A/N: And another chapter! You guys are fueling me! I love it! I just actually love chapter 13 more this one (just a little!)... Anyway, thank you all for you're reviews. Again! You are all amazing! And I think I have the DE that will be the father... Still a little unsure..

Chapter 14

November 2nd, 1996

She felt so peaceful, so utterly and completely peaceful. Like she was floating and nothing could touch her. She didn't want to wake up, didn't want this to be a dream or just some figment of her imagination. She wanted to stay here, wherever here was... Because here she didn't lose her parents. Here she was still innocent. She wasn't pregnant here. She didn't have awful hordes judging her or making her feel insignificant. She just had herself. All alone. Deserted. Isolated. Solitary.

The sound of her own heart pounded in her ears as her blood rushed and her body grew restless. Her insides becoming maniacal. She was all alone here. No one to keep her company. No one to have an intellectual conversation with. No one at all to stop her from deteriorating, from collapsing into herself.

Not one single soul, but her own. And she was choking on it. Suffocating on her very own essential being, her magic, her very existence. It took her all but an age for her to find the warmth. The softness that caressed her to the right and reversed her suffering, starting at the tip of her finger to her knuckle, along her palm and up her wrist. The most beautiful warmth she'd ever felt. Making her feel whole again. Flawless, complete, intact, safe, untouched.

She wanted to wake up.

She wanted to, needed to, before she was once again overcome by her turmoil and dragged into hell.

Hermione's eyes opened first. Not slowly with a flutter of newly awakened and unwanted clarity, but with a start as she stared up at the ceiling. The first thing that came to her was that she was laying on her back. The second; she was in a bed. Turning her head around, she looked at where she was and judging by all the other identical sheeted mattresses, it was clear she was in the Hospital Wing. But how did she get here?

She moved to sit up, but found herself unable to with a weight on her hand. Looking over her mouth nearly fell open. Draco Malfoy sat there slumped in a chair, his blonde bangs hanging so much over his eyes she couldn't even see his soft eyelashes, and his hand was holding onto hers as if his life depended on it. She pulled gently with the smallest of tugs, but still he was relentless to letting her go as he slept.

He saved her. It was her first thought as she observed him. His aristocratic features so sharp and absolutely beautiful it made her feel self-conscious. He was an ass, but that didn't mean he wasn't handsome. And he saved her.

Oh gods...

He saved her from Romilda Vane. Gotten her away from the scene after the girl had very publicly claimed that Hermione was pregnant. He must had brought her here. And what had happened exactly? She'd clung to him, practically begged him not to leave her when he got her to the Hospital wing. Then again, now everyone knew. They had to. Something like that couldn't have been said and not spread along the masses. Not with all the people that had been there.

Romilda Vane. She could have cursed the girl if she wasn't so horrified. If she wasn't so afraid of leaving the very bed she laid in. Of letting go of the hand that anchored her sanity. So lost, yet so awake, she didn't notice when he had woke up, eye trained once again at the ceiling. Tears filling up and nearly spilling over.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt the lightest of touches on her palm, a simple brush of his thumb bringing her abruptly to attention. Close to whiplash as she turned her head toward him. Unable to stop the tremble of her bottom lip when she saw his expression. It was so foreign and so welcome at the same time. His concern rolled over her like a wave of protection, it made her feel so safe. But the extent of her feelings scared her. She had thought he was beautiful before, but this was different, it was like she needed him. That his very presence calmed her and chased away all the evil in her life. From the moment he had his hand on her back when Romilda called her a whore to this silent occasion where he held her hand in his.

"The school knows," she muttered, helpless to the catch in her voice. So did he. He had to know. Her reaction hadn't been one of denial. The fit she had hadn't been contradictory to what Romilda said. The whole school knew, her other friends surely knew, and so did Malfoy

Hermione closed her eyes at his meager nod, and still his thumb swished back and forth across her skin. The first sob, she tried to hold in, but wrestling with it was as unproductive as her tutoring someone about a subject they already excelled in. The second sob came more freely, rolling out of her mouth with a prominent, choked up sniffle. She didn't care that Malfoy was there, that he proved a witness to her breakdown. But she did care about his hand and the comfort it brought her. She turned onto her side and pulled his hand closer, clutching it to her chest and sobbing into the crook of his elbow as his whole body came closer, half lying there on the bed with her. She could feel his warm breathe against the top of her head as he whispered that it would be all right. Any surprise at his change in attitude towards her buried way down deep, as she concentrated on the other hand of his rubbing her back.

"Don't leave me. Please, don't leave me."

/-/-/-/

Draco's chin rested easily on the top of her head, as he laid down beside her on the bed. It was definitely strange how easy it was to just jump in beside her and take her in his arms while she cried all over him. This wasn't the Hermione Granger he knew for the passed five or so years. This girl had been put through so much misery, we was surprised she wasn't wasting away inside of her own purgatory, dead to the world and in the psychiatric ward of St. Mungo's or worse the insane asylum in Belfast.

He rocked her gently as her heaving sobs were reduced to small sniffs and hiccups. Time getting the better of him again, as he didn't even know what term the clock would announce. He waited until she was all but quiet and he nearly thought she'd fallen asleep on him. But then, slowly, she turned her head and looked up at him. Her brown eyes rimmed in red from crying, hair a mess, and looking so lost. She had clung to him in her need, but just as quickly as she had down that, she began to tense and oh, so slowly removed herself from him.

He didn't move from the bed until her hand let go of his and the contact of her warm skin was gone. He settled back into the chair and watched her with a curious eye.

She opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the ruckus of Theo and Pansy walking in. Theo running over and sitting where Draco had once been, throwing his arm around Hermione and drawing her in for a hug. He could tell her smile was forced, obviously that went unnoticed by the other two Slytherins.

"Why are you crying 'Mione?" Pansy asked, coming up to Hermione's other side.

Draco observed her nonchalant shrug and then the most uncomfortable silence followed. Because really what could anyone say in this situation. Hermione was pregnant. And the whole school was a buzz with the juicy gossip according to Ginny and Luna. What else was their to say or do, but watch as Hermione stared down at the bed sheets.

/-/-/-/

November 4th, 1996

Hermione had managed to stay clear of everybody in the seclusion of her rooms until Monday came around. Other than her friends who were allowed the password to her hidden space, she hadn't seen hide nor hair of any other of Hogwarts bright pupils. She had the weekend to thank for that. A school day came around though, as they always did. Two days of peace, at least time to contemplate her problems and then she was thrown back into her academics.

During the weekend everyone, even Neville hadn't asked her questions. They were the one thing she was afraid of. Questions. Well, one in particular and that was 'who's the father?' It seemed the whole school was determined it was Malfoy, by what Pansy told her. Although, she was told a couple other assumptions, as well, by Luna. Cormac, Ron, and Harry were all in the running of 'Who's Hermione's Baby-Daddy?'

Aside from Cormac, she would have been fine ruining her life with one of them. But sadly, her life had been ruined without her consent. The choice had been taken from her. Snatched away like stealing sweets from a child. She still was a child. She was seventeen and of age, but she still ached to be held by her parents, she still wanted her mother to sing her lullabies when she had nightmares, still wanted to go for walks with her father in the park...

Again, all of that was gone, and chances of that happening wrenched out of her grasp.

She took a deep breath and looked at herself in the mirror for a long time until she heard the knock at her door and she stepped through the portrait to find Ginny and Neville. "No one else wanted to be seen with me, hm?" she asked, and already started down the corridor.

"They're already at breakfast, Hermione," Ginny said with a 'tut, tut'.

"Someone's always going to be with you throughout the day," Neville cut in and before Hermione could refuse, he continued. "It's been decided, please don't argue."

Hermione looked at Ginny with a raised eyebrow and the other girl grinned at Neville's confidence. And while she had been on the verge of turning it down, Hermione was comforted with the thought she wouldn't be left alone.

Finally getting to parts of the castle the students frequented more, Hermione ducked her head down as they passed old friends and new enemies. She didn't want to see their faces, but she couldn't exactly plug her ears to what they said. She could hear them whispering, giggling. 'Whore'.

She didn't allow it to get to her. She stood tall and she walked with a firm stride in her steps with Ginny and Neville at her sides while she arrived in the Great Hall. She wasn't def. She could hear how all the chatter faded away once she crossed that threshold, she could feel all of the eyes on her as sure enough she could feel the hairs on her neck stand on end.

She sat down, in between Theo and Luna and began eating her breakfast. This time the porridge didn't make her sick. She scarfed it down like she hadn't eaten in days, and with a small hope she didn't look like Ronald Weasley in doing so. She truly hated that boys table manners.

When breakfast was over, she managed to get away without looking once at Malfoy. Joining Luna to their first class which they had together. Ancient Runes. When they got themselves seated, they were greeted by Professor Babbling. The class focused on the lesson, lifting a weight off of Hermione's shoulders. She didn't need to be harassed while she was learning.

It was her next class that caused an uproar. All Hermione did was walk in, of course she was followed by nearly all of her friends, aside from Ginny. When a nameless Slytherin boy barked off the most offensive thing she'd ever heard inside Hogwart's walls.

"So, Granger! Y' gonna let all the Slytherin's in that pussy, or just Malfoy and Zabini? Of course, yer already knocked up, where's the harm in letting some of us more experienced men-"

A shout of surprise escaped her as Malfoy hurled himself forward and tackled the black haired boy to the ground. She tried to get them to stop, tried to make her voice work, but all she could do was watch as she saw Malfoy's fists flying back only to sling forward. The 'crunch' of bones breaking made her sick and she swayed into Theo who held her up.

"ENOUGH!" Hermione jumped at Professor Snape's voice and only saw a swish of his black robes before Malfoy was dragged off of the boy and someone else helped the guy up off the floor. "What is going on here?"

"Malfoy attacked me, sir!" The guy yelled pointing toward the very feral looking Draco Malfoy.

"Mr. Malfoy?" Hermione could practically hear the disappointment in his voice and knew Draco would be getting detention, before she could open her mouth to speak, someone beat her to it.

"That's not true, sir," she almost fainted at the sound of such a familiar voice, and she turned, astounded to see Harry stepping forward. "Kelston, spoke some pretty crude things to Hermione," her eyes nearly teared up at the sight of him backing Malfoy, but she shook her head and then looked to Snape. "Malfoy was provoked."

"And what did Mr. Kelston say, Potter?"

Harry blushed and shook his head. "I'm not comfortable repeating it, Professor."

"Miss Granger?" Hermione was already looking at him. "Is what Mr. Potter said true?"

She nodded without a moments hesitation. "Yes, sir."

"Mr. Kelston, I think you and I have a meeting with the Headmaster," he said, grabbing the black haired Slytherin by the back of his robes and dragging him out of the classroom, only to poke his head back in a moment later. "Sit. Read pages 346-390 in your texts."

/-/-/-/

November 10th, 1996

Things got worse as days passed, while no student dared speak to her in the classroom, Hermione was harassed in the halls and during meals. She couldn't even go outside without someone pointing at her and calling her a whore. And there was nothing the staff of Hogwart's could do about it. Sure, parents have been contacted, but nothing changed. Even after Harry had more or less gotten Malfoy out of trouble with Kelston.

And what was even worse than being called a whore or a slut down the corridors. Hermione's stomach had popped. She'd woken one morning and there was this small bulge. The littlest of curve to what had been a flat stomach. She had come close to another breakdown, if it weren't for the reassurances from Ginny, Luna, and Pansy that it wasn't noticeable at all, even without her baggy robes.

She noticed it, though.

Sunday, she had been talked into an outing. Everyone was going. Everyone meaning; Blaise, Pansy, Ginny, Theo, Neville, Luna, and Malfoy. The day was for once nice. The sun was shining, there was a breeze on the air, the trees had turned orange, yellow, and red. Hermione wasn't surprised when she was taken to the lake. Almost happy to see the dark waters again as she settled on a blanket Blaise threw down for her before he started unfolding another one.

Of course the hot topic in the starting discussion was Quidditch, something Hermione didn't care for and while Ginny and the boys conversed with laughs and their hands waved with arguments over strategies. Hermione leaned into Pansy as Neville tried to entice her with a conversation about Mandrakes and their maturing process.

The topic made her remember their first year and she mentioned Neville fainting when his earmuffs failed him as Professor Sprout taught them how to pot the young roots, making the three of them laugh at the memory.

Hermione grew quiet after a while, letting the conversation lull her somewhat. Listening to each of her friends voices. Their laughs, their tones of surprise, their growls of frustration. A small smile managed to unfold across her face, seeming to grow at ease while she leaned against Pansy and the other girls arm wrapped around her shoulders and played with the tips of her bushy hair.

"I wish I had been there," she heard Ginny say and she didn't have to think too hard on what the redhead meant.

"Well, you sure did miss a great show. I mean, Kelston sure needs his balls hexed off, but you should have seen Draco," Blaise laughed. "Fists of fury, that one. Huh, Draco?"

Hermione looked over at him, only to see he was looking right back at her. He made a thoughtful noise in the back of his throat, and then turned back to the stick he was snapping into little pieces. Each fracture cracked a little louder then the last. Hermione couldn't look away, didn't want to in fact. She found his features once again alluring and she allowed herself to look, unabashed. She started with his chin, and worked her way up. His lips if something could be called perfect, they were, as well as his nose. It was as she got to his eyes that she nearly growled in annoyance. Absolutely dissatisfied with his bangs covering up those silvery blue orbs she had obsessed over.

Sitting up, she crawled over and reached out towards his face, pushing his bangs back and holding them there. The group went silent, and Hermione knew what she was doing was probably very surprising, but she just needed to look at those eyes.

He stared at her, his lips a thin line. She could see his cheekbones better, being so close, and she was envious. Women could only dream of having cheekbones such as this. And one's with money had theirs magically altered. On Malfoy, they didn't look feminine, though. On Malfoy, they radiated masculinity. When her eyes connected with his again, she noticed the smile behind them, while it didn't reach his lips, she could see the spark in his irises.

"Something wrong, Granger?" he asked, his voice ever detached.

"Nothing at all, Malfoy," she replied. "I just wanted to see your eyes."

A throat cleared and both of them turned to find just who it was. Only then did they noticed that they were being shadowed by a couple of figures. Shielding her eyes with one hand while the other still held back Malfoy's bangs, her eyes grew in size at the two people.

Harry and Ron.

"And just what do you want?" Theo asked, getting to his feet. The malice in his voice making her cringe. Theo had every right to be pissed at them, though.

Hermione had yet to take her hand away from Draco, until she too started to rise up to her full height, just as everyone else did, fingers gently brushing over his cheek as he helped her up, the gesture completely accidental of course.

"We were just wanting to talk to Hermione," Harry said, his fingers twitching as he looked at each one of them before his eyes settled on her.

"What do you want?" she asked, stopping herself from crossing her arms over her stomach.

"Can we talk to you without your friends?" Hermione saw Ron's glare at the people around her.

"Whatever you have to say to me you can say in front of them."

"Is it true?" Harry blurted out, his face turned to Hermione and his eyes pleaded with her. Whether it was a 'please let it not be' or a 'please tell me' she couldn't tell. Most likely both.

With a sigh Hermione almost looked to her shoes to keep herself from seeing his reaction to what she said next. "Yes," she replied, eyes still level with the boy-who-lived.

Harry closed his eyes, ground his teeth so hard she could see the muscles in his jaw tense, and she all but noticed his hands curling into fists at his side. He was angry. At her or the situation? Slowly he let out a helpless sigh, one that said so much, and yet so little. He hadn't been around for weeks. Bloody hell, he's been out of her life for a couple months now! Why did it matter what he thought?

"There, told you it was true, mate," Ron's voice was disgusted as his whole face turned red. "So, who's the lucky father, Hermione?" he asked, almost seeming amused if it weren't for the furrow of his brows. "Is it Zabini's? Or hey, maybe you're into Nott. I wouldn't even be surprised if it was Neville's!"

Hermione watched as her once upon a time, best friend only angered himself further. She didn't say a thing, she didn't allow his taunting to get to her. It was hard, but she pulled through. She felt soft fingers intertwine with her own and she looked to her side as Malfoy stepped forward. Oh god, what was he going to to? He squeezed her hand, reassuringly. Encouragingly. But, Hermione felt slightly alarmed.

"It's mine, Weaselbee."

TBC