The Constant

Chapter One

Harry walked down the grand staircase, or what was supposed to be the grand staircase after emerging from Dumbledore's office. The memories he watched from the pensieve haunted his mind. He didn't know what to feel, should he feel angry? For Dumbledore kept this secret from him since he was old enough to understand? Or should he feel sad? That he would leave this world behind, all his friends, the Weasleys, Hagrid, the Dursleys even, who had provided him a roof and some rations, even if they weren't exactly on good terms, they still catered him when he was sent to their footstep, even if it was only the bare necessities… Hermione. Maybe he should feel contented? He would finally be with his parents, the one wish that he had longed since birth, for someone to care for him truly, selflessly, and for once to be spoiled like every infant would be. He would be with Sirius, Remus, even his ancestors, maybe his grandparents. Harry smiled at the thought of his family waiting for him, engulfing him into hugs, his first hug with Mom and Dad.

"Harry!" He heard a familiar angelic voice whispering his name, the thick British accent stressing the 'a'.

"Mate. We thought... we thought you went and gave yourself up." Another voice spoke up, quivering at the thought of him sacrificing for the sake of the wizarding world.

Harry grimaced at their words. He was hoping that he could walk his final steps alone, just as he had come to this world, alone, with nobody. He knew he had to do this, in order to end the agony of Magical Britain. He knew that even if it was hard to leave all of them behind, leave Hermione behind, knowing they would weep for him where he would be surrounded by his family in the Land of the Dead. But he had to go, he had to play Voldemort's game his way, destroying his second last horcrux.

Once he was dead, there will only be Nagini left, and he have full confidence in his friends and comrades to finish the DA's final task, the Order of Phoenix's final task and bring the Magical Britain to peace.

"You are not seriously thinking of going there are you?" The stern voice that ordered him to finish his homework and studies growled in front of him, a hint of fear and anxiousness mixed in with the stern feline voice, making it even harder to let the people around him go.

"Say something mate. Something." The other voice seemed desperate, the pupils in his blue eyes dilated with fear and desperation.

"Hermione, Ron, I have to." Harry barely choked out the two names that remained a constant in his magical years. With these five words, sobs echoed in the large space and a tight fist was ready to punch if it weren't for the little self control Ron had.

"I have to." Harry repeated and walked down the backed up, closing to the opened archway that was blown open awkwardly.

"Harry James Potter you stop this instant." Hermione's voice bellowed in a way that a beast was ready to attack its prey any moment. Harry's footsteps came to a halt as Hermione's piercing amber brown eyes stared into his very own soul.

"Why?" Hermione barely whispered, her soft muffled sobs echoing in the vast space again, but Harry heard her words loud and clear.

"I am the seventh horcrux. When I go, there is only Nagini left, and... and when you kill it, it'll all be over. You'll have a peaceful life a..." Harry was cut short by a agonic yell.

"I DON'T CARE! WHY DOES IT ALWAYS HAVE TO BE YOU? WHY?" Hermione yelled in woe, her agonic voice piercing Harry's mind, heart and soul. Hermione crushed into him, hugging him as if he was her sole life source. He could feel his shirt wet from her hot tears and snot as Ron stood nearby, his own eyes watering as he tried very hard to contain himself. Harry gently lifted his aching arms and hugged Hermione back, pulling her closer if it was possible.

"I know it's hard, but I have to." Harry softly whispered.

"No... there has to be another way." Hermione refused to let the vicious reality settle in as she clung to him tightly.

"There's no other way, Hermione. I wish there was but I'll finally be with my parents you know and maybe I'll finally know what a family feels like, also..." Harry continued to rant but was cut short again."

"No."

"I have to go Hermione. I have to." Harry whispered again in a finalised tone. Hermione knew it was the end of the discussion but she still refused to let go, every single second clung to him is every second more he is alive in this world. Harry place his hand on her abdomen and whispered one last time into her ears.

"I love you, Hermione Jean."

With that, Harry forced Hermione to let go and he quickly shot Ron the saddest but the widest smile, expressing his gratitude on him being his constant and first ever friend. Ron nodded his head in appreciation as he scooped Hermione into his own arms, cradling her and preventing her to go after Harry as Harry rushed out of the archway and disappeared into plain sight.

–

"Hermione, we have to find Nagini. Please." Ron plead for what felt like the millionth time and Hermione looked up at him with her tear stained face. Her eyes expressed nothing but determination as she spoke for the first time in eternity.

"Nagini." Hermione walked out to the archway in search of the snake, ready to slaughter it like a coldblooded queen. Ron followed closely behind as they entered the grounds, where a lot of people were watching them expectantly.

"Where's Harry?" Ginny whispered carefully. "Where's Harry?!"Ginny asked once more in a more demanding manner as two-third of the golden trio grimaced at her question.

"Nagini." Hermione repeated bluntly as she walked past the crowd, leaving a trail of her powerful aura behind her.

As if on cue, a long snake slithered into her sight as a large crowd of death eaters flew in in their shadowy robes. As Hermione charged, the sword of Gryffindor solidified in her grasp as she slaughtered every death eater that came in her way, where her comrades duelled with every death eater that blocked their way to peace. Beams of light emitted from various wands as the fight continued endlessly. Finally Hermione closed up onto Nagini who was oblivious to the danger prone to it.

One slash was all she needed to avenge for the love of her life.

–

Meanwhile in the forest, Harry clutched the his very first snitch tightly in his fist. As he was halfway to the Land of the Dead, he examined the mysterious stitch one last time as it opened up, revealing a red stone.

"I open at the close. The close." Harry mumbled to himself softly as he carefully took the red stone in his hands. A greyish mist surrounded him and he stopped at the impossible sight in front of him.

"Mom. Dad." Harry whispered silently as he saw his parents for the first time in his life.

"My dear Harry, you have grown into such a great, handsome man." Lily spoke, letting her tears fall freely from her eyes.

"Son." James simply acknowledged, but his wide grin and gleaming eyes said it all.

"Sirius, Remus, Tonks." Harry acknowledged at the new arrivals as they all smiled at him sadly.

"Harry, I m very proud of you, of what you have become, under harsh circumstances." Sirius blinked back the tears that threatened to fall.

"Siruis, Mom, Dad, I will be with you all in no time."

"We know, Prongslet. It's... it's very unfair that you didn't get to enjoy the beauty of peace and life." Lily sobbed.

"Will you stay with me?" Harry asked, his voice quivering.

"We will. We always will." Lily answered firmly. Harry glanced at his family once more and turned on his heels, feeling at peace finally, as he greet Death as his old friend, ready to join his family. After all, him and Death had had close encounters.

Harry ventured into the forest, finding Voldemort and his troop as he glanced into every possible turn in searching for the dark hooded figures and a pale inhuman face. On god knows how many turns he had made, he finally came across the destiny of his life, the one man that has decided how his life would have gone before he was even out of his mother's womb.

Crig.

Harry stepped on a random trip on the ground, announcing his arrival as Voldemort and his troop turned over. Voldemort instantly had his malicious smile replace his murderous frown as he measured Harry in wonder.

"Well well well! What do we have here? Itzy. Bitzy. Baby. Potter." Bellatrix slowly closed into Harry as she measured him around a circle, her crooked fingers brushing Harry's chin lightly. She laughed maliciously as she saw Harry held his fists until his knuckles turned white, tight lipped and his brows merged into a unibrow from his deep frown.

"That's. Enough. Bella." Voldemort shot Bellatrix a warning glare as Bellatrix shrunk at his threat.

"Ap..pologies. My.. O Lord." Bellatrix apologised guiltily as she backed up cautiously, not wanting to anger the Dark Lord and miss Harry Potter's grand death.

"Harry Potter. The boy who… lived." Voldemort acknowledged Harry's prescence with a stress on the 'ed' of lived. The death eaters launched into a fit of laughter as Voldemort finished the sentence, but fell into silence as Voldemort held his wand up.

"I suppose you could have a taste of what death feels like first." Voldemort grinned wickedly as he pointed his wand at Harry.

"Crucio." On his command, a vile light beam shot out and hit Harry straight in his abdomen. His cries of agony could be heard all over the forest as the death eaters watched the boy who lived in wonder. How he had been the saviour of the wizarding world, until he was here, on his knees, under their Dark Lord's mercy.

Voldemort flicked his wand at a random tree and cancelled the cruciatus spell where Harry clutched his abdomen in torment. He was about to recover and stand up and Voldemort pointed his wand at Harry once again.

"Imperio." Voldemort comanded. Harry's eyes fluttered and his irises clouded, the death eaters observed in amusement at the downfall of the great Harry Potter.

"Kneel." Voldemort directed at the imperiused Harry as he knelt down in front of him, under the influence of his wand movements.

"Beg, to die." Voldemort barely whispered into the utter silence of the forbidden forest.

"Please… kill… m… me." Harry said reluctantly, trying to fight off the effects of the imperius curse.

"Gladly." Voldemort answered and he yelled cheerfully.

"Avada." Voldemort started. "Kedavr…"

Before Voldemort can pronounce his very last syllable to end Harry's life, he too yelled in agony as Harry lay there on the earth, a black mist screeching as it left his scar, and not a twitch was seen after that. Slowly, Voldemort crumbled to dust, with his death eaters following suit. One by one every death eater marked by Voldemort withered in intense pain with their magical core weakening rapidly, they all started to fall until their bodies laid on the earth with their master and his sole enemy.

–

"He's done it." Ron spoke softly, his eyes brimming with tears. "He's done it." He repeated.

"He really did." Hermione confirmed, sobbing, with one hand resting on her abdomen. She lifted the sword of Gryffindor contaminated with fresh, dark blood of the horcrux as it slowly vanished in thin air. When her task is done, she only had one thing in mind.

"Harry." She spoke finally, the one word caught everyone's attention as they looked at her expectantly.

Ginny spoke first. As hot-tempered as she is, she warned. "Where. Is. He."

Hermione did not reply, instead, she lifted her lead-heavy limbs and walked as fast as she could to the forbidden forest. She was determined to retrieve his body even if she knew he could not be woken up this time, she needed to see it for sure, she needed to confirm the horrible fact.

"I said. WHERE IS HE!" Ginny asked once more, yelling the last of her sentence in anguish. Hermione simply grimace and got out of her hold. Ron came between the two girls as he ushered Ginny back with the others.

"Ronald Bilius Weasley, I will not." Ginny looked at his brother with piercing eyes and fiery red hair, ready to combust when needed. "I will not leave with the others. Bring me or kill me." Ginny threatened and Ron gulped in fear.

"THAT'S IT!" Hermione bellowed, tired of the expectant eyes from her comrades and Ginny's demands. "YOU ALL EITHER SHUT THE FUCK UP, OR…" Everyone flinched at the brightest witch of their age cursing and Hermione got fed up from the noise as she raised her wand and swung it in a large circular motion. "Petrificus Totalus!" Hermione bellowed and about twenty figures fell onto the ground, creating a loud thump. The expression on Ginny's face is beyond furious while two unpetrified stared at Hermione in worry. Hermione turned on her heels and stomped into the forbidden forest, determined to recover the body of the love of her life.

"What… what's with her?" Neville spoke up and Ron turned around abruptly, facing his teacher and his roomate.

"McGonagall, Neville, you know we were hunting for horcruxes right?" McGonagall and Neville nodded in agreement. "After Hermione and I were tasked to go into the Chamber of Secrets to retrieve some basilisk fangs and kill the horcruxes, we searched for Harry after we killed Hufflepuff's cup. We couldn't find him anywhere and we were searching frantically, fearing that he might have stupidly gone and gave himself up." McGonagall grimaced at the idea of Harry being dead and Ron continued. "We were at the grand staircase when Harry descended from the top of it. Hermione and I were overjoyed, at least he wasn't being a stupid git following his saving-people thing. Then when Hermione threw him the important question on whether he was going to surrender himself up, Harry nodded guiltily and explained how he knew that he was an accidental horcrux created after his mother died from one of Dumbledore's memories he saw in the pensieve of his office. Hermione was devastated then, not letting him go as she clung to him. The two of them exchanged and I heard Harry trying to explain and reassure Hermione that he would be with his parents. He… He said when he was gone, there'd only be Nagini left… and…" Ron couldn't continue as the sobs finally caught him and he broke down, trying to contain himself even if he couldn't. Neville gave him a quick embrace and his own tears fell as well.

"I'm very sorry Ronald." It was McGonagalls's turn to embrace one of her favourtie student, even if Ron wasn't acdemically advanced. Her own tears threatened to fall but her teacher demanour witheld strongly, wanting to provide support for her students.

"Are.. are we go...ing to find… hi...is b...b…body...y?" Neville asked, his voice quivering from his own sobs and Ron nodded grimly.

"Come on my boys." McGonagall brushed her own tears away from the brim of her eyes. "Let's do Harry Potter our last honour." Thinking of the happy memories McGonagall shared with her deceased husband, she raised her wand and summoned her silver tabby cat patronus. "Go to Poppy Pomfrey, request her to meet me in the forbidden forest, to exam...m...mine a b...body...y."

As the silver tabby cat leaped off for her target, the three of them probed into the forest in search of Harry's body. As they ventured into the forest, they started to hear muffled weeps and sobs from not far left. The three of them followed the voice as they made there what, The millionth? Turn. And the scene in front of their eyes broke their hearts and blurred their vision.

–

Hermione knelt on the ground beside Harry's body, weeping as she held him close. She was not aware of four new arrivals at Harry's body near the Centaur Coven. She had one hand grasped onto Harry's ice cold ones and the other on her abdomen. Harry's last words kept ringing in her ear, the earnest, the sincerity, the depth of his emotions. She couldn't control herself as endless tears pooled out of her eyes, her already bloody shirt stained even more.

"Miss Granger, please, can I examine him?" Madame Pomfrey asked quietly as she placed her hand on Hermione's shoulder comfortingly. Hermione slowly nodded and scooted so Madame Pomfrey could perform her examination, her hand however, never left Harry's ice cold ones.

"Corporalis examen." (physical examination) Madame Pomfrey enchanted and a bunch of numbers and letters emerged from her wand, forming a line above Harry's body as the numbers glowed orange, Madame Pomfrey observed the numbers and the changes of it until she gasped. She took out a brooch quickly and fastened it onto Harry's shirt. Instantly, his body was portkeyed away by the brooch. Hermione looked at Madame Pomfrey angrily as Madame Pomfrey explained quickly.

"Mister Potter is not dead." The four eyes gleamed in hope as Hermione launched into a chain of questions.

"Where is he? He isn't dead? How? Is he in the hospital wing?"

"Patience, Miss Granger. Mister Potter is being portkeyed into his own reserved ward in St. Mungos. The Healers had suspected serious injuries from Mister Potter when Mister Potter decided to take the toll on himself and leave the safety of Hogwarts. I always have a brooch or two on myself to transport patients to St. Mungos for immediate treatment." Madame Pomfrey quickly explained and Hermione twisted on the spot, much to the others surprise. She shouldn't be able to apparate within Hogwarts.

"Take these brooches, they will bring you to the reception lobby of St. Mungos." Madame Pomfrey stuffed another three brooches to the hands of Neville, Ron and McGonagall.

"Go, Neville and Ronald. I will be there shortly after unbinding the others." McGonagall ordered and the two boys nodded curtly before getting sucked into the brooch.

"Poppy, mind if you help unbinding at least twenty people on the grounds?" McGonagall invited as they made their way out of the forest.

"Who?" Poppy questioned

"Our allies. Hermione bound them after they were pampering her with loads of questions before she ventured into the forest." McGonagall explained as they arrived at the sight. The fearful expression on their faces could still be seen as the two of them 'finite incatemed' them one by one.

"Accio empty pepper up potion jar!" Madame Pomfrey commanded. The jar flew from the broken window into Madame Pomfrey's hands. "Hold on to this everyone, this will save you steps to the hospital wing." Everyone obliged and twenty people were being whisked away into the castle.

–

Hermione landed in the middle of Harry's reserved ward as the healers looked at her in question. One of the healers recovered quickly and recognized her and greeted.

"What a surprise, Miss Granger." Hermione nodded curtly at the healer as the healer continued. "I'm Healer Jen Montague and this is Healer Donald Griener, Healer Pandora Litzen and Mediwizard Alvero Quetiño ." The raven haired, dark skinned witch introduced.

"How's he." Hermione breathed out, not taking her eyes off at Harry's peaceful body.

"Mister Potter is currently in a very critical yet stable comatose situation. We predict that there might be a very chance that he won't wake up for a long time, but generally his vitals have been stabilized and he is functioning physically well, if not a bit slow due to his coma. The magical dosage report shows that there has been three cruciatus curse performed on him prior to his comatose, as well as one imperius curse and one incomplete killing curse." Hermione turned even paler at Healer Montague's words.

"Miss Granger, I suspect you just came out of a vicious battle and I suggest you get yourself checked up as well. Healer Litzen can do it for you if you like." The blonde haired, violet eyed healer shot Hermione a comforting smile as Hermione nodded reluctantly.

"Come on Miss Granger, we will perform the examination just next door. I promise you will be back in no time." Hermione left Harry's side reluctantly as she walked into the room next door.

When Hermione laid down on the hospital cot, Healer Litzen quickly casted multiple charms on her, checking her general vitals and scanning for internal injuries.

"You have three fractured bones, one on your right forearm, one near your ankles and the last one on your left wrist. You also suffer from malnutrition as well as many cuts and bruises. However there is one information blurred and I need more time to interpret it."

"Healer Litzen, are you a obstetrician?" Hermione asked quietly.

"Yes, why?" The healer answered warily.

"I need you to swear a secrecy oath." Hermione requested.

"Miss Granger, I can very well assure you that the staff of St. Mungos will never disclose patients' information to the public, or to any other person to be frank." The healer reassured Hermione but Hermione's expression was insistant.

"Please, swear it. This is important." Hermione pleaded.

"Very well." Healer Litzen complied. "I, Pandora Diane Litzen swore on my life and magic that I will never expose Hermione…"

"Jean." Hermione supplied.

"...Hermione Jean Granger's secrets to any living creature, magical or non magical. So be it!" A yellowish aura surrounded Healer Litzen and she quickly casted a torch charm to prove her honesty.

"Thank you very much, Healer Litzen." Hermione smiled in gratitude.

"You are welcome. Now back to your question." Healer Litzen smiled warmly.

"This information is protected under the fidelius charm, so even if you wanted to expose me, you would not be able to unless you are conversing with me or anyone who got the information from me, as the secret keeper." Hermione started and Healer Litzen looked at her solemnly. Hermione passed Healer Litzen a piece of scrap parchment she withdrew from her magically expanded beaded bag and Healer Litzen took and read it.

Hermione Jean Granger is pregnant with Harry James Potter's child

The parchment combusted into ashes as a minute passed by, startling the healer. Healer Litzen looked at Hermione wide-eyedly and Hermione nodded her head in affirmation. Healer Litzen looked at the monitoring spells again and the blurred information showed two glowing white dots with a number four next to it.

"Miss Granger, your babies are already four months along and we can see the gender." Healer Litzen informed and Hermione's eyes lit up for the first time since her and Harry discovered she was pregnant.

"Babies?" Hermione asked, stunned.

"Yes, babies. It seems like they are twins." Healer Litzen confirmed with a wide grin. Hermione smiled for the very first time since Ron returned. Her and Harry knew how the reality would crush Ron and kept their relationship and pregnancy a secret. She applied a glamour charm on herself to hide the bump, and later a fidelius performed by Harry after several midnight lessons.

"Before we reveal the gender, might I know approximately when was the baby conceived?" Healer Litzen asked politely.

"About early Feburary, a few days before Ron came back." Hermione replied.

"Alright let's see…" Healer Litzen murmured an incantation and the information on Hermione's womb detailed, while the others disappeared. Healer Litzen pointed to both of the glowing white dots and murmured another other incantation. Seconds later, both dots slowly turned pink.

"Congratulation Miss Granger, you are carrying two little girls. It is also very lucky that they are in perfect condition even after an intense battle." Healer Litzen announced and tears started to stain Hermione's eyes.

"My baby girls." She murmured lovingly.

"Well, your estimated due date will be the third of October to ninth of October. I would prefer it if you come for weekly check ups in these two months since the babies had gone through a battle afterall and later reduced into monthly check ups." Hermione nodded her head in confirmation.

"So now, about your physical condition, I will give you some mild skelegrow for you to drink every six hours. In about a week, your bone fractures should be repaired and good as new. As for your cuts and bruises, I will give you some bruise salve, pregnant-proof dittany and extra blood replenishers that you should apply every four hours and intake the replenisher every three hours considering how much blood you have lost in this journey throughout the year. Last, you will have to drink the nutrient plus potion every hour mixed into a glass of water and I will give you a list of muggle supplements for you to purchase in the muggle world. The detailed list will be give to you later. Sometimes muggles do have some amazing stuff." Healer Litzen quickly explained her treatments and Hermione listened to every word attentively.

"Will I have to stay here in the hospital?" Hermione asked lastly.

"Considering your pregnancy and your situation, I will prefer you to stay for at least a month so that we can monitor your progress and make sure that the babies are safe, in case there is something we didn't discover just now. The month will also allow you to fully replenish your blood so that your cardiovascular system can be up and good again."

"Alright. Can I stay in a private room?" Hermione requested and Healer Litzen smiled warmly.

"I can arrange that surely, considering your fame now and your current situation. I could probably get you settled in an en suite."

"Can I get back to Harry now?" Hermione asked impatiently.

"Of course, Miss Granger." Healer Litzen stood up and she helped Hermione up from her cot.

"Call me Hermione please." Hermione gave her a small grin and Healer Litzen returned the favour.

"Sure, Hermione."

–

Ron and Neville sat near Harry's bedside as Healer Montague, Healer Griener and Mediwizard Quetiño fumbled around Harry, casting different healing spells and recasting the monitor charms. Healer Montague quickly explained Harry's situation to the two boys and the boys remained emotionless, basking in their own sorrow about their dear friend's unfortunate.

A red-headed troop busted into the ward, followed by a worried McGonagall, alerting the Healers as they erected a bubble shield around themselves and Harry so that they could work without disturbance. Ginny and Molly attempted to get into the bubble but was rejected with a jolt. They stayed as close to the bubbles as possible as they watched the healers work anxiously, Ginny's cries could be heard everywhere as her sibling tried to calm her down, with Neville and Ron sitting and observing in silence. Not long after Ginny had calmed down slightly, Ron stood up and explained Harry's situation to his family, which only made the situation worse as the wails worsened.

Hermione reentered not long after, a bit stunned at the crowded situation in Harry's ward. Healer Litzen quickly expanded the ward and she herself entered the bubble to help her fellow Healers. Hermione scowled at the situation and slammed the door harshly, alerting everyone of her presence.

"It was you… IT WAS YOU! YOU KNEW WHERE HE WAS, AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME. YOU COULD'VE STOP HIM FROM GOING, BUT YOU DIDN'T! YOU CAUSED ALL OF THIS! ALL OF THIS!" Ginny yelled at Hermione pointedly in agony as Hermione remained emotionless. Ginny continued to scold Hermione where she was trying very hard to contain herself from letting her tears free again and not kill the red head right here right now with a reducto curse. Finally Ron stepped in and separated his sister from Hermione.

"That's enough Ginny. THAT'S ENOUGH! Do not yell at somebody without reason, especially at my friends!"

"Without reason? WITHOUT REASON?! SHE IS THE VERY CAUSE OF HARRY BEING IN A COMA! SHE IS!" Ginny continued to yell unreasonably and pointed her fingers at Hermione repeatedly. Ron was really angry now as he yelled back. "HERMIONE IS NOT THE FREAKING CAUSE OF EVERYTHING GINEVRA! HARRY WAS A HOCRUX! IF HE DID NOT GO AND SURRENDER HIMSELF, YOU AND I WOULD HAVE OUR HEADS HUNG IN THE PUBLIC SQUARE NOW!" Ron exploded as Ginny flinched at his brother's temper.

"Shut up. I SAID SHUT UP!" Hermione bellowed dangerously and everyone looked at her fearfully. The aura that had led to twenty people being body-bound resurfaced as they watched her every little movement cautiously, afraid of the consequences.

"Out. Out all of you." Hermione simply commanded, but nobody ignored her command. Hermione's wand was pointed towards the door as Fred, George, Bill, Charlie, Arthur, McGonagall and Neville exited quickly, leaving Ron, Molly and Ginny in the ward.

"Have I not made myself clear? I said OUT!" Hermione pointed at the door once more as Molly charged up to Hermione.

"Who are you to command us? You have NO authority over Harry!"

"Neither do you. Morrigan. I do not believe that under such vile circumstances the healers would be able to focus and stablise Harry and Harry would definitely not appreciate the quarrelsome environemnt he is under." Hermione returned, her eyes daring Molly to continue to antagonise her.

"I am his girlfriend. You have no say over him." Ginny threatened but Hermione simply responded.

"I'm pretty sure he broke things up with you before we went for the horcrux hunt Ginevra. So you are not his girlfriend. Leave." Hermione pointed at the door one last time as Ginny stomped out of the room with Molly following behind dramatically.

"Hermio…" Ron started.

"Bring McGonagall in please, he's Harry's magical guardian now." Hermione requested softly, burying her head in her hands.

"Alright…" Ron opened the door and called out softly. "Professor McGonagall, Hermione wanted to talk to you." McGonagall nodded her head and slipped in the ward after Ron.

"Hermione… I am really sorry for what had happened."

"It's not your fault, Professor. You are Harry's magical guardian now, you will have say over him." Hermione gave McGonagall a small smile, or what it intended to be. McGonagall went up and embraced her favourite student tightly.

"Oh Hermione!" McGonagall comforted as Hermione finally let all her emotions go in the arms of her favourite professor.

"And, please Hermione, call me Minerva."

"I'll try, Pro… Minerva. It'll be quite the change." Hermione let out a small chuckle as McGonagall smiled at her warmly.

"I will leave you with Ronald then. I need to settle some business for Hogwarts first." McGonagall excused herself from the ward.

The two-third of the golden trio remained in the room in a comfortable silence as they all digested their own feelings, of sorrow, of anguish, of peace.

"So…" Ron broke the silence. "It's just us now isn't it?"

"No…" Hermione started and took a deep breathe. She passed the newly written piece of scrap parchment to Ron.

Hermione Jean Granger is pregnant with Harry James Potter's twin girls

"We have the girls. And… Harry. He's… he's just going to be silent for a while." Hermione grimaced.

"So I was right then, that you two had a thing." Ron asked calmly.

"No. Not exactly. I… I definitely have very strong non-platonic feeling for him then, but before you left, he didn't notice and I was suppressing it so hard. And after a few months, we leaned onto each other for support and we talked from the bottom of our hearts, the only thing that kept us sane." Hermione stopped and brushed her tears off her cheeks and continued. "Once he confessed about he feelings being the last Potter in the world, and he thought that his parents and Sirius would be very disappointed at him. I tried to reassure him before he made a request…" Hermione was cut short by Ron.

"For you to bear his offspring."

"Yes." Hermione nodded. "I wouldn't mind doing so even if I never had the non-platonic feelings for him. And with these romantic emotions, I boldly suggested that we should do it traditionally."

"To date and to fall in love." Ron completed.

Hermione nodded again. "I basically confessed and then days before you came back, they were conceived." Hermione finished.

"So you weren't having a weak digestive system, you were having your morning sickness." Ron stated. It wasn't even a question, it was a flat out fact.

"Who knows?" Ron asked again.

"Harry, Me, Healer Litzen who swore a secrecy oath in addition to my fidelius charm and you." Hermione counted. "You're not mad?" Hermione examined Ron's expression and her eyebrows quirked every so slightly.

"No. I mean, it hurt when you chose him over me, which I had already known for years. It was my very fear to be overshadowed by everyone. You being the brightest witch of our age, Harry… being Harry and my brothers all had something unique to them. Even Ginny being the only female Weasley in the family except Mom had something special. But all those months at Shell Cottage with Bill talking to me and trying to get some sense in my head, I knew I had no chance by the way you look at him and how he's so different around you. I had gotten over that for some time now." Ron confessed and Hermione fidgeted her fingers guiltily.

"I'm sorry Ron. I really am." Hermione apologized and Ron gave her a weak smile.

"You have nothing to be sorry for Hermione, sometimes you just can't help who you fall for. But know that I will help you throughout your pregnancy and to look after the girls okay? You're still my best friend even if you force me to study like you do." Hermione grinned and chuckled with her tears still falling free from the brim of her eyes.

"I was not that bad."

"They are both girls?" Ron asked. Hermione nodded and she looked at her bump affectionately.

"Have you been thinking on names?" Ron asked again and Hermione shook her head. "I haven't." She admitted. "But thanks for reminding me though."

"Harry, you better wake up before Hermione give birth to your baby girls, or they might mistake me as their father." Ron joked at Harry, whose Healers have now exited the room.

Hermione chuckled. "Harry James Potter, remind me why did I come to terms with Ronald here again in first year?"

Both of them chuckled and they fell into silence. Tomorrow will be a new day, a Voldemort-free new day, one day closer to bringing her girls into the world.

Author's note!

Hello world! Lia speaking here. I am very excited to launch this story today and if you know me, I'm also the creator of Hecate's Blessing, a Percy Jackson crossover Harry Potter fanfiction. I love to write and sadly, this is not a crossover for those who wish to see another. I hope you enjoy the first three chapters of the story and I can't wait to hear your thoughts about it!