The end of the winter months seemed to pass quicker than usual that year and before I knew it, it was nearing the end of March.

"Any idea when the child will come Mistress Granger?" Zakrey asked while setting my tray in front of me. I was really doing much better after the Umbridge incident and could have gone down to the Great Hall to eat, but Zakrey was insistent on me staying in our Room of Requirements room as much as possible.

"I'm not really sure Zakrey," I started, thinking hard, "but I suppose it should be soon since Madam Pomfrey said the time would be cut."

"Yeah, I suppose it would be." Ginny interrupts as she walks in the room and pats Zakrey on the head.

"Don't scare Zakrey like that!" He shouts and jumps straight into the air in fright.

"What do you plan on naming your kid anyways?" Ginny ask.

"Something stellar," Malfoy announces making a grand entrance.

"Yeah, like a flower." Malfoy and I look at each other with annoyance.

"Well this is going to be fun," Malfoy and I say in unison. We glare at each other in anger.

"It's my child, and it's going to be a Malfoy, so it has to be a stellar name." Malfoy starts.

"Your child? Excuse me? YOUR CHILD?" I'm practically bursting with anger. My face is hot and burning.

"Alright Zakrey why don't we leave these two love birds alone for now and —" Ginny said.

"YOU WOULD'NT EVEN BE HAVING THIS CHILD IF IT WASN'T FOR ME!" Malfoy shouted at the top of his voice.

"OH SO YOU ADMIT THIS WHOLE DAMN THING IS YOUR FAULT!" I shout right back. "And don't you dare leave this room Ginny. I need you." I grab her arm and yank her back into the room holding her close to me so that she cannot run away.

"OR MAYBE ITS YOUR FAULT! YOU WERE THE ONE WHO WAS EXTREMELY DRUNK. NOT ME!"

"REALLY!? "

"SHUT! UP!" Ginny screams. "Why must you two act like an old married couple? " That shut us up. I watched Malfoy's face grow bright red with embarrassment. Mine probably did the same.

"We do not." Malfoy practically whispered.

"Actually, we kind of do but that is beside the point. I'm going to bed."

"What already?" Malfoy looked almost disappointed at my words.

"No stupid." Ginny retorted. "She means next week. Of course she means right now! Now get out."

"But I LIVE here!" Malfoy says almost defeatedly. He's gotten used to us by now.

"Out. You too Zakrey." She pushes them both towards the door, and slams it shut behind them with a wave of her wand. As it closes I can still here Malfoy complaining.

"But—bu—I live-"

Ginny walks back over to the bed and sits down next to me.

"Thanks Gin. For staying with me."

"It's no problem at all Hermione. Your getting closer. I can tell." She looks down at my stomach.

"How can you—?" I start.

"Hermione, all that magical medicine you're taking to make it less obvious and less painful is absolutely amazing, but you're tired all the time. And I talked to mum about this sort of thing and she knows." Ginny smiles at me and puts her hand on my stomach. "I bet she'll be beautiful."

"We don't know if it'll be a —"

"Hush Hermione hush." She puts a hand over my mouth. "We'll just have to wait and see."

***

Many hours later I wake up with a start.

"Hermione. Hermione shhhh it's going to be ok." She puts her hand on my back and rubs it gently to calm me down. I close my mouth. I hadn't realized it but I was screaming. "Can you tell me what happened?"

I think long and hard but I can't remember anything. I shake my head but then a memory comes to the surface. "There was screaming," the words that come out surprise me, "screaming, and a lot of crying. Then a flash of green light. Then silence." Ginny thinks for what feels like half a second and then speaks.

"I know that dream. That's the Avada Kedavra dream. Harry gets it all the time. Well, I mean his is of when his mum was killed by Vol—demort." She pauses while saying his name. I see a flood of memories pass through her eyes. She changes her facial expression and the subject. "You know, Malfoy isn't that bad anymore."

"What do you mean by that."

"I mean he's not so bad. He's a total git like he always has been, but he's not mean. He puts up with us pretty well. Honestly he's kind of like Crabbe and Goyle in your first year." That makes me laugh.

"I suppose that's true. He's really not so bad."

"So," Ginny starts with a sly smile, "do you like him?"

"Umm what do you mean by that Ginny?" I'm starting to feel uncomfortable.

"Oh Hermione dear I think you know exactly what I mean." She says with a wink.

"Well—I —erm— I'm going to be stuck with him for the rest of my life anyways—" I don't like where this conversation is heading.

"There's always divorce Hermione," she says with an even slyer grin.

"What are you getting at?"

"Eh. Never mind Hermione. Goodnight."

"Goodnight Ginny. I guess." I go to sleep feeling a little concerned and disturbed, but she had a point, the idea of spending the rest of my life with Draco Malfoy used to fill me with disgust but it didn't seem so bad anymore.