Just Good Friends

The door opened, and in walked Lavender Brown.

"Well hello, Lavender. We were just talking about you." Hermione greeted her house-mate with a smile.

"Oh, were you?"

"Actually," Harry said, "we were talking about how you were talking about us."

Lavender blushed for a moment, but quickly regained her composure. "I was just telling some people what I saw and what it looked like to me."

"And what did it look like to you, Lavender?" Hermione's voice was innocent and sweet. The others in the compartment had to look away to keep from laughing.

"It looked like you and Harry are going out." Lavender looked from Hermione to Harry. "So are you?"

Harry was going to say no, but then he realized that she probably wouldn't believe him anyway. If Lavender was determined to start a rumor, he'd give her one, alright. "Actually, yes, we are." Harry's voice was cool. Hermione gasped, but Harry reached across and put a hand on her arm to calm her. "Love, we agreed that we'd finally tell people this year." He turned his attention back to Lavender. "We have been for quite a while, now. This summer we just got tired of hiding. We're truly in love and plan to be married as soon as seventh year is over."

At first, Hermione was a bit shocked at of all the things Harry was saying, but at his last sentence, she realized that she had something to add. "Umm...Harry, it might have to be a bit sooner than seventh year." Harry turned to her, wondering what the hell Hermione was talking about. Then he saw that she had both hands on her lower abdomen. He looked up on her face and saw the nervous smile there. His face broke into an expression of shock and wonderment.

"You mean..."

"Yes Harry." Hermione's happiness could no longer be contained. "You're going to be a daddy!" she squealed. Harry picked her up and spun her around before gently placing her back on her seat then kneeling before her.

SLAM!!!!!!!!

They heard the compartment door as Lavender ran out to report this development to the rest of the train. They looked at the door, at the shocked faces of their friends, looked at each other, and then burst out laughing. Hermione fell back on her seat and Harry fell onto the floor, his head on the seat behind him. They couldn't talk for quite a few minutes. After minute or two, the Weasleys realized what was going on and started to laugh, too.

"Can you believe," Hermione gasped, "that she actually believed that?"

"Hey, don't be so shocked." George was leaning against a window, shaking his head. "You two are pretty good actors. You had us fooled for a second there."

"I must bow to Hermione, though." Harry struggled up and did an exaggerated bow. "That pregnancy thing was genius."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you." Hermione gave little short bows as if she were accepting an award. "And the thing about it is, Lavender can never say I lied to her."

"What do you mean?" Ron had laughed with the rest of them, but at this, his voice grew a bit worried.

"Well, I never actually said I was pregnant. I said that Harry was going to be a daddy, and I'm sure he will, eventually. I never actually said that I was the mother."

"I'm just glad the whole thing was a joke," Fred said with a sigh of relief.

"Why's that? Do you want Hermione for your own?" Ginny teased her older brother.

"Cute Gin, real cute. The truth is, Hermione, you're like a second little sister to us, just like Harry is another little brother. If he had really gotten you pregnant, we'd have to kill him."

"Well I'm glad to know you feel that way, Fred. Don't worry, I don't think that you'll have to kill me anytime soon."

"Anytime soon?" Ginny arched an eyebrow. Harry realized his error and tried to talk his way out of it, but all that came out was a series of sputters.

"Oh, has the king of smooth run out of things to say?" Hermione asked.

"Be quiet, 'Mione."

"Or you'll do what?"

"Or I'll do this!" With that he grabbed her and proceeded to tickle her until she begged for mercy. "Say 'I'm sorry.'"

"I'm sorry."

"And I won't make fun of you again."

"I won't make fun of you again." When Harry released Hermione and she was back in her own seat, she added, "At least not until we get back to school." When Harry moved to grab her again, George stopped him.

"You've got to be gentle with her. After all, that's a pregnant woman you're dealing with." And this sent them into riotous laughter all over again.