Hermione took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves as she waited to see the new Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shackelbolt. It had been nearly three weeks since the Weasleys had kicked her out of The Burrow, and Hermione was trying to get her life back on track. The Weasleys had made it clear she wasn't part of their lives, and they'd refused to even listen to what she had to say. She'd been forced to accept that if there was going to be any sort of reconciliation, it would take a long time to happen, and she couldn't just pause her life until the Weasleys were ready to listen to reason.
The first thing Hermione had decided she needed to do was sort herself a job, hence her meeting with Kingsley. When he'd first taken up the post of Minister, Kingsley had offered both her and Ron jobs at the Ministry. At the time they hadn't been ready to even think about the future, but now Hermione needed a job to support herself and her unborn child. Initially she had thought about returning to Hogwarts to take her exams, but she knew she couldn't do anything like that without the support of the Weasleys now she was going to be a single mother.
"Miss Granger, the Minister will see you now," Kingsley's assistant called from her desk.
Getting to her feet, Hermione thanked the assistant and headed into Kingsley's office. Kingsley was settled behind his desk and he greeted Hermione with a warm smile and offered her a seat.
"Now what can I do for you, Hermione?" Kingsley asked.
"I wanted to speak to you about the job offer you made me a few weeks ago," Hermione replied. Several weeks ago when Kingsley has made the offer, he'd said she could take a job in just about any department she wanted.
"So you're taking me up on the offer as well," Kingsley said with a smile.
"As well? You mean Ron's accepted the offer?" Hermione asked, wondering how things would work with Ron also working at the Ministry.
"He has, he's starting Auror training in a few weeks," Kingsley replied. "I thought you would have known that."
"I'm not exactly on speaking terms with the Weasleys at the moment," Hermione admitted with a slight blush.
"Really?" Kingsley's eyebrows rose in surprise at the news. "I do hope everything can be worked out."
"I would like to think so, but I'm not holding my breath," Hermione replied. "For now, it's just me and the little one."
"Little one?" Kingsley questioned.
"It's only right to tell you that I'm pregnant," Hermione said.
"Pregnant," Kingsley repeated, the shock written all over his face. He knew all about Hermione's situation with her parents, so without the Weasleys at her side, she truly was all alone.
"Yes, I'm pregnant," Hermione reiterated. "And I think you ought to know that Harry's the father."
"I guess that explains why things are tense with the Weasleys," Kingsley remarked.
"They didn't take it very well," Hermione admitted. "I'll just have to do this by myself."
"That's very admirable, Hermione," Kingsley said. "And I'm sure you'll be a good mother. But if you don't mind me asking, what sort of plans do you have for childcare?"
"I haven't really thought that far ahead," Hermione replied. "To be honest, I was more concerned with getting a job."
"I'd love to help you Hermione, but I have to be practical," Kingsley said. "After what the wizarding world's being through, the Ministry needs some stability. I need workers I can rely on to re-build the Ministry back into the force it was before Voldemort's return."
"And you don't think I can contribute to that?" Hermione asked.
"I actually think you would be a major asset," Kingsley said. "But it would be unfair for me to give you a job, knowing you would be leaving us in a few months. Now, I have no objection to giving you maternity leave, but can you guarantee you'll be back after you've had the baby?"
"I have to return to work, I'll need the money," Hermione replied.
"And what will you do with the child?" Kingsley asked. "I don't mean to be harsh, Hermione, but I've got to think of the Ministry. I would love to have you on board, but I need to know you'll be committed to the Ministry. Why don't you take some time to make some plans for after you've had the baby. Once you've got childcare sorted out, come back and we can talk about which department you would be best suited to."
"I will," Hermione said as she got to her feet. Kingsley had been polite about it, but it was clear to Hermione that she was being dismissed. "Thank you for your time."
"I wish I could do more, Hermione," Kingsley said, sounding sincerely apologetic.
Thanking Kingsley again, Hermione hurried out of his office and out of the Ministry before her emotions got the better of her and she began to cry. She'd been counting on the Ministry giving her a job, and she was at a loss as to what to do now. She'd already found that it was virtually impossible to get a flat without a job, so she was still stuck at The Leaky Cauldron, but Hermione knew that she couldn't stay at the pub for much longer. She needed a home, she needed a job, and she needed both of them quickly.
…..
Following her talk with Kingsley, Hermione looked into doing as Kingsley suggested and plan for the future. She was hoping if she showed Kingsley she had everything in hand with her pregnancy and the baby, he would give her a chance and give her a job. Unfortunately, Hermione hit a major stumbling block right away when she discovered the wizarding world didn't have professional child care. It soon became clear to Hermione that in the wizarding world mothers either looked after the child themselves or they relied on family if they wanted to work. And without her parents or the Weasleys in the corner, Hermione had no-one she could rely on to assist with childcare.
It took Hermione a couple of weeks, but she finally accepted that going to work for the Ministry was out of the question. Instead she started looking for other work which didn't require needing her N.E.W.T qualifications. Such work was mainly shop work, but even the shopkeepers were hard to convince to give her a chance. After days of personally visiting as many shops as she could manage, Hermione hit lucky in a new small café in Diagon Alley.
"I can't guarantee to keep your job open once you leave to have the baby," Heidi, the witch who owned the café said to Hermione as she offered her the job.
"I understand," Hermione replied with a nod.
"In that case you can start on Monday," Heidi said with a smile.
"Thank you," Hermione said.
With a job in the bag, even if it was just a temporary one, Hermione set about finding a flat. The income from the job at the café wasn't much, but it was enough to open a few doors in the flat hunting department. With the measly wage she was earning, Hermione couldn't afford to be picky and while none of the flats she looked at would have been her first choice of place to live, it was the best she could do. After a couple of days searching for somewhere to live, she signed a lease on a tiny one bedroomed flat.
"Well Crooks, we're home," Hermione announced when she moved into the flat with her cat and the few belongings she had.
Crookshanks looked around the tiny flat in distaste, before jumping up on the threadbare sofa which had come with the flat and curling up. Hermione shared her cat's distaste, but beggars couldn't be choosers and the flat was better than staying at The Leaky Cauldron. After unpacking, Hermione curled up on the sofa with Crooks and looked around her new home.
"It's not much, but its home," Hermione whispered. "It could be worse, Crooks."
Crookshanks looked up at Hermione as though she was mad, but Hermione was determined to remain positive. She may have had a crappy job, a tiny flat and no prospects, but she wasn't ready to give up. The life growing inside her was more than enough to keep her going, and the thought of providing her baby with the life it deserved kept her motivated. It wasn't going to be easy going, but Hermione was determined that one day her child was going to have the best life possible.
…..
A month after she started work, Hermione visited St Mungo's for an antenatal appointment. Despite her initial positivity about her situation, Hermione was slipping into despondency. She had hoped that she could find another job, a better job, but there was nothing else out there for a pregnant witch who would become a single mother once she had the baby. Hermione knew she didn't even have the security of having the job she did have once she went on maternity leave. In six months' time, she would be in the same position she was in now, only with a baby in tow.
Hermione's appointment with the healer went well and both she and the baby were given a clean bill of health. Hermione also had a secondary appointment with a counsellor, and she found herself pouring her heart out and admitting how worried she was about when the baby arrived. As things stood, Hermione didn't see how she was going to cope with raising a child all alone.
"You do have options," the counsellor told Hermione, gathering a pile of leaflets to hand to the young witch. "You're not alone Hermione."
"I am though, and that's the problem," Hermione sighed, taking the leaflets from the counsellor.
As the councillor continued to talk, Hermione flicked through the leaflets and began to tear up at what she'd been handed. One leaflet was about abortion, and Hermione dismissed it straight away. The second leaflet was about adoption, and while Hermione wanted to dismiss it as well, a little voice in her head was saying that like it or not, adoption was an option.
"You don't have to make any decisions now," the councillor said, noting what leaflet Hermione was looking at. "Take the leaflet home and have a think. If you decide adoption is the way to go, we can talk about it."
"I don't want to give my baby up," Hermione whispered.
"I know," the councillor said softly. "But sometimes we have to make hard choices to do the best for the people we love."
"So you think I should look into adoption?" Hermione questioned.
"It's not my place to tell you what you should do," the councillor replied calmly. "You're the only person who can make this decision, Hermione. No-one is pushing you into anything. You have to do what's right for you, and your baby."
"I will," Hermione said, getting to her feet as she clutched the leaflet on adoption in her hands. "Thank you for your time."
"Make another appointment, Hermione," the councillor urged. "Even if you're not ready to make a decision, it'll help you to just talk. We all need someone to talk to."
Despite her reservations, Hermione did make another appointment with the councillor before she headed for the lifts. As she waited for the lifts, Hermione stared down at the leaflet in her hands. Ever so slowly the tears began to fall as she thought about giving up her baby. By the time the lift arrived, Hermione just wanted to be out of the hospital, and she hurried into the lift with tears streaming down her face.
The journey to the ground floor seemed to take forever, and when the lift finally stopped, Hermione rushed out into the reception towards the public floos. She was in such a state by then she failed to spot an elegant blonde witch emerging from the second lift and heading in the same direction. As a result, Hermione walked straight into the witch and went tumbling to the floor.
"Are you alright?" the witch asked in concern as she reached down and touched Hermione's shoulder.
"I'm fine," Hermione replied through her tears.
"You really don't seem it," the witch said in concern.
"I'm fine," Hermione repeated as she wearily got to her feet and wiped her tears from her face.
"I don't believe you," the witch said, handing Hermione the leaflet she'd dropped.
Hermione opened her mouth to thank the witch, but suddenly she realised the witch she'd ran into was Narcissa Malfoy. Hermione felt a fresh wave of tears well up as it hit her that just recently the witch in front of her had endured all sorts for her son, yet Hermione was considering giving away her child.
"You really don't look well, Miss Granger," Narcissa said gently.
"I'm fine," Hermione said, feeling as though she sounded like a stuck record, repeating the same two words over and over again.
"I'm not convinced," Narcissa said. "Come with me and I'll buy you a cup of tea. I won't take no for an answer," she added when Hermione opened her mouth to argue.
Not sure how to turn Narcissa down without being rude, Hermione found herself agreeing to have a cup of tea with the older witch. It certainly wasn't how she'd expected to end her afternoon, but Hermione had to admit, it was nice to have someone take an interest in her and take care of her. Hermione just didn't know that her chance meeting with Narcissa was about to change the course of her life.