From Venice with Love

Hermione spent most of the month of January studying and working at her Head Girl Duties. Draco spent most of his time preparing for Slytherin’s upcoming match with Ravenclaw. In between, they spent patrols and some quick time together, but neither thought it was enough.

To occupy her time, Hermione spent more time with Ginny.They looked at dresses in Hogsmeade and Ginny got Hermione a wizard pregnancy/baby book that she spent a lot of time reading.

“I wonder when I’ll feel it move,” Hermione said absently to Ginny the morning of the Slytherin/Ravenclaw match.

“Mum says she felt us move at 5 months. So, next month, I guess?” Ginny said.

“I can’t wait until then. Then the baby will be more real.” Hermione grabbed her cloak and began putting it on.

“Have you heard from Alessandro, Hermione?” Ginny asked, getting up as well. “You’ll be showing soon.”

“I’ve heard from him. His parents aren’t very happy so it looks like we’ll be doing this without them. He said soon.”

“That’s too bad.” Ginny said. “You have a Presider for the ceremony?”

“He’s working on that.”

“Why not Professor Dumbledore?” Ginny asked as they walked out of Hermione’s room and down the hall.

Hermione shook her head. “I don’t want anyone in school to know just yet.”

“They’ll know soon enough,” Ginny replied, looking down at Hermione’s stomach.

Hermione wrapped her cloak tightly around her. “School robes are very loose. It will be months and then no one will dare ask me. It’ll just be gossip.”

Ginny shook her head. “You just don’t understand how it works, Hermione. You need people to know you are married.”

“For Muggles, it’s different. People don’t get married at eighteen that often.”

“Are you going to raise the baby in the wizarding world, Hermione?” Ginny asked as they walked outside the castle.

“Of course I am.”

“Then you need to go by what is allowed here. Just remember how important it will be for your child when it’s older.”

They walked in silence until they saw Harry and Ron up ahead. “Harry! Ron!” Ginny waved. The two boys waved back and waited for the girls to catch up.

“What are you doing?” Ron asked Hermione. “You hate Quidditch.”

“I don’t hate it, Ronald; I’m just not obsessed with it.” Hermione said crossly. “I told Ginny I’d come.”

“Well, let’s get moving,” Harry said. “I want a good seat to see Malfoy get the beating he deserves.”

Hermione looked down to cover the look that flitted across her face, and followed the others into the bleachers.

It began to snow lightly as the players began to walk onto the pitch. Hermione saw Draco right away and smiled to herself. She loved the way he looked in his uniform. He glanced towards her in the stands but didn’t dare smile as Harry and Ron were both glaring at him.

The match began and soon there was shouting everywhere as the snow began to get heavier. Hermione pulled her cloak even tighter around her and slouched down in her seat.

“Hermione, maybe you should go back inside,” Ginny said. “You might catch a cold.”

“I’m fine,” Hermione chattered. She watched as the Ravenclaw scored and tied up the match. She was chilled to the bone now, and Ginny was looking at her, concerned.

“Let’s go,” she whispered. “I’ll come too.”

“Okay,” Hermione relented. They stood up to go, which seemed to catch Draco’s attention. He frowned and moved closer to the stands. At the same time, a Ravenclaw player aimed a bludger at him. He dodged it easily, but it went towards the stands and smacked right into Hermione, who was at the edge getting ready to go down.

The students in the stands gasped as she fell down and immediately teachers went to the area where she fell to help. Draco flew by, helpless, as Cho Chang swung up above him and caught the snitch. The Slytherins groaned as the game ended, but all Draco could think about was whether Hermione was okay. He could see Madam Pomfrey putting Hermione on a stretcher and sending it back towards the castle. Determined, he set off towards the castle, ignoring his classmates and immediately went towards the hospital wing. Right before he reached it, he smashed himself against a statue in the hallway. For his trouble, he received a rather large gash on his arm. Satisfied, he entered the hospital wing.

Harry, Ginny and Ron sat around Hermione’s still frame. He could see she was breathing, but had a large bump on her head.

“Yes, Mr. Malfoy?” Madame Pomfrey said, which caused Ron and Harry to turn around and glare at him.

“I cut my arm.” Draco tried not to look in Hermione’s direction.

“Serves you right,” Ron snapped. “If you hadn’t been so bloody close to the stands, Hermione never would have been hit.”

“If she’d been sitting down like everyone else, she wouldn’t have been hit,” Draco sneered and watched as Harry held Ron in a sitting position.

Madame Pomfrey waved to him. “Sit over there,” she said. “I’ll get to you shortly.”

She looked Hermione over. “She’ll be alright,” she told Harry and Ron. “Just in need of a few potions.” She picked up a pink vial and moved towards Hermione.

“Wait,” Harry and Ron turned to where Draco sat, looking paler than usual.

“Are you daft? “ Harry snapped.

“Why are you even here?” Ron said at the same time.

Draco ignored them both and looked at Madame Pomfrey. “Can I talk to you in private?”

“In a few minutes, Mr. Malfoy,” she said, taking Hermione’s head to administer the potion.

“Wait!” Draco said, louder this time.

Harry groaned. “What is it, Malfoy? For Pete’s sake, just spit it out!”

Draco looked between them all again. ”Granger, she-she’s pregnant.”

“What?” Harry and Ron said at the same time. Draco looked away from them.

“Are you sure?” Madame Pomfrey asked. Draco nodded at her. “Do you know how far along she is?”

“A few months. She’s due in July,”

Harry and Ron were staring at him as if he had a second head and he squirmed under their gaze.

Madame Pomfrey muttered an incantation over Hermione and a blue glow covered her abdomen. She nodded at Draco. ”Thank you,” she said, putting the potion down. “I’ll have Professor Snape make the correct potion.”

As she left, Draco tried to leave as well, but Harry and Ron stopped him. “Not so fast,” Ron said. “How did you know that? We didn’t even know that.”

“Um,” Draco thought quickly. “I overheard her in the library talking to your sister.”

“Ginny knows about this?” Ron shrieked, turning to where Ginny was seated. Ginny hung her head and Draco fought to keep his composure.

“Why did you keep her secret?” Harry asked, as he tried to slip past again. “The Head Girl, pregnant. And you didn’t tell anyone?”

“Granger knew I heard her and threatened to hex me,” he said. “It’s not like she could keep it a secret forever, there’ll be time enough to make fun of her.” He tried to be nonchalant.

Harry rolled his eyes in disgust. “Leave, Malfoy,”

Draco left just as Madame Pomfrey came back with a new potion. “Here we go,” she said, tipping it into Hermione’s mouth.

After a minute or two Hermione began to groan and her eyes opened. “What happened?” she asked as Ron and Harry crowded around her.

“You were hit by a bludger,” Harry said. “How do you feel?”

“Groggy-oh!” she looked fearfully at Madame Pomfrey, who nodded.

“I know, dear. The baby is fine.”

Hermione turned back to Ron and Harry. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” she said, tears beginning to form. “I just-couldn’t. I was so ashamed and-“ Hermione paused as Dumbledore came in, along with Professor McGonagall, and then began to cry in earnest. ”Everyone knows,” she cried.

“No, dear. Just those in this room,” Madame Pomfrey said.

“And Malfoy apparently,” Ron added.

“What? How do you know?” Hermione’s eyes widened.

“He’s the one who told us, dear,” Madame Pomfrey said. “If he hadn’t, the potion we were going to give could have harmed the baby.”

“Was he blackmailing you with the information?” Ron asked. “Because I will-“

“Now, now, Mr. Weasley,” Dumbledore said. “Calm down for a moment.”

“Will I be expelled?” Hermione asked him.

“No, Ms. Granger, of course you won’t. We will have to know who the father is.”

Professor McGonagall said. “You need to get married.”

“I’ll marry her!” Ron said. Everyone looked at him. “No, it’s not me,” he mumbled. “But I’ll take care of her.”

“Is the father a pureblood?” Professor McGonagall asked. Hermione nodded. “Well then, that won’t work, Mr. Weasley. The identifier gene will show who the father is.”

“The what?” Hermione asked.

“In pure blood families, some genes are guaranteed to be passed down through the generations. It identifies any family member or,of course, excludes one.” Dumbledore told her. “For example, the Weasley’s have red hair, the Zabini’s green eyes, the Malfoys have their grey eyes, and on it goes with each family.”

“So any child of Ron’s will have red hair, regardless of the mother?” Hermione asked.

“Yes, it will override all dominant genes,” Dumbledore said.

“So when the baby is born,”

“It will be obvious who the father is,” Dumbledore said. “Or who it is not, in Mr. Weasley’s case. We need to know, Ms Granger. If he’s at school here, we also need his Head of House.”

“He’s at Durmstrang,” Ginny spoke up.

“No, no he’s not, Ginny,” Hermione sighed. She felt into her shirt for necklace; “Are you there?”

Almost immediately a reply came. “Are you alright? I had to tell them you were pregnant.”

“I know. You need to come, please. Bring Professor Snape. Dumbledore is here and insisting to know who the father is. I have to tell him.”

“A Protean charm?” Dumbledore asked and Hermione nodded. “Quite brilliant.”

“What do you mean he’s not at Durmstrang?” Ginny asked. “Did he leave?”

“No Ginny, I lied. I lied to all of you, I’m sorry. Please don’t be too mad.” Hermione said, beginning to cry again.

“I’m coming.” Came the reply. No trying to convince her not to tell.

She looked at Dumbledore.” He’s coming and he’s bringing his Head of House.”