Orion

Hermione Granger was not only the first of her class, but also the Head Girl, president of the Creatures’ Rights Advocacy Program (the expansion of the former SPEW), star member of the Slug’s Club and leader of the Transfiguration League. 

She was also incredibly popular: for better or for worse, everyone at Hogwarts knew who she was. Of course, there were those who used the words swot, insufferable know-it-all or even mudblood close to her name. But most people referred to her as the brightest witch of her age, girlfriend to the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain Ron Weasley and part of the Golden Trio. 

This nickname began back in the fourth year, when Hermione and her friends Padma Patil and Lavender Brown were invited to the Yule Ball by the TriWizard Tournament Champions Viktor Krum, Cedric Diggory and Lucien Beaumont. People just couldn’t believe that fourth years were chosen between all the beautiful girls available in sixth and seventh years. They became sort of a thing in their school, if there was a students’ Witch Weekly, they’d sure be on the cover of it more often than not. 

Hermione never thought she’d be a girl’s girl as she was now. But everything changed at the end of third year. When Hermione and Harry Potter used the time turner to snatch Peter Pettigrew, he was arrested and sentenced to the dementor’s kiss. Then Harry moved to live with his godfather Sirius Black and his life became easy. They hadn’t had anything remotely as adventurous since, no secret chambers, stone mysteries or bad guys to fight. Hermione found out that being around two boys constantly speaking about quidditch, pranks and girls was not her cup of tea. She got closer to Lav and Pad with the whole Yule Ball thing and they never broke apart since. 

Of course, during fifth year she got closer to Ron again. He looked so good in his quidditch gear; tall, strong and confident. But things were more physical between them. His love language was definitely physical touch, because he was contentt in having his hand on her thigh when she was doing her homework. And for the last two months, they’d often go on double or triple dates with Ginny and Harry, who had finally just accepted what they felt for each other, or Lavender and Dean, that were on and off since sixth year. Hermione loved when Lav came too, because the other four would frequently just talk about quidditch. 

Padma, however, was the single friend always giving her friends the siren song to sneak out with her to common room parties. And that’s exactly how Hermione found herself in Ravenclaw’s tower that night. She was wearing a leather black skirt that hugged her thighs tightly and a golden sequin backless blouse. Padma had gone to the makeshift bar at the end of the room and Lavender hadn’t been able to escape Dean’s possessive grip to join them. Hermione would love to say that Ron was mature and trusting enough to have let her come without a fight, but she did have to remind him of how he had no right to be jealous after strategically breaking up with her so he could be single at his boys-trip with Sirius and Harry to Paris during Christmas Holidays. 

“Merlin, Granger” Came a low growl from her back and she felt the coldness of a ring and the wetness of a glass at her bare back “Does your arse always look that big or are you putting on a show since your wanker of a boyfriend is not here?”

Hermione turned around to face him. White-blond hair, grey-blue eyes and sharp-stupid face. Draco Malfoy had long stopped being her biggest enemy in school. Part of it simply because it was stupid to have an enemy in school at eighteen. And part because he was bloody hot. If he wasn’t a spoiled brat, she thought he could be portrayed in muggle movies as a bad boy: a slytherin, always wearing black, womanizer, constantly  taunting and bullying who he thought inferior… But Hermione knew better. It took only one punch during third year for him to stop fussing with her. At least with regards to her blood status and academic results. Now he would constantly tease her just like that. Just tease, obviously, he was still a blood purist aristocratic heir that only dated pureblood witches. But apparently he had no problem ogling a mudblood’s body. 

Hermione was just about to tell him to sod off when his face was met by a red Chanel purse. 

“You fucking prick!” Pansy Parkinson hissed. “I leave for five minutes and you’re already—“

Hermione turned her back to the ever common scene. The couple began arguing nastily, but that would definitely end in makeup sex in the corridors. Malfoy’s official girlfriend for the last three years would always bark like that. She’d even gotten into some nasty fights and duels with other girls for “messing with her man”. But in the end, she didn’t break up with him, regardless of how many girls he’d cheat on her with. Maybe she was enduring in hopes to become the next Mrs Malfoy. Hermione rolled her eyes. She would never stoop so low. She had her own ambition, her dreams, her career. 

If she was being honest, she didn’t even think she’d be with Ron for much longer. Since they got back together in January he had began saying weird stuff about her traveling with him for his games with the Chuddley Cannons, getting married, having kids. 

As. If. 

If Hermione wanted to be a quidditch wife she would’ve stayed with Viktor Krum. He was a much more successful player. 

No, Hermione aimed high. She would be the youngest Minister for Magic. It was all detailed in her ten year’s plan. Kids could come after that. Maybe. 

“Here” Padma handed her a pearl shaped vial with a suggestive smirk. 

“What is it?”

“A special potion. It’ll get you feeling very good” her friend said, already downing her identical vial. 

“But what’s in it?”

“Don’t be such a fun spoiler. Drink up, so it hits us at the same time!” Padma pouted. 

Hermione rolled her eyes and did as her friend said. Ravenclaw parties were rather safe. She would never get a bit tipsy in a Slytherin party, though. But Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs usually had a strict consent policy with wards that cursed people with bad intentions. Gryffindors would do something like that too, but their parties never got that wild. Hermione felt her skin prickling as the Feel Good Potion started to have its effects. 

…

Hermione hated the feel good potion.  

She hated Padma and all ravenclaws. 

She hated herself for drinking it. 

She hated the sun for shining so bright. 

And she definitely hated Lavender from singing while she showered. 

Two sobering and three hangover potions were not enough to stop Hermione from feeling like shit. She wanted nothing more than to miss the whole day of classes around her, clenching into a ball under her sheets and focusing on surviving the nausea and fatigue she felt. 

“Good morning, love!” Lavender said with a smile as she left the bathroom wrapped in a red towel. “I’m guessing last night was fun?”

“Mpff” was Hermione’s response before grabbing the trash bin and retching the last ounces of bile from her stomach. 

“Do you need a hangover potion?” Lav asked softly. 

“She took three already” Parvati said, while brushing her long black hair. “The thing is, Padma and I had the same as she, but I’m feeling fine”

“Good for y-“ Hermione barked before her stomach twisted trying to squeeze the remainders of acid. Her throat burned. 

“Let’s get you into a shower. Dobby” Lavender sang the name of the elf who had become sort of Gryffindor's pet since he began to work in Hogwarts during fourth year. He always got the lions foods, drinks and whatever else they asked for. 

“Yes, Missy Lavender Brown! How can Dobby help?”

“Can you bring Hermione her breakfast? Maybe something good for a hangover?” She winked while grabbing her friend's shoulder and moving her towards the bath. 

It spoke volumes of Hermione’s poor state that she didn’t argue about asking for anything from a house elf. 

Lavender gave Hermione a cold shower, Dobby brought her chicken stock and Parvati braided her hair. Which was great because as soon as Hermione finished her soup she was vomiting again. 

“I don’t think you can go to class” Parvati said with an worried expression “Maybe we should take you to Madam Pom—“

“No. I can go” Hermione mumbled, her face green-ish. 

And she tried to. Really. 

But it only took one of Ron’s attempt to kiss her as she entered the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, for Hermione to vomit all over his trousers and shoes. 

“Bloody hell, Mione” he said with disgust in his blue eyes. “That’s nasty, why would you do that for?”

If she was well enough to answer she’d definitely tell him to go fuck himself. But she just managed to squeeze his arms before her vision went black. 

…

Hermione woke up to a stone white ceiling with strong lights over her. She blinked several times trying to undo the blurring. Slowly the figures around her came into focus. Prof Snape. Prof Slughorn. Madam Pomfrey. Prof McGonagall. 

Merlin, she was damned. 

“Uh-I” she groaned and her voice came broken and hoarse. 

“Don’t try to talk now, Miss Granger. Drink this” The healer told her, while giving her a giant cup of water. It tasted salty. 

Hermione gulped it thirstly and turned to place her empty cup into a bedside table. 

Which was when she saw a very worried Ron and a very embarrassed Padma at her side. 

“Is everything alright?” Hermione asked weakly. 

“Well, you’d have to be more specific about what qualifies as alright for you, Miss Granger. In my opinion, it is not!“ Prof McGonagall said harshly. 

Padma yelped and Ron blushed hard. 

“Professor, I—“

“Miss Patil, explain yourself!” McGonagall demanded. “So Miss Granger won’t have to over exert herself in her condition”

“Y-yes! We were at a party and—“

“An unauthorized party” Snape drawled “Fifty points from ravenclaw”

“Oh, Rowena!” Padma whined “we were at a party and we drank the feel good pot—“

“An illicit mind altering potion” Snape added “thirty points from gryffindor and ravenclaw”

This time Ron and Parvati both let out little sobs. 

“And Hermione was fine but she woke up like this”

“Two days ago.” Madam Pomfrey said with heaviness in her voice. 

“What!?” Hermione gasped. 

“Frankly, Miss Granger. I expected more of you as head girl, poisoning yourself with unknown beverages just to get a thrill at a party?!”

“Now now, Minerva” Prof Slughorn gave a temptative laugh, his round belling bouncing with it. “The potion was very well executed from my testing. And it is rather safe with exception of - er- specific conditions…”

“Which leads me to the next incredible detail of this story!” Prof McGonagall scoffed. 

Hermione’s mind was reeling but in slow motion. It was as if she couldn’t quite understand what everyone said on the right time. 

“Mr Weasley and Miss Patil, if you may excuse us—“

“I’m not going! Hermione is my girlfriend” Ron snapped. 

“Your girlfriend has the right to her own privacy, Weasley” Snape sneered. 

“I won’t leave her now”

“Ron…” Hermione pleaded. “Please, let me hear it. I’ll tell you after”

“Mione, I’m not going anywhere” He said with puppy eyes, gripping her hand strongly “I’m here for you”

Hermione sighed and turned to McGonagall. 

“What is it, professor?”

The gryffindor head of house glanced at Padma that shot quickly out of there. Then she sighed, tightening her lips in a straight line. 

“The potion had such nasty effects on your body because, Miss Granger, you are pregnant” 

There was a loud thud on the floor as Ron’s fiery haired head hit the ground. 

“Oh, dear Morgana!” Madam Pomfrey hushed to levitate him to the other bed. “Passed out the poor boy”

“The boy has just become a father” Snape sneered. 

“What?” Hermione said weakly. She didn’t understand the meaning of the word pregnant. It just made no sense. “Father? Why?”

McGonagall stared at Hermione behind her square spectacles. 

“The father to the child you’re carrying as I’m assuming Miss Granger”

When Hermione fainted this time there was no thud as she was already with her head in the pillow. 

…

Hermione woke up with a strange sensation of deja vu as she gazed at the same white stone ceiling and then faced the same four figures standing in front of her. She turned to her right and found Ron laying unconscious at the bed next to hers. 

“I am sorry to wake you, Miss Granger. But this is a very serious situation and we need to talk about it.” Prof McGonagall says sternly. 

“Just mind the baby, Minerva” Pomfrey said gently. 

“Of course, Poppy” Minerva patted the healer’s back. “Miss Granger, drinking was a very irresponsible thing to do! You could’ve hurt the baby! Tell me, were you aware of your pregnancy?”

“No” Hermione gasped, still in shock. “I- I… I didn’t feel anything.” 

“Of course not, silly!” Pomfrey giggled. “You’re only 12 weeks far, this is just when the symptoms begin in magical pregnancies”

Snape looked disgusted. McGonagall looked annoyed. Slughorn however held a sad smile. 

“B-but I am on contraceptive potions and—“

“Miss Granger” Slughorn said “Did you by any chance took a muggle medicine while on the potion?”

Hermione frowned trying to remember. 

“I had a flu during winter, I had some ibuprofen for the fever”

Snape scoffed. “Weren’t you supposed to be the know-it-all?”

“Severus!” McGonagall protested. 

“Miss Granger, I am afraid this medicine blocks the potion’s efficacy” Slughorn said pitifully. 

Hermione gasped. Her mouth felt like sandpaper. Her heart went up her throat. Her skin was cold and she felt ready to vomit again. 

In fact, she did just that. 

“Miss Granger,” McGonagall said after casting a scourgify to clean Hermione’s bed sheets “It seems this — er — baby, was conceived around winter break. If I recall correctly you were not in Hogwarts during the holidays, were you?”

“Er—“ Hermione was wiping her mouth “No, professor. I stayed with my family in London”

McGonagall let out a relief sigh. 

“This is — well, great is not the word… You see Miss Granger, having —um, intercourse in school grounds is prohibited” Hermione tried her best not to roll her eyes as everyone as shagging someone in Hogwarts. “and such offense is punishable with expulsion. We usually turn the blind eye, but it would be hard to do so with— er, such evidences of the deed”

Hermione flushed red. It had just occurred to her that all of those three teachers now knew she was sexually active. 

“Oh” was all Hermione managed to say. 

“So the fact that it happened during Christmas Holidays makes it possible for you to proceed with your schooling if you wish to do so”

“If I wish?” Hermione asked shocked. 

“Well, Miss Granger. Magical pregnancies are a heavy load on a witch’s body. You’ve just experienced a tiny bit of it.” McGonagall clenched her hands “The magic inside the baby is obviously very uncontrollable and it’s signature is different than the mother’s leading to an allergic reaction that manifests with heavy nausea, fatigue, migraines and much more…”

“It is very unlikely that you’ll be able to finish your N.E.W.T.s” Snape added sternly. 

“But you can clearly take them next year, after your baby is out and about” Slughorn comforted her with a sympathetic smile. 

What?

What about her perfect school history?

What about her career? 

What about her 10 year plan?

“I am not leaving Hogwarts” Hermione stated firmly. 

“Miss Granger—“

“Can’t I have potions for those symptoms?”

“You see, Miss Granger… There are quite few potions safe for pregnancy and fewer even to address the natural symptoms of it. Most witches just… endure it” Prof Slughorn chuckled. 

Hermione felt like punching him. But she compromised by vomiting his robes. 

“So I’ll just keep vomiting, fainting and having headaches until the baby is born? She asked in utter disbelief. 

“Yes” Slughorn, McGonagall and Pomfrey shrugged. Snape sneered. 

Perfect. 

“Can I take muggle medicine?” She asked. 

“It’s not recommended, no! It affects the baby” Pomfrey said quickly. 

Absolutely freaking perfect. 

…

Hermione still felt dizzy and nauseated when she left the hospital wing that afternoon. It was Wednesday so she made her way to her ancient runes classroom. She kept pinching herself in hopes of finally waking up. That could not be happening. She was Hermione Granger, for Merlin’s sake. She was smart, organized, prepared. She was on the contraceptive potion for three months before she even started having sex with Ron. She read all the research on different potions and chose the one with the highest success rate despite all the side effects she had, like numbness and lower libido. 

And all of that because she wouldn’t risk becoming a statistic. She wouldn’t risk becoming a teen mom. Well, she would still be a teen mom right? The child would be born just when she turned 19. 

The child. 

There was a child growing inside her. 

A child’s life that she’d risked on several occasions during the last three months drinking alcohol, potions and eating that sushi Ginny smuggled into the castle in February for Ron’s birthday. He hated it. But Hermione loved it. 

Despite Madam Pomfrey’s reassurance that everything was well with the baby, Hermione couldn’t help but feel guilty. This is not how things should go. Of course, she wasn’t the most maternal type, but she had plans of having a baby or two once she was thirty. And she’d do everything right. 

There would be a house, with a large backyard and an even larger library. She’d read all there was to know about pregnancy, childbirth, nursing, child care and magical children. She would be prepared. She would be the best at it. As she was in everything else. 

But now? Now she was a teen mom, almost halfway through the pregnancy without any prenatal care. 

Gods, she’d hate herself if she was her daughter. 

Her daughter. Was it a girl? Hermione didn’t allow the smile that wanted to form in her face when she placed her palm over her lower abdomen imagining a mini her. She’d read to her, tell her how to proper care for her curls and bake with her just like Hermione’s mother did. 

As you’re already of age, we won’t call your parents in unless you ask us too.  McGonagall said, but Hermione saw in her eyes that the teacher really thought that would be a good idea. 

Hermione scoffed. Good idea? A good idea would’ve been not to get pregnant during her final year. How would her parents react? She had no idea. This wasn’t even a possibility neither of them three ever consider. She was a good girl, the kind that brings home awards for perfect attendance and top grades. Now she’d be bringing… a baby. 

Hermione entered the classroom and the smell of parchment made her want to vomit. She refused to. She wouldn’t want people knowing about her condition. She’d hide with glamour charms or something like that. She was going to graduate. There would be no change on her ten year plan. She would still be a minister someday. Everything would go according to…

“OI! Hermione!?” A loud thunder voice came from outside the corridor. 

Professor Babbling looked up from her parchment with a mist of shock and annoyance. 

Hermione gulped from her seat and saw Ron storm into the room. He was all red: quidditch shirt, ginger hair and flushed face. 

“Mr…” The teacher began, looking offended. 

“Ronald… I’m in class…” Hermione pleaded. 

“Well, that’s just perfect ain’t it?” He barked, stomping in her direction. “I should be too”

“Mr, please! This is completely inappr—“

“But I woke up in the infirmary” he said, pulling Hermione’s table away from her “with McGonagall—“

“Mr, I’ll ask you to leav—“

“Ron please” Hermione got up, shaking. He couldn’t do it. Not there. Not with everyone watching. “Let’s t—“

“REASSURING ME—“

“Mr!”

“—THAT I SHOULD NOT BE WORRIED ABOUT GETTING EXPELLED—“

Hermione tried to take his arms so they could talk on the corridor, but he was livid, yanking it free from her grasp.

“—BECAUSE THE BABY WAS CONCEIVED OUTSIDE HOGWARTS!”

Hermione flinched. Professor Babblings’ face went as pale as the parchment on her hand. There was a collective gasp from the rest of the room. 

Ron was seething. 

“NOW CAN YOU EXPLAIN ME HOW MY GIRLFRIEND OF TWO YEARS GOT PREGNANT WHILE I WAS IN FRANCE!?”

Hermione’s vision blurred. She felt her bile building up her throat. She heard the whispers and the not so low comments behind her. 

“Morgana’s tits”

“Bloody hell”

“Now that’s more exciting than ancient runes”

“Hermione Granger?!”

Hermione couldn’t hold it in anymore. When she opened her mouth to either apologize, explain or tell Ron to fuck himself… She vomited all over his shoes. 

Amidst the chaos that erupted around her, she could only see Draco Malfoy chuckling as Pansy Parkinson sneered “Oh my! The golden girl got herself knocked up in school! Who could imagine it?”

Hermione fainted on Prof Babblings’ arms. The last thing she heard was:

“One would think the brightest witch of her age knew contraceptive charms.”