10.
Hermione awoke early the next morning, despite her brain feeling like it was trying to force its way out of her hair follicles. They had gotten a little merry in the kitchen, while Teddy had slept soundly in his cot in the lounge.
Hermione had started on the Butterbeers, but everyone had slowly moved onto Firewhiskey as the night went on, with various toasts being made to Bill and Fleur, to Bill and Fleur separately, to Harry, to Harry and Ginny, and to Ron and Hermione, one was made to George as well, and he was made an extra fuss of throughout the night.
As the night went on, the toasts became more specific, for example, Hermione could remember a toast being made to Bill's fertilisation skills, and to Ron's charming ways that had landed him 'a girl as golden as Hermione', she also remember her breasts being bought into conversation, but that was where the night started to get a little hazy.
However, despite all of this, she knew that for most of the night George was smiling, and to her that's all that mattered.
Ron and Hermione had taken one spare room, while Harry and Ginny took the other. Although Fleur had frowned upon the two couples sharing, Bill had insisted that the quadruplet made up for lost time, giving them a wink to confirm how lax he was being. They murmured embarrassed thanks, and Ron could have sworn that he had heard Ginny cast the 'muffliato' charm as they were taking to bed.
Hermione made her way downstairs quietly, and she heard Teddy gurgling protests in his cot. George had slept downstairs, but now only had one working ear, and when Hermione went to check on him and Teddy it seemed he had been sleeping on his good ear, and hadn't heard Teddy wake up.
Hermione took Teddy from his cot, and took him into the kitchen for some breakfast. She found a ready made bottle of milk in the fridge slowly fed Teddy as the others began to wake up.
Harry was the first to arrive in the kitchen, ruffling his messy hair and yawning.
"Morning," Hermione smiled, still feeding Teddy in her arms.
"You're a natural," Harry grinned, going to the cupboard for a glass and filling it with water.
"Thanks," Hermione snorted, although she didn't believe him.
"You'd be a great mum, Hermione," Harry said, and it seemed they had forgotten the formalities; it had been like he had never left.
"I hope I will be one day," Hermione replied, sweetly, looking down at Teddy.
"You already are," Harry gestured towards her.
They resumed silence as Hermione let Teddy have a breather, and she put him on her shoulder to burp him.
"Congratulations, by the way," Harry said, leaning on the work top, sipping his water, "Truly, I'm so happy for you both,"
"Thanks, you're about the only one," Hermione said, craning her neck to make sure Teddy hadn't been sick.
"I'm not, Ginny is over the moon, so is George," Harry replied.
"Yes but I don't think Molly is,"
"If Molly wasn't happy, would she have given you the ring?" Harry asked, and Hermione almost echoed his words along with him.
"That's what Charlie said,"
"Charlie is a very wise man…" Harry smirked.
Just then, Ron appeared looking as groggy as Harry had done. Harry embraced him, and he shuffled over to Hermione to give her a kiss and a cuddle from behind, as she carried on feeding Teddy.
Harry looked on, smiling to himself, if only he had a camera right now. He was sure everyone would agree with him, that Ron, Hermione and Teddy looked like the perfect little family. Ron, the doting father, cooing over his newborn and stood proudly behind his wife, Hermione, fresh from birth and still glowing, completely in love, so in love it was sickening.
Hermione caught him looking and he raised the glass to his mouth to hide his knowing smile.
"I was just passing on my congratulations," Harry said, putting the glass in the sink.
"Oh yeah," Ron scratched his head, "It's all been a bit of a whirlwind really, but thanks,"
"No one knew, Harry, before you. Only Ginny, she's the only one who knew about the engagement,"
"How did she take it?"
"Not well," Hermione twisted her mouth awkwardly, "For a while she wasn't exactly in the most pleasant of moods and I was no better, I should never have told her, it was unfair of me to even mention," Hermione said, and it seemed Harry was failing to understand, "She missed you Harry, like her soul had been ripped out. It was unfair to gloat of my happiness in front of her; she was so lost without you,"
"I'm sure you didn't gloat, Hermione," Harry replied, and Hermione shrugged and let it slide.
Everyone began to wake and Fleur started making breakfast with Bill. Teddy was truly made a fuss off, and passed around the group to enjoy some one on one time with the newest addition to the family. Somehow, he always found his way back into Hermione's arms – not that she minded.
Hermione took Teddy away from the bustling kitchen and stared out of the window at the rolling waves. Teddy was snoozing lightly and Harry entered.
"Not interrupting, am I?" He asked, tentatively.
"Not at all," Hermione smiled, putting Teddy in his cot and Harry went to join her.
They stood in silence for a moment, looking out onto the sea.
"We really missed you Harry," Hermione whispered, "We just wanted to hear from you, know you were safe,"
"I know, Hermione," Harry replied, solemnly, "I was under Kingsley's instructions, I couldn't do anything. Just sit, and wait, and look after Teddy of course," He smiled, looking back at the infant who was snug in his cot.
"My parents died, Harry," Hermione's voice quavered, as she realised that she hadn't in fact had time to tell him yet, "Earthquake," She gulped.
"I'm so sorry, Hermione," Harry turned to her and embraced her tightly, "I'm so, so sorry,"
"At least I still have Ron, and you," She smiled meekly.
"Yeah, you do," Harry nodded, piercing his eyes into hers. Hermione knew what he was trying to say, but nothing could have helped it, nothing he might have said could have changed anything, Harry knew that better than anyone.
"Me and Ron wanted to tell you straight away," Hermione said softly, "It's complicated, all this…"
"I know," Harry nodded, "I don't blame you two for wanting to get married. When you've done what we have, it makes you think doesn't it. If it all ended tomorrow…"
"Ron and I were so stupid," Hermione put her head in her hands, "All that lost time…"
"Well, you're making up for it now, aren't you?"
Hermione nodded, and they resumed to silence once more.
"We went back to Hogwarts while you were away," Hermione told him.
"I wish I could have come with you,"
"You should have been there, Harry," Hermione sighed, "It wasn't the same without you,"
"What was it like?" Harry asked, softly.
"It's become a refuge over the summer for victims of the war. We saw Dean Thomas there, he's been helping. And McGonagall is now headmistress, she's been incredible,"
"At least they've got someone with their head screwed on," Harry smiled, weakly.
"McGonagall asked me if I wanted to go back… to Hogwarts,"
"And do you?" Harry asked finally.
Hermione thought about her answer for a moment, "Yes, I do – but I don't want to leave Ron, and I know he won't go back. The thing is, The Burrow isn't my home, not truly, and I have no parents to go back to. I can't stay here forever, that would be unfair on Bill and Fleur… Hogwarts is the only place I've been able to call home… it's the only place I've got left,"
"The Burrow is my fault…"
"It's not Harry," Hermione replied sternly, "I would have been able to stay there for the rest of my life, would I?"
"No, I suppose not,"
"You have to remember Harry, I'm like you now, I'm an orphan," Hermione turned to him sternly, "I understand what you're going through…"
Harry nodded, and she continued.
"I feel so lost, I can't hide it anymore. It never felt right going back to The Burrow with Ron. I haven't been able to relax for weeks, everyone has been a mess. My feelings for Ron are the only thing I'm sure of. Going back to Hogwarts… it just makes sense for me," Hermione folded her arms and waited for Harry to argue.
"You don't need qualifications, Hermione, especially not to be an Auror; you've got the best work experience in the world,"
"But I'm not sure I even want to be an Auror anymore, Harry," Hermione replied, with a slight whine in her voice, "Everything I've ever known has been turned upside down. Except Ron, that's what I'm saying, I don't want to leave him…"
"Hold you back am I?" A voice came from the door and Harry and Hermione turned to see Ron, face bitter, like they had done back in the tent before Ron left.
"Ron," Hermione breathed but he was relentless.
"Didn't think you should come and talk to me about it, did you? Y'know, I am your fiancé after all…"
"Ron, please, you'll wake Teddy," Hermione cried, walking over to him and smoothing her hands over his chest and shoulders.
"I heard everything, by the way, in case you thought you could get away with not telling me something again,"
"It's not like that Ron, I promise," Hermione pleaded, gripping onto the neck of his shirt, "Please, you have to believe me that I was going to talk to you about it,"
"But you told him first," Ron spat.
"Ron, don't do this," Harry shook his head, "You're tired, you're grieving, okay, don't say anything rash. I'm sure Hermione was going to tell you, the only reason she hasn't up and left yet was because she's so head over damn heels in love with you that she couldn't bare to leave you,"
"You don't think that makes me feel guilty that I'm holding her back,"
"Is she holding you back?"
"Well, no…"
"If you wanted to go back to Hogwarts, Ron, would you want to leave Hermione?" Harry asked, in his parental tone.
"No, but…"
"Then why should it be any different for her?"
"I was only thinking about it," Hermione told Ron meekly.
"I think you should go, Hermione, make him see what he's missing,"
"This has nothing to do with you," Ron spat, "If you're so desperate to get back to Hogwarts and pretend like nothing has happened, then go!" Ron cried, wriggling free from her clutches, "People have died, Hermione!"
"You don't think I know that? The whole reason we didn't tell anyone about us is because we didn't want to flaunt it in their faces!" Hermione replied, getting het up.
"Oh, and now everyone knows you want to pretend that everything is fine and dandy! Move on with your life?"
"No, Ron, that's not it at all," Hermione cried, "But if you want me to leave -,"
"Well if you want to leave, I don't want to hold you back," Ron spat.
"FINE!" Hermione cried, storming past him and slamming the door loudly, waking Teddy and leaving Harry and Ron to try and calm him.