A/N: You all have been fantastic! Thank you all and thank my beta: why the caged bird sings Without her, I doubt the story could've been half as soon. Read on and review!
A month later
"Are you sure I have to do this?" I complained, eying the broom with distrust.
"Absolutely. Nine years without ever riding a broom aside from class? I shan't have it," Fred said, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
Pouting and crossing my arms, I inched closer to the sleek Cleansweep 14 and looked down at it.
"Think of it as class. I am your teacher and you will learn to ride a broom," supplied Fred helpfully, grabbing hold of my waist and lifting me onto the broom, already kicking off.
I turned green, catching glimpse of the distance between the ground and I. "Put me down! Now! Please, Fred!""Breathe, Mione. Don't look down. Look at the clouds." His voice was breathy, probably because of how tight I was squeezing his stomach.
Slowly reverting my gaze from the disappearing cottage, I looked up and was instantly mesmerized by the clouds.
They were white and looked like cotton candy, floating around in the blue sky. "Merlin, it's beautiful," I whispered, letting go of Fred with one arm and leaving my fingers to rake through the clouds. It felt like water did."But you are the most beautiful," Fred replied softly.
Smiling, I kissed his cheek and tapped his nose affectionately. "You are the perfect husband, Fred."I could almost see Fred smirking.
"Though, I don't have much time to make that assumption with…" I mused thoughtfully, grinning at my husband's ears turning red.
"Profanities. You love me and you know it." "I do love you." I said, blushing a little. "I love you, too, Hermione Weasley," Fred replied. "Good. Can we go down now, I don't feel too hot," I murmured, placing a hand over my mouth. "But you are. Hotter than the sun. And the sun is very hot. Mione, you are hot and beautiful and-""Fred! I feel sick." My slightly harsh tone surprised me and I was about to apologize when Fred began muttering.
"It better be your time of the month or tonight, you won't be sleeping much."
When I decoded the meaning of that mutter, my eyes widened and my face turned tomato-red.
The moment we landed, I jumped off the broom and shot toward the house, hand still covering my mouth.
My stomach was churning as I threw open the door to the bathroom and leaned over the toilet, my breakfast falling with a sickening slosh.
Wrinkling my nose as a reaction from the putrid smell, I also smelled something else nearby that smelled good. Sitting down after flushing the toilet, I watched Fred rush in with his blue eyes wide. He had been what I was smelling.He now smelled of cherries, because of his shampoo.
I wanted cherries. I really wanted cherries. Right now. "Cherries," I rasped out, throat itchy and dry. "Cherries? What could you possibly want with cherries?" Fred had a look of confusion on his face.My eyes narrowed. My cherries were being delayed. "I wonder what you do with cherries? Eat them, perhaps?"
"Throwing up, evil mood and cravings decided to join the red wave, now." The ginger mumbled, turning around and stalking away.Something lit up in my mind. "Stop right there."
"Don't you want your bloody cherries?"
"You need to know something about that red wave of yours," I started, trying to think of how to break it to him."It's not mine! I don't have a red wave! I DON'T WANT IT! YOU CAN HAVE IT!" Fred shrieked girlishly, head whipping from side to side, looking to see if anyone heard him but me.
"That's the problem." I explained, my brown eyes calculating his reaction. It took him a couple moments. "Really?"I nodded, smiling slightly.
"Are you entirely sure?"
"Fred, that wave has been missing for the last month and a bit." "So that means…" I sighed. This was like reviewing Ron and Harry's homework all over again. Easy words, Hermione. "I'm pregnant with your baby.""Okay."
"You're fine?""Yes. Just that from now, someone must always be by your side. That baby must remain safe. Matter of fact, we are Apparating to The Burrow right now."
With a silent flick and not so silent reactions, I could hear drawers slamming and bags zipping. Ten seconds, tops, before it flew through the air and into Fred's hand. Now, it was palm-sized as he easily slid it into his back pocket.
Grabbing my hand and pulling me onto my feet, Fred began thinking aloud. "Maybe Apparating wouldn't be safe for the baby. Floo. We'll floo." And with that, he gently pulled me into the fireplace and floo'd us out of the beautiful cottage by the sea. The familiar feel of being pulled down a hole that accompanied flooing made me nervous because of the tight grip Fred had on my wrist. When the familiar cozy-looking sitting room appeared before my eyes, I also noticed the legs pacing in front of the fireplace. Ducking and walking out of the stone fireplace, Fred and I exchanged some words with an excited Mrs Weasley before going to a room on the third floor. "I'm going to owl George and everyone else," Fred said excitedly as he walked out the room. "Maybe send them a howler. Just for fun." As I sat on the bed, I remembered something Harry told me moments before leaving with Fred. "Are you ready, Hermione?" Fred chuckled at my expression. "You didn't think I wouldn't take my beautiful wife on a lovely honeymoon, now did you?" My eyes were probably the size of saucers. "Why are we going?""Not telling you," teased Fred, a mischievous smile on his face.
Damn him.
"Well, hurry up then. Let's go." I grabbed Fred's hand and started off toward the road.
"Hermione!" A voice called and when I turned around, Harry was waving me over.
Telling my new husband that I would take a minute, I hurried off to my best friend.
"Congratulations, Mrs Weasley," Harry congratulated, giving me an affectionate hug before pulling away.
"Where is Mrs Potter, Mr Potter?" I retorted, looking around for Luna.
"Trying to convince the new Mrs Malfoy of Nargles. But that isn't what I wanted to tell you."
"Oh?" My eyebrows raised. My mind was already trying to figure out what he wanted to say.
"You know the wards placed around our home, right?"
"Of course I know, Harry."
"I tweaked them a little. They still have all the protection charms on them but you and I and whoever else we have physical contact with can safely Apparate there without the wards being lifted."
I leaned forward. "How did you do it?"
"That is a story for another day. Hurry, Mione. Enjoy yourself on your honeymoon!" Harry laughed and called as I began stomping away. I wanted to know the spell now.
It could perfectly well be useful now.
So, I used that information and Apparated onto my other bed. Almost immediately, I heard a noise in my bathroom.Opening the white door slowly, Luna was throwing up.
"Hello, Hermione. Do you know what happened with me?"
"I'm afraid I do." "That's fantastic. She's been throwing up all morning and I don't know if I should bring her to St. Mungo's or not." Harry said, leaning on the doorway. He surprised me. I rolled my eyes. He had been raised to move quietly. "Not for nine months," I hinted.Luna began laughing, a tinkling sound filling the air.
"What's wrong, love?" Harry was worried. I could tell by that look in his eye."Don't you understand what she means?" Luna beamed at me and at Harry, blue eyes shining.
Harry shook his head.
"I'm pregnant."
Harry had absolutely no words.
