September 17th 2005 PT1
Hermione was at the Burrow for dinner with the whole family and the discussion was loud and boisterous over the beef roast that Molly had, as usual, cooked to perfection. Hermione grinned as she heard Arty and Victoire arguing over the best technique for throwing gnomes at the other end of the table and rolled her eyes when Ron muttered something about her son being a know-it-all.
"Without this know-it-all, you would have died in your first year," she snorted, leaning forward so she could see him around George and Angelina, "just remember that, yeah?"
"Three words, Hermione," he grinned back, "there's no wood."
"That was one time!" She laughed loudly, "I reverted back to muggle thinking while I was panicking! Anyway, you would have been strangled by devil's snare without me so don't be such an arse."
She sat back and listened as Harry and Ron told the story of the trapdoor and what was underneath it to the table at large. Most had heard this story before, but Arty in particular was in awe of the things his mum and her friends for up to when they were just 11. Just as they got to the part about the giant chess set, they heard the floo roar and everyone frowned as they looked at each other.
"I wonder who that could be?" Molly asked, turning to Arthur who shrugged.
"Could it be Neville?" Arty asked excitedly, jumping from his chair and running towards the living room, making Hermione follow after him to make sure it wasn't someone that might hurt him. Just as she reached the end of the table, she heard her son speak.
"Who are you?"
"Arty?" She frowned as she turned the corner, "who are you ta-"
Hermione felt all of the blood leave her head and pool into her stomach as she took in the sight of Charlie Weasley stood about one foot away from the child he has denied. Her stomach was in knots and her eyes felt impossibly wide as she stared at him. He smirked at her and winked before speaking.
"Nice to see you again, Hermione," he grinned, "and who is this young man?"
"No!" Hermione suddenly screamed, shaking her head frantically and lunging for her son, grabbing him by the waist and pulling him into the floo, disappearing in green flames, leaving a hugely confused Charlie behind
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Ginny had left the table very quickly as she heard Hermione's shout, entering the living room just in time to see her best friend disappear before she turned to glare at her brother.
"What the hell did you do?!" She hissed, grabbing his wrist and pulling him as far away from the dining table as possible.
"What are you on about?" Charlie asked as he ground at her and she sighed.
"You know, I respected your decision, understood it for the most part but I never, not in a million years, would have expected you to deny it to that poor boys face!" She hissed and Charlie shook his head, his frown deepening, Ginny flicked her wand and cast the muffliato around them, desperately wanting to scream at him
"Ginny, calm down and tell me what you're talking about?" He asked, looking extremely concerned.
"Your son!" She shrieked, and Charlie gaped for a few seconds before grabbing her shoulders.
"Ginny," he said very seriously, "I do not have a son."
"You bastard! I know you want nothing to do with him but for you to claim me doesn't exist? That's heartless!" Ginny roared, furious at him.
"No Ginny, you don't understand, I really don't have a son!" Charlie tried to explain but Ginny jabbed a finger in his chest.
"How can you claim to not have a son when you just looked his mother in the eye and asked who he was?" She growled, "she has been to hell and back in order to protect your arse, keeping that amazing boy from finding out the truth, that his dad was too spineless to own up to his mistakes and take responsibility for the life he created."
"Ginny... What..."
"Hermione you fucking idiot," came Bill's voice as he broke in through the spell, "That boy, the one you didn't know? That's her son. That's YOUR son."
Ginny watched as all the colour drain from Charlie's face and he stumbled for the nearest chair, falling roughly into it and gripping his own hair, pulling roughly. He lifted his head and stared with wide watery eyes at his brother.
"I… We, that boy…" he whimpered pitifully, gulping, "Bill, please tell me you're joking?"
"I wish I could," Bill muttered sadly, shaking his head, "she wrote you when she found out she was pregnant, you already knew about the baby. Stop acting so shocked."
"Wait, how do you know all this?" Ginny asked, turning to frown at Bill who shrugged.
"I found the duplicate when I was at Grimmauld Place." He sighed and she gasped, nodding.
"Bill, please, tell me this is a sick joke?" Charlie begged, "why would she keep me from my child?"
"Are you thick?" Ginny scoffed, "we just told you. She wrote you. She told you. And you never replied!"
"What letter?!" Charlie suddenly shouted, "will you please just talk sense for five fucking minutes and explain to me what the hell is going on!"
Ginny stared at her brother, pale and shaking, and she had a hard time believing that he was acting. He looked physically ill, sweating and shaking. Turning her head to Bill she shook her head, hoping he understood and when his eyes widened, she took it to mean he had. She watched as he crossed the room and crouched down in front of him before he began to talk calmly and slowly.
"Charlie, did you ever get a letter from Hermione telling you she was carrying your child?" He asked and Charlie's eyes widened as he shook his head, releasing tears from his eyes.
"Shit." Bill growled, sighing before looking back up at his brother who was almost hyperventilating, "Charlie, you need to calm down. You need to listen to me ok?"
"Ok." Charlie gasped, nodding and taking deep controlled breaths until he was calmer.
"Charlie, that boy who just left with Hermione was your son. He was conceived on the night of Gin's wedding, born on July 21st 2000. He's 5 years old."
"I have a son?" Charlie whimpered, his body wracking with sobs when Bill nodded.
