Come What May

Hermione Granger closed the door quietly behind her, cutting off the chattering of the crowds that gathered outside the Hospital Wing.

Lying unconscious on the bed before her was Harry Potter. The scarred youth had defeated Lord Voldemort only four days before. His face was covered in bruises and his right arm had been broken and was in a sling. His left leg was also in a brace. Hermione had stood beside him through all of his trials until the final duel between the Dark Lord and Harry himself.

The last Death Eater they had had to face had been Bellatrix Lestrange. Harry was fighting furiously, desperate to avenge the death of Sirius. His rage had only increased when Hermione was knocked unconscious by a spell halfway through the duel. Ron had been incapacitated by Lucius Malfoy so, when Hermione had been taken out it left Harry on his own. He had redoubled his efforts and defeated her before turning his sights on her master.

The battle had lasted for hours, the two wizards clashing repeatedly. Finally, Harry had had an opening and used the killing curse on the wizard who had used it on his parents. Once the ashes of his enemy had blown completely away he turned his attention to his fallen friends.

Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall were waiting for him when Harry arrived back at Hogwarts. Hermione’s body was in his arms; Ron’s was bewitched to float in front of him. Dumbledore had helped them to the Hospital Wing, barely getting Harry into a bed before the victorious youth had passed out.

Hermione and Ron had woken up the next morning to the cheers and shouts of their classmates. The two worried friends had checked on their unconscious best friend before they were dragged reluctantly from the Hospital Wing.

Now Hermione was resolutely forcing her way back into the hospital wing to see Harry. She didn’t care that Madam Pomfrey said that he needed to rest if he was to wake up soon. She wasn’t going to try and wake him up, she just needed to see him, assure herself that he was really okay. Dumbledore and McGonagall had backed her up and the nurse had relented.

Now, staring at his unconscious body, she would give anything to have him open his green eyes and smile his lopsided smile at her.

Despite her wishes, his eyes didn’t open and he continued to breathe deeply. She sighed and pulled a chair up next to his bed. She reached down and held his left hand in hers. Her fingers idly played with the gold band that encircled his ring finger. A beam of sunlight fell through the window and reflected from the diamond that ornamented her ring finger. The light bounced off her ring and hit his eyes. She waited without breathing, praying that he would react, move, anything.

At first, nothing happened and then, slowly, his eyebrow twitched. Hermione’s eyes filled with tears and a sob issued from her lips. She brought his hand to her lips and kissed it. She laid his hand back down on the bed, lying her head down beside it as she began to cry.

Harry Potter’s journey back to consciousness was slow. At first he saw a flash of bright light across his closed eyelids. Then he felt gentle pressure on the back of his hand. Finally, he heard tortured crying. His eyes cracked open slowly and he looked down on the curly brown hair that he loved so much.

“Hermione,” he whispered slowly.

Her head shot up and she met his eyes. His small smile vanished when he saw the tears that were running down her face.

“What is it? What’s wrong? Are you okay? Is Ron okay? Dumbledore?” he asked in a rush, one hand moving across her cheek, wiping the tears away, while his eyes darted across her face looking for any sign of injury.

A tiny smile crossed her face as she grabbed his hand with her free hand. “I was worried about you. I’m fine. Ron’s fine. Everything is okay.”

His hand moved from cupping her cheek to the back of her neck. He pulled her quickly down to meet his lips. He began dropping kisses all over her face. She moaned as their lips met in a passionate kiss. She climbed slowly and carefully into the bed with him, making sure not to knock his broken arm as she crawled on top of him.

The kiss broke and she asked, gasping for breath, “I’m not hurting you, am I?”

He shook his head as his lips melded with hers again. This kiss didn’t last as long as the other as Hermione broke it again.

“Harry, I have something to tell you,” she said quickly, looking uncomfortable. His left hand went to her hip, holding her still, as she looked like she wanted to run away. His green eyes filled with worry behind his glasses as he waited for her to say something.

She looked down as she began to speak slowly, “Harry, let me start this by saying that I love you more than anything in the world and whatever you decide to do when I’m finished talking is fine with me. I’ll do whatever you ask me to do,” her voice was monotone and she wasn’t blinking as she stared down between her knees.

Her voice was shaking slightly as she spoke, “I’m sure you remember what happened between us a week before we began fighting the Death Eaters,” she said, glancing quickly up at him as she spoke. Judging by the look in his eyes he did remember and the smile on his face told her that they were good memories.

“Well,” she continued softly, “We’re…um…I mean…I’m going to…” her shaking, almost sobbing voice trailed off as realization of what she was trying to say dawned in his eyes.

“Hermione? Are you…we are…a baby?” he asked shakily as she began to cry silently. His hand slid from her hip up her side to wipe the tears from her cheeks. Her brown eyes stared into his green orbs without blinking as she nodded slowly before heaving a great sob and moving to get off of him. His right arm, which was healing from being broken, moved quickly to her waist, holding her where she was. He winced as pain shot up his arm but his grip didn’t loosen. He wasn’t going to let her run away from him.

Hermione stared resolutely at her hands, not speaking or meeting Harry’s eyes. He knew that if he let her do this her way they would still be there, not speaking, this afternoon. So, he took things into his own hands. His left hand tilted her chin up slightly and his right arm gently pulled her closer. His lips met hers furiously, with a passion and feeling that surprised them both. Harry’s worry over her response was instantly gone as she responded to the kiss so passionately that it surprised him.

Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck as he sat up to kiss her deeper. His tongue was exploring her mouth as they embraced. As they kissed he moved the sheets out of the way and turned the two of them so that Hermione was lying on her back on the bed and Harry was on top of her. He laid them back slowly, settling himself on top of her. Hermione broke the kiss, gasping for air. She pushed him back gently as she shifted herself on the bed.

“Harry,” she gasped, “You’re not mad at me?” she asked, panting.

He just looked surprised.

“Hermione, why on earth would I be mad at you? I’m going to have a baby with the woman I love more than anything. That’s the best news you’ve ever given me,” he paused, “Except for when you told me you loved me.”

“I thought you would flip out,” she responded, her face clearing as she leaned up to kiss him. He pulled back as something occurred to him.

“Hermione, how long have you known you were pregnant?” he asked, staring into her eyes. The look he saw dawning there was enough to answer his question.

“Hermione, please tell me you didn’t,” he implored her anxiously. Her gaze left his and her head tilted down. That was all the answer he needed.

“You went to fight Voldemort knowing you were pregnant?” he asked angrily. She nodded miserably, staring at the wall, his chest, anything to avoid meeting his gaze. His hand came to her chin and forced her to look at him.

“I had to,” she sobbed, “I couldn’t let you go by yourself. If you had died there would have been nothing here for me or the baby anyway.”

The sight of her tears got to him and he sighed as he pulled her up off the mattress and held her to his chest. After a moment her arms wrapped tightly around him and she sobbed into his shoulder.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Please forgive me,” she chanted as she cried. He sat back and pulled her shaking body into his lap.

“Shhhh,” he whispered soothingly, rocking her gently. “It’s okay. I forgive you. Please don’t cry.”

She tried valiantly to stop sniffling as she pulled back and wiped her eyes. His green eyes were still serious but they were no longer angry.

“Have you gotten checked by Madam Pomfrey since we got back?” he questioned, looking deep into her eyes.

She nodded hurriedly; glad his anger with her had vanished.

“And…?” he asked anxiously, wiping away her tears with his fingers.

“Everything is fine. It’s too early to tell whether it’s a boy or a girl but the baby is fine.”

He pulled her into his chest, holding her tightly. One of his hands moved down her side and slipped under her shirt to rest on her stomach. His fingers moved lightly across her belly and she shivered at the sensation his gentle fingers caused to run up her spine. She wiped her tears away with her hands as his arm held her to him.

A smile broke out on his face as the full meaning of what she had told him finally hit. He was a father. With Hermione. His sweet, beautiful, wonderful, loving Hermione. A laugh broke out of him. Hermione tilted her head up from his shoulder as he began to laugh harder. She couldn’t help but smile at his excitement. His arms tightened around her and he dropped a long kiss on her upturned lips. She responded passionately and his arms tightened around her.

The sound of a throat clearing failed to separate them; they were too lost in each other to notice anything else going on. A hand pulling Harry back by the back of his pajama shirt got their attention nicely, however.

Professor McGonagall pulled the sheepish wizard off the bed and set him on his feet beside her. Her stern eyes watched as Hermione, blushing furiously, climbed off the bed. Harry was staring at his feet, his face a bright red.

“Well, I see that you’ve woken up, Mr. Potter,” McGonagall commented dryly, glancing at the young man beside her.

“Yes, ma’am,” Harry answered in the only way he could.

“And, Miss Granger, I do believe you’ve completed what you came in here to accomplish,” she said, turning her gaze on the furiously blushing Head Girl.

Hermione could only nod in response.

“Well, Mr. Potter if you’re feeling up to if, there are some people outside that would really like to see you,” McGonagall said, pointing toward the doors of the Hospital wing.

With a sigh, the tired wizard nodded.

“Yeah, that’s fine. Let’s go.”

“Harry, are you sure you’re okay? We could just let a few in here. That way you don’t have to face the huge crowd all at once,” Hermione objected, worried about him.

“I’ll be fine. We can just go out there for a few minutes and then head back to the common room. Or do I have to come back in here?” he asked Professor McGonagall.

“You’re free to go back to your common room. Madam Pomfrey will come give you a final check up later tonight.”

“Thank you professor.”

With a sigh, Harry steeled himself and moved toward the door. Hermione remained behind him, watching his limping progress with worry in her brown eyes. When he reached the doors he stopped, turning back to Hermione.

“You coming with me?” he asked, nervousness apparent in his voice. With a smile, she ran to his left side, curling her arm through his.

His weight shifted and he leaned gratefully on her support.

“Is that okay?” he asked her quietly, not wanting to overburden her.

“Lean on me, Harry. It’s okay. I won’t let you fall,” she assured him, her arm winding around his waist as his moved over her shoulders to support himself.

“Love you,” he whispered to her as she reached to open the doors.

“I love you too,” she replied as she turned the knob at his nod.

Crowds began cheering as they saw their victorious savior make his way slowly out of the hospital, leaning heavily on Hermione.

The crowds remained at a respectful distance away from the limping, injured wizard. Ron came quickly out of the crowd and took his place on Harry’s other side, helping his friend walk slowly. The crowds moved to the sides as Harry, Hermione, and Ron moved to the balcony overlooking the rest of the masses of people waiting to see the three heroes.

Ginny, Neville, Seamus, Dean, and Luna pushed their way through the crowd and gathered their friends in a large group hug. They stayed huddled together for a long moment, hearing the sounds of the crowd around them.

Hermione suddenly staggered to the side as Harry’s legs gave out on him. Ron struggled to keep their best friend’s large frame from crushing her. Harry wasn’t as tall or broad as Ron himself was but he wasn’t the underfed eleven year old boy he had once been either. She moved to the side as Seamus gently pushed her back, taking up Harry’s other side.

“Let’s get him back to the common room,” Ginny stated, taking control of the situation in a way the others wouldn’t have expected a few years before. Dating the reformed Draco Malfoy had brought out parts of her personality she had never shown openly before.

She and Luna stared heading that way, leading the group while ushering people out of their way. Ron and Seamus followed close behind them, carrying the unconscious Harry between them. Dean and Hermione brought up the rear, Hermione never taking her eyes off Harry’s sagging form. Dean saw her ringing her hands and, sighing, wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

“He’ll be fine Hermione. He’s just give out,” he tried to reassure his worried classmate.

Seamus and Ron deposited their friend’s body gently on the couch, where Hermione immediately dropped to her knees next to him. Ginny brought a basin of water and a cloth which Hermione immediately used to bathe Harry’s sweating face.

The rest of the group seated themselves around the common room, waiting for something to happen. Ron used the fire to floo Madame Pomfrey and Neville convinced the Fat Lady to keep the portrait hole sealed against anyone that tried to come in except professors.

Ginny squeezed her friend’s shoulder gently, trying to reassure her. Hermione dragged her eyes away from Harry’s face slowly as she registered the feeling of someone squeezing her arm.

“He’ll be okay, Mione. Ron’s flooed for Madame Pomfrey. She’ll fix him up.”

Hermione nodded, her eyes turning back to Harry’s unconscious face.

Barely five minutes passed before the portrait hole swung open to allow Madame Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall into the common room. The group all came to their feet as the witches moved immediately to the couch where Harry lay.

The mediwitch examined the sweating, unconscious youth before declaring that he was exhausted and after a few more hours of rest he would be okay. She ordered the group to make sure that he took it slow for a few days until he fully recovered.

Hermione instantly agreed to make sure it happened. After leaving instructions and a Pepper-up Potion, the two professors left, leaving the youths alone again.

As had happened all through their school careers, they gathered together, supporting each other without speaking. Everyone took up positions around the couch and the still kneeling Hermione. Ron gently pulled her up long enough for Ginny to slide a pillow under her, knowing that there was no way they were going to get her away from the couch and into a chair.

Hours passed and the group gradually began to drop off to sleep. Hermione was the last so succumb and she was only asleep for a few moments before Harry’s hand twitched in hers.

His green eyes opened slowly, peering around the darkened common room. He could see the shapes of his friends lying on the furniture, waiting for his return to consciousness.

Dean and Seamus had fallen asleep in overstuffed armchairs on either side of the chessboard. Ron was lying on the other couch, which, despite being six feet long, was still too short for the very tall red head to sleep on. Luna was lying on a pile of blankets next to Ron’s couch.

Harry noted with a smile that Ron’s hand had flopped off the side of the couch and was being held tenderly in Luna’s own while she slept.

Ginny had curled her small frame into a large chair that had been moved from in front of the fire to rest beside the couch Harry was lying on. Draco Malfoy had somehow gotten into the common room and was asleep next to Ginny’s chair, his back leaning against the base of the chair. The position couldn’t have been too comfortable but the blonde youth looked peaceful. Harry mentally prayed that their peace would last.

Hermione, dear, stubborn Hermione, was sitting on a pillow, her head resting against the side of the couch. Her fingers were wrapped around his hand.

He could feel the diamond on her ring pressing against his skin and he smiled. He had given her the ring and an awkward, bumbling version of a proposal the night before they had left Hogwarts to face off against Voldemort and the Death Eaters. She had tearfully accepted, knowing in her heart that it might just be the last time they would ever be together.

But, miraculously, they had both escaped the war and were now free to be together for the rest of their lives.

Harry groaned lowly as he pulled himself up, sitting with his back against the armrest. His motion woke Hermione and her head snapped up, the anxious look in her brown eyes fading when she saw that he was still okay.

“Harry, lie down. Madame Pomfrey said…” her voice trailed off as he placed his hand over her mouth. He sat up further, turning so his legs went off the edge of the couch. Hermione was looking at him with anxiety in her eyes but she offered her hands as a support as he moved to stand up. He helped her to her feet, wincing as he saw the red marks that covered her knees from sitting on them for so long.

His hand moved off of her mouth and gently took her hands. His fingers slipped the ring off her fingers. Tears filled her eyes, fear in her face. He smiled at her reassuringly.

Her tears began to drop as he slowly and painfully dropped to his knees. He hissed in pain but his hands holding hers stopped Hermione from reaching to help him. He had to do this on his own.

The noise awoke Luna, who nudged Ron as she saw what was going on. His quiet intake of breath woke Ginny. She sat up and accidentally knocked Draco in the head with her knee. His stifled exclamation woke up Dean and Seamus.

Harry didn’t even give a glance to the rest of the room. They had nothing to do with this. This was about him and Hermione.

Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she stared down at him. He was pale and out of breath but determination was shining in his eyes.

“Hermione, you are my dearest friend. You have been there for me through everything. Even when what you were doing was making me angry, you were doing it to take care of me. I’ve loved you for years but I was always afraid to say or do anything about it. And then, as time got shorter and I knew that I could be killed any day, I just couldn’t help it. I had to tell you. Even if you rejected me and I had to go to my end knowing that I had lost you, I had to risk it Hermione. And my risk paid off. You made me that happiest man alive and told me that you love me too. Now I have to take another risk,” he paused, inhaling deeply as he stared into her tear filled eyes.

“Will you marry me Hermione?” his voice was wavering, his face worried and tight as he watched, waiting for a reaction. He could feel the ring in his hands, which were beginning to shake as he waited.

She was gazing at him in shock, love and surprise etched on her face. She sank to her knees in front of him. Tears dropped from his green eyes as her hand moved out of his to his cheek.

“Harry, I love you so much. Of course I’ll marry you,” she said shakily, smiling at him tearfully. His fingers slipped the ring back onto her finger, pulling her forward to kiss her gently.

As the kiss broke, she looked down at her left hand. The ring was shining in the dim firelight. Harry blinked in surprise as he noticed Ginny smiling gently at them, tears standing in her eyes.

Looking around the room, he realized that everyone had heard everything that had gone on. Hermione realized what he was looking at and blushed.

“Hey, everyone,” she greeted their friends quietly. “Harry and I are getting married.”

The announcement broke the spell of silence that had fallen over the room. Tears were shining in the eyes of all the girls in the room. Draco, Dean, Seamus and Ron were all staring at the pair, smirking.

Hermione stood up slowly, slinging Harry’s arm around her shoulders while helping him back onto the couch.

As she gently pushed him back to lie on his back, he pulled her with him, tucking her body beside his on the couch.

She opened her mouth to protest and he quickly shushed her, pushing her head down gently onto his chest.

“Sleep,” he murmured.

“I’ll be here when you wake up,” he assured her as her eyes drooped closed slowly. “I’ll be here…come what may.”

AN: There will be more...just probably not for a while...I have other fics I write on fanfiction.net and for right now those are taking up the majority of my writing time...but this story won't be forgotten, just delayed for a little while. Hope you enjoyed it.

Harry Potter groaned as he shifted in his sleep as his quill poked him in the side where he had dropped it as he had fallen asleep. The pain was removed as he squirmed and he settled down again.

Hermione shook her head to herself as she entered the common room for her final check of the night and saw Harry sleeping on the couch. He must have had another nightmare and didn’t want to wake any of his roommates up. Goodness knew all the seventh years were all worn out, Harry probably worst of all. She moved silently through the room and stood next to the end of the couch next to his head. Leaning slightly over the armrest, she brushed his bangs back from his face softly.

Harry could feel gentle fingers comb through his hair and as he breathed he caught the scent of Hermione as she gently touched his face. Sliding his arm up, he took her wrist in his hand and pressed a kiss against the inside of her wrist, smiling against her skin as he felt her pulse speed up at his touch.

“Harry,” she said quietly, the sound of her voice wavering as he kissed her wrist again.

“Mhmm,” he murmured against her skin, feeling the shivers that moved down her body. He opened his eyes slowly, leaning his head back against the armrest of the couch to look up at her. As their eyes met, Harry leaned up more, pulling gently on her wrist, bringing her lips down to meet his.

The kiss was awkward at first because of the position, but Hermione quickly turned her head slightly and opened to Harry. His fingers tightened gently around her wrist and his free hand came up and delved into her hair, holding her into the kiss.

Hermione had no intention of trying to escape from him. She groaned into his mouth as his hand touched her hair. As air became a priority, she pulled back slowly, Harry arching his back to keep their mouths connected a little longer. Hermione put her hand on his chest, holding him away from her mouth.

“How are you feeling?” she asked, looking down at him while trying to catch her breath.

Harry frowned and leaned up, tugging softly on her wrist, pulling her around the end of the couch to sit with him.

“I should be the one asking you that,” he said, looking into her face, seeing the firelight reflected in her eyes, the dancing flames creating a soft red glow on her face.

Hermione shook her head and glanced around the empty common room. “I’m not the one who’s sleeping on the couch to keep my roommates from hearing my nightmares,” she said, looking worriedly at him.

“No but I’m not the one who’s pregnant either,” Harry objected in a whisper, looking around the common room out of habit.

Hermione arched her eyebrows at him. “I’m well aware that I’m pregnant Harry,” she said in a passionate whisper. “I think about it all the time, but forgive me if I care about the baby’s father too. I love you Harry! How can you think that because I’m pregnant, you aren’t my first concern?” she asked, surprised to feel tears welling in her eyes.

“Hermione,” Harry felt helpless, watching as the woman he loved broke down into sobs into her hands. He moved closer to her on the couch, pulling her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her. “Hermione, I don’t know what to say. I love you and I know you love me but, Hermione, I love our child too. And I worry about you,” he said quietly, rocking her with one hand resting on her still flat belly.

“I love them too,” Hermione sobbed. “But I love you! I care about you! I worry about you! I need you! I can’t live without you Harry!” Hermione was crying into his shoulder, her arms wrapped tight around his neck, holding him as close as she could.

“Hermione you are the most important person in the world to me. If I lost everything and everybody else in the world that means anything to me, as long as I had you, I could survive it. If I lost you, I couldn’t go on. It would kill me Hermione!”

She was crying harder now, shaking her head at him, unable to speak.

“I worry about you Hermione. I want you to be okay, safe, happy. And it’s my responsibility,” he said, reaching behind his head to take her left hand. “You’re wearing my ring Hermione. You’re carrying my child. We’re getting married,” he said, squeezing her tightly in his arms.

“We’re getting married,” Hermione sounded shocked and awed as she whispered it back to him.

They had been engaged for weeks, since right before Harry’s final battle with Voldemort, but it was, at the couple’s request, being kept silent by the few people that knew.

“You do want to marry me right?” Harry asked, his old insecurities rising to the surface. Fear was blatantly clear in his face as he waited for her to say anything.

She pulled back quickly to look into his eyes. Tears were still on her face but her eyes were gazing at him steadily. “Harry I don’t want you to ever doubt me,” she said seriously. “I’ve loved you since we were eleven years old and I’ll love you until the day that I die and beyond. I want to live my life with you. I have to live my life with you. Anytime I imagined my future, you were there.”

Harry looked reassured but swallowed and asked another question. “If you weren’t having a baby, would you still want to marry me?”

Hermione looked shocked. “Harry! I love you! The fact that I’m having your baby has nothing to do with the fact that I’m marrying you,” Hermione paused and smiled gently as he reached a hand up and wiped her tears from her cheeks. “I’d marry you no matter what,” she said solemnly.

“Hermione, I love you so much,” Harry breathed, smiling at her.

She leaned forward and kissed him, choosing actions over words to show him how she felt. His hands framed her face and she shifted so her knees were on either side of his hips. Harry groaned into Hermione’s mouth as her chest brushed against his. Hermione grinned and broke the kiss, moving her lips down his neck, feeling his pulse racing against her mouth.

“Hermione,” Harry groaned her name, his hands sliding down her sides to hold her hips, pulling her closer. “Hermione I need you,” he gasped as her hands slipped under his shirt, her nails scratching lightly on his abdomen.

Hermione was still kissing and sucking on his neck, sliding her hands further up his chest, his shirt fishing with her hands. Her nails touched his hard nipples and he let out a strangled groan.

“I’m yours,” she breathed, barely taking her mouth off his skin. Harry groaned loudly, his hips jerking unconsciously against her. Hermione gasped as she felt Harry pressed against her.

“I don’t know if I can make it to the dorm,” Harry gasped, struggling with his desire to just take her on the couch.

“My room’s closer,” she gasped, twisting his shirt in her hands as he lifted her up, her legs wrapping around his hips as he carried her quickly out of the common room.

---

Ron Weasley groaned to himself as he woke up. His stomach was already rumbling, some subconscious part of his mind already focused on the food that he knew the house elves were preparing in the depths of Hogwarts. As he rolled over, he noticed that Harry’s bed was empty. The red-head smirked, shaking his head to himself as he swung his long legs out of his bed, hissing as his bare feet touched the cold floor.

The door of the dorm room swung open quietly to admit Harry. His hair was more tousled than normal and he was carrying his shirt. Ron smirked and cleared his throat loudly, causing the Boy Who Was Caught Red Handed to jump and whip around, his wand in his hand. Ron grinned and held his hands up jokingly.

“So how’s Hermione this morning?” Ron asked in a quiet voice, trying not to wake their roommates, smirking at his best friend.

“Passionate,” Harry said dryly, smirking to himself as he rubbed a spot on his neck that looked suspiciously like a hickey. Ron made a gagging noise, wrinkling his nose.

“That’s gross Harry. Hermione’s like my sister, don’t say things like that,” Ron said, standing up and stretching.

Harry grinned and began rooting through his trunk for clean clothes, dropping his old shirt on the floor. He changed pants quickly, absently looking for his shoes.

“No shower this morning?” Ron asked. “Quidditch practice was last night,” he mused.

“That’s gross Harry! Not even I’d do that!”

“I took a shower this morning!” Harry protested, pulling a t-shirt over his head.

“But you just got back,” Ron stated, his voice trailing off. “Oh bugger this!” he said loudly as Harry blushed, confirming Ron’s suspicions as to exactly when and with whom Harry had showered. Harry turned away to button his uniform shirt, concentrating hard on the buttons to hide his face. He smiled to himself as memories and thoughts of Hermione rose to the top of his mind. Anxious to see her again, he looped his tie around his neck, still trying to find his shoes.

Ron rolled his eyes as he watched his best friend’s antics. “You look like me when it’s meal time,” he commented as he pulled Harry’s shoes out from under his bed. “She’ll be waiting for you in the common room, Harry. There’s no hurry,” he said, tossing the shoes to Harry, who was sitting on the floor peering under his own bed.

“Us,” Harry said as he pulled his left shoe on.

“What?” Ron asked, trying to find clean socks in his trunk.

“She’ll be waiting for us,” Harry said again, attempting to tie his tie for a few seconds before giving up and just leaving it looped around his neck.

Ron looked up from his socks, looking serious for a moment. “Thanks mate.”

Harry looked back at his best friend, his first friend. “There’s nothing to thank me for. We’re a team.”

Their eyes stayed locked for a moment longer before Harry shook his head.

“Did we just have a moment?” he asked, grinning as he stood up.

Ron looked surprised and grinned back. “Yeah mate, I suppose we did.” His stomach growled suddenly and Harry laughed, leaning over to help his friend to his feet.

“Should we head to the Great Hall?” Ron nodded and ruefully patted his stomach.

Hermione was waiting for them at the base of the boy’s stairs, her arms piled with books.

Harry immediately leaned in and kissed her quickly, pulling the books out of her hands. She looked as if she was going to protest but he shot her a warning look and she smiled teasingly instead, reaching up onto the top of the stack and grabbing color covered forms, handing one to Ron as he groaned.

“Hermione,” he moaned, glancing at the paper with dread. “There’s barely even time for Quidditch practice on here, much less our other homework.”

Hermione grinned. “Wouldn’t you have to actually do your homework for that to be an excuse?” she asked. Ron shot a glare at her and turned his attention back to his study schedule. Harry shifted the stack of books and peered over Hermione’s shoulder. He swallowed thickly as he saw all the colored blocks that would dictate his life for the next two months until the seventh years took NEWTs.

“Mione,” he said slowly. “If we stick to this schedule, well, we’ll never have any free time,” he said carefully, glancing at her.

She smirked as if knowing what he was thinking about. “Well Ron doesn’t have Advanced Potions with us so he has those study times free,” she said, smiling as Harry and Ron looked relieved at the same time.

“I do?” he asked excitedly, looking at his schedule again. Harry rolled his eyes at his friend, smirking at Hermione.

“Should we go to breakfast now?” she asked the boys. Ron nodded enthusiastically, folding his schedule and tucking it into his bag. Harry quickly dumped half of Hermione’s books into Ron’s hands, grinning as Ron groaned under the weight, pretending to stumble under the stack.

Hermione shot the teasing boys and arch look and stuck her tongue out at them before turning and walking toward the portrait hole. Harry and Ron looked at each other and grinned before tucking Hermione’s books into their bags as they followed her toward the Great Hall.

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Harry flopped onto the common room couch tiredly, dropping his bag onto the floor next to the couch. Hermione was right behind him, sitting next to his head on the couch. Harry squirmed up the couch and dropped his head in her lap. She absently began stroking his hair as he pressed a kiss against her stomach where he knew his child was growing.

“Don’t fall asleep Harry,” she warned him. “We’ve got to study for Charms this afternoon.”

He groaned in token protest and she swatted him playfully on the head.

“Are we going to wait for Ron?” he asked sleepily into the fabric of her shirt.

Hermione bit her lip. “I hate to lose the time but I think we’d better,” she said.

“Then we have time for a nap,” Harry said wisely, sitting up a little sliding an arm under her legs, pulling them onto the couch. She tried to resist him but he insisted, sliding her legs down next to him. He pulled himself up the couch behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, keeping her down on the couch as she half heartedly tried to get up.

“Just rest Hermione. Ron’ll be back soon enough. Studying can wait till then,” he said, whispering into her ear, coaxing her to lie down next to him. She gave in and he slipped his hand down to cover the front of her stomach. “Goodnight baby,” he whispered, leaning up a bit to kiss the shell of her ear. She snuggled back against his chest as he pulled her closer.

Harry breathed deeply as he felt Hermione relax next to him, her breathing slowing as she fell asleep. He could hear the students moving around them but was unaware of them, keeping himself in his own little world, where only he and his little family existed. After a while, Ron came back to the common room and headed over to the couch where his friends were resting. Harry signaled him not to wake Hermione and Ron seated himself quietly with a nod in a chair across from the couch.

“How long’s she been out?” Ron whispered, gesturing to Hermione.

“Since we got back from class,” Harry said back quietly.

Ron looked surprised and jokingly checked his study schedule. “Why’s she so tired?” he asked, getting a little worried about his best friend. He knew it couldn’t be anything too horrible or Harry would be more worried about her but he still couldn’t help feeling that there was something going on between his two friends that he didn’t know about.

“It’s just been a rough week for her,” Harry said, looking fondly down at his fiancée.

“She has been stressing a lot about NEWTs,” Ron noted.

Harry nodded. “Yeah and the baby doesn’t really help her out about being stressed either,” he said quietly, still focused on Hermione’s sleeping face.

The blood drained out of Ron’s face in a rush and he stared blankly at his two best friends. His freckles stood out all the brighter against his paled skin as he tried to comprehend what his friend had just said.

“Is she…? Are you…?” Ron was struggling to get the words out. Harry realized what he had said and looked anxiously at Ron. The red-head looked like he was about to pass out.

“Ron,” Harry said slowly. “Just breathe. It’s okay,” he said, trying to calm his friend down.

Ron’s eyes focused on his friend. “Are you crazy? Hermione’s pregnant and you’re telling me to calm down?” he hissed.

“Well there’s nothing I can do about Hermione’s being pregnant but I can try and keep you from hyperventilating,” Harry hissed back. He could dimly hear the blood pounding in his ears as he stared at his best friend. Who now knew that Hermione was pregnant. Ron was gaping like a fish, his mouth moving but unable to form words.

“Ron we were going to tell you,” Harry said quietly, looking his friend square in the face. “There was never a good time.”

“How long?” Ron asked. Harry glanced around and his shook his head.

“Let’s go somewhere private.”

Ron nodded and stood up, looking bewildered. Harry slid carefully out from behind Hermione and slid his arms around her, lifting her gently from the couch. She moved a bit but stayed asleep, curling into Harry’s chest as he carried her. Harry led the way out of the common room, walking the almost second nature path to Hermione’s private Head Girl room.

“Pumpkin pie,” Harry murmured, blushing for a reason unbeknownst to Ron as the password was accepted and the door opened. Ron was still in seeming shock and could only shake his head. Harry gently deposited Hermione on the couch and shook her shoulder gently as he crouched down next to her face on the couch, meeting her eyes as she slowly awoke. “Ron knows,” he said simply as her eyes opened. She sat up in a hurry, looking at Ron anxiously.

“Ron we were going to tell you, I swear,” Hermione said, worried. “But you know how busy we’ve all been since we got back and,” her voice trailed away as she realized she was rambling. She went to stand up and Harry was quickly at her side, trying to keep her sitting on the couch. Hermione shot him a dangerous look and he let her go, watching wordlessly as she walked straight to Ron and threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly for a few moments before his arms came up and he hugged her back. Harry met Ron’s eyes over Hermione’s shoulder and smiled tentatively. Ron was still pale but he smiled back. As Hermione pulled back and stepped back to give Ron his space, he sighed and swallowed.

“Never don’t tell me something like this, okay? It doesn’t matter if it’s a bad time. I’d rather know,” Ron said, an unspoken question in his voice.

“Always,” Hermione responded seriously, completely meeting his eyes, trying to convey her sorrow for the way he had found out about her pregnancy. She felt tears welling in her eyes and as they broke and ran down her cheek she felt Harry and Ron both simultaneously hug her from both sides. Ron moved to let go of her as Harry’s arms wound around her waist but Hermione grabbed his arms, holding him in her hug.

“What’s wrong Mione?” Ron asked, wrapping his arms around her shoulders as her head fell against his chest, her tears soaking into his shirt. She shook her head, still crying.

“I don’t know! I shouldn’t be crying but I can’t stop.” Harry made soothing gestures, rubbing her back softly. Ron was looking helplessly at Harry, unaccustomed to dealing with crying women.

“What do I do?” he mouthed over Hermione’s shoulder. Harry just shrugged and continued rubbing Hermione’s back. She pulled back from Ron, hiccupping as she tried to stop crying.

“Do you think you might be having mood swings?” Ron asked, stepping back out of Hermione’s hug range. She looked surprised and smiled through her tears at him.

“You might be right Ron. How did you think of that?” Hermione asked.

He shrugged uncomfortably. “Bill and Fleur are going to have a baby in a few months,” he explained. “Mum just told me a few days ago.”

Harry and Hermione glanced at each other. “We should tell her too…about us,” Harry said.

Ron smiled in relief. “That would be wise. I wouldn’t want to if I was you, but better you than me,” he said with a crooked smile.

“You don’t think she’ll take it well?” Hermione asked, worried about the Weasley matriarch’s reaction to their news.

Ron shrugged. “It’s not that she won’t be happy, just surprised,” he said, trying to reassure her, anxious to keep her from crying again.

“Is there anything you wanted to ask us?” Harry asked, trying to change the subject.
Ron nodded, looking uncomfortable.

“Well, let’s go sit over here on the couch and we’ll talk,” Harry prompted, leading Hermione to the couch.

Ron sat down next to Hermione on the couch and cleared his throat nervously. “How long have you been pregnant?” he asked, directing his gaze at Hermione. She paled and swallowed thickly before answering.

“Since right before we went to fight Voldemort,” she said quietly, meeting Ron’s gaze solidly.

“You fought them while you were pregnant?” Ron exploded, rising to his feet. Harry was watching the proceedings carefully and reached over slowly and took Hermione’s shaking hand.

Ron was breathing heavily, looking scared. “The baby’s okay right? You’re okay?” he asked in a rush.

Hermione nodded quickly and Ron sighed heavily, pausing for a long moment to examine her face with his eyes. “Were you guys engaged before, well, you know,” Ron found himself blushing awkwardly.

Harry spoke up. “We did not get engaged because of the baby. I didn’t know she was pregnant when I asked her,” Harry assured his friend. “Well,” he amended. “The first time I asked her anyway.” Ron sighed in relief and Hermione smiled.

“I love her,” Harry said, standing up to face Ron, keeping hold of Hermione’s hand. Ron stared at him for a long moment before sticking out his right hand. Harry shook it, nodding wordlessly to his best friend. Hermione reached her free hand up and put it over the top of her friend’s hands, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Do you guys think we could get permission to go to the Burrow this weekend? We should talk to your parents,” Harry suggested, looking back and forth between Hermione and Ron. Hermione opened her mouth to protest the loss of a whole weekend of study time so close to the beginnings of NEWTs but Harry cut her off. “This is important Hermione. They’ve taken us in, treated us like family, they don’t deserve to hear it from anyone else.” She nodded after a moment and Harry and Ron knew instantly that they would be making up the study time somehow.

“Do you guys care if I go too?” Ron asked.

Hermione looked surprised. “It’s your home, why are you asking us?”

Ron’s face adopted a look of rapture. “Can you imagine the food mum will make for you when she find’s out that you’re pregnant?”

Harry and Hermione looked at each other and began to laugh, both realizing that no matter what happened or how things changed, there would be some things that never would.