Ron Weasley discovered that Joanne was a terrible bore as he walked along the Forbidden Forest. She didn't talk, she didn't joke. She laughed politely at Ron's jokes, but Ron had the impression she didn't find anything or anyone even remotely funny. She was polite but Ron knew that her thoughts were elsewhere and she often looked into the distance, frowning as if under deep thought.

Roger was infatuated with Joanne. They were both Ravenclaws. Roger was somewhat like Percy. He gave out about missing out on so much school work while in slavery and complained about how the slaves should have been given education. Then he went back to silence.

In Ron's opinion, Roger and Joanne were perfect for each other.

But they did seem to like each other a lot. The only time Joanne really focused on anything was to kiss Roger or hold onto his hand.

"Here," Roger said, as they approached a large log, "Let me help you, Joanne." He took the girl by her slender waist and practically lifted her over the log.

Laura turned to Ron and threw her eyes up to heaven.

Laura was pretty. Elfish and young. She was very short and slim. She was one of those people that tried to help whoever they could, whenever they could. She was perky, almost too perky, and she had a good sense of humour. She was clumsy (Ron knew because she kept tripping over tree roots and logs) and she didn't seem to get tired at any time, which did annoy Ron vaguely.

"I think we're nearly at Hogwarts," Roger told them.

Sure enough, this part of the forest looked vaguely familiar.

"Oh!" Laura pointed at something on the ground, "Look at all those spiders!"

It took Ron a minute before he came to his crushing conclusion. He looked around, and he remembered back to second year. Now he knew why this part of the forest was familiar.

Forbidden Forest + Spiders = Run.

"Guys," he said, "We have to get out of here right now."

"Why?" Laura asked, startled.

There was a noise behind them. Ron felt his heart clench in his chest. "We need to go right now!"

*

"Hermione," Draco sat opposite her. She put down Hogwarts a History (She had stolen it off Draco) and gave him her attention. She didn't speak nor did she want to be spoken to by such a man, yet she knew his wand was resting in his cloak pocket and she did not wish to piss him off.

Things had been quite mellow around the Malfoy Manor. They didn't mention Aaron again. Draco seemed quite content with himself, and Hermione saw him smiling everytime she called him by his first name.

She did that for two sole reasons. It kept him happy, for one. He wasn't brooding by the fire and glaring at her all the time and he wasn't as easily annoyed as before which was good because Hermione didn't think she could take much more torture. Secondly whenever she uttered the word "Malfoy" she thought of Lucius Malfoy. And that brought up memories best forgotten.

She wished Draco would play along with her little "forgetting bad memories" theory though. She knew what he was going to talk of. The possibility of a little boy or girl inside her belly.

"Look, we can't go around not knowing for sure," Draco said.

"Why not?" Pansy said calmly, "Why not wait and see if a baby pops out of there sometime?"

Draco shot her a sardonic look before returning his attention to Hermione and saying, "Don't you want to know?"

"No," She answered hastily, but admitting defeat she nodded and said, "But how? How can we find out?"

"There's a potion. The Enceinte Potion. Have you heard of it?"

It did sound familiar but Hermione was past the time of trying to prove everybody that she knew everything. She shook her head to his question.

"Well I don't know much about it either. I don't know how to brew it or where to get any of the ingredients. But I know somebody who does."

"Professor Snape," supplied Hermione, proving she still had a brain even if she didn't use it as much as she used to.

He nodded and smirked, "Severus is going to be taking another trip to the Malfoy Manor."

*

Act Number two was about to take place.

"Harry, can we take a break?"

She felt his hesitance and annoyance. He wanted to keep moving, Ginny knew that. But he would just have to wait. Ginny didn't even know why he was in such a rush. Draco had just transported her there and she didn't know where she was. Either did Harry, seemingly.

He nodded and sat down. She sat down beside him, closer than necessary.

"Harry, you know that prophecy about you and Voldemort? The one where someone has to die?"

"Yeah," His voice was not encouraging. He didn't like to talk about Voldemort.

"Well, it got me thinking about, you know, death. I have a question to ask you. If you were to die this minute, what would you regret?"

"Ginny…" He turned to her, searching her face with his green eyes. He was bewildered, but that was good. Ginny could use that to her advantage.

She pressed on, "What would you wish you had done? One thing?"

"Well…"

"Wouldn't you wish you had been with someone? Closer than ever before?"

Her next line was, "With me?"

But unfortunately for Ginny, her sentence was overrun by Harry's loud exclamation, "I'd regret not telling Hermione my feelings!"

He had practically shouted it. He seem startled with himself afterwards and quickly said, "Sorry, what were you saying?"

Ginny was frozen. Finally she got a grip of herself, "We better get moving," she said coldly, standing up, pushing herself away from him. He looked worried about her. But worried wasn't enough for Ginny. Everyone was worried about her. Worried about her recent behaviour. She had enough worry to go around. Worry was useless.

She wanted to be loved, god damn it!

Ginny was losing her calm composure! How she hated Hermione at that moment. She stomped ahead of Harry, her fists clenched, a face of fury on her clean cut features that would have startled Harry if he had seen it.

But he didn't see.

*

"What is this about, Malfoy?" Snape asked coldly.

"We need an Enceinte Potion," Draco said.

Snape looked sharply at Hermione. "Why?"

Hermione felt herself go red. She didn't want him to know why.

"Is it yours?" Snape asked Draco, seeing her red face and obviously coming to the correct conclusion. "It" was the possibility of a baby. There was something like ice in his voice.

"Yes," Draco answered untruthfully.

"Did you rape her?"

"I'm not my father!" Draco shouted angrily, shocking them all. His wand was out in a split second and he glowered at Snape.

"Did your father rape her?" Snape pressed on, unimpressed by Draco's wand.

"Yes," Pansy said and she wasn't smiling at all anymore.

Snape turned and looked into Hermione's eyes. She didn't blink, but looked back into those opaque black eyes, sunken into his pale serious face.

It was only too late when Hermione remembered he practised Legimency and she knew no Occlumency and could not put up any kind of a barrier.

She saw his reaction. Disgust and confusion and disbelief. She knew what he thought of Neville and now knew what he thought of her. She should not care what a greasy old Professor thought of her, but she did and it stung.

"I shall have that potion for you in the next hour," Snape said then he strode away without a backwards glance.

*

The Enceinte Potion was a grey liquid that looked neither tasteful or nice. Hermione wasn't sure of her current feelings as she drained the liquid from its container. What she was aware of, was everyone looking at her. The Enceinte Potion did not taste pleasant but it was not a horrible taste. It was simply strange and not one Hermione would recommend. The vodka she had drank the day before had been worse.

There was a minute when time seemed suspended on air. Nobody moved, nobody talked. Even Snape seem vaguely nervous.

What would she do if she was pregnant?

Hermione could just imagine it now:

"Oh, and darling, this is your daddy. Yes, that little fat boy who's practically a squib."

"Mummy, how did you and daddy meet?"

"At school, dear."

"And when did you have me?"

"When I was in slavery, dear."

Or:

"Where's daddy, mum?"

"Oh, he's dead. You know, Uncle Draco killed him."

"Where did you meet Daddy?"

"Oh, in slavery, dear."

"When did you fall in love?"

"We didn't. I didn't even want to have you. It was all against my will."

I don't want to be pregnant, she begged desperately to herself. Suddenly a pale blue glow seemed to radiate of her. She looked at Pansy for help, but Pansy's face was blank.

Draco growled at Snape impatiently, "Well, what does it mean?"

Snape took his time to answer, "It means she's…"

*

Now, I haven't had a cliffie in ages so I am allowed write this one, right?

No personal thanks at the moment cos I'm in a bit rush! But take it that I loved your review and I'm really grateful! I'll write them in the next chappie, promise!