The Darkness Within: Voldemort/Hadria Potter

Revelations

Dawn's light had not yet pierced the curtains of Severus Snape's chambers when Hadria's eyes fluttered open. A wave of nausea washed over her, so potent it seemed to churn the very air around her. She lay still for a moment, hoping the feeling would pass, but it clung to her, insistent and unrelenting. With a sense of urgency, she remembered the door at the back of the room, its purpose clear in her mind. She needed to reach it - now.

Her movements were swift, a stark contrast to the languid rise of morning. The sudden motion jolted Severus from his slumber. He had fallen asleep in a nearby arm chair with a glass of fire whiskey which now spilled down his coat as he watched the girl run to the bathroom. Hermione who had been asleep next to her woke up as well from the commotion.

"Hadria?!" she called after her concern and looked at Severus confused. The sound of retching filled the room, a harsh symphony that echoed off the stone walls. Hermione's eyes grew wide and she was at her side in an instant, her hands gentle as she gathered Hadria's hair away from her face

"It's alright, get it out," she soothed, her voice a steady presence amidst the turmoil.

Hadria's body convulsed with the effort, her breaths coming in ragged gasps until, at last, she slumped back, the cool stone of the wall a small comfort against her heated skin. Tears, born from the force of her sickness, glistened in her eyes as she reached for the rag Hermione offered, its warmth a fleeting balm.

"You don't feel to have a fever...do you have any other symptoms, Hadria?" Hermione's concern was palpable, her hands now checking for signs of fever. Hadria took a few calming breaths and thought about it.

Her mind raced as she considered the question. "I...well, I don't know. I suppose I've been feeling a bit queasy the last couple of weeks, but I assumed it was from nerves and the training. It's been intense lately, I just feel so tired all the time," she admitted, the confusion evident in her furrowed brow.

Hermione nodded, her voice soft. "Yeah, you did sleep really heavy last night, so we decided not to bother you. Voldemort said to let you sleep," she recounted, watching Hadria for a reaction.

"Is he still here?" Hadria's voice was hopeful, seeking some anchor in the storm of her thoughts.

Hermione shook her head, her own uncertainty a shadow in her eyes. "No, I believe he went back to the Manor," she said and then bit her lip nervously before continuing.

"Hadria...um...have you considered... well... could you be pregnant?" The question hung in the air, delicate as a spider's web.

Silence stretched between them as Hadria processed the words. Memories flickered behind her eyes, moments and decisions replaying in the quiet of the chamber. "I...well, no, I hadn't considered it...I suppose I very well could be. He used to use the charm to keep me from getting pregnant. Then he suddenly stopped...I told myself maybe he had a different way of doing it... but... if I'm being honest...I think I was glad...I think deep down a part of me perhaps wanted that with him," she confessed, her voice a whisper of realization.

Hermione's reaction was immediate, her eyes reflecting the gravity of Hadria's admission.

"Then it's settled. We should find out for certain," Hermione asserted, her voice a blend of concern and practicality. "Knowing the truth will ease your mind, and it might just explain the unease you've been experiencing."

Hadria nodded, the idea of certainty a small beacon in the fog of her emotions. Yet, the absence of Voldemort, the silence he left in his wake, gnawed at her with cold teeth.

"Yes, the hospital wing might have the answers," Hadria agreed, her voice a mere whisper, betraying her inner turmoil.

It was then that Severus's voice, laced with caution, drifted from the adjoining room. "Miss Potter, I don't mean to intrude... but perhaps this is a matter best kept discreet for the moment. If you permit, I can perform the diagnostic charm to ascertain whether you are indeed with child," he offered, his tone suggesting a protective secrecy.