Hermione was sitting at the dinner table watching her fiance eat his dinner. As always Ron was too busy stuffing his face to realize she had not touched her food. Hermione cleared her throat to get his attention and asked, "Ron, do you think now would be a good time to talk about having children?"
Ron shocked choked on the bite in his mouth before answering incredulously, "Now? Really? Don't you think it's a bit soon? We've only been together a few years."
A few years in this instance meant 10. They had been together since their kiss at the Battle of Hogwarts, and they had been engaged for 3 years. Although Hermione believed that had more to do with getting Mrs. Weasley off Ron's back for a while than an actual want to marry her. Now she was being pestered about wedding planning constantly by Molly, who while kind hearted, had no clue that her son was the reason all plans eventually fell through.
As if this wasn't hard enough to deal with on her own Hermione was sick. She had a type of ovarian cancer that could claim her life if not removed. It was caught in a late stage and only a complete hysterectomy could save her. Luckily in the magical world they were able to apply a stasis spell on the tumors and give her more time. She had 5 years to have her children and then the opportunity would be gone. She got the news when she was 23, she is 27 now and only has a year left.
Hermione simply nodded her head to Ron's reply and then took her untouched plate into the kitchen before going upstairs to bed. Her fiance would no doubt be up for hours yet and she could grieve in peace.
No sooner than the door shut behind her the tears fell down her face. It takes 40 weeks to bring a baby to term and she had 52, if Ron didn't change his mind in the next 3 months she would never have a child.
A few hours later Hermione woke up, realizing that she had cried herself to sleep. Ron was no where to be found in their bedroom. 'He must have fallen asleep in the den again.' She looked at the clock and realized that it was only 10 pm, she decided that it wasn't too late to go visit a friend and apparated away.
With a soft pop Hermione appeared in the twin's joke shop and spotted George doing the books at the register. "Hey George have you seen Fred around?"
"Every time I look in the mirror," he replied with out looking up. Hermione let out a weak laugh and the joke which caught his attention. When he looked up at her and saw her red-rimmed eyes he said, "Go on to the back, tell him not to worry about whatever he is working on I'll handle it. Just grab him and go on up to the flat."
"Thanks George."
She walked through the shop and past the beaded curtain that was charmed to conceal any and all that lay beyond it's border. Hunched over a bubbling cauldron Fred was muttering to himself.
"Fennel seed or Porcupine quills? Fennel would last longer, but Porcupine would make the reaction stronger."
"Who says you can't use both? Just use half of what you were going to use of each," Hermione interupted.
"Brilliant Mya! What would I do with out you?" He proceeded to follow her instructions before putting a stasis spell on it and finally looking up at the woman beside him. What he saw shocked him, the once vibrant and confident woman was now pale, thin, and looked like she had cried herself to death.
"Mya! What happened? Are you alright?"
She barely shook her head before tears started falling and she launched herself into his arms. "Freddie, I don't know what to do!"