Disclaimer: I own NOTHING!! NOTHING AT ALL! I don't wish to get sued.
A/N: This takes place in the life of Harry and Hermione… but you'll have to use your imagination a bit as always in fan fiction. I love to hear from you if you liked the story! Please Read and Review, but no flames. I don't feel they are necessary.
This chapter has a ton of fears throughout it, as well as some emotions running wild.
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It was March before Hermione started to actually look like she was pregnant. She was beginning to show. She was feeling great, and was in a good mood most of the time. There were days where everything pissed her off though. The death eaters seemed to be dispersing, which to the Auror's meant that they were planning something big, however, no one would know until that happened, though, they hoped they could stop it. Harry and Ron spent long hours at the office, but always were home by seven at the latest.
Claire and Hermione were in their offices around eleven, and were passing time by completing their reports together, "Do you want to go out for lunch?" Claire asked.
Hermione nodded, "Sure, that sounds great. I was actually thinking about grabbing Ginny, because she hasn't been around lately."
"She's been really moody lately." Claire shrugged, "I haven't even wanted to be around her lately."
"I really haven't. Maybe I can figure out what's going on with her."
"I can tell you. She's being a bitch at the drop of a hat. Even Ron's getting irritated with her."
"That's not fair." Hermione sighed, "And she's one of my best friends as well. I'll head down to her office and see if she's hungry."
Claire nodded, "Shall I go with you?"
"I'll meet you back here." Hermione smiled.
"Right." Claire smiled, walking into her own office.
Hermione took the elevator to the seventh floor, in search of her redheaded friend, finding her in her office, "Hey Gin."
"Hey Hermione." Ginny said, standing up to hug her, "How are you?"
"I'm doing alright, how are you?"
"Fine." She smiled, placing her hand on her stomach, "Everything well with the baby?"
"So far so good." She grinned, "I hear you've been hiding from everyone lately."
"No, not hiding, just, busy."
"Claire said you haven't been coming around much."
"Oh, yeah, well, we're all busy."
"I know that. She and I are going to lunch. Would you like to come?"
"I don't know Hermione, I've got a ton of work to do and…"
"Ginny, come on, I haven't seen you in a while."
"Alright." She sighed, pushing her chair in, following Hermione back up to her office, immediately getting a hug from her sister-in-law, "How are you feeling Claire?"
"Great. We missed you the other night at dinner." Claire said.
"I was busy at work. I wish could have been there."
"So did your mum." Claire said.
Hermione saw a slight frown cross Ginny's face, as she changed the subject, "Gin, where do you feel like going to lunch?"
"Anywhere is fine." She sighed.
"What about the café down the road?" Hermione shrugged, "They have good service."
"That sounds fine." Claire smiled, as the girls walked to the annex to apparate out.
"Are you still allowed to apparate Hermione?" Ginny asked.
"Yes, for another two months, or when it begins to make me sick or uncomfortable."
"How can you tell me difference?" Ginny joked.
"I'm still waiting for it." Hermione laughed, "Come on ladies."
They apparated to the local café, that most of the witches and wizards go to on their lunch breaks, and sat down, immediately placing their order, so they could eat and be back at work within their hour allotted time.
"So, are you going to be finding out what you are having Hermione?" Ginny asked, as she ate her club sandwich.
"Harry and I really haven't talked about that yet. I sometimes want to know and then sometimes I don't."
"I need to know." Claire said, "I don't know how you can go nine months without knowing. I'm already driving Ron crazy, because we have another month and a half till we are able to find out the sex, and I already want to paint the room, get clothing, furniture, and other odds and ends, oh and pick out the name."
"I'm sure you already have names picked out." Ginny laughed.
"I do, but he didn't like them too much. I'm still working on the name Heather."
Ginny scrunched her nose up, "Heather?"
"Yeah. Don't like it?"
"Not particularly, but it's not my kid." Ginny smiled.
"I like Lily as well, but Ron said absolutely not."
Ginny and Hermione laughed, "We know the reason for that one." Hermione smiled.
"What is it?"
"Lily was Harry's mum's name." Hermione explained, "He wants to make sure that we aren't using it for our kid."
"Are you?"
"We haven't discussed it yet." She smiled, "I'm sure we'll use it somehow in the name if it's a girl."
"I love the name Lily." Ginny smiled.
"I do too." Hermione smiled, "But that is totally up to him, if we use his mum or dad's name or not. I am not making that decision."
"So what about you Gin? Any new men in your life?"
Ginny looked at her sister-in-law with a sour face, "If there were, wouldn't you think I would have told someone?"
"I'm sure there is someone…"
"No Claire, there is no one, but thanks for asking." She said with attitude.
"I didn't mean anything by it, I was just wondering."
"Well, don't."
Hermione looked at Ginny and sighed, "Gin, would you like to do dinner this week? We really haven't gone out in a while."
"Sure Hermione, but keep in mind, I'll be drinking for two, since you can't." She smiled.
Hermione laughed, "Well, I think you for that."
Ginny winked at her. Hermione could always change her attitude around. There were times where she wished it was Hermione who married one of her brothers, but then she reminded herself that she did. She married Harry. He was an honorary Weasley, as well as Hermione. She was more of a sister then the other girls her brothers have dated, and also with Julie. She and Ginny had gotten quite close ever since Fred and she began dating. Their personalities meshed well together. Though they are engaged, she and Fred were in no rush to set a date.
Hermione, Claire, and Ginny ate and then retired back to their offices. Ginny smiled and hugged the girls, before heading to the fifth floor. Hermione could tell that Ginny wasn't happy and made a mental note to ask her about what was bothering her and get to the bottom of her mood. That came sooner than later. Two weeks after their lunch, Hermione and Ginny sat at Ginny's kitchen table, drinking tea, the question came out point blank, "Gin, what's been going on with you lately?"
"What do you mean?" Ginny asked, stirring her tea using wandless magic.
"I mean, you've been down in the dumps ever since you and Malfoy split."
"I wouldn't call it a split?"
"No? What would you call it?"
"Realization, I suppose."
"Well if you realize what happened, why do you still miss him?"
"I just do."
"But why? You found out he was a horrible person…"
"But that's not who I remember."
"You don't remember him being horrid? You don't remember all those times during the school term him trying to purposely hurt us, or call me a mudblood? You don't remember how we hated one another? What kind of person do you remember him as?"
"I remember him as a person who loved me…"
"If he loved you, he would have been honest with you Ginny."
"I remember how he treated me, how I was first in everything…"
"Except for the death eaters."
"I remember him being kind…"
"And trying to kill your family and friends."
"SHUT UP HERMIONE!" Ginny yelled at her, "You don't understand! You don't know what this is like! You just don't get it!"
"Get what?"
"What she asks." Ginny scoffs, "WHAT!"
"Help me to understand."
"You don't know what it is like, putting your heart and soul into a man who you think had changed. You don't know what it is like to sit there, loving him, trusting him, and then have it thrown in your face. You don't know what it's like to sit down, day after day, and wonder what he was doing when he didn't explain it to me. You don't get it because you never had it!"
"I know, but.."
"There are no buts Hermione! No buts about this! YOU are married. YOU have a child on the way. YOUR Husband isn't a bloody death eater! The person you love more than anything isn't the one who has hurt your family! If I seem testy forgive me, but I don't feel the need for me to be upbeat and perky right now." She growled.
"He tried to kill your BROTHERS! Your FAMILY! And all you care about is that you miss him?! Don't you get it?!"
"No! I don't get any of this! I don't understand how he can love me, and be kind to me, and understand me, and then turn around and start hexing the hell out of people. I don't understand how he can sleep by my side, and have this dark secret! I don't understand why I can't stop loving him! I… Don't… Understand!! I found someone who I loved, and I wanted to spend the rest of my life together, and what happened?! It blew up in my face! I loved him Hermione! I loved him!"
"HE ALMOST KILLED…"
"I know and I hate myself for still loving him, and wanting to be with him, but I do. I can't help it. I felt alive with him, and now, I feel dead."
"You want him back?"
"I never said that!" Ginny said outraged, "Missing him is one thing, wanting him back is another. I don't want him back! I hate him, yet I love him! You won't get it! I am sick and tired of everyone finding their happy ending, and my ending being shattered. I'm happy for you Hermione, and all my brothers, but I'm twenty-two! When will it be my turn?!"
"It will Ginny, you need to relax. I miss my best friend. You are moody and irritable, and while I don't condone your attitude and behavior, I am big enough to realize that it is really bothering you." Hermione sighed, "But know this. I'm glad you aren't with him anymore. I am thrilled beyond all belief Gin. He hadn't changed, he put on a show, and because of that, he hurt two of the people I cared about more than anything."
Hermione saw Ginny's features cloud over, and she knew that the tides of emotions have turned. Ginny was not one to hide her emotions very well and often spoke what was on her mind, "And that's my fault is it? It's my fault that I tried loving him and that I still do? It's my fault that Ron and Harry ended up hurt and in the hospital?"
"I didn't say it."
Ginny shook her head, "You didn't have to. You implied it."
"No I didn't!"
"Yes you did! Just say it Hermione! JUST FUCKING SAY IT!"
"Don't you DARE swear at ME Ginevra Weasley! What do you want me to say? That you're a bloody idiot for going out with him? That you have no idea what could have happened to our family?! Do you even care?!"
"He NEVER hurt MY family!" She said, shooting daggers at Hermione, "He wasn't the one to hurt Ron! He would NEVER have hurt MY family! We don't even know if he was the one to hurt YOUR husband!"
Hermione felt like she was slapped in the face and stood up, "You want to play that game, do you? Fine, he didn't hurt your family, because we aren't Weasleys. You were stupid for dating him. But you remember this Ginny, YOU were the one to come to me first and tell me what was going on between you two, and I was the one who had your back during all this bull shit. I was the one who stuck by you from the minute you told me you liked him. I was the one who tried to get YOUR family to like him and accept that you were in love with him. I was the one to get Harry to accept him, to get YOUR BROTHER Ron to accept him. Do you see the pattern? Now, I am the one who is going to leave, because I'm not family. That's fine by me. I use to think of you as like a sister to me, but now, I don't even know who you are. You were my maid of honor, because we were like family. I don't even know who the hell you are right now. You don't want me to be around your family anymore? Fine by me. Don't worry, you won't have to worry about seeing me for a while. I'm done caring. I'm done trying to help."
"I didn't…" Ginny said, but her sentence was cut off by the pop of apparition. Ginny flopped down on the sofa and cried for everything. Ginny cried for her behavior, cried for the loss of her love, and cried for what she just said about Hermione and Harry. She wasn't thinking. She was angry.
Hermione dropped onto the foyer of the house, and realized how quiet it was. She saw Neve on the table, standing on the note on the stand next to the door. Hermione picked it up and read the familiar scribble of her husband:
Hermione,
Teddy and I went out flying for a bit. Be back in a little while. Don't worry about dinner, because we'll fix it once we get home.
Love,
Harry and Teddy
Hermione was furious with Ginny, though the note caused her to grin, especially when she that Teddy had written his own name, complete with all capital letters and a backwards 'e'. She placed the letter down and walked upstairs. She lied on the bed, and pulled the comforter up around her body, angry tears flow down her cheeks, and wet her pillow as Ginny's comment came back to her, over and over and over again, 'He never hurt MY family!' Maybe it was her emotions running wild, but she sobbed, as she closed her eyes. She couldn't stop. She wallowed in her own sorrow, wishing that the row didn't truly occur between herself and Ginny. They had never argued before, but the first one was the most disastrous.
She felt sick as she cried, and then she felt the kicking begin in her stomach, something that occurred quite often now a days. Hermione wrapped her hand around her stomach, and tried to sleep until the boys came home. She must have succeeded, because at seven, Hermione felt Teddy crawl up onto the bed with her, "Hermione, Harry said dinner is ready."
She cracked an eye and saw her blue haired six year old in bed, "What are we having?"
"Um, Chicken." He smiled.
"My favorite."
"Me too." He nodded, smiling.
"How was your flight?"
"Good! I flew my broom myself, and Harry flew his firebolt, and Ron came too!"
Hermione smiled, and felt hot tears stinging her eyes as he mentioned a Weasley. She tried not to cry in front of Teddy, "Tell Harry, I'm not that hungry, and I'll eat later, ok?"
"Hermione, you need to eat!" Teddy said, quite sure of himself, apparently hearing that line from Harry a few times before, "Harry said come down."
Hermione kissed his cheek, "I need to rest a bit longer, and then I'll be down."
Pouting a bit, Teddy nodded, and walked downstairs. She couldn't stop the tears as he walked out of the room. They flowed down her cheeks like rain. Hermione knew that Harry would be up momentarily, to check up on her and tell her how important it was for her to eat, but she didn't care at the moment.
"Hermione, are you alright?" Harry asked, seeing his wife's back to the door as he walked up to her.
"Fine." She said, her breath hitched in her throat.
"Are you crying?" He asked in concern.
"I'm fine." She sniffled.
"Hermione, what's wrong?"
"My hormones are all out of whack, that's what."
"No, this doesn't look like your hormones."
"Oh, now you are a professional on what I'm feeling now?"
"No, but I know that you would NEVER blame hormones even if it was the truth."
Hermione sighed as she felt Harry's hand on her back, gently using his hand to rub circles in between her shoulder blades. He felt her body shake as the tears continued, "What's the matter?"
"Ginny." She finally gave in.
"What, did you two have a row?"
"If you consider me never wanting to speak to her again a row, then yes."
"Aren't you over exaggerating a bit?"
"No, I'm not. She and I talked about Malfoy, and, well, one thing lead to another, and she said I'm not family so I don't count, because he never hurt any of her family, and how I don't know the real Draco, and how I have no right to basically tell her to get over the relationship."
"She said that we aren't family?!" Harry said, looking at Hermione in disbelief.
"Yes. I mean, I know we aren't blood or anything, but I consider them all family, and I thought she did the same…"
"She does. I don't know what the hell has gotten into her." Harry frowned, "I'll talk to her. We're going over to Mum's for dinner tomorrow night."
"I'm not." Hermione said, frowning.
"You're not what?"
"Going for dinner. Not if she is going to be there. I told her that she won't see me for a while and I meant it."
"Hermione…"
"NO! I'm not going! You are NOT making me go there. I do not want ANYTHING to do with her right now."
"We're not going for her… we're going for the others."
"And you want me to sit there when I know that she doesn't want me there? You want me to sit there and get looks? I have NEVER felt more uncomfortable in that house, no, I take that back. I have NEVER felt uncomfortable at that house, now I will NOT go near it."
"Hermione…"
"NO HARRY! NO!" She shouted at him, "Just leave me alone, please."
"You need to eat."
"I'll BLOODY EAT WHEN I FEEL LIKE IT! Leave me ALONE!"
"Fine." He sighed, standing up, and walking out the door. He pulled it shut and left her to herself. Teddy was sitting at the kitchen table waiting for his godfather to come back in, so he could eat, "Alright Ted, looks like it's just you and me tonight."
"Harry, Hermione has to eat." He said, frowning.
"Well, I know that, and you know that, but Hermione isn't listening to me."
"Why not?"
"Because she's being stubborn."
"Oh." Teddy said, nodding as Harry placed a plate of food before his godson. The two boys happily ate as Hermione slept upstairs. Harry got Teddy showered and ready for bed, as Hermione woke up hungry, so she walked downstairs to eat. By the time Hermione was finished eating, Harry was just getting Teddy into bed, and she was getting back into bed.
"Did you eat?" Harry questioned his wife, hoping that her mood had changed for the better. These mood swings were getting tough to handle all the time. He was exhausted and never knew how to act around her from minute to minute, because one moment she would be happy and the next, biting someones head off. He breathed a sigh of relief when she answered in a softer tone.
"Yes."
"Good." He said, pulling his clothes off and putting on a pair of boxers and a T-shirt, "Are you ok?"
"No." She sighed, "I didn't mean to make her mad, I just wanted her to know that she'd be alright, and she twisted my words around and… I don't want anything to do with her right now."
"Come to dinner tomorrow."
"Absolutely not."
"Nothing I can do to change your mind?"
"No."
He sighed, nodding, "What should I tell them when you don't show?"
"Tell them I'm not feeling well, I'm exhausted, I needed sleep. Or tell them that I'm going to be going to my mum's for dinner, that I forgot I had something going on."
"Alright, but just this once."
Hermione nodded, as she felt the kicking occur again, "This child is going to drive me mental!"
"Why?"
Hermione grabbed his hand, and placed it on her stomach, as it kicked and turned, moving a lot as Harry smiled, "She won't stop moving…"
"She?! Know something I don't know love?" He laughed.
"No, it just came out." She said, shrugging.
"Just checking." He smiled.
"Do you want to find out?"
"Find out what?"
"If it's a girl or a boy?"
"Do you?"
"I don't' know. I mean, I want to some days, and then not some other days."
"Well I'm impartial." Harry said, "Either or is fine by me. That's the next appointment?"
"Yes."
"Well, let's just wait and see. I'll be there, so if you want to know that's fine, and if you don't, we'll wait and be surprised."
"What do you think it is?"
"I have no idea." Harry laughed, "I'm not the one pregnant."
"What would you rather have? A boy or a girl?"
"Doesn't matter to me." Harry smiled, placing his hand on her stomach, feeling the child kick beneath it, "As long as he, she, or they are healthy."
"THEY! Not a chance buddy." She said, smiling.
"I know." He laughed, "But, I mean, a girl would be brilliant, because then she can be daddy's little girl, just like her mummy was. A boy would be awesome as well, because then Teddy has someone to roughhouse within a few years, and I have a new Quidditch player."
"Why couldn't a girl be a Quidditch player?" She playfully teased him.
"She could. I mean, most of the Gryffindor team were girls, Ginny was amazing…"
Hermione frowned at her name, "She could be a Quidditch player."
"I know she could." He laughed, "She'd be going flying with Daddy from day one."
"Not on your life." Hermione said, firmly.
Harry laughed, kissing her cheek, "Couple more months."
"Four and a half." She grinned, "What about names? Have you thought about any?"
"Not really. I figured I'd just agree with you."
"So if I said I'd name my daughter Bellatrix you'd be fine with it?"
"Sure."
"What?!" Hermione said, her eyes wide.
"Because I know you'd be kidding." He laughed.
Hermione smiled, "I'd like your input."
"You'll get it. What names do you like?"
"What about Abigail if it's a girl?"
Harry thought for a moment, "That's alright. What about Tess?"
"I like Tess." She nodded, "What about Lily?"
"Lily?" Harry said, looking at her.
"Yes. I've always loved the name Lily."
"Really?"
Hermione smiled, "Yes, really. However, I would never use it unless you were alright with it. I mean, another Lily Potter…"
"I'm honored." Harry said, smiling softly, "What about Lillian though? Give her a bit of her own identity."
Hermione nodded, "I like Lillian a lot."
"Well since my mum's name is in there, what about naming her Lillian Kate?"
Hermione smiled, "I love it."
"We can call her Lily though." Harry said.
"That was easy enough…"
"Yeah, now if it's a boy…"
"As long as you don't recommend we name his first name Sirius, I'm ok with anything." She laughed, "I don't think I could have another Sirius running around."
"No, I wasn't thinking about that. What about Luke?"
"Luke?"
"Sure."
"But what about James?"
"James is fine as well, but I don't know. I kind of had my mind set on Luke if it's a boy. Not Lucas, just Luke."
"I like that." Hermione smiled, "Luke Sirius?"
Harry smiled and nodded, "I like it."
"You don't think it's not original, do you? Naming our kids after our parents?"
"No, I don't. It's keeping what we remember of them alive."
"Of course, we'll have to see what she or he looks like, before finalizing the name."
"Oh yeah, definitely."
"What do you think love, can you come with us tomorrow?"
"No." Hermione frowned, "Harry, I don't want to see her. I want nothing to do with her right now. Please stop bugging me about it."
"Alright, alright." He sighed, pulling her close against him, kissing her temple, they both fell asleep for the night.
Hermione was up by five in the morning, which had been happening more often. She would wake up with her back or legs aching, and could not get back to sleep, so she would roll out of bed, grab her shower, and head downstairs to wait for her boys to wake up. She was drinking her decaf tea, sitting on the couch, with a blanket pulled over her, and Crookshanks curled up on her feet, as the sun rose. She felt her child doing flip flops in her stomach as she smiled, "You're really a pain early in the morning. Can't you let me sleep, just once later than five?" She said to her unborn child, as she placed her hand on her rounded stomach.
Teddy came down around six thirty, which was early for him as well. He got on the couch with Hermione, and sat with her, in silence watching the news on the television. Eventually, the pair fell asleep, under the blanket, and slept until Harry came down around eight thirty. He looked at the pair on the couch and smiled. He quietly walked through the house, into the kitchen, and decided to make breakfast. He tripped over the damn cat a few times, who decided that the sleeping people on the sofa were not nearly as interesting as what Harry was doing in the kitchen, nor as delicious, "Bloody cat." He said, kicking him gently away from under his feet, "Get, Crookshanks."
With an annoyed meow, Crookshanks jumped up onto the counter, and sat, wrapping his tail around his body, staring at Harry, "Are you hungry? Is that what you want?" He said, pulling his wand out, he casted several charms to get his food for him, "There, now eat and leave me alone."
He cooked eggs, bacon, sausage, and pancakes for the duo sleeping in the sitting room. Doing so also allowed them to sleep for an extra thirty minutes, until Harry had everything cooled and on the table. Teddy came into the room on his own, obviously smelling the food, "Morning mate."
"Morning." Teddy said, rubbing his eyes, he walked over and sat at his spot at the table,
"Harry, I'm hungry."
"Well, good think our food is ready. Was Hermione awake yet?"
"No." He said shaking his head, "Can I wake her?"
"I will in a bit." He said, as he passed Teddy his plate. Teddy ate happily as Harry went over and woke up his wife. The trio spent the morning eating.
"Hermione, are you coming to Grandmum and Grandpa Weasley's?"
"No love, I'm not."
"But why?"
"Because I'm not feeling well." She lied.
"Are you sick?"
"No, just tired. I didn't sleep too well last night."
"But, take a nap and come." Teddy said, taking a bite of his pancakes.
"Not today." She said, shaking her head.
"Am I still going?" Teddy asked Harry.
"Yes, you and I are. We are going to leave at three."
"Can we go flying?"
"Not today." Harry said, "It's raining out."
Teddy pouted but continued eating without another word.
Hermione stayed home, while Teddy and Harry flooed to the Burrow. The house, as always was filled with a lot of noise, and with kids. Harry put Teddy down and he ran around saying hello to everyone and jumping on his 'Uncles' and 'Aunts'. Harry saw Ginny and just wanted to run up to her and begin screaming at her, but he composed himself. He ignored her most of the evening, keeping busy with everyone, "Where's Hermione?" Mr. Weasley asked, noticing that she was nowhere to be found.
"She wasn't feeling well. She woke up at five and is exhausted."
"Understandable." He said, smiling.
Ginny hung her head as Harry shot her a look, "She apologizes for missing this." Harry finished, his eyes not leaving Ginny.
Ron walked up, "Come on mate, Fred and George want to show you a new product."
"Is this a product that I am going to get sick from, or lose my hair, or something that will turn my hair bright pink?"
"Not sure yet, but we'll have Julie try it first. Fred won't do anything that is not pleasant to her."
"Right." He said, as the pair walked up to the Twin's old room. They sat and watched them try out their products, things that made you grow another arm, new candies, net magic, and Harry and Ron smiled. The twins were at a job still right up their alley. They were kids in twenty-six year olds bodies.
Ginny avoided Harry like the plague. Where ever he was, she wasn't. Finally, they ran into one another going into and out of the kitchen, "Hey Harry."
"Hi." He said, trying to squeeze past her, "Can I get by?"
"How's Hermione?"
"Not feeling well today."
"I'm sure." Ginny frowned.
"Wondering what I'm doing here as well then, are you?"
Ginny frowned, "No!"
"Since I'm not family?"
"I didn't mean…"
"Didn't mean to tell us that we aren't family?" He said in a low hushed voice, so no one else would hear, "Well you're right Ginny, we aren't family, thanks for setting that straight. Mind telling your mum that? She keeps forgetting that."
"Harry…"
"Gin, no offence, but you're really not my favorite person right now." He said, as he pushed his way past her.
"Harry, just the person I was looking for." Mrs. Weasley smiled, as she added ingredients to a potion, "Before you leave, you must take this back with you. It's a potion that gave me a bit more energy when I was pregnant. My mum taught me, Fleur used it and it worked, as did Ellie. Tell Hermione to take it when she is feeling sluggish."
"Thanks mum. I'm sure she'll be thrilled to have this."
"It's nothing dear. I'm sure Claire will be needing it soon enough." She smiled, "I'll be going through this left and right, maybe I should double the ingredients."
Harry kissed Mrs. Weasley on the cheek, "I owe you one. Do you happen to have one for moodiness?" He laughed.
"No, sorry, that one is for you to deal with." She smiled, "Has she been bad?"
"No, not too much, but when she gets going, that's it."
Mrs. Weasley laughed, "I'm sure it will get a bit worse. She's only five months along."
"I know." Harry smiled.
"So is she sick?"
"No, she is just exhausted. She couldn't sleep last night, and gave up trying around five." He said, as he told a little white lie.
"She'll sleep when she needs it." Mrs. Weasley said, nodding her head, "Wait until the baby is born, then you both will know what it is like to not get any sleep."
Harry nodded, "I know. I think Hermione is practicing for those days, because she wakes me up seventy-five percent of the time when she can't sleep."
"Soon it will be even more."
"So Harry, have you and Hermione discussed names?" Claire asked as she and Ron walked into the kitchen.
"Yes, actually." He smiled, "I think we are leaning towards Lillian or Luke."
"Beautiful names." Mrs. Weasley smiled, "What about you and Ron?"
Ron groaned, "Mum."
"What?"
"He's annoyed because every time we discuss names, he gets irritated and starts yelling."
"No, I only start yelling because you want to name our child extremely mental names!" He said, firmly, glaring at his wife, "What the bloody hell is with you and the name Heather, Howard? Hugo? Heath? Enough with the 'H' names! No offence mate."
"Well you liked our girls names."
"Two of them." He said, "Mum, she wanted to name our daughter Tabitha."
"That's not bad."
"I hate cats!" He said.
Harry laughed, "Ron, it's not a cat."
"It is if we call her Tabby."
"So, what names do you like?"
"We were thinking about Alexander, if it's a boy." Claire said, "And Samantha if it's a girl, or Margaret."
"I said not for the first name." Ron said, "I did however agree on Sabrina as well as Samantha."
"Are you lot going to find out the sex?" Mr. Weasley asked his son's and daughter-in-law.
"Not us." Harry said, "Hermione wants to be surprised. I'm ok with it."
"Us either." Ron said, "So where is Hermione?"
"Home sleeping."
"That's weird. She always comes, sick or not." Ron said, shrugging, "She must really not be feeling well."
"She had a rough couple days." Harry sighed, "She got little sleep last night, and the night before."
"Well, I'll stop by later and see how she is feeling." Ron said, shrugging.
"She'll appreciate that."
Ginny stayed away during the night from Harry, feeling horrid about her argument with Hermione. She wallowed in pity as the night drew on. Harry didn't care, and no one else really noticed it. Harry and Teddy left at eight, because tomorrow was a school day, and they went in search of Hermione who was already asleep in their bedroom, "Come on Mate." Harry said, "You can say goodnight later. Go get dressed."
"Is Hermione ok?" Teddy asked.
"She's fine."
"Is she sick?"
"No. Sometimes when you are pregnant you get very tired, because you couldn't sleep the night before. Hermione didn't sleep too well yesterday."
"She'll sleep fine tonight then." Teddy said quite sure of himself.
Harry smiled, "Yeah, she will. We just need to try not to wake her up."
"I can do that!" Teddy smiled, jumping up on the bed.
"I knew you could." He smiled, "Now get changed, and go brush your teeth. School is tomorrow."
"I know Harry." Teddy said, shaking his head as he continued. Teddy hugged his godfather and got right into bed. Harry went downstairs and cleaned up the kitchen, which wasn't too dirty, but had a few dishes lying around. He then went upstairs and covered his wife up, before getting a shower . He had to be in work by six tomorrow morning, so Hermione would be driving Teddy to school, before work. He showered quickly, and then changed, before getting into bed with his wife.
"How was it?" Hermione asked mumbled.
"Alright. Ginny was a bit out of sorts."
"Good." She frowned, "Let me guess…"
"No, it's not what you were thinking. She wanted to make sure that you were alright, I think. She was borderline tears all night."
"This was HER doing Harry."
"I know, and I'm not condoning her behavior. I am furious with her right now as well. I just wanted you to know…"
Hermione nodded, and leaned her head against Harry's chest, "I'm going to miss this."
"What?"
"Sleeping with you like this."
"Why, aren't you sleeping with me anymore?" He asked, smiling.
"I'm going to be too big to sleep comfortably against you." She groaned, thinking of how fat she had been getting.
"Well, I'll do it to you then." He teased her, getting slapped by his wife, "You'll just have to learn to sleep on your back."
"That won't be happening any time soon." She smiled, as Harry pulled her closer.
"I have to be up early tomorrow."
"That's alright. I probably won't be sleeping."
"Yes you will." He said, rubbing her back in circles, "You're tired. I can tell."
"How do you know?"
"Because you were sound asleep before we even got home. Teddy and I came in and you didn't even hear us."
"Aright, so I was sleeping."
"Get some more." Harry smiled, as he closed his eyes. He stayed awake just long enough to feel his wife's breath even, and then he joined her in slumber.
Hermione kept far from Ginny for the next few weeks. She avoided her at all costs. She was furious, and felt that she had every right to be, and if anyone knew Hermione, it was that she was set in her ways, and her mind wasn't easily changed. She went over to the Weasleys when Ginny wasn't there, when she was working late. If they did see each other, Hermione would be anywhere, but around Ginny. Thankfully, with a house that full of people, no one really noticed too much. Hermione wouldn't even recognize her if she came into a room. It didn't matter if she was sitting right next to Hermione, she just would ignore her, and go on with her conversation with whoever she had been talking to. Harry on the other hand seemed to forgive and forget, which annoyed Hermione to no end.
"We may have to move Teddy's room into Ron's old room." Hermione said.
"Why?" Harry asked.
"Well, first of all, Ron's old room is twice the size of Teddy's room, and Teddy's room is right across from our room. I'd rather the baby sleep there, so we can here when the baby wakes up. I keep thinking that when he is twelve, the room will be far too small from him."
"Don't rush my godson's age love." Harry said, smiling, teasing her, "However, I agree. He needs to be in the room down the hall a bit."
Nodding, Hermione added, "And, there is a better chance that Teddy won't be woken up by the baby if he's a bit farther down the hall."
"It's only two room's down."
"I know, but still. He'll be at the end of the hall. Do you think he'll be ok with moving?"
"I'm sure he will. We'll make it just like his old room…"
"I think he should have some say in what color it is and what he has in it Harry."
"Of course." He said, smiling.
Hermione nodded and walked into Teddy's room where he was happily playing on the floor with his toys, "Teddy?"
"What?" He asked.
"Harry and I are going to move your room down the hall."
"Why?" He asked, his blue eyes wide.
"Well, we figured you'll be bigger soon, and you'll need yourself a bigger room."
Teddy thought for a moment and nodded, "What is this room going to be?"
"We're going to make it up for the new baby."
"Why?"
"Well, because this room is directly across from ours, and Harry and I think that it will be better for us to have the baby closer, for when he or she cries."
Teddy pouted, "But this is MY room."
"YOUR room will be Ron's old room."
He frowned a bit, "The baby can sleep there."
"Well, we figured you can handle choosing your room color. What do you think about that."
"I want MY room to be HERE and this color blue." He said.
"Not an option, well, the blue is, but not you staying here. You'll love your new room."
Teddy sighed, knowing that it was a losing battle, "Ok."
Hermione kissed his head, "You are a good boy."
Teddy frowned at the thought of moving his room, but he didn't say anything to Hermione. He decided to go find his Godfather, "Harry."
"Yeah Ted?"
"Why do I have to move?"
"What?!" He asked, looking up from his work.
"I have to move down the hall, why?"
"Didn't Hermione tell you?"
"Yes, but why?"
"Because you need a bigger room."
"I don't!"
"You do, and because we need the room for the baby."
"I don't wanna move."
Harry shrugged, "We all need to do things we don't want to Mate."
"This isn't fair." He pouted, mostly under his breath, and he stormed back into his room.
Harry let him go, not wanting to deal with the whining of a six year old. He sat around and wondered how long it would take for Hermione to come down and say, 'Let's go! We need to move his room quick.' He loathed moving the furniture and rooms around. No sooner than he thought it, she came in, "What do you think Harry? Start moving the room around now?"
"I think I'm not moving it around right now."
"Why not? What are you doing?"
"Working on reports Hermione, I can't really push this aside."
"Oh, I'm sure. Such an important job." She frowned, "More important than your family. More important than getting your child's room set up."
"I have work Hermione."
"Then you should be at the office then, shouldn't you?"
"No, I should be right here working."
"Fine, I'll move the furniture." She frowned, and walked out of the room.
Groaning, he stood up, walking after Hermione, "Ok, ok, what are we doing?"
"YOU are going back down to the den to work, I am going to be moving this room around." She replied, pulling out her wand.
"Hold up, Hermione." Harry said, pulling the wand out of her hand, "First of all, we need to get Teddy's room painted the color he wants. THEN we can start to move the furniture into the room."
Hermione huffed, "Fine, let's go and get paint then."
"Tomorrow." Harry replied.
"No, not tomorrow, today."
"I'm going today." Hermione said, crossing her arms.
"Hermione! Merlin! Wait one day!"
"Why can't we go and at least get the paint?"
"Because the second we go, you'll come back, and I'll be up all night painting the bloody room, because you won't let me do it the magical way."
"I will!" She said, "Come on Harry, it won't take that long."
"No."
"I'm going."
"No you're not."
"Then you are going."
He groaned, knowing that this was a losing battle, "Ok, we'll go, but you have to PROMISE me that we will NOT start painting tonight."
"No promises." Hermione grinned.
"Hormones." He groaned.
"Shut up Harry." She frowned.
He rolled his eyes, "Come on Teddy, we're going to go out and get the paint for your new room."
Teddy frowned the entire way to the local paint store in muggle London. He chose his paint color though you could see the annoyance plastered on his face. He wanted nothing to do with this move. As soon as Hermione got into the house, she was upstairs and began to paint.
"You shouldn't be in here. Won't the paint make you sick?" Harry asked.
"No, I'm fine, and since you won't do it, I will."
"Can I use magic?"
"Yes."
"Fine." Harry said, "You go down and relax or something, and I'll finish this."
"Deal." Hermione smiled, as the pair split up and Harry stayed in the room, quickly painting, while Hermione went downstairs with Teddy. Harry came downstairs once the room was finished and sat down on the couch, "Did you move the furniture yet?"
"No." He said, firmly, "Nor am I going to tonight."
"Please?"
"No." Harry said, "I went and got the paint, I painted, and now I am going back to my work."
"Are you EVER going to move that furniture?"
"Yes I will, just not at almost nine at night. Not when Teddy is going to bed in about five minutes."
"Tomorrow?"
"We'll see. Hermione, it's not like you are going to have this kid tomorrow. You're still about four months away."
Hermione frowned, "Three."
"Over three."
"I asked you for ONE thing."
"Three. Now, I'm going to do work."
Huffing, Hermione folded her arms, scowling at her husband. She wanted everything done when she wanted and how she wanted. She ignored Harry for the entire night, leaving him to his work. She also wanted him to know that she was annoyed at him, though he already knew it, but didn't care. She went up to bed at ten, and got right under the blankets. She tried to fall asleep, but failed miserably at it. She awake, beyond all her effort at twelve thirty in the morning. Harry came up and got right into bed, not realizing his wife was still awake. He was exhausted and quickly fell asleep, only to be woken up by Hermione tossing and turning at one thirty, "Hermione, lie still." He mumbled.
"I can't." She complained, "My back is killing me. I can't get comfortable."
Harry looked at the clock and sighed inwardly, "Roll over." He commanded her. She did as she was told and he softly rubbed her lower back.
"Thank you." She said.
"Anything to get you to let me get some sleep." He teased, getting elbowed in the stomach. Harry didn't stop until he knew that she was asleep. She was getting more cramps at night than in the morning, which hindered his sleep as well. He just did what he could to make it better for her, then the next morning he and Ron would rant and discuss their wives current situation. They both knew they would be sleeping on the couch for the duration of their lives if their wives did hear what they complained about. It wasn't like they were the ones having the babies, but still, it was hard work being husbands at times like this. Harry got to work at seven in the morning, as usual, but he had a cup of coffee in his hand, his saving grace for only four hours of sleep. Walking into the office, he sat down at his desk, and yawned.
"Morning." Ron said, as he walked through the door.
"Morning." Harry said.
"Long night?"
"Four hours of sleep. Between Hermione having me painting your old room in our house, and then her tossing and turning, because her back hurt, I was barely able to sleep."
"I'd say it was a long night for you then."
"Yes. Oh and get this, so yesterday she decided to move Teddy down to your room, because his room is smaller and right across from our room. Hermione decided YESTERDAY that I was going to paint the room. I know I told you this already, but you need the full affect. So, I argued, I lost, she won, she got the room painted all in one night, BUT then she decided to have me move the furniture around. I told her absolutely not. That's mental! She's getting worse."
"Isn't that part of the whole, nesting thing, or whatever my mum called it."
"I believe it's called, 'How to drive husbands crazy'."
"I'm not looking forward to that." Ron sighed, "At least I have you for a bit of a warning."
"Claire's only a month behind."
"True, but every time I hear what Hermione does to you, it's not so much of a shock when Claire tries to do it to me."
"Always shoving me ahead." Harry teased.
Ron laughed, "Better you than me."
Harry nodded, "Oh, and you've been recruited."
"Recruited? For what?"
"You are going to be helping me take the furniture out of Teddy's room tonight and put it into your old room."
"And if I say no?"
"I'll call your wife, have her over for dinner, you'll come as well, and we'll do it then, without magic."
"Well, if you call my wife and invite her over for dinner, and I'm allowed to join, I'll be glad to help you out tonight."
"Sounds good." Harry laughed.
"How's Teddy taking the move?"
"He's not too happy about it, but he'll get over it. No six year olds like change."
"That's for sure." Ron smiled, "Then again, I don't like change and I'm twenty four."
Harry laughed, "Yeah, you were never too flexible."
"Only because I had a prat for you as a friend. So is it only furniture?"
"Yeah, hopefully, I told Teddy to pick up his toys and clean up the room a bit, so it should be a quick move."
Ron and Harry did their work, and then went back home to their irrational and pregnant wives, who were always ready to pick a fight as soon as the husbands walked through the door. Work had been very quiet for the past few months. Too quiet, actually. Harry and Ron both knew that something big would be happening soon, though they hoped it wouldn't. They had no idea where Malfoy went, which was troublesome. No one had and clue where he could be, and that spelled trouble.
When Harry got home, Hermione was on him right away to get Teddy's room moved, "Hi." He smiled, kissing her cheek.
"Hi." She smiled, "I'm glad your home on time. Can you change Teddy's room now?"
"No."
"No?"
"Not yet. Ron and Claire are coming over for dinner. He's going to help me."
"WHAT! I have nothing ready!"
Harry shrugged, "It's Ron and Claire. We'll order out or something. You girls can sit around, do nothing, and talk about what a lousy job we're doing as husbands, and how horrible we are at getting things done on time, which is your time."
"Oh shut up." Hermione said, frowning.
Harry laughed, planting a kiss on her forehead, "How are you two feeling?"
"I'm exhausted, but your child is fine." She said, "Keeps kicking me."
"So it's my child when it is doing something wrong?"
"Don't call the baby an 'it'."
"Well, what should I call the baby? We don't know if it's a boy or a girl."
"Call it the baby! Don't say it!"
"Fine, fine, I'm wrong, you're right."
"Thank you." She said.
"Did Teddy put his toys away?"
"I told him to clean it up about fifteen minutes ago. I'm sure he's doing that now."
"Ok, because as soon as Ron comes over, we're going to start."
"Alright." She smiled, "Thank you."
"You're welcome. Oh and don't say I have never done anything for you."
"You do everything for me." She smiled.
"Don't go that far." He laughed.
"Can we paint the room?"
"I thought you wanted to wait until the baby was born to do that. You didn't know what color you wanted it."
"I just don't want it blue."
Harry sighed, but nodded, "Fine, just get the paint, and I'll do it."
"I already have the paint. Teddy and I went out today to get it."
"Bloody hell." Harry groaned, "Well, I'm not doing it tonight. Tomorrow perhaps."
"Don't you want to know what color it is?"
"Of course."
"I chose a pale yellow color."
"Brilliant."
"What?"
"Brilliant. Wonderful."
"Well you could be more excited about it."
"What do you mean? I said it was brilliant." Harry said as he watched Hermione's face turn red.
"All I'm saying is that you don't have to be sarcastic about the room color."
"I wasn't being sarcastic."
"YES YOU WERE! You don't even care about what color I want to paint it. You would have asked!"
"Why are you getting so worked up?"
"Because I want you to be excited about this! I want you to be with me every step of the way!"
"I have been." He said, as calmly as he could.
"NO you haven't! You didn't want to move the furniture last night, you didn't want to paint, you don't care what happens with the room!"
"Hermione…"
"NO! I am sick of it! I am sick of being the only one caring about this child!"
"I care!" He said, "I just don't think it's necessary to move everything in one day. You have four months left!"
"THREE!" She shouted, "And I'm fat and miserable and all I bloody ask you is to do one thing with me, JUST ONE and you go and act like it's a chore and not something that you care about! I'm sick to death of it Harry!"
He looked at her and slowly stated, "Hermione, enough. I am sick of these…"
"DON'T SAY MOOD SWINGS!"
"Mood swings." He said, not holding his tongue, "So stop it."
Hermione spun on her heels and stormed out of the sitting room and into the kitchen, grabbing herself a bottle of water. Harry's mood went from wanting to be helpful to her, to not caring much at all. He walked upstairs to see how Teddy was coming with his room, and what he saw made his entire patients break, "TEDDY!" He yelled at the boy who jumped and saw his godfather was hopping mad. Harry looked around the room and saw every toy that he owned out on the floor, most he wasn't even playing with. Games were torn apart and spread out across the ground. His clothes were around the room, "What in the WORLD! Are you mad?! I told you to have this room CLEANED UP by the time I got home, not destroyed! It looks worse than it did before! What do you have to say for yourself?!"
He hung his head, "Sorry."
"SORRY! You're SORRY! This is unbelievable! Now, Ron and I are going to have to clean your room before we move it? I don't believe you! You knew we were getting your room packed and moved! You knew that you had to clean the room! And what did you do? Pull out every toy you owned?! Is that what you have been doing up here! Playing instead of cleaning like Hermione and I told you? Now what am I going to do?"
"Not move?" He questioned him.
"You are moving alright, and as soon as your room is moved, your butt will be in it all night long!"
"I was playing."
"You weren't SUPPOSE TO BE PLAYING! START CLEANING THIS UP!"
"Use your wand." He frowned, and turned his back on his godfather.
"Did you just talk back to me?!"
"No."
"Get this room CLEANED! You have fifteen minutes to do it. GO."
"It's too much." Teddy replied, looking up at him with big turquoise eyes.
"Well, I reckon you should have thought of that BEFORE you tore every toy out of every place around your room! FIFTEEN MINUTES TED REMUS LUPIN!" Harry stormed out of the room and into his room, mumbling under his breath, hearing toys scatter across the room as his godson cleaned.
"What in the bloody hell are you yelling at?" Hermione asked, walking up the stairs.
"My godson." He frowned.
"What did he do?"
"Go look at his room."
"Do I want to?"
"No, but go anyway."
Hermione sighed and walked out of the room and into Teddy's, "Oh Teddy."
He looked up at Hermione and pouted, "I'm sorry."
"I told you to clean it up! You didn't have this mess before I told you to clean."
"I'm sorry."
"Sorry doesn't cut it." Hermione groaned, "Get it cleaned."
"It's too much."
"You're six years old, you are old enough to clean up your own mess. Now, get it done."
Teddy pouted, but continued cleaning. Hermione went back into the room and saw her husband lying on the bed, with his hands covering his eyes, "Alright?"
"Fine." He groaned.
"I'm sorry."
"Me too."
"Ted is too."
"His behavior is unacceptable. He told me to use my wand to clean up the mess."
Hermione nodded, "He's got attitude and guts like his mum and dad."
"No, his dad was more, subdue. He is definitely Tonks with the attitude." Harry said, a grin flickering across his lips.
"I still miss them." Hermione sighed."
"Me too."
"And so does Teddy, I reckon."
Harry nodded, "I reckon he does." Hearing the familiar 'Hello' coming from downstairs, Harry sat up, "Ron and Claire are here."
"Take your time coming down."
"No, I'm going now. If I stay up here, I'll continue to yell at Teddy."
"He's six Harry."
"He is being defiant."
"He's still six."
Harry and Hermione walked downstairs and took some time to talk with them, and allow Teddy to clean up the mess, before going back upstairs.
"We ready to move the room?"
"Teddy is cleaning up his mess." Hermione said.
"I thought he did that already." Ron said.
"So did I." Harry grumbled.
Ron laughed, "Tonks, through and through, eh?"
"He's beginning to act like that." Harry said, agreeing with the redhead. He stood up and walked to the bottom of the stairs, "Are you finished Ted?"
"Almost." Called the meek voice.
"Alright." He said, as he motioned to Ron, "Let's go get this done."
Ron nodded and followed Harry upstairs to Teddy's room, "Hey Teddy."
"Hi." He smiled, hugging Ron.
"Looks better in here. Go downstairs with Hermione." Harry said.
"Can't I stay?"
Harry shook his head, "You'll be in the way mate. I want to get this done fast."
Teddy walked downstairs and Harry and Ron got to work, "Shouldn't Hermione be up here to tell you where things go?"
"No, she already told me. I have it painfully etched into my brain, and besides, she'll change her mind about twenty times tonight, before I can finish it."
"I believe a little Wingardium Leviosa is in effect." Ron said, pulling his wand out from his back pocket.
"Accio as well. This shouldn't take too long." Harry said, as spells were cast to move the smaller pieces of furniture first. The closet was filled of his toys, the smaller items placed around his room, then came the bureau, bed, desk, and very large bookshelf. Harry and Ron decided to move the heaviest piece first, lifting up the dresser, using magic of course, still feeling the strain of the weight, and started out of the small bedroom. Harry walked into the hall and tripped on Teddy, who was standing right under his feet. His concentration broken, Harry dropped the dresser spilling all the contents, and hearing a sickening crack as the leg of the dresser broke, feeling the pain on his toe as the broken dresser falls onto his largest one, "TEDDY!" He yelled, "I told you to STAY DOWNSTAIRS! Now look what happened! The dresser is broken, and I have to spend time cleaning up this mess rather than spending the time moving this room! Get back DOWNSTAIRS and STAY there until we are finished!" He pointed and Teddy ran downstairs, tears filling his eyes, "Unbelievable!"
"Always in the way?"
"Just today. I don't know what has gotten into him."
"He's just testing you."
"Well it's getting old." Harry grumbled, "Wait until your kid turns six."
Ron laughed, "They aren't allowed to get past the age of five."
"Reparo!" Harry said, fixing the broken leg, and then continued casting to fix the mess in the drawers. Ron and Harry finished the room in an hour, making sure that everything was exactly as Hermione had wanted. The boys called up the girls and they checked out the room. Hermione only asked them to change one thing, and then she was happy. The couples walk back downstairs and they get dinner together. Teddy was silent the entire night, not making eye contact with Harry. He looked like he was on the verge of tears, but held them back as the adults talked.
"Eat Teddy." Harry said, watching the boy pick at his food.
"I'm not hungry." He said, his eyes downcast.
"Are you feeling alright?" Hermione asked, placing her hand on his forehead. Teddy nodded, "You're not warm."
"I'm not hungry." He said again.
"Well, go upstairs into your room and lay down."
"I don't wanna." He said, pouting."
"You heard Hermione."
"But I'm not sick."
"Then eat." Harry said simply.
"No." He said, standing up, running out of the room.
"Bloody hell, that's a scene." Ron said, smiling.
"You ready for this?" Harry grumbled.
"Kind of too late to turn back now." Claire laughed.
"What is his problem today?" Hermione asked.
"I yelled at him for being in the way after I told him to stay downstairs."
"Ah." Hermione said, "Oh, just letting you two know, you are in charge of cleaning the dishes."
"As long as we can do it with magic, I'm fine with that." Ron said, "But don't expect it done the muggle way."
"Tonight only." Hermione agreed, "Only because I'm too exhausted to do it myself."
"Moved all that furniture upstairs around, have you?" Harry teased, "In an hour flat, I have to say."
"Are you six months pregnant? Because if you are, then you MIGHT understand how I feel." She challenged him, smiling as he held both hands up in defeat.
"I know better than to challenge a pregnant person."
"You do not." Hermione laughed, "Have you gotten the room painted yet?"
"No, Ron refuses to do it."
"Sounds like Harry."
"Just because we aren't finding out what we are having, doesn't mean the room can't get painted."
"I disagree Claire." Ron began, "Because as soon as I paint the room one color, you are going to want me to paint it again because the room won't fit the baby."
"I told you to paint it green, so I'd love it and not have to paint it."
"I know you love, you'll have me change the color."
Harry laughed, "That's why I'm not painting the room yet. It's staying blue until I know what color she wants."
"I hate when they talk like we aren't even here." Hermione groaned, to Claire.
"You do the same." Ron teased his best friend.
By eight o'clock, Ron and Claire left. Harry went up to get Teddy ready for bed, "Time for bed Teddy." He said, walking into the boy's new room, not finding him, "Teddy?" He called. He walked into his room, looking to see if he was possibly watching television, "Hermione, look down in the den and see if Teddy's there."
"No, he's not." She called back.
"Where the hell is he?"
Harry walked up to the next floor, checking all his hiding spots, not finding him at all, he walked into the room that Hermione and Ginny shared looking under the bed, in the closets, still not finding him. He walked back down to the second floor and into Teddy's old room, finding him playing quietly with a couple toys on the empty floor, "What are you doing?" Harry asked breathing a sigh of relief, though he knew that Teddy couldn't have been far.
Teddy looked up at him, "Playing."
"Why in here? All your toys are in your room."
"I don't like that room." He said, looking down at his toys.
"Well, this room is no longer an option. You're in the new room now."
"But you promised." He said, his eyes still focused on the toys on the floor.
"Promised what?"
"That I could keep my own room, when I came to visit you."
Harry looked at him for a moment, before realization hit him, "I did didn't I?"
Teddy nodded, "Now it's changed."
Harry sat down next to his godson, placing his back against the empty wall, "Nothing's changed. It's just a room. Your room down the hall is bigger. You'll like it more. More room to play."
"Yes-huh, everything changed. I had to move my room, and we can't go flying anymore."
"What?"
"We don't go flying anymore."
"Yes we do."
"Not as much." Teddy pouted, playing with his Quidditch set.
"Well, I have been busy mate. Hermione needs more help around the house because she's pregnant. She isn't able to lift as much nor do as many things, so I have to help her. That doesn't mean that we can't go flying. You know I love to fly and I love you being with me."
"When can we go?"
"Not sure. Maybe tomorrow."
"Will I have to move again?"
"Not anytime soon." He said.
Teddy sniffed as he played with his toys, "Are you mad at me?"
"What?"
"Are you mad at me." He stated again simply.
"Why would I be mad at you?"
"Because I didn't listen."
"Well, yeah, I was mad at that."
"Are you going to send me away?"
"No!" Harry said, loudly, startling the child, "I would never send you away because I was mad at your actions. Teddy, the three of us are a family, soon to be the four of us. I would not give you up for the world."
"But you're having a new baby. That's your real baby."
"Where did you hear that from?"
"Pop-pop and Mum-mum, and Grandpop. They said that you are having your own baby now."
Harry sighed, knowing that he had put words together from Hermione's parents and Mr. Weasley, and he saw how the child was hurting. He was partly responsible for this, and wanted to do everything he can to help his fears. "Well, we are, but that doesn't mean that I'm going to send you away, or that you aren't my son."
"But I'm not." Teddy frowned.
Harry pulled Teddy over towards him, sitting him on his lap so he was facing him, "Your father came to me and asked me to be your godfather right before he passed away. I accepted, and immediately you and I had this bond that couldn't break. I felt like I knew you for years. You and I would see each other at every holiday, during your first year because I had school, and then you'd come and stay with me, Ron, and Hermione. I have thought of you as my son since you were born, since I knew your parents died fighting in the war. I'm not going to ever take away the fact that you had two amazing people for parents and an amazing grandmum, but, I will tell you that I am about to have two kids. You're the oldest in our family. Do you understand?"
Teddy nodded and hugged Harry around the neck, "But, what if you stop liking me?"
"That could NEVER happen."
"What if Hermione does?"
"Are you kidding me? She likes you more than me most of time." He said, getting a giggle from Teddy, "You're the first one that gets a kiss from her when she walks through the door. We love you Teddy, and though you aren't our biological son, which means we are not your real mum and dad, we love you like you are. You are my son, and no matter how many kids Hermione and I have, you are always going to be the oldest, you will always be the first one, and I am never going to give you away."
"But, what if you are too busy for me?"
"To busy? Do you think I would EVER be too busy for you? You're my best flying mate. Do you think the new baby is going to be able to go flying with me?"
"Not yet, but he will."
"And someone is going to have to teach the baby how to fly when he or she turns six. Who can I get to do that?"
"Me." Teddy said smiling, "I'm a good flyer."
"You are." He smiled.
"The baby took my room."
"And if Hermione and I have another one, the new baby will take that room. You aren't a baby any more Ted. You don't need that small room. I am sorry I yelled at you though. I didn't mean to, I am just stressed out."
Teddy nodded, not really understanding what Harry meant by stressed out. He looked up at Harry, "You won't leave me right?"
Harry shook his head, "Not a chance. I love you."
"I love you too." Teddy nodded again and stated, "I'll listen to you."
"I appreciate that mate. Come on, let's get you ready for bed."
Teddy grabbed his toys and walked into his new room, got undressed, ran downstairs to say good night to Hermione and then came back up to Harry, falling right to sleep. Hermione was sitting on the couch when the familiar pop of apparition occurred in their foyer. Hermione stood up and saw familiar Weasley come in, "What the hell are you doing here?"
"I need to talk to you."
"I have nothing to say to you."
"Well good, then I'll be able to get a bloody word in."
"No because you're leaving."
"I will, once I talk to you."
Hermione cocked her head in annoyance as the girl she once thought of as family and raised one eyebrow, "I take your silence to mean that I can speak now." Ginny said, looking at Hermione who nodded curtly, "Do you know what it's like, to be betrayed by the one person you thought you could trust?"
"No. I don't."
"It feels like you can't breathe. It feels like the world has crashed down on you. It feels like everything you have ever believed in or trusted has just, disappeared. I know I was dumb. I was dumb for trusting a Malfoy, but you can't help falling in love with someone. I didn't wake up one day and think 'Let me date a death eater's son', it just happened. I knew what he did to Ron and Harry, but I didn't want to believe that he was a part of it. I couldn't. He left all those times, and I couldn't bring myself to pester him on where he was going. I was scared. I'm angry at him and at myself, not at you. I took my anger out on you and it was because you were there, not because I wanted to, but because I had to. You have always been one to take my rants, no matter how many times I throw them at you."
"There are rants Ginny, and there was what you said to me. It was as if I didn't even know you, that you were some other person, and not my best friend, the person I thought of as a sister. I have never been more… been hurt by someone that I considered family. You hurt me."
"I know."
"I don't think you do."
"Believe me Hermione, I know. I wanted to come over sooner, and not wait for almost a whole month of not speaking. I tried to talk to you. I just couldn't get you to speak with me."
"Do you blame me?"
"No, I blame myself."
"Why Gin?"
"I suppose I needed someone to hurt like I did. You were just there. I know I said hurtful things to you, but I am sorry. I don't know what else to do to make it up to you."
"You can't." Hermione sighed, "What's done is done. We pick it up from here."
"I can't say sorry enough Hermione."
"No, you can't, but know this, if you ever say something as hurtful as that to me again, I don't think I can accept the apology again. He hurt my family, your family, and you defended him. Yes, you broke up with him, but still. You knew what he did. You knew and you still backed him up. I understand about love, because I would back Harry's decision one hundred and ten percent, but not if he were a death eater. Then, you took your anger out on me. I wasn't the one who did this. I was trying to help, and you threw it in my face."
"I'm sorry."
"I won't have it again. What I am sorry about is that we didn't talk before hand."
"Are we alright? Are we going to be the same?"
"We'll be ok." Hermione said, nodding. She then pulled the redhead into a tight hug, one that lasted a few moments, before they let go, both with tears in their eyes.
"So, you been feeling alright then?" Ginny asked.
Hermione nodded, with a faint smile, "Yes, fairly well. My back has been giving me a lot of problems, but that's about it. The baby's been moving a lot at night, keeping me up."
"Only four more months."
"Yeah, a bit under."
"Do you have names yet?"
"You were there when we were discussing them weren't you?"
"Probably not."
"Lillian Kate if it's a girl, Luke Sirius if it's a boy."
"That's cute. I like those names."
"We do too." She smiled.
"How's Teddy doing?"
"Alright. He was in a bit of a mood today, but I think he's over it."
"Must be hard, all of the sudden having to be the big brother."
"I suppose it is." Hermione sighed, "He'll be fine. He is going to be a great brother."
"He's a great kid." Harry smiled, walking into the room, "Hey Gin."
"Hey Harry." She said, as the two exchange a kiss on the cheek. Ginny spends a few more minutes before heading back to her flat, leaving Harry and Hermione to themselves on the couch.
"You and Gin alright?"
"I'm still mad at her."
"I assumed just as much."
"I have every right to be, don't I?"
"Of course." He said, kissing the side of her head, "But don't stay mad for too long, she is your best friend. She probably was hurting."
"I know she was, which is why I accepted her apology. What were you doing upstairs for so long?"
"Teddy had some fears."
"Of what?"
"Us getting rid of him."
"WHAT?!"
"Yeah, apparently he heard your mum and step dad, along with Mr. Weasley say that we were having our own child now."
"Well we are, but he shouldn't feel like we are getting rid of him!"
"I know, and I talked to him about it. He had a lot of fears for a six year old. He understands that he will be the older brother and that there is no chance in hell that we'll be giving him up. I just never realized that he felt that way. It kind of hurt knowing that he was hurt."
"That's because you're beginning to have the paternal feelings."
Harry laughed, "I'd hope so, we've had him since he was four."
"He's alright now?"
"Yes, for now, but I'm sure we'll have a few of these setbacks. He'll be fine."
Hermione smiled and nodded, "He will be. He's a brave kid."
"A Gryffindor for sure."
"Don't you dare rush him! He's got five more years till Hogwarts." Hermione said, outraged.
Harry laughed, "I'm just stating a fact."
"I'm not ready for him to grow up so fast yet."
"Me neither." Harry smiled, "Come on, you look exhausted, let's go upstairs to bed."
Hermione agreed and followed her husband up to bed.
As the last couple months passed, Hermione was more irritable, and Harry did his best to stay out of the war path, which didn't always work. He was working more and following death eaters, left and right, which made Hermione even more irritable. He was home less than he had been in a while. Hermione was also home a lot more in May, because the doctors told her to take it easy. She did a lot of work in the den at Grimmaulds Place. When she was irritable, she kept thinking that it was only another month and a half, and she would have the baby, and not feel so lousy. She felt fat, bloated, and the baby was sitting on her bladder twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. She didn't even have her husband to complain to most of the time, which irritated her even more. When he was home, she found a reason to pick a fight, and got all her frustration out. She would always feel better after she fell asleep against him, with his arms wrapped around her. She and the baby were both growing. She knew it would be a long two months, but the end would be wonderful. She was excited, nervous, and wore every emotion on her sleeve, which changed from moment to moment. Smiles to tears in under a minute, but Harry would deal with it, when he was home. They only had another two months to go.
A/N: So like it? Love it? Comments? Review please! Problems with the Death Eaters, and the baby in the next chapter!
Forgive the small mistakes.
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