Hermione braced herself for Mrs Weasley's reaction. While it wasn't the raging embarrassment she'd expected, there was a long moment of awkward silence. Finally Molly spoke.

"What exactly do you want to know, do you mean, the process of wizard birth?" she eyed Hermione like a hawk hoping the mouse in its sights moved, "or is this more of a general wonderment about…everything?"

Hermione took another sip of tea. "I wanted know…I mean, how might one…how does wizard birth control work exactly?" she asked, squeezing her eyes shut, her face feeling like it was on fire. "I'm sorry, Mrs Weasley, really, I should have gone to a healer at school. The last thing you need is your youngest son's girlfriend asking you…well."

She felt a strong hand on her forearm squeezing reassuringly. Peeling open a cautious eye, Hermione saw that even though Mrs. Weasley's face had gone as red as her hair, there was still a smile on her face.

"I understand how difficult this must have been for you Hermione. Heaven knows I never would have been able to be so upfront with Arthur's mother at your age. And you're right, I'd just as soon not know about you and Ron…like that, but I think you've done the mature thing asking before hand and I'm glad you came to me," Molly decided, equally unable to say the words like Hermione, "just like did Ginny a few months ago in regards to her and Harry."

Molly took a bite of one of the tarts, licking a stray crumb off her lip with her tongue. "Now, what exactly do you want to know?"

Hermione flushed an even deeper shade of scarlet, feeling a surge of sister like protection towards Ginny. "Um, well, obviously I know how things work in the Muggle world, my parents made sure I took that health course before going to Hogwarts. But I've been thinking about it a lot lately and mainly, I was interested in knowing if the same…contraceptive methods from the Muggle world work for witches and wizards."

"Ah, I see. You and Ron have reached that conversation have you?"

Hermione could only nod, her voice having disappeared on her again. They'd actually had the conversation the week before, when they'd been locked in a late-night interlude so passionate the plates in the kitchen cupboards had begun to rattle. Neither one had been able to face George the next day, who'd obviously heard more than he wanted to. That had been the deal breaker for Hermione, who'd refused Ron's advances until she found some of her own answers. Ron thankfully, had not taken the typical male route; rather appreciated that she was a Muggle-born and to his knowledge, had no prior reason for asking certain questions. Hermione's decision to talk to Molly was not because she was Ron's mother and wanted him ratted out, but rather the only person she felt comfortable talking to about such things. Ginny had been considered and rejected, not wanting to embarrass more people than necessary, so it had fallen on Molly to answer these humiliating questions.

"He has been wonderfully kind and respectful of me, Mrs Weasley. It's just that we've been together for over a year now, and things just…happen and I don't want other things to…happen."

"Alright. Well, contrary to the Muggle world, the wizard community considers that kind of intimate decision between partners just that – intimate. It's up to the individual to research which form of protection is the most effective for them. I will recommend the same potion I gave to Ginny. That particular potion can also be used by men as well, so you give it to Ron to use as well."

Molly stood up, took Hermione to the toilets on the second floor and pulled out her Personal Potions and You manual, flipped through until she found the recipe for Anti-Naissance Potion.

"Yes, this is for first time users, minimal side effects include a heightened sense of hearing and very rarely do some people experience sprouting of small blue hairs around the fingernails on but that's only if the potion is brewed improperly."

Molly pointed her wand at the book and said, "Duplicato." The book produced a second copy of the page. "You can mix up a cauldron of this; I have some supplies leftover from Ginny asking for it. I'll keep Ron and his father downstairs."

Molly left Hermione with her thoughts and the book as she heard the woman downstairs greet the men, telling them to wash in the kitchen since Hermione had just ducked into the lavatory. Knowing she didn't have much time, she pulled out the bottles and mixed their contents in the mini-cauldron on the side of the sink. Looking at the instructions, she muttered the incantation and drank the contents. A warming sensation filled Hermione's body, from her toes to her scalp; for a moment in the mirror, Hermione saw the irises of her eyes turn purple, which according to the instructions meant it had been brewed properly and taken effect for the next fortnight.

Stuffing the instructions back into her pocket, Hermione bounded back down the stairs, felt her breath hitch as she saw Ron looking embarrassed as Arthur spoke to Molly.

"Your son was asking about that book in the second floor medicine chest, Molly, about that particular potion?"

Hermione smiled to herself as she went into the kitchen. Apparently Ron had been having an equally embarrassing conversation with his father in the garden. She walked in, kissed Ron's burning cheek as he muttered in his tea.

"You could have told my Hermione was here, Mum."

"So what do you young people have planned for the night?"

"I've had a long week of studying, so I was thinking of trying out that new recipe for fried pickerel you gave me Molly," Hermione said with a flick of the eyebrow, hoping Molly got the message. "It sounds delicious."

Molly merely smiled over her tea, her eyes twinkling. "Well, then don't let me keep you two from heading out. Arthur, you should take a shower before dinner. I've made steak Wellington your favourite."

They exchanged their goodbyes and watched as Ron and Hermione Disapparated back to their home in Diagon Alley. Once there, Ron took off his travelling cloak, curiosity painted on his face.

"What the bloody hell was that about? I know you're not making fried pickerel, so-"

It was as far as he got before Hermione launched herself into his arms, kissing him passionately like the world might come to an end if she didn't. Ron's only reaction was to wrap his arms around her to try and steady his balance. When she finally let him breathe, he looked at her more confused than ever.

"Seriously, what's going on?"

"I got your mother to give me the Anti-Naissance potion."

Hermione waited for his reaction, surprised when he put a hand to his chest and said in pure relief, "Oh thank God. If I'd had to go to my mother to ask for it, which Dad very nearly made me do, I'd have died on the spot."

"What, and you think it was easier for me to ask her for it?"

"Well you're both girls, I just figured…" Ron trailed off before he could dig the hole any deeper. Instead, he tugged on Hermione's hand to pull her towards their room. "I'll make it up to you, I promise."

Hermione grinned genuinely this time, with a smile full of nerves and anticipation. "I bet you will."