Chapter 2: Well-read

He found her in the library. She was half-laying on the settee, her body draped over the seat with a load of books scattered about. She was reading a thick tome, its back propped up against the small protrusion of her stomach as she thumbed through the pages. There was a stack on the floor by the feet of the chair and a couple more were on the seat by her legs.

She didn't notice him enter the library at first. This usually happened when she was fully engrossed in a book. He leisurely walked towards her, an easy smile on his face. He had just gotten home after a morning of Quidditch practise and the team was looking really good. The Quidditch World Cup was to begin in just a couple of months and he was playing for England as Seeker and its captain.

He went to her perch and kissed the top of her head. She looked up from her reading and gave him a beaming smile.

"Hello, love," Hermione said in greeting and Harry swiftly captured her lips in a kiss with a bow of his head. "I didn't hear you get home," she said when his head moved away. "How was practise?"

Harry nodded and rounded the seat. He grabbed the books that were on the settee and laid them on the floor. He sat on the plush chair and moved Hermione's feet to his lap. "It was good! The team is coming along great. It helps that many of the starting line up has played with each other before," he commented. "What're you reading?"

She flushed a little bit and placed the marker in between the pages. Then, she handed the book to her husband. Harry took the tome and turned it around so he could read the title.

What to Expect When You're Expecting: a Magical Guide to Unexpecting Expecting Witches

By Demeter Demopolous

There was a pregnant witch in the front cover. The image was smiling at the photographer and stroking her very big bump.

Harry looked at all of the other books around him and saw that they were of the same nature.

What No One Told You About Pregnancy

Cribsheets

Modern Magical Births

Oh, Baby!

Mama Bear

Motherhood 101

And more. There were Muggle books mixed into the pile as well. It seemed like his wife had gone to the library and grabbed all of the best-selling books on childbirth and motherhood.

He felt himself smile. He looked at Hermione and his heart just about burst from his chest with what he was feeling.

It was just like her to do this. She would give her all into learning and researching about whatever it was that they were currently facing. He was reminded of their Hogwarts days from many years ago. He remembered all of the hours she spent at the library researching about Nicholas Flamel. He remembered how she had been petrified after researching about the Chamber of Secrets. He remembered her help during the TriWizard Tournament; how she spent many weeks helping him with his tasks and never giving up on him through it all.

Harry knew without a doubt that he wouldn't have lived long enough to kill Voldemort without Hermione and her brain.

It was one of the many reasons he loved her.

So seeing these kinds of books scattered about gave him a sense of ease. They were new to parenthood. They have no idea what to expect. And, if he was being honest, he was more than just a mite scared about it all. But Hermione, his wonderful and brilliant wife, was giving her all into learning more about the process. Because as she had proven countless times over, knowledge was comforting.

He placed the book down on the ground. Hermione's eyebrows rose when Harry carefully climbed over her and used his arm to prop himself up so he wouldn't crush her small form. Then he was kissing her again, gently at first before turning more passionate. He sucked on her lower lip before trailing kisses down her neck. She gasped when he bit her flesh and sighed when he sucked.

He stopped his ministrations and looked at her with playful eyes.

"What was that for?" Hermione asked in a whisper.

"You're incredibly sexy when you read," he said with a smile. "But you already knew that."

She let out an unladylike snort and smacked him softly on the chest. "You're being silly."

"No," he shook his head. "I'm being honest." She rolled her eyes even though there was a tiny smile on her lips. "Shall I remind you?"

"Oh, honestly-"

But he cut her off with another kiss and Hermione didn't find the time to read again that day since she was otherwise preoccupied with her husband.

Later that night as they laid in bed with Hermione sleeping peacefully next to him, Harry turned off all the lights in their bedroom except for the one on his bedside. He turned to the nightstand and grabbed the book on top of the pile.

The Expectant Father: The Ultimate Guide for Dads-to-Be

Hermione had gotten him some reading material too.

Harry read well into the night.