Chapter II: Magic Is Life

Hermione was bent over, retching in to the toilet bowl at the Weasleys house, the night before going off to Hogwarts. It had been a week since coming home from vacationing with her parents, and only two days ago she started feeling nauseous. Today, however, was the first time she was emptying everything she had just eaten. With a disgusted cough, she sat on back in her heels and wiped her mouth with her sleeve. She heard Mrs. Weasley come back from the kitchen where she had gone to get her a glass of water and she took it from her with a small thanks.

"Do you know what it could possibly be dear?" She asked her in a a worried tone. Hermione shook her head as she drank. She set down the glass and stood up shakily.

"I think I might have caught a bug from the area in Brazil. I might need to head straight to Madam Pomfrey's when we arrive at Hogwarts tomorrow," Hermione replied breathing is deeply as the nausea did not subside. Mrs. Weasley frowned at her reply and pursed her lips in thought.

"You know what, I think I can get her to Floo in right now to take a look at you really quick. What if what you caught is contagious and while we can't do anything about us here, we could prevent a whole school from getting sick one after the other and save Poppy some sleepless nights." Before Hermione could protest at this, not that she really would, considering the logic behind it, Molly had taken off in the direction of the fire place in the living room. Therefore, Hermione made her way to the room she shared with Ginny to lay down to rest on her bed. Ginny was sat at her bed flipping through a Witch Weekly Magazine and looked up with a slightly worried look at Hermione as she saw the older girl enter, looking paler than usual. A light sheen of sweat seem to cover her neck and her cheeks were slightly flushed.

"Morgana's tits, Hermione! What is wrong? You look like you're about to colapse," she exclaimed, getting up and heading towards the curly haired girl and leading her to her bed. She helped her laid down and placed a hand on their forehead. "My Gods! You're as cool as ice!"

"I've not been felling well for the past two days, but tonight I couldn't hold my food down like before," Hermione replied, and it was at that moment that both Poppy Pomfrey and Molly enteres the room.

"Miss Granger, you really should have said something to Molly as soon as you started feeling unwell. Magicals rarely get sick but when we do, it is a horrible sight and feeling as our magic is fighting to keep the sickness from making it magical and making it worse." Poppy tutted as she pulled out her wand once she was in the room, closing the door behind her and Molly with a flick of her wand. Then she turned it on Hermione and started casting diognostics on her. She took only a minute, running her wand up and down Hermione's body twice and when she finished a bright red light zeroed in on Hermiones stomach.

She gasped at this and looked at Hermione in surprise.

"Miss Granger, do you perhaps have a boyfriend?" She asked tentatively to the worried young witch. Hermione frowned, trying to shove away her thoughts of the summer vacation before answering Poppy.

"Noooo..." she said cautiously then looked confused as Poppy ran her wand over Hermione's stomach again with more focused diagnostic charms and watched as each color turned green before flashing black. Poppy's face growing more trouble the more she cast and at each flash. She turned to look at the young witch she was tending to and pierced her with a pointed look.

"Miss Granger, I would like you to be honest with me when I ask," she paused as Hermione nodded her head, "have you had any sexual relations recently young lady?" Hermione was slightly surprised by the question but it also didn't stop her from turning slightly red. Thoughts and cherished memories flashing through her mind as she though of her last night with Edward back in Rio.

"Y-yes, but I don't see how that's got to do with anything with me being sick Madam," Hermione exclaimed. Poppy looked up to the sky as if in prayer and everyone heard her murmur something about young girls and protecting something.

"Did you perhaps remember to use protection when you participate in these activities Miss Granger," she continued and Hermione gave her a look that said she thought that was a stupid question but answered anyways.

"Of course I did! I'm not stupid!"

"I'm not saying you were Miss Granger, but I had to ask. Now last question, do you by chance know if your partner was anything but human?" At this question the other two women looked at Poppy with curious looks but she was concentrating on Hermione's expressions. Which have gone from stunned to realization to slight worry. "I take it that you do know?"

Hermione nodded and bit her lip as she started talking, her hand lifting up to the necklace that Edward had given her on her first day of meeting.

"At first I though he was a incubus, he was especially beautiful for it to be a possibility and I started planning ways to escape until I came to the magical world. But there were other differences that were off about it until I realized he was actually a vampire." There were gasp from both red headed women but she kept talking. "He was different though, his eyes especially went from a beautiful glowing gold to a dark almost black color. He seemed to know and be well acquainted with the culture of the place and an incredible control around humans. He soon became my mystery to solve and somehow I slowly fell for him."

"He wanted to follow me to the England, said his parents don't care where he went so long as there was a school in which he attended constantly. Our last evening together, I invited him to my hotel, there was something I wanted to give him but I had forgotten in in my room. His kiss that night was much different from the others and one thing led to another. When he was leaving, he promise to follow and to find a way to be with me. So at the door I pulled out my wand and locked away his memory of me and thanked him for the necklace and let him leave."

At the end of her explanation she was startled when she heard Ginny sniff and tears eyed. Molly and Poppy didn't seem all that much better after the story but were keeping it together much better.

"Why did you want to know Madam?" She finally asked and Poppy quickly put her thought together as she gave the young with the shock of her life.

"I asked Miss Granger because it would appear that you are with child," She paused as she let Hermione process what she was saying before continuing. "You are currently carrying a half-mortal child and until we get some potions in you, are showing symptoms of about the end of first trimester if not a bit less."

"That's too fast! It's only been a week, are you certain?" Hermione exclaimed her hand going to her stomach and it was then she noticed how hard it felt. Poppy nodded and started taking out some potions from her bag.

"I am. While not unheard of, vampire children are rare and those born of mundane humans rarely survive, mothers included. They protect themselves from early termination so if you were thinking that route I'm sorry to say it is not an option. As a magical however you are protected from possible harm from the child especially with the potions that you will receive from me when you arrive at school tomorrow." Poppy made her take two potions and left another two on the side table for her as she continued to explain. "The potions have nutrients one for you and one for the baby they have a bit of dragon blood in it so they keep it sated for the moment. The potions you will receive tomorrow are to strengthen your magic and to slow down your pregnancy to a more normal growth rate. I have to have Severus brew those and then you'll need to learn how to brew the babe's potion after. It's why you are strengthening your magic, your magic will suppress the vampire genes as much as it can and once you birth the child you will continue to feed them a supresser so that she may grow normally. It's easier to deal with the child, especially if the mother is still mortal."

Hermione was overwhelmed she could only nod as Poppy kept talking and Molly, noticing this, made sure to pay attention to what the Mediwitch was saying so she may better care for the shocked girl she considered a second daughter. When the Mediwitch as gone, Molly came back into the room and sat besides the still shocked woman and pulled her into a hug.

"Don't you worry Hermione, it'll be a alright."

At her words, the young mother to be started crying and worrying as what she had just been told suddenly hit her full force. But from all that shock there wa only one thing that made her cry the most.

"Molly, what if I can't find him again? I don't want my child to not know it's father? What am I going to do?" She sobbed. Molly only held her closer and patted her head and back gently.

"Don't worry Hermione, some things happen for a reason, and maybe one day you'll meet again and you can give him his memory back. For the time being you have to concentrate one the little one that you're currently carrying." At her words Hermione slowly put herself together and straightening up she smiled at Molly.

"Thanks Molly, you'll be a great second grandmother for the little I'm carrying." Molly beamed at the young witch and couldn't help the happiness and fondness she felt for her. Even though she's thought of Hermione like a second daughter she hadn't know if Hermione would like Molly to be a second mother figure for her but she completely took that concern from her when she implied she would like to have Molly consider her child as a grandchild .

"I would love to be a grandmother to your child dear." She said softly and that was the end of the conversation as she stood to let Hermione rest and make sure she had everything for the train ride to Hogwarts.