Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. It all belongs to J.K. Rowling.
Forever:
Chapter 1:
Ron and Hermione Weasley had been married for three years, two years to the day after Harry and his sister Ginny became husband and wife. Like Harry he was an Auror, working for the Ministry of Magical Law Enforcement. Hermione also worked for the Ministry of Magic as a Potions Analyst at the Department of Mysteries. Ron and Hermione lived near Ottery St Catchpole; they purchased a medium sized house using the galleons the Ministry gave them after the end of the war as compensation.
One Saturday morning in early December, Hermione woke to the sound of pots and pans coming from the kitchen downstairs. She groaned at the smell of breakfast cooking. She hadn't been feeling well since last week. She had thought by now her stomach flu, as she claimed it would be gone. Ron was getting worried and he was worse than her mum and dad combined when it comes to her. Hermione climbed out of bed and made her way to the loo. As she was getting ready to change she clutched her stomach, bent down on the toilet and retched. After a minute of just sitting on the floor, she decided to take a shower and maybe she would feel better. When she was done and changed she made her way down the stairs to the kitchen.
"Morning sweetie." Ron greeted her with a smile. "Are you feeling any better?"
"A bit. Still a bit nauseous." Hermione answered as she kissed her husband good morning.
"You do look a bit peaky. Breakfast?" Ron asked arranging two plates and handing one to Hermione. She looked at the bacon and egg and made a face.
"Just tea and toast for me. I don't think I can stomach greasy food yet. Thanks though."
"Alright." Ron took away her plate and they went to the dining table and ate quietly, Hermione nibbling at her toast. A few minutes of talking, Hermione felt the sudden urge to throw up again. Cupping her mouth with her hand she quickly got up and ran to the bathroom across the hallway. She dropped to her knees and started retching. Within seconds Ron was behind her, pulling her hair away from her face while rubbing her back soothingly.
When her retching stopped, she leaned into Ron. He gave her a wet face cloth to wipe her face. The coolness of the cloth soothes Hermione's warm face.
"Sweetie, I think you should see a doctor." Ron suggested. He knew Hermione hated doctors but he was really worried about her.
"You're right." Hermione said, sighing.
"I'll call your mum and see if she could go with you. I hate not to be the one going, but I need to go to work. Harry needs me to go over the plan we've been working on for awhile."
"It's okay Ron, I understand. I'll call mum myself. You go and get ready." Hermione said. Ron helped her to her feet.
"Alright. Do that and I'll floo Harry to let him know that I will be late coming to work today." Ron went to the fireplace in the living room downstairs while Hermione went to their bedroom.
He grabbed a pinch of the green floo powder, threw the powder in the fireplace, he stuck his head in and yelled, "Potter's Cottage!" Ron looked around and heard talking in the background. The house was a bit louder than usual, must be Jamie, Ron thought, smiling.
"Ginny!" no answered. He called out again and this time he heard shuffling and then two sets of feet come into view. Ginny bent down, a squirming baby James, clutched on her hip.
"Hey Ron!" Ginny greeted him with a grunt. Harry also bent down, his brow furrowed.
"Hey mate. Something wrong?" Harry asked.
"Nothing really. I just want to let you know that I will be late for work today. I'm waiting for Hermione's mum to get here so that she could go with her to the doctor."
"Of course. Is she okay?" Harry asked, worried. Then without warning, Hermione's head joined Ron's.
"Bloody hell, Hermione! Please don't do that."
"Sorry. I just want to let you know that mum won't be able to come with me. I was wondering if Ginny would be able to go instead." Hermione said, looking at Harry and Ginny sheepishly. Ginny smiled and looked at Jamie, who joined them.
"Yeyoo 'ncle Ron." Greeted a two year old Jamie with a twinkle in his eyes and a toothy grin. Ron could not help himself remembering that his nephew sometimes reminds him of Fred and George. And he could not wait to see how will live up to his namesakes when he starts school.
"Yes, of course. Let me just bring this bugger to mum's and I'll be there in half an hour."
"Great. That's settled then. I won't be late after all. Thanks, Gin. See you later Harry. Bye Jamie." Ron said, smiling gratefully at his sister.
"Thanks guys. Bye Harry. I'll see you later, Gin." Ron and Hermione pulled their heads out of the fire.
Ron kissed Hermione goodbye. "I love you. Send a Patronus as soon as you find something, alright?" Ron gently kissed her. "I have to go. Ginny will be here soon."
"Yeah go. I love you, too. Bye."
Forty five minutes later, Ginny floo'd in. "Hermione!" Ginny called out.
"In the bedroom. Come on up." Hermione called back. She was standing in front of her dresser when Ginny came in. She was having trouble buttoning her trouser.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" Ginny asked. Looking at her friend she noticed that she doesn't look sick to her. She was a bit flushed but that was all. In fact there was a glow in her that Ginny could not put her finger on.
"I'm feeling much better. After all the puking I had this morning."
"So do you still want me to go to the doctor with you?" Ginny asked obviously confused.
"I'm not sure. Right now, I'm feeling fine." Ginny looked at her sister-in-law and suddenly realization dawned on her. She was flushed, glowing and she looked like she had gained a bit of weight.
"Hermione, when was the last time you had your visit?" Hermione looked at her confused.
"Visit" what visit?"
"You know, your monthly period?" Hermione thought for a moment. Of course she had her monthly…Wait, when was the last time she had her monthly? Hermione's heart was beating so fast and thought that she might have a heart attack as she rushed over to her writing table and flipped open her calendar. Ginny followed her.
"Oh my God! It's been seven weeks!" Hermione squeaked.
"Do you think…?" she asked. Ginny saw how pale Hermione had looked.
"I'm not sure. We'd better go to that appointment and see what the doctor says. But to honestly answer your question, I do think so."
"Okay. Let's go." Hermione grabbed her bag, Ginny followed her to the living room downstairs and together they floo'd to St. Mungo's.
Ginny grabbed Hermione to steady her on her feet when they stopped spinning. They heard the Welcome Witch.
"Good morning. Welcome to St. Mungo's. How can I help you?"
"I have an appointment at 11:45 today with Healer Byrne."
"Name please?"
"Hermione Weasley." The Welcome witch made some wand gestures. Hermione and Ginny stood there waiting, and then after a minute she said.
"She will be out in a moment. Please have a seat."
"Thank you." Hermione and Ginny chorused in reply, and walked to the waiting chairs and sat.
Hermione didn't sit, instead she was pacing back and forth, muttering to herself, while Ginny reads the Witch Weekly magazine that was on the table. Ginny looked up when she heard a soft gasped from Hermione.
"Okay, now what?" Ginny asked, clearly annoyed.
"You know what? We should go. I know what to do, we don't need a healer." Hermione said and grabbed Ginny's hand and pulled her up on her feet. "Are you sure? What about the appointment?" asked Ginny puzzled?
They walked up to the Welcome witch and Hermione said, "Please cancel my appointment. Thank you." Before the witch could say anything, they stepped into the fire and yelled, "Weasley's House!"
"What the bloody hell was that for Hermione?" Ginny burst out, scourgifying the soot off her clothes.
"I'm sorry." Hermione said sheepishly.
"I just thought I recognized one of the woman sitting in the waiting room with us. I'm sure she was one of the reporters from Daily Prophet." Hermione explained.
"Oh!" was all Ginny could say.
Of course Hermione hates them as much as she did. They were constantly bugging them wherever they go out in public. They were most brutal when it comes to her husband, her brother Ron and Hermione because of the extent of what they did before and during the war. They hounded her too, seeing as she was the best Chaser in the all witch Quidditch leagues the Holyhead Harpies.
"So what are we going to do now?" asked Ginny.
"Well…I think I will try and use the Muggle pregnancy test instead."
"Do you think it will work on a witch?"
"I guess so. I don't see why not."
"Okay then. Let's go and get some. Err…where can we get them?" Ginny asked.
"In Muggle store. I know a pharmacy just a little ways from where my parents live, but I don't think we have to go there, Mr. Alford, the Pharmacist knew my parents. I've got some Muggle money in the bedroom on top of my bureau."
"Okay. Stay here. I'll go get them." Ginny went into the bedroom and came back with what looked like paper money. She gave it to Hermione, who puts it in her bag.
They apparated to Muggle London, just outside Leaky Cauldron. They walked away from the pub and in the busy street of London, they looked for a pharmacy. Hermione went into the first one she saw and dragged Ginny in.
"Here Ginny." They went into the aisle marked 'Feminine Products'. When Hermione saw the counter she hurriedly grabbed five of them and walked up to the counter, Ginny at her heels.
"Hullo." The cashier greeted them with a polite smile.
"Hi." Hermione and Ginny chorused together.
"I'd like to buy these, please." Hermione said handing the items to her. The cashier scanned the items and said, "That would be thirty one pounds. Anything else?" Hermione shook her head, paid the cashier and they left.
When they got to the house, Ginny went into the kitchen to make tea and Hermione went upstairs into the loo. She opened the bag, spread the items on the counter and looked at the five different pregnancy tests. She sighed and read the instructions, and then opened all of them. After she had used all five and bearing the same positive sign on each, she was led to believe, that indeed she was pregnant. All of a sudden, Hermione begun to panic. She looked at the mirror and composed herself and slowly she left the bathroom and went down into the kitchen.
"So…?" Ginny asked. She handed Hermione her mug of tea. After she took it, she set it down on the table.
"Well…I'm pregnant." Hermione whispered. Ginny squealed, she sets her mug down on the table and went over to Hermione, and gave her a hug.
"Oh I'm going to be an aunt…again. Congratulations! I'm so happy for you and Ron!" Hermione laughed, but Ginny noticed it did not reach her eyes.
"What's wrong, Hermione? Aren't you happy?" asked Ginny.
"I am…very. It's just, I'm scared and I don't know how to tell Ron." Hermione knew Ron would be delighted, after all he's wanted to have children since they've gotten married, but still it was scary and such a big news.
"Oh Hermione. Please don't be scared. Everybody feels the same way with their first baby. But if you need help and someone to talk to, you know I'm always here. Plus your mum and my mum would be here to help you." Hermione gave her friend a small smile; she was glad that Ginny was with her.
"How Am I going to tell Ron?" she asked, panicked in her voice.
"Listen. You'll find a way how to tell him, you're a smart witch. Don't postpone it. I'm sure he'll be so happy."
Hermione nodded and they continued to talk, until Ginny had to leave. Before she could floo out, Hermione asked her not to divulge anything to everyone yet, including Harry.
"Don't worry. I won't spoil your surprise. I'll let you and Ron tells the family. Besides I want to see Ron's face when George finds out." They both laughed at that.
"Thanks for everything, Ginny." They hugged and Ginny left.
A/N: Please review if you happen to read it. It doesn't take too much effort to let me know how you like it. Cheers!
Please no flame. If you don't like it, please don't read it again. Thanks.