(So far the vote is for a girl. Want a boy? Add your vote, silly! :) I like a couple of these names so far. It's going to be hard to decide.)

Chapter 17

"So you're pregnant?" Ginny gawked at Hermione from across the kitchen table. It had been two weeks since the wedding and Hermione and Remus weren't ready to go public with the information.

"Yes. Seven weeks," Hermione nodded with a large grin.

"Did you plan it?" Ginny leaned on her elbow as she took a long swig of butterbeer.

"No. It was more of a surprise, actually," Hermione sat Aariya on the table in front of her and started playing pattycake.

"I see. I can't imagine being pregnant at 17," Ginny tilted her head and stared off at a wall, thinking on the subject.

"You're only fifteen now. Better watch out," Hermione smirked at her best friend, "Or you'll end up with one of these."

Aariya giggled and drooled, "Babapacababa."

"That's right, Aariya. You tell her," Hermione and Ginny burst into laughter.

August morphed into September and yet again, Hermione found herself boarding the train to Hogwarts. While her friends were all in sixth year she was in seventh, having completed a year in the past. Hermione was having trouble now keeping up with Harry and Ron, and Ginny seemed so far away because she was just a fifth year, that Hermione was afraid she'd completely lose her best friend.

One morning in the Great Hall, Hermione was discussing Charms with a seventh year girl by the name of Clarissa Valerio when Severus Snape sauntered toward her, his shadow coming down over top of Hermione like a storm cloud.

"Mrs. Lupin," he drawled, "You are needed in the hospital wing."

Hermione turned her head up to him with a frown, "For what, may I ask?"

"Prenatal," he sneered, then turned and headed back for the teacher's table. Hermione went scarlet. Now all of Gryffindor was staring at her. She hadn't exactly gone public with her second pregnancy as of yet.

"Great," Hermione glanced down at Ginny who was staring at her with sympathetic eyes. She stood, straightened out her uniform and with as much dignity as possible headed for the hospital wing.

The walk was surprisingly short, and once she arrived, Madam Pomfrey came rushing toward her, "What's this about a pregnancy? Mr. Lupin sent an owl to inform me of your needed prenatal care."

"I'm two months pregnant," Hermione nearly whispered.

Madam Pomfrey clicked her tongue, "So young."

"I already have one child, if you will recall," she glared and followed the harried medi-witch to a cot. Once situated, Madam Pomfrey began diagnostic tests on Hermione to determine her overall health as well as the unborn baby's.

"Everything looks fine," she nodded her approval and had Hermione redress and sit up as she jerked the curtains back from around the cot.

"Is it a boy or girl?" Hermione inquired with bated breath.

"Too early to tell. Give it two weeks and come back. I will let you know then," Madam Pomfrey forced a smile and sent Hermione back to class.

The rest of the day was hell for Hermione. She received countless stares and glares along with the occasional 'whisper and walk the other way'. Needless to say, she was extremely embarrassed.

As she tied her hair up and prepared for Potions, a particularly loud Slytherin walked by her lab table, pretending to be whispering to a friend, "Yeah. She already had one kid. Wonder how many werewolf, mudblood, half-breeds she's planning on popping out before graduation?"

Hermione was fuming now. She slammed her hand down on the table and whipped around to face the now petrified girl, "What the bloody fuck is your problem?"

The girl gawked, "I-I-I-"

"I, I, I, I," Hermione mocked, "Get the fuck away from me, bitch! And the rest of you! I don't want to hear another derogatory name about myself nor my family!" She sneered around the room. Everyone was silent now, staring at her with wide eyes.

"Miss Granger-" Snape began but Hermione cut him off.

"Mrs. Bloody Lupin!"

"Mrs. Lupin. To the headmaster's office. Now," he dismissed her with a wave of the hand and off she went, storming out the door.

BBBB

"You did what?" Remus gave Hermione a shocked look as she explained the reason for her week suspension.

"I cursed out a Slytherin girl as well as Snape... Then Dumbledore," she went bright red.

He gave a sarcastic laugh, "What? What the bloody hell? Why did you do that?"

"She was taunting me!" Hermione shrieked.

Aariya giggled and mocked her mother, "Ting ting!"

Remus sighed, "And were Severus and Albus taunting you as well?"

Hermione frowned, "Of course not. I was angry."

Remus paced back and forth in front of her seated form, occasionally glancing back at her. He shook his head and massaged his temples in irritation, "I know you're hormonal but you need to keep yourself in check."

Hermione looked as if she'd just been slapped, "HORMONAL?" She stood, storming up straight in front of Remus, "Hormonal? You call being taunted and stared at for carrying a baby at seventeen hormonal? My reaction to all that? That's hormonal?" She was fuming now.

"I didn't mean-"

"You know what! Forget it!" Hermione shook her hand to dismiss the subject and walked into the garden, slamming the door as she went.

(Sorry, short chapter. :( I've had a terrible day. Issues with my father and some business I've been taking care of. Big mess. I promise more tomorrow! :) please review and lift my spirits! Thanks.)