Chapter 1: Hermione and the Horcrux

"Grandma, can you tell me a story?"

"Sure, Sarah. What story would you like to hear?"

"The one how you and grandpa met."

"That's not a very interesting story, Sarah."

"Okay…. The one about Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger and their adventures against You-Know-Who."

"Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself. His name was Voldemort, Sarah. Don't forget that."

"Okay, Grandma. Can you tell me?"

"Will you tell me. And yes, yes I will."

"Two years after they had graduated from Hogwarts, at Hermione's insistence, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were looking for Voldemort's horcruxes and they were down to the last one before they had to tackle Naigaini and Voldemort himself. All they had to find was Ravenclaw's dagger."

"What did Ravenclaw's dagger look like?"

"The handle was encrusted with blue sapphires and on the blade was an engraved eagle. It was beautiful…."

"Grandma, the story," Sarah insisted, snapping her grandmother from her thoughts.

"Oh, sorry Sarah. Where was I? Yes, I remember now…"

"Ravenclaw's dagger was found in Godric's Hallow. Harry was devastated about where it was. He had nightmares for weeks before they went. We all were nervous stepping into Harry's childhood home. We entered the house and felt the magic surrounding us.

"We spread out and began searching the house. Ron went upstairs, while Harry and I checked the ground floor together.

"It's up here guys!" Ron called out.

"Okay, Ron!" Harry called back.

"C'mon 'Mione. We gotta face our demons sometime," Harry said softly, with a wry grin.

We slowly walked up the staircase and met Ron in a room that had been obliterated.

"This was my room," Harry said, his voice quavering a little.

"It's okay, Harry. Its okay," I whispered softly in his ear.

"It's over there," he answered, pointing at the dilapidated crib. "I can feel his magic over there."

"Ron, could you please check under the sheet for the dagger?"

"Sure, 'Mione."

Ron walked over to the crib and tried to touch something inside of it.

"There's some sort of barrier. Harry, why don't you try."

Harry repeated exactly what Ron did, and had the same results.

"I'll try it," I, er-Hermione said.

Harry looked over at Ron, then back at Hermione.

"Okay, 'Mione. We'll let you try it," Ron said.

"Here goes nothing," she said under her breath.

Hermione walked to the crib, moved the blankets, and found Ravenclaw's dagger.

"I found it! Why don't you guys get over here and help me destroy this horcrux. Okay guys?"

"We can't move," Harry mumbled.

"Stupid barrier," Ron growled.

"So I have to do this by myself. Fun," she said sarcastically to herself.

Hermione pointed her wand at the dagger and calmly said, "Avada Kedavra."

The dagger split down the middle of the blade, but Hermione wasn't finished yet.

"Incendio! Reducto!" She shouted.

The spells didn't do anything to the dagger. Then it hit her.

"Imperio." Do a cartwheel, she thought.

The dagger did a cartwheel.

Destroy yourself. Destroy yourself now.

The dagger exploded with a loud BANG.

Hermio9ne ducked but not before a sliver of the dagger cut her arm. Harry and Ron had ducked much faster than she did, thanks to quidditch. She was exhausted.

"Guys, will you take me home?" Hermione said.

"Sure, 'Mione. We'll take you home," both grinning until Hermione almost fell over from exhaustion.

"Thanks guys for not letting fall me over. One of you is going to have to carry me."

"Ron?"

"Yeah, okay Harry. But you're apparating with her. You have more power than me."

"Fine, deal."

They shook on it and Ron picked up Hermione in a piggy-back ride.

"Dang, 'Mione. You got heavy."

"Or you got weaker," Harry joked to Ron.

"I resent that Harry. 'Mione, loosen your grip a bit, okay? You're choking me…. 'Mione? Harry check Hermione right now! She's not responding to me."

"Hermione… Hermione, wake up. We need you to wake up. Hermione, you're going to miss your N.E.W.T.s!"

Hermione bolted upright, yelling "What?! C'mon, let's go! I don't want to…oh."

Harry and Ron were laughing at her obvious discomfort.

"It's not funny!"

"'Mione, you weren't answering us so Harry decided to bring up an important test, knowing that you would wake up."

"Oh, okay. But did you have to yell?"

"Yes," Harry replied, trying not to laugh too hard.

"Let's go home."

"Okay 'Mione. I'm taking you."

Hermione felt the familiar squeezing as Harry apparated to 12 Grimmauld Place.

"Thanks for bringing me back, Harry," she grinned then grimaced.

"Ouch, 'Mione. What happened to your arm?"

"I think a piece of the dagger cut it. It hurts like crazy."

"Well, yeah…. shit."

"Ron, don't curse."

"Well, 'Mione. Your scar is cursed so you need to get to Madam Pomfrey now."

"We're apparating now?"

"'Mione, I'm taking you again."

"Thanks-" Hermione was cut off by the crack of Harry apparating with her. "-Harry. Ow. It hurts like hell."

"'Mione!" Both boys exclaimed together.

"What? I'm in pain, I can curse!"

"Can we curse if we're in pain?" Ron asked.

"Not anymore."

"Why?"

"Because you asked, you git," Harry replied, elbowing Ron in the ribs.

"What is it now dears?" Madam Pomfrey inquired.

"Well…. Hermione was cut by a piece of a cursed dagger and we were wondering if you could help," Harry answered quickly.

"Let me examine the wound first and I'll tell you what I need. Now, you two out! I need to examine her in peace," she said, briskly shooing the boys out and drawing the privacy curtains around Hermione's bed. "Now where is the cut, Hermione?"

"Oh, on my left arm."

"When were you cut?"

"What time is it right now?"

"It's 11:16. Why do you- never mind."

"About a half-hour ago."

"Good. They got you here quickly."

"They realized why I kept passing out quite quickly when Harry noticed the blood on his clothes after we reached Grimmauld Place," Hermione replied, thinking, 'Lucky me, I destroy the horcrux just to die before I ever get married.'

'Stop being so dramatic, Miss Granger.'

'Severus, it's Hermione to you. And why are you here?'

"Well, first and foremost, Miss Granger, I'm the Potions Master; therefore I know how to create an antidote to whatever curse is upon that scar. That is why I am here," Snape said, slowly and calmly, pushing past the privacy screen around Hermione's bed.

"Hermione, dear?"

"Yes, Madam Pomfrey?"

"Are you allergic to any potions ingredients?"

"No."

"Have you been feeling ill lately?"

"Just a little nauseous in the morning, but that's it."

"Okay, Hermione. I'm going to run some tests before Professor Snape administers any potions. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Madam Pomfrey," they replied simultaneously.

Madam Pomfrey left to go to her office to pick up the test potions.

"So Severus how have your classes been going?" Hermione asked while Severus sat down on her bed.

"Dreadfully. They are empty-headed buffoons that don't appreciate the subtleties of potion-making."

"You say that every year. You even said it about us."

"Not about you, but Longbottom, Potter, and Weasley, yes."

"Severus Snape, get off my patient's bed," Madam Pomfrey snapped.

"Sorry, Madam Pomfrey," he said, winking at Hermione. "I'll be on the other side of the curtain awaiting the news of which potion I'll have to brew."

"Goodbye, Professor."

"Swallow this now, Hermione."

"Okay," she said before gulping it down. "What is it?"

"A pregnancy detection potion."

"But I couldn't be. I can't be-"

"You're pregnant."

Hermione fainted at the sound of these two words.

"Hermione. Wake up. I need you to take this potion now."

Hermione slowly opened her eyes. She blinked and everything in the back of her mind came to the front assaulting her with the realization that she was responsible for another life.

"Oh my gosh," she muttered. "I'm pregnant."

"Hermione, now that you are awake, would you please take this potion? Before you ask, it's to detect what curse was used."

Hermione took the potion vial and downed it, while Madam Pomfrey looked at her intently.

"Hm…. Interesting…. Severus? I need you in here," Madam Pomfrey said, poking her head outside of the screen.

"Wow, I've never seen this spell before."

"Are you sure? Because I have and it's not one I would dream on my worst enemy."

"Tell me, Poppy."

"Well, the object makes contact with the running blood of the victim that fulfills the requirements of the spell made by the spellcaster. In Miss Granger's case, a pregnant woman. This spell allows the spellcaster to slowly take over the victim's body while the child continues to grow."

"Wait. Back up. She's pregnant?" Snape asked, shell-shocked.

"Yes, now whomever cursed the dagger, has slowly started the deterioration of her body," Madam Pomfrey said, not looking up from Hermione.

Snape had tuned her out at "dagger" because he knew just which dagger Madam Pomfrey was talking about. He locked eyes with Hermione, and realized something: she was pregnant with his child.

What do you think? I only have one more chapter pre-written so updates will not be quick. Please give reviews.