Three months passed. Hermione awoke and got ready for work. She was excited because this afternoon the physio's were going to try and get Robbie walking. She was finishing her morning coffee when an owl arrived with a large official looking envelope. She detached the envelope and the owl departed.

Back at her kitchen table she opened the envelope to find what she had been hoping for.

Dear Mrs. Weasley,

This is to inform you that your divorce petition re your marriage to Ronald B. Weasley has been granted and your divorce will be finalised on the last day of July this year. If there has been any change in circumstances since your petition, i.e. reconciliation, please notify this office as soon as possible before the last day of July. From 1st August you will be free to marry again should you so wish.

Yours

Belinda Barbary

Registrar, Family Division.

Seven days. Seven days and I'll be free to marry again if I so wish. Damn right I so wish, she thought to herself.

Having worked her day she arrived at the hospital at 3pm. Éowyn didn't start her shift till 4. Robbie's physio session was from 3.30pm and she was pleasantly surprised to be invited to attend. In the gym she watched quietly as Robbie was put through his regular routine which so far had concentrated on his upper body which Hermione thought was developing very nicely thank you.

"Hello Hermione. Might have known you would be here." She turned to find Robbie's parents Brian and Carol.

"Hello you two how are you both?" she enquired.

"Very well thank you. Hermione we know that you are here every day and we are so grateful to you for all your help. Robbie is making extraordinary progress for which you deserve a lot of credit. How can we ever thank you?"

"Carole, the credit should go to Robbie himself. If I have helped him, I wasn't being altruistic. I did it entirely out of self-interest because I love him very much."

"Thank you anyway, Hermione. He's told us often that he loves you too. He wants to marry you when he's well enough."

"Brian, as far as I am concerned he's well enough now. But I'm not going to rush him, I'll be patient."

"I know Hermione, it's just that he wants to stand with you at the altar and walk down the aisle with you on his arm. What he calls 'doing it properly'." Robbie was towelling down after his upper body workout and they watched with bated breath as he was wheeled, now in a chair, to a set of parallel bars. The two physio's positioned him at one end. He lifted his hands onto the bars and the physio's helped him up. He took his weight on his arms and shoulders and the physio's tentatively let him go, remaining poised to intervene if required. The visitors could see the concentration on his face and he was perspiring heavily. He was only wearing shorts and compared to his upper body, his legs looked pitifully thin and weak. He moved his right foot forward about six inches then his left. After moving about 3 feet he was helped back to his chair. One of the physio's praised his effort and told him not to rush things and that he would hopefully be walking in the near future.

Charlie whistled his way into the gym. "Afternoon all" he said brightly, "Jesus Robbie, you look like shit." Robbie was pale and drawn from his exertions.

"Good." He murmured, "I feel… the same… way. Did anybody… get the… number of the truck?" Charlie laughed,

"Let's get you back to the tender ministrations of Éowyn, and maybe a session of the Granger treatment." Hermione blushed,

"Shut up Charlie." Brian and Carole laughed,

"We'll say cheerio here, I don't think we want to be around for the Granger Treatment." She bent and kissed her son goodbye, Brian shook his hand.

"Keep up the good work, son. See you next week."

"I will… Dad. Bye. Thanks… for coming."

Shortly after arriving home, Hermione was sitting with a glass of wine when her doorbell rang. Opening the door she was disappointed to see Ron standing there. "What do you want?" she asked brusquely.

"Nice welcome for your husband, Hermione darling."

"Cut the crap, Ron, what do you want?"

"I don't want any more trouble with Harry so I want you to invite me in. I want to talk to you."

"Not a chance. I have nothing to say to you and you have nothing to say that I want to hear."

"Oh come on Hermione, I just want to try to save our marriage."

"It's a bit late for that Ron, seven more days and I'll be Hermione Granger again."

"We could still stop it if we wanted to."

"Yes we could, but I don't want to. Nothing on earth could make me stay married to you. So goodnight Ron. No! Make that goodbye Ron." He next thing she knew Ron's hands were on her shoulders and he was pushing her back into her living room. He shoved her roughly down onto her sofa and snarled.

"I'm going to give you a letter to the registrar calling off the divorce and you're going to sign it!"

"No I absolutely will not sign it. No way."

"Well then we'll have to do this my way." He pointed his wand, "Impe…"

"RON, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING? Get off her!" Neither of them had heard Ginny arrive through Hermione's still open door. "Were you just going to Imperio her? You stupid bastard, do you want to go to jail? Hermione are you OK?"

"Yes I'm fine Ginny and I have never been so glad to see you. Get this dumb cunt out of my flat before I'm the one going to prison."

"Ron get the fuck out of here, and think about how you're going to explain this to Mum and Dad."

"And to Harry." added Hermione. "Because I'll certainly be telling him." Ron let loose a string of obscenities at his sister and his wife and strode out of the door.

"What the hell was he thinking, Hermione. Never mind what Harry does, Mum is going to skin him alive."

"I don't know Gin. He must know I'm not going to change my mind. Anyway thanks for turning up when you did. You're a lifesaver."

"Your life… or his?"

"Good question" Hermione poured herself some more wine and an additional glass for Ginny before remembering and glancing at her now rather large belly. "Sorry Gin, I guess I'll have to drink both glasses. How long have you got to go now?"

"About a month. I wish it was tomorrow."

"It'll be over before you know it and you'll be breastfeeding."

"I know. Harry wants me to practice breastfeeding, kinky eh? How is Robbie?"

"Great. He tried walking today but he really needs more strength in his legs first. He'll get there though, I'm sure of it."

"Have you gone very far with the Granger Treatment yet?"

"NO! But I'm thinking that I might in the near future."

"Well, if you're sure you're OK I'll go home, I'm feeling rather tired."

"Yes, I'm fine. You go rest up while you can. You're going to need it soon." The girls hugged and Ginny walked or rather waddled out of the door. Hermione decided on a quick shower and an early night.

She slept well and feeling refreshed and on arrival at the Ministry went straight to see Harry. "Good morning Hermione, good to see you, what can I do for you."

"Hi Harry, I'm afraid it's Ron again." She explained the events of the night before, and that she had Ginny as a witness.

"Do you want to complain formally this time?"

"I don't want to, Harry, but I think I have to. He's not going to stop otherwise. I'm sorry. What will happen to him?"

"I think he'll end up getting fired from the Auror department at the very least. I'm just thankful he never completed the Imperio. That would mean jail time. But he's brought it all on himself so I have no sympathy for him. At least I can keep it in-house and not get involved with the Wizengamot. I just need to speak with Chief Auror Shacklebolt. I think he'll be out of a job by the end of the day." Hermione dabbed a tear from her eye,

"That's sad, Harry. But I agree he has nobody to blame but himself. Thanks Harry, you kinky devil."

"What!"

"Ginny told me about the breastfeeding practice. Bye Harry." She left a blushing Harry still seated and open mouthed.

Ron did not need to wait until the end of the day. By mid-afternoon he was interviewed by Harry and Kingsley and summarily dismissed from the Auror Corps for persistent misconduct. He was warned to stay away from Hermione or risk arrest. He left the ministry in high dudgeon and apparated to the Burrow. His second mistake in as many days. Molly and Arthur Weasley went absolutely mad and told him that he no longer had a place in their hearts or in their home. Ron retreated to the Leaky Cauldron to drown his sorrows and to plot his revenge on Hermione and her boyfriend.

The seven days had passed and as Hermione was getting dressed she received a letter,

Dear Mrs Weasley,

As previously informed, as of this date your marriage to Mr. R. B. Weasley is hereby dissolved.

Belinda Barbary

Registrar, Family Division.

I'm free, she thought, at last I'm free. That would be the highlight of her day, telling Robbie the good news.

She was just about to leave for work when Harry's head appeared in her fireplace. "Mione are you there, Ginny has just gone into labour. Can you meet us at St. Mungo's? Ginny really wants you to be there."

"OK Harry, I'll be there as soon as I can. Give her my best and I'll see you shortly." She hurried to the Ministry and hastily arranged to take the day off, before proceeding directly to the hospital. The first people she saw were Molly and Arthur. Who greeted their ex daughter-in-law cordially if a little coolly.

In Ginny's room she found Harry pacing nervously around looking as scared as she had ever seen him. "What's up Harry?" she enquired. "Sit down man and relax."

"That's easy for you to say, Hermione." She turned her attention to Ginny. "Hi girl, decided not to wait the full month then?"

"Not me Hermione, the baby decided."

"So how is it going? How far apart are the contractions?"

"About 10 minutes at the moment and thankfully they are still quite mild."

By lunchtime things were progressing although the birth did not appear to be imminent. Hermione suggested to Harry that they go and get something to eat. It was not until Ginny ordered him that he finally agreed. After a bowl of Vegetable Soup and crusty bread they returned to a groaning Ginny. The midwife said, "It won't be long now Ginny, only another three or four hours."

"Three or four hours!" exclaimed Ginny, "Three or four hours? If that's meant to cheer me up, it's failed miserably." She was fortunate because just two hours later, two hours of moaning, groaning and screaming, Harry and Ginny's first child, a boy, came into the world. James Potter arrived yelling at the top of what appeared to be a very healthy set of lungs. Ginny looked exhausted, her hair stuck to her sweat soaked forehead, her eyes red and puffy and her skin drawn tightly, cheekbones prominent.

Hermione held the new born in her arms, "Oh Ginny, he's beautiful. In fact I would say that for a first attempt it's pretty damn good. Have you thought about the next one yet?"

"This is not the best time to ask a question like that, Hermione. If you are going to be stupid you can just clear off."

That night a tired Hermione Granger had gone to bed with the image of Harry and Ginny and their new addition foremost in her mind. She wanted a baby too. She would redouble her efforts with Robbie with that as her objective. She knew it wouldn't be soon but that couldn't be helped. She would just have to be patient. She had spoken with Éowyn and explained why she would not be visiting that day. It was just one day but she missed seeing Robbie. She missed him so much.