Chapter one: The beginning of the end

I sat there in shock, not looking at the doctor. Keeping my eyes on the floor a thousand things were running thorough my mind. I shook my head and looked up at the elderly man. "Ar...are you sure?" I asked him, praying that I had heard him wrong or there could be a chance he was wrong. He nodded his head and my heart sunk.

"Yes, Miss Granger. You are pregnant." The doctor said. I thought I was going to faint. What was I going to tell my parents? What was I going to tell Ron! Yes, it is his baby. Ron and I got together over the summer and we only did "it" one time. I never thought this could happen. You know for the smartest witch of my age I feel really stupid right now. I have to tell him and his parents. They are going to hate me! I put my head in my hands and begin to cry. The doctor puts a hand on my back and tells me it is going to be okay, but I know better. Everything wasn't going to be ok. I still had another year of school left. But to make the doctor feel better I dried my eyes, put on a fake smile, and nodded. And who knows, he might be right. Ron and I might be able to make this work, be a family.

I knew I had to tell my folks first so I headed home after I left the doctor. I opened the door to my house and found everything dark. I didn't bother to turn on the living room light. After living there for seventeen years I knew my way around the living room. I went to the kitchen where I found the light. I sighed as I saw a note of the refrigerator. I didn't need to read it, already guessing what it said. I did anyway, hoping it would change. It hadn't.

Hermione,

Your father and I had to work late and then we are going out to eat. Here is some money, order pizza or fix something in the house. We will bring you back dessert, but we won't be back til late so I doubt you will be up. If you have any trouble call my cell. If I don't answer I am with a paenit and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

Love, Mom

Crubling the paper up I thought of what to do. Should I call? She said if I had any problems and I would call this a problem. What would I say though? Could I tell her to come home, that I needed to talk to her and dad now. It was worth a try. I picked up the phone and hit memory seven. It rang three times. My heart was racing. Maybe she wouldn't pick up. Fouth ring. Maybe I could leave a message. Fifth ring. I waited for the voice mail to beep, knowing my mother set it to go on after the fifth ring. Then I heard something that made my blood run cold.

"Hello?" My mother's voice said on the other end of the line.

"M..mo..mom?" I studdered. I couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Yeah Hermione, who else answers my phone?" She asked a little confused and a lot annoied.

"I... I didn't mean to bother you at work or anything, I was just... I was wondering if..." I couldn't seem to get it out.

"You were wondering what Hermione? I have people waiting on me." She said and I could tell she was getting more annoied.

"I was... I was wondering if you and dad could come home early. I.. I um really need to talk to you about something."

"You know we can't, we have work. Can't you talk to us about it tomorrow?" My mother asked and something inside me got a little angry.

"No I can't, mom!" I exclaimed. "You know why! You are never home! You are always at work or out to dinner or something. This is really important!"

"Do not take that tone with me! Now I told you, we have to work. We will skip dinner and come home, but that is all we can do! We will talk about that attuidude when we get home. Understand?" She was using her strict voice which was never good. I was really trying not to cry until I got off the phone with her.

"Yes, mother." I replied and we hung up. I threw down the phone and ran up to my room. I had already gotten off to a bad start with my mom, which could not be good. My dad already said if I were to get pregnant he was going to kick me out. I didn't have anywhere else to go really. The Burrow, but I couldn't bother the Weasley's like that. They had enough people living in that house, they didn't need another one. wiping my eyes to get free from the tears a thought came to me. I go back to school in a few days. Maybe my father would let me live here until I left and then after this year I could find a place to stay. I nodded. Ron and I could do this. We would both work to afford a house while Mrs. Weasley babysat. I smiled thinking that everything was going to be okay and it was going to work out just fine. It was the an owl tapped on my window. I smiled as I saw it was Pig, Ron's owl. I got up and went over to the window and got the letter.

Hey Beautiful,

I can hardly wait til we go back to schoo,l and I get to be with you again. We had some summer huh? I wish we could be together now, but Mom said I need to work on getting my books and everything ready. Are you still coming to the Burrow the day before we go back like always? Harry is already here. He says hi and sendes his love. Well send back you answer, Mom needs to know and I am anxious to see you. Till then, Love.

Yours forever,

Ronald Weasley

You could barley read his handwriting, but I had gotten use to it over the years and made some sense out of it. I went down and got Pig some meat to eat while I wrote back a reply.

Yes, Sweetheart, I am going to the Burrow tomorrow. I hope Pig get;s there before then. I can't wait to see you and I have very important news to tell you. I can't wait to see you and Harry. I have missed him a lot too. Well, until then.

Love,

Hermione J. Granger

I gave the letter to Pig and watched the bird fly out of the window. I went over to my bed and laid down, looking up at the celling above me. I had fotten about going to the Burrow before going back to school. I feel into a gentle sleep.

"HERMIONE JANE GRANGER!" My mother's seraking voice awoke me from my pleasent slumber. I sat straight up in my bed. Not being able to see two feet in front of my face from the darkness, I stumvled out of my room. I made my way toward the voice that was still yelling, but I couldn't make out what she was saying. I arrived in the living room to see a lamp broken. Not just any lamp, this was my mothers pride and joy. There were only ten in the world like it and she had one. Now it was broken. "How do you explain this!"

"I don't know." I said in a panic. "I didn't do it." Was my automatic reaction.

"Who else could of, Hermione? You were the only one here!" My mother yelled.

"Sweetheart, are you sure you didn't trip over the cord or something when you came in?" My father asked in his caring tone. I shook my head.

"No, Daddy. I didn't, I would have heard if crash and break." I explained.

"Then who else was here!" My mother accused me.

"NO ONE! GOSH! HEAVEN FORBID YOU JUST TRUST ME!" I yelled. My mother was always on my case and I couldn't take it anymore. What more could she ask of me? I was a good kid, I made the best grades in my class, and I helped out around the house without wanting any money or anything.

"Do not yell at me young lady! You are in enough trouble as it is!" She yelled back at me. She had no idea how right she was. I found it best just to agree. I didn't need her too mad before I told her my news.

"Ok. I am sorry. I will pay for the lamp." That I didn't break. I would have heard it, felt it. I didn't. I know the living room like the back of my hand. It was probably the cat, which was my fault, too, since it was my cat. Both my Parents were looking at me so I decided to tell them now. "I have to tell you something. Can we sit down?" I asked and without waiting for their answer I sat down in a chair near the table where the lamp use to sit. My parents followed in suit. I looked down at the floor, studying my shoes, acting as if they were the most intresting things in the world.

"Hermione, are you going to tell us?" My father asked, trying to make eye contact with me. My father wasn't old, but wasn't young either. He looked like he was in his fivties, which was good I guess. At that moment I could see every wringle in his face. I was trying anything for a distraction. I sighed.

"Yeah." I started. I couldn't do this. They were both looking at me with those intense curious looks that I hated so much. I felt like I was going to get sick. "I... You know Ron right?"

"You mean that git you call a boyfriend? Yeah, what about him?" My father asked. He had never liked Ron. My father wanted me to be with a muggle or someone with money. Ron wasn't either.

"Yeah, that would be him. Well... I saw a lot of him this summer and... we ended up doing 'things'." I said as I emplized the word things. Both my parents face grew worried and a little angry. "Let me finish before you say anything." I said when I saw my mother open her tiny mouth. "Well thoses 'things' ended up in me getting pregnant." I said the last part and I thought I had gone deaf. I heard nothing, but silence. I couldn't bare to look at my parents to see if their lips were moving. After what seemed like two eternities my father was the one to break the silence. First he cleared his throat.

"Well.. Hermione... what have you gotten yourself into? I thought you were smarter than this! I guess I was wrong. You really let your mother and me down! You know what this means right?" He asked me and I did. I nodded.

"It means I am going to have to move. I know. I am going to the Burrow tomorrow." I told them.

"Good. I will take you. Have you told the poor boy yet?" He asked and I shook my head. "Do you plan on telling him?"

"Of course I do." I said as I got the strength to look up at him. My father nodded and walked out of the room. I stood up to do the same, but saw my mother standing there. I knew she wanted to say something, so I stayed there to give her the chance to. "Well?" I asked when she didn't say anything.

"Well what?" She asked in a emotionless tone that hurt worse than when she yelled.

"What do you have to say to me, Mother? Your only child went and got herself knocked up... you have to have something to say." I said looking her directly in the eye.

"My child? You are no child of mine!" She practically yelled. I thought my knees were going to give in and I felt the tears start to sting my eyes, I sucked it up though. I was not giving her the satisfaction of seeing me cry. I just walked off to my room and locked my door. I got a total of two hours of sleep that night. Part of it was from crying the other part was because of my parents yelling. About me. What have I done?

The next morning I got up and got my stuff together and my father drove me to the Burrow. I told him I would be back for my other stuff when I got a place after school this year. He said it was alright. Getting out of the car I was ready to cry. I didn't want my father to be disappointed in me and I didn't want my mother to disown me. Both had already happened and there was nothing I could do to change it. My dad helped with my trunk and stuff. I walked him back out to the car.

"Thanks for everything, Daddy." I said. Yes, I still call my father Daddy.

"No problem, Princess. Listen, anytime you want to come home I will work around your mother. I want to see my grand baby and I know she does too. We want the best for you Hermione, that is all." He explained and I felt a tear slip. He reached up and wiped it from my face. "Well, I must be going. I have work. I will write. It might take you mother a while, but she will come around." He kissed me on my forehead before getting into the car and driving off. I watched him, knowing I could never go back to my mother's house after last night. I turned and walked into the Burrow when the car was out of sight.

"Hermione! I was wondering if you would ever get here!" I heard a oh too familiar voice coming down the stairs. I smiled as I saw the jet black hair and the glasses.

"Hiya Harry." I said as I ran up and hugged him. "You have no idea how much I missed you and the rest."

"We have missed you too, Hermione." Harry laughed as he hugged me back.

"Hey Potter, hands off my girlfriend!" I heard another familiar, playful, voice behind me. Harry let me go and threw his arms up.

"Sorry Mate, didn't know she was taken." He laughed. He knew about Ron and me. I shook my head at the both of them and look at Ron. He had grown up a lot since I had first met him. He was a lot taller and his hair looked like the flame in a fire. It still didn't look like he brushed it. He didn't look like a toothpick anymore though. Ever since he started playing qudditch in his fifth year he had gotten a little better build. Not much though. Harry still was bulit better. Ron hated this fact.

"What? I don't even get a hug?" He asked and I laughed and went over to him. Instead of hugging me he brought me in for a kiss. The moment his lips touched mine everything flew from my mind. I just thought about how much I loved him and how this felt. I pulled back and smiled at him.

"Umm... okay then." Harry said and turned and went back up the stairs.

"Hey! I got you something." Ron said as he took my hand and pulled me toward the stairs. I didn't even hesitate, I just went. We got up there and he locked the door. I looked at him weird.

"Ron... what is it?" I asked. I had thought he was going to give me something or tell me something. I was wrong. He just smirked, reminding me a little of Draco Malfoy when he did, and started to walk toward me. I backed up until I hit a wall and he didn't stop until he was up against me, no room inbetween us. "Ron..."

"This is your going back to school gift... surprise!" He wishpered in my ear as he started to kiss me neck. Now I am not going to lie and say I don't like all this, but this can't happen. I know where this is leading, a part of my brain says. But another part says it is just making out and having fun and I will be fine. I let the second part of my brain win. He makes his way up to my lips and I let out a cross between a whimper and a sigh. I was loving every moment of it until felt his cold hand on my back. My heart started pounding. I hoped he couldn't hear it, but he was so close and it was so fast he was bound to. I gasped, hoping that would tell him not to. He must have though I was urging him on because he crept him hand up my shirt and pushed it off. I tryed to push him away, but he is a lot stronger than I am. I don't even know if he he felt me try to push him away.

"Ron." I wishper. He also thinks this is a plea for him to keep going. "Ron... we have to stop." He brings his lips off me and looks me in the eye.

"Why do we have to stop?" He asked me.

"I... I have something to tell you first." I said. I could tell he was searching my eyes for any clue of what it might be. He nodded and handed me my shirt. I quickly put it back on.

"What do you have to tell me?" He asked as she walked over to the bed and sat down.

"I...well..." I thought this was going to be eaiser than telling my parents. Boy was I wrong. It felt like the hardest thing I ever had to do. "I... you rememver... I..." I had no idea how to say it.

"Hermione, you are making no sense what so ever." Ron pointed out the obvious. I hate the way he did that. I felt myself get more strength by that.

"Ron, would you hush and let me finish!" I snapped. I found it eaiser to tell him when I was thinking of the things I didn't like about him. "Well Ron, this summer we did something, if you can remember." He probably didn't have a clue to what I was talking about, but I went on. "Well, Ron... I really don't know any other way to say this, but I am... I am..."

"You are what, Hermione? Honey, are you sick?" He asked as he got up and put his arms around me. I shook my head.

"No, Ron, I am pregnant!" I practlically yelled. Instantly I felt his arms flea from me. I all of a sudden felt really cold.

"Your..your what?" He asked.

"I... please don't make me say it again." I said, not wanting to repeat it. I could tell by the look on his fact that he didn't take it the way I wanted him to. His face wore a look of terror and anger. He looked to the ground as I had done many times in the past few days.

"Who is the father?" Ron asked breathing so hard that I could hear. I open my mouth to tell him he was but he held up a hand. "Don't even say it is me! We only did it one time and that couldn't have gotten you pregnant!" I couldn't believe this.

"Ron, it is your baby!" I said. My voice was cracking from anger and sadness.

"Cut the bullshit, Hermione! There is no way it could be mine!" He yelled, throwing his hands in the air.

"Then who's is it, Ron!" I yelled back at him. "If it isn't yours then I don't know who's it is." I said, but didn't mean it the way he took it.

"You slut! You went around sleeping with people and then when this happens you think you can pin in on me! You are very much mistaken then! You and your baby can go to hell and get the fuck out of my house!" He yelled at me. I opened my mouth to say something, but he left the room before I could. I feel to my knees with my head in my hands. I could already tell that this was the beginning of the end of me.