AN: We're ssssoooooo sorry for the long delay in uploading this chapter, we've both been on holiday and haven't been able to access the internet at all - we'll get the next chapter up as soon as possible. Anyway, we hope you like this chapter!

Grimmauld Place had never been the warmest of homes. It was dark, cold, and the air was heavy with dark memories that had centred on this house. But, as Harry and Hermione stepped inside, they didn't even notice this. For Harry, this was because his head was about to explode with happiness. He was going to be a father! Having never known his own father, and his uncle avoiding completely the usual strong relationship between father and son, Harry knew it was going to be hard to understand fully how it was going to work, but he had no doubt that Hermione would help him. She always had done. And for Hermione, there was nothing pleasing her more than how Harry had reacted. She couldn't help being utterly nervous when she gave him the news that she was carrying their child, but the smile that had brightened his face had lifted her own lips.

"Do you want to know the gender?" she asked suddenly. Harry paused.

"I don't mind. No, probably not. But if you want to, then I do too," Harry smiled. Hermione laughed at him.

"No, I don't want to know either. I want the moment our baby is born for us to see if it's a girl or a boy. It will be more special that way, I think," Hermione said.

"Yeah," Harry murmured in agreement, and reached to kiss her. As she clamped her lips around his, his hand fell to stroke her stomach, which had always been stunningly flat. Harry wasn't sure if he was just imagining it because of the news, but he felt sure there was a slight bump underneath her clothes.

"Hermione," Harry whispered, gently pulling away from the tugging of their mouths. He took an intake of air, preparing to voice his worries. There was only one person he could tell everything and anything, and she was carrying his child.

"Yes?"

"Do you think I'll be a good father?" Harry asked quickly, "It's just that I've never had a father before, and I'm worried I won't know what to do-" He was interrupted by Hermione's gentle tone.

"Harry," she sighed, "If there's someone who could do the best job at bringing up a child in this world, it's you. Look at what you've done for the Wizarding World. Look at how many people you've saved. You knew what you had to do, and you did it. That's the same, Harry. Our child will be proud to have you as a father." Harry was trembling. Her words had pierced through his body.

"I love you, Hermione," he whispered. Her eyes were filling with tears.

"Harry, I...I love you so much," Hermione gulped. Harry smiled.

"Our child is going to have the best life," Harry realized, "With parents who love each other as much as this, nothing can go wrong."

Harry sauntered into the Ministry the next day, unwilling to leave Hermione to disperse to their different departments. They quickly said goodbye and pecked on the lips.

Releasing her hand, Harry walked away, reluctant to see Ron at Auror training.

He hesitantly made his way across the room having caught Ron's venomous stare. Harry waited for Gawain Robards to enter the room away from Ron, trying to avoid any conflict between them. He was a man and now a father, he needed to be mature.

Ron opened his mouth, looking like he was going to call something crude to Harry from across the room. Fortunately, with a swish of his wand, Gawain dramatically flung open the doors for him to stroll through cheerily.

"Good morning, trainees!" He bellowed, his voice echoing. His cheerful mood clashed with his pupils, as all the training Aurors mumbled a feeble 'morning' in return. "Come on! Morale up! We're practising our Patronus' again!"

Harry heard Ron groan, realising he didn't have much to be happy about at the moment. Harry, however, had lots.

After a couple of hours casting the Patronus spells attempting to perfect them, Ron confronted Harry, much to his dismay.

"You must be happy then," Ron stated, obviously having seen Harry's strength in his Patronus. Harry sighed, there was no avoiding him.

"Ron, we work at the same place, let's just try and get over what happened and get along," he tried to reason with him.

"What? Ignore what happened?" He started shouting, drawing attention to other Aurors.

"She was going to break it off with you sooner or later anyway," Harry added quickly, then walked out of the room only to be followed by a furious Ron.

"How can I believe you?" He snapped, storming after Harry down the corridors of the Ministry. Harry ignored him. "How do I know that Hermione didn't just leave me because she felt sorry for you? You've always wanted a family, and now she is giving you one! How could a person so kind leave you carrying your bastard child?" He spat. Harry felt venom wanting to slip out of his mouth.

Passers-by watched the two usual best friends argue. Harry spun round to face his old friend, screaming in rage.

"How dare you! You've offended Hermione by saying that too, you know! She's independent enough to stand up and walk away if she doesn't want to stick around! Oh, maybe like she did with you! She's with me now because she wants to be!" He screamed back at him. "And don't you ever say that about my child," he warned, his emerald eyes now poison.

"Oh yeah?" Ron urged, opening his arms ready to stand a punch if Harry threw one. "She's a slut, and your child is nothing. It will be just as worthless as you and your whore!"

Harry writhed with anger, his body trembling at the adrenaline coursing through his veins.

He didn't know what came over him when his fist collided with immense force against Ron's face.

Ron grunted as Harry's fist pulled back from the harsh connection with his cheekbone. They both paused - Harry staring at Ron and then at his own fist, completely shocked with what he had just done, Ron seemingly unable to move with the anger that had contorted his face. Then, without warning, Ron screamed in extreme fury and launched himself at Harry. He thrust his fist in Harry's face, Harry recoiled wincing, but Ron had already landed another punch at Harry's stomach. Harry doubled over, Ron taking this advantage to connect his elbow with Harry's back. It was all Harry could do not to collapse. People watching were sprinting around, some shrieking at them to stop, others drawing their wands but unsure what they could do without hurting either Harry or Ron.

Suddenly, Harry's manner changed. With immediate anger, he stood up, blocking Ron's attempt to hit him and in quick succession laying punches to Ron's face, stomach, chest, every inch of his skin he could find. He was going to make sure Ron would NEVER say that about his child or Hermione again. Ron was giving as good as he got, but for Harry's new found rage, it was just not good enough. They were both bruised badly, Harry was spitting blood out of his mouth and Ron was struggling to stand up straight from the hits to his head. Yet, they continued fighting, neither of their anger dying. Harry seemed to be winning, Ron's hits didn't hurt him as much as they had earlier, and he managed to force Ron into even more of a daze as he slammed him against the wall. Even from that position, Ron managed to hit Harry hard in the face, and as he spun around from the sheer force, Harry spotted a beautiful witch in the crowd. He froze, analysing her face, in the moment somehow forgetting what situation he was in. All that mattered was absorbing himself in her warm eyes. He opened his mouth to call her name, when a fist cut through the air with incredible speed and knocked him to the floor. Harry attempted to get up, immediately, he would not let Ron win, but as he began to sit up, his muscles died, and he collapsed.

Harry felt a soft hand on his shoulder as he started regaining consciousness.

"Harry?" He heard a gentle voice. Harry groaned, his head pounding.

"Harry, are you all right?" He heard the voice, again. He slowly opened his eyes, his vision blurred. It gradually focused, revealing a beautiful but concerned face.

"Hermione?" He mumbled. She smiled at him sympathetically, helping him sit up.

Harry noticed his surroundings had changed since where he was before he was knocked unconscious. They were in Hermione's office.

"Why am I here? Where's Ron?" Harry asked, hastily.

"Some staff took him away - he's been suspended for a few weeks, Harry. They helped me put you here for you to recover," she explained, "You have no serious injuries but I've healed all your cuts and bruises already," she added, passing him a glass cup full of potion, presumably a pain relief potion Hermione or a healer had made.

"Thank you," he said, before swallowing the whole of the cup's contents. Hermione began stroking his face, trying to soothe any frustration that could still be lingering.

"Did anything happen to you?" Harry asked, concerned.

"No but Kingsley suggested we take some time off," she said.

"But what about my training?" Harry suddenly asked, beginning to stress.

"And he also said," She grinned, "that you're the best in the training group, and you don't need to train anymore - you can become an Auror as soon as we come back from our time off." Harry smiled, feeling happy Kingsley felt so highly of him.

"What do you want to do during our time off?" He asked, raising a cheeky eyebrow.

"Maybe we could start working on the house in Godric's Hollow?" She suggested.

"Sounds like a plan," Harry smiled, all worries and pain forgotten.