Someone to Watch Over Me

Someone to Watch Over Me

Chapter 12: Secrets

Draco sat back in his chair and tried to keep a scowl off of his face. Pure chaos had reigned in Malfoy Manor since Ginny's relatives had arrived the night before. Red-haired, obnoxious, and as loud as can be, there were over forty of them.

If his parents were alive, they'd have died of heart attacks right here in the dining room.

The table had been magically stretched to accommodate all of them, and several chairs added. There were carrot top Weasley's and Prewetts as far as the eye could see. Some were talking, and laughing animatedly with each other, some were arguing in a friendly way, and some were arguing in a not so friendly way. And the children were worse than Fred and George could have ever thought about being. All in all, there were five sets of twin boys under the age of twelve. Right now they were running around the room, wrestling, knocking people over, and slinging their dinner through the air. This only caused their mothers to start yelling at them, increasing the volume to a deafening roar.

"What are you thinking about, Draco?" Amelia Prewett, one of Ginny's grandmothers asked him.

"Oh, about how I wish my parents could be here to see this."

The old woman patted his hand in sympathy, while Ginny snickered at him.

Hermione, who'd been talking with Ron, suddenly jumped to her feet and ran to the bathroom; still sick despite the potion.

Ginny and Draco looked at each other across the table.

"Perhaps we should wait a little while before having a baby?" Ginny asked.

"You read my mind," he grinned at her.

Harry, seated beside Ginny, took her attention away from Draco as they started to discuss how her DADA NEWTs went.

Draco sighed and turned to Harry's date, Luna Lovegood, who was seated next to him. She eagerly began to tell him of her and Harry's upcoming trip to Albania to hunt some weird creature that wasn't supposed to exist.

He nodded at her and tried not to let the boredom show on his face.

Suddenly, Draco felt a foot, tentatively run up the inside of his leg.

His eyes quickly flicked to Ginny, who smiled at him and turned back to Harry.

Harry had winked at Luna before resuming his conversation with Ginny.

Draco slipped off his shoe and began to play along, caressing her leg with his foot. Neither one of them could reach past the knee, but they didn't mind.

Draco was suddenly feeling much better; maybe he could sneak into Ginny's room tonight.

After a few minutes of play, Ginny announced that she was going to the ladies room. Luna jumped up and went with her leaving Harry and Draco to make a most horrific revelation.

They had been playing footsie with each other for the last ten minutes. Harry had started it, thinking it was Luna he was touching, and Draco had played along thinking it was Ginny.

Quickly pulling his foot away from Harry, he bolted from the table muttering something about needing some air.

Blaise followed behind him wiping away tears of laughter.

"What's so funny, Zabini?" he demanded, perching on the ledge of the veranda.

It was much quieter outside, and he could feel some of the tension draining away.

"I dropped my fork, I saw it all."

"One word to anyone, and you're dead," Draco growled, but he couldn't help the slight smile.

It was rather funny.

Blaise sobered.

"Joyce and I tell each other everything," he reminded, giving Draco a meaningful look.

Draco sighed, wondering where to start. He knew Blaise was referring to the conversation that Joyce and Ginny had had in the hospital.

"Things have changed, Blaise. Dumbledore opened my eyes to a lot of things."

Blaise quietly listened, his face betraying nothing.

"My parents died serving The Dark Lord, and that's not how I want to go," he grimaced, remembering the charred remains he'd had to identify.

"I'm marrying the daughter of the biggest muggle-loving pureblood there is. The Weasley's are about to become my brothers-in-law. Hermione Granger has become a friend, and is even living under my roof. And Potter? Hell, Blaise, you're out there with us every time we play Quidditch. Not even you can call him an enemy anymore."

Blaise looked away for a minute to gather his thoughts.

"Nott's still complaining about that, but The Dark Lord isn't listening to him. His only concern seems to be to get you married. I bet he leaves you alone for a while after that. You see, he swore an oath to your parents that he'd do everything in his power to see that the Malfoy line continued," he said finally.

"Yes, I'd heard about that." Draco shuddered at the memory.

"Joyce hates him. Hates that I'm a Death Eater. She hides it very well, but being around him makes her physically ill. I want out too. I'm just in so deep, I wouldn't know where to begin," Blaise admitted.

"Come with me and talk to Dumbledore. Snape would come too, if you want."

Blaise nodded.

"She deserves better than this. We all do."

Draco nodded back and offered his hand.

Blaise shook it and asked, "Did Snape really knock up Granger?"

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"Hermione, are you okay?" Ron asked, tapping on the bathroom door.

"I'm fine, Ron. Go get Harry and meet me in the Parlor in five minutes, okay?" she called through the closed door.

"Okay."

Hermione splashed some water on her face, and forced herself to take deep even breaths. The sickness always seemed to get worse when she was nervous. She was even more nervous about telling Ron and Harry than when she'd told Snape.

Yesterday, Hermione couldn't wait to tell them. She'd wanted them to make him miserable, but he'd been kind of sweet last night. Now, she was afraid of pushing him back to that insane weirdo he'd been for the last two months.

So, she'd decided to tell Harry and Ron alone, and have them promise to keep it to themselves till after the wedding at least. She also didn't want to do anything to mess up Ginny and Draco's day tomorrow.

Gathering her courage, she left the bathroom and headed for the parlor.

Ron and Harry were seated when she arrived, and she gave them each a quick hug. She blinked back tears as she felt a longing for a simpler time when they were together at school.

"Hermione, what's wrong? You look awful," Ron said, and was promptly smacked in the head by Harry.

"He means you look like you feel awful," Harry amended, glaring at Ron.

Hermione gave them a weak smile.

"Yes, I've been a bit under the weather lately. I've got some news."

After a few minutes of silence Ron gasped.

"You're not marrying Snape are you?" he asked in horror.

Harry raised his hand to hit him again, but Hermione shook her head at him.

"No, I'm not marrying Snape. I'm just having his baby."

Harry's jaw nearly hit the floor.

"Oh, that's okay, for a second I thought... What?!!!"

It had taken Ron a few seconds for her words to sink in.

"Ronald, please keep down your voice. This isn't something I want spread around just yet."

"Hermione, I knew you had feelings for Snape, but do you really think you're ready to be a parent?" Harry asked, carefully.

"We were under the influence of a love potion, things went too far, and I woke up pregnant."

"GAH!" Ron was incapable of speech at the moment.

"Does Snape know?" Harry asked, ignoring Ron.

"Yes. Severus, Ginny, Draco, Joyce, and probably Blaise by now."

"Well, are you okay?"

He was looking at her with such concern she started crying and launched herself into his arms.

"No, I'm not okay! I'm twenty, single, pregnant, and falling for a man that doesn't want me. On top of that I'm nauseous, my back hurts, my ankles are swollen, and my clothes don't fit right."

She sniffed and pulled back.

"Sorry, Harry. Hormones."

"Gah," Ron blurted out, again.

Someone snickered from behind the sofa.

Harry quickly ran behind it, and pulled an eleven year old red-haired Prewett out by his arm.

"What did you hear?" Hermione demanded, glaring down at the young eavesdropper.

He shook free from Harry's grasp and gave them a grin that made him look just like Fred and George.

"You are twenty, single, pregnant, and falling for a man that doesn't want you," he repeated dutifully.

Hermione flushed in anger.

"None of this leaves this room young man, or I'll be sure that Professor Snape makes your school life miserable," she growled at him.

He didn't seem the least bit concerned as he asked, "Is Professor Snape the man that doesn't want you?"

She paled.

"Obliviate!"

Ron had come to his senses and did the only thing he could think of.

"Ron! That wasn't necessary," Hermione said, but she looked relieved.

Ron slipped an arm around her waist and led her back to the dinner party, leaving Harry to deal with the poor kid who'd had a memory wipe.

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What do I want? Snape asked himself as he stood in a corner trying to block out the utter chaos going on around him.

He saw a father get hit in the head by his son's mashed potatoes. The father simply wiped them off with a napkin, and resumed eating his dinner like nothing had happened.

Severus cringed. Would that be him one day?

No. He'd already been sentenced to a life of dealing with miserable brats while serving a master he despised. He'd give Hermione all the money she needed, but other than that, she was on her own.

He felt better upon coming to this decision, and started scanning the room for her.

His eyes narrowed when he found her.

Ron had his arm snugly around her waist, and was whispering something in her ear.

She smiled, and hit at him playfully.

Hermione was positively glowing as she stretched up and gave Ron a peck on the cheek.

Something snapped in Severus's brain, and in Malfoy Manor they say, the Snape's heart grew three sizes that day... Oops! Wrong story!

A wave of jealousy washed over him, and before he could think about what he was doing, he'd already crossed the room.

He tore Hermione away from Ron, his hand slipping down to cover her abdomen as he pulled her against him.

"Mine," he growled, glaring at Ron.

The room was dead silently, everyone watching the exchange with horrific fascination.

"Then start acting like it. Because if she comes crying to me again about you, I swear I'll break your neck," Ron threatened dangerously, glaring right back.

Snape considered his words for a minute, then stiffly nodded and pulled a shocked Hermione quickly from the room.

Satisfied, Ron watched them leave, and then turned back to the room.

"What?" he demanded to the silent room.

People exchanged looks, and then shrugged and chaos resumed once more.

"I'm glad you stood up to him like that. I think they both needed it," Ginny said, walking up and giving Ron a hug.

"Do you think we let Hermione's secret out?" he asked, concerned.

Ginny looked around the room thoughtfully.

"Maybe, but I wouldn't worry about it now."

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"What the hell was that about?" Hermione demanded of Snape as he dragged her back to the parlor.

"You asked me what I wanted to do. I've come to a decision."

"And that would be?"

"You will marry me. The baby's mine and you will be as well. It's the right thing to do."

Hermione looked at him incredulously.

"No, no, no! I meant for you to decide how much you wanted to be in the baby's life, not mine! It's out of the question!" she huffed, pacing and throwing her arms in the air.

"Why not?" he demanded.

"I am not going to trap myself in a loveless marriage just because I have a kid!"

"I know that you are attracted to me, we wouldn't be in this mess if you weren't. And, while I can't say that I'm in love with you, I don't find you anywhere near as off-putting as I used to. You spent nearly every day by my side since you joined the Order as my partner, how would marriage be much different? Do you really want to do this alone? I've never been someone's husband before, but I'm willing to give it a try."

She gaped at him, trying to find the flaw in his proposal.

"No!"

"Why not?" he asked, again.

"B-because, when or if I ever accept a marriage proposal from anyone, he will request marriage of me and not command!"

With that she spun on her heel and left the room.

Snape groaned and sank into a chair. How had he gone from washing his hands of the whole mess to jumping right in the middle of it? He thought again about Ron's earlier display. He would not tolerate another man raising his child. Hermione had to see reason. His shoulders slumped as he realized that he was going to need help, but who would he ask?

End Chapter 12