CHAPTER NINETY-TWO
Summary: Nine years after the war, Hermione's the Head of the Auror Department that specialises in dealing with Magical Creatures and fugitive Death Eaters that are loose in the Muggle World. With the fugitive Death Eaters no longer hiding in Britain, she's tracking rogue Death Eaters in the United States, which leads her to The Winchester brothers. The Witch and The Hunters are a dynamic trio that no creature, being or beast wishes to mess with, Magical or Supernatural. Hermione/Dean pairing. Rated M for a reason.
Disclaimer: I don't own original canon characters or events, just those that I create myself. Everything belongs to J.K Rowling and the creators of Supernatural. I am not making a profit posting this fanfic.
Page count: 12
Smashed beer bottles and shattered glass were scattered across the floor.
Pizza boxes were upside down with its contents stuck to the carpet.
A flailing, shouting woman was stuck to the wall, held tightly and magically in place and unable to free herself.
Warm, red blood was pooling and soaking into the carpet.
Dean Winchester held his dying wife propped up against his chest, his legs on either side of her, his arms wrapped around her and his shaking hands pressed tightly together over her stomach in an attempt to stop the bleeding. His head turned slightly with his nose buried against his wife's neck and curls, tears falling from his eyes and muttering pleading words against her skin.
"Please wake up. Don't leave me; I need you. You promised me."
He lifted his head from her neck and looked down at her, seeing her too pale, beautiful face, looking as though she were just sleeping, but he knew differently. He removed one shaking, blood covered hand from her stomach and brought it up to her face, cupping her cheek and smoothing his thumb over her cheek bone.
"Please wake up," he begged quietly, staring at her, willing her to do as he asked. But she didn't.
He closed his eyes tightly, feeling his tears stream down his face and he moved his hand to her neck, checking for a pulse. There wasn't one. His wife, his beautiful, kind, kick-ass Angel was dead. She had been taken from him. She had been murdered.
A sob tore from him and he let out a shout of anger as he wrapped himself around her and held her against him tightly, burying his head in her hair and rocking them as the scent of blood, caramel and apples invaded his nose.
"What are you doing! She's dead! You're free of her now. You should be thanking me!"
Dean's head moved so fast he made himself dizzy. Through his bleary eyesight he locked onto Jo, still stuck to the wall but no longer flailing around and trying to break free. She looked angry, victorious, hateful, confused and happy all at the same time.
"What have you done?" He said quietly.
"I freed you," she replied.
"You killed her, you killed my wife," he spoke. "Why would you do that? What did she ever do to you?"
"She's evil, she had you under her spell, but now you're free and we can finally be together."
Suddenly something inside of Dean snapped. The shock and grief gave way to anger. Anger like he'd never before felt. Anger that was so overwhelming he felt his heart pounding in his chest. He heard his blood being pumped through his veins. His vision clouded and he felt dizzy.
He tore his eyes away from Jo and looked at his wife. Another tear fell as her closed his eyes and lowered his head, pressing a kiss to her forehead and then one to her lips. He pulled back from her and gently placed her on the ground, before standing up and slowly approaching Jo.
"I knew you'd understand," she sighed, calming down. "Help me down, would you?" She asked.
Looking at him, her body stiffened and a small gasp fell from her lips upon seeing the dark look in Dean's eyes and the cold fury that seemed to surround him, the temperature in the room plummeting as if there were a spirit present.
"Dean?" She questioned quietly.
"You killed my wife," he said emotionlessly, despite the tears still falling and his building anger.
"I saved you from her!" She protested.
"You killed the woman I loved, the woman that saved me and brought me to life."
"It was the spell, you don't really love her," she replied. "It should've worn off by now, why hasn't it?" She thought aloud.
"You killed my Angel," his voice deepened and darkened, and he took the final step in reaching her. He stood in front of her, with her being held against the wall she was slightly taller than him.
Jo opened her mouth to respond but the only sounds that left her were that of gasps for air, as Dean's hands suddenly closed around her throat and squeezed tightly, his murderous stare meeting her frightened and panicked gaze; she quickly understood he was going to kill her.
A loud gasp and the sound of a choked sob briefly hit Dean's ears, but he was too far gone to care. He was only focused on killing the one responsible for taking his Angel from him.
"Fuck...Dean...Let...Go!"
The voice was so familiar to him, but the words seemed to jumble and mix together, making it difficult for him to understand, so he tightened his hold on Jo's throat, feeling the way her wind pipe was being crushed by his hands. Seeing the way her eyes were beginning to water and she desperately tried to gasp for the oxygen he was denying her from having. And it felt good.
"Stop...Kill...Her!"
Kill her? That had already been his intention and with the added encouragement, he tightened his hands around Jo's neck for the final time.
Hands gripped his shoulders and he felt himself being pulled away from Jo, but his grip on her was too strong. He struggled against the one trying to stop him from killing her, and then arms wrapped around his own, pinning his arms against his body and making it difficult to keep his hold on Jo. With a hard tug, he felt himself being lifted off the ground slightly and he was forced to let go of Jo.
Dean shouted and yelled in anger, struggling to be released by his captor. His feet were placed back on the ground and the arms released him, but before he could rush back over to Jo, hands came up to his face, forcing him to look at his captor. The anger that clouded his vision faded enough for him to see that it was Sam.
Sam had tears of his own welling in his eyes and Dean caught sight of blood on Sam's shirt and hands. His Angel's blood.
Dean's anger returned and he pushed Sam away from him and lunged towards Jo, who was panting as she slowly regained the ability to breathe and Ellen was stood in front of her, her hands on Jo's face and looking both worried and angry.
Just as Dean was about to push Ellen out of the way, a flash of light blinded his vision and before he could open his eyes, he felt a warm touch against his forehead and he collapsed to the ground.
~000~000~000~
"Cas, get your ass over here, I don't think she's got long left!" Sam shouted, kneeled on the ground beside Hermione's lifeless body and with his fingers pressed to her neck checking for a pulse, whilst also looking horrified, angry and panicked.
Castiel looked down at the unconscious and blood covered Dean before rushing over to Hermione and he dropped onto his knees beside her. Sam didn't like the worried frown on Castiel's face as he pressed two fingers against her forehead.
Castiel was quiet for a few minutes and the room was tense and silent. Sam's eyes swivelled over to Jo, seeing that Ellen had a hand placed over her mouth to stop her from speaking as she continued to struggle against the wall. Sam quickly surmised that Hermione was responsible for that.
"What did you do?" He asked quietly, looking at her as if he didn't know who she was. "How could you do this? You knew how much Dean loved Hermione, I warned you to leave them alone, and because of your jealousy and ignorance, you may have cost me my sister and Dean his wife."
Jo's struggling increased and Sam nodded at Ellen, letting her know that she should allow Jo to speak.
"He doesn't love her! It's the spell; she's a witch, Sam! Let her die; let Dean be free of her. I did you both a favour, you should be thanking me!" She raged.
Sam shook his head, feeling the tears in his eyes falling and he looked to his brother, seeing the amount of blood that covered his clothing and hands. He couldn't even begin to imagine the pain and horror his brother had felt when he'd found Hermione, knowing his own emotions would never compare to the intensity of Dean's as his relationship with Hermione was more familial, and Dean's was that of a lover, a partner, a life mate; their minds, bodies and souls entwined.
"I know she's a witch, and I have never once feared Hermione. She is the kindest, most caring person I have ever met and if she survives this, which I hope for your sake she does, she's going to the produce the first magical descendents of The Winchester bloodline, and I couldn't be more proud."
Jo's face had twisted and turned an ugly shade of red, whilst Ellen looked to be apologetic, saddened and proud at the same time.
"I don't want to hear it," Sam spoke, his own anger beginning to build the more Jo refused to see things for what they truly were. "Hermione is not evil; she's a true hero and loved by many. She was born the way she is and there's not a mean bone in her body. If she dies, you won't only have to worry about Dean. Should he fail to kill you, I'll make sure I don't."
Seeing the way Ellen had seemingly acquired a piece of cloth out of nowhere and tied it around her daughter's mouth to prevent her from saying something to make the situation worse, Sam turned his eyes back to Hermione. He took her hand in his and squeezed it tightly; begging, praying, hoping, that she could be saved.
"Is she going to be alright?" Sam finally had the courage to ask.
Castiel's frown deepened and his eyes narrowed in concentration.
"I believe we got to her in time," Castiel said and Sam sighed in relief, feeling his heart and stomach unclench and his body sag. "A few minutes longer and I would not have been able to heal her; it would have been too late. But yes, she will be fine and..." A groan cut him off, drawing their attention.
Dean slowly woke from his Angel induced sleep, before he bolted up right and his eyes scanned his surroundings, quickly remembering what had happened to his wife. Dean's eyes snapped to Hermione and tears immediately began to fall, but then he saw something. She was breathing.
He scrambled over to her, ignored everyone in the room and pulled Hermione's body into his arms, clinging to her tightly and burying his head against her neck as he cried in relief.
"As I was saying, she will be fine and the bullet missed the baby, they're both healthy."
Dean's sobs quieted immediately and his head snapped up, his eyes wide and flickering between Hermione, Castiel and his surprised brother.
"What?" He asked quietly and he wiped his tears away.
Castiel frowned. "The baby is healthy."
"She's pregnant?" He questioned, the barrage of emotions within him making his heart race and his head dizzy.
"You didn't know?" Castiel asked confused.
"She's pregnant?" Dean repeated louder, seeing the way a smile was beginning to form on Sam's face.
Castiel blinked. "Yes, she's pregnant, I would say no more than seven weeks."
"But she's had her period twice since she stopped taking pregnancy tests every month."
"Some women do bleed during pregnancy which is why they don't know they're pregnant until further on in the baby's development. You said she hasn't taken a test, but if she were to now, it would be positive."
"Cas, is she really pregnant?" He asked, his voice taking a quiet, breathless tone.
"Yes, what reason would I have for lying?"
Dean took a deep breath and shut his eyes tightly, this time a tear fell but it was a tear of joy. He was going to be a father. All the heartache and disappointment no longer had place in his life, for now his wife was pregnant and they were going to finally have a child of their own. They had been trying for two years, but now, their dream had finally come true.
"I'm going to be a father," he whispered, burying his head against Hermione's neck once more. "Thank you, Angel, you've given me yet another reason to always love and protect you, to always be by your side," he muttered, placing a kiss to her neck and breathing in her scent.
He felt a hand on his shoulder and he lifted his head far enough to see Sam smiling at him, and with that smile Dean knew that Sam was happy for him and that he would support Hermione and Dean whether they wanted or needed that support or not.
"It's about time, I'd thought Molly would pop another one out before you," Sam joked.
Dean snorted and wiped away the happy tears.
A second hand on his shoulder drew his attention and he lifted his head fully to lock gazes with Ellen.
"Your wife is pregnant?" Ellen asked.
"So Cas says," he replied.
"Is this good news?"
"The best I've ever received, we've been trying for a baby for two years."
Ellen appeared surprised by the news, but a smile found its way onto her face. "Congratulations, Dean, I have no doubt you'd be a wonderful parent."
"Hermione wouldn't let me be anything but, she'd hex me all the way to McGonagall," he replied. Sam snorted and despite Ellen's confusion the smile stayed in place.
"Only you would find yourself married to Hermione Granger, warrior witch and war heroine."
Dean's eyes widened.
"She knows, Will's father was a Squib and he told them of the Wizarding World, she knows of the war and of Hermione, and she's promised that she's not going to hurt her," Sam explained.
"Why would I hurt her? She hasn't given me any reason to, and it's thanks to her that we were not forced to face everything Europe did during the magical war. If you're happy, then I'm happy for you. Take it from me, it's not easy raising a child, but from what I've heard regarding your relationships with the children of her family, I'm sure you'll get through it."
"Thank you, Ellen. I still can't believe she's pregnant. I was beginning to lose hope. I've been promising her for years that we'd have a baby but after so long, after so many negative tests, I wasn't sure I could be strong enough for her. It's finally happened, we're having a baby," he said with a smile.
He caught movement from the corner of his eye and he was suddenly reminded of Jo's presence, of her being responsible for him not only almost losing his wife, but their child, too. The anger that had faded came back tenfold. He gently placed Hermione back on the ground before standing up and making his way over to Jo.
"You not only nearly cost me my wife, but my unborn child, too!" Dean raged, and just as his hands were about to close around Jo's throat once more, his arms were pinned to his body and he was being dragged away from her.
"Dean, you can't, it's Ellen's daughter," Sam spoke, struggling to contain his brother.
"She almost killed my wife and child!" He shouted and doubled his efforts to break free.
Sam turned them and pushed Dean away from him. Dean narrowed his eyes on Jo as his hand made for his pocket with the intention to draw his gun, but Sam grabbed his wrist and pinned it behind his back, followed by the other one.
"Stop it, Dean. You're angry and I understand that..."
"No, you don't!"
Sam took a deep breath. "You're right, I don't understand, but I'd like to think that I could. Your wife and baby were almost taken from you and you have every right to want to seek revenge, and if this were anyone else I wouldn't stop you, but this is Ellen's daughter. If you harm Jo you'll hurt Ellen, do you want to do that?"
Dean's struggling paused momentarily before a groan from Hermione entered his ears and Sam wasted no time in releasing his hold on his brother, knowing that for the time being Jo was safe.
"Glinda?" Dean said softly, kneeling beside her and pushing her hair away from her face, his fingers gently tracing over her blood stained cheek.
"Really, Patrick, you have to come up with something better," she responded quietly, sounding tired.
A smile pulled at his mouth and when her eyes opened, chocolate brown meeting green, the smile that he only reserved for her made an appearance.
"What happened?" She asked.
"You don't remember?"
"No," she shook her head. "Everything's a little hazy at the moment," she replied, slowly sitting up and Dean helped her.
"It's an effect of my healing, your mind will soon clear," Castiel spoke up.
Hermione turned her head, seeing him sat on the edge of the bed and looking as calm as he always did, but she knew that if Castiel was there and he had been forced to heal her, it was something bad.
"Castiel?"
"How are you feeling?" He asked.
"Hungry," she replied. Sam snorted and Dean glared at him from across the room. "Did you get my pizza? Bacon, chicken, ham and sausage?"
"You honestly don't remember?" Dean questioned.
She frowned, before turning her eyes to search her surroundings, seeing the blood on the floor and the clothing of herself, Sam and Dean. Seeing the gun on the floor, Ellen and Jo stuck to the wall and gagged. The memories came flooding back.
"She shot me, she tried to kill me," Hermione spoke. "I tried to talk to her out of it; I tried to get her to leave. I didn't want to hurt her knowing what it would do to you both."
"Why didn't you disarm her?" Sam asked. "I've seen you do it with knives plenty of times."
"I couldn't risk it; before the spell hit its target she could've already pulled the trigger, or the force of the spell could've made her pull the trigger as it was being pulled away from her."
"But she shot you anyway," Sam said.
Hermione sighed. "I know, I had thought I'd talked some sense into her, but apparently not. I'm surprised the Sticking Charm's held for so long, but with the adrenaline and fear I had rushing through my body, it likely strengthened the magic."
"She won't get away with what she's done to you," Dean promised. "I want to kill her but Sam thinks otherwise."
"And he's right; despite what she's done she's still your friend."
"She's no friend of mine, and I never want to see her again."
"Dean..."
"No, Hermione, you are too kind, too forgiving, but I'm not. I can't forgive her for what she's done. She tried to take you both away from me and she nearly succeeded."
"Both?" Hermione spoke with a frown.
Dean moved closer to her and put his hands on her face, pressing a kiss to her forehead and then putting his forehead against hers.
"When Cas was healing you, he came across something."
"And that is?"
He smiled at her and placed a kiss to her mouth, before pulling back and resting a hand against her stomach, knowing there was a baby growing there.
"You're pregnant."
Hermione's eyes widened and she shook her head in denial.
"No, I'm not pregnant. You saw it Dean, I had my period all but a few weeks ago and my next is due in the next few days."
Dean smiled. "Cas is certain you're pregnant, he said something about women sometimes having their period during the pregnancy. He reckons you're seven weeks along."
She shook her head.
"Have you had any symptoms?" Castiel asked her softly, using that voice from her childhood.
"No,"
"Nausea?"
"No," she shook her head.
Sam raised an eyebrow. "Now that I think about it, you got car sick a couple of weeks ago."
"That was because of the disgusting slop Dean was eating," she said.
"Exactly," he said, moving to sit down at the table.
"Mood swings?" Castiel asked.
"No," she replied.
Sam snorted. "I beg to differ,"
"Shut it," she snapped.
"Case and point," he said smugly as Hermione glared at him.
"Cravings?" Castiel spoke.
"No," she bit her lip.
"You did say you were craving meat and lots of it," Dean reminded her.
"No, I said I fancied meat and lots of it."
"Same thing," Dean shrugged. "And you seem to have an unnatural obsession with chocolate lately."
"I've always liked chocolate."
"Yes, but you prefer pie or those sugar quills you're always eating. I haven't seen you eat one for weeks."
"You're pregnant," Castiel said. "And from what I can tell, you're both healthy."
"I can't be pregnant," she said in denial.
"We are pregnant," Dean said softly.
Tears filled her eyes and before he could do anything, Hermione's wand was flying across the room and landing in her outstretched hand and she disappeared from sight.
"Where's she gone?" Ellen asked, blinking in surprise at what she'd just witnessed.
"To the magical hospital," Dean said knowingly.
~000~000~000~
Hermione returned not even twenty minutes later and without speaking to anyone, she strode straight to the bathroom. Minutes later she exited and Dean spied several pregnancy tests in her hands, having become familiar with them over the last couple of years.
He stood from his chair and took a few steps towards her. She was staring at the tests in her hands silently, and when hearing his footsteps she looked up, her gaze locking with his.
"What did the healer say?" He asked, despite already knowing the answer.
"Pregnant," she whispered.
"And the tests?"
"Pregnant, all of them."
"I told you I'd give you a baby if it was the last thing I did, and I said that I had a feeling we'd have a baby soon."
"You're going to be a father," she said quietly, tears beginning to fall from her eyes and making a path down her face.
"And you're going to be a mother," he replied with a soft smile.
A sob tore from Hermione and she dropped the pregnancy tests on the ground and ran into his arms. He caught her as she jumped towards him and he stumbled back under the force of the collision. He turned them and sat her on the table before burying his head against her neck and holding her to him just as tightly as she was him.
"We're having a baby," she spoke through her cries.
"We are, and I promise you, I will not let anyone hurt you or our baby ever again. I will protect you both to my last dying breath and even then I would continue to do so from the grave. There is no one in this world that I love more than you and our baby."
She sniffled. "I love you so much that it consumes me. I will not let anyone hurt our baby, should they try they'll never be seen again."
He pulled back from her long enough for them to share a quick kiss.
"It makes sense now."
"What does?" He questioned, wiping away her happy tears and pushing her hair behind her ears.
"The charm on Jo," she clarified, her eyes darting to the wall where she was still held in place, though she looked to have tired herself out from her struggle to break free. "It wasn't my emotions that affected the strength of the charm, it was the baby. Witch pregnancies are nothing like muggles. Muggles are carrying a normal baby, witches are carrying a magical baby. A witch's magic tends to be harder to control and they are known to suffer outbursts due to the baby's own growing magical signature and aura. Until the baby is born, our magic share the same body and they will often latch on to each other during spell casting. My magic's going to be volatile, but it also means that it's going to be stronger."
"A magical baby, that's going to be entertaining. I've seen what the children are capable of when they lose their tempers."
"And now it will be directed at us, fun times," she said sarcastically.
"Speak for yourself; you're the one with the magic. It'll be directed at me."
"Don't worry; I'll protect you from our magical outburst prone child," she spoke with a smile and he chuckled at her. "We're having a baby," she said softly, absentmindedly fiddling with his leather jacket.
"A magical baby," Dean agreed. "Today is the second best day of my life."
"Second?" She questioned.
"Hmm, the first being the day we discovered we were married."
She smiled at him. "We keep this a secret for now, agreed? As much as I want to tell Bobby and the others, I just want to wait until we're sure the baby is fine and there is no longer a risk of a miscarriage, or even until I start showing."
"When's that?"
"Usually around twelve weeks."
"It'll be difficult to keep Sammy from spilling the beans for that long, but I'm sure you have something up your sleeve. You always do."
"You know me so well," she smiled, before pushing him away from her and pulling her wand. "I want to show you something."
He raised an eyebrow until he heard the familiar mutter of the Pregnancy Charm. He had grown used to seeing the dull glow of her wand, but this time it was bright and blinding, filling him with joy and love.
She smiled at him widely. "Congratulations, Mr. Winchester, you succeeded in putting a baby in me," she spoke.
He snorted at her. "It wasn't for a lack of trying."
"I know," Sam spoke up, looking up from his book from his place sat on the bed beside Castiel. "I was forced to hear it."
"Stop complaining, if you'd have used your headphones you would've been fine."
"Dean hid them from me in your bag," he glared at Dean who shrugged.
"You deserved it."
"I did not!" Sam protested.
"Did too!"
"Children," Hermione scolded as Molly Weasley would and they both settled immediately.
"I'm happy for you, Hermione," Sam spoke, turning his eyes to her. "I know how long you've wanted a baby and I know how long you've been trying. I don't know anyone that deserves to be a mother more than you, and I know you'll be the best mother any child could dream of having."
"Thank you, Sam," she replied. "Don't be thinking you're getting out of nappy duty just because you're the Uncle."
"Like you'd let me," he snorted. "I'm well aware that I have to do my share of the hygiene tasks."
"Well, at least I don't have to resort to magical means," she said lightly. "Now, I'm hungry and tired, so, let's deal with this."
Hermione hopped off the table and approached Jo, with a flick of her wand the cloth disappeared from her mouth, but she didn't speak.
"I did warn you that killing me would not win you Dean. He loves me of his own free will. Yes, I'm a witch but I was born the way I am. There is a whole secret world of others like me where we hide from those without magic for our safety and to protect our families, our lives and the secret of true born magic. I am not a dark witch. There is no such thing as a Love Spell. I love Dean and he loves me. We've been trying for a baby for two years and we've just discovered that I'm pregnant, you not only tried to kill me, but in doing so our child, too. That is not something I am going to take lightly. So, for that reason, I am going to release you from the charm and allow Dean to do whatever he wishes as long as he doesn't kill you." Hermione flung a Silencio at her, preventing her from voicing her angry tirade. "You've done enough talking tonight."
Hermione stepped back and removed the charm from Jo and she fell to the ground in am ungraceful heap. Dean pulled a gun from his pocket and approached Jo, seeing the fear and the anger in her eyes as Dean aimed the gun at her.
"This is for my wife and my child," he spoke, before pulling the trigger twice.
One bullet going into her shoulder, the second into her knee. Jo cried in pain but she couldn't be heard and Ellen had silent tears falling down her face, but she didn't interfere, knowing that it was justified, knowing that Jo deserved it, and knowing that Jo would live and she'd gotten off lightly. If the roles were reversed, she'd never let someone off as lightly as Hermione had.
Castiel made to stand and heal Jo, but Dean stopped him. "Not yet, I want her to feel the pain and fear Hermione felt. I want her to feel the pain she put me through upon seeing my wife's dead body, I can't do it emotionally so physically will have to do. You can heal her when she's at risk of dying," Dean said.
Castiel looked to Sam who nodded in agreement.
"Now, my beautiful wife that is carrying our undoubtedly perfect child, let's get you that pizza you've been craving."
"And chocolate cake?" Hermione asked hopefully.
Dean grinned. "An entire chocolate cake," he nodded.
"And a banoffee muffin?"
"I'll search the earth until I find one, my beautiful pregnant wife."