the friend of Harry Potter than to torture her parents? Hermione loathed to think on it too much so she quickly pushed the notion from her mind.

"He's better now, still in hospital, though I imagine he'll be out soon," she offered sheepishly. It was a lie. He was probably doing better than she was even though he was completely in the dark about what was going on with his only daughter.

"I'm so sorry, 'mione." That time Ronald's apology felt sincere and she wanted to melt. Not a single word from her mouth to her friends had been the truth. They knew nothing and yet Hermione knew that if they ever discovered what was actually going on, they'd drop her just as quickly as they had before.

"Are you going to see him after exams?" Harry asked.

"No, I-" Her instinct was to tell the truth. She couldn't see him or she would risk exposing their location to the Voldemort. Harry knew nothing. He wasn't allowed to know that she was being hunted by the Dark Lord. "I think they're coming back to London once he's feeling better, so I'll be seeing him at home," she lied.

"At least you'll get to see him," he offered, but it only proved to jab her further in the heart.

"I suppose." She moved to stand up, quickly realizing that her stomach remained unglamoured and she sat back down, her eyes widened in embarrassment as she studied the boys for a reaction. They had noticed. Both of their gazes were transfixed on her stomach that she was self-consciously trying to hide with her arm and textbook.

"Hermione what is-"

"Nothing!" She cut Harry off, grabbing her wand and whispering the glamour she had nearly perfected.

"Hermione, tell me it isn't true!" Harry demanded, standing from his seat and raising his voice. Nausea waved over her and she looked around desperately for somewhere to throw up. Oh gods, she thought as her cheeks flared red. "You lied to us! To me! Right to our faces! You let us believe that we were wrong, that we were stupid to believe that rumour, but here you are clear as day, preg-" Suddenly the boy was cut off and Hermione caught a glimpse of him flying into a bookshelf. She looked to see who it was that had sent the curse only to realise it was Ron holding his wand out.

"Ronald?" Hermione asked in a sort of pleading way. She wanted to rest her head on the table but she managed to stay upright as she looked between her to friends.

"Obliviate him," Ron commanded.

"What?"

"I said, obliviate him. Change his memories. Make it so he never saw you pregnant. We don't need to be fighting again." Ron was almost desperate as he stomped his foot. "I need you to pass my bloody classes, now if you don't change his memories, I will." Hermione straightened and pulled out her wand, pointing it at the disoriented young wizard on the ground.

"Obliviate," she whispered, altering the boy's memories to make him remember it as a spell gone wrong as they had been practising.

"Good, now," Ron snapped. "I'll see you tomorrow for the rest of the studying. I'm going to take him to the infirmary and tell Madame Pomfrey it was a misfired spell or something." The ginger leaned over and gathered their friend from the floor. "Don't go showing that thing off. No one needs to know there's another Malfoy on the way and it's nearly summer," the boy grumbled as he carried Harry from the library.

"Oh," she whined, staring off after them. "What a bloody mess this is."

-x-

She'd waited until her roommates had fallen asleep and Crookshanks had made himself a home at the foot of her bed before she crawled out of it. It'd been an entire week since she'd seen her Professor and it was starting to take a toll on her. She'd gone too long without seeing him for the past few months, she wasn't about to let him out of her grasp when they were so close in proximity. The air was hot from the summer but the castle floor was still cold against her bare feet as the witch made her way through the corridors and down to his office. Without even knocking, the door opened and she didn't think anything of it as she slipped through. Glancing around the dark classroom, she made her way to the door that led to his office. He wouldn't be there, but most of her hoped that the castle would allow her access as it had to the classroom.

When it did, her heart skipped a beat and her breath caught in her throat, sending a shiver of caution down her back. There was no way the castle was encouraging the relationship between the Defense professor and his student. Could it? The thought made her smile and she pressed on, finding the door that led to his chamber and pressed her palm to the solid wood. Before she could even prepare herself to knock, the door opened and she stood wide-eyed at the entrance.

In a flash, Severus was in front of her and glowering down at her over his nose. His form was defensive she was aware of his wand pointed nearly at her nose. "Hermione?" He questioned, realizing it was her.

"You ought to lock your doors," she answered, still a bit frozen.

"I did," he sneered, glancing around the unlit office behind her. Placing a hand on her shoulder, the wizard ushered her into his rooms and slammed the door behind them before starting some incantations.

"Then how was I able to get in?" Hermione asked, finding a spot to sit on his bed. She watched as he tested the wards and cursed at the results.

"There is no reason the wards should have allowed you into my office after hours, let alone into my chambers," he grumbled, pacing at the entrance. "Unless," he paused, tapping his wand to his forehead. Severus then turned and moved towards her, sending her stumbling back a little bit as she almost fell back into the mattress. "Hermione, I believe the castle recognizing the magic of our daughter as a mixture of mine and yours. You are carrying a bit of my magic which means that the castle must acknowledge my offspring." The idea made Hermione smile.

"You mean I can access anything you can?" She pressed.

"Precisely," he answered with a nod.

"Even your private ingredient storage?" He sneered at her cheek.

"I suppose," the deep rumble of his voice sending a shiver over her skin. "But don't you go raiding it simply because the castle allows it. I pay good money for that inventory and I don't need you and your friends abusing it."

"I promise," she teased, pushing herself from the bed and wrapping her arms around his neck. He inhaled deeply, pressing his forehead to hers as he slowly placed his hands on her hips. She felt his abdomen against hers and smiled. "Family," she whispered, relishing in the moment. He lifted his head from hers and replaced it with his lips, kissing down her face and to her lips which he captured tenderly.

"Family," he repeated, holding her just a bit tighter. They stayed like that for a long moment as she took in his potion spiced scent and the warmth of his body against hers. Her heart swelled as she leaned into him, placing her cheek on his shoulder and melted into him as best she could. Feeling the soft cotton of his shirt against her fingertips, he began to sway ever so slightly, taking her with him. Only, they didn't fall, instead, it was almost as if they were dancing. Are we dancing? Her eyes fluttered open even though she didn't remember closing them and felt as the two moved slowly to music that only they could hear.

"I'm glad you brought me back, Severus," she whispered, breaking the silence.

"I'm glad we resolved the mess in time for you to write your exams," he quipped. Hermione rolled her eyes, returning to the silence as she swayed with her wizard. She wanted to guide him over to the bed, lay down with him and change the tune of the dance but part of her was concerned over the ease with which she had come to be in his arms. How could they be so lucky as to spend a night together under the nose of one of the nosiest Headmasters there ever was? There had to be a catch.

"There is no catch, Hermione," Severus whispered, kissing the top of her head. The witch jolted away from him.

"You were listening to my thoughts," she stated simply, unsure of whether she ought to be offended or not.

"You were being quiet, I thought- Well I wanted to know what was going through your mind," he explained. "I'm sorry to have intruded."

"No, I-" She hesitated. "I don't mind. I- I would like to know what's going through your thoughts too. I guess you just have an advantage." Her voice caught in her throat. To have him swimming around in her thoughts all day was one thing, but to have him see himself parading about, lurking in every corner of her mind was something completely different. She trusted him, so deeply, with everything she had. But there was still something that nagged at her, something that didn't feel perfectly right.

"Let me show you what's on my mind," he breathed, placing two fingers under her chin then kissing her deeply. With that action, all doubts washed from her as she feverishly kissed him back. Hermione snaked her fingers into his hair, grasping at the black locks and pulling herself up to meet him closer. He pushed at her just enough to have her tip onto her back, sinking into the bed. He laid down beside her, never missing her lips but careful not to place his weight on top of her. Skillfully he rolled her onto him so that she was straddling his hips and she sat up.

His dark eyes glistened as he looked up at her, a lopsided smile tugging at his mouth. The love he held for her was written plainly all over his expression and it warmed her chest. Running her fingertips over his cheeks, he placed his hand on top of her and guided her touch to his lips. He kissed her finger tenderly, closing his eyes as he did to cherish the moment. His face twitched all of a sudden and his expression twisted into a look of concern as his eyes flashed open.

"Are you crying?" He asked. Blinking, Hermione felt the moisture on her cheeks and realised that she had been, indeed, tearing up. She stood up and backed away from him, wiping at her eyes and bit down on her lip. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know," she gaped, trying to pinpoint the rock in her gut that was driving her tears. "I don't know why I'm crying." Her voice caught in her throat as it began to ache. The witch held back a sob that was threatening to leap from her throat as he swiftly wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. It was as if the motion unlocked a gate in her body, dissolving her into a fit of tears as she attempted to hold herself up.

"I love you, Hermione, please know that," he murmured into her hair. She didn't respond, trying desperately to glue herself together. The man she loved, loved her back. He was holding her in his arms to comfort her as she cried. She was carrying their child and they were happy. They could be happy forever.

"Then why on earth am I crying?" She asked herself as he squeezed her just a bit tighter.

-x-

It was hot and Hermione was sweating. Except, instead of standing beside Severus as she walked into Hogwarts, she was lying in his bed next to him. She turned over to face him as he was still asleep and she placed her fingers on his lips. As if on instinct, he kissed them, pressing his lips into them and slowly opening his eyes. "Good morning," he whispered, his hot breath on her skin.

"Good morning," she echoed, a smile spreading across her mouth.

"You better get back to your tower before anyone notices the Princess of Gryffindor is missing," he teased, rolling onto his back and stretching out his arms.

"I should," she agreed, sitting up, pulling the covers off of her. Still dressed in last night's pyjamas, Hermione stepped onto the floor and yawned heartily. "I like this," the witch said, looking back at the professor over her shoulder. He cocked an eyebrow, questioning her silently.

"Like what?"

"The mundane. I like doing mundane things with you. Waking up next to you on a Saturday morning," she clarified. "Next thing you know we'll have breakfast together." Hermione scoffed at the idea as if it were something completely unlikely.

"Wouldn't that be wonderful," he agreed, his voice suddenly much closer. Severus rested his chin on her shoulder and kissed it, wrapping his arms around her midriff. "You, me, and our daughter having breakfast." The idea of their family seemed nothing more than a dream to her most of the time. She hadn't quite let herself get that far in her reverie. She was pregnant, yes. And it was Severus's child. But there was a war and the imminent possibility of death for any one of them. Should she let herself get attached to the dream of being a family, she would end up even more heartbroken when it didn't happen. If, she correctly internally. If it doesn't happen. It very well might. We might make it out of this alive.