Chapter 3: Home

Author's note: I just posted chapter 2 about six hours ago but wanted to crack on and as I am doing so "re-write" this chapter. I think I have a clearer memory of what happens in this chapter than I did in the previous chapter so hopefully it will be just as good. However, I am not sure how long this will take to complete given that on Saturday (27/7) I am going to London and on Sunday (28/7) I am going once again to Warner Bros. Studio Tour London! Which I am really excited about but I promise this will be wrote as quickly as possible. Here is chapter 3!

24th December 2004

"So what are you going to do today?" Ron asked as he sat opposite Hermione at the kitchen table, he could not quite see her given that her she had her face concealed by the large broadsheet pages of the Daily Prophet. So far it was proving to be quite a quiet Christmas in the Wizarding world. No Death Eaters had been caught; there were no sudden deaths of famous wizards or witches, just a typical Christmas Eve. Exactly how it should have always been.

"I think I will just stay in, I still have not quite finished wrapping your Christmas presents." Hermione sighed sleepily putting the paper down.

"Presents in the plural?" Ron enquired like a happy child and a small smile spread across Hermione's face as she laughed at her husband.

"Yes. Ron, presents is in the plural." She replied and something unusual caught Ron's eyes just as he began to turn away. Something that obviously had been covered by the large newspaper that Hermione had been reading a few minutes before hand and given how discreetly she had put it down on the table, folding in half so perfectly that there were no creases in the paper at all that he had not noticed at the time.

"Are you okay, Hermione?" Ron asked turning to face her once again.

"Yes, of course I am okay." Hermione began "Why?" And Ron laughed anxiously, she thought she had walked through the park in her plans but it was clear to her now that he had stopped her on her journey.

"Because you are drinking coffee." Ron gestured to the warm mug in front of her.

"So?" Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"You never drink coffee."Ron added. "You drank it occasionally for about the first year that we were boyfriend and girlfriend after the war and you have not touched the stuff since. Why start drinking it now?"

"I am substituting it for something else." Hermione informed him casually, taking another sip.

"For what?" Ron asked incredulously

"Alcohol." Hermione said straightly and Ron suddenly understood what she had meant. Ever since they had realised that things were taking their time Hermione had decided to do everything possible to make sure they conceived a baby including cutting out alcohol. Ron thought this was quite extreme as technically she would not have to stop drinking until she was actually pregnant, but if it made Hermione happy, it made him happy to an extent.

"Hermione Granger, I know something is up and you know it." Ron said and Hermione turned her head so quickly that Ron swore she nearly got whiplash. He knew that although Hermione liked her previous last name, she had a strong habit for correcting him.

"It is Weasley and it has been for four years." Hermione said sternly.

"Yeah well you will always be Granger in some ways to me." Ron replied his mind being cast back to a few months before they got married.

Flashback.

October 2000

Ron and Hermione lay in bed silently. Ron was almost certain that Hermione was asleep but could not be one hundred percent sure . Something was playing on his mind, whirring like a helicopter, steaming like a kettle, buzzing like an alarm clock. He knew it would not go away until he had asked Hermione about what was clouding is brain rapidly.

"Hermione? Are you awake?" Ron asked and Hermione turned over to face him.

"Don't you think that if I were asleep I wouldn't have answered?" Hermione smirked

"Okay good point." Ron sighed. "My intelligence levels are not exactly high at late o'clock at night."

"Why did you sort of wake me up then?" Hermione furrowed her eyebrows in curiosity.

"Can I ask you something?" Ron said and Hermione nodded wondering what the issue was in this lateness of the hours. This was something that although he could have an opinion on it, ultimately it had to be up to Hermione and her choice so he knew he would have to ask her sooner or later in the next month before they got married.

"Of course you can." Hermione replied and Ron took a deep breath

"I know that this is entirely up to you, but I was just curious as to know the answer to this. But when we get married are you going to keep your own surname or change it to mine. I understand why you would want to keep it as Granger, as Granger has always been a part of you even before you were born and if you want it to remain a part of you, it makes sense. I fell in love with you as Hermione Granger, nobody else." Ron said and as Hermione was silent, it became very clear that she was pondering on the decision quite clearly.

"I have known my answer to this since the moment you proposed to me last November and I am actually quite surprised that you have not asked me before now. As much as I have made a name for myself as Hermione Granger, I have made a name for myself not out of choice, but out of the choices of the people surrounding us and I will always be Hermione Granger, just with a different surname. I have always been certain that if I got married to you I would change my surname to Weasley, because I love you more than I can possibly explain and having the same surname as you will always remind me of that. Hermione Weasley sounds right, it sounds good and I already love it. So that is what I am going to do, if that is what you want as well." Hermione informed him and Ron felt his heart literally warm and glow in happiness as he listened to her speak about her near future intentions.

"Of course it is alright with me Hermione Weasley." Ron beamed

"It is Hermione Granger for now." Hermione chuckled, "We will cross that bridge when we get to it Ron."

"Hey, Hermione?" Ron said

"Yes." Hermione answered

"I love you so much." Ron replied a smile evident in his voice.

"I love you too." Hermione replied kissing him before attempting to fall asleep in his arms.

Flashback ends.

"Please just tell me what is going on Hermione because I can't stand the constant suspense all the time. It is just frustrating that I am stood here worried like hell about you and it is as if you do not even acknowledge it. Do you have any idea how that feels?" Ron asked desperately and Hermione frowned, sighing.

"I am sorry. It is just this is supposed to be the happiest time of the year and look at us, neither of us are happy at all. I do not know what you are thinking but if your miserable expression is anything to go by then you feel like me, just sick of waiting and waiting for something to happen. I thought we would be further along than this but look at where that has got us. We are driving ourselves crazy questioning why this is happening for everybody else, and yet for some reason it is not happening for us. You know when we started trying I was convinced that by now we might be going to have a child in four months time, but we are not and this Christmas seems to be turning out a lot different to what we both originally thought." Hermione answered, clearly telling Ron exactly how it felt.

"Look, I love you Hermione more than you will ever know, baby or no baby. And we can keep trying for years if you want to. But only if you want to." Ron said, his voice little more than a whisper.

"I love you too. Where are you off to?" Hermione questioned as Ron started to head towards the doorway, quickly pulling on a coat and scarf that Hermione had bought him the previous Christmas as he walked away.

"I said to George I would meet him at King's Cross Station. Charlie is coming back today for Christmas and we were going to go with him to the Leaky Cauldron." Ron enlightened her.

"Just remember to come back in one peace, if you remember rightly my parents are coming later on and I would rather them not see you drunk unless they are drunk themselves. Oh and say hello to Charlie for me." Hermione returned

"Will do. I will see you later."Ron called before closing the door behind himself, leaving Hermione alone.

XXXXXXXXXX

"How are you and Hermione then?" George enquired as they sat down on a cold, pine bench. The train station was particularly busy on this, assumingly because tomorrow was Christmas. As the clock on one of the many brick pillars holding the ceiling up struck eleven o'clock, a sudden rush of people occupied the station they were sat at as a new train arrived and departed once again. People came and people went and life continued, like nothing was ever changing. Of course, that was a lie. Everything was constantly changing around them whether they liked it or not. However, as far as they could see it most change was a change for the better given what lay silently, and darkly buried in the past, hopefully to never be dug up again. The air was fresh, crisp and yet smoky at the same time from the steam rising from the numerous trains filling the enormous building. The scene became gradually more picturesque as the snow fell from any small gaps in the glass ceiling and arrived at human height.

"Oh we are both fine. My jobs fine, Hermione is great; they are really impressed with her work at the ministry. Thing's could not be better." Ron lied through his teeth. He could not possibly tell George the truth. Although George was the brother he was closest to this was something that he did not feel one hundred percent secure and comfortable discussing with him. Although they had confided in Harry and Ginny about their situation now, the more people told the more pressurised they felt themselves becoming. Sometimes something's were probably best left unsaid. Including this.

Ron looked around at the many muggles and perhaps wizards and witches that flooded the platform as another train arrived into the station. There were teenagers linking hands as they walked along, young couples completely dazed in one another as they walked along at about the same age as himself and Hermione. It was clear that they were having a child and that the woman looked like she was as far along as Ginny, they seemed on cloud nine and like nothing could ever ruin the little moment that they seemed to be sharing as they looked at one another. There was then two teenagers who seemed to be following their parents as they lugged suitcases along to the next train that was expected to arrive and finally a man and woman with two small daughters, one of which looked no older than George's daughter Roxanne was. All of these people were on the same train and from what was visible they could not possibly be happier. And Ron wanted that more than anything in that moment.

"How about you and Angelina?" Ron asked, breaking his train of thought before it became difficult to think about.

"We are good. You know that things are going well at the shop even if we only have three members of staff. Angelina is still taking maternity leave because of Roxanne. Fred is great though, he seems to become more and more like his namesake every day, but it is clear how much he loves having a little sister. Roxanne is still going through the phase of crying at ridiculous hours of the night and usually I am the one who gets up because Angelina is the one who tends to do most of the stuff in the daytime. You feel slightly annoyed with exhaustion and frustrated due to being woken up but as soon as I see her face and hold her in my arms all of that just disperses and I just love her more than I can explain. The way I love Angelina is different, it has the same things to it but Roxanne is unique she is half of me and of her. When people say that they would jump in front of a train for someone, that is how I feel about Roxanne when I look down at her and she looks up at me. Do you know what I mean?"

"Yes, sure." Ron nodded in reply before sighing to himself. I wish Hermione and I had that... He thought.

XXXXXXXXXX

It was late into the afternoon when Ron arrived back at 26 Snowberry Road and he smiled at the sight he could see from the end of the path. The sky had been painted a soothing, dark blue and all of the golden street lamps were on, lining the road elegantly. The snow had covered the ground in the front garden and although the curtains were closed, it was very apparent that there was a light on in the living room and that Hermione was also in the room too. This only made Ron smile more as he came to the conclusion that although he loved the Burrow and had grown up there since being child, this place was something different. Something unique and something peaceful. Something where Hermione was. They could live anywhere at all. Anywhere. But it would only ever be home if Hermione was there as well.

"Hermione I am back!" Ron said as he stepped in the living room.

"Hi, how was Charlie?" Hermione questioned as Ron approached her and sat down at the end of her feet on the three seat sofa.

"He was fine, still head over heels in love with dragons so nothing new there. How about you?" Ron questioned curiously.

"I am fine, I wrapped your presents..." Hermione trailed off as Ron's smile widened and looked over to the Christmas tree, were a few wrapped parcels proudly lay. "Wait until tomorrow though." Hermione said giggling.

There was then a knock on the door and Hermione's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Her parents were not expected to arrive for another forty five minutes. If it was not anybody else, then why would they arrive so early? "I will get it." Ron said standing up and opening the front door once he had left Hermione alone in the living room.

"Hello Ron." A voice said revealed to be Helena. She stood quietly looking up at her son in law. A concerned, anxious and worried look was worn on her face as she looked at Ron in the eye. What surprised Ron the most was that Hermione's father Robert was not with her.

"Hi Helena. Please come in." Ron gestured and he closed the door into the living room over so that Hermione could not hear anything. "Are you alright?" Ron asked for what seemed like the fiftieth time that day and Helena then when on to explain what was going on.

"Hermione, it is your Mum." Ron said opening the door and Hermione stood up to hug her mother in surprise.

"Mum? I thought you and Dad were not coming for nearly another hour? And where is Dad?" Hermione questioned suddenly all at once.

"I need to talk to you about something." Helena said quietly and Hermione fell silent.

"I will go and start on dinner. I will be in the kitchen if you want me." Ron said and closed the door that separated the kitchen and living room from one another. Helena then sat down on the sofa next to where Ron had been sat a few minutes before, she could clearly see the worry filling Hermione's eyes and yet she knew she had to ask this question.

"Hermione what on earth is going on?" Helena questioned after a few minutes, breaking the silence that had fallen between them.

"Pardon?" Hermione replied

"Ginny, Ron's sister came to see me. She said she saw you the other week and you really are not yourself. She would not tell me what was going on exactly but she said it was something for you to tell me yourself. She and Harry are bloody concerned about the pair of you, both you and Ron because of whatever is currently going on between you." Helena said and Hermione's heart sank. It was kind of a typical thing that Ginny would have done out of both love and pure concern for her brother and sister in law and in spite of the fact that Hermione was slightly annoyed with her she knew that her best friend had done it for the right reasons and only because she cared so much about them both.

"Ron and I have been trying for a baby." Hermione sighed and Helena looked at Hermione in astonishment, clearly not having expected that response as Hermione's reply. "We have been trying for a while now but nothing seems to be happening. It seems to be tearing us apart in spite of the fact that we both desperately want this. We are trying and trying to just keep it all together but it is getting harder and harder and tougher and tougher to not just crack up. I really do not know where we go from here right now as it just hurts more than anything in a long time."

"Hermione, have I ever told you about what happened before you were born?" Helena asked

"No. Why? What happened before I was born?" Hermione questioned in reply.

"Your Dad and I got married when we were both twenty one in 1975. Like you were when you married Ron. We had known each other for years and we had always said that once we had got married we would have a family of our own. And so we started trying and nothing happened. We gradually started becoming more and more concerned. So we both decided to go and see a doctor and we were told that there was absolutely nothing wrong with us and that we were perfectly capable of having a child of our own. That was possibly the toughest four years of our lives because for a long time we were almost certain we would never have our own family and it would forever just be us two alone. And then we found out that we were going to have you and we felt like the luckiest people alive because even though we waited that long to meet you, it was definitely worth the wait." Helena smiled and Hermione nodded.

"Is that why I never had any brothers or sisters?" Hermione asked inquisitively.

"Partially. Firstly, we did not know if we ever would be able to have another child given how long it took to have you. And secondly, we were just happy that we had even one child that was our own. It did not really matter having a big family anymore, because we had you." Helena replied

"Why are you telling me all of this?" Hermione wondered.

"What I am trying to say is I know you are both getting frustrated because you do not think you are getting anywhere but whether it takes, weeks, months or years for you two to have a child it will definitely be worth the wait. And will you just promise me something?" Helena said

"Of course." Hermione replied

"Promise me that you will go and see a doctor or healer or whatever you call them in the Wizarding world." Helena began, "Just so that you can check that nothing is wrong or that the long conception thing is not genetic."

"I promise." Hermione answered "I'll go and get you a cup of tea if you want." Hermione got up and headed into the kitchen where Ron seemed to be in a complete daze as he chopped the vivid orange carrots that lay on the chopping board. Upon looking up and seeing that she had entered Hermione immediately walked up to him and kissed him powerfully. When she broke away both of them found themselves laughing in happiness.

"What was that for?" Ron questioned surprised.

"I just really love you." Hermione said

Authors Note: YES! That only took me one day to write! I am forever grateful for the six week summer holidays we have in England. I am not sure what I think of this chapter apart from the fact that it felt better writing it than the last one. I will not be updating for a few days now as I am going to Warner Bros. Studio tour and London as mentioned in the previous authors note. But anyway thank you and PLEASE REVIEW!