A/N: Looky here! It's the next chapter! Congratultions for choosing this story. Don't forget to review when you're done! I'll thank you in advance!
Hermione had been reminiscing her first memory of loving Harry. That had been last year. Their relationship had budded over the budded during the summer, and had exploded into bloom during the school year. Unfortunately, so had Hermione's belly. She had become pregnant over the course of the year, and her parents were refusing to let her out of the house. "Mom! Dad!" Hermione yelled through the locked door. "Let me in! I'm sorry, but please let me in! We can talk about it."
"We're sorry, Hermione," came her mother's voice through the door. "You've brought this upon yourself. If you're old enough to get yourself pregnant, you're old enough to live on your own. You're on your own. You're done school. Get a job and find a flat somewhere. Maybe that boy will marry you, but I doubt it. Take some money to live out the rest of the summer, and then you're on your own. Forever." Mrs. Granger slid a thick envelope through the mail slot and bid her only child farewell.
Later, Hermione broke into her own house. She had to; all her personal belongings were in there. She left her parents a note saying not to call the police because it was only her, and then she left. When she reached the ground (her room was on the second story), she realized how hopeless her situation was. She broke down crying. When she had calmed herself down and took inventory of her situation. She had $1623.42 including the money from her room. She had enough clothes to last for a while. She had school books that she could pawn off eventually. She had a trunk with which to carry all her stuff. She had her brain. She had an unborn child. She had no clue what to do. Hermione fell asleep leaning against the shed in her backyard. She awoke with the sun, and left her childhood home behind.
"Is Harry Potter there?" Hermione was phoning the Dursley's house from a pay phone in the mall.
"Who's this?" came the voice on the other end. "Are you his girlfriend or something?" it was Dudley. Hermione sighed.
"No, but I need to talk to him." Hermione didn't like lying, but she didn't want Dudley spilling her secret all over the world. Harry didn't even know yet. She had found out a month before school ended, but Harry had been so busy destroying horcruxes (lame lame lame…don't hurt me…) that she hadn't been able to tell him. He hadn't been on the train; she hadn't even seen him since she found out. Hermione didn't even know where Harry was, or if he was still alive.
"Ummm...yeah. He got here last night, bloody late. I dunno if he'll like being woken up, but I don't mind. Hold on a sec." Hermione thanked her lucky stars that Dudley was getting Harry. It turns out that Dudley had been (somewhat) nicer to Harry since the evening of the dementors, but he wouldn't let anyone tell him that.
"'Lo?" a hoarse voice came through the receiver.
"Harry! It's me."
""Mione? Is that you?" Harry yawned into the phone. Hermione started to cry. "Is something wrong?"
"Oh Harry, I'm just glad you're alive. I'm… I'm…pregnant." Hermione whispered the last word. Dead silence on both sides of the phone, except for Hermione's sniffles.
"Oh." was all Harry managed to say. "Hold on a minute. Can you apparate here…no never mind, where are you?"
"I'm in the middle of a Muggle shopping store. Don't apparate here."
"Well, listen to me and do exactly what I tell you. Stick your wand arm out when you're standing on the sidewalk. The Knight Bus will come, and then you tell them to take you straight to number 4 Privet Drive, OK? Got it?"
"I…I think so." Hermione was so relieved.
"Ok, I'll see you soon. Bye."
"I love you Harry." whispered Hermione.
"I love you too Hermione. I still do."
Hermione walked outside, relieved that Harry still loved her. Somehow, that made everything better. Life was looking up. Secretly in her mind, Hermione hope that Harry would want to marry her and then they could find a house together and spend the rest of their lives together. She stuck out her wand arm, just like Harry had told her to, and a massive bright purple double-decker bus pulled up. She was surprised; it was slightly frightening the first time you saw it. The Knight Bus had its name printed on the side in luminous gold letters, and although Hermione was quite experienced with the concealment of the wizard world from the Muggles', she couldn't believe that she was the only one on the street who could see this. The doors opened in front of her, and a voice came from inside, "Where to, miss?"
"I need to get to number 4 Privet Drive, in…"
"Aye, I know where that is. That's Harry Potter's house, that is. What purpose are you heading there for?" The driver looked at her curiously.
"Well, he's my friend and I'm paying him a visit."
"I see. You're sure he's there? I've heard rumour that he's up and left for his aunt and uncle are cruel to him." The driver seemed proud that he knew so much about the private life of Harry Potter. "We had him here on the Knight Bus before, din't we, Stan. He said his name was Neville Longbottom, he did. Queer fellow he was. Well, what are you waiting for? Come on! It's a long way, and we got drop off loads of people first. Today's a busy day." Hermione climbed cautiously aboard. Stan offered Hermione his hand, and she grabbed it. He pulled her none too gently up the stairs. When he realized that Hermione was pregnant, he mumbled his apologies, and found her a very comfortable seat, complete with multiple pillows. When she was settled in, he walked quickly to the back of the bus and stayed there for the rest of the journey. Hermione dozed in her chair.
"Miss! Miss! We're here. That will be seven sickles please." Stan was shaking Hermione, gently this time, to wake her. Hermione drowsed back into the waking world and suddenly realized that she had no money at all. Her parents had always paid for all her wizarding world purchases. "Umm, I've just realized that I don't have anything but Muggle money on me." Hermione said rather sheepishly. Stan walked to the front of the bus and held a quiet conversation with Ernie the bus driver.
"Ern says to ask you for 7 pounds in Muggle money." Hermione handed over the notes and followed Stan to the front.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. Good luck! Say hi to Neville for us!" Hermione stepped off the bus and into the waiting arms of Harry.
