Unofficial Portkey Archive

Harry ran through the forest; he was chasing someone, but he was too far behind him or her to see who it was. Stopping to catch his breath, Harry slumped against the nearest tree, bending over slightly and resting his hands on his knees.

'HARRY!' The voice carried shrilly through the forest like a blade through a soft fruit. 'HARRY!' He heard it again: a woman's voice and the sound of a crying baby.

'Hermione,' Harry panted. How did he get here? When did he get here? And, more importantly, why was Hermione here too?

'HARRY!' her voice called again, and was followed by a scream of pain and an intensified scream of the baby.

'Hermione,' Harry said, pushing off the tree and staggering forward. 'HER-MI-ON-EE!' he bellowed, hoping that she would hear him and respond so he could follow her voice to her location, but no response was heard. 'HER-MI-ON-EE!' he called again and waited in mute silence, hoping against hope for an answer. When it didn't come, Harry picked a direction and took off at a run.

'Harry, Harry?' Harry woke suddenly, and struggled to sit up. His eyes out of focus, he looked around the room. He didn't really understand where he was until Hermione reached out a hand and grabbed his shoulder.

'Harry,' she said, a note of panic in her voice that made him turn abruptly to face her. She was still lying back against the pillow, her left hand on his shoulder, her right on her raised stomach, and a look of pure horror on her face. In the last five months since all this began, Harry had never seen such fear in her eyes. He turned his body around to her and rested his hand carefully on her stomach.

'What's wrong?' he asked and didn't need to hear the answer. A sudden movement in her stomach answered the question for her. Harry jerked his hand away, afraid that it was something he had done, and turned to look back into her worried eyes.

'It doesn't feel right; it hurts, Harry.' Hermione's face distorted in pain and the movement though her stomach started again.

'Wait here, don't move,' Harry stammered as he climbed backwards off the bed and disappeared out the door quickly. He ran the distance to the hospital wing, not caring as he ran passed Filch, and burst through the doors. 'Madam Pomfrey? Healer Moon? ANYONE!' Harry bellowed, hoping someone was still around. When no one appeared, Harry made his way towards the office; if no one was there, he could at least use the fireplace to get Healer Moon back here to help her. Before he could step into the office, Harry found himself face to face with his worst nightmare.

'Mr. Potter, what brings you here at this time of night?' Professor Snape stood in the doorway of the Matrons office, his profile illuminated by firelight that obviously came from the fireplace he had intended to use, and the sneer on his face breaking slowly into a malicious grin. 'I'm waiting, Potter,' he spat looking down at Harry as if he was simply a piece of dirt he could flick aside.

'It's Hermione, sir. She's in pain, and I came looking for Madam Pomfrey.'

'Bad dream, no doubt. You kids, you don't even know what you're getting yourselves into,' he snarled at Harry. 'Get back to bed Potter, before I put you in detention.'

'Professor! She needs help. Where's Madam Pomfrey?'

'You are in no position to demand anything, Potter. Now get back to your room or I WILL put you in detention.' Harry reached up quickly and grabbed Severus by the robes, pulling his face close to his own.

'I don't have time to play games...' he sneered through clenched teeth.

'Harry, please release Professor Snape.' Glaring at Snape, Harry pushed him away and turned to Professor Dumbledore who had just entered the room via Harry's entry point. 'Now, what is going on?' Dumbledore asked calmly, looking between the two. Severus opened his mouth to answer, but Harry, sensing that no good words would come from his mouth, beat him to it.

'I came looking for Madam Pomfrey or Healer Moon because Hermione's in pain and Professor Snape won't tell me where either of them are,' Harry said in one quick, long sentence without pausing for breath.

'Madam Pomfrey is currently at St. Mungo's Hospital and will not return until tomorrow afternoon. Professor Snape has kindly volunteered to look after things here until she returned,' Dumbledore replied, watching as Harry turned to glare at Snape again.

'Convenient. I don't want him anywhere near Hermione, and she needs help.' Harry spat these words more angrily at Dumbledore than he had intended.

'Severus, kindly wake Minerva. I trust you will allow her to see to Miss Granger instead?' he asked with a polite smile at Harry as Snape brushed passed him.

'Thank you, Professor,' Harry said, feeling a calmness wash over him.

'Return to your room, Harry. Professor McGonagall will meet you there,' Dumbledore said and turned to leave. 'Oh, and Harry, I will not let you off for assaulting Professor Snape again. Please control yourself next time,' he added over his shoulder, before leaving the room.

Back in his room, Harry spent his time holding on tightly to Hermione's hand as the pain continued. He had only been back for a few minutes when Professor McGonagall entered the room; Harry had purposely left the door open for her. She watched Hermione for a moment and examined her carefully, before standing upright and speculating the problem.

'Well, you're too early for labour, but that seems to be what's going on.'

'No,' Hermione breathed. 'It can't be.' She let her head drop back as another wave of pain overtook her.

'I need to get Healer Moon back here, and fast.' Professor McGonagall turned to leave but was stopped by Hermione.

'Braxton hicks contractions,' she breathed, 'it's false labour. Muggles call them Braxton hicks contractions, but they should stop,' Hermione said, raising her head slightly then letting it drop back to the pillow.

'Either way, I don't know how to stop them,' Professor McGonagall said, before sweeping from the room to summon Healer Moon. Professor McGonagall was gone for mere minutes, when she retuned, as promised, accompanied by Healer Moon.

'Yes indeed, you were quite right, Hermione, false labour, here...' she produced a small bottle from her pocket and handed it to her '... this should help ease the contractions.'

Harry didn't sleep for the rest of the night. Hermione had taken the potion and drifted back into an uneasy sleep, the pain still evident in her face, but Harry spent the night at her side, watching her in fear that something like this would occur again.

At breakfast the next morning Harry didn't bother to eat. Ron and Hermione urged him to do so, but he was so tired he felt sick at the thought of shoving some form of food into his mouth. Intending to keep his head on the table until the bell for lessons rang. Harry pulled his arms over his head to block out Hermione's constant urgings, and suddenly found himself upright after feeling something tap him on the head. Hedwig had given him a sharp nip on the top of the head to get his attention; she had a letter for him. She stuck out her foot for him to take the small slip of parchment that was tired to her and then bobbed over to Hermione who had placed a few strips of bacon on a dish for her.

Harry unrolled the parchment and read the green handwriting:

Your detention will be held tonight at 8.30.
Please report to Professor McGonagall.
Dumbledore.

Harry glanced up at the teachers' table; Dumbledore was watching him. He gave a slight nod and Harry nodded back.

'What did you get detention for?' Hermione said, in tone that only meant she disapproved of what he'd done without knowing what it was.

'Snape was being an insufferable git last night while I tried to get help. He was in the hospital wing because Madam Pomfrey was at St. Mungo's, and he said you'd only had a bad dream and refused to help, so I sorta made my point.' Hermione was looking at Harry in a very frightening way. 'I grabbed his robes and pulled him closer to tell him I wasn't making it up. Dumbledore came in at that point,' Harry added watching Hermione's expression change to disapproval.

'Harry, you attacked Professor Snape!'

'He was slowing me down when I was getting help for you.'

'What happened last night?' Ron said, looking completely confused between Harry and Hermione.

'False labour, I don't want to have that again. It was horrible, felt like my stomach was going to explode.' At that moment, the bell went and the three of them got up to head to their first lesson. On their way down to the dungeons, Harry told Ron in greater detail about running into the hospital wing for help only to find Snape there.

The day itself wasn't that bad. Snape, having been face to face with Harry in a bad mood in the middle of the night, avoided him completely, which suited Harry as he had expected him to bully him all lesson.

Harry served his detention that evening with Professor McGonagall, who had him writing an essay on why not to attack a teacher. His arms were aching as he returned to his room three and half hours later, and found nothing but a note in Hermione's handwriting on the table:

Door 4.

That was all it said. Harry stared at it for a while before it finally clicked. Hermione had got up to Dumbledore's office and to door number four in his corridor. Harry put the piece of paper back, dropped his bag on the floor by the bedroom door and left. Stepping up to the statue at the end of the corridor, Harry looked up at it wondering if Dumbledore had changed the password, but deciding he had no choice other than to try it, muttered 'Canary Cream' and was shocked when it actually moved.

Harry climbed onto the moving staircase and waited until he reached the top. He was about to push the door open when voices made him stop.

'Albus, I don't think the giants took too kindly to your second attempt. I looked for Sakel but couldn't find him or Madoran anywhere.'

'Perhaps then we would do best to just hope they will return if they are still alive. Such a shame that we cannot convince the giants to ...' Dumbledore broke off as Harry knocked on the door. He would have loved to hear the rest of the conversation, but didn't dare wait around for it as he was already on Dumbledore's bad side having just finished a detention. 'Come in.' Harry pushed the door open and stepped tentatively inside.

'Sorry to interrupt Professor, but I think Hermione's up here. Hello Professor Lupin!' Harry said, adding a hello to Lupin, whom he suddenly realised was the person who had spoken first.

'Hello Harry. When are you going to learn that I'm no longer a professor to you? It's Remus now.' He smiled fondly at Harry.

'Sorry, keep forgetting.' Harry apologised, passing to take the stairs to the corridor. He had reached the top when a sudden idea hit him, something he'd been wondering how to do for a very long time. 'Remus...' Harry said and Remus raised an eyebrow to him in curiosity. Harry took a few moments, considering how and if he could actually ask, then gave in. 'Never mind.' He smiled at him and pushed open the study door and disappeared through it. Harry was at the door marked '4' when he heard Remus call to him from the end of the corridor. Harry doubled back.

'You can ask me anything, Harry, and it's obviously been on your mind for a while now, so why don't you just say it,' Remus said as Harry drew nearer.

'It's just that I...' Harry broke off again, wondering how to word what he wanted to say. 'I can't even ask you for help on it, how I'm gonna say it to Hermione is beyond me,' Harry said with a sigh. Lupin gave a chuckle, placed a hand on Harry's shoulder and smiled at him, waiting patiently for the next part. 'I want to ask Hermione to marry me, but I don't have a ring and I don't get the chance to find one. When I do get to go shopping, Hermione's with me, and that defeats the purpose. Besides, I don't think there are any shops I could go to for a ring in Hogsmeade and ...' Harry broke off again. He looked up at Lupin, who had let go of Harry shortly after he had started talking.

Lupin's calm, pleasant face was smiling at Harry in a way he had never seen him smile. His eye glittered with extra respect for him and a few tears that were threatening to break free. He never in his life thought that he would hear Harry say those words, nor did he expect to be asked to help. Lupin cleared his throat and, unable to stop smiling, placed a hand back on Harry's shoulder.

'I'll see what I can find for you Harry,' he said, giving him a wink and left the corridor. Harry stood there for a few minutes before finally turning and heading back to room four.

Hermione was sat on a wooden swing in the middle of a very large and colourful garden. This room, as they had discovered on their first exploration of the corridor was similar to the Room of Requirement. However, it didn't give you want you wanted like the Room of Requirement, it gave the first to enter what it felt they needed. As Harry made his way over to Hermione he realised this was exactly the sort of place she would come to relax, to get away from the stress of everyday life.

'Hermione,' Harry said carefully, being within reach of her. She jumped slightly and turned to look at him and his heart sank. Tears had been streaming down her face; their tracks stained a path across her pale face, giving her a warn and tired look. Harry took another step forward and sat down on the swing next to her. He looked to his left and she to her right to face each other. 'What's wrong?'

'I don't know...' Hermione said, giving him a weak smile. 'I'm afraid, Harry,' Hermione whispered, a new wave of tears flooding her face. Harry instinctively reached out and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. 'I'm so afraid, of so many things,' Hermione sobbed into Harry's shoulder.

'Me too. I mean, We're 17 years old, and about to become parents, while some madman wants me dead and could use you and our baby to get to me. I'm afraid that I'll put you in danger and I'm afraid that if you get captured and live through it, that you'll have to do this all on your own,' Harry said, rubbing his hand up and down Hermione's back. She had gone silent in his arms but didn't move. Harry knew that for the first time ever, Hermione knew for a fact that he loved her. She never thought that he was afraid of the same things she was, they had both keep their fears from each other until now.

Harry pushed back in the swing seat and pulled Hermione onto his lap, not letting her go or pulling her away from him, and they sat this way for what seemed like ages. They didn't move or pull apart until someone cleared their throat nearby. Harry looked up and Hermione turned around to look at Dumbledore and Lupin who stood a few feet away watching them.

'How long have you been standing there?' Harry asked, giving them a suspicious look.

'Only a few minutes, it was a hard choice whether to interrupt you,' Lupin said, giving both an encouraging smile that made them both blush. 'It's just that it is nearly midnight and it's best that you both return to your room,' he added as Dumbledore turned away.

Harry had the best night's sleep that night. He and Hermione had clung to each other all night and they woke entangled in each other arms, which Harry found he liked. They climbed slowly out of bed and dressed before heading to the Great Hall for breakfast. Harry was hastily filling his plate with eggs and bacon when Ron flopped down into the seat beside him.

'What's wrong with you?' Harry asked, buttering his toast. 'You look like you haven't slept all night.'

'I haven't,' Ron growled, loading egg messily onto his plate. 'Peeves spent the night whizzing around the room dropping objects on us all night. He finally got bored at four am and left, but by then we were left to clean up the mess....' At this point Neville sat down opposite them, looking in a worse state then Ron. Seamus and Dean joined him a few minutes later and sat fiddling with their food. Dean had just opened his mouth to complain when hundreds of owls flooded the hall.

'Divination's first, Dean,' Harry told him brightly. 'Plenty of sleep opportunity in there.' He laughed as a screech owl dropped a copy of the Daily Prophet in front of him and stood bobbing up and down with a foot held out, waiting to be paid. As Harry slipped a coin into the pouch on its leg, Hermione picked up the paper and unrolled it. She gave a sudden gasp that made even Lavender and Parvati who were sat a little way down the table turn to look.

'They've arrested Bellatrix Lestrange!' she told them, beaming with the good news. 'She was caught yesterday attempting to get into Diagon Alley.' Hermione paused a look of confusion on her face. 'Wonder why she wanted to get into Diagon Alley?' she mused aloud.

'Maybe You-Know-Who's out of supplies,' joked Lavender, edging her way down the table to join the conversation.

'Well, he must have to get his Potion ingredients somehow, I guess,' Hermione said, lightly massaging her raised stomach in memory of one of his strongest potions, but at that moment the bell rang to signal the start of lessons and the group had to depart.

November moved swiftly into December and school spirit began to rise with the approaching Christmas holiday, but seventh-year students found that holidays this year would become study periods with the amount of work they had to do for their upcoming exams.

Harry and Hermione barricaded themselves and their friends in their room for the beginning of December, but by the time the first week was over, the distracting sounds of life outside the room forced them to relocate.

'OI!' Ron yelled, sticking his head out though the door one evening. 'We're trying to study in here, shove off!' he added, before slamming the door, but it seemed to have little or no effect.

'Maybe we should find somewhere else to study,' Hermione suggested, screwing up her Potions essay and lobbing it over Ginny's head into the fire and slumping back in her chair.

'Any ideas?' Ren asked, raising her eyebrows.

'Just one, but I need to check we can use it first.' Hermione was up and out of the room before anyone had the chance to say anything else. She returned a few moments later smiling and told the group to bring everything they needed, before leading them out of the room and down the corridor to stop outside the statue to Dumbledore's office.

'We can't go to Dumbledore's office,' Neville said a look of terror on his face, but before anyone else could speak up, the statue moved and Lupin stepped out.

'Hello.' He smiled around at the familiar faces. 'You can go up now. Harry, a word please?'

'Fifteen, Harry,' Hermione said, stepping onto the stairs and leading the others up and out of sight.

'Somewhere private, perhaps?' Lupin said, as soon as the statue had retaken its place. Harry led him back into his room and turned to face Lupin. 'I got this for you...' Lupin said, placing his hand into his pocket and pulling out a blue velvet box and handing it over. Harry popped it open and stood completely shocked.

'Wow! How did you get this?' he asked, goggling at the item he held and completely amazed that Lupin had managed to get it. It must have cost a fortune.

'It was your mother's, James dragged me and Sirius around London looking for it. When they heard that Voldemort was after them, they put it into safe keeping along with these...' He pulled a small white cotton bag from his pocket and tipped its content into his hand. Two gold wedding bands hit his palm and sat glistening at Harry. '...Only myself and Sirius knew their location. We were told that they were saved for you, when you found true love, and that we were not to give them up unless we were sure they would be used wisely, and I think they will be.' Lupin smiled at Harry, who smiled back.

Harry stared down at the engagement ring still sitting in the velvet box. It was a solid gold band with a ring of white diamonds pushed into the centre that ran all the way around except for the patch at the front where the band dipped away leaving space for a silver diamond cross that sat at the apex.

'Perhaps...' Lupin said after a moment, '...you should find a hiding place for these...' He dropped the golden wedding bands into their cotton bag and handed it to Harry, '...and go join your friends before someone comes looking for you.' He smiled again.

'Thanks,' Harry spat out quickly, as Lupin turned away. 'Thank you,' he said, more calmly, and watched as Lupin bowed his head and left the room.

Harry did a quick sweep of the room before giving up on finding a hiding place, everywhere in this room was accessible to Hermione. Finally, he shoved the rings into his pocket and sprinted up to join his friends, quickly saying hello to the headmaster as he passed.

'Where have you been?' Hermione asked, surveying Harry, who hastily covered his pocket where he had stashed the rings.

'Just talking to Remus.' he said, taking a seat and pulling his Potions essay out of his bag.

As they left their study space hours later on Dumbledore's order, Harry grabbed Ron by the arm to slow him down and let the others drift ahead.

'Can you do me a HUGE favour?' Harry asked, praying Ron would agree.

'Sure mate, what's up?' Harry dug into his pocket and extracted the box and bag that Lupin had given him.

'Can you hide these? Until Christmas; everywhere in our room is too accessible.'

'What are they?' Ron asked, looking bewildered, Harry shifted nervously before muttering his response, which Ron barely caught. 'You're insane!' Ron exclaimed, beaming at Harry. 'All this study's gone to your head.... Where on Earth did you get them?'

'Remus got them for me. I asked him for help months ago; these used to belong to my parents,' Harry added, pressing on Ron how important these items were. 'You can't tell anyone!'

'Like I would.' Ron spat, taking them, and placing them in his bag then left with Harry.

The rest of December passed quicker than Harry would have hoped and with the final week of term approaching, Harry found his nerves building up. He and Ron were found one morning before breakfast in front of the Gryffindor common room discussing, as Harry stated it, why he was going to propose in the first place.

'Well, I still think you're insane, but then that shouldn't stop you....' Ron stopped, studying the look on Harry's face before he continued. 'Look. I've lost count of how many times you've beaten Lord whatsit, and then there's all those times you've been in other dangerous situations and your still here! So asking Hermione to marry you should be easy as pie.'

'You're gonna ask Hermione to marry you?' Neville stood at the bottom of the stairs to the boys' dormitory in shock, with Dean and Seamus standing behind him. They had all heard the last part of the conversation.

'Wicked Harry!' Seamus awed at him, before all three of the boys moved to sit down with them.

During the last week, Professor McGonagall began asking for students who would be staying for Christmas, and Harry had a sudden panic attack when he realised he didn't know if Hermione would stay or go home for Christmas. It was a great relief when she said she was staying.

Harry woke Christmas Day to a knock on the door. He scrambled out of bed, almost tripping over Crookshanks in the process, and made his way to the door.

'MERRY CHRISTMAS!' everyone shouted, as Harry opened the door, shocked. Harry had to contain himself and was thankful that he didn't have his wand on him. Relaxing, he moved aside, allowing his visitors to enter.

Molly, Arthur, Bill, Charlie, Fred, George, Ron and Ginny Weasley passed, along with Mr and Mrs Granger, whom Harry had only met twice before now. As Harry closed the door, Remus stepped in looking around.

'Where's Hermione?' he asked.

'Still in bed,' Harry answered, spying Mrs Granger heading his way. 'I'll go wake her,' he said and vanished into their room.

'Where have you been?' Hermione asked, as Harry stepped inside.

'You didn't hear them?' he said pointing over his shoulder to the door.

'Who?'

'Everyone! Almost all the Weasleys and your parents are here. They almost gave me a heart attack shouting "Merry Christmas" when I opened the door!' Harry explained and watched as Hermione's hand shot to her stomach. 'You okay?' he asked, concerned when she looked up at him.

'Baby's kicking,' she breathed, and Harry almost jumped. Moving quickly, he was at her side in a blink and placed his hand on her stomach, then withdrew it when the baby kicked again.

'Whoa!' Harry said in shock. 'That is weird,' he laughed, watching as Hermione's stomach pulsed with the movement again, before tentatively replacing his hand. 'It's also amazing.'

'Huh hum.' Ron cleared his throat from the door. 'You haven't even opened your presents yet and we brought more!'

Harry and Hermione dressed quickly and took their presents to the main room; it was fun opening them with everyone, and the days that followed were just as enjoyable.

A week passed and Harry found himself sitting up in bed on New Year's Eve morning, staring at the wall opposite him. Today would be the day.

By dinnertime, Harry found he had lost his appetite along with his ability to speak. Instead, he sat silently watching as everyone enjoyed their New Year's Eve dinner and chatting.

Eight o'clock came and went, nine, ten, eleven, and at eleven thirty Ron tapped him on the shoulder.

'You might be needing this.' he said, handing Harry the velvet box with the engagement ring in, which Harry took with shaking hands. 'You can do it mate, you belong together,' he said, giving Harry an encouraging smile and pat on the shoulder.

The party was getting wild by eleven fifty, and Harry made his way through the crowd, looking for Hermione.

'Hermione, can we talk?' Harry asked, grabbing her to pull her away from her mum.

'In a minute, Harry, its almost midnight.'

'No, now!' he said, pulling her away as Ron took the moment to make his arranged announcement.

'IT'S ALMOST TIME!' he yelled, and everyone went silent. 'But Harry has something to do first,' Ron added with a grin. Harry was well aware of everyone in the room: teachers, remaining student and family and friends turning to watch him. He took a deep breath before getting down on one knee, holding the box in front of him and looking up at Hermione.

'Hermione...' he croaked his throat oddly dry. He swallowed. '... Will you marry me?' he said, watching the shocked expression on her face as she looked down at him in disbelief.

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