When Hermione woke two weeks later, she was acutely aware that something wasn't right. She had spent the week in a foul mood; Ron and Harry hadn't turned up for Ginny's game and had missed a spectacular performance by the youngest Weasley.
She wasn't worried, despite not hearing anything from them. Auror training meant they were often whisked away at short notice for missions and Ron had once been caught with his phone at training so he had started leaving it at home. Hermione really didn't want to be that girl that got annoyed about lack of contact from her boyfriend. She trusted Ron completely and she knew from experience how awful Ron and Harry were at sending owls but it would have been nice to least know that they were okay.
Out of habit more than expectation, Hermione rolled over and checked her phone; letting out a sigh when she saw that there were no messages waiting for her. She pulled back the curtains and let the early morning sun hit her body. She had slept in the Gryffindor dormitory the night before; having spent most of the night working on a particularly heinous Defence Against the Dark Arts essay with Ginny.
Every bone in Hermione's body ached as she pushed herself slowly out of bed. The rest of the dormitory was quiet, so she gathered her toiletries and clean uniform, deciding to take advantage of the hot water before everyone else started to wake up. As she moved, she felt a familiar wave of nausea travel over her body. She stopped, using the study wooden door frame to support herself as she took a few deep breaths; willing the sensation to go away but it was no good. She mustered all her energy to speed up and made it to a toilet cubicle just in time to throw up the small amount of dinner she had managed to eat last night.
She eventually stopped and flushed the toilet before leaning her head against the cubicle wall. "That's new..." She muttered to herself before pushing herself up. She could hear stirrings from the bedroom and it would be no good for the girls to find her on the toilet floor like this. She could just imagine the gossip.
At breakfast, Hermione stared vacantly at the food piled along the Gryffindor table. Every thought of attempting to eat something only fed her nausea. She could barely even stand the smell of it. Ginny caught her attention by sliding a plate of toast towards her, and the small ginger girl frowned as Hermione pushed it away.
"You okay?"
Hermione let out a heavy sigh and contemplated lying to her friend but then thought better of it. "No, actually I'm not feeling so great. Don't tell your brother but I've been overdoing it somewhat and I think it's finally catching up to me." she flinched as Ginny ran a cold hand over her forehead.
"You don't have a temperature. Why don't you go and ask Madam Pomfrey for a Pepper-Up potion?"
Hermione nodded, and refused the offer of accompaniment from her friend. She gathered her things and stood up. "At least it's Friday. After double Defence Against the Dark Arts we're free until Monday! I may even give myself a break from studying?" Hermione attempted a laugh, but it fell flat. "See you in class..." The brunette wearily lifted her bag to her shoulder before heading out of the Great Hall, keeping her head down as she moved.
Hermione cautiously pushed open the large wooden doors of the hospital wing, breathing a sigh of relief as it was empty. In the deepest depths of her brain, she thought she knew what was wrong with her and she would rather not have the rest of the school know. She knocked quietly on the Matron's office door and waited to be permitted to enter.
"Ms. Granger, what can I do for you today?" Madam Pomfrey gestured to the empty chair next to her desk and Hermione gratefully sunk into it.
"I'm not feeling so good. I've been really tired and this morning I was sick. I have been working really hard. I'm studying for seven NEWTs; well six now I guess and I've probably just overdone it. My boyfriend has been telling me to slow down but..." She let out a nervous laugh as Madam Pomfrey stood up and used her wand to take some initial observations. "I see... have you been sleeping well?"
"I'm so exhausted that by the time I get to bed I usually fall fast asleep. But I guess I'm not getting a lot of sleep..."
"I heard Madam Pince has had to remove you from the library so that she can lock up..." Madam Pomfrey's lips twitched in a smile.
"Yeah... I like it there. It's quiet and easy to study..." Hermione smiled slightly. "I've not had much appetite, and I've had a pounding headache for weeks now." She chewed her lip as she watched Madam Pomfrey finish her observations. She took her seat opposite Hermione.
"Now dear, it could be that you are overdoing it. You do seem to be very busy, all that study on top of Head Girl duties. But I'd like to ask you something first; and you must know that I am not here to judge you but to help. Could you be pregnant?"
Hearing it aloud from the older witch stunned Hermione. Although she had a sneaking suspicion she could be heating someone else say it made it seem more real. Her period had been late, almost by two months now but she'd just put it down to stress. "I guess I could be... but I've been taking the muggle pill and anyway we've only done it a handful of times..." Hermione's cheeks flushed bright red as she stared at her hands.
Madam Pomfrey nodded. "The muggle pill is definitely effective, but if you forget to take just even one it can cause issues. The only safe form of contraceptive is the charm. I can teach you it if you need it?"
"It's a bit late for that now, isn't it?!" Hermione regretted snapping almost as soon as she said it. The Matron was only trying to be helpful and Hermione prided herself on her good relationships with the Hogwarts staff. "Are you able to find out?"
Madam Pomfrey nodded and passed Hermione a small plastic cup. "The same way Muggles do. I have nowhere to be this morning, take all the time you need..."
A few minutes later, Hermione was sat back at Madam Pomfrey's desk, staring as the Matron held her wand over the cup. Suddenly, the wand started glowing pink and the older witch turned to give Hermione a sympathetic look. "That's a positive result. From what you've said, you are around 7 weeks or so. I would suggest you go to St. Mungo's as soon as you can so they can give you a more thorough check up.
Hermione bit the side of her cheek in the hope it would distract her from the tears that filled her eyes. "What if I decide I don't want it?" She felt ashamed for even thinking of it, but she needed to have all her options set out in front of her before making a decision.
"St. Mungo's will be able to help you with that, and they are very discreet with it." Madam Pomfrey looked thoughtful before getting up from her seat. She returned a minute and pushed a couple of vials towards Hermione. "The green potion will help you with the nausea. Take a couple of drops when you start to feel sick. The pink will help you sleep better, but you should only use that if you have to. It's not advisable to use it during pregnancy..."
Hermione blinked and felt a stray tear travel down her cheek. She brushed it off angrily and took the vials. She was surprised when Madam Pomfrey rested her hand over Hermione's and she looked up at the Matron. There seemed to be an understanding and sympathy that Hermione would probably never fully understand, but it was warm and strangely comforting.
"Thank you..." She whispered before removing her hand and tucking the vials into her bag.
Madam Pomfrey reached for a piece of parchment and a quill, writing a hurried note before passing it to Hermione. "This will excuse you from lessons for a week while you work out what you want to do. I suggest you use this time to get some rest..."
Hermione folded the note into her pocket before getting up. Silently she left the office and made her way quickly back to the Gryffindor tower. As she dumped her bag on her bed, all she could think of was getting out of the castle and to Ron. The tears finally came as she realised she didn't even know if he would be home and she sat on the edge of the bed and let herself cry. She was trying to be strong and not let this morning's new affect her; it was just a blip in her plan after all and she could easily deal with it. She wasn't even aware of a pair of eyes watching her until she heard a voice.
"Where the hell have you been?"
Hermione stood up quickly, wiping her eyes as she spotted Ginny waiting on her own bed. Hermione turned her back on Ginny and started to empty then repack her bag, afraid for her to see the tears.
"You can't just say you're unwell and then just not turn up to class! You never miss class! Do you know how worried I was?!"
Despite the stress of the morning and despite her tears, Hermione couldn't help but let a small smile cross her face. It was remarkable how much like her mother Ginny sounded. Hermione grabbed a pair of sweats and one of Ron's t-shirts she'd stolen from his room at Christmas and headed into the bathroom to get changed without responded to Ginny.
Ginny was leaning against the door frame when Hermione emerged. "Hermione!" Ginny glared at her. "What is going on?!"
Hermione sighed and wiped her tears, finally turning to face her.
"I've been given a week off lessons. I'm really not very well. Madam Pomfrey diagnosed exhaustion and I think I may go home and see Ron..." She fumbled for the edge of her bed, surprised at how easily the lie came out. She perched on the edge of the bed, afraid she may eventually collapse with the weight on her shoulders.
Hermione felt the bed dip next to her and before she knew it, she was wrapped in Ginny's arms. They sat like this for a while before Ginny eventually let go of her.
"Are you taking the floo?"
Hermione shook her head. "No, I think I'll walk up to Hogsmeade and get the Knight Bus. I'm so tired I'm worried I'll end up on the other side of the world..." She laughed slightly.
"Okay..." Ginny got up and pulled her thick winter robes on before holding out Hermione's. "I'll walk you to Hogsmeade..."