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The Mudblood's Daughter and the Vanishing Cabinet

March came, and with it, brought Ron Weasley's birthday. Hermione had his present. It was in her trunk, under her bed, amongst the many collections of books she stored in it. It was nothing big. She had got him a small pocket dragon. It stayed dormant until took out of it's bag, and then it was like a real dragon, only very small. She had also got him some muggle sweets, called Redvines. She knew he would love them. Of course, they weren't talking, a fact that sent pangs of heartache through her, yet no more than what seeing him snogging Lavander did.

She had gone for her first appointment with the Midwife, two weeks ago. She had been a kind, elderly woman, who seemed to exude warmth. Prenatal scans were different to Muggle ones, as they could not use the equipment muggles did. Instead, they did something called 'Magic Tracking'. With an incantation, they were able to see a projection of inside of Hermione's womb, and the tiny plum baby inside it. All measurements and facts about the embryo than recorded themselves onto parchment. She had found that the spell caused her stomach to feel tickly under the flesh, and had had to resist the urge to scratch her stomach.

She had not judged Hermione once during her examination, and she had offered Hermione her Owl Address so if there was anything Hermione was worried about, she could get in touch. Hermione had assured her that should she need to, she would. Ginny had gone with her, held her hand through the process, which Hermione was slightly embarrassed about. Ginny seemed to have taken on the role of a protective lionness in regards to her. Hermione supposed it was to make up for the fact that she had neither Ron or Harry to support her, because they did not know that she was pregnant. If Hermione was truly honest, she didn't want them to know. Harry was so obsessed with Malfoy, that it would have done more harm then good for him to know, and Ron... well right now she just didn't want to talk to him at all.

Ginny made sure she ate breakfast every morning, lunch and dinner. She held her hair back first thing in the morning, if Hermione was suffering a particularly bad bout of morning sickness, and she made sure Hermione avoided anything that could potentially harm her, or the baby, which Ginny had affectionately named 'Little Bean'. At ten weeks, Hermione knew it was more the size of a lime now, instead of a bean, but Ginny honestly didn't care.

She was showing as well. It looked like she had just put on a little weight around her middle, and that she hadn't been bothered to exercise, but her and Ginny had noticed it. She supposed it was because she was so short that she had started to show earlier than other expectant mothers. Either way she had gone from a size eight to a size ten. Ginny would be constantly cooing over it, if it wasn't such a big secret.

The cancellation of the Hogsmeade trip had nearly sent her into tears. She had been looking forward to it, to pick up pre-natal potions and some more quills, all hers had broke. Ginny had scowled, muttering curses under her breath. She was in a bad mood. She had just had another fight with Dean, and was honestly contemplating bat-bogeying his sorry ass.

"Just who does he think he is anyway? He has no right to tell me what I can and cannot do! I am my own person!" Ginny growled, as she sat next to Hermione, who was currently working her way through the Redvines she had gotten Ron. She dipped them in a pickle sauce, which she only got away with because they were in Hermia's office which Hermia had told them they could go to if they ever wanted to.

"He's a boy?" Hermione said, unsure of what to say about this predicament. Ginny glowered at her, and Hermione realised that the question had been rhetorical. Hermia shook her head, as she marked some tests that she had took on for McGonnagle. Hermione decided maybe it was time to change the topic, and turned to Hermia. "Professor, are you married?"

Hermia's eyes widened, and she looked at the two girls, who waited expectantly for a reply. Slowly, she nodded, licking her lips nervously. "Yes, I am... I've been married for eleven years," Hermia told them. Ginny's eyebrows went up, before she asked if she had any kids. Hermia frowned, looking at her ring, before she nodded. "I have three. A girl and two boys."

"Didn't you have one when you were my age?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, she's twenty four now," Hermia said, and Hermione's eyes widened, muttering 'wow', before she stuffed a Redvine covered in pickle sauce in her mouth. Ginny stared at the look of sadness on the Professor's face, and frowned. Why would it make her sad to talk about her family? Unless something had happened to them. Ginny knew that if anything happened to her family, she would just die. She couldn't survive without them. Hermia tucked her hair behind her ear, before pasting a smile onto her face. "How is the apparation going, Hermione?"

"Slow. I never thought it would be this difficult. I just want it to be over and done with really. I have to keep myself from panicking every time I try," Hermione said, placing her palm over her uterus. Hermia nodded. She remembered all too well how terrifying it had been, the thought that if she mis-stepped just once, she could lose her baby. Even with all the reassurances of Twycross and McGonnagle, it had still been nearly petrifying. "I'm just lucky I haven't splinched myself. It's my worst nightmare that I do."

"Professor Snape? Severus!" Hermia called, as she chased after the dark-clad Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts. Snape grimaced, and then turned to face her, his robes swishing around him as he did so. 'Yes' he drawled, and Hermia had to restrain the urge to roll her eyes. 2I was just wondering, you knew Harry Potter's mother, correct?" she asked.

A look of illness overcame his features, before he grit his teeth. "Yes, I did," he hissed, and Hermia gave him a wide smile, as she nodded to herself. "Why, may I ask, is it any of your business, if I knew her?" he droned, and Hermia shrugged, replying 'Just wondering' innocently. Snape was very quickly realising that this woman had a habit of asking questions he did not like. "Is there a purpose to thsi, or are you just bothering me for the sake of it?"

"Oh, I have a purpose. What do you know about pre-natal potions?" Hermia asked. Snape's eyebrows shot up, before his face levelled into a sneer.

"I was Potion's Master, Professor King. I know plenty about all potions. However I do not possibly know why you would need pre-natal potions from me, when you can just as easily get some from Hogsmeade," Snape said, his tone as condescending as the look he gave her. Hermia tossed her hair over her shoulders, before she replied.

"I want only the best quality of potion, Professor, and I do not trust a store in Hogsmeade to provide the quality I wish," Hermia explained, and Snape pursed his lips. "Would you please make me some?" she asked, and Snape looked at her suspiciously.

"Very well. I shall have them for you by Friday," he aquiensced and Hermia beamed, saying 'Thank you' before she spun on her heel and began to stride away, only to pause a few metres from him.

"Oh, and Professor, I believe that you should keep an eye on Draco Malfoy, he seems really rather exhausted, and I graded his paper for Transfiguration. His grade is slipping," she informed him. Snape scowled at his annoyance with his charge, before he acknowledged what she was saying. Hermia smiled briefly, before she continued on her way, navy cloak trailing after her.

Ginny rushed up to Hermione, who was reading in the Gryffindor Common Room, looking as relaxed as ever in grey sweatpants and a loose pink t-shirt. Tears streaked down her freckled cheeks, as she grabbed Hermione's hand. Hermione looked at her, in shock, before concern covered her features. "Ginny? What's wrong?" Hermione asked, and Ginny sobbed.

Hermione felt her worry, and fear grow, as Ginny tried to stumble out her words. Hermione grabbed her shoulders, and looked at her levelly in her brown eyes. "GINNY! What is wrong!" she demanded, and Ginny sniffed, wiping her eyes.

"It's Ron. He's had to go to the Hospital Ward, he nearly died," Ginny said, and Hermione's face paled, horrified, before she shot up from her seat and hurtled from the Gryffindor Common Room, nausea almost overwhelming as she tore down the many flights of stairs and down the corridor to the Hospital Wing. Ginny was hot on her trail, as Hermione threw herself at Harry, her arms going around her neck tightly as she hugged him, before she pulled away.

"What happened? Harry, what happened?" she demanded, holding onto his collar. Harry looked at her, in surprise at her white face, which was slightly green around the edges.