"Do you think we're doing the right thing with pranking them and all? It feels a little mean."

"Hermione! We've worked too hard for you to get a jelly belly now."

Hermione pouted and then rubbed her belly.

"'S'not made of jelly. Made of something worse." She complained, hunching over a little.

"Poor you. Surfing the crimson wave, then?"

"You know it. This is far too painful to be normal."

"Just cramps?"

"Let me just point out, the words 'just' and 'cramps' should never be used in the same sentence!" Hermione bristled and stared at her girlfriend indignantly.

She chuckled and conjured a hot water bottle for Hermione.

Harry, Ron and Draco wandered into the entrance hall on their way outside. Hermione saw them coming and prodded her girlfriend, who disappeared into a broom cupboard. Hermione was left sitting on the stairs clutching the hot water bottle. The boys paused when they saw her.

"Hey Herm. You okay?"

"Nothing you would understand, Ronald." She snapped.

"Ah. Let me guess, it's that time of the month again and you're overdoing the pain thing for sympathy. Again. One twinge of discomfort and you claim the world is ending. Do we have to go though this every month?"

"Harold James Potter, I cannot believe you would be this insensitive!" she screeched. "When you have a womb then we can talk about whether this bloody pain is real or not! I would expect comments like that from Ronald but not from you."

"Miss Granger!"

They looked around. Professor McGonnagal was standing by the doors into the great hall.

"Would you come with me please? I have something to discuss with you." she said.

McGonnagal shut the door of her office and motioned Hermione to sit down.

"I know. Boys are pricks. Enough said. But, you must never let them get you down because they don't have a womb."

"Is there any way we can give them one?" Hermione asked.

"I'm afraid not. And there's nothing we can do about it. They're all like that. even when they're grown up. You should hear Severus go on about how it's all fake and we-"

"Just want sympathy."

"Indeed. I've also been hearing about the prank war between the twins and the Treacherous Trio as they have now deemed themselves, since Ron joined. Also how someone is playing pranks on them. Care to shed some light on this?"

Hermione grinned shyly at the deputy headmistress. Silently she nodded.