Pregnant.

'I said it.' Hermione thought to herself. 'I finally was able to say it.'

Even when she'd told Madam Pomfrey, she'd been unable to bring herself to say the actual word. She'd just given her the pregnancy test and told her what had happened all summer. Pomfrey had taken it well. She was a little shaken up that such a prize pupil had done something that might interfere with her education, but Hermione had reminded her that students - even the best of students - have a life outside of class. They're not to blame for that.

Snape, on the other hand, was taking it better… or maybe worse? He'd taken the news of her pregnancy well, apologizing and awarding her back the points he'd taken as well as giving some for her remarkable ability to remain calm - something that was totally unexpected. He'd then swiftly led her from the Great Hall down to the Infirmary.

Hermione appreciated the twist in the halls they took, as she'd thought they were heading to his office at first. This was a much more neutral ground, and she was already upset. She recognized the need for some professors to know, but didn't want the entire student body staring at her. Sitting on the edge of a cot and waiting until Snape pulled up a simple wooden chair to sit before her, she wiped the tears from her eyes.

Halfway through explaining that she'd already told Poppy and that she was, in fact, on all the correct potions, Blaise flung open the door, Harry shortly behind him. Snape's eyebrow arched up in a perfect, questioning bow. "They both know," she hastily told him.

Snape clicked his tongue. "Hmm. You've been using Mr. Zabini's potion notes then." Hermione was surprised that he put it together so quickly, but she nodded. He rose, giving her one last - comforting? - glance before going off to inform the headmistress.

The boys were surprisingly civil with one another, accepting with ease that they both had a place here, and Hermione smiled, feeling as if, for the first time since July, everything was going to be okay.

A/N: So. Sh says it! Did you guys guess right? What do you think of her revelation? Her new allies? Her situation? Let me know!

Also, sorry not sorry, we quit with the theme of starting every paragraph with an H. I thought it would have a big impact to start the chapter this way. Plus. It was actually really hard and I felt like I was starting to fall into a pattern of words to start with and it was getting repetitive and taking away from the overall story. The next chapter won't be picking back up with the Hs - hope you don't mind!