Those Crazy Nine Months

CHAPTER TWO

'Morning sickness? Not possible...' Harry thinks to himself, as he scrubs his face. Although it is strange that he always seems to be sick in the morning, after the initial throwing up he is usually fine. 'Perhaps I should go see Hermione... She might be able to give me a potion or something...'

Pulling his wand from a hidden alcove behind a framed picture of his parents in the hallway, he spells his clothes changed. After checking that all the doors and windows are locked, he Apparates to the front lobby of Saint Mungo's.

During their seventh year, Hermione Granger had started training as a mediwitch. 'You can't learn fighting from books. Healing on the other hand is something I can do.' she had said. Now she works at St. Mungo's as a very successful mediwitch.

"Harry Potter, looking for mediwitch Hermione Granger," Harry states nervously to the plump witch behind the information desk.

"Fourth Floor, Mr. Potter. Here's your Visitor Pass," the Welcome Witch replies, handing him a shiny white pass for him to clip onto his shirtfront.

Harry takes the pass in a moment of confusion. 'Fourth floor? I thought Hermione worked down here on the ground floor...' Quickly though, he shakes it off and hurries to the stairs. Though he ascends the stairs as fast as he can, he still has a bit of time to think about what he'll say when he gets there. He can't very well start out with 'Herm, I think I might be pregnant. Crazy huh?'

Sighing to himself as he emerges onto the Fourth Floor landing, Harry looks around. Spying Hermione speaking with a few other mediwizards, he lifts his hand to catch her attention. A moment later the mousy-haired mediwitch hurries over to him.

"I've only a moment Harry, but it is really great to see you. Can you wait for me? I'm off for lunch in just an hour. They've set up a garden area on the fifth floor; you could wait for me there?" the young woman says in a hurry, greeting her friend with a light kiss on his cheek. "Mrs. Longbottom has nearly made a breakthrough and they want me to be on hand. They think they may need my skill with puzzles and riddles to help figure out the key to unlocking their minds. Oh, but don't tell Neville if you see him. I don't want to get his hopes up. See you soon then, Harry?" Hermione waits just long enough for Harry to nod in agreement, before rushing back off.

Harry sighs for a moment, turning back to face yet another flight of stairs. Taking his time this last flight, Harry begins to wonder if this was all just a waste of time. 'It's probably just a stomach flu... Don't know why I got so worked up...' he thinks to himself, about halfway up the stairs.

"Oh well, I'm sure she'll still be able to give me something to help with the nausea," he says softly to himself as he reaches the landing.

"Talking to yourself, Harry?" a soft voice says from his right.

Look for the owner of the voice, Harry notices the large iron gate-like doors that open up to a large garden area. Leaning against an open door is a strangely familiar young man, with short dark hair, and a toad sitting at his feet. A quick once-over reveals dirt-stained trousers, a belt full of gardening tools and a battered pair of dragon-hide gloves. Stepping closer to the man, Harry notices that not all of the man's childhood chubbiness is gone, and that there's still just enough to make him not appear gaunt even though he is thinner than Harry remembered.

"Neville?" Harry asks softly, wondering why Neville would be here looking as if he had just dug his way here from Hogwarts.

Neville just smiles in response, dusting his hands on his pants. "It's been a long time, Harry. I work here now, the hospital decided it would be 'financially wise' to grow their own herbs. I was hired on as the person in charge of development of the new gardens and greenhouses. They decided to keep me once they realized most apothecary apprentices were incompetent compared to my green thumb. Their own words..." he says, blushing at the praise even though it was months ago that this happened.

"Wow Neville, that's great. Want to show me around? This is the first time I've visited since..." Harry lets his words drop-off, shying away from the subject of the carnage that was St. Mungo's after the final battle.

"If you've got time, sure. I was just taking a break myself," Neville replies with a smile. Gesturing for Harry to follow him, Neville turns and enters the garden.

Harry chuckles as the toad at Neville's feet follows him, hopping along to keep up with its master. "Is that a new toad, Neville? I don't remember Trevor ever being that well trained."

Neville laughs softly, saying, "Yeah, I told Gram I needed an owl, once I got the first job here. She got me him instead." Neville shrugged, smiling over his shoulder as Harry catches up. "He's nice enough, actually helps sometimes, other times he just keeps me company."

"Don't you have human helpers?" Harry asks as he looks around at the flowers they are walking by.

"Oh sure, there are three others that work here, but I don't think they like me much. They've all been working in apothecaries for longer than I have, and yet I'm their superior? Nope, don't think they like me much...," Neville replies, a bit of sadness underlying his words.

"Aw, don't worry about it, they'll warm up soon enough," the green-eyed boy says, smiling to Neville.

Neville blushes lightly, turning to look off to their right. "So what was that you were saying to yourself earlier? You haven't been feeling well lately?"

Harry pushes his glasses up, as he looks straight ahead. "Just a little nausea, I think. Been throwing up a bit lately. Probably just a stomach flu...," his words trail off as he notices Neville looking over his shoulder, seeming deep in thought.

"Throwing up every day, Harry?" Neville asks, pulling out a muggle notepad and a pencil.

"Yeah," Harry replies, trying to see what Neville is writing. "What's up?"

Glancing about them to make sure they are alone, Neville looks directly at Harry. "This is a very personal question. I'm sure it's going to sound strange and I promise I'll explain after you answer, but I need to ask. Harry... Are you... I mean actively... What I mean is... Harry, have you been having sex with a man?" Neville asks, his voice dropping to a bare whisper with the last few words, his face turning a very bright Gryffindor shade of red.

Harry steps back a moment in surprise. "You can't be serious! I mean, yeah I have but...! There's no way; it's not physically possible... Is it?"

Neville grabs Harry by the elbow, and pulls him over to a blooming plant with thousands of tiny yellow flowers. "Harry, this plant is Ancula Parvulus, The Maiden's Child. It's a key ingredient in one of the most potent fertility potions, and its leaves are often used in anti-nausea potions. There's one catch though; it only blooms in the presence of someone who is... pregnant," he tries to explain, keeping his hand at Harry's elbow for support. "While I was studying this particular plant I found out that in the Wizarding world it is possible for a Wizard as powerful as you to become pregnant if he wants it bad enough. It has only been documented as subconscious magic, so it isn't as if it was something you did on purpose, even though I'm sure you could have. If you wanted...," Neville rambles, trying to cover up his awkwardness.

Tears stream down Harry's face as he wobbles on his feet. He can barely feel Neville's arms wrap around him as gravity takes a turn and the world topples around him, nor can he hear it when Neville calls out for one of his assistants to fetch a mediwizard, or Hermione, whichever she can find first. Harry whimpers, "It's not possible...," as he buries his face in Neville's shoulder. A moment later, the Boy Who Lived passes out.