AN - I own nothing! I'm just borrowing from J.K. Rowling!

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Chapter 15

Hermione walked through the corridors of Hogwarts. She had been staying there for a few days already, and she felt more relaxed than she did back at New York. There was no work that she had to deal with, and no bothersome calls from the Governor and whatever more.

Harry came to visit her of course, as soon as he heard that she was at Hogwarts. Her pregnancy of course was a shock to him. He asked her a few questions, which she avoided to answer. Her excuse was that things were complicated with the father of her unborn child. No additional details were told, and still kept secret. Still, she was able to catch up with her best friend, and have a few laughs. She couldn't wait to catch up with Ginny, and the rest of the Weasleys and most of all, catch up with the kids.

During school hours, Hermione even found herself sitting at the back of some classes, and just listening to her former professors' lecture again. They still looked the same for the most part, and sounded the same. It seemed like only yesterday that she had walked through these same halls, while she studied here.

Horace Slughorn was once again the Potions Master at Hogwarts when Severus had supposedly died. Sitting in his class was different. His teaching methods from Severus were different, but Hermione could only notice the way the older, and wider wizard moved. He had less grace than Severus, who seemed to glide through his tasks. Most of all, he didn't have the demeanor that frightened the students. By the middle of the class, Hermione couldn't stand it anymore, and walked out of the classroom.

"Hermione," Lucius called as soon as he saw her.

"Hi Lucius," she smiled at him, and kissed his cheek. "I heard you were out of town."

"Yes, I was out for business, and now I am here to fetch you. I believe that we are expected to be at the Burrow at any moment. Sirius and Minerva will follow soon after. Shall we?" he asked as he offered her his arm.

"Are you going to be at my beckon and call?" Hermione smirked. "What about Narcissa?"

"I have a lot of free time on my hands since I am slowly passing Malfoy Enterprises to Draco. I don't think I am ready for full retirement. I still feel the need to work, otherwise I'd be bored. As for Cissa, she's already there with Draco."

"And slaving after a Gryffindor is what you'd rather do for work?"

"Well, it's better than doing nothing," he chuckled. He never thought of it that way.

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"Hermione!" Molly said happily in her high pitched voice, when she opened the door. She hugged her tightly, and looked down at Hermione, head to toe. "Look at you," she said as she patted Hermione's stomach. "Absolutely glowing! I hear you're having a girl."

"I am. I'm pretty nervous and worried that I might be a terrible mother," she admitted.

"Nonsense dear. You'll be a wonderful mother."

Soon enough, when Hermione entered the house, she was greeted by a number of people, most of them red heads. All were smiles except for Ron.

"Auntie Erm! Aunti Erm!" Little Lilly said, squirming out of her mother's arms, wanting to be carried by Hermione.

"Hiya Lily, my favorite flower princess," Hermione said as she carried her. When she saw Ginny object, she then said, "It's alright Ginns. She's not too heavy."

"You have to tell me everything!" Ginny said as she pulled Hermione to the living room couch.

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"So what did you find out father?" Draco asked as he, his mother, Minerva, and Sirius were gathered on the back porch, along with Remus and Tonks.

"Hermione's apparently involved in a high profile case that will soon go public," Lucius answered. "I tried digging around a little more, but things are really being kept secret. I wasn't able to get any other information."

"I didn't know things were that bad," Sirius said.

"None of us did," Remus said.

"Do you think the case involves the father of her unborn child?" Narcissa asked with worry.

"God, I hope not," Minerva replied. From the outside, through the window, she watched Hermione playing with the little Potter kids. Everyone else also thought the same thing, hoping that the father—whoever he was, wasn't the one that was causing a lot of legal problems for Hermione.

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"Do babies come out of bewwy buttons?" Lily asked, as she placed her had on Hermione's tummy. "I don't hear nothing."

"No," Hermione laughed. "Babies don't come out of belly buttons, and you need special spells to hear a baby in my stomach. Only healers can use those spells."

"Mummy says I came from her stomach. I don't understand how I fit inside," the little girl frowned.

Hermione just laughed, and then saw Ron staring at her. "What's up with him? He looks so angry," she whispered to Ginny. "And where's Lavender?"

"Lavender is filing a divorce from him, after only a year of being together," Ginny whispered back.

"What? Why?" Hermione asked.

"She caught him cheating on her in their bed, with not just one, but two women. The Patil Twins."

"You're joking?!" Hermione gasped.

"I'm not! Once a cheater, always a cheater," Ginny smirked.

Hermione could only smirk back. She knew that Ron was cheating on her with Lavender long ago when they were still together. This was one of the reasons why she broke it off with him. She never could understand him, and never bothered trying to.

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Everyone was seated around the long and crowded dining table, eating happily. As always, Molly's cooking was delicious, and there was more than enough to feed an army. People had their small discussions next to each other, while others bounce around the table.

"Mum, can I move into the old room of Fred and George's? Mine's too small and I need more space," Ron said, with a mouth full of chicken in his mouth.

"What for?" Molly asked.

"For more twin action," George said aloud. His twin brother nodded in agreement as the high-fived each other.

Ron glared at his older brothers angrily and then turned back to talk to his mother. "I'm a grown man Mum, and I need more space."

"Then you should get out of the house and live elsewhere if you think it that way," Molly said strictly.

"Hey Mione," Ron started as he looked at her from across the table. "You still got that huge flat of yours in Central London. I could stay there."

"Ronald Weasley!" Molly said as she slapped him on the back of his head. "That's rude."

"What? It's not like she's using it. And it's like five bedrooms or something." He and Harry were invited their once for lunch. It was one of the few homes that she bought with her money. She rarely used it.

"And invite unwanted people into my house?" Hermione questioned. "I think not!"

Ron noticed that everyone in the table was looking at him. Some of them were snickering, while others looked angry. He stood up from his place, and ran upstairs.

"Does he ever change?" Hermione asked.

"I don't think so," Draco snorted just before he continued eating.

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AN – Do you think Lucius will dig up more information? Maybe, maybe not. Of course I had to have some of my Ron-bashing. Review!