Love is all that matters

By TheDarkAngelLilith

Rated T

They were absolutely insufferable the two of them. Ron wasn't sure who was worse. Ginny with her unstoppable need to practically or sometimes literally be sitting in Harry's lap all hours of the day. Or Harry seeming so intoxicated by his little sister. He supposed Harry was better than some random guy from school at least he knew he could trust him. But honestly did he have to be so, so… inappropriate, that was the word. He knew that their relationship was built on a legitimate love. They had just become so outwardly physical sometimes it seemed all they ever did was snog. It was disgusting.

"If he keeps sucking on her neck like that I'll send for a vampire hunter," Ron grumbled one morning as they set the table.

"Oh leave them alone Ron, they've waited a long time to be together. Besides your criticism of their romance is a tad hypocritical don't you think?" Hermione laughed as she set out the cutlery.

"What are you on about?" he asked.

Hermione cast him an incredulous look.

"Alright fine, but I wouldn't do anything like that in front of people especially not your brother," Ron shuttered an unpleasant feeling running up his spine.

"I don't have a brother," Hermione laughed.

"But if you had," he retorted.

"Honestly, you wouldn't be half as bothered by it if she weren't your little sister," Hermione pointed as she continued with the arrangement.

"But she is my little sister and that is exactly why it bothers me. I'm supposed to pummel anyone who touches her like that," Ron argued.

"As hilarious as the thought of you and Harry in a fist fight is you're missing the big picture. Harry would never hurt her and Ginny is eighteen she can decide what she does with her body and who she does it with." Hermione replied.

"Ugh! Don't put it that way," Ron exclaimed.

"Really, you're being childish," Hermione rolled her eyes.

Ron was about to protest why his disgruntled attitude was completely valid when Harry and Ginny sauntered through the front door laughing.

"I thought you went out there to feed the chickens" Ron stated with a frown.

"We did," Harry replied.

"Get a little distracted did you?" Ron asked grumpily.

"It was my fault, I just couldn't help myself" Ginny grinned. She ran her index finger along Harry's jaw adoringly making him blush.

"Get a room," Ron sneered "No wait on seconds thoughts do anything but that,"

"Like you and Hermione aren't just as bad if not worse," Ginny replied incredulous to his upheaval.

"I hope our parents get home soon," Ron groaned.

"You'll be waiting another two days," Ginny reminded him as she took her seat at the table.

The Weasley family dining room table was feeling rather empty as of late. Molly and Arthur had gone away for a few days though they hadn't said where. All the other Weasley children were living on their own now. Ginny and Ron were the only two left. As their parents had been taking these temporary leaves regularly they were often alone. Harry and Hermione had been practically living with them as of late so they didn't get lonely or murder each other.

In all honesty Ron would've asked Hermione to move out with him if it wasn't so easy for her to apparate back and forth. He was waiting for or rather fearing that Ginny would leave to live with Harry if their parents would allow it. Harry had his own place but he didn't like staying there alone.

The four sat down to a small breakfast. Putting squabbles aside for a moment they conversed happily about a number of things.

"So, uh Harry and I have something to tell you," Ginny announced somewhat hesitantly.

Ron nearly chocked "Please god please Ginny don't tell us you're pregnant,"

Hermione nearly dropped her water glass at the statement looking from Ginny to Ron wide eyed.

"What? No I'm not pregnant!" Ginny exclaimed.

Harry almost laughed at Ron's expression "I wouldn't just be sitting here if that were the news. You'd maim me,"

"I was going to say, we're moving in together. We've already talked to Mum and Dad about it." Ginny stated with a small grin.

"I knew this was going to happen," Ron sighed as if he'd just been delivered terrible news.

"It's alright Ron, the voices in your head will keep you company when I'm gone," Ginny teased.

"You know what now I'm glad you're leaving," Ron replied then turned to Harry "But you take care of her, just because I'm your best friend-"

"-Doesn't mean you won't pummel me if I mess up, we've been over this," Harry laughed "Do you honestly think I'd ever dream of hurting her?"

"I know, it's just she's my little sister you know. It's my job to protect her." Ron replied slightly sheepish.

"In that case I'm sacking you," Ginny declared humorously. But in all seriousness she hated the way everyone treated her like she was made of spun sugar.

Everyone had a small laugh at the remark but Hermione's smile seemed forced. Ron normally wouldn't have given it much thought but he was beginning to worry about her. She'd been acting strange as of late very jumpy and stressed. There were times when she acted like she was in a serious depression. It reminded him of her temperament in their third year when she had an impossible time table and had to time travel to make ends meet. Only he couldn't think of anything that could be stressing her that much. Whatever it was it was worrying her so much that she'd been physically sick the night before. He tried to ask about what was troubling her but every time he did she'd get very fidgety and try to change the subject.

They continued their conversations ranging from important life decisions to a small light hearted row about Arnold the pygmy puff leaving purple fur in the clean laundry. Their babbling dragged the meal on for the better part of an hour. Being the first to finish Ron got up put his dishes in the sink and left the room without a word. Harry cast a puzzled look in the direction witch he left.

"Hermione are you alright? You haven't touched your plate," Ginny asked.

Across the table Hermione sat with her hands folded in her lap. She hadn't eaten at all and she looked rather pale.

"You and Ron aren't fighting are you?" Ginny questioned a very scared look on her face. Couples fought it was only normal. She and Harry had their fall outs occasionally. But this was certainly not the time for Ron and Hermione to be at odds.

"What? No, no we're fine. I'm just not feeling well that's all," Hermione replied.

"You're sure? Because I'm not afraid to knock some sense into him," Ginny stated.

"I'm positive but thank you for the offer," Hermione smiled. The feeling behind it was genuine but the smile itself was weak.

Harry was getting the feeling that the girls knew something he didn't but before he could ask Ron returned. He now held a small glass bottle with a faded blue liquid inside it. Hermione sat ridged in her chair suddenly.

"Here," Ron placed the bottle firmly down on the table in front of Ginny.

Ginny lifted the bottle studying it cautiously. It was undoubtedly a potion of some sort "You're absolutely bonkers if you think I'm going to put a potion you made in my body."

"It's fine I followed the directions Hermione uses exactly." He protested.

"What is it?" Ginny asked.

"Just take it trust me, I'll explain later." Ron replied.

"Trust you, right," Ginny snorted "I'm not taking it until you tell me what the hell it is."

"It's a contraception potion," Hermione sighed.

Harry chocked on his water feeling shocked and slightly embarrassed by the statement.

"Honestly are you daft?" Ginny questioned her expression somewhere between amused and outraged "First of all do you honestly think I'd be that irresponsible to not take this in to my own hands? Second why the hell would you use the same recipe you two use if you know bloody well it doesn't work? And while we're on the topic stay out of my sex life."

"What do you mean 'I know it doesn't work'? It works fine, right Hermione?" Ron asked turning to Hermione. She was hiding her face from him "Hermione?"

"I thought- I thought you knew," Ginny stammered her face going pale.

"He doesn't," Hermione stated her voice was hoarse.

"Hermione, I'm so sorry I thought you told him." Ginny apologized looking very scared.

"You thought she told me what? Hermione what aren't you telling me?" Ron asked anxiously.

"It's alright Ginny," Hermione responded just barley loud enough to be heard.

"Hermione what's going on?" Ron questioned impatiently, he had an idea but it just couldn't be true.

Ginny got up silently and caressed Harry's shoulder telling him that she thought they'd best leave the two alone.

"Hermione come on at least look at me. What was Ginny talking about?" Ron pleaded with her.

She turned suddenly tears in her eyes "Isn't it bloody obvious?! I'm pregnant,"

Ron shakily sat in the chair next to her, shock rendering him unable to stand, speak or form a coherent thought. Hermione was pregnant, they were only nineteen. Sure they would be twenty by the time the baby would be born but in his mind that was still too young. He wasn't ready to be a father the idea scared the hell out of him. He wasn't cut out for the job. He was reckless and accident prone. Surely he'd screw up royally. Neither of them had a stable career. They were still living separately in their parents houses. Babies needed a lot of things, thighs that were expensive neither of them had money. This wasn't going to work there was just nothing about the situation that could possibly work. Hermione had obviously thought of all this being the logical one it was reason she was stressed. But the fine details didn't matter at the moment they just needed to focus on getting over the first challenge. The challenge of facing each other and the consequences of the mistake they'd made.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Ron breathed finally finding his voice.

"I've been trying to come to terms with it myself. This isn't an easy conversation to have you can't just bring it up." Hermione replied still panicked.

"But you could've," Ron objected "Hermione it's me, you know you can talk to me about anything. You should've just told me right away so you didn't have to deal with this all alone. I love you, you know that I wouldn't be angry with you over something like this or at least you should've. I thought we were closer than this."

"That's rich because it sounds like you're accusing me of something," she retorted.

"So do you!" Ron exclaimed "Why have you been hiding this from me? I've been worried sick about you the past few weeks and I tried to get you to tell me multiple times but you wouldn't. And then you told Ginny first, have you told Harry too because he didn't seem too surprised. I should've been the first person you told, I am the father aren't I?"

"So now you're saying I cheated on you?!" Hermione sneered.

"That's not what I said!" he shouted.

She flinched at his tone tears were flowing freely at this point. She couldn't remember the last time he'd yelled at her like that.

"Forget it," Hermione shook her head "Forget we ever talked about this. It was a mistake anyways."

She stood then walking for the stairs hastily. Ron followed right on her heels.

"Where are you going? Hermione what are you thinking? Stop for a minute you can't just walk away from this," He called after her as they ascended the stairs.

It was no use she'd gone back to ignoring his presence. When they reached Ron's bedroom she began to throw her belongings back into her beg and lifted her wand.

Ron seized her hand abruptly "You're not just disapparating out of this,"

She pushed away from him "Don't grab me like that!"

"Hermione I'm sorry that this turned into a fight but we need to talk about this. I don't know what you're thinking but trying to get rid of the baby isn't going to fix anything. I know you would never forgive yourself and honestly neither would I. This isn't a bad thing, it doesn't have to be." He tried to reason with her, he reached for her hands as a comforting gesture but she kept pulling back.

"It's certainly not a good thing," Hermione exclaimed "tell me one good thing that could come of this. We aren't fit to be parents Ron it's not fair for the baby."

"It's not fair on the baby if we don't even try," Ron argued "We'll manage I mean we've beat death on multiple occasions how hard could life be? Unless you don't want the baby."

"Of course I do," she dropped on to the bed with her head in hands "I just don't know that we can provide the life they deserve."

Ron sat next her and wrapped her in a gentle embrace. This time she accepted the gesture and sunk into his arms. There was a time when the thought of hugging each other was just short of sickening. Now it was single best way to calm her.

"Everything is going to fine, it's not going to be easy but we have each other and we have our family. That's all that counts the rest we'll figure out." He whispered in to her hair.

Thinking upon his childhood what would seem from the outside as a wreck was actually the perfect life. His family never had a nice house, his parents never had the best jobs and money was always tight but the one thing they'd always had in ample supply was love. His upbringing taught him to forget the artificial things. Now it would be the same for their son or daughter. They had people all around them to support them and looking at this the future no longer seemed so bleak.

It took an hour to convince Hermione of any hope. Having Ron know her secret made the entire situation seem lighter.

It was even harder to tell her parents and their reaction was to be expected "We thought you knew better,". From birth she couldn't remember a time when she'd ever disappointed her parents. This was almost more painful than having them lash out and be angry at her. They didn't really show love towards their unborn grandchild until Hermione started to show and then reality dawned on them. Molly and Arthur's initial reaction ranged from disappointment to anger to sadness. But as their son had they came around in less than an hour.

Easy it was not but they managed. Sometimes it seemed that the world was against them but in the dim candle light of the burrow they found peace and love. Time either passed in a blur or at a an agonizing crawl. Seven and a half months later weighing six pounds even with wisps of fiery hair and bright blue eyes little Rose was born. Hermione insisted they give her both Granger and Weasley as last names. Ron wasn't sure the name flowed properly but he was too consumed by the wriggly little creature in his arms to care that much. She was absolutely perfect and every fear and struggle was immediately thrown away.

Love really was all that mattered. They loved their daughter more than they'd ever thought possible and in comparison everything else seemed minuscule.

I know I know! this doesn't match up with the 19 years later thing that happened in the book but that's why it's fan "fiction"