Fate, My Friend, You Say the Strangest Things

chapter three

Diagon Alley was busy and bustling. Jamie held Hermione's hand, knowing she'd get very angry if he wandered off. He loved coming to Diagon Alley, Flourish and Blotts being his favorite shop. At three, he was reading at the second grade level, and Hermione knew her son would be a brilliant and powerful wizard someday.

"Mummy, may we go in Flourish and Blotts?" he asked, tugging at her hand.

"Of course. There's a book I've been looking for."

Jamie pulled Hermione by the hand into the shop, and he followed her when she went to the magical medicines section. She was looking for New Advancements in the Use of Boomslang Venom for work, and Jamie found it right away.

"Here it is," he said, pulling it from the bottom shelf.

Hermione took the book from him. "Thank you, Jamie. Now, what book would you like to read? Do you want something from the children's section?"

"I don't think so," he said. "I think I want a book about Transfiguration."

Hermione smiled. "Really? A little advanced don't you think?"

"It is, but it would be fun trying to learn the words," Jamie said, pulling her to the next book shelf.

Hermione looked out the window to the street as Jamie pulled her, and she swore she caught a glimpse of a familiar raven-haired young man. No, it couldn't be him, she thought. He would say something if he were returning home. She shook the thought of it being Harry, and she help Jamie pick out a book. He got A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch, and she paid for the books. They left the store, and they headed to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor.

"I'm ready to go home, Mummy," Jamie said, finishing his ice cream.

"Okay, dear."

They walked to the Leaky Cauldron, and Hermione caught a glimpse at who she thought was Harry, again. I must be going mad. It's not him! It's not! But what if it is? Damn, damn, damn!

"Mummy, are you all right?"

Hermione saw that they were standing beside her car. She hadn't realized they were already in Muggle London. "What? Oh, yes, of course." She helped Jamie in his car seat, and she got in the driver's side.

"Are you sure?"

"Very." Hermione turned the car on, and they headed home.

***

Jamie was in his room having his afternoon nap, and his new book was tightly held in his arm as he slept. Hermione was having coffee in the kitchen when an owl tapped on her window. It was a barn owl from St. Mungo's, so she knew it was work related. She paid the owl, and she opened the letter.

Miss Granger,
We're pleased to tell you that you've been accepted to attend the New Cures for Dragon Pox Seminar in Paris. You and four other Healers will go as representatives for St. Mungo's. You will report to St. Mungo's on Saturday, November 10th, 2001, at precisely eight o'clock AM, and your Portkey will be activated at precisely eight-ten AM. Don't be late!
Sincerely yours,
Healer Eric Kelso
St. Mungo's Healer Chief of Staff

"Paris?" Hermione said aloud. "I didn't think I'd be chosen to go."

She got up, charmed her mug to wash itself, and she went to her room to pack. After all, the tenth was two days away.

***

"How are you going to tell them?" Ron asked Hermione as they sat on the Hogwarts Express.

It was now June. Hermione was now seven months pregnant, and she had an easy time hiding it with her school robes. Now that they were heading home, Hermione knew she couldn't hide it. The baby, she knew, was going to be small, seeing as she didn't gain that much weight, and her stomach really wasn't as big as expected.

"Ron, leave her alone," Ginny snapped. "Can't you see she's upset enough?" Ron and Ginny were the only two (besides Madam Pomfrey, Dumbledore, and McGonagall) to know Hermione was pregnant.

"It's okay, Ginny," Hermione told her. "I don't know how I'm going to break this to my parents."

"Well, well, well, what do we have here? A pregnant Mudblood? Polluting the world with your gene pool, are we, Granger?" a cold voice said from the compartment door. It was Malfoy.

Ron jumped to his feet. "Get out of here, Malfoy," he said through gritted teeth.

"Shut up, Weaselby! You're nothing without Saint Potter here. Oh, wait...you were never anything to begin with."

Hermione was ready to break down and cry. Ginny was on her feet, too, wand drawn.

"Get the fuck out of here, Malfoy," she demanded. "We're tired of your shit. You lost your 'lord', so now you're the nothing. Oh wait, you have to be a something first, don't you?"

"My, my a mouth you have on you, Little Weaselby." Malfoy whipped his wand out. "I can take care of that..."

"Expelliarmus!" a voice yelled from outside the compartment.

Malfoy's wand flew from his hand, and Neville walked closer to him, wand pointing out.

"You heard her, Malfoy, so leave!" Neville yelled.

Malfoy quickly grabbed his wand and left. Ron was in awe. "Blimey, Neville! That was bloody brilliant!"

Neville blushed and shrugged. "Anytime."