Unwanted

Six Months Later


Hermione lay in her bed, down the hall from Severus, her hands rubbing her stomach idly. She usually stopped herself from touching her pregnant self, but the baby was quite active in the early morning hours, usually waking her from the little bit of sound sleep she got. She and Severus had lived as partners, friends and roommates since moving into his childhood home five months before.

The night of her wedding, they'd consummated their marriage, then he'd sworn not to touch her again as long as she was against it. And he'd kept that vow ever since. He'd helped her learn Occlumency and kept her safe while shopping in Diagon Alley and once while visiting Hogwarts. Of course, he was glamoured, since he was second only to Voldemort on the Auror's 'hit list' for murdering Albus Dumbledore.

Whenever she looked out the corner of her eye at her husband she saw a sadness she wondered about. She knew he was sorry for what had happened in the Death Eater camp, but she didn't blame him anymore. He did only what he'd been ordered to do by both of his masters, Voldemort and Dumbledore. Voldemort had wanted him to torture and demean the friend of Harry Potter and Dumbledore had told him to do whatever was necessary to return the girl to her friends still alive.She missed her mother, especially during the holiday season like now. She'd always loved helping her mother decorate their tree and make the Christmas cookies they'd distribute to their neighbors and friends. She'd go down to their office and help get things organized and greet some of their patients, some of whom had been going to their office since before her birth. Christmas was only a week away and the little house at Spinner's End hadn't anything to make one think the season was about.

She wanted to ask him to decorate the living room, but hesitated. She didn't think Severus was much into celebrating, nor to be honest did she care for herself. She just wanted something to be the same as it had been twelve months before, before all the madness that was now her life had happened.

Severus, for the most part, ignored his young wife, except during her training and when they left the house. She seemed to be doing better, coming to terms with everything, but he held doubts. The girl-the woman-was slowly coming out of her shell and interacting more with him. He folded his pillow under his head and listened for her. He knew she wasn't asleep as she had begun to snore in her fifth month of pregnancy. For his own protection, he hadn't told her, but it was a good way to know when she was up and about. Hermione seemed to be having a lie in today. With her petite frame, her seven month pregnant body looked almost full term and he feared he'd be delivering his child on his own. Albus had laughed when he told the old man his fears. Tomorrow they would travel to the Burrow and attend their annual Christmas fete. He'd have to leave her there for a little while and go into town to get her a present. He just wanted the insufferable know it all to be returned to her old self. Even now she wasn't the same. He didn't think she'd ever return to herself.

"Ow!" Hermione sat down heavily and rubbed her lower stomach. The baby was making some weird movements today and she didn't appreciate it since she needed to dress for her trip to the Burrow. She might as well just start wearing sacks, since everything else she had was at it's transfiguration limits to fit her.

"What?" Severus came in from the small room he used as a study, worry etched on his face.

"A little cramp. I think I came down the stairs too quickly." She leaned back and tried to lift her left leg onto the ottoman. It only got halfway up before stopping. Severus stopped himself from laughing at her frustrated sigh. Instead, he went to her and lifted her feet, resting them on the ottoman's cushion.

"Are you alright, Hermione?"

"Remember the doctor said I might have those false contractions? I think that was one of them. Wake me before you're ready to leave. I'm tired." She closed her eyes and rested her head on the back of the wingback chair. Frowning, Severus returned to the study, finishing the letter he'd started, telling Albus about the little advances he'd made with is young wife and her 'problems.'

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. I am truly sorry about the way this story is uploading. I fix it in the text and when it's published it looks totally different. Like I said, the earlier chapters are for background and to set the real story up for later. I'm just entering the darker phase of the story and getting ready to jump to the future, so to speak.
marti