*I am so sorry to everybody that I haven't updated in AGES. Holidays just started up for me so I've been spending a lot of time catching up with friends and family, but now that most of my Christmas (yay!) shopping is done, I can finally sit down, read some books (I'm currently reading Silence of the Lambs but I'm hoping that I get Perks of Being A Wallflower for Christmas) and write more fanfiction. I've actually been missing writing it and reading it so hopefully I get into a proper writing routine. Thank-you to everyone who sent in reviews and to all the new followers and favouriters of "Love Is Not Heard". Here is chapter 11, and I hope you all enjoy it!*
"George, George, come quick!" Hermione had her hand placed on her little bump, feeling her child attack her from the inside. George came running wildly down the hallway.
"What? What's wrong? Is it the baby? What's happened?!"
"Nothing's wrong," Hermione smiled, "the baby's kicking!"
"R-really?" George stammered. Hermione picked up George's hand and placed it on her belly. She laughed as she watched his eyes grow wide.
"George, do you know what day it is today?"
"The first time our baby's kicked?"
"Three months."
George was a cyclone, throwing clothes into suitcases and writing letters.
"We're visiting my parents, then yours in Australia, then, knowing mum, Harry, Ron and Ginny will know. Come on, let's go!" George grabbed a hold of Hermione's arm, getting reading to disapparate.
"You guys are leaving?" Draco walked into the room, looking forlorn.
"Hermione's pregnant, Draco." George said, bursting with happiness.
"Oh! Uh…congratulations!" Draco shook hands with George and kissed Hermione's cheek.
"We're heading off to tell our families." Hermione smiled, holding on to Draco's hand.
"That's exciting! I'll take care of the house, don't worry."
"I never even had the thought of worrying." She said truthfully, letting go of Draco and grasping George's hand, ready to apparate. Hermione closed her eyes for a second, and as soon as she had opened them, they were standing outside The Burrow. Molly and Arthur walked out of the house and met them at the gate.
"Hermione, dear!" Mrs Weasley exclaimed, "oh sweetie, you've put on a bit of weight since I last saw you." Hermione blushed and looked at George who was shaking hands with Mr Weasley and kissing his mother's cheek.
"Let's go inside, shall we? Have a cup of tea?" Arthur led the way back into the house.
"George, your letter seemed very urgent and rushed. Is everything alright?"
"You both might want to sit down." George gestured to the two chairs closest to his parents. Once they had sat down, George took his own seat on the couch and pulled Hermione down onto his lap, "do you want to tell them, sweetie?"
"Um…okay…Uh…Mr and Mrs Weasley, I'm pregnant." Molly jumped up at once and ran over to Hermione, squealing with tears running down her face.
"Oh, sweetheart, I knew it! I knew it right from the moment I saw you. You look so healthy and happy! We have so much to do! We have to buy all the furniture and clothing and toys and whatnot. Oh, this is all so exciting!" When Molly finally let go of her, Arthur hugged Hermione and told her how happy he was.
"It's like you're really a part of the family, now. You and your little extension." He beamed and sat back on the couch with his wife who was already making a pair of needles knit a little pair of baby socks.
"So, we have to head off to Australia now. Hermione's parents decided that they liked it there too much to come back and live permanently in Britain." George stood up, standing next to Hermione. Molly's face fell.
"You don't want to stay the night?"
"I suppose we could stay for just one night. My parent's house is only an apparition away…It's too late to turn up there now." Hermione whispered to George.
"You're right…Yeah, mum. We'll stay, if you're sure that's alright." He looked over at his parents who were both nodding with huge smiles on their faces.
Hermione was running down the Gryffindor girl's dormitory staircase, her arms full of books. She was about to jump the last step when she tripped over somebody's forgotten mascara tube. Hermione threw her books aside, preparing to stop her face from hitting the stone floor with her hands, when someone caught her.
"Thank-you, so much!" She exclaimed, picking up her books rapidly.
"It's alright. You probably shouldn't run down stairs that fast anyway, it's bound to cause an accident." The young man who caught her handed her a book she had forgotten to pick up.
"Yeah, I know. I'm just really late and –" Hermione stopped talking once she saw who had caught her. It was one of the Weasley twins. Fred or George? She couldn't figure it out.
"Oh, you're Hermione Granger. You're friends with my little brother, Ron, right?" She nodded, her mouth going dry, "I'm Fred." He stuck his hand out and shook hers politely.
"Ron's told me a lot about you. You and George. You two are rebels of some sort aren't you?"
"We like to think of ourselves as bad boys." He winked at her. Hermione felt her stomach flip.
"I should probably get to class…I'm really late so…"
"Oh right, I guess I should tell you," Fred leant down so his mouth was next to her ear, "it's Saturday." He whispered. Fred walked up the boy's dormitory staircase humming a tune, leaving Hermione to stand there alone blushing with embarrassment.
She woke with a start and lay awake listening to the sound of George's deep breathing, wondering why that of all memories came to her that night. Eventually, when she started to drift off to sleep again, she rolled over to lay her head on George's chest. His arms instinctively wrapped around her, holding her tight. Just before she shut her eyes to accept slumber, she saw Fred sitting in the chair by the door, smiling at his brother and the girl he still loved, only happy that they were both happy.
Hermione and George woke at exactly the same time that morning. Hermione sat up immediately and started playfully poking, kissing and hugging George.
"We're seeing my parents today!" She exclaimed, placing a kiss on George's bare chest.
"I haven't seen them since Christmas. I wonder if they'll even remember we're together." He laughed.
"Well they better because we're having a baby." Hermione bounded out of bed and changed into comfy jeans and an oversized sweater, slipping into some ugg-boots before throwing open the door and racing down the stairs into the Weasley's kitchen.
"Oh, hello dear," Molly greeted Hermione as she was cooking breakfast, "you've just missed Arthur. He left for work about ten minutes ago, but he said to tell you goodbye and good luck."
"That's nice, I hope I see him soon."
"I think he hopes that too, sweetheart. You know, he'll want to track every moment of your pregnancy." Molly laughed, scooping eggs and bacon onto Hermione's plate.
"I'll let you guys know every time we have an ultra-sound or a check-up." She smiled and began to eat.
"Where's George?" Mrs Weasley asked, pouring three cups of coffee.
"Still waking up, I think. He's not much of a morning person."
"No, he never has been."
The two women sat in comfortable silence, waiting for George to come downstairs. Once he finally sat down at the table, they all began to talk.
George and Hermione left The Burrow straight after breakfast, much to Molly's disappointment. If she had her way, she'd never let the two leave. When they arrived in Australia, it was late afternoon. They apparated right onto Hermione's parents driveway, where there was one car sitting out in the hot Australian sun. George pulled off his jacket and helped Hermione take off her sweater.
"It's so hot here!" George exclaimed.
"I forgot that it's summer in the southern hemisphere." Hermione sighed, beaming as her mother walked out the front door of the little cottage.
"Hermione, darling!" The two women pulled each other into a tight hug while Hermione's father and George shook hands, "I've missed you so much! You have to visit more often."
"You have no idea how much I've missed you, mum." Hermione said sincerely, looking into her mother's eyes.
"Hermione!" Her dad held his arms open, ready to catch her when she jumped into them.
"Daddy!" She breathed in the familiar smell of his cologne, remembering when she was a little kid and he would take her down to the park to play on the swing set when her mother was working.
"Shall we go inside? There is air conditioning." Mrs Granger ushered them all inside the house.
"Now, we are glad you are here, both of you," Mr Granger sat on the couch, "but what is it that you wanted to tell us? Your letter wasn't all that explanatory."
"Well…" George started out, waiting for Mrs Granger to sit on the couch with her husband, "Hermione and I are going to have a baby." Hermione and George both held their breath while waiting for her parents' response. Her mother looked surprised but happy and her father looked downright bewildered.
"You're pregnant?" Mrs Granger asked Hermione, "but you're…you're so young."
"I know, and I was worried about that at first too, but I think I'm ready. I think we're both ready." Hermione slipped her hand into George's and held it tightly. "Dad?"
Mr Granger looked up at her with tears in his eyes.
"Hermione, I'm so happy for you. I would have preferred you to have waited for a couple more years, but we can't change anything now. I'm going to be a granddad." He beamed. Hermione and George hugged each other than hugged Hermione's parents'.
Both their families knew, and were happy for them. This pregnancy was going to be easier than both Hermione and George thought…wasn't it?