A/N: I don't own Harry Potter

This is for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Writing Club December

Assorted Appreciation: The Nightmare Before Christmas - "For it is plain as anyone can see, we're simply meant to be." - Alt - Write about being envious of something someone else has / is celebrating

Disney Challenge: 5 - Chad Danforth - Write about a supportive best friend.

Trope of the Month: 22 - Prompt: Write about someone helping another person

All Sorts of Space: 6 - Size of Star - expanded on below: (genre) hurt/comfort

Amber's Attic: 18 - Meat Puppets: Write about someone/something experiencing a dramatic change.

Film Festival: 12 - (character) Severus Snape

Lyric Alley: 4 - And a new one just begun

Winter Funfair

Southern Funfair – Night Before Christmas - . Raccoon Short Pyjamas - Write a dark/light pairing

Northern Funfair – Petting Zoo – Windy the Wolverine - Pet: (character) Ginny Weasley

Word Count: 627

Warning: dealing with infertility

Hermione pretended not to see the pile of presents under Harry's tree. She pretended not to see the photos of the happy family waving from the mantle. She pretended to not see the stockings hung with care with initials stitched into them. No, she couldn't allow herself to see these things, not this year. Not after everything that had happened.

"Hermione, we don't have to stay if you want to go home," Severus whispered sneaking up behind her.

"Please, stop sneaking on me like that. I'm about to buy you a cat collar with a bell on it. And now, we said we'd be here, and we're here. It's fine. I'll be fine," she replied keeping her voice down. She knew Harry and Ginny hadn't meant to cause her pain. They didn't even know their whole little family theme would upset her. The news that her and Severus would never be able to have children of their own had only been determined for certain last week. Sure, they'd been trying and trying for nearly five years. Now, they knew why it had never worked.

"Hermione, could you give me a hand with this?" Ginny called from the kitchen. Hermione gave Severus a quick peck on the lips Once Hermione stepped into the kitchen, Ginny gave her a look.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Quit lying, you're rubbish at it. Ron's a better liar and he licks his lips every time he lies."

"It's nothing, I don't want to ruin Christmas."

"It's not Christmas if you're upset. Are you and Severus fighting?" Ginny hissed. "Did he hurt you?"

"Ginny! He'd never!" Hermione nearly screamed. Ginny sighed in relief.

"Good, because I do not fancy hexing a teacher. Now, sit down, help me shell these pecans, and tell me what's wrong. I'm not letting you leave this kitchen until you do. And if you haven't told me by the time Luna and Ron get here... I'll let her tell you all about her latest creature discovery. It's a spider made of ice!" Ginny smiled. Hermoine shuddered.

"Fine," she said as she sank into the chair. Ginny thrust a bowl of pecans and a nutcracker at her. She sat across from Hermione.

"Talk."

"Severus and I can't have children," Hermione said. There was a strange relief in letting words finally be spoken out loud. As though a weight had been taken off her narrow shoulders.

"Oh. I knew you and him... You must be heartbroken."

"We are, seeing those stockings, and the gifts, and photos..."

"Hermione, you're so much stronger than this, yes, be sad, you lost a dream. But, there's other dreams out there. I mean, I've heard whispers that you could be minister in the next ten years if you keep things up. You could always be the crazy aunt who gives the kids books and hats?"

"That's... uncannily accurate."

"See, there's a smile. Besides, just because you can't have kids of your own doesn't mean you can't make a family. There's adoption, other ways of... you know. I read about Muggles doing that?"

"Yes, that is an option we need to discuss and consider. Right now, we're just trying to deal with the facts. With this information."

"Hermione, you will get through this, I mean, I can't even begin to understand what you're going through."

"And Severus."

"Well, yes, but I really, really don't want to think about him... and bedroom stuff," Ginny said softly. Hermione laughed, the first time she had laughed since they'd gotten the news.

"Thank you, Ginny, for just being here, just being you."

"You're family, Hermione. I'll always be here for you," Ginny replied with a smile. Hermione returned it and for a moment, it felt as though everything might be alright after all.