FicWad

A/N: Hello there all, here's another story for you! smiles I was looking through some of my old notebooks and what should I find but a fantabulous little plot idea that I decided to resurrect! I hope you like it!



Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize.



Chapter 1: Oh Baby!


The sound of sobbing reverberated sharply throughout the Hospital Wing of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry Potter tried his best to focus only on comforting the one who was doing the sobbing, it was she who needed his help the most at the moment, not Madame Pomfrey who bustled around the hospital bed asking her patient questions and trying to get her to take a Calming Draught. Harry tried in vain to soothe her by rubbing circles onto her back and even Ron's attempt of stroking her hair went unnoticed. They had both fought tooth and nail to remain with her and thankfully Dumbledore had prevented the irate mediwitch from kicking them out of the infirmary.

With a lump the size of a bludger in his throat, Harry scooted himself closer to the trembling witch on the bed and looked over her shoulder to meet his red headed friends gaze only to find that it reflected the desperateness that he was feeling already. The final third of the so-called Golden Trio, their best friend, Hermione Granger was in hysterics and was refusing to tell anyone why.

Damn Voldemort. Harry thought angrily, struggling to keep his hand passive on Hermione's back. This was his fault, and if Hermione was unable to heal from whatever damage had been done Merlin help him, because prophecy or no Harry was going to kill that snake-faced monster.

The Death Eater attack on the Grangers house had come on the same night that Harry had finally been allowed to leave the Dursleys for the rest of the summer after his fifth year. Almost immediately after arriving though, he and the rest of the Weasley clan had flooed to Hogwarts to where Hermione had been rescued to. Her parents had been out to dinner with friends and luckily escaped the arrival of the Death Eaters. From what Harry could understand, there had been wards placed on Hermione's house to alert the Order of any attacks, but by the time they had arrived it had been to late to stop the Death Eaters but had been able to rescue Hermione from bring kidnapped, so Harry had something to be thankful for at least.

Though it truly wasn't much, Harry thought, for as much as Hermione was there with them, safe from Voldemort, this really wasn't Hermione. Hermione was the calm, cool, self aware and studious witch that Harry had received a letter from two days ago. This girl was hysterical, muttering nonsense that Harry couldn't make out.

"It'll be ok, 'Mione." Harry looked up as he heard Ron's worry filled voice.

"Yeah" Harry added, muttering in his friends ear as a fresh wave of sobs wracked her "We're here for you." Harry winced at his choice of words, feeling guilty as he used her own words against her. The words that she had recently used on him to try and get him from distancing himself from them.

It had been so hard after Sirius had died. Harry had completely shut himself away from the world, trying to dull the pain of grief and guilt that he felt. For the two weeks that he had spent alone at the Dursleys though, Ron and Hermione had dogged him with letters as often as they could, sometimes sending him numbered letters that he was to read in sequence so that he would know that they were really writing to him every day. Those letters truly kept him from doing something desperate, and made him open up about his feelings and deal with his grief in what Hermione had called a 'Healthy and Productive Manner'.

Damn Voldemort for what he had done to Hermione.

"Harry, Ronald." Dumbledore's quiet voice made Harry look down to the foot of the bed. Dumbledore was standing there in his dark blue robes, his expression grave and his bright blue eyes devoid of their usual sparkle and life. "I believe that you two should allow Madame Pomfrey to proceed with her work and come to be with the rest of the Order now. I have an idea as to what Voldemort has done to Miss Granger and I think it best if everyone was to hear the news at once."

Dumbledore had more than just an idea, Harry could tell, but he didn't press the matter. So far, Dumbledore had kept his promise to keep Harry informed of everything he could and Harry didn't see the need to break the cautious bond that he had formed again with the Headmaster so he let the comment go.

He and Ron got up from the bed gently, trying not to disturb Hermione any further. Harry spared one last look back before following Ron and Dumbledore out of the Hospital Wing and through the familiar halls of Hogwarts. They walked in silence to the Room of Requirement, Ron was stony faced and Harry couldn't seem to get a hold of any of the words that were buzzing in his head.

They entered the Room of Requirement (which was filled with comfortable couches and chairs to accommodate its patrons) in the same silence that they had walked through the halls with. No one noticed any of them come in, the various people in the room were all preoccupied with their own thoughts and feelings.

Mrs. Weasley was distraught, crying on Mr.Weasley's shoulder as Bill patted her shoulder. Ginny was much the same, but was cradled in George's lap with Fred and Charlie talking to her calmingly. Tonks, Mad-Eye and Kingsley all were all together on one couch looking serious, with Remus and McGonagall nearby sporting identical thoughtful looks. To Harry's chagrin, Snape was there as well in a back corner. However, instead of his usual sneer, Snape's face was completely and utterly blank, a sign that he was hiding a huge surge of emotion.

Harry felt a small tug in his gut when he saw Snape sitting there. Harry felt extremely guilty about looking in the man's pensieve, it was really none of his business to look in there and he wanted to apologize, but had a feeling that Snape would bite his head off before he could get within three feet of his professor. Eventually he would try, but, not tonight.

"Everyone," Dumbledore said, garnering attention from everyone in the room. Harry and Ron took seats next to Ginny and George on the couch, quietly waiting for an explanation to their friends problem. Dumbledore sat as well in a large armchair that the room provided, looking very tired indeed. "Tonight's attack on Miss Granger was very sudden, but I must confess, not unpredicted by myself. I knew that one day, Voldemort would go after her."

"You knew?" Ron exclaimed incredulously "You knew that she'd be attacked tonight? Why didn't you-"

"I had no idea that it would be tonight Mr. Weasley." Dumbledore interrupted Ron before things got out of hand. Harry frowned none the less, Dumbledore had known about an eventual attack, so why hadn't he protected Hermione better? Put more wards up? Dumbledore continued "As you all know, Miss Granger is one of the brightest students that has ever attended Hogwarts and many discount that fact only because she is muggle-born, however if I am to explain all of this to you I must first clarify Miss Grangers ancestry to you. Our Hermione has quite a long and interesting family history through her fathers side, she is the first female to be born in that line in over 2500 years."

"Headmaster?" Remus asked, frowning.

Dumbledore gave a small smile "There is a point, Remus, have no fear. As I was saying, the Granger line extends very far back in time to the city of Athens in Greece which is where two important ancestors of Hermione's emigrated to after the destruction of their home country. They were the sole survivors of a giant cataclysm that completely destroyed the island that they had lived on."

A sharp intake of breath made Harry start. He had been engrossed by the story, wondering what it all had to do with Hermione. Snape and Mad-Eye were sitting up stiffly, looking shocked, like they had just seen magic for the first time.

"You don't mean-" said Snape quickly "Albus, that is preposterous!"

Dumbledore leaned back in his armchair "Not at all Severus." he replied calmly "I have traced the lineage meticulously and everything is true."

For the first time in his life, Harry had the satisfaction of seeing Severus Snape completely speechless. He would treasure this memory for the rest of his life.

Dumbledore sighed "The truth of the matter is that Hermione Grangers ancestors were the high priest and priestess of Atlantis."

There were gasps, Harry's included. He had heard stories about Atlantis; a civilization founded by the Greek god Poseidon that grew to be one of the most advanced in the world at the time. They had it all, but soon forgot to pay tribute to the gods and the island was destroyed. Harry hadn't heard anything about survivors though!

"The Atlantians were an incredibly powerful race, known for their artistic and magical talent." Dumbledore continued "The Atlantians were said to have a book of magical knowledge, a Laetoli. A book that only Atlantians could use or read. This Laetoli was the key to all of their magic and contained spells and rituals that any wizard would gladly die to have the opportunity to look upon. Miraculously, it was found by a family member of mine while spelunking of the coast of Madagascar and has since fallen into my possession. The Atlantians were said to have found ways to communicate with animals, to connect people emotionally and telepathically and to even control the weather to some extent.

"When Atlantis sank, the high priest and priestess were on a diplomatic mission to Athens and had the Laetoli in their possession. It is said that they decided to siphon off their own magical powers using a ritual from the Laetoli, and place a binding spell on their bloodline to preserve the Atlantian race in hopes that they could rebuild their civilization later on. They essentially put a restrictive curse on their descendants. The Laetoli would be hidden and the magical powers of all of Atlantis' descendants would be stifled until an Atlantian was born to a virgin witch." Dumbledore smiled wryly "It is a terrible cliche but quite a good one to use as it is unlikely but not magically impossible. There are potions that pure blooded families use to produce heirs when forced into marriages to people they do not love."

Harry suddenly found that his brain had turned to complete and utter mush. He started to wish that Hermione was there to explain it all to him but then realized that Hermione was actually the source of his confusion. Nothing was making sense!

Alright, Hermione was a descendant of Atlantians.

And she was the first girl in over 2500 years.

And she...was a.......a witch, and.....and she was...a...
a....ohmercifultapdancingbaldheadedMerlin!

If Dumbledore saw the shock and realization in Harry's eyes, he made no mention of it, instead opting to make eye contact with many people in the room "I have known since Miss Granger was accepted into Hogwarts that she was in danger from Voldemort, he had expressed interest in the Laetoli for many years and I have no doubt that he had traced the bloodline as well. After his resurrection I informed Miss Granger and her parents of her lineage and the danger that she was in, she has known of what Voldemort might do to her since then. He is looking to use the child so that he might be able to perform the spells in the Laetoli. "

Tonks had turned a slightly green colour "So, you're saying that Voldemort was trying to get her-" she gulped and paled slightly "-pregnant tonight?"

"No." replied Dumbledore with a slow shake of his head "I am saying that he has succeeded."

For an agonizing moment there was total silence. Harry didn't even think that he heard anyone breathe. The quiet though, was shattered by a strangled sob from an unlikely source; McGonagall. The normally stern and uptight woman looked completely distraught, her face screwed up in a way that Harry had never thought it would. Of course, she had always favoured Hermione, why wouldn't she react like this? Her favourite student had just had their life changed forever.

Pregnant. She had known, that was why she was so inconsolable. Pregnant. Hermione was going to have a baby! Pregnant? The word just wouldn't leave Harry's mind. Why hadn't she told anyone? Was she afraid to worry them? Pregnant? Was she going to go back to school? Pregnant?! Was she going to keep the baby? Pregnant?! Who was the father?

"Who's the father?" Harry heard the words come out of his mouth before he could stop them. Everyone else, who had all been muttering or reacting on their own, suddenly stopped and looked at him, then Dumbledore.

Dumbledore stroked his beard before answering "I do not know, but I am certain that Voldemort would not allow his blood to mix with a muggle-born, no matter what her lineage."

"So that leaves the Death Eaters." Moody growled, his magical eye rotating in it's socket to focus on Snape.

Breaking out of his uncharacteristic silence, Snape glared back at Moody "There have been dozens of occasions that the Dark Lord has demanded blood from Death Eaters. It is impossible to know which sample was used in the potion that Miss Granger was forced to take tonight."

"At least it's not the Dark Lord's kid." Harry heard Ron mutter. He was about to agree when the door to the room opened, revealing a far more composed Hermione being supported slightly by Madame Pomfrey.

"Ah, Hermione!" said Dumbledore, as if he was paying a social call to an acquaintance. He got up and helped Madame Pomfrey sit Hermione down in the armchair that he had just vacated. Hermione looked pale and Harry saw that she was shaking slightly, her eyes red and puffy but she was no longer crying, she was beginning to look more like the Hermione that he knew.

Hermione looked up at Dumbledore tiredly "Do they know?" she asked.

"Yes, I've informed them of everything." said Dumbledore, resting a hand on the back of the chair.

Madame Pomfrey frowned, crossing her arms and looking quite put out that Hermione had gotten up out of bed. "Headmaster, Miss Granger should be resting! Not gallivanting around the castle like this!"

"And she will rest, Poppy." Dumbledore assured her. "But she has something important to tell us all, if I am not mistaken?"

Hermione nodded shakily, twisting her hands in her lap. "I've known about this for nearly two years." her voice was barely above a whisper and Harry had to strain to hear her "I've done a lot of thinking about what I'd do if it actually happened, looked at the pro's and con's and everything like that. Talked to my parents, read too many books to count. I've researched muggle and wizarding adoption processes, single parenting in both worlds and even abortion. What I'm about to tell you is because of nearly two years of deciding. I didn't just come up with this 5 minutes ago, I've really thought about it." She cast an almost pleading look at them "I've decided to keep the baby."

"What?!" Ron exclaimed "'Mione, this is a Death Eaters kid!"

"Ron, it's my baby too!" said Hermione "Just because it's father is a Death Eater doesn't make it evil! All children are born innocent, Ron, it's how they're raised that makes them who they are!" she took a deep breath in and stared at her hands "I can't kill my baby, and even if I did, Voldemort would just make me take another potion and all of this would start all over again. If I gave the baby up for adoption then it would be so easy for Voldemort to get his hands on it and it would all be for nothing!"

"'Mione..." Ron's voice had lost it's angry edge and he seemed to have deflated.

"Are you absolutely sure, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked softly "A baby is huge responsibility, and you're so young!"

Hermione smiled an odd, grim, half-grin "I'm sure." she said and Harry found his respect for her growing even more than it already was. In the end, if anyone could do it, it was Hermione.

She was the brightest witch he knew and Harry was sure that no matter who the kids father was, that if they were raised by Hermione, they would be as against Voldemort as she was.

"What about school?" Remus asked thoughtfully "Can she still attend?"

McGonagall nodded forcefully "Of course she can!" Harry fought to keep a smile off of his face, McGonagall would probably baby-sit for Hermione if it meant keeping her in school. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Snape raise a condescending eyebrow at the Gryfindor matriarch.

"She will be put under a powerful Glamour to keep her pregnancy a secret from anyone who does not already know." affirmed Dumbledore "She may continue her studies for as long as possible and then be taken out of school once the pregnancy starts to interfere."

Harry smiled at Hermione "Knowing you, you'll keep going until the day before the kid is born. You'll probably study even while you're in labour!"

Hermione snorted but looked at him fondly. Harry grinned right back but felt that he needed to say something more, that he should let her know that he wasn't planning on abandoning her because of this. If she could stay his friend throughout all of the death defying adventures they had had, Harry could sure as hell stick with her throughout a little thing like her pregnancy.

"Hey, 'Mione." he said, fully intending to make some sort of eloquent statement about friendship and loyalty and things like that but when she looked at him, all of that left his head and he was left floundering.

"Yes, Harry?" she asked cautiously.

Harry opened his mouth then closed it, trying to think of something to convey what he was trying to say to her.

"When your kid's old enough, I'll teach them how to fly. Okay?" he finally said.

Hermione's eyes began to water, it seemed that he had gotten his point across fairly well and Harry struggled to not seem too smug about it. "Okay, Harry." Hermione said "But only if I'm there to supervise. I'm not letting you teach them any of those crazy dives that you do."

"Hey, me too." said Ron sincerely. "I'll teach them to play chess." Harry smiled broadly at his best friend, glad that Ron would be there for Hermione too.

"And we'll teach them everything we know!" added Fred with a devious wink to George.

Mrs. Weasley balked "Not if I have any say in it!" she exclaimed "The two of you were enough!"

Dumbledore's chuckle silenced the room "There is much more that is needed to be planned for the future of this child, but I believe that it is best left until morning. We have all had a very tiring night. Everyone, feel free to stay for the night, the infirmary and some of the guest quarters will be open for your use." Dumbledore turned to Hermione "I think it would be best if you stayed here for the rest of the summer, for your protection."

Hermione nodded "Of course sir." Harry found himself silently agreeing with Dumbledore, Hogwarts was the safest place for Hermione to be.

As people started filing out of the room, Harry found himself and Ron standing in front of Hermione. She had a distracted look on her face as she looked up at them. "I'm having a baby." she said to them quietly, as if she couldn't quite believe it herself.

Ron slung his arm over her shoulder and nodded "Yeah 'Mione, you are." he said with his usual tact. Harry shook his head in amusement.

Harry, Ron and Hermione. Plus baby makes four.

Well, they were the Golden Trio, they had faced trolls, possessed teachers, mad house-elves, werewolves, dragons and Voldemort. A baby would be a welcome change in Harry's opinion, a baby wasn't going to try and kill them.




Well? Did you like? Give me some feedback! I live on your reviews! (and chocolate chip cookies but we won't go into that)

This was just the prologue so give the rest of it a chance, you'll see where I'm going with this Veeeeerrrrrrryyyyyyy soon, I promise.