Later that day, Ron went to visit George in Diagon Alley, and have a drink at the Leaky Cauldron. Hermione, however, returned home, too tired to socialise or walk any more. She decided to take note of the days events, as she often did, in her diary: a simple, leather-bound book, a Christmas gift from Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Weasley.

Saturday, 8th September 2005

11 Days Until My 26th Birthday

4 months until due date

It's over, finally. We have found a house – I should say, we have bought a house. Everything was sorted today! Mum and dad won't be able to believe it, buying a house in the Muggle world takes weeks, though I suppose it helps that Ron and I don't require a mortgage. We will be moving in three days from now, and we plan to go shopping for furniture tomorrow – the nursery, of course, is the main priority, followed by at least one other room for guests, the dining room and living rooms. I'm so excited – it's perfect. I might even take up gardening when we move there – the garden is beautiful. I'm sure Neville will be extremely excited to see the variety of plants we have, although they are probably nothing to what he saw studying in Thailand! Everything in the house is already spick and span, and I plan to keep it that way – I'm going to look up more efficient cleaning spells in 'Practical Household Magic' in a moment. I'm meeting with Ginny tomorrow for lunch, so we can discuss (and moan about) our pregnancies – her due date is only three weeks after mine, but I am the one consulting her on everything – after all, she's already had James! He'll be turning two in December, and Harry's already got him riding a toy broom – he's brilliant, though he would be, with his blood. I do hope our children inherit Ron's talents on a broom and not mine – he'll be dreadfully disappointed otherwise.

I'm starting to feel our baby move a little, but Ron cannot. Hopefully it will get more vigorous soon, uncomfortable as that might be for me: I feel like he is missing out.

Ron has announced that we will be holding a housewarming party on my birthday, as a replacement for the birthday party I made him swear not to have for me. He is insisting on inviting everyone – Molly and Arthur, Harry and Ginny, Percy and Audrey, George and Angelina, Bill and Fleur, Mum and Dad, Neville and Hannah – he's just proposed! - and of course Teddy and Andromeda, as well as all the children. Molly has offered her help, which I am glad to accept, as well as Ginny and Fleur. I cannot wait to see Louis again – he's now six months old – and of course, Victoire and Dominique, who turned five and three this year. They are as beautiful as their mother.

Well, I suppose I had better brush up on my cleaning spells now, and decide on some recipes for the party – oh and here's Ron. I'll finish off quickly by saying how relieved I am, and that I must be one of the happiest witches alive!


'Hello, love,' said Ron, making his way through the apartment door as Hermione was writing her final lines.

'Hello,' said Hermione, continuing to write for a few seconds while Ron took off his jacket and made his way over to her. She closed the diary and stood up. She kissed him lightly and hugged him.

'I missed you, Ron,' she said quietly, looking into his eyes.

'I missed you too, Hermione.' Ron kissed her forehead and then moved his hands to her stomach. 'How's the little one? How are you? Tired?'

'Fine, I think. He or she's starting to move about a little more, hopefully you'll be able to feel it soon,' beamed Hermione. 'I'm fine, better than fine. Thank you for buying that house, Ron.'

'Well, it was perfect. Now we can look forward to seeing all our friends there in a few days time,' he winked. Hermione, slightly unwillingly, smiled and nodded. 'And to seeing our children grow up there. I can't believe how lucky we are. Everything could have been so different.' Ron looked pensive for a moment. It was not often he dwelt on the Wizarding War he and his wife had lived through, and even rarer that he brought it up with her. Though it had been the thing that had brought them together, the trauma they had both gone through within it was what they remembered. Everything after that was the beginning. Their wedding, Harry and Ginny's wedding, the birth of his brothers' and sister's children, the parties and happiness – those were the things they remembered and talked about. 'I'm glad, Hermione, that I have you, and that we will be safe for the rest of our lives.'

'I'm glad too, Ron.' They paused for a moment, enjoying the safety of their situation, and the security of their relationship.

'I think we should start to plan your party, and look at furniture. Here, I picked up a few magazines from some wizarding home furnishers.' He fetched the brochures from the jacket he had removed – 'Mr. Ampirical's Magically Carved Wood Furnishings', 'Mrs. Linkey's Soft Furnishings (Wand and Hand Made)', and 'Little Wizards' and Witchs' Little Rooms' were among the selection.

They sat down on the sofa, after Hermione had brewed a pot of tea and made marmalade toast. The wireless was on low, and the room was cosy and softly lit. Hermione pulled a crochet blanket, a joint effort on the parts of her mother and Ron's, over the two of them, and the expectant couple browsed happily through the magazines, selecting various items, and filling in the images of their future together that appeared in their minds.