A/N: Thanks to Karen for the excellent beta-ing. No song for this chapter since it's a bit short!

Hermione Granger was very stressed out. It had been a month since the dinner with her parents, and everything was going fantastically with Ron, but she had started her new job two weeks ago and it was extremely stressful. However, that's not to say she didn't love the job; it was fantastic! There was must less paperwork in this job, but much more interviews and meetings. Her schedule was quite full, but every second was thrilling.

Then there was the other reason she was stressed out. Hermione was pregnant. She hadn't officially taken the test, but it didn't really take an Unspeakable to solve the mystery of why she hadn't had her period that month, or why she'd spent the last twenty-one mornings puking.

Hermione's eyes darted toward her desk drawer. She'd purchased a muggle pregnancy test that morning before work, promising herself she would take it as soon as she got home. She would much rather have purchased a potion, but she had no anonymity in the Wizarding world anymore. At least in the small Muggle shop she'd gone to no one had given her a second glance.

Ron didn't know. Hermione knew she had to tell him, but she just wasn't sure how to bring it up. Now that they were finally together she was scared of what this revelation would bring. Sighing to herself, she stole a look at the clock on her wall. It was almost time to go home. She had a date with Ron that evening – a real date. He was taking her to the Leaky Cauldron for dinner. While it wasn't exactly fancy, she knew Ron's starting salary was not large, and she would never embarrass him by suggesting that she pay.

Finally, Hermione closed her files and rose from her desk chair. She grabbed the bag containing her test from her desk drawer and exited her office. Her secretary was already gone for the day, so she just raced towards the elevator. When the doors came apart with a 'ding,' she was surprised to find Ginny Weasley inside.

"Ginny! What are you doing here?" Ginny looked at her with apparent curiosity. "Just stopped by to invite Dad to see a Quidditch match with Harry and I on Saturday. You look a bit peaky, what's wrong?"

Hermione tried to give a confident smile, but she knew it came out weak. "Just a bit of stress from work is all." Ginny nodded her head, but her eyes caught the bag in Hermione's hands. "You got pastries and didn't tell me?" She grabbed the bag from Hermione's hands, ignoring her gasp of protest. She pulled out the box containing the pregnancy test, and even though she was no muggle, Ginny could read.

She looked at Hermione with huge eyes. "You're pregnant? Is it Ron's? Does he know? Does mum know?"

Hermione just shrugged. "I suspect, but I don't know for sure. Yes it would be Ron's, obviously, and nobody knows but for you."

A half an hour later, Ginny and Hermione sat together on the couch in Hermione's flat. "Ginny, you'd better go. Ron is picking me up in fifteen minutes, and I'm going to tell him. I need time to prepare."

Ginny exited with a hug and words of encouragement. Hermione threw on a dress and a nice pair of earrings, and she was barely ready when Ron knocked on her door. He smiled at her when she came out of her apartment, but she knew her attempt at reciprocation fell flat.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" Ron's clearly worried glance only made Hermione more nervous. "I'll tell you over dinner, alright? Let's just go." Ron nodded, and they Apparated to the Leaky Cauldron, where a table was waiting for them. Hermione smiled as the silent waiter took their drink orders – mulled mead for Ron and water for Hermione.

She decided not to waste any time, so she just spilled it right out. "Ronald, I'm pregnant."

Ron did not speak for a full three minutes. He simply stared at her with an aghast expression on his face. "H-h-how? We used…" Hermione interrupted him. "Not the first time we didn't." Realization appeared on his face.

He put his face in his hands, and she heard him mumble something about not being sure how to tell Molly. A jolt of nerves raced through Hermione as she thought the same thing, but these nerves were soon forgotten at Ron's next sentence.

"Well, there's nothing to be done about it then, shall I talk to the minister in Ottery St. Catchpole's town church tomorrow?" While she was momentarily touched that the thought of not having the baby seemingly never crossed Ron's mind, this feeling was quickly dismissed by the anger and outrage at what he was suggesting.

"Why would you do that, Ronald?" Ron's eyes met hers as he stammered out a reply. "W-well, we've got to, you know, make it official." Hermione's eyes narrowed. "Ronald Weasley, if you are suggesting that we are going to run off and have some, some, shot-gun wedding, you are out of your mind!"

She didn't wait for his reply. She flew up out of her chair and Apparated home with a crack, leaving a very mystified Ron behind her. All she could think was that Ron didn't want to marry her because he loved her, he wanted to marry her because it was appropriate. They only were together for a month! It would have been one thing if he just loved her so much that he wanted to propose. Engagements could last years, and they would have plenty of time to make sure it was right.

He wanted to marry her because of some stupid idea that a woman was disgraced if she had a baby! Hermione couldn't ever remember being so mad at him. When she got home she found Ginny sitting at her table waiting for her. At the look on Hermione's face, Ginny rose from her chair.

"I guess it didn't go well?" Hermione recounted the story to Ginny, who shared her outrage. The two of them sat talking for around an hour before Ron Apparated into the kitchen.

Ginny gave a snort of disgust, but she said nothing and exited the flat. "Haven't you heard of knocking, Ron? Clearly I don't want to speak to you right now."

Ron flushed. "Well I don't understand why. You told me you're pregnant, so I suggested the right thing to do." Hermione knocked over her chair as she stood, jabbing her finger into Ron's chest. "I don't need you to marry me because I'm pregnant! People get married because they're in love! If you don't love me, then don't you propose! I don't want to speak to you Ron, and I won't want to tomorrow either! Just leave!"

Ron's mouth hung open, but he apparently saw it would be in his best interest to depart, because he Apparated out without a word. Hermione leaned against the wall, and slumped to the floor. The last of her anger was gone, and all she was left with was a truly aching sadness.