REVISED as of May 2017

Chapter 37: Seeing What Can't Be Seen

"Ronald, come with me," says Adina, who has found me Levitating a stack of dishes into the kitchen sink.

"Hmm?" I answer. "Just a minute — I've just got to bring the cutlery in here and I'll be all set for now."

"Consider it done," she says, waving her wand toward the dinner table as a procession of knives, forks and spoons flies into the kitchen and they stack themselves neatly in the sink.

Huh. "Well, thanks," I say. "You don't have to help out, Adina. You're a guest. And 'sides, we can leave all this for tomorrow. Dobby will be by in the morning to tidy up."

"That's good," she says, "because I really do need to speak with you and Hermione."

I wonder what's so urgent. It's nearly midnight. The dinner party — which Hermione insisted on throwing at our place to celebrate the successful end of the International Aurors Conference — is pretty much over. Sure, Kingsley and Fergus Quinlan are still by the campfire out back, drinking and singing old songs, alternating between laughing uproariously and sobbing on one another's shoulders like a couple of nutters, but I reckon they'll either pass out or Floo back to Kingsley's place eventually like they said they would. Brocklehurst and Shirley left hours ago — but not before Bernie asked Hermione if he could take home leftovers of her herbed roast, since he's such a huge fan. Harry and Ginny left right afterward, saying they had a final fitting for their wedding dress robes at Madame Malkin's in the morning. Neville and Luna helped clean up the garden and the front and back porches before Apparating to their new house near Xenophilius's place. And I was a bit relieved, truth be told, when Dirk Benedict Apparated back to St. Agnes Island. Even after all these years, that guy still scares me a little bit. He's definitely in touch with his inner drill master.

Keith Hale, interestingly enough, stuck around the house until just a few minutes ago, locked in deep conversation with Adina — and from the looks of it, they weren't merely discussing the finer points of Adina's Spellbreaking seminar or the nuances of Australian Rules football. I wasn't the only one who noticed sparks flying between the two of them all night. Padma, Luna, Susan Collins and Hermione spent the evening whispering and giggling about it. That is, when they weren't gossiping about Charlie and Azize, who are apparently still a hot-and-heavy item, at least judging by the way she sat on his lap in the lounge after Hermione served pudding. I mean, the ruddy British, Australian and American Ministers for Magic were sitting right there with them in the lounge — you'd think Charlie would be able to restrain himself. Oh well … their antics made for lively after-dinner conversation.

Adina surprises me by taking my hand and dragging me out of the kitchen. "Hermione?" she calls as we approach the front hallway.

"I'm up here, Dina," Hermione says from upstairs. "Just checking to be sure there are enough pillows on your bed," she adds as she appears at the top of the stairway.

Adina tugs on my hand and pulls me up the stairs behind her. Hermione gives us both a quizzical look as we climb to meet her, and all I can do is smile and shrug over Adina's head.

In the upstairs hallway, Adina turns to me and Hermione and gives us both a broad, blinding smile.

"I think I know why you're smiling so brightly," Hermione says with a mischievous grin.

"Oh you do, do you?" Adina replies, letting go of my hand to give Hermione a little hug.

"Yes, I think I do," Hermione says. "It was hard not to notice that you and a certain handsome British Auror have a certain chemistry."

"Now listen, Hermione, there's nothing going on between me and Adina," I cut in, causing them both to turn to me, look me over once or twice, and then burst out laughing.

"Oy!" I sputter, trying hard not to smile.

"All right, all right, darling," Hermione says with a smirk, peeling herself away from Adina to give me a little pat on the cheek. "You're a handsome British Auror too, dear. We know."

"That's better," I say with a mock pout. "But please, sweet Merlin, please don't tell me you dragged me up here so I can trade hen talk about your love life, Adina."

Adina shakes her head laughing. "No, Hermione and I can do plenty of that ourselves in the morning — and there is quite a bit to talk about I think. Keith's adorable," she says, drawing a squeal of delight from Hermione. "No, I need to talk to you both about something entirely different. I know it's a bit weird, but, well, this is one of those things that people with my abilities have to do now and then."

I wonder what she's on about, but she's smiling, so it can't be bad, right?

Hermione shrugs and says, "OK, umm …"

"Let's step into your bedroom, all right?" Adina adds, apparently sensing our hesitation.

"Fine," Hermione says. "Let me just look in on Leo one more time," she says, ducking into Leo's room and turning out the bluebell flames that she had set there earlier. Thank goodness she thought to put an Insulato sound-proofing charm on Leo's room earlier, or all the noise around here tonight might have kept him up.

When she's satisfied that Leo is sleeping tight, Hermione rejoins us, and we all head into the master bedroom, where Hermione lights the lanterns with her wand and Adina and I settle onto the sofa. Hermione then plops down on the ottoman.

"OK, Adina, what's up?" she says.

Adina is positively beaming. If it's not Keith that she wants to talk about, then what in blazes has her glowing like this?

"All right, you two, I know it's rather odd that I've asked to speak to you at this hour, but, well, since I'm heading back to Australia tomorrow, I reckon there's no time like the present," Adina says.

Hermione and I trade a confused look.

"Umm … all right, Adina, what are you on about?" I ask.

"It's something that I noticed when I arrived. Something I knew about immediately but decided not to discuss because, well, it's fairly personal — and, for all I knew, you both were perfectly aware of the situation and didn't require any interference from me," she says. "And all week long, I've been waiting for signs that the two of you know what I know. But it's obvious you don't. And so, I have to tell you. In fact, I'm dying to tell you."

"Ooooookaaaaaaay," Hermione says, clearly not sure where this is headed. But, then again, neither am I.

"I know you think I'm mad, but here goes," says Adina. "As you know, I can read auras, right?"

We both nod.

"It's something I can't help. It's something I see without even trying — your aura is just there, a visible field — at least, it's visible to me — that tells me so much about you. I see it automatically, but there's a spell I can cast to show you what your aura looks like — temporarily, anyway. Would you like to see Ronald's?"

We both nod again. Bloody hell yeah, I'd like to see my aura.

"OK, stand up, Ronald," Adina says, rising to her feet.

I leap up to face her. "Watch yourself in the mirror over there," Adina says, pointing toward Hermione's vanity across the room.

As I turn to look in that direction, Adina waves her wand over my head and says the incantation, "Auroris Revelio." And what happens next is pretty damned amazing. It's sort of gradual, but eventually a shimmering halo of light appears, extending about three inches from the surface of my body, and it's actually quite bright.

"Blimey," I breathe, "it's … wow, it's incredibly blue. How can you even see me through all this light?"

"It's distracting at first, isn't it?" Adina says. "You get used to it. But yes, Ronald, your aura is quite distinctive. You see how deep and rich the blue is? The color is in the indigo range of the spectrum, actually, though yours is unusually deep. Indigo is the color of intense feeling, loyalty, rootedness. It tells me that you have learned to remain calm during a crisis. Others lean on you for support. But you notice that reddish tinge around the edges?"

I didn't see it at first, but now I do. "It's a very bright, clear red, which tells me you're also powerful, sensual, passionate, energetic and competitive. It's an interesting mix, one I don't see too often."

"Well, I'll be damned," I say in an astonished voice, and Adina laughs out loud. I turn to Hermione, who is looking at me like she's never seen me before.

"That is … positively … incredible," Hermione says, her mouth hanging open afterward. "You see that around everyone, Adina?"

"Mmm hmm," Adina answers. "Comes in handy. Keith's is bright red," she adds wiggling her eyebrows at Hermione. "I'll tell you what that means later."

Hermione and I, meanwhile, remain boggled by what we're seeing, until the light starts to slowly fade and disappear from our view. "Unfortunately, the Auroris Revelio doesn't last that long," Adina says, "but it can at least give you a glimpse of what I see."

"Wow, that was brilliant, Adina," I say, "but, umm … so?"

I sit back down on the sofa and look up at her.

She smiles. "Bear in mind that this is what I see when I look at everyone, yes? So, when I came to stay with you a week ago, imagine my surprise when I met Hermione and saw this."

She reaches out her hand to Hermione, who takes it and stands. "Auroris Revelio," Adina says with a wave of her wand and, slowly and gradually, Hermione's aura comes into view. She and I both gasp when we see it, because it's actually quite gorgeous. It's a yellowish shade of orange — again, a very bright and intense hue. "This shade of orange is associated with scientific minds and, well, perfectionism," Adina says.

Hermione laughs, looking at herself in the mirror. "Guilty as charged," she says with a shrug.

"You have a love for detailed work and mentally challenging projects," Adina says.

"Check and check," I add.

"I should also note," Adina says with a grin, "that orange is the opposite of blue on the color wheel — you two are quite complementary in more ways than one."

"We are, aren't we?" Hermione says playfully, waving her arms in the air and enjoying the movement of her aura.

"Now," Adina says, pointing to the outer ring of the light surrounding Hermione's form. "What you probably haven't noticed are these silvery sparkles within all that overwhelming orange."

She's right. I hadn't noticed. But now that she's called my attention to it, they're there, clear as day. Glistening silver sparkles.

"It's unusual to see silver in someone's aura. And it's usually temporary," Adina says. "That's because these silvery sparkles are an unmistakable sign of … pregnancy."

Hermione, who up 'til that moment had been jokingly waving her arms in the air, freezes in mid-motion. "A sign of … of what?" she gasps.

"Pregnancy, my friend," says Adina. "You may not know it, but I'm sure beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are up the duff."

Hermione turns to look down at me, still sitting on the sofa, her mouth slightly agape.

I look up at her, noticing that the orange-and-silver glow is starting to fade as the Auroris Revelio spell wears off, and I feel my heart thumping in my chest. I want to believe what Adina's just said, but … gods, we've been disappointed so many times before.

"Hang on, Adina," I say slowly, rising to take Hermione's hand. "How can you be so sure?"

"Well," she says, taking Hermione's other hand, "when was your last cycle, Hermione?"

Hermione shakes her head slowly, brow furrowed. "I've been so irregular since the war, it's hard to remember," she says. "It was … let me think … it was certainly before Leo. Actually, I take that back. It was the week that we brought Leo home with us. I remember now. It started the morning after he joined us here at Vine Cottage."

"Hmm," says Adina. "How have you been feeling?"

"Well, I've been quite tired, now that you ask," Hermione whispers, "but I chalked that up to Leo. He's starting to toddle now, and I'm constantly chasing him around the house. And, well, I've felt a bit unwell a few mornings, but nothing worth worrying about."

"My dear Hermione," says Adina, "today is July 26. If I'm right — and I'm pretty sure I am — then I reckon you're eight or nine weeks along."

Hermione looks as flabbergasted as I feel — but I notice that she's equally as hesitant.

"Well," she says quietly, brow still furrowed, "there's one very good way to find out."

Adina nods, but I have no idea what Hermione's talking about. She must see the confusion in my face.

"The Praegnatio Invenire charm, darling," Hermione says, still at a whisper, as if saying it too loud will somehow jinx us. "I suppose you wouldn't know it but, trust me, every witch does."

Adina drops our hands and moves toward the door. "Since I already know what the Praegnatio will tell you, I will leave you both to this very private moment," she says, stepping out into the hallway. "Good night, you three, and see you in the morning," she says, closing the door behind her with a grin.

That leaves Hermione and me standing there hand-in-hand by the hearth.

Hermione looks up to me, a smile tentatively wavering at the corners of her lips. My heart is drumming — hard — and my stomach is flipping for the second or third time since Adina said the word "pregnancy."

"Do you … do you really think…" I stammer, a smile tugging at my lips despite my fear.

Hermione bites her bottom lip. "It won't be hard to find out," she says.

"Should … do you want to … I mean, if you aren't, then, that's OK, but…" Oh, bugger, I'm dying to know, but I'm worried that if we do this Preg-natty-whatever-it-is spell and we get the wrong answer, Hermione will be devastated.

"It'll be all right either way," Hermione says soothingly, seemingly reading my thoughts.

I nod. "OK, well, uh … what do we do?"

She smiles and draws her wand from her back pocket with her free hand. Then she casts a quick Muffliato at the door. "Just in case," she says with a little grin.

"Good idea," I say, squeezing the hand I'm holding in mine. "I'm ready when you are, love."

She nods and holds her wand about level with her breasts and parallel to the floor. "Praegnatio Invenire," she says in a breathy whisper, then slowly pushes her wand downward until it's level with her hips.

Then, almost as gradually as the Auroris Revelio brought our auras into view, it happens. A light that looks quite a bit like the aura did — shiny and extending two or three inches from the surface of Hermione's body — appears over her belly. Only this light is bright, bright green.

"It's green," I say stupidly. Obviously, it's green. But what does it mean? I pull my eyes away from her middle, not realizing that I've been openly staring, completely fixated … and that's when I notice the tears streaking down Hermione's cheeks.

"It's green," she says, shaking her head. "Oh, Ron. I'm … we're … I'm pregnant."

Pregnant.

Eight or nine weeks.

Pregnant.

A baby.

I feel like my head is stuffed with cotton, like I'm walking under water, like the world has started spinning in slow motion … I can't … quite … fathom …

"A baby?" I murmur.

Then, I focus on Hermione's face. I mean, really focus on it. She's looking back at me, her eyebrows raised, her mouth open slightly, a giant smile lighting her face. And then she starts laughing, and that's when the cotton in my head disappears, I resurface from that weird underwater feeling and I realize what's really going on.

"Good Godric, Mione — a baby!" I shout, grabbing her by the shoulders.

She nods and shouts back, "Oh, Ronald!" Then she throws her arms around my neck and I pick her up and twirl her around on the spot. She's laughing and crying at the same time, her cheek pressed to mine as we spin and spin.

We stop spinning — I'm a little dizzy — and I lower her feet to the floor then crush her to me, kissing her madly everywhere … her cheeks, her forehead, her nose, her eyes and then her mouth. "Mione, love, oh gods," I'm mumbling against her skin, still covering her face and her neck with kisses. "Merlin, I love you. I love you so much."

"I love you too, darling," she answers as she threads her fingers into my hair.

"C'mere," I growl and pick her up — she hoots with surprise — and I carry her to the bed, placing her down gently and climbing on top of her, unable to stop landing kisses on every inch of skin I can find. Rolling around the bed with her in a frenzy of kissing and panting and laughing and crying, I peel off her shirt and then her trousers, then her bra, then her knickers and soon she's lying before me, starkers, and I pause to take her in.

Gods.

Lying next to her now, I prop myself up on my elbow to look at her, gently caressing her belly. "There's a baby in there," I whisper, the smile on my face so big and wide that it almost hurts.

"Mmm hmm," she hums with a chuckle, placing one hand on mine while raising the other to stroke my chin. "Your baby. Our baby."

"Do you … does it … do you feel different?" I ask.

She laughs. "I do now," she says, "though maybe I'm just imagining it."

"Well, I sure as hell feel different," I sigh, leaning over to kiss her tummy.

"Eight weeks," she whispers. "That makes sense, I suppose."

"How so," I ask, my lips still pressed to her tummy, which I'm now slowly covering with kisses.

She runs her fingers through my hair and hums happily, then lets out a long exhale. "Well, if my last cycle started when Leo came to us, I was probably in the old 'no-go zone' around the time of the adoption ceremony — and you remember what it was like that night," she says as she gives my earlobe a playful pinch.

Remember it? I'm quite sure I'll never forget it.

Once the Benimseme spell was cast, I felt so invigorated, so psyched, so overjoyed, I could have flown without a broom. And I couldn't help it — I just couldn't be that far from Hermione the whole night. When I wasn't holding her hand, I was wrapping an arm around her shoulder, resting my hand at the small of her back, or curling a lock of her hair around my finger. As happy as I was that all our friends and family were there, I couldn't wait to be with Hermione and Leo … my new little family … alone.

When the last of the guests Flooed home after dinner, Hermione and I put Leo to bed together. As we bathed him, combed his hair, slathered lotion on him and slipped him into a fresh nappy and his little pyjamas, I was so stupid with happiness, I couldn't keep what I'm sure was a dopey-looking grin off my face — even when Leo splashed me, giggling and slapping his palms against the surface of the bathwater.

Instead of taking him into the nursery, I turned left from the bathroom and carried him into our room, plopping down with him on the sofa by the hearth. Hermione followed, of course, and settled in next to me as I propped my feet on the ottoman, bent my legs and placed Leo on my lap facing us. I gripped him firmly in both hands to keep him from teetering over onto the floor, and he smiled back at us, his eyes switching from my face to Hermione's and back again.

"You're a Weasley now, aren't you Leo," Hermione said brightly, reaching out to take one of his hands in hers.

Leo babbled incoherently in response, then seemed to think of something that amused him greatly, because he chuckled loudly, kicking his legs against my chest.

"I agree, Leo," she continued. "It's fun to become a Weasley."

"I wouldn't know, of course," I said.

"True," said Hermione, resting her head on my shoulder. "Your Daddy's been a Weasley all his life, hasn't he, Leo?"

That was it. It was the first time either of us had used that word — Daddy — to describe me, and my heart raced. Daddy. We'd been careful not to get ahead of ourselves until now, never referring to Leo as our son, or to ourselves as his parents, or his Mum, or his Dad. But … saying it now, I felt a surge of warmth run through me. Daddy.

"I really am his Dad now, aren't I?" I said to Hermione as she tilted her head on my shoulder to kiss me on the chin.

"One hundred percent," she said.

I tipped my head to rest my cheek atop her curls. "And you're his Mum now, aren't you."

"One hundred percent," she answered.

"I know it's daft that I keep repeating it to myself. I mean, I know in my heart that it's true, but it's taking a while for my head to catch up," I said.

"Mmm … I know what you mean," she said. "Do you know what he means, Leo?"

Leo's answer was to lean forward, eyes drooping slightly, and climb up onto my chest, settling down against me facedown.

"Someone's knackered," I said. I meant to get up and tuck him into his bed, but it felt too good to stay right where we were, just as we were — a trio — as Hermione leaned against my side and Leo's little body rose and fell in time with my breathing, chewing distractedly on his fist.

A few minutes later, Hermione broke the silence. "Come with me, little man," she said, reaching to pluck Leo from my chest. "It's time for beddy-bye."

Normally I'd let Hermione put Leo to bed by herself, but that night, I felt compelled to tag along, and as she laid him down and tucked his covers around him, I held her close by the waist. We both stood there at his bedside for quite some time, just looking at him.

"He's a good boy, isn't he?" Hermione whispered.

"The best," I murmured in her ear.

"Thank you," she said.

"For what?"

"For finding him."

"Oh. Well, I'd say he sort of found us, didn't he. He more or less wormed his way into my heart that night and wouldn't let go."

"That's true. He could have wormed his way into Thayer or Padma's heart that night — but he chose yours," she said, clasping her hands onto my forearms, which were wrapped tightly around her middle. "He knew your heart was the right one, because it was open. That's how Harry found you, after all."

"Hmm?"

It had been ages since I'd thought about the day Harry and I met, way back on Platform Nine and Three Quarters. Gods, it felt like several lifetimes ago. I must have stood there thinking, pressing her back against my front, my cheek resting on the top of her head, for longer than I knew, because she spoke up again before I could really sort out my feelings.

"When you were younger, you could be an insensitive prat sometimes, Ron, but deep down, when it really counts, you're the most tender-hearted softie I know, and I believe that's why Harry found you then and why Leo found you now," she said. "And it's one of the things that makes you such a wonderful father."

I laugh into her hair. "I'm not sure I've been a father long enough to be rated a wonderful one yet, love."

"Well, I've never been shy about telling you when you're wrong, good sir knight, and you're wrong about that."

My mind flipped back to the day I got the letter saying I was going to be a prefect — I don't know why my mind went there, but it did — and I remembered keenly how hurt I was that Hermione was surprised I'd been given the title. Looking back, it was unfair of me to be so hacked off with her, but I know now that it was because I wanted her to be proud of me, I wanted to measure up in her eyes. Her good opinion still matters to me more than she realizes, and as we stood there gazing at Leo, that realization choked me up all over again.

"I told you once, back when I was at St. Agnes, that there was nothing more important to me than to be a great Auror, Mione, because I wanted you to be proud of me," I said. "But that's changed."

"Mmmmmmm," she hummed, stroking my forearms gently. "How so?"

"There's nothing — nothing — more important to me than being a good husband to you and a good father to Leo," I answered. "And to, well, any other kids who may come along. Being a great Auror comes second to all that for me now."

"Oh, Ron," Hermione murmured, turning in my arms to face me and running her hands up my chest. "I love you, Ronald Weasley. Have I told you lately?"

I didn't answer. Instead, I lowered my face to hers and caressed her lips with mine before deepening the kiss. She responded by sliding her hands up to my shoulders and then snaking her arms around my neck, tipping her head back. We snogged like randy kids like that in the darkness of Leo's room until I remembered where we were and what we were about. In a heartbeat, I lifted her into my arms and carried her back to our room — but only after Hermione, still in my arms, insisted that I stop in the hallway and let her reinforce the Admonitrix charm on Leo's room.

In the warmth and comfort of our big bed, I made love to her that night, pouring out my heart with each kiss, with each move. I must have seemed like a babbling nutter, but I couldn't help myself … there was so much to say, and she's gotten used to my chatty ways by now.

"You're everything, Mione," I said as I entered her, my forehead pressed to hers, our noses sliding next to one another's. "Everything. You, this home, this family, you're my whole world, Little Dove, just like I told you I wanted you to be."

"Oh, darling," she whispered back, wrapping her legs around my middle and clasping my face in her hands. "I love you, Ron, I love you so much," she said, tracing my chin and neck with little kisses. "I'm the luckiest woman in the world, sweetheart, I truly am."

I think about it now, as Hermione and I lie here on the bed, my hand still stroking her now-pregnant belly — blimey, she's pregnant, gods! — and I realize that yeah, it seems right. That was the night this baby was conceived. I don't know how I know … I just … know.

Hermione looks up at me with a grin that tells me she's thinking what I'm thinking. "If it seems to you that that was the night, then that was the night, darling," she says. "Your Ingenitus instincts are usually on the money."

"Doesn't matter, really, but I'd like to think some of that Benimseme magic was at work that night," I say.

"Mmmmm," she answers, rolling onto her side and slowly unbuttoning my shirt and then undoing my belt. "I'd say there were all kinds of magic at work that night, Ronald."

oooOOOooo

A/N — What can I say … I just love these two. They write themselves.

I hope you're enjoying the story so far. More chapters are coming! In the meantime, please review, won't you? I love to hear what you think.

I realize this chapter was way beyond fluffy, but what's a writer to do? This is where the story led me. A Chapter 35 commenter named Shaun, logged in as a guest, asked me to "add some suspense behind the characters." I'm not really sure what that meant, but I hope I'm not disappointing you, Shaun. The story is what it is - I've been trying hard to let it develop naturally, not to inject chills and thrills just for the heck of it. If you happen to see this note, let me know what you have in mind, and I'll see if I can make it work!

In the meantime, all the best everybody…

Holly.

P.S. — Oh, and randver, I hope you'll recognize more of your influence in this chapter!