Thanks to everyone who still reads and reviews.
Hermione held Nathan and yawned. For the fourth time that morning, Nathan woke her up screaming. She rocked him while holding a bottle in his mouth. She looked out the window. It was a beautiful Saturday. Usually she would be in the Common Room reading or outside relaxing with Ron. Instead, she was in a small, cramped room with spit on her neck and sleep crust in her tired eyes.
"Hey, how is he?" Ron asked entering the room. Hermione stared at him. He just got out of the shower. His red hair was damp and stuck to his face and neck. Though he was clean, his eyes were red and his face extremely pale. He had not gotten much sleep either.
"He's almost asleep. I swear the only thing that makes this boy happy is milk. He's either sleeping, crying, or eating. Sometimes he can do all three at the same time," Hermione explained with a frown on her face.
Ron, however, smiled. "Oh, he's alright. Here, let me take him and you can go shower."
Hermione looked apprehensive. She did not want Nathan to fuss. "Are you sure?"
Ron rolled his eyes, "Yes, I can take him. You need to take care of yourself too, love."
Hermione smiled at Ron. She loved him so much. She gently stood up and gave Nathan to Ron. Ron quickly and smoothly took the baby and rocked him while holding his bottle. Hermione admired Ron. He seemed to be a natural at taking care of Nathan.
The moment the warm water hit her skin, Hermione let out a low moan. The water felt so good to her. She took her towel and cleaned her sweating, sticky body. She washed her face and her hair. Soapy dirt ran down her legs. Hermione was disgusted. She had never let herself get so dirty. She could not stay in the shower long. Her legs were too tired and she was too worried about Nathan.
Quickly, she changed into a pair of Ron's maroon pants and a pink nightshirt that belong to Ginny. All of her clothes were dirty with spit up. Hermione wrapped a towel around her wet hair and rushed back into Ron's room. Ron was sitting on the bed working on what appeared to be work from school. They were missing two weeks of school and Harry sent them their work so they would not get behind. Nathan was sound asleep in his bed with a teddy bear snuggled next to him.
"Did you enjoy your shower?" Ron asked looking up at her. Hermione grinned and sat next to him.
"It was nice. I see you're working on homework. How is that going?" she joked.
Ron let out a long breath, "Well, this is our last week out. I haven't really started on anything, so I decided I might as well while the little prat is asleep."
"Ron, I don't see how you get him to sleep so fast. You do it in half the time I do," Hermione said.
Ron shrugged scratching his nose. "You want some breakfast?"
"Breakfast," Hermione said stupidly. She had forgotten about food but the moment she thought about it, she realized she was very hungry. "What time is it?"
"About eight, it seems so late doesn't it?" Ron asked.
"I can't keep up with the time," Hermione confessed getting up. As she went for the door, she looked at Nathan. He looked so peaceful and happy asleep. She wished he was as cute when he was awake.
Ron's mother made them breakfast. Hermione greedily ate without shame. "Hungry much?" Ron asked. Hermione ignored him.
"You two look out of sorts," Mr. Weasley teased sitting down at the table.
"Nathan wakes up all the time crying," Ron said rubbing his tired eyes.
"Yeah, he's getting adjusted to his new surroundings. He will develop a pattern of sleep. It just takes time," Mrs. Weasley said pouring Hermione more juice.
Before Hermione could say "thank you" a loud screech echoed through the room. Hermione's heart dropped. Anger boiled in her veins. "You just put him down," she whined.
"I'll get him," Mr. Weasley said getting up from the table. Hermione put her fork down and covered her face with her hands. She felt tears cloud her eyes.
"Ronald, will you go see if the biscuits are done in the kitchen?" Mrs. Weasley asked. Ron sighed and got up from the table. The moment he left, Mrs. Weasley took his chair next to Hermione. She put a hand on her shoulder. "Come no dear. Don't hide yourself." Hermione uncovered her face. She quickly wiped the tears that escaped. "Tell me what's wrong?"
Hermione gazed at her. Her brown eyes were warm and kind like Ginny's. Her smile made Hermione feel safe and loved. "I…don't think I can do this. I can't handle all of this," Hermione admitted.
"All of what, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
"Nathan. He's so much to deal with. He cries all the time and wants to be fed all the time. My breasts hurt so much. They're so sore from all the milk pumping. I should have just stayed with formula but I felt bad. I feel like a cow or something. I never sleep. I never eat or do anything for myself because I'm up with Nathan all the time. It's as if he enjoys it. On top of everything, I don't even think he likes me. It takes me ages to get him to calm down. However, one minute with Ron, and he's content. I'm not a good mother. I'm no better than my own." The words just spilled out of her. She didn't know she even felt this way. Hermione felt ashamed of herself. She felt weak.
"Listen, you're only eighteen. You weren't expecting to have a child. You were not ready to have one. It's okay if you're not perfect. Nathan isn't even two weeks old yet. You have to give it time. He loves you. You may not think so but he does," Mrs. Weasley explained.
"Then why does he react to Ron and not me?" Hermione asked.
Mrs. Weasley smiled. "He's a Weasley boy. I know exactly how you feel. When I had Charlie, he always cried when I held him. Arthur took him and he was silent as a stone. I felt jealous and a little betrayed. I thought to myself, I am the mother. I am the one that went through nine months and painful contractions but he wants his dad. It wasn't until one night, when Arthur was away, it was only me and Charlie in my room that I realized it would be okay. It had to of been three in the morning. Charlie was screaming. I ran over to him and held him. He did not stop of course, so I hugged him and stroked his head. I told him "mummy is here" and he stopped crying. For the first time I felt a real connection with him. Sometime it'll takes a bit more of you than it will for Ron, but it doesn't mean Nathan does want you."
"I just feel so stupid. I didn't know it was going to be so hard," Hermione said rubbing her eyes once more.
Mrs. Weasley took her hands. "Dear, it only gets harder from here. I'll tell you that. I had seven kids and it was hard with all of them. You just have to remember that you have a healthy baby and he will grow up to be a man who you and others will admire and depend on. It's not supposed to be easy. Motherhood is not easy, but it's worth it. Once Nathan gets a little older, he'll stop crying and will sleep through the night but until then get used to being tired."
"Thank you so much Mrs. Weasley for helping me," Hermione breathed.
Mrs. Weasley shook her head. "Don't thank me. That's what family is for." Hermione looked down. "Hermione, you're nothing like your mother. Do not think you are. I don't know what she's going through but she does love you."
Hermione snorted, "I don't care at this point."
"Well, whatever choice you make I'm behind you. We all are. Now, as for your soreness, I have some cream that can help take the pain away," Mrs. Weasley added.
Hermione's eyes lit up. "Thank you so much. I love you Mrs. Weasley."
"I love you too dear," Mrs. Weasley said while wrapping her arms around Hermione. They held each other for a moment. When they let go, each wiped their eyes. "Ronald, you can come in now," Mrs. Weasley added.
Ron entered the room. "I figured you two were having "girl time" when I didn't see any biscuits. Thanks for getting my hopes up." Hermione laughed.
"Well, the little guy needed to be changed. He left something rotten for me to clean. I gave him a bath," Mr. Weasley said coming to the table with Nathan in his arms.
He sat on the other side of Hermione. Ron sat next to his father. "Thanks dad." He took one of Nathan's hands and held it with his finger. "There's my boy. You left Grandpa a surprise, huh?"
Hermione smiled at her boys. They looked so much like each other.
"Why don't you two take a nap? We'll watch Nathan for awhile," Mrs. Weasley said getting up.
"Are you sure?" Ron said kissing Nathan on the top of the head.
"Yes, we raised seven kids. I think we can take one grandchild," Mr. Weasley said.
Hermione walked over to Nathan and kissed him. She ran her fingers through his bright red hair. "I love you," she whispered.
Hermione was happy to be in bed with Ron. They faced each other. Ron wrapped his arms around her waist and Hermione rested her head against his chest. He smelled so good. "I heard what you said. Why didn't you come to me?" he asked.
"Oh, I don't know. I just felt bad," Hermione answered.
"Nathan loves you," Ron breathed while rubbing her back. It gave her goosebumps.
"I know, it's just I thought I'd be better at this than I am," she confessed.
"A baby isn't like a test in school Hermione. You just have to go with whatever comes at you," Ron explained.
"Since when are you an expert at parenting, Ron?" Hermione asked with a smile.
Ron blushed a bit. "I'm not. I just listen to my mother, and I've been reading some of those books Sarah gave us."
"Maybe I should read more," Hermione mumbled.
Ron cupped her chin in his hand. "Hey, now you listen. You are a great mother. I'm glad you are the mother of my child. He's going to be the best person in the world because of you."
Hermione smiled and kissed him. "I love you so much. I'm so happy you're here with me."
"Love, where else would I be?" Ron asked quietly. Hermione did not answer. Before she knew it, her eyes drifted close and for the first time in a long time, she slept peacefully.
The next few days Hermione and Ron focused on their schoolwork. It was hard because Nathan always wanted attention, but Hermione was patient. She listened to what Mrs. Weasley said. What also made her feel better was the cream that she gave to her. At dinner one night, the whole Weasley family stopped by to see the baby.
"He looks so much like Ron, it's such a same," Bill said while holding Nathan in his arms.
"Ha ha you're so funny," Ron said.
"Dad tells me he's a crier," Charlie said taking one of Nathan's fingers. Nathan looked at Charlie and smiled a bit. "See George, I told you I'm the favorite uncle."
George rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Nathan isn't smiling at you. He's laughing at you. He realizes how ridiculous you look with that spiked hair of yours."
Hermione laughed at the statement. "Outside, you and me," Charlie warned. George didn't seem threatened.
"So, who is he the most like, mum?" Fred asked while making funny faces at Nathan.
"Well, he cries like Charlie. Just a loud screech all the time," Mrs. Weasley explained while smiling at Charlie. Charlie lowered his head and blushed.
"Another plus, he sleeps like Percy did, just all over the place and for such a short amount of time," Mr. Weasley added.
"Oh gods, I don't see how you did it with seven babies," Ron said rubbing his neck.
"Well, I had to put up with all of you blokes. I had to help take care of all you prats," Bill said pointing his steak knife at his brothers.
"He really craves attention. If he's not being held or he thinks you're not paying attention, he cries," Hermione explained.
"Oh, he gets that from his father. Ron was the exact same way," Mrs. Weasley said. Ron smiled at Nathan and winked.
Hermione excused herself to go to the bathroom. She peered at herself in the mirror. Though she was still pale, her eyes were no longer swollen. She felt happy to be with the Weasley's, but she wished she could share her stories. She wished her parents were there to talk about how she was when she was a baby. As much as she tried, she could not get over how they treated her. Their absence hurt Hermione more than anything did. They had not written to see how she was or the baby.
When she opened the door, Fred and George were waiting for her. "Oh, um, did you…both need to go?" she asked.
Fred grinned, "Yeah, you know us. We always go to the bathroom together."
"Actually, we were waiting for you," George said.
"Why?" Hermione asked curiously.
"Well, step back into our office and we'll discuss," George said motioning her to return inside the bathroom. Hermione frowned but obeyed. She sat on the toilet seat. Fred and George sat in front of her on the bathtub rim. Hermione held back a grin. They both tried their hardest to look serious. Fred and George could not be told apart by anyone that did not know them well. They were shorter and bigger than Ron was but had the same freckles and blazing hair.
"So, am I in trouble?" Hermione asked.
"No, we want to talk to you about your parents," George said quietly.
The statement took Hermione aback. "What?" she breathed.
"We heard about how they've been. How they don't support you, Ron, or my nephew," Fred said with a frown.
"Oh, um, well," Hermione tried but she could not find anything to say.
"You don't have to make an excuse. What they're doing is wrong and everyone knows it. It doesn't matter what you did, you're their daughter," George explained.
"Yeah, I mean we give Ron a hard time, but when it comes down to it, he's our baby brother and we love him, even if he is a git at times," Fred said. "We would move mountains for the prat."
"When you two broke up, he was out of sorts. He missed you everyday. He hurt like crazy Hermione. I've never seen him so torn," George said with a frown on his face. Hermione felt her ears burn. "But, when you two got back together, he was alright again. He was our brother again. You're good for him Hermione. You really are what he needs."
"Yeah, he's lucky to have you. You are a great girl. I can't wait until you two get married. Then you'll really be like our sister. That Ginny girl is starting to become a mess," Fred joked smiling. Hermione smiled back at him. She felt a lump in her throat.
"You guys really don't hate me?" Hermione asked.
"Of course not. We weren't pleased when we found out what happened, but we never hated you. No one did. We all love you Hermione. We may not be your blood relatives but we are your family. We are your brothers," George explained. Hermione let her tears fall.
"Listen, we're trying out new candies all the time. If you ever want us to experiment on your parents, you let us know, okay?" Fred said. Hermione chuckled and nodded. The twins stood up and so did Hermione. They sandwiched her in a hug.
"Thanks you guys. You have no idea how badly I needed to hear this," Hermione said wiping her eyes and pulling away.
"No problem," George said.
"Yeah, we love you and our nephew. We want you guys to know you're loved. Do not tell Ron that we love him though. It will ruin our reputation," Fred demanded.
Hermione chuckled, "I promise."
She felt better after her talk with the twins. Her heart felt a bit lighter. By the weekend, Hermione was worn out. It took a lot out of her to catch up on what she missed. It was her last Saturday before she had to go back to school. She was in Ron's room on the floor. She was propped against his bed. A book rested in her lap as she read over her potions essay. It was only Mrs. Weasley, Nathan, and herself in the house. Ron had gone to the store with Mr. Weasley to buy baby supplies.
Hermione glanced at Nathan's bed. No noises came from him. Hermione successfully got him to take an afternoon nap.
There was a knock at the door. Hermione's eyes shot to Nathan. Luckily, the noise did not wake him. She quickly got up to open the door. The person she saw was not the person she expected. Her Aunt Nancy stood on the other side smiling. "Aunt Nancy?" Hermione asked not believing her eyes.
"Yeah, it's me. Now, can I come in?" she asked. Hermione blinked several times before moving so she could enter. "Oh, is this Nathan?" Nancy whispered. Hermione nodded hoping that she didn't want to hold him. It would wake him for sure.
"I just put him down for a nap," Hermione explained quietly.
"Don't worry I won't wake him. How old is he?" Nancy asked softly touching is cheek.
"Two weeks," Hermione answered closing the door and taking her seat back on the floor.
Nancy moved away and sat next to her.
"Wow, he's already so big. Not like you. You were a tiny little thing," Nancy said.
"Yeah, he takes after his father," Hermione said smiling at her.
"Where is he?" Nancy asked.
"He went out with his dad," Hermione answered.
"Ah, I wanted to meet him. His mother is a doll. She's so bloody nice," Nancy said. Hermione grinned. Ron would like her.
"Yeah, his whole family is. They have been so good to me. Not like my own family," Hermione said.
Nancy frowned, "Yeah, I talked to my brother and his wife. They didn't have much to say about the baby when I asked."
"That's because they don't know anything. They haven't been over here to see him once. They haven't even written me to see how we're doing," Hermione explained.
Nancy bit her lip. "I'm sorry."
"Me too. I'm sorry that I ever thought I could count on them. I'm sorry that I was born into their family," Hermione blurted.
"Hey, don't talk like that. You don't mean it," Nancy said.
"No, I think I do. You do not understand how I feel. They do not care about me. They do not care about their grandson. It makes me so angry how they can act like this. I don't even know why their upset with me. I've done everything they've ever wanted me to," Hermione said.
"They just need time"-
"Time to what? To adjust? They've had plenty of time. It's not as if they have to raise Nathan or anything. I just wanted them to be there at the hospital or come by and see him…or me," Hermione said.
"You know they're proud people," Nancy tried.
Hermione snorted. "I don't buy that. They can't be too proud to come by and see their own grandson. He did not do anything wrong. No, he came from Ron and me. They hate Ron and they hate me so they must think Nathan is evil."
"Hermione, what has gotten into you? They don't hate you," Nancy said.
"Really? Then explain to me why they're doing this?" Hermione asked.
Nancy looked at her. Her green eyes were blank. She did not have an answer. "I don't know, but what I do know is that they're hurting too." Hermione snorted once again. "Hermione, when they brought you home, it was like their lives meant something for the first time. All they have ever done your whole life is talk about how much they love you and how proud they are of you. They think you've made the biggest mistake of your life, and they feel like they've let you down."
"Well, they did. They did the moment they decided that Ron wasn't good enough for me and that having Nathan would destroy me life," Hermione said quietly.
"You three need to talk and work this out. Now is not the time to hate each other. You need them now, more than ever," Nancy said tucking hair behind Hermione's ear.
"I tried to talk to them. They do not want to talk to me. Besides, it doesn't matter. I do not need them. I have all the family I need here," Hermione pressed pulling away from Nancy.
Nancy looked hurt. She got up and walked to the door. "Well, I see that I can't help you or them."
"You can help by telling my parents that they can go to hell," Hermione breathed while holding back tears. Nancy frowned at her and closed the door. Hermione exhaled and walked over to Nathan. He was still asleep. Hermione smirked and rubbed her fingers across his stomach.
"I love you. You don't need them Nathan. You don't need her," Hermione whispered.
So, a nice place to end. I think I'll be back in the groove now of updating. Thanks to everyone that still reads my stuff. I love you guys!! Review!!
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