SIX
Twenty minutes later, Damara and Hermione were in the Academy's cafeteria. Damara had almost dragged a dumbstruck Hermione all the way there. They were sitting at a small table, cups of tea in front of them.
"You wanna tell me how this happened?" finally asked Damara when she saw that Hermione was breathing normally again.
"You're a big girl, you know how this happens," said Hermione avoiding Damara's eyes.
"I know that! My mum did give me that little speech, you know." Damara looked at Hermione not that amused with Hermione's comment. "But Herms, you don't even have a boyfriend, and don't tell me that it was conceived by the Holy Spirit."
Hermione couldn't help but simile at Damara's words, but she still was not looking at her. Then Damara remembered something important.
"Wait a minute…" Damara suddenly said. "Hermione? Harry spent the night with you at the lab that weekend, right?"
Hermione said nothing.
"What exactly happened that night?" Damara was anxiously trying to get Hermione's answer from her eyes.
Finally Hermione looked at her. She didn't have to say a word. It was all written in her face.
"Merlin's beard!! Harry… and you!" said Damara, perhaps a little too loud.
"Damara! You wanna say it a little louder. I don't think that guy in the back heard you," said Hermione sarcastically.
Ignoring Hermione's complain, Damara continued talking, only not as loud. "And you didn't even use protection? Herms, you were in the lab! You could've used... I don't know, something!"
Hermione shook her head. "Damara, we were in the Herbology lab! What did you want me to use? Leaves! Besides, I wasn't thinking about that. I wasn't thinking at all."
"Obviously..." Damara scratched her head still trying to process the whole situation.
"You and Harry… but Hermione, I thought you said he didn't think of you in that way. Wasn't that the reason why you came here? 'Cause he could only see you as a friend."
"He still seems me only as a friend." Hermione looked away from Damara and focused on the cup of tea she hadn't even tasted.
"How can you say that after what happened between you two?" Damara believed she had seen something in Harry's eyes when he looked at Hermione. Now she was sure what it was she had seen there.
"Because… you don't know what happened, or actually how it happened?"
"Explain it to me then." Demanded Damara.
Hermione let out a sigh of resignation and looked at her friend. "It was me… I caused this."
"You got yourself pregnant?" interrupted Damara, feeling a little frustrated.
"Would you let me finish?" Damara motioned Hermione to continue. "He wanted to stop. There was a moment, before things got too… intense, when he wanted to stop, but I didn't let him. I actually asked him to continue. I incited him, Damara. I pushed him to go on."
"Did you put a knife to his neck?" asked Damara mockingly. Hermione rolled her eyes at Damara, remaining quiet. "C'mon Hermione! He's a big boy. He knew perfectly well what he was doing. You can't put all the blame in yourself."
Hermione looked down. Perhaps Damara was right, but she still felt most of the responsibility had been on her. For a few minutes the two friends remained silent. Then, Damara spoke again.
"So… what are you going to do about it now?"
"What do you mean what am I going to do? I'm going to have my baby, of course!" jumped Hermione defiantly.
"I know! That's not what I meant." Damara rubbed Hermione's arm soothingly. "What I meant is, what are you going to do about Harry?" Then looking at Hermione's questioning expression, she added, "Herms, you have to tell him."
Hermione didn't say anything for a while. She hadn't thought about that. Damara could see the internal struggle Hermione was having with herself.
"He's the father. He has the right to know." Still Hermione said nothing. "Or… are you afraid he's going to deny it?"
"No, of course not. He's not like that."
"Then what's the problem?"
"He's got his own life, you know. He's still dating this other girl. He has a year and a half to graduate. I… I can't suddenly come along and mess up his life."
"And what about your life?" said Damara looking deep into her friend's brown eyes. "Besides, a baby is not going to mess up anybody's life. It's a blessing Hermione."
Hermione smiled at that. "I know that. It's just that… things can get really complicated and I…"
"Okay, okay." said Damara again rubbing Hermione's arm. "Don't stress too much about it. Just don't take any decisions right now. Think about it, okay?."
Hermione nodded. She sure was glad that Damara was there at her side. It would've been harder to face this on her own.
"Just remember one thing, he has to know."
--- * --- * --- * ---
Four months went by and Hermione still hadn't say a word to Harry about her pregnancy, not even to her parents. The Easter holiday had already passed and Hermione, once again, hadn't gone home.
That day, five-month-pregnant Hermione was in her apartment's living room trying to finish up some schoolwork. If she had been busy during Christmas, it was nothing compared to how busy she was now.
She anxiously waited for June to arrive. She'd be done with her courses then. According to the program she enrolled in, after her courses she then had to start her six-month internship, graduating in the middle of December.
Now with Hermione's pregnancy, she had made some changes. Hermione talked to Professor Fanizza, Head of the Department that led the program Hermione was enrolled in. Professor Fanizza agreed to make some special arrangements so that Hermione could complete the program and still graduate in December.
Hermione was allowed to start her internship sooner. In February, along with her regular courses, Hermione began her internship at the Academy's hospital. This way, she'd be able to complete the requirements by July and have some months off before graduation. Her baby was due in mid September.
Because of the especial arrangements, Hermione's day was longer than ever. After her courses, she had to go to the hospital three times a week and stay there until well into the night.
Hermione's plans were to finish her studies and go back to London in July, have her baby there, and return to Athens for graduation in December. She wanted to settle down in London and make a home for her and the baby there. She planned to tell Harry and her parents about the baby once she'd be home in July.
Damara arrived to the apartment, she was coming back from work. Seeing that Hermione was there, she walked up to her, and gently rubbed Hermione's pregnant belly.
"How are we doing today?" Damara said in a babyish voice. Then looking up to Hermione, talking in her normal voice, she added before kissing the top of Hermione's head, "And how are you?"
Hermione smiled at her. She sure was glad to have Damara with her. She not only was a great company, but she have been a source of support for Hermione. Just then, her mobile phone rung.
"Hello?"
"Hey gorgeous!" greeted a familiar voice.
Hermione's heart fell to her heels. "Hey Harry," she managed to say a few seconds later. Damara, wanting to let Hermione talk, left the room to go take a shower.
"How's it going?" asked Harry warmly.
"Alright," said Hermione not very convincingly.
"You don't sound that good. Are you okay?" Harry's voice sounded concerned.
"Oh, it's nothing," Hermione said making an effort to make her voice sound normal. "I'm just tired, that's all."
"Why is that?"
"Well, you know… this is my last term and things are getting kind of crazy." She hadn't told anyone back home about her plans to go there during the summer. That would lead to more explanations and she didn't want to give them just yet.
"But at least you'll be done soon. Me? I still have a long way to go. I wish I'd also be close to finishing. I'm sure you're dying for this term to end, aren't you?"
Hermione laughed to herself. "You have no idea."
As always Harry have her a brief summation of the gang's activities. The hook ups, the break ups and anything else worth telling. Hermione smiled listening to Harry's account while wishing she could be there to see it all.
"We all miss you, and you know what? We've been talking lately that perhaps some of us will come to Athens in December to be at your graduation."
"That's so nice of you guys," said Hermione, her eyes staring to fill up with tears - she had been very sensitive lately. She was touched by her friends' plans and couldn't help feeling homesick.
Harry noticed Hermione's broken voice. "Are you crying?" asked concerned.
"No," quickly responded Hermione. "I just… I think I may be catching a cold."
"Take care of yourself then." Hermione didn't respond trying to hold back her tears. "Hate to leave you, but I gotta do some studying. I'm telling you, I'll be glad when I'm done with school."
"Say hello to everyone for me." A few seconds later, Hermione hung up, tossed the phone to the side and finally let her tears roll down.
--- * --- * --- * ---
Harry placed the phone down slowly. Calling Hermione always made him happy, but having to hang up and say good-bye also leaved him sad, longing to see her. He had been tempted to take his broomstick and fly to Athens way too many times, but something stopped him.
He was afraid that if he'd go see her, he could place himself in another "sticky" situation with Hermione. "Or is that what I want?" he asked himself. "Why do things have to be so complicated?"
Just then Ron apparated next to him, in Harry's living room. A little more than a year ago, Harry had bought a cozy two-bedroom house in a quiet muggle neighborhood. Sirius had inherited him a handsome amount of gold, which along with what he already had in his Gringotts' vault allowed him to continue his studies without having to worry about money.
"Hey man, we were going for you!"
"Waiting for me?" asked Harry once he realized his best friend was standing there.
"Yeah, you forgot we were supposed to have dinner at the twins' place?" Ron walked up to him.
Harry had totally forgotten about it. While talking to Hermione, he had lost track of time.
"Ron?" said Harry not yet ready to go to the twins' place. "Can I ask you something?"
"Ask," said Ron. By the look in Harry's face, Ron noticed Harry had something going around in his head, Ron sat down at the couch. "What is it mate?"
Harry looked at him, not quite sure if it was a good idea. Finally, he took a deep breath and spoke. "How… how do you know when you're in love?"
Ron looked at him with a silly grin in his face. "I thought you'd be able to explain that better than me, man."
"C'mon Ron, I'm serious!" said Harry, frustration in his voice. "You've been dating Luna for, what? Five, six months. I know you must feel something for her. You two seemed to connect very well."
"Five months! We've been dating for five months." Ron stood up not really given importance to Harry's question. "You know that she was the one who asked me out. She's always the one leading the way. I… I've just followed along." Then looking inquisitively at Harry, he asked, "Are you and Laura having problems or something?"
"This just nothing to do with Laura."
"Then, what the bloody hell is this all about?" asked Ron a little confused. "You're talking about being in love, but this just nothing to do with Laura?" Then a thought came to Ron. "Hang on, I think I know what the problem is, and it does have to do with Laura."
Harry looked at him with a puzzled expression.
"The problem is…" said Ron pacing around, "Laura doesn't have brown curly hair," said Ron using his fingers to number his points. "She doesn't have pretty brown eyes. She'd not a bossy know-it-all, and most importantly, her name is not Hermione."
Harry remained silent for a while. Still he wasn't willing to let his guard down and fought the thoughts Ron's words woke up in his mind.
"What are you talking about?" said Harry trying to make his voice sound normal, not doing a great job at it.
"You know what I'm talking about." Harry looked away. "C'mon mate, admit it for once! You care about Hermione more than you want us to think."
Harry passed a hand through his raven hair, but didn't respond.
"You think I'm blind? You've always been drooling after her, following her every step."
"Well, she's my friend!"
"Yeah, I'm your friend, too, and you don't pay me the same attention, not that I want you to of course. Besides I know things aren't working out with Laura, how can they?"
"What do you mean?" asked Harry a little concerned.
"It's always been obvious that you aren't half as excited about this relationship thing as she is." Ron looked at Harry's face to face him."
"I've tried, man. She's a great with, you know, but I just…"
"I know she's great, no one is arguing that, but that's not the issue. What you gotta do is set things straight with Hermione."
Harry walked away.
"If you don't have the balls to tell to her how you feel, another bloke is going to come along and leave you with your mouth hanging open. Isn't she dating this Greek guy?"
"Was! That was last year Ron. They're not together anymore," said Harry. He knew Ron's words were right and it hurt him to think of Hermione being with someone else.
"Well, they're still in the same school, in the same city for that matter, aren't they?" Ron hoped that by making Harry feel a little pain would help him open his eyes. Then, changing his voice to a softer tone, Ron added. "Listen mate, just think about it, okay? I know is a lot to deal with. Just remember something, Laura deserves your honesty. You should do something about that."
Harry nodded. He knew Ron was right.
"Let's go then. The twins are waiting."