Author's Note: Discussion of Teen Pregnancy / Unplanned Pregnancy and some self-harm in the final scene.

Chapter Sixteen

Hermione struggled to get back to sleep after that dream. She didn't know if she was afraid of it continuing or that she wanted it to. Either way the entire concept left her uncomfortable, especially considering the only man around to ogle with a beard was Theo bloody Nott.

She couldn't believe that her brain would give her a sex dream about Theo Nott. Was that what his voice would sound like low in her ear as he pleasured her? It didn't matter anyway, she wasn't about to be part of some other Pureblood's rights to sow his oats before marriage. The very idea made bile rise up in her throat.

She gave up after a while and threw on her robe, intending to go to the eighth year kitchenette and make a cup of tea. She could always do some reading, maybe that would give her a sense of normalcy that she was missing. Wednesday was her long day though and she'd probably pay for it later.

The hall was quiet, but Hermione thought she heard weeping coming from the other end of the hall. She couldn't not investigate and found the sound was coming from behind Pansy's door. Was the other witch alright? Hermione's fear for her new friend overwhelmed her and before she knew what she was doing, she was wandlessly tearing the other girl's wards and locking spells to shreds and forcing her way in. The door to Pansy's bathroom was open and the crying was coming from inside.

"Pansy?" Hermione called quietly as she pushed the door open.

The raven-haired witch was curled in a ball against the tiled wall. Her arms wrapped tightly around her abdomen. Tears streamed down her face and it looked like she had been like this for a while, possibly since she'd left Transfiguration.

"Fuck, Pansy!" Hermione fell to her knees next to her and tried to see if she could tell what was wrong. The Slytherin didn't smell of alcohol, but had clearly been vomiting. Hermione tried to shift her and the other girl moaned.

"Don't," Pansy hissed out, wincing as she shook her head. "I finally stopped heaving. I don't want to chance my body finding something else to spew out."

Hermione's eyes went wide as she took in how poorly the other girl looked. "Shite, Pansy, we need to get you to Madam Pomfrey." She'd left her wand in her room, but she could go grab it and cast a Patronus and get some help. Hermione's whirling mind was stopped by Pansy's next words like a sudden impact.

"No Pomfrey. She can't do anything for me." Pansy's laugh was mirthless.

"But, Pansy, you're sick!" Hermione argued, confused by the girl's refusal to get medical help.

"Granger, use your head. I'm not sick, I'm pregnant," Pansy confessed softly. "The only thing that will happen if I go to the hospital wing is a judgmental talk from Pomfrey and McGonagall and my complete social ruination. Not that I'm not already a pariah for trying to give Potter over to Voldemort." Pansy's laugh dissolved into tears. "Fuck, I'm pathetic." She tried to swallow her sobs but they came out anyway and shook her frame.

"Fucking Merlin," Hermione hissed, aghast at seeing Pansy in such a state. "Who is responsible for this? I'll fucking kill him."

Pansy cracked an eye open at the Gryffindor, "I knew that I liked you for a reason. Blood thirsty witch." Her smile was small, but her lower lip quivered with repressed tears.

"Is it Malfoy? Nott?" Hermione ignored the way it made her sick to ask if it was the two of them. She was sleep deprived, that had to be the reason. They were both just as likely as anyone else to be responsible for Pansy's situation.

"Those two?" Pansy laughed and almost snorted, surprising herself. "I'm not their type. I don't think either of them has ever even kissed a witch."

Hermione snorted in disbelief at that, but didn't argue the point. "Then who?"

"It's not anyone from my house. They'd never… And he…he doesn't know…about the baby." Pansy began to cry again. "We were seeing each other last year in secret and then we slept together before the battle just the one time, so sure we could die. And now he's marrying someone else." Pansy looked up at the ceiling like someone might come and save her. She shook her head again, her dark hair falling into her face.

Hermione sat still in shock, unable to believe what she was hearing.

"I broke it off with him after the battle, I told him that he deserved better than me. That I would just drag his name down and he tried to argue with me, but I refused to listen and eventually he gave up. And then…and then…I realised I was pregnant. And I was going to tell him, I was..but he's already found someone else." Pansy swallowed roughly. "I was too late. I waited too long, but I miss him…I miss him so much."

Hermione didn't know what to say so she didn't say anything. She just rubbed Pansy's back in what she hoped was a soothing manner.

Fucking Pureblood wizards, Hermione was certain one of them was to blame for Pansy's predicament. She wasn't certain that she believed Pansy that it wasn't a Slytherin, but there were only so many possibilities of wizards who had been at Hogwarts last year and were now engaged. She'd figure out who it was and then she was going to hex his bollocks off.

Hermione looked at Pansy, her eyes swollen from crying and hated that someone had turned such a fierce witch into a victim.

She hated the bloody patriarchy.

Eventually later in the night, Hermione had managed to get Pansy back into her bed and had tucked her in. When she had started to head back to her own room, Pansy's voice stopped her.

"Granger, please don't go." It was the loneliness in Pansy's voice that got to Hermione and made her stop.

Hermione nodded even though Pansy couldn't see her in the darkened room and crawled in bed with the other witch.

"I'm sorry if I smell awful," Pansy apologised.

"Pansy, please shut up and go to sleep," Hermione mumbled, quickly falling to sleep herself hoping she didn't have another dream that ended up with her hands in her knickers while she was in Pansy's bed, that would simply be too mortifying to live down.

Hermione tried to sneak out of Pansy's room before anyone else was awake, but of course she failed horribly at that. Her robe was tied tightly about herself, but she was clearly coming from one of the other dorm rooms when Nott caught her.

"Where did you sleep last night, Hermione?" He asked her, his voice quiet and angry, blue eyes flashing with barely leashed rage. Had he ever said her first name before? She didn't think so and she especially didn't care for how he made it sound like a blasphemy.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" Hermione asked him venomously. "What gives you the right to ask me that question?"

She was confused as she watched the emotions flash over his face: a sudden shocked awareness, sorrow then self-loathing. He shook himself, "You are right. I'm sorry. I'll leave you. I should never…" He trailed off, turning away from her.

The complete one-eighty was discombobulating.

For some reason the sadness made her want to comfort him, which made no sense, he had just accused her of who knew what, but that didn't stop her from reaching out and grabbing his wrist, so large in her petite hand.

"Nott, stop," Hermione whispered, confused and very uncomfortable with her body's reaction to him. Her skin tingled where she touched him. She wanted to pull him closer to her. Her robe felt scratchy on her breasts, her skin overheating and it was all his fault, she knew it. Her heart felt like it might explode inside her chest.

He turned back and looked down at his wrist in confusion. "I was with Pansy, she wasn't doing okay. We had a sleepover of sorts." She exhaled in frustration, pulling her hand back. "Not that it's any of your business." She crossed her arms in a huff.

"Is she okay?" Nott asked, concern in his eyes.

Hermione wanted to lie to him, but couldn't seem to force the words past her lips so the truth slipped out. "No, but at least she is sleeping now. I'm not certain she'll be up in time for potions. Maybe you or Goyle could make up an excuse for her."

"Granger…Hermione…" Theo stepped closer to her. "Do you know what's wrong with my friend? She won't tell me, won't confide in any one from our house. Has she confided in you?"

Hermione found herself wanting to tell him, she wanted to tell him everything that Pansy had told her last night, but she needed to keep Pansy's secret and there was always the possibility of someone listening.

Hermione nodded, but said nothing else, not wanting to lie for some reason. It was so strange. The look on his face was so sincere he really did care, she should just tell him. He could probably help her find the wizard responsible. He had been here last year; he might be able to reason out who had gotten Pansy in the family way.

Her mind fogged up a little, the edges of the hall around them seemed to blur just a little as though she was back in her dream.

/I could help you if you just let me/ a deep voice sounded in her head. Hermione wanted to believe that.

She took a step closer to him involuntarily. Merlin, he smelled good. Her nipples hardened. Her gaze flickered to his lips, the sensations of his beard grazing her skin last night in her dream came back to her vividly.

He stepped closer to her. He was so much taller than she was, she'd have to stand on tiptoe to kiss him. The thought of his kisses when she was awake made her clench her thighs.

Breathlessly, she whispered. "I can't tell you. I won't betray her trust." She licked her lips, they felt so dry.

In the husky voice from her dreams, he murmured back. "I understand. You are a good friend, I'm glad Pansy has you."

She nodded again, the praise bringing tears to her eyes for some reason.

His hand came up next to her cheek and was so close that she could feel the warmth coming from his palm, but he didn't touch her. His hand fell back down to his side, and the words that fell from his lips felt like a vow, "If you ever need anything from me, all you need to do is ask."

Then he turned and disappeared back into his dorm room.

Hermione stood there for a few minutes, breathing heavily, feeling more confused than ever. What on earth had just happened? Had she actually been hoping that Theo Nott was going to kiss her? She needed to get a grip on herself, so she fled into her room and locked the door behind her.

Theo cast Silencio on the room, before he punched the wall again and again. Livid with himself for losing control, he shook with rage. She'd been glassy eyed and desperate for him. He had manipulated her. He was the worst sort of monster. He didn't want to take away her free will, that wasn't how he wanted her.

The Veela part of him chafed at the restrictions. Theo could feel it pushing him to go back to her right now. She was certainly wet and receptive to him. He could have her before dawn broke if he would just…

No!

His fist slammed into the wall.

He wouldn't.

He could never do that.

The throbbing in his hand almost made him forget that he very nearly had.