It's January 16th, so Hermione's really showing the pregnancy in her stomach…by now everyone knows.
Song, Dare You to Move, by Switchfoot in Italics
Flashback in Bold/ItalicsChapter 12
Hermione was having an awful day. First of all, the baby had kept her up all night with the hiccups. She finally fell into a fitful sleep, and woke up early to finish a potions essay.
She was sitting with Harry and Ron in Charms class, reflecting on what had happened at breakfast. She was supposed to be shooting a fountain of melted chocolate out of her wand into the little glass bowl Flitwick had given everyone. So far, Hermione hadn't done anything. She was too preoccupied with what had happened earlier to notice that she was behind everyone in the class.
Hermione sat down with Ginny, Ron and Harry for breakfast. Immediately, Hermione began shoveling food on her plate. Now, since she was eating for two, and the baby was getting bigger, Hermione had a bigger appetite lately. Ginny totally understood, and helped Hermione reach for whatever she wanted, but Rona and Harry thought about it differently.
As she piled eggs and sausage on her plate, Harry looked at Hermione with a slightly open mouth, completely flabbergasted. Ron, however, as insensitive as always, felt he needed to voice his opinion.
"Hey, Mi, why don't you save some for winter?" He teased, but Ginny just looked at him, and Hermione put down her fork, looking embarrassed as a group of girls passed by, giggling at her full plate.
"That's the one…right there. She was with Fred and George's little brother." One of them said to the other, as a third tried to get a look at Hermione's stomach.
"Oh, god, she was always so smart," said the second girl, and Hermione looked at Ginny across the table as Ginny glared at the girls behind Hermione.
"Hey, Aurora, those jeans are looking a little tight…I hope those are just your skinny jeans…and, um, Debbi, hun, I would worry about your own problems. Have you talked to Lacey lately? I'm sure she has tons to tell you about your boyfriend…Hunter, was it?" Ginny said, rounding on the second girl, who cowered under her stare as Aurora and Debbi scowled at her.
"Rachel, I think you should take Professor Flitwick up on his offer to tutor you, it might help the next time you get an essay assignment so you don't fail it." Ginny said, as Rachel bowed her suddenly red face. Rachel had a reputation of being almost as good as Hermione in her subjects.
The girls left fast, and Ginny grinned at their retreating backs. However, just as they walked away, another pair of girls walked by.
"Pig," one girl coughed, and this time, Ginny stood up pulling out her wand as a tear rolled down Hermione's cheek. She stood and walked quickly to the bathroom. Ron and Harry both pulled Ginny down.
"Gin, let her go, it's not worth it." Harry said, putting an arm around her shoulder and kissing her on the cheek. Ron scowled, but said nothing. Ginny kissed Harry back, then got up to go after Hermione.
"Mi, Flitwick's coming!" Ron, who had only managed to shoot a thick stream of peanut butter from his wand, exclaimed. Hermione snapped out of it quickly and attempted to shoot the chocolate from her wand. Unfortunately, Flitwick stopped at their table, expecting to see another miracle from Hermione.
Welcome to the planet
Welcome to existence
Everyone's here
Everyone's here
Everybody's watching you now
Everybody waits for you now
What happens next?
What happens next?
As Flitwick waited, and Harry and Ron sat with baited breath, Hermione whispered the spell, but only a stream of thick, buttery milk came from her wand.
"Oh, Ms. Granger, that is…um…a bit disappointing. Well, I'm afraid I'll have to take 10 points from Gryffindor, because I gave you plenty of time to practice. Practice for homework, all three of you!" Flitwick said shrilly, Hermione's mishap throwing him off.
"Yes, Professor, sorry sir," Hermione whispered, eyes pointed at her lap. A girl walked up behind Hermione as Flitwick moved on to another table.
"Nice going, slut." Said the girl, bumping Hermione's chair from the back, and then stalking off.
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened before
Eyes filling with tears, Hermione stood and rushed out of the room. Flitwick called after her, and then rounded on Harry and Ron.
"Where is she going, boys?"
"Um…bathroom?" Ron explained lamely.
"Alright, but if she isn't back by the end of class, give her this detention slip for me." Flitwick said, conjuring a small slip of paper out of thin air, and handing it to Ron.
"Okay, I'll give it to her, sir." Ron mumbled, then as soon as Flitwick turned his back on them, "You insensitive midget of a teacher!" Ron hissed, and Harry snorted.
"What's up with Hermione? Those girls making fun of her never would've bother her this much before." Harry asked, and Ron looked at him with a pained face.
"I don't know! She's all emotional lately! I can't say anything without her finding something wrong with it! I'm trying to be understanding and all, but it's hard, mate." Ron said, running his fingers through his hair.
&&&&&&
Hermione knew she'd be in trouble if she didn't get back to class, but she couldn't get her feet going in the right direction. It was all she could do to make herself stop at the Room of Requirement.
'I need a place where I can be alone and not get in trouble…' Hermione thought three times before a door appeared along the blank wall. She wrenched the door open and entered the room.
The room was a large bedroom, complete with a four-poster bed, soft music playing in the background and a large fire roaring in the fireplace. As Hermione flopped down on the bed, she found a note on the comforter. It was from Professor Dumbledore, excusing her from the detention that Flitwick was going to give her.
She sighed, stowing the note in her pocket. Suddenly, Hermione felt another hiccup from the baby. She broke into frustrated sobs, pounding the bed.
This wasn't supposed to happen to her! She was supposed to be the smartest girl in her class, the one with the perfect boyfriend, the perfect friends, and the happiest life. Now she didn't know how she was going to finish out her last year at Hogwarts, let alone find a job to support this baby if she did graduate.
Welcome to the fallout
Welcome to resistance
The tension is here
The tension is here
Between who you are and who you could be
Between how it is and how it should be
Just then, Hermione heard the doorknob turn and Ron walked in the room. He seemed cautious, like he wasn't sure what Hermione was going to do. As soon as she saw him however, she ran to him, flinging her arms around his neck.
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened
Ron shushed her quietly as she sobbed, smoothing her hair with one hand.
"Mi, what's wrong lately?" Ron asked, and Hermione took a deep breath, the tears subsiding slightly.
"How are we going to support a baby, Ron? We are in so over our heads!" She cried, and Ron looked at her, surprised.
"Mione, is this what you've been worrying about? The baby isn't due for like another five months! I can get a job, and I'm sure my mom would be more than happy to help you take care of her grandchild." Ron said, and Hermione nodded and eventually stopped crying.
Maybe redemption has stories to tell
Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell
Where can you run to escape from yourself?
Where you gonna go?
Where you gonna go?
Salvation is here
&&&&&&
Later that night in the boy's dormitory, Harry was having a hard time falling asleep. He walked down to the common room, where there was still a fire in the fireplace.
When he finally nodded off on the couch, he heard a sharp raspy voice and bolted awake. Everything went black, and all he could hear was the voice.
"I will do whatever it takes to bring you down, Harry Potter. Warn your friends if you have to but it will be no use. You will come to me, and you will lose, Harry Potter. You will lose everything." Harry blinked as the voice of Voldemort left his head, and the common room came back into focus.
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened
Today never happened
Today never happened before