*** I'm back! It's been seven years since I updated this story, so first and foremost I'm sorry to those who got really into this story and were left hanging (hopefully you're still around to read this!). Second; I am thrilled to be working on this again but my life has changed drastically since I started it (at 20). I'm a mother, a student, and I work 2 part time jobs, so updates will be slow and sporadic (although I finally have a compelling vision for it, which I lacked then lol). Anyway, here goes! Hopefully my writing has improved, or at the least, not done the other thing.***

"So Malfoy's definitely a Death Eater, right?"

"Right. I'd say."

Hermione shifted uncomfortably. She was uncomfortable because her pants were too tight and her back hurt, and her two best friends were discussing the biological father of the unborn baby in her belly. The unborn baby that they had no knowledge of.

"So, Snape thinks he cursed Katie's necklace, what do you think Harry?" Ron asked, his eyes aglow with something akin to excitement as they discussed the evil deeds of their notorious rival.

"I don't know... Malfoy was pretty vehement that he had nothing to do with it. But Snape also said Malfoy was using Occlumency. He was clearly didn't want Snape knowing the truth."

Hermione churned all of this new information around in her frazzled mind. The thought flitted briefly through her head that perhaps Malfoy had just been trying to conceal her pregnancy from their nefarious professor, but she snapped herself out of that silly notion. There was clearly something big happening, if Harry had gotten his facts straight. Malfoy had been given some difficult task by the Dark Lord and he didn't want Snape, "stealing any of his glory." Hermione was feeling nauseous. "Excuse me guys, I need to use the loo."

Hermione stood up and made for the Prefect bathroom, as Ron and Harry exchanged looks of slight irritation mixed with concern. They had certainly been taking note of her odd behavior lately, and she had been uncharacteristically quiet throughout Harry's big reveal.

The Prefect bathroom was on the fifth floor, two stories below her. She knew she should be more conspicuous around Harry and Ron if she hoped to maintain her secret, but she found she couldn't take another minute of their conversation or company for that matter. She wanted privacy and a hot bath, and a quiet walk.

It was fifteen minutes after curfew as Hermione awkwardly clambered out of the Fat Lady's portrait, but she didn't care. Her head was swimming with Harry's news about Malfoy. How could she have a Death Eater's child? One that was apparently so high in Voldemort's circle that he was given the most dangerous and glorious of tasks at only sixteen years old? The logical answer was simple enough; she shouldn't. She descended her second flight of steps onto the fifth floor with tears beginning to form in the corners of her eyes.

Hermione rounded the corner to the corridor on which the Prefect bathroom was located, dabbing at her eyes with her sleeves, when she saw the portrait for the secret passage between the fifth and seventh floors begin to open. She stopped in her tracks and wiped the last of her tears, drawing herself up and preparing to admonish whichever student emerged after curfew. A tall blonde climbed out of the portrait gracefully, noticed Hermione, and froze.

"What are you doing out of bed so late?"

She snorted. "I could ask the same of you. As you're a Prefect however, I'll just assume you were patrolling as I am, and go about my business." She tried to start walking away, but he caught up to her and grabbed her by the shoulder. She flinched when he touched her, and he let go immediately. She stopped. "Don't ever presume to touch me," she hissed.

His lip curled and his brow knit together in anger. "I don't like touching you Granger, in fact when I realized I'd fucked you I went and took a scalding hot shower that nearly peeled my skin." His face and tone softened slightly, "but here we are, and I need to talk to you."

"As a matter of fact," Hermione began angrily, "There's something I'd like to discuss with you," Tears threatened in the corner of her eyes and she hastily swatted them away. "Did you curse Katie?"

Draco looked shocked. Then he looked murderous. When he spoke, his voice was very quiet. "What makes you think that?" He sounded like a snake poised to strike.

"I overheard you talking to Professor Snape." She lied; it would be best if she didn't bring Harry into this, she knew.

Draco pinched the bridge of his nose and took a few deep breaths. "Then you know I didn't," he replied, eyes closed.

"What I know is that you've learned occlumency so that you can hide your lies from Professor Snape, ... and from the Dark Lord!" She said the last accusingly, bitingly, and Draco was the one who flinched this time.

"You're a stupid girl." He said the words calmly, but it was enough. Hermione started sobbing. "What do you think I'm hiding from Severus and the Dark Lord exactly?! OUR CHILD!"

"Occlumency takes longer to learn than four measly months! You were learning long before I came along, so don't turn this around on me and pretend like you did this for me! You're protecting yourself, like you always do! You don't want to "share the glory" with Professor Snape, right? You don't want him to know you cursed Katie Bell because you don't want him to know what you're planning, you want the Dark Lord's favor all to yourself! And that has nothing to do with me, or any child." She was huffing when she was finished, and Draco looked pale and lost for words.

When Draco could speak again, his flinty resolve was back; his cold mask. "You're right. You were right about getting rid of it too. If I want the Dark Lord's favor I can't have a Mudblood bastard running around. Just do it."

Hermione made a choking noise in the back of her throat as Draco turned on his heel and made to storm away. He made it three paces before Professor Snape stepped around a corner. Draco froze, and Hermione slumped to the floor, trying to contain her tears and her overwhelming emotions.

"Back to your dormitory. Now, Mr. Malfoy." Snape's voice was deadly quiet as he flicked a wrist at Draco, ushering him to continue leaving. Draco gave a last, unnamable look at Hermione and the professor and sped away on his heel. "Miss Granger," Snape took several steps to her side. Tears began cascading down her face unbidden as the surly potions master put one arm around her shoulder and used the other to grasp her hand, helping her to a standing position. "Was this a planned meeting?" His voice was soft, even gentle.

"N-no, I was on m-m-m-my way to the bath," a fresh wave of tears cut off anything more Hermione might have wanted to add. The thought that her much needed stress bath had been interrupted, impeded, by this catastrophic interaction, was too much for her to think about.

Snape sighed and let go of her. "Will you come to my classroom and have a cup of tea with me Miss Granger?"

The question shocked Hermione so much that her tears stopped. She hiccupped. "Yes, Sir, Professor, of course."

As she followed Professor Snape down to the dungeon, she knew that he had heard the exchange. Possibly not in its entirety, but she knew he had heard enough to know she was pregnant. It scared her a little bit, after all, Snape was a Death Eater spy, and her friends always questioned his loyalty. Dumbledore had faith in him however, and right now that had to be enough for Hermione.

As they descended the stone steps into the dungeon, she could feel the temperature dropping and a shiver went down her spine. She looked around, making sure Draco wasn't still lurking about to see her. He was nowhere in sight, so she assumed he must have gone back to his dorm as commanded. She sighed a little sigh of relief as they made it to the empty Potions classroom unseen.

"Take a seat, Miss Granger." Snape magicked a comfortable looking arm chair into the spot next to where he was standing, and a tea tray onto a desk. He sat in the desk seat, and stirred the cups a little bit with the end of his wand, before offering Hermione hers. She took it apprehensively, and took a tiny sip. The instant she swallowed she felt a calm and a warmth wash over her, and she smiled appreciatively.

"You spiked my tea with calming draught," she said. Snape looked vaguely annoyed at her comment, so she quickly added, "thank you."

Severus heaved a large sigh and looked at Hermione Granger. "Do you require more sugar? Some milk perhaps? I made it how I take it, which I don't presume to be to your taste," he trailed off waiting for an answer. Hermione could tell he was uncomfortable.

"No, thank you Sir, this is great,"

Snape quirked an eyebrow in disbelief but did not argue. "The direct approach then," he said, setting his own cup if tea back on the desk. "You're pregnant. Draco Malfoy is the father. It goes without saying that this was terribly reckless of the two of you; not that I expect much better from teenagers."

"It was Dumbledore's masquerade ball, I got swept up in the romance of it and –"

Severus cut her off with a wave of his hand. "I don't require all the sordid details Miss Granger," Hermione puffed up in indignance, but the professor continued, "I brought you here to give you some advice, if you'll have it," Hermione looked as though she expected him to continue, but he did not. "Well, do you want it?"

"Yes. Yes, I do," She was about to launch into a tirade about being desperate for guidance, for help, for anything, but this was Professor Snape and she was pregnant, and she knew he would expect her to behave more like an adult.

"As I'm sure you're aware Miss Granger, I'm an accomplished Legilimens. I already know your plans for this baby and your plans for your parents at the end of term. If you are going to get an abortion I will first and foremost urge you to do so in a muggle facility. You could go home for Christmas break tomorrow and accomplish this. The only wizards that perform such procedures practice very dark magic, and thus are the type of people you would do well not to associate with." He paused to let her digest this for just a moment and then plowed on ahead. "I also suggest that if you are sure about obliviating your parents, you do so then. I cannot go into details for obvious reasons, but things are escalating quickly with the war and if you do terminate this pregnancy, you will become an even bigger target." Hermione frowned slightly, and half raised her hand. "Miss Granger we are not in class, you do not need to ask permission to speak, nor do you typically require it."

"Why would terminating my pregnancy make me an even bigger target? I mean, you are only one of five people that know about it; including myself."

"I believe Draco would target you, despite what he said tonight, I don't believe he wants you to go through with an abortion," he pinched the bridge of his nose yet again, and corrected himself, "correction, I know for a fact that he does not want you to have an abortion. He is under a lot of pressure right now, which does not excuse his behavior toward you." He paused, clearly pained, and even a bit angry. "If you have this abortion I believe he would use his influence to harm you."

Hermione was silent for a moment, she finished the tea in her cup and as soon as she set it down Severus refilled it with a flick of his wand. "Thank you," she said quietly, and then, "what do you think I should do?"

Her professor choked on his beverage. When he recovered himself his face barely concealed his shock. "I think this is an intensely personal decision," he managed carefully.

"I've been told it's not done in the Wizarding community – at least, as you said, by reputable sources, so would you advise against it on the same moral grounds?"

"It's a little less complicated than morality. It's not done in the Wizarding community because magical people typically don't conceive unwanted pregnancies. Most witches take contraceptive potions or perform charms if they do not wish to become pregnant; men can do the same as well," at the look on Hermione's face he added, "men have to perform contraceptive charms or take potions directly beforehand for them to be effective. Forethought is required." Hermione's cheeks reddened, and Severus continued without comment, "aside from that; magical bloodlines are dying out. Pregnancies are typically seen as a blessing for this reason, as well as the traditional reasons. As for my own personal opinions," he took a long swig from his cup before continuing, "I don't see a problem with it. Particularly in your circumstance Miss Granger."

"'Particularly in my circumstance?' Then you think I should…"

"Don't put words in my mouth. I simply meant I would understand and have no qualms with your decision, whatever it may be. I can't tell you what to do Miss Granger."

Hermione sighed. "No, I suppose you can't."

He looked at her almost gently and remained silent while she finished her second cup of tea. "Now Miss Granger, I must escort you back to your common room. It is nearly midnight and you need your rest," he stood and waited for her to do the same, "I keep calming draught in stock for Madam Pomfrey, should you need more you can go to her or I. While you are pregnant you can only drink one cup of the potion in a seventy-two hour period."

Hermione nodded her thanks, and followed Severus back to the Gryffindor common room in silence. Only when she reached the comfort of her bed did she recall that Draco had said he wanted to talk to her about something. She pushed the thought out of her head, and all thoughts of what she would be going home tomorrow to do, so that, thanks to the calming draught, she could fall asleep.

After seeing Miss Granger safely to her dorm, Severus did not immediately go back to his own chamber. Instead he made his way swiftly to the gargoyle statue on the same floor as the entrance to Gryffindor tower.

"Cockroach Clusters," he muttered angrily. The gargoyle sprang to life and leapt aside to reveal a spiral stair which Snape ascended quickly, his ire mounting with every step. It wasn't a coincidence.

He knocked loudly on the Headmaster's door and was not surprised when, at one minute to midnight, the door was opened.

"Ah, Severus, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

Snape pushed past the old Headmaster and threw himself in an arm chair, running a hand through his hair. "Why?" Was all he could ask, deadpan now, now that he was face to face with the dying man.

"Why what Severus? I'm afraid you'll have to be a bit more specific." The Headmaster returned to his high seat behind his desk and fixed the Potions master with a quizzical stare.

"Hermione Granger is pregnant. With Draco Malfoy's child."

Dumbledore's eyes lit with surprise, but the rest of his stillness betrayed him. "Oh my…"

"Don't act surprised you old meddling fool, you set this up didn't you! That masquerade you threw, you had them paired on purpose! Don't deny it!" Snape's ire was returning at the sight of the headmaster's ruse.

"Severus, I hope you don't think I ever dreamed a pregnancy would come out of this!"

"Well it did. And doesn't that fit just nicely? You think this will give Draco a reason to come over to our side, don't you? And what of Miss Granger? She hasn't finished school Albus! The brightest witch of her age and you would steal her future for a hope!"

"I didn't know you cared for her so much Severus," Snape's face turned an angry shade of ash but the Headmaster continued before he could interrupt, "I did not foresee this, that I can promise you. I did hope she could be a good influence on him –"

Severus did interrupt then. "A good influence? You're unbelievable, the boy's life and family hang in the balance, and now thanks to your meddling, he has another thing to worry about! Whether she terminates the pregnancy or no, the boy will suffer! Either he will lose the slight glimpse of a future he sees in this child and become completely dark, or he will have two more people he cares about to worry over, more leverage for the Dark Lord!"

"Well then, we must help them all we can."

Severus heaved a sigh, head in his hands, and muttered swear words under his breath.