Disclaimer: I do not own ANYTHING in this story!!!!! Except for the idea, I suppose.

AN: Hey everyone out there, I have a horrid cold and this popped into my mind. Hermione's daughter asks why her mum lub's her father and not loves. It all happens during a sick day…

Oh and just letting you all know, I am NOT stopping Tragedy, I just had an explosion of inspiration for this story and went with it!

R/R Please, but be kind!

*Stary

"Mummy?"

"Yes dear?" Hermione questioned her eldest daughter.

"Why do you and daddy say you lub each other?"

"What?" Hermione asked, cocking her head at her daughter.

"Why do you say you lub each other? You should tell daddy you love him. I mean you say love sometimes and lub other times. Why?"

Hermione laughed, "I haven't thought about that in a while Lily. Well, let me tell you why…."

Hermione Granger sat in potions class during her eight year of school, not seventh, since they were off battling Voldemort during that year, not focusing at all on what was being said. Her best friend and ex-boyfriend sat to the left of her, his red hair falling over his eyes as he stared blankly at the board in front of him, her other best friend and current boyfriend sat to the right of her, focusing more on levitating his quill a mere two inches off the desk using wandless magic. She shook her head and willed herself to begin focusing and concentrating on the potion directions in front of her, because she knew that the boys would be looking to her for the right ingredients. She just didn't care right now. It was the dead of winter and colds were running rampant through the school. As head girl, she was in charge of making sure all the girls who were sick were taken care of. She would have girls coming to her room at any time complaining that they were sick and needed to go down to the hospital wing, which she would be in charge of doing. Sometime during that time she had managed to get a horrid headache. She knew what was coming, and would be fighting it till the end. It was rare that she became sick with anything, but when she did, she was moody, irritable, and downright miserable to anyone and anything around her. She was usually out of commission for several days, which she could not afford since NEWTs were only a mere five months away. The clock seemed to stand still as the class droned on. She heard the wind whipping around the windows, knocking branches into the glass. She wanted nothing more than to go back to her room and craw into bed. As she thought about that, she faintly heard the familiar voice call, 'Miss Granger?'

Shaking herself from her daydream she looked at the professor, "I'm sorry Professor Grant." She stated,

"What was the question?"

"Not paying attention then?" He stated, "Could someone else help Miss Granger with the answer? Perhaps someone who knows what the fourth step is?"

"Add Lacewing and stir counter clockwise for thirty strokes." Neville said, calling out to the old Professor.

"Thank you Mr. Longbottom, next time, kindly raise your hand."

Neville turned pink and looked over at Hermione who looked gratefully back at him. He nodded and continued reading his potions book. Hermione turned to the other table and found that they were three pages further than what she was on. She quickly turned her pages and sat up, trying to listen to the professor, but her head pounded, "Alright then?" Ron asked her, as she nodded.

"I'm fine." She said, trying to focus.

"We need to go and get the supplies." Harry said, as he and Ron stood up.

Hermione nodded and continued to stay put in her chair, reading up on what she missed. She knew that they had thirty minutes to properly turn the potion a deep aqua color, but she didn't know what it did. She looked through the book and finally read that it was suppose to cure you of hiccups. She frowned, thinking that something so simple to cure would be done in a much more complicated potion. A potion that she would never use, nor anyone else because hiccups went away on their own, "This is bloody ridiculous." She cursed as Harry sat down next to her.

"Hermione, you cursed!" He said in mock awe.

"Oh shut up." She grumbled, as he gently squeezed her hand, which offered her a bit of comfort.

"Bit testy today Hermione." He said, "Everything alright?"
"Fine." She said, feeling the pressure between her eyes build.

"All this to cure hiccups." Ron scoffed.

"My thoughts exactly Ronald." Hermione replied, as they got to work. Thirty minutes later, the potion to cure hiccups was completed.

"Well, who has hiccups?" Professor Grant asked. No one raised their hand, "I suppose we'll have to try this potion another day. Bottle it up, and you'll be on your way."

"Unbelievable!" Hermione groaned, "All this work for NOTHING!"

"Easy Hermione." Harry said in a low voice.

"I'm tired of this." She grumbled, "It makes me miss Professor Snape as our Potions Master. He at least gave us potions that challenged us and made sense for us to brew."

"Well you can see him during Defense against the Dark Arts." Harry said, "Which starts in less than an hour."

Hermione nodded, "I suppose."

"Come on, we've got a bit of free time." Ron said, as the trio walked out of the potions classroom and back to the Gryffindor Tower. The Tower was too crowded for the three, so they decided to head to the much more quiet head student's quarters. Hermione and Harry shared a common room, but had separate bedrooms, each with a bathroom and a common room of their own. Neither one used their separate common rooms much, and their friends always were in their main common room. Hermione and Harry took a seat on the couch, where Harry wrapped his arm around her. Her head still pounded, but she felt safe wrapped in his arms. She leaned against his shoulder, as the three sat and talked. The room was a bit chilly, so Ron, sitting closest to the fire, used his wand to light the fire. Hermione shivered slightly against Harry, causing him to look down, "Alright?"

"I'm fine." She stated again, glad to have the added heat of both the fire and his body against her.

Ron rolled his eyes at the pair, "You two are disgusting. You lot haven't even been dating for more than two months and already act like you have been dating for years."

"You're just jealous that we didn't work out." Hermione said sticking her tongue out at him playfully.

"That's gotta be it." He said sarcastically, rolling his eyes as they waited for class to begin.

During those forty minutes, Hermione's head pounded harder than ever, and her throat began to ache. She felt as if she swallowed sandpaper and when she talked it was ninety percent worse than before. 'Wonderful Hermione. You're getting sick.' She sighed. She would normally go down for pepper-up potion, however, this particular illness had little relief with pepper-up, so she would have to just deal with it herself, until it passed. Defense Against the Dark Arts seemed to last longer than before as well. She felt heavy as she sat next to Harry, holding her head up by her fist placed strategically against her chin. The normally warm classroom felt cold and she found herself shivering more than usual. She focused as well as she could on the long lecture of their Defense Class. Hermione was almost lulled into sleep by the silky voice of their professor. The wind kept her awake thankfully, hearing the trees knock against the windows of the classroom. She answered one question, which was strange for her. She usually was the one with her hand up all the time, even now that they have had years, she still enjoyed answering questions. It made her feel satisfied with her schooling. Today, she just wanted to get through the day. She had to check on a few of the Gryffindor's in the hospital wing before she headed back to the comfort of her bed. The two hour long class finally ended at four in the afternoon. Hermione gathered her books and pulled her bag over her shoulder and took her boyfriends hand, as they walked out of the cool classroom and into the freezing hallway. Shivering, Harry wrapped his arm around her. She warmed slightly at the added body heat.

"Going back to the common room?"

"No, I need to stop at the hospital wing to check on a couple of the girls, making sure that they are doing alright."

Harry nodded, "Alright then." He smiled, "Do you want company?"

She grinned, "How do you think the girls would feel seeing the famous Harry Potter coming into the room when they are sick?"

"I suppose you're right." He groaned.

"You are the chosen one." She teased him, getting poked in the sides playfully, squealing a bit.

"Actually, you are." He laughed.

Hermione nodded, "Or the other way around. Well, I'll see you in a little while then."

"Alright. Don't be too long." He smiled.

"I won't." Hermione smiled, and as he placed a simple kiss on her lips, she walked the short distance to the hospital wing, "Hello Madam Pomfrey."

"Hello Hermione, how are you?"

"I'm fine, thank you." She said, "How the girls doing?"

"We're up two more." She sighed, "Though, Miss Abrams went back to Ravenclaw Tower earlier tonight.

She was finally feeling better. I have one new Hufflepuff, Miss Rork, and one new Gryffindor, Miss Kent."

Hermione nodded, "Can I do anything?"

"No, but keep in mind, you don't want to run yourself down, because this cold is nasty."

"I know." She said, not letting on that she was beginning to feel the effects.

"I'll see you later then?"

"Right, thank you Madam." She said, walking over to the girls to briefly check on them, before heading upstairs to Gryffindor Tower to meet up with her friends.

It was the weekend, and classes were over for the day, so she went into her bedroom and changed out of her robes and into something more comfortable. She opted for a pair of jeans and an oversized sweater, one that was extremely warm. She tied her hair back into a simple ponytail and walked into the head boy and girl's joint common room. She sat down on the couch, in front of the warm fire and pulled her legs under her. Harry was out and about, most likely on rounds or checking on some of the ill boys in the tower. She pulled out a book that was on the end table and begun to read, until her boyfriend came back, "Dinner, are you hungry?" She heard a voice call to her.

Hermione opened her eyes, unaware that she had been asleep. She sat up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, "Um… what time is it?" She said, a bit discombobulated.

"Five thirty. Are you ready for dinner?"

Clearing her throat, she responded, "I suppose."

He helped her up, and the pair walked to the Main Hall, meeting up with their other friends. Hermione was chilled to the bone. She couldn't seem to get warm. Her appetite was nonexistent as they sat at the long tables designated for the four houses. She shivered, as the food appeared on the table. She opted for a cup of tea to start herself out. She hoped that it would relieve the aching in her throat. She drew the warmth out of the cup, through the skin of her hands, and saw Harry's concerned look cross his eyes as he realized she hadn't eaten yet. She forced a bit of food down her throat, mostly soft food so it would not hurt her throat. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She said, realizing that her voice was beginning to get raspier than before. She cleared her throat for the second time that night, and ate as much as she could, before pushing the food aside. She wiped her mouth on the cloth, and excused herself, saying that she needed to get back to work on her homework. As she walked, her body felt heavy, she was moving in slow motion and her vision seemed to haze over. She wanted nothing more than to get to her room and sleep. She felt the tickle in her throat strengthen and heard the deep cough in her chest, which was the tell tale sign that she was becoming sick. Coughing more often, no matter how hard she tried to suppress it, as she advanced up to the sixth floor, she made it to the tower and stated the password, being allowed to enter and walk straight into her room. As she passed through the common room she heard coughs and sneezes throughout the common room and from up the stairs. She went into her room, closing the common room door behind her, and then into her bedroom, curling right up on her bed, she scooted Crookshanks to the side, and curled under the thick blanket. She used the incendio charm to light the fire on the opposite side of the room for added warmth. She closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep. Two hours later, she awoke, looking at the clock on her nightstand, seeing that it was already eight in the evening. Rubbing her eyes, she stood up and walked out of her bedroom, finding Harry sitting by the fire, "I was wondering where you got to."

"I fell asleep."

"Again?"

She nodded, "I'm tired."

"Are you feeling alright?" He said, placing a gentle hand against her cheek, feeling for fever.

"I'm fine." She said, standing up, "We need to go on our rounds soon."

"I know. Why don't I do it tonight, and I'll grab Luna or Ginny, and you can stay and rest."

"I can do my job." She said, firmly.

"I know you can do it, but you're exhausted. They can take over for a night." He said.

She thought for a few seconds. Staying in the warmth of the Head dormitories did sound a lot more inviting. She looked at his face, checking his eyes, seeing that he was set in his ways, she nodded,

"Alright, but if they can't, come get me."

"No problem. Now, you need to go get a bath and relax. You're shivering."

Hermione hadn't realized how cold she was, however, knew that he was right. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, allowing his lips to linger, still apparently checking for fever, and said "I'll see you in an hour."

She nodded and smiled, "Bye."

"Bye." He said, and he walked to get one of his other friends. He found Luna first and asked if she would be willing to take the role of Head Girl from the night, which she accepted. The pair walked through the hall and he told her how he was certain that Hermione was ill. She smiled in her dreamy state and said,

"And you are worried?"

"I am."

"That's sweet." She smiled, "You know, in a way she's your lobster."

"My… my WHAT?!"

"It's true. Lobsters mate with one person for their lives."

"I wouldn't consider Hermione and I mating." He said, laughing at Luna.

"No, not yet, but you will." She smiled, "You love her."

"Luna…"

"No, you do. I can tell." She said, as they wandered through the second floor of the school.

"She's my best friend…"

"And you love her." She said, quite sure of herself, "Now, I know that you don't want to admit it yet, because you two have just started dating, but Harry, I can see it in your eyes, I can see it in her eyes. This is serious."

Harry nodded, "I just don't want to lose my best friend. I don't want to screw this up."

"She has the same fears."

Harry sat there, and all of the sudden felt extremely guilty for leaving her alone in the common room, knowing that his girlfriend was not feeling well. He picked up his pace as they walked.

"You're feeling guilty then?" Luna asked.

Harry turned and looked at her, as disbelief came across his features, "You are unbelievable."

"Thank you?" She questioned.

"I don't understand how you can be so intuitive."

"It's easy when you're strange." She smiled, "Or 'Loony'."
"You're not strange."

"Harry…" She said.

"Well, a little, I suppose, I just know that you are a great friend Luna, and I appreciate your input."

"Just keep a check on her. This cold gets nasty."
"Have you had it?"

Luna shook her head, "No, I took a potion to keep it away that daddy gave me. It's made of…"

Harry stopped her, "Luna, whatever you drank, I'm sure I won't understand it."
"No, I suppose you wouldn't." She smiled.

It was almost eleven by the time Harry dropped Luna off at Ravenclaw Tower. She bid him goodnight by a hug and he quickly made his way back to his dorm to check on Hermione. He walked into the common room expecting to see her sitting on the couch, waiting for her, but he didn't. He walked over to the bathroom and saw the door was open. He looked into her bedroom and saw her lying there with her hair spread out across her pillow. He smiled and closed the door, not wanting to bother her tonight. He went to his room, but kept his door open incase his girlfriend needed him.

He woke up the next day to a harsh coughing coming from out in the common room. Groaning he looked at the time and saw the time, "Six fifty nine." He groaned, but after blinking the clock changed to seven in the morning. He stood up and walked out of the bedroom, finding Hermione sitting on the couch with a mound of tissues around her, "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up." She said, coughing again.

Harry cocked his head to the side and gave her a look of pity. It was obvious that she had been up for some time. The only question that he could think of was quite obvious, but he needed her to admit it, "Sick?"
She nodded, and blew her nose in vane, knowing that it wouldn't do any good in the long run. She shivered under the blanket that was wrapped around her entire body. Harry placed a hand on her forehead, "You're a bit warm." She nodded again, "Can I get you anything?"
"No."

"Are you hungry?"
"Ugh, not at all." She sighed.

"Tea?"
She thought for a moment, "That would actually be wonderful."

"What kind?"
"Doesn't matter." She said, her voice raspy and nasal.

"Peppermint? Honey? Sugar in it? What?"
"Surprise me. You know how I like my tea." She said, just wanting something to sooth her aching throat.

She leaned her head against the arm of the couch and closed her eyes. He walked out and down to the kitchen to find something for her to drink and to hopefully find something that she could eat. He was concerned, and wanted to do everything in her power to make her feel better, and quickly. He decided on peppermint tea with a bit of honey and two scoops of sugar, they honey would hopefully help her raspy voice. He grabbed a bit of toast and jam, also hoping that she would be able to eat a bit and keep up her strength. He wanted nothing more than to make her feel better. Maybe Luna was right, maybe he did love her. That was something he would have to think about later. Right now, he had a very sick head girl up in the common room, waiting for her tea. He walked upstairs and came back to her, seeing that she was asleep yet again. Placing a perpetual warming charm on the tea, he sat on the chair across from his girlfriend and waited for her to wake up again. He knew that she needed sleep and let her get to that. He watched her closely, and saw that she was shivering. He grabbed his blanket and wrapped it around her. She sighed and snuggled deeper down against the couch. He brushed a curl that escaped from her ponytail out of her face, before he went out to meet up with Ginny and Ron for breakfast.

"Hermione not coming?" Ginny asked.

"No, she's got that cold that is going around." He said, sighing.

"Ugh, I can relate." Ginny nodded, just getting over the cold, "I still think it was more of the flu than a cold. Has she ate or drank anything?"
"I left tea and toast for her when she wakes up."

"Make sure she keeps drinking. I didn't want to do anything when I was sick."
"I know. Hermione said you were one hell of a patient." He smiled.

"I hate being sick."

"I'm sure no one likes it." Harry smiled, as they walked to breakfast.

Harry was preoccupied with the thought of Hermione being alone in the common room, as sick as she was. He felt guilty leaving her, even though she was sleeping. He felt himself rushing through his meal so he could be back there with her if she woke up. He wanted to take care of her, because she was his girlfriend. He felt a need to make her safe and secure. He ate and excused himself from the table making his way back to the tower. When he got inside, he placed his hand on her forehead, feeling how warm she was, he woke her up, "Hermione, come on into my room and lay down."
"No, I don't want to move." She mumbled.

"Come on, I'll help you." He said, carrying her into his room, he lied her on his bed. He covered her up with the many blankets found on his bed. She sighed and snuggled down deep against his red and gold silk sheets. He conjured up a thermometer and took her temperature, frowning when he saw it read 39 Celsius (102 F). He saw the thin line of sweat bead up on her forehead and over her upper lip, so he walked out of the bedroom and into the bathroom attached to his bedroom, wetting a cloth in the sink he brought it back to her. He gently wiped the sweat off her brow, trying to cool her scalding forehead. He sighed, but wanted to do everything in his power to take care of his girlfriend, even if it was risking himself to sickness. He kept the cool cloth on her forehead as she slept. He sat next to her, hearing the raspy cough that he was use to hearing through the winter. He smiled as he saw her hair spread out across his pillow. He realized he should have brought her to her own room, but he wanted to keep a closer watch on her. He couldn't have done that in her own room, they still have a bit of rules with a boy being in the girl's room, even if it is the head girl. The boys are only allowed in the girls room for twenty minutes, no longer.

She groaned and opened her eyes at one in the afternoon, looking around the room, realizing she wasn't in her own bed, but rather her boyfriend's. She let out a painful cough and sat up, as best as she could, "You're awake." He smiled. She nodded, and leaned against his pillows, "How are you feeling?"
"Not too good." She said, sniffling, rubbing her eyes.

"You don't look to good."
"Thanks." She groaned, suddenly getting very self-conscious of her appearance. She knew she must look a sight, her nose bright red and running, her eyes the same way, her skin pale, her hair dull, she was a mess. She brushed a piece of hair behind her ear, and began to cough again. Harry handed her a glass of water to try and quiet her cough. She started to stand up, but was stopped by Harry, "Where are you going?"
"To my room." She said, throwing back the covers. She stood up, and immediately felt as if she would fall backwards. The room spun as the blood rushed back to her. She felt herself wobble and was steadied by a pair of strong hands.

He sat her back down on the bed, and she lied right back down onto the bed, "You need to stay put." He said, pulling the blankets back up over her shivering body, "Just relax for a bit, or at least till you can stand on your own."

She nodded, and pulled the blankets up tighter around her. The truth was, he wanted her in his bed. He wanted to keep her where he could see her. He liked the fact that she needed him, and he could help her. She was pathetic looking, she knew it, and there wasn't a thing she could do about it, but he could help her feel better. He stood up to get her some muggle medicine to take to help the symptoms a bit, "Where are you going?"
"To get you some medicine."
"It's not going to help." She said, which came out sounding more like , "Its not cooin to helb."

"It can help the symptoms." He said, "Muggle medicine."

She shook her head, "Don leab me." She pleaded as he stood up.

The look on her face was that of a pathetic sick child. Harry saw in her eyes how sick she truly was. He nodded and sat back down with her, "Ok."

Curling up at his side, he kissed her forehead, "Can I do anything or you to make you feel better?"
Hermione shook her head as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders as she leaned against his chest, "I am starbing to beel better alreaby."

"You sound it." He said a bit sarcastically, but with a smile.

"I shub go do my woom."
"No, you should stay right here with me."

"I don'b wanb you do ged this."

"If I'm getting it I'm getting it. I'm not worried about it." He assured her.

She had to admit that it felt wonderful lying with him. She felt better just being with him. She loved it. She loved him and it took the flu for her to realize how much she needed him, "I lub you."
"You lub me?" He teased her, getting a frown from her, as she started to sit up, he pulled her back against him," Well, I lub you too."

She smiled, and closed her eyes, not waking up for another few hours. He stayed with her, and took care of her. He didn't need to think twice about it. He loved her. And the first time they said it, it was 'Lub'. Harry ended up sick a few days after Hermione got better, and she took care of him. She was there just like he was there for her, and their lub grew, and lasted, for all their years, through fights, marriage and children. They still lubed each other.

"So, that's why daddy and I say that sometimes. It stuck."
"All because you were sick?"
"Yes." She laughed, "He took care of me."

"Ew." Lily said, and ran away from her mum giggling.

Hermione rolled her eyes, "You'll learn one day!" She said, picked up her one year old son from his highchair, placing him on the floor to toddle around, "Ryan Sirius, don't you dare get into anything." She said as his green eyes shined with mischief. She smiled at the brunette and patted his head, watching every move as he wandered.

She waited with her four children for her husband who came in late from work, "Hi love." He called as he was attacked by the children.

"Daddy!" Lily called, running up to him, "Mummy told me why you lub her."

"She did, did she? Why do I lub her?"
"Because she was sick and couldn't say it right."

"You definitely have your mum's brains, figuring that out when you were six. Thank heavens for that."

"Do you love her still?" Lily asked.

"I do, and you and Ryan and Luke and Alexis. I love all of you, but your mum is the only one I lub." He said, winking at Hermione.

The couple giggled and they spent the night, truly in lub and enjoying their family.

So, like it? Love it? Review please! Let me know what you think, but please be kind… I was sick writing this…

*Stary