Chapter Two: The Betrayal

Hermione's questions hung in the air as Rose lowered her head in silence. At that moment, it felt as if Rose's whole world was falling apart. What could she say or do? It wasn't as if she could hold onto this terrible secret any longer, but now, Rose didn't feel up to admitting her fault.

"Rose? Rose, what's wrong? Can I get you anything?" Hermione asked as her friend sat there in silence. She couldn't bring to mind what could be causing Rose so much stress during a time when she should be so happy.

Five more minutes ticked by and still Rose had not answered. The pain she felt inside radiated across their table. Hermione had never seen her friend in such a state.

Just as Hermione was about to get up and call someone over to help, Rose spoke.

Her voice was shaky and filled with pain as she said, "Hermione, I…I don't want to really keep it from him, but it's just that, well, I'm…I'm not sure I'm ready to have a child. You know, to be a mom and then a grandmother." At this point, Rose began to get hysterical, "I mean, it's not like I ever had a choice! I feel like the world is shrinking around me and I'm standing in a crowded room, yet no one seems to hear me! It's like I'm standing in a dark box and no one's there to let me out! I'm surrounded, controlled, abused, neglected…!"

"Rose, calm down!" Hermione finally interrupted. Rose's voice had steadily gotten louder and was rising to pitches that soon only dogs would be able to her. "Listen Rose, it's not all that bad. In time you will see that good can come out of this all. You just need to stop worrying and let nature take its course."

Rose got angry at how soothing Hermione was trying to be, "Hermione, what if this happened to you? Honestly, would you be so calm about it then?"

"Yes because I love Ron and I know that if I had a child with him then everything would be better that before I got pregnant. I know he would take care of the child and so would I."

"You're still not getting it! Stop and just think about it. Not everyone is ready for children. We all can't just drop what we do to go play house. You know, I'm just not ready and I'm sure there are plenty of other people out there just like me."

"Calm down already! You're driving me nuts because you're so jittery," Hermione said in a huff. "I understand what you're saying, but why, Rose, why?" Her face was etched in deep concern. Hermione could not wrap her massive mind around what Rose had said.

Rose stopped talking for a moment. She took a large breath and let it out slowly. Finally, looking back at her friend she remembered her youth. When she was younger, Rose constantly daydreamed about what her life would grow to become. She fantasized, like any girl, about her wedding day, the man she married, and the life they would create together. Never, even in her wildest dreams, had Rose ever thought she would marry a man like Harry, nor had she thought about the family life that Harry so desperately wanted.

Releasing another pent up breath, Rose said, "I actually never pictured myself having children. In my dreams, my future didn't hold the whole getting married and having children thing. Now that I'm pregnant, I'm beginning to think how I never wanted kids in the first place. Despite having a wonderful man like Harry, I still don't think I want children."

"Shut up! Oh my God, you didn't just say that! Tell me you didn't honestly just say that!" yelled out Hermione in shock.

Rose had jumped at the sudden rising of her friends' voice. She had known that Hermione would be shocked by her confession, but she had never guessed it would be quite so bad.

"Of all the things in the world you could have done or said you choose that! You choose to marry a man who has spent his entire life dreaming of one day having his own happy little family and you marry him! You marry him knowing you never wanted kids and he's always wanted kids! The man who's felt more heartbreak in twenty-three years than any person should experience in their entire lifetimes! I can't believe you would do this to Harry!"

Rose sat quietly through Hermione's rant. Knowing something will happen and actually experiencing it are two very different things, as Rose found out at that moment. She was shocked and stunned into silence, but that did not stop the tears from escaping. Their salty wetness made shining paths down her cheeks. Her large blue eyes were overfilled and held the true pain that breaking her heart. But, as Hermione continued to rant, Rose sat as still as a statue, she dared not move because she feared further anger from her friend.

It was only after she stopped yelling that Hermione looked at Rose. She was astounded at the sight of the other woman's tears. Never once in the four years they had known each other had Hermione ever saw Rose cry. She had seen the other furious on more than one occasion and she had even witnessed in person what Rose was like during a duel. Hermione raked her memory trying to find one other possible moment when her friend had cried, or even been close to crying. But, she came up with nothing. She hadn't cried on her wedding day, or on the day that Harry had spontaneously proposed to her, and not even on the day that Roses' parents had been found murdered by Death Eaters searching for various magical items. Not once had Rose ever sat and took someone yelling at her, she couldn't stand having someone disrespect her in such a capacity. She had an attitude that matched the fiery reactions of the Weasley women. Someone had to be asking for pain or death before messing with the likes of Rose Theadro-Potter.

Hermione reached out for the others' hand. "I'm so sorry, Rose," she began softly, "I never meant to upset you so much. I completely over-reacted and lost my head. I'm terribly, terribly sorry."

"Don't be," Rose said thickly through her tears, "you have every right to b-be so upset at me. I'm a h-horrible person for what I've d-d-done and will do to Harry. You're r-right; I did d-deceive Harry by not t-telling him about what I f-feel regarding children. I knew and still d-did what I did because I was s-selfish. I w-wanted Harry for myself and disregarded his f-f-feelings." Her words were strained and distorted by her sobbing. Nothing in Rose's life had ever prepared her for the gut-wrenching pain her crying had awoken inside of her.

"Rose," Hermione got up and went around the table to sit in the chair next to her friend so she could wrap her arms lovingly around her, "how you feel is how you feel. Although I don't condone what you're saying, no matter what anyone says you're the one who has to go through it all. It's you in this position and not anyone else."

"I k-know, but my feelings are s-so wrong! Like you said, I knew w-what Harry wanted even b-before I met him and yet I still…I still t-took advantage of him! I knew h-how he felt and he n-never knew how I felt, I t-tricked him into m-marrying me!" Tears continued to fall rapidly down Rose's pale cheeks. By this time, she was slumped over with her head placed in her hands and her shoulders shook in feverish convulsions.

The antics of these two women had caused the other customers in the café to stop and stare. The shop workers had also stopped serving and working, they stood behind the counter watching the developing drama. It wasn't everyday that these people heard loud discussions about pregnancies, and saw a woman forget herself and loudly cry about lying to her husband. The scene was too much for some customers causing them to get up and swiftly leave. The sound of the tinkling bell above the door was the only thing that could be heard other than Rose and Hermione's conversation.

It was during this time that Rose grasped the entire situation. She couldn't believe that after all this time and the troubles she'd been through, that now, of all times, she would start blubbering like a baby in front of a dozen unknown individuals. To Rose, crying meant weakness and inferiority, both of which were concepts not held by her. They were things that she was told about and would read about, not something that she would practice so openly in front of all these staring people. Rose tried to grab hold of herself and stop all this nonsense, but Hermione's gentle talk of "everything will be alright" kept making the poor girl break down over and over again.

When Rose was finally able to get her head on straight, she pulled herself out of Hermione's comforting embrace. She took several deep breaths as she wiped the tears off of her face onto her cloak.

"I'm embarrassed that I broke down like that, to say the least," Rose murmured blushing, turning away from the staring crowd to continue controlling herself.

"It's perfectly alright. People cry, Rose, it's only natural. It's just a reaction to pent up anger, hurt, and sadness. I knew you wouldn't be able to hold out too much longer from crying," said Hermione matter-of-factly. She began stroking Rose's back to get her friend to calm down more. She knew how it felt to completely loose all reserve and partake in actions not commonly associated with oneself.

"I know it's natural, for others, but it is just not natural for me. I never cry. There isn't a day in my life, other than just now, that I've cried uncontrollably and without reserve." Rose turned back to her friend; she was now utterly upset with herself for acting so out of character and childish. She never again wanted to have this experience; she had had enough with crying for one lifetime.

"Stop, it's alright. Anyone would cry if they were in your situation. You're a bright witch with a promising future defeating evil, and a husband who's, not to offend you, delicious, at your side. You have so much pressure on you and so many people wanting something from you every day you wake up. Your job also completely stresses you out because you're always looking for evasive criminals who, when you find them, are always looking to kill you. You're always fighting someone or finding someone. You never have anytime to yourself and you have demands that most normal people wouldn't know how to control. All that pressure is enough to make anyone snap. I just want you to take a day or two and just think, think about everything before you decide to terminate this pregnancy."

Rose sat stunned for a moment. It didn't take her long to digest Hermione's last words, "Terminate? What do you mean by 'terminate this pregnancy'?"

"You know, stop it, remove the child, prevent the fetus' further development, get an abortion…"

"Abortion? Who ever said anything about me killing this baby? I don't recall me ever saying that I was going to prevent the growth of my child," Rose was irate again. Her mood shifted so fast sometimes, that those around her had a fear of getting whiplash.

"Oh! I just thought that with you not wanting it you were…you know, going to get an abortion."

"I could never destroy a life. I wouldn't be able to ever look at myself again knowing that I had killed an innocent life before it was ever lived. Nothing, and I mean nothing, could ever get me to perform such a monstrous act of cruelty on a life form that has no choice in the matter. There is no reason for any person to ever think about murdering people, if they have lived or if they are just beginning life. Abortions are not a form of pregnancy prevention, nor should they ever be used so. There are other options for women besides abortion, Hermione."

"I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions," whispered Hermione as she looked at the pale green linoleum tiling. "I just thought that that was the only way to…resolve the situation." Hermione had disregarded the other possible options because she did not see them as feasible.

"Of course it isn't my only option. I was actually thinking about possibly giving the baby up for adoption so it can become a part of someone else's family. I want to know that my child is well provided for by a family who is going to love him or her unconditionally and won't feel even the slightest hint of regret for bringing it into this cruel world."

"And what, not even tell Harry that your pregnant and giving his dream away to a strange couple so he can never see it again?"

"Of course I would tell Harry! I don't figure there's any way I can't. He's as much a part of this process as I am. He's going to be going through the entire process with me."

"Then how can you possibly make such a decision without even asking him first? He's the father and as such he has a say in every decision made regarding the life you're supporting." Hermione was beginning to get angry again at this point. The idea of Rose not allowing Harry to have his greatest desire was searing her heart deeply. Having been Harrys' friend for so many years, Hermione knew how his emotions traveled and what would trigger his deepest depressions. She ached knowing that her friend, now so much like a brother to her, was going to get crushed by his wife's news.

"Like you said earlier, I'm the one who's going to be going through all of this. It will be me and no one else. No one has to face telling Harry or being pregnant besides me."

"It's you and Harry, Rose. You both are in this relationship together. This child is also his. Harry has a say in all of this even if you don't like what he's telling you."

"I know, I know. Even though I know what you're saying is true, I can't help but feel like I'm all alone in this," Rose said as she once again started to cry, much to her disgust. Either she was more distressed than she thought or this child was creating horrible mood swings. Rose disliked feeling controlled by something especially when it was an object or person that couldn't even function without her.

"You aren't alone, and you never will be. Not only do you have your wonderful husband, but you have both Ron and I. There's also the entire Weasley family who have always viewed Harry as a part of them and now see you in that way too. With so many people here for you, how can you ever feel alone?"

Rose sat quietly thinking about what was just said. No one had ever made her feel so loved, except Harry. Having grown up a lonely child because she had no brothers or sisters and no close family besides her parents, Rose didn't know what it was like having a large group of people just waiting there if you happened to need one of them. But everything that was said still didn't change her mind. Rose was a simple woman who loved when everything was clean and simple, a child just didn't fit into a clean world. Children were noisy, messy and hard to control; three things Rose disliked most.

"It's hard to know and understand all that you've said and still maintain my choice. Children are just not for me. I don't have that mothering gene that you, Ginny and Mrs. Weasley all seem to have," Rose confessed slightly resigned.

"I can believe you're actually going to give up this baby to another couple while Harry knows. Are you seriously going to attempt that?"

"That's the plan and I'm not changing it."

Hermione grabbed her friends' shoulders and turned her so they were face to face. Staring into each others' eyes, Hermione said, "You actually think you're going to do this. Rose, please, listen to me now most of all. Harry would absolutely die if you did this to him. He would die, Rose!"

"What'll make me die?" a voice asked from right behind the women.

Harry stood behind the two looking from one face to the next. Hermione's face was filled with shock and fear while Rose's was just unbearably sad. Harry knew that whatever he had walked into was absolutely serious, and he probably should have walked away to let them finish, but he couldn't. The pain he saw from his wife's eyes was enough to stop him in his tracks. There was no way he could walk away from her now, not for anything. He told himself that he would never leave her and would try to keep her from looking that way again. He just didn't know his self-proclamation would be tested so soon.

A/N: I probably should note, because I didn't in my first chapter, that I'm not J.K. Rowling. Therefore, I do not own anything related to Harry Potter. It's stupid to have to say every time, so I'll say it here once and never bother with it again. But the plot and character Rose are from my imagination, so I have the distinguished ability to hold those as my own creations and call dibs.

I thank you for taking time to read my story. Any feedback is welcome; I appreciate it all, the good and the bad. If you see a problem or have an idea then drop me a line.

¡Buena suerte en tu vida! ~bbyluv

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