Secrets

Chapter Three

Potions Lessons...Or There And Back Again

Hermione felt her stomach drop as they descended the steep stairs down to Potions. The classroom loomed into view in front of them, and she felt even sicker than usual. A gag rose in her throat twice, and she hastily turned it into a hacking cough. She breathed deeply, reminding herself that he would understand, really understand. She nervously glanced at Harry and Ron, who immediately averted their eyes and launched into a conversation about Quidditch.

"So...who do you think will go to the World Cup this year?" Ron asked as they milled around outside the classroom.

Hermione glanced around anxiously, then walked over to a stone wall and laid her forehead against the rocky coolness. Her heart was pounding, and she wondered if she had any Muggle birth control pills. She knew it could kill the baby, and if it didn't, it would be born with complications and have trouble later in life. She didn't want to resort to that, but this pregnancy was making her feel like shit - worse than her worst periods, where she experienced extreme cramps and almost constant vomiting. No, this was worse, far worse. She smirked - this was exactly what fucking had brought her - not pleasure, not happiness, just a huge load of worries thrown on her shoulders.

"Hermione?" She felt the warm, comforting weight of Harry's hand on her shoulder, and she looked around and heard the footsteps, the sounds of the castle, for the first time in minutes.

"What?" she asked, acutely aware of Ron's gaze on her neck. She turned around and saw his eyes, huge and round with concern, and wanted to melt into his arms. Even after losing her virginity to that sexy Slytherin, she stilled felt a twinge in her heart whenever she looked at Ron - tall, awkward, and handsome. He had the most beautiful brown eyes she had ever seen, and right now she would rather hug Ron than her boyfriend.

"It's time for class," said Harry quietly, looking at her. "Are you all right, Hermione?" She hadn't even heard the bell ring.

"I think it's just the flu...fever...thing," Hermione said, watching the students shuffle past her unwillingly into the classroom. She caught a glimpse of his hair and felt a shiver pass through her body.

She breathed a deep sigh and took a fleeting look at Ron. Everything about him was perfect - his beautiful eyes, his height, strong arms that would suddenly wrap around her waist when she was scared, shaggy red hair...and, of course, he wasn't a Slytherin - a slinking slimy stinking Slytherin. Her heart sank...of course, he would accept her pregnancy...he wouldn't....

"Hermione?"

Harry was looking at her again. His green eyes were huge behind his glasses. She saw a very fine bead of sweat slip down his nose and drop down, down, into oblivion. Was he really that hot? Or was he sweating because...oh. Right. Ginny had just passed the dungeon; if Hermione craned her neck enough she could see Ginny walking slowly up the stairs, her coat of red hair falling loosely behind her. How could Hermione not have noticed her...?

"Yeah?" Hermione said, despairingly finding that her hands were shaking violently. She quickly stuffed them into her robe pockets. She took a deep breath and realized that both Ron and Harry were staring fixedly at her. "Oh. Right. I'm fine!"

"No you're not."

Hermione blinked as she realized that Ron was defying her. Slowly he reached out with one of his large hands and touched her cheek - his hand was ice cold, and she shuddered as the butterflies in her stomach threatened to remove themselves from her abdomen.

"You're burning up." What was in his eyes? Pity? Love?

"Your hands are just cold," Hermione muttered impatiently, shoving his hand away. The corridor was almost empty now....She glanced into the classroom and saw Professor Slughorn shuffling papers behind his desk. This was amazing - not Slughorn rustling papers, but him being at Hogwarts for two years. Everyone had expected him to leave...but no, he stayed, "as a favor to Dumbledore, bless him," and was still the Potions teacher. Surprisingly, Tonks (who was engaged to Lupin, both of them having survived the Last Battle) took up the post of Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher, and her hair had returned to its usual shade of bubblegum pink, much to the delight and surprise of them all.

Slowly Harry reached over and touched Hermione's cheek too, his eyes shining with worry, and whispered, "Hermione...you're too warm. You should go back to the Hospital Wing."

Hermione let out a laugh. "What are you talking about? I'm not going anywh -"

And she leaned over and emptied her stomach on the floor.

Harry yelped and jumped out of the line of fire, gaping at Hermione and pinching his nose at the smell.

"Oh my God." Hermione raised a shaking hand and wiped her mouth off, her stomach churning, the vomit taste catching in her throat. She felt more bile rise and gagged a second time...but there was nothing left in her stomach.

"Damn, Hermione," Ron breathed quietly. He was staring at her in amazement. "What is wrong with you?"

Hermione hiccupped, slowly drawing her wand and waving it at the sick. It vanished instantly, though the smell still hung heavy in the air. "I don't know," she whispered as a jet of lavender-scented spray flew out of her wand, blanketing the corridor so it smelled like a perfumed girl had just strutted through. She murmured, "Aguamenti" and cold water filled her mouth. She swallowed it and breathed deeply, waiting for it to come back up, but nothing happened.

Ron was staring at her like she had just sprouted two more heads and they were now trying to eat him.

Harry, who was now waving his hand in front of his nose to chase away the lavender-y smell, said, "You'd better go back to the Hospital Wing, Hermione."

"Why? I'm n-not sick," Hermione replied, her voice trembling. Which wasn't a total lie.

"I'm telling you. Go to the Hospital Wing. It's not a request. I won't take no for an answer either. You're not well. We'll tell Slughorn for you," said Harry. His voice was so firm, Hermione couldn't even stammer in anger.

"Fine." Feeling like a little child who had just been caught stealing a cookie and was being sent to her room, Hermione turned on her heel and headed up the dungeon stairs slowly, Ron still staring at her strangely. Did he suspect...? she thought fleetingly, stealing a glance down at the two boys, who glared back at her to ensure that she didn't go off into one of the other dungeon passages.

"We'll see you at lunch!" Harry called, his voice echoing around the stone walls.

Hermione raise a hand and waved back at them, terrified that Ron knew what was going on with her.