Disclaimer: JKR is the soul owner of the Harry Potter World.
A/N: Ooh I just love all of you 120+ alerts on the story. I cannot believe it. It baffles me. I really do love each and every one of you that has taken the time to read this story. Now for the next chapter... We are back in London... It is time to see how everyone else's life has been unfolding... I hope you all enjoy this chapter, the next one is even better, we get more into the head of Ron...
Happy Reading... Review if you have a chance.
Aftermath: Chapter 10
Ginny rolled over in bed again, much to Harry's dismay. For the past two hours since they went to bed she had been tossing and turning, unable to find a comfortable position to sleep. "Gin, baby, are you alright?" He asked her. She said nothing just flopped around. "Gin?" He asked her. She sat upright in bed and looked at him.
"Harry, it's time. You need to get me to the hospital." She moaned.
His brain was a little slow on the uptake. "What you mean they are coming now?" He asked stupidly.
"Yes, Harry. NOW!" She yelled.
"Well, how far apart are the contractions?" He questioned.
"I'm not sure… But close…" She said trying to get off the bed. He jumped up and walked over to her. He smiled at his wife. She was short and well-rounded; it seemed that over the last month her stomach exploded. She no longer fit any of her clothing, or his. And even some of the maternity clothing they bought was too small on her. She had been miserable the past few months, but that was not all the fault of her pregnancy. Hermione being gone was like murder for his little wife. God, she missed her friend. Harry missed her too, and Sirius. He never realized back when he found out about Ron and Luna that his life would spiral so much out of control.
That was one screwed up day. Mrs. Weasley was throwing the two of them, Ron and Hermione, an engagement party. Dumbledore was nice enough to let them use Hogwarts for the festivities, but it was after school was out. They were even going to hold the wedding at Hogwarts with Dumbledore officiating. Harry was in charge of the giddy and drunk Ron, but when Harry went and used the bathroom Ron disappeared.
Harry searched the castle and found the two of them in the boy's dorm. Harry was upset and yelled so loud that it scared the shit out of them. Ron looked ashamed and embarrassed and begged him not to tell Hermione, he blamed it on being drunk and his nerves. Ron was bawling like a baby. Harry felt sorry for him and said he would not tell Hermione on the one condition that it would never happen again.
"Harry! Shouldn't you be getting my bags and taking me to the car?" Ginny asked, making Harry shake his head and go back to reality.
"Yes, of course, Gin." Harry said, and began rushing to get her bag; then helped her off the bed. "Come on, honey, let's get you to the hospital." Harry held onto his wife as she waddled out to their car. He got her buckled in and then put her bag in the back. He ran over to his side and began backing out of their garage. Soon as he was on the street he gunned it in the direction of Saint Mungo's. With Ginny being so pregnant they couldn't apparate or floo; driving was their only option. He just hoped he made it there fast enough. With a look at his wife, who was in intense amounts of pain, he flipped down the glove box and pushed the buttosn that activated the anit-muggle detection charms, the invisibility booster, and the turbo.
"Just hold on Ginny, love. We will be there soon." He said with a smile. He then flipped open his cell phone and hit Ron's number.
XXXXX
Ron was groggy when he heard his phone go off. He flipped it open, "'ello?" He asked.
"Ron, I need you to wake up mum and dad and tell them that Ginny is in labor and we are on our way to Saint Mungo's. I can't make the calls, so I need you to. Get all your brothers and then my aunt and cousin, don't forget Dumbledore, McGonogall, Lupin, and Tonks…" There was a pause. "Yeah, that's all." He said.
"I can do that mate." Ron responded looking at the alarm it read three forty-five am. "Give my sister a kiss and tell her we will all be there soon." Ron said.
"Thank you, Ron." Harry said and then he heard the click on the line. Ron struggled to untangle himself from the blankets. He reached for his pants and a shirt and as he began dressing he called Lupin's cell.
"Yeah!" It was short and snappy.
"Sorry man," Ron started out, "Harry just called, and he and Ginny are on the way to the hospital, she is having the baby. I am stuck making the calls." Ron grumbled.
"I'll get Tonks up and get Teddy ready." Lupin said much more alert. "We will meet them there. Would you like me to call Dumbledore, and I can reach the twins faster than you can since they live just down the street."
"Yeah that would be great. I know that Charlie is visiting this weekend, and Bill and Fleur are only a few houses over. I think Percy is on call at Mungo's tonight, but I'll leave him a message."
"Sounds good, Ron. Sorry I was so short with you earlier; neither of us is sleeping well since Teddy has been teething." He responded.
"I acted the same way getting woke up at 4 am. See you soon, Moony." Ron said and then ended the call. He hit the texting button and began writing a text to Luna: Gin labor St. Mungo. B there soon. Hope 2 c u there. Luv Ron. He hit the send button and then went down the hall to Charlie's room. He knocked.
"Yeah, it's open." Charlie responded.
Ron pushed open the door and walked into the twin's old bedroom. He noticed that the desk was filled with papers, maps, and blue prints. There were a few dragon books lying open and Charlie was sitting in a chair too small for his muscular body with his phone open in his hands. "Do you ever sleep?" Ron asked.
"I was just getting ready for bed." He responded looking at his brother, his phone buzzed. He flipped it open, read what the message said, smiled, punched in a few numbers in response then closed the phone. "Is there something I can help you with?" He asked.
Ron knew that he was texting his new 'special friend' Charlie did not say too much about the person just that the person meant a lot to him. The whole family, Ron included was curious. "Harry just called, Ginny is on her way to Saint Mungo's; she is in labor." Ron responded.
"Hot dog! I knew there was a reason why I picked this week to come home and visit. Do mum and dad know?"
"No, I was just going to tell them, but your room is closer so I stopped in."
"Okay, I'm going to get dressed and then I will meet you all in the kitchen. Have you called the others?"
"I need to get Bill and Percy."
"I'll call Percy, he is working tonight. You just go get Bill and Fleur." Charlie said with a smile. Ron walked out of the room and took the steps two at a time down to his parent's room. He pounded on the door.
His dad threw open the door, "Ronald Bilius Weasley! Do you know what time it is?" His father shouted; he could see his mother in her night robe looking livid.
"Ginny is having the baby! Wake up, get dressed and meet in the kitchen, I am going to get Bill and Fleur. Remus has done the other calling, Charlie has contacted Percy and he is on his way down right now. We all can leave together." He said.
"Ooh joy, ooh happy day, I am going to be a grandmum again." His mum said getting out of bed and throwing some clothes to his dad. Ron left their room and got outside.
He knew that with everything going on in his life at the moment he should not be as happy as he was for Harry and his sister, but he was happy. He was going to be an uncle again, and his best friend was going to be a father. It seemed so perfect, even if one very important person was missing. But now was not the time to be thinking about Hermione. He knew if he did he would again be victim of that downward spiral he was on after she first left. No, he was not going to focus on how guilty he felt, or how much he wished things had gone different. No, tonight was about Harry and Ginny, no one or nothing else.
Bill and Fleur live two houses down the street on the opposite side. When he got there he knocked on their door and waited, Fleur with little Victorie answered. Not giving her chance to talk he blurted out, "Ginny is on her way to Saint Mungo's, get Bill up and meet back at the Burrow." He said with a smile. Fleur said nothing just rushed back to wake up Bill. A few minutes later the three of them, perfectly dressed, walked out of the house.
"What a blessed day, Ronald. Our little sister! How wonderful!" Bill said as they walked back to The Burrow.
"I know, and everyone is going to be there; everyone there to celebrate with our sister and brother-in-law." Ron said; everyone except Hermione. He wondered if she still had her cell phone. It was such a silly thought, which never crossed his mind. He never even tried it. Fuck, he didn't even look for her after she left. Harry looked endlessly, for weeks, but he just drank away his pain and fucked Luna. That was it. He probably hit rock bottom around the beginning of August. He was drinking day and night, and during the nights he was out around town raising hell and sleeping with cheap whores. He was not proud of those times, but he did what he had to. Harry was the one that sat him down and convinced him to enter into rehab. He was there for from the second of August until the thirtieth. Once he was released he moved back home with his mum and dad who kept an eye on him. Thankfully for him, Luna was there for him, even though she knew about him and the whores. He loved her, and he wanted to make it official, but she was not ready for that yet.
"Are we all ready to go?" His mother asked when they got back to the Burrow. Everyone nodded and then with a wosh they all apparated to Saint Mungo's.
XXXXX
Harry held Ginny's hand while they waited for the witch at the reception desk to find Ginny's paperwork.
"What is the name again?"
"Ginerva Molly Weasley Potter." Harry said a bit louder. "She has been a patient here since we first found out she was pregnant. Her doctor is Hannah Abbott. Ginny was in here two days ago for her last checkup. Her due date is today the 19th." Harry said annoyed. Ginny squeezed tight onto his hand.
"HaaaRRRY! Anot…her connntrrrrraccctioooooooon." She yelled. "They're gettttttttting closerrrrrrrrrrr."
"Isn't there anything you can do? As you can see she is about to have the baby." He yelled at the woman slamming down his fist on the desk.
"Harry, my boy, you don't need to do that." Harry turned around and saw Remus Lupin looking at him. "Gin look, Lupin and Tonks are here." His wife turned around and saw the familiar face of a friend that tried her best to be there since Hermione's absence. "Harry, you should apologize to the receptionist." Remus said coming up behind them. Tonks handed Teddy over to Remus and walked to her friend. The two of them embraced and Ginny started crying.
"Shush, young one. Don't worry. I will be here for you." Tonks said trying to sooth her friend.
"I want Hermione, Tonks. I want her so bad." Ginny cried.
"Has anyone tried calling her, or Sirius?" Remus asked.
"No, we haven't. I don't know if we should." Harry responded. It was not like she tried contacting them in the past three months, but he understood that. He understood why. And it was his pride that was keeping him from contacting Sirius.
"I'll give them both a call and see if I can get anywhere." Remus said with a smile.
"Thank you, Remus." Harry said. Remus nodded and walked away from the group with Teddy in his arms.
"Umm… Excuse me, but I found her chart. I'm sorry it took so long." The older witch said.
"I'm also sorry for my behavior." Harry responded.
"It is alright. I just need a signature here and then we can get her settled in a room." The woman said. Ginny signed the paper and the woman walked around the desk. "Please follow me; we are going to room three." She said walking ahead of them. Harry got on the other side of Ginny and together they walked down the hall to the back wing where the maternity ward was at. Harry could tell when the crossed over from the main hospital to the maternity ward. The walls went from pale gray to bright pinks, blues, and greens. It was very cheerful.
"Here we are." The woman said walking in. Harry noticed that it looked just like every other hospital room; there were a few chairs, a bed, instruments, a door that led to the lavatory and one that led to a closet. The witch pulled out a hospital gown. "Just change into this. Your doctor will be in shortly. Please keep the visitors in the room with her to the minimum. There is a waiting room across the hall and has more than enough room for everyone. Keep it under four in here." She said and then walked out of the room.
Harry looked at his precious wife and smiled. "Soon Gin, we are going to be parents. I love you." He said giving her a kiss. She kissed him back.
"Harry, why don't you go and check on Remus and then see if the others are here." Tonks said breaking the kiss. Harry looked at his wife and smiled, "sounds good to me. I trust her with you Tonks."
"As you should." She responded. He kissed his wife on the forehead and then walked out of the room. He followed the little yellow arrows that lead back out to the main entrance. Remus was still on his cell phone. Harry walked over to him.
"When you get this message, please call me back." He said and then closed the lid. "I got both of their machines." Remus said.
"Has Sirius contacted you lately?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, just last week. He mentioned about going to more of a tropical climate and that he was no longer in Spain. I asked him exactly where he was, but he didn't say too much about it. I asked him if he had any contact with you and he said not since you hung up on him when he was just telling you the truth. He is pretty upset about it, Harry."
"He deserves to be. I was still so enraged about the whole Hermione situation and I just took it out on him. It was wrong of me, but I did it."
"From what I hear Harry, you did her quite wrong. I can't believe that you all knew about it and did not tell her." Remus said.
"Yeah I know, I don't need reminded. I am aware that I took Ron's side over hers and that I did her wrong. I regret it. I just wish I could make it up to her. You have no idea how much I wish I could go back in time."
"But you can't, Harry. Now you need to step up and be a man, admit your error and beg and I mean beg for forgiveness. And with any luck, and if she loves you and Ginny at all anymore, she just might forgive you." Remus said looking deep into Harry's eyes.
"I hope so Remus, I really hope she can. I just don't know where she is at." Harry said.
"I know where she might be." Remus said. "But I doubt that she is going to want Ron running around down there. I am only telling you this because I really feel like you regret what you've done. But, I don't want you harassing her." He said with a sigh.
"Where? I would do anything, Remus."
"You know how Severus Snape and I are getting ready to open up that new Potion Apothecary?"
"Yes, I've saw your ad in The Daily Prophet."
"Severus and I have only gotten one hit on it, from a HJG in Madagascar. Since we were running the ad exclusively in The Prophet, I went there and being a partial owner, I reviewed recent subscriptions with the address she included in her potion sample, it was not hard to cross reference it. The subscription was under Jean Black."
"So?" Harry asked.
"Harry, my boy, you are supposed to be an auror. Once I had her name and the address, I looked it up online trying to see if there was any information posted about it, I found out that the previous owners were Cheryl and Jesse Christopher. Then with the information I called the city hall, they gave me the number to the realtor office. I called and talked to a girl named Mindy, pretending to be the grandson of the Christopher's, she informed me that a Mrs. Sirius Black bought it, Saturday June 8th. I asked if she gave her first name and she said it was Jean." Remus explained, Harry did not understand a thing, so he continued.
"I asked if she was alone in the house or if she had a companion. Mindy explained that her husband's business partner, SB Granger was in town with her." Remus looked at him, as if he expected him to understand.
"Sorry, Moony, but I really don't understand."
"HJG, Mrs. Sirius Black or Jean Black, SB Granger. Don't tell me that you are that daft, Harry!" Harry shook his head. "Okay, I will spell it out for her; Hermione and Sirius are both in Madagascar, together, in this same house. And I know the address to it."
"Remus, can I please have it? I need to go and make sure that she is okay. Even with Sirius there, I am worried about her."
"Yes, Harry, on the one condition that you promise to leave them alone, and you wait until after Ginny has had the baby and has settled in back home. I don't want anyone else knowing where it is. And if anyone finds out, I will know it is because of you. I would tip them off and I would find them a new place to stay and no one will ever find them! Understand?" Remus stated.
Harry knew he was talking about Ron, or the other Weasley's. Harry would not even dare to tell Ron about her location. He was not that stupid and he knew that last thing that Hermione needed was Ron. If she and Sirius were together then she was at least safe. But he knew she still had to be dealing with many different emotions and could probably use a friend or two. And god knew Ginny needed and wanted her. Harry could tell that Remus Lupin was serious about helping them disappear off the face of the planet if he messed it up. But he was not going to be doing that. "Remus, my friend, I swear on my life that no one will ever find out about this. It will be like this conversation never happened." Harry said.
"Okay, my boy. I will give you the address later." He said. "Right now, we must welcome the rest of the family." Remus said pointing to the entrance. All of their family and friends were walking fervently towards the two of them.