Author's Notes: I don't own the characters, except for baby Winchester!

Chapter Inspiration: Those Nights by Skillet

Chapter 14

Hermione and Dean apparated into the front courtyard of Hogwarts, a familiar landing place for the couple. Dean looked around at the courtyard. It had been rebuilt, and the castle entrance no longer had the piles of debris. In fact, it was looking like a battle had never taken place here. He whistled in appreciation.

"What was that for?" Hermione asked, cocking her head to look at him.

"I'm impressed. In six months, this area at least looks like nothing bad ever took place here." Dean replied, still scanning the courtyard.

"It's where the majority of the volunteers felt like starting. They felt rebuilding the entrance, and courtyard first, was some kind of symbol to the community." Hermione replied.

"Were you one of the majority?" Dean asked curiously. He didn't really know a lot about the stuff she'd been doing after he'd left her here.

"I agreed, though I was on a team relegated to preparing the Great Hall to be restored to its former glory." Hermione replied with a small smile.

"The Great Hall?" Dean asked.

Hermione swallowed around a lump she was sure would take up residence in her throat every time she thought of the Battle of Hogwarts, as well as those who'd died. "It's where we sat waiting for Harry when he went to the Forbidden Forrest. You know, where they were laying out the dead."

Her voice, though soft, was so full of pain. Dean pulled her into a tight embrace, remembering somberly the lives lost around him. Though he didn't know most of them, he still felt grief at their passing. "I shouldn't have asked." He reproached himself.

"It's okay. I'll probably always feel rather emotional about that night." Hermione replied, rubbing her cheek against Dean's solid, warm, chest.

"Understandable." Dean empathized.

With a small smile, Hermione leaned back just enough so she could see Dean's face. He smiled down at her, and for once in his life as a hunter, he felt a true happiness. He wasn't sure if it was just Hermione, or the combination of Hermione, his daughter, and the magic of Hogwarts, but it felt right. All of it, and he couldn't figure out why. Her arms tightened around his waist minutely, giving him a tender squeeze. He wasn't entirely sure what she was trying to communicate to him, but he wondered if it had anything to do with her signing off her last letter to him 'Love, Hermione.'

"Thank you for being you." Hermione told him in a rare moment of sharing with him exactly what she was feeling.

"You're welcome?" Dean replied, unsure how to take the compliment. Nobody had ever thanked him for being himself before, not even Sam.

Hermione could sense what she'd said made him uncomfortable, so she gently pulled out of his embrace and took his hand. "Let's go see everybody." She said, giving him the perfect out.

"Go on momma." Dean replied. Her brilliant smile made everything worth it once again. The discomfort he'd felt at her compliment faded completely, and his worries about parenting a daughter seemed insignificant.

She pulled on his hand as she led him up the stairs to the door. Pushing it open, she saw there were few people milling around. Must be there was a major project going on. She peeked into the Great Hall, there were a few people there, but she wasn't sure as they'd know where she could find anyone. Deciding to go see the headmistress, she led Dean toward the other end of the hall. When she reached the statue, she firmly stated the password.

"Animagus Tabby."

"What?" Dean asked, completely befuddled.

"It's the password that activates the stairs. See?" She explained gesturing to the staircase now spiraling upwards.

"So, it's like a password protected escalator?" Dean asked.

"Something like that." Hermione replied, smiling at Dean's childlike reactions.

"It's a passcalator!" Dean exclaimed, proud of himself.

Hermione outright laughed. "Whatever you say, silly."

"Hey, that was a good one, and you know it." Dean retorted, poking Hermione's waist. She giggled, and swatted his hand away.

By the time the couple composed themselves, they were at the door to the headmistress's office. Hermione knocked loudly, looking up at Dean with eyes twinkling with mischief and joy.

"Come in." They heard the professor call.

Hermione pushed the wooden door open, and entered, Dean following along behind her. "Hello Professor." She greeted.

"Hermione! What have I told you about addressing me?" The elder witch asked firmly.

"I'm sorry, Minerva." Hermione corrected herself sheepishly.

"Very good, dear. Dean, I'm pleased to see you again." Minerva greeted warmly.

"You too." Dean replied awkwardly.

"What are you guys doing here?" Minerva asked, a smile softening her naturally stern features.

"Well, we came to tell everyone our news. I wanted to tell you before I went wandering around looking for Harry and Ron." Hermione replied happily.

"What news do you come bearing?" Minerva asked, her eyes bright.

Hermione looked to Dean who just nodded at her to go ahead. This was why they were here after all. "Dean and I just found out what we're having."

"So, am I buying pink or blue?" Minerva asked.

"It's a girl." Hermione couldn't hold it back any longer.

"Oh, how lovely!" Minerva replied, standing. She bustled around her desk to embrace Hermione happily. Dean hid a smile behind his hand, pretending to rub a hand down his jaw. Once Minerva had released Hermione, she stepped around her and embraced Dean just as tightly. "You two will make marvelous parents."

"Thank you." Dean replied awkwardly.

Minerva released him, and looked between the expecting parents. "Oh goodness, Hermione, you're always welcome here, you know that. Dean, I don't want to pressure you, I know you're a hunter and all, but, should you decide, I can find a place for you on our teaching staff. I mean, if you decided hunting and raising a family is too difficult. In fact, the Ministry supports adding a course in the supernatural to the current curriculum."

Dean's head was spinning all the sudden. The elderly witch just offered him an exit from hunting, while still not cutting it completely from his life. A life which might be better suited to being with Hermione, and raising their daughter at her side.

"Of course, you don't have to decide right now, or even today. You have the option open to you. I'd offered Hermione the post as a professor in any area of study, with the exception of transfiguration, but then she left us to tell you about the baby. I'm sure she won't take me up on my offer unless you do." Minerva continued to address Dean, much to Hermione's embarrassment.

Dean looked to a blushing Hermione, who had both hands pressed to her cheeks. He quirked a brow at her. One thing became very clear to Dean: Hermione had no reason whatsoever to tell him about his daughter. She had a life here, and had a prospect at a job where she would have been safe. She had friends, and colleagues that looked up to her, and yet she'd turned it all down, and chose him. The weight of that realization alone had him swimming in guilt. He turned his attention from a bright red Hermione, back to Minerva. "I appreciate the offer ma'am..." Dean started.

Minerva lifted a stern brow at him. "Dean, don't you ma'am me. Minerva is my name." She scolded. Hermione giggled softly at Dean's expression. He looked like a little boy who'd just been scolded for having been caught with a hand in the cookie jar.

"I apologize, Minerva. I appreciate the offer, but I want to think about it." Dean replied, starting again.

"Of course, of course. Take all the time you guys need!" Minerva assured Dean pressing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Now, you're welcome to spend as much time here as you'd like. I believe Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley are down helping with the new Quidditch Pitch."

"Why doesn't that surprise me." Hermione quipped, rolling her eyes.

"Quidditch?" Dean asked, looking between the two women.

"I'll explain on the way." Hermione said, looking at Dean with a soft smile.

"Apparate down dear, it's quite a distance for you." Minerva pinned Hermione with a matronly stare.

"Very well, Minerva." Hermione acquiesced.

"Minerva, is it safe for her to be apparating?" Dean asked before he could stop himself. He knew Harry had said it was, but he was still hesitant.

"For now, yes. I wouldn't recommend it for much longer though." Minerva replied, returning to her seat behind the desk.

"Okay." Dean replied.

"You ready?" Hermione asked, taking Dean's hand.

"As ready as I'll ever be." He replied, twining his fingers with hers.

"We'll stop in before we go back to the States." Hermione said to Minerva.

"Very well. Stay as long as you'd like." The elderly witch reminded them kindly.

"Thank you." Hermione and Dean replied at the same time. With a jerk of her wand, Hermione apparated them to the Quidditch Pitch. It was partially reconstructed, and the sight alone gave her some hope.

Dean kept her hand tightly in his own as she led him towards a partially constructed, wooden structure. He saw some witches and wizards sending boards into place, and magically securing them. No matter how much magic he'd seen the night of the battle, he still wasn't used to seeing it used.

Hermione spotted Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hannah together at the far end of the pitch. Leading Dean, she walked carefully over to where they were. Harry was the first to see their approach.

"Hermione!" Harry called jovially.

"Harry!" Hermione replied, echoing his greeting.

When they reached the area where her friends were, she released Dean's hand and moved to embrace each of them.

"You look great." Ginny commented happily.

"Thank you, so do you!" Hermione replied, smiling at her friend after their embrace.

Hermione moved on to Ron, who was happy to see his friend. "Glad you finally listened?" He asked sarcastically.

"Don't be a git." Hermione replied with a wry grin.

Moving on, she embraced Ron's girlfriend, Hannah. "You look so happy, and so does he." She whispered in Hermione's ear kindly.

"I am." Hermione whispered back.

She pulled out of the embrace and looked at her friends. "So, what brings you to Hogwarts?" Harry asked.

"We just came from Luna's." Hermione replied.

"How's my niece or nephew?" Ginny asked excitedly.

"Fine, she says the baby is healthy, and apparently being huge means I'm measuring where I'm supposed to be." Hermione replied. Dean poked her in a spot he'd discovered was ticklish 28 weeks prior.

"You're not huge." Hannah informed Hermione sternly.

"Thank you." Dean replied, glad for the witch's interference.

"You're welcome Dean. By the way, we haven't formally met, but I'm Hannah Abbott. I'm dating Ron." Hannah told Dean.

"Nice to meet you." Dean replied politely.

"We decided after the appointment to come visit the school so we can tell you the news." Hermione went on.

"What news?" Ron asked.

"We found out what we're having."

"Yay!" Ginny and Hannah exclaimed.

"So?" Harry asked, smirking.

"Baby Winchester, is a baby girl." Hermione said quickly.

Hermione's friends responded happily, coming to stand around her. Hugs were exchanged, and the girls cooed over the baby bump. What confused Hermione was when Harry looked at Ginny and said: "pay up."

"Bloody know it all." Ginny muttered, pulling coins from her pocket to slap into Harry's open and outstretched hand.

"Anybody care to explain?" Hermione asked, arching an amused brow at the couple.

"Harry and I bet on the gender. I figured it'd be a boy, because hello, one look at Dean, and he's a manly man." Ginny replied, as Harry was too busy counting the coins in his palm. "Harry picked a girl because, well, I don't know why. Sweetie, why did you put money on baby Winchester being a girl?"

"Because it's Hermione." Harry replied.

"It's not like I had anything to do with it!" Hermione exclaimed with a laugh.

Everyone was amused at the turn this conversation had taken. "What's that supposed to mean?" Harry asked.

"It means, Dean's responsible for that half of the baby's DNA." Hermione explained.

"Wait, what?" Dean burst out.

"Sorry Dean." Hermione placated, kissing him quickly on the cheek.

Ron had been strangely quiet through the whole exchange. Hermione looked to see him standing with his mouth open. Hannah winked at her, then said loudly, "what's wrong Uncle Ronnie?"

Ron snapped out of his shock and glared at his girlfriend. "Uncle Ronnie?" He asked her.

"I think that sounds fantastic." Hermione agreed with Hannah.

"Uncle Ronnie. Yes, that suits him quite brilliantly." Ginny also agreed.

"If he's Uncle Ronnie, I'm Uncle Harry." Harry interjected.

"Of course, you're Uncle Harry, he's Uncle Ronnie. Not to mention his Aunt Ginny and Auntie Hannah." Hermione replied.

Everyone was happy with their titles. Dean didn't say a lot, content to listen to the banter between Hermione and her friends. This is what he'd missed in life growing up as he and Sam had, however for the first time, he had the chance to. He resolved to think more seriously about the offer Minerva had made to him and Hermione.