A few weeks later, Hermione began to feel very uncomfortable. She became very tired all the time, verging on irritable. In the morning she could never hold down her breakfast but instead always threw up afterward. She felt cramps that were not the usual ones that came each month. These signs had been very apparent when they had been around a pregnant Ginny at the Burrow.

Hermione noticed these signs long before Ron did, and paid a visit to St. Mungo's after work one day. It was there that a Healer confirmed it; Hermione was pregnant.

Hermione had been unbelievably nervous about telling Ron, but once she had he hugged her tightly, laughing and crying with joy and excitement.

They were of course invited to another dinner at the Burrow, where Ron announced the news loudly and proudly before covering Hermione's face with kisses and telling her he loved her and thank you thank you thank you for giving him this baby.

"Congratulations, you two," Harry beamed, hugging them both.

"That's fantastic!" said Ginny happily. "We might have our babies at the same time!"

It was all too much for Mrs. Weasley, who burst into hysterical sobs of joy. Mr. Weasley patted her back, a smile on his face.

"Quite fantastic," said Percy pompously, smiling widely. His wife Audrey sat next to him, beaming. Bill and Fleur were also present with young Victoire in tow, and George and Angelina sat nearby with their baby boy Fred. Teddy Lupin was there too, smiling happily at the proceedings. Really, so much new life was so exhilarating.

All this about babies would have normally sired a strong desire in Hermione to have her own, but now this did not make her feel so. She was there with them.

Around Hermione's third month she began to feel odd, sharp pains that didn't seem normal for a pregnant woman. So Ron took her to St. Mungo's to see if everything was all right.

The Healers examined her. After an hour a Healer found Hermione, sat her gently down in their office, and told her what they had found out.

She was meant to miscarry.

"It seems that this one won't make it. I'm very sorry, Mrs. Weasley."

With a gentle pat on the arm, the Healer waved Hermione out of her office.

Hermione walked down the hallway of St. Mungo's. She felt slightly shell-shocked, like she could not grasp what she had just been told. A dream, a hope, a little baby…gone. Just gone. How monstrous was her body that it couldn't even support a baby? She shivered a little but refused to cry in front of Ron.

Hermione walked out to where Ron stood waiting.

"Hey," he said, standing up and frowning significantly at the look on her face as she came up to him and took his hands.

"Hi," said Hermione quietly.

Ron reached down and gently put a hand on Hermione's stomach. "How's our baby?"

The words sliced through Hermione but she looked him in the face.

"They said it was the beginning of a miscarriage."

Ron's eyes widened slightly. "What?"

"I'm going to miscarry," said Hermione. "We're going to lose the baby."

Hermione was being surprisingly calm, though her eyes were filled with a sadness that seemed deeper than the tears which were so shockingly absent on her face.

Ron looked completely shocked.

"Oh…Hermione…"

Hermione stared at the ground, wringing her hands quietly.

Ron gently put a hand on her chin and lifted her face to where she was looking blankly into his eyes.

"I'm sorry," said Hermione, and Ron pulled her into his arms.

"Oh, sweetheart…don't apologize…"

"Can we go home?" asked Hermione. "Please?"

"Yes of course, dear," said Ron. He took her hand in his and led her to the Floo Station.

They Flooed home and Ron and Hermione simply stood there for a moment, hands clasped.

Hermione turned to Ron. "Are you hungry? I could make us some dinner."

Ron blinked in slight surprise; the look on her face seemed incorrectly placed for the situation. She was giving him a warm Hermione smile that she gave when she was feeling particularly charitable.

"I'm…not very hungry," said Ron. He ran a hand through his hair.

"All right," said Hermione, who didn't seem bothered. "Well, I'm going to make myself some tea."

"I'll get it."

"I can get it myself," said Hermione, who stood up.

"No, no," said Ron, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I'll get it, love. You go sit down and rest."

"Okay," said Hermione blankly. Without another word she walked into their bedroom and lay down numbly on the bed.

Ron tried to concentrate on getting his wife what she had asked, but tea was really the last thing on his mind. He couldn't believe how quickly that warm feeling of joy had been extinguished when he had heard the news. And he couldn't even imagine how Hermione must feel. Obviously she was having a hard time dealing with it fully, or she wouldn't have brushed it off so easily. Ron knew his Hermione better than anyone; she would never dismiss anything that serious so quickly.

Ron got a mug and poured the tea into it before going to the bedroom to be with his wife. Hermione still lay on the bed but looked up when Ron came in.

"I brought your tea," he said gently.

When she didn't reply, he set the tea down on the bedside table and sat beside her as she sat up on the bed to look at him.

"How are you feeling?" Ron said gently.

It was admittedly the only thing Ron could think of to ask, but Hermione had a response.

"Not good…" she said, her lip quivering and tears coming to her eyes.

Ron seized Hermione in a fierce hug. She held him close and began to sob loudly, her chest heaving and her body shaking. Ron cried too, quiet tears running down his cheeks as he stroked Hermione's hair and rubbed her back, trying to somehow fill the hole in their hearts that their child would have filled.