Something Wrong. Something Right.
By alloy
"What's wrong, Hermione?"
It was almost as if he had ambushed her, asking her the question as she returned to their bedroom after her morning ablutions.
"Nothing."
Ron reached for her hands and pulled her toward him. "It's not, nothing."
"Ron, I…"
"Honesty, remember. We promised." It was worse than badgering.
Hermione looked down at his hands gently holding her own more petite one.
"My period was late."
"When was it…"
"Yesterday."
"You're normally regular."
"Except for when I was injured in the Department of Mysteries."
Ron sank down onto the bed, gently drawing her down with him. He didn't say anything; the gentle tapping of his thumb told her he was thinking.
"Ron, It…"
"We should talk to Mum first. She knows about these things."
"Would you make me stay behind?"
A muscle in Ron's jaw twitched. "Let's just talk to Mum. Okay?"
"Ron it came this morning." Hermione buried her face in Ron's shoulder and began to cry. "It was just a little late."
"Then why are you so sad?"
"I didn't think it could happen. I was so careful and then…I thought it had happened. I had to think about how we would deal with it."
Ron gently stroked her hair. "Merlin!" he said. "You've been thinking about this all night."
Hermione nodded into his shoulder and wrapped her arms around him hugging him hard. "It was sort of nice, thinking about a baby. Your baby."
"Thinking about whether he will have magic."
Ron's voice seemed to be breaking. Hermione clung to him tighter.
"Whether Hogwarts would be there for him to go to."
"Whether you would make me stay behind while you went away with Harry."
"I would," Ron said firmly.
"Whether my daughter would ever know her father."
Hermione looked up through her tears. She could see a small smile in the corner of Ron's mouth.
"I'd come back to teach him Quidditch."
"She's not playing that horrible game."
Ron slipped his finger under Hermione's chin pulling it up and lowered his head gently kissing her.
"It's a bit like playing house, isn't it?"
Hermione smiled, "Yes."
"Ginny used to make me play all the time." Hermione snuggled against him hearing the rumble in his chest as he spoke. "She always wanted me to be someone else."
"I don't want you to be anyone else."
"Always the same person, too."
Hermione waited. She knew she didn't have to ask, so she waited and enjoyed the rich chuckle that flowed from his chest.
"She always asked me to be Harry Potter."
Hermione giggled despite herself. "Have you ever told Harry?"
"A bit weird, don't you think?" Ron pursed his lips. "Hey mate, my sister wants to play house with you."
Ron squeezed Hermione. "No pressure, mate. She's only wanted to since she was five years old."
Hermione smiled wryly.
"You okay now?"
"Never better."
"A part of me is sad too, Luv."
They snuggled into each other and sat there silently together.
"Ron, Hermione! Harry says he's ready to go…" Ginny's voice faded away as she saw Hermione's face. "What have you done, Ron?"
"He hasn't done anything, Ginny."
"Are you sure?"
Hermione cupped Ron's chin in the palm of her hand, "Very sure."
"Go down and make sure Harry hasn't forgotten anything." Hermione reached up and pulled a lock of Ron's hair drawing him down to her. They shared a brief kiss. "I'll just…you know?"
Ron nodded and stood, his hand lingering on Hermione's shoulder. Hermione smiled wanly. Ron picked up the soft canvas bag that contained their clothes and made his way down stairs. Half way down he heard his sister's voice.
"Really, Hermione, what did he do?"
Outside in the garden Harry was busy putting his bag into Hermione's little Mini Cooper S. Three broomsticks leant against the small car. Ron recognized his Cleansweep and Harry's Firebolt. The third broom was also a Cleansweep, but a model so old that Ron thought that Harry might have taken it out of the Weasley broomshed.
"Did you know Hermione had a broom?" Harry asked.
Ron shook his head. "No. I thought you nicked one from the shed."
"It was in the car." Harry handed the broom to Ron. "Looks pretty old."
"Probably bought it out of her pocket money."
"I bet she thought you would laugh if she showed it to you," Harry said.
"Me?" Ron cast a critical eye over the broom. "It looks okay," he said, anxious to defend his wife.
"Cleanweep's always been a good solid broom." Ron swung his leg over the broom and kicked off into the air cautiously, and then with growing confidence he flew around the Burrow, even essaying a broad loop, before landing next to the Mini.
"Not bad," he said. "Not bad at all. Needs a service desperately, but it's sound." He handed the broom back to Harry. "This model sometimes gets a bit dicky in the rain, though."
Harry's grin broadened as Ron hastily continued. "Hermione couldn't have known that."
Harry performed a shrinking spell on all three brooms and stowed them away in the boot.
"Ready to go, boys." Inwardly Arthur Weasley rued his words. Neither of them were boys anymore, they were men, on a mission of men."
"Just waiting for Hermione, Dad," Ron said.
To cover his own disquiet, Arthur turned his attention to the car.
"These are marvelous cars, you know." He patted the car's roof extracting a tinny sound. "The muggles have put one in the British Science museum. Chopped it in half somehow, even the engine, so you can see how everything works. Fascinating, absolutely fascinating." He was babbling now, but better to babble than to weep. It was his wife that came to his rescue. Molly had cried in his arms for most of the night, but now she put on a brave face, giving him the support he needed.
"This car really is bigger inside than out," Molly said. She caught Arthur's eye, "Without magic."
"Dennis used to race them you know? Before he met Sylvia."
"Mum made him stop." Hermione had appeared with Ginny in tow. "I don't think he was any good. Mum says he never won anything."
"I imagine it must be very exciting," Arthur said.
"Very dangerous," his wife replied.
"Ahem," Ron cleared his throat. "We'd best be on our way."
He held out his hand to his father who grasped it firmly and pulled him into a hug, kissing him soundly on the cheek. Arthur accepted Harry's hand next, treating him as he had treated Ron. He then turned to Hermione who held out a box to him. "It's a mobile phone," she said. "It doesn't work here, and it probably won't work at the Ministry, but if you go into muggle London it'll work. I've got one, too. There are instructions in the box." Arthur looked down at the gaudily coloured box. The name, 'Phoenix Technologies,' came out to meet his eyes. "My dad says it's his contribution to the war effort."
Arthur carefully placed the box on the ground at his feet and drew the young witch into a hug. "Look after my sons," he said. Hermione nodded.
Ginny gave Harry a long kiss goodbye. There was an air of promise and hope in her actions, and Arthur decided to turn a blind eye to the hand which squeezed his daughter's bum…For now, anyway.
The three of them- Arthur, Molly and Ginny- stood in silence for the longest time after the small red car had disappeared down the road to the village. Eventually, Molly broke down, and turned and fled to the house. Arthur followed, pausing at the doorway: there was still something that needed to done.
Arthur's hands found the Burrow's foundation stone. It was one of the very first stones shaped by the first Weasleys to occupy this land. Those ancient stone masons had barely been aware of their magic, but their strong desire to protect their families had shaped the stone as much as their chisels.
Arthur concentrated, willing the ancient wards into existence. It was no use, his motivation, his will, his magic seemed to have deserted him.
A hand appeared on his, a small hand, a vibrant strength building the wards, helping him find his own strength. Arthur turned to his beautiful daughter, the tears running freely down her face.
"He calls this place home, Dad. They all do. We'll be here when they get back."
The End.
Authors note:
1. This is the final chapter. It is done.
2. I'd like to thank my Beta's ScarlettB and Sandy. Especially Sandy, as she made huge contributions and even commissioned a chapter.
3. Big THANKYOU to all my readers and reviewers. This story has been extraordinarily successful in that regard and made me spoiled and conceited.
4. There is an outtake, Chapter 11.5 Wrong Side of The Bed. Which can be found where naughty fics are found.
5. There is also a French Translation of this story.
6. I've no plans to write about the Horcrux quest, it's not really a subject that interests me, so I'll leave that to Jo. I may do some outtakes from it though, just a few ideas rummaging through my head about that.
7. One story I plan to revisit is Chris and Charlie….At this point the story has a title: "Common Weasley." So hopefully I'll get down to that.
8. What the shameless Plugs thread for any further developments, and feel free to visit my Live journal, links can be found on my profile page.
9. To the best of my knowledge there is a chopped in half Mini in the British science museum.
10. We are of course talking about the original Mini, not the over bloated new one.
Beta's Notes (you have to say something, it's the last chapter):
Thank you to alloy for giving me the chance to work with him, and to give this novice the opportunity to beta this wonderful story. Thank you, Marc, for trusting my skills, opinions and contributions and allowing them into your story. We worked well together from the start, and I will never forget this experience.
Thank you to the readers for following Midnight Confessions with me, as I was just as much of a fan as I was its beta. And for being soo kind as to putting up with updating delays and any and all mistakes I may or may not have caught. My best intentions for a perfect read are always there, but mistakes do happen to the best of us, so thank you!
Its been a great ride, one of which I am very proud to have been a part of, and I am just as sad as the readers to see it end. But knowing alloy, he will come back with other great stories to follow and I hope to be as lucky to be a part of those as well. Just make sure to look for his work (plug, plug, wink, wink).
Smiles,
Sandy ;