A/N- Hey all, wow long time no post. It has been a rough health week for me, and it hasn't been possible to do much of anything, let alone write coherent sentences. Hopefully, this fluffy chapter will help to placate you :).
~Dot
It was a surprisingly warm day in May, one that Ron would normally savour, spending a few extra minutes lingering outside before heading home. But, today he was eager to get home.
His left pocket felt unnaturally heavy, especially since the only thing residing in it could not weigh much. Perhaps it was the gravity of what the item meant that weighed him down.
It was just over a month until their one year anniversary, and everything had been planned. For the first time in his life, Ron was overly prepared.
He had been planning his proposal for months, practically since Hermione had set the one year rule. In fact, he went out and bought the ring the next day. The ring was a mix of the two of their birthstones, as was wizard tradition. It was lucky that their stones looked good together (or so he was told) as his was aquamarine and hers sapphire. The gems swirled around a diamond, something that Harry had mentioned was muggle tradition, which Ron wanted to embrace- for Hermione.
It was finally finished, and Ron carefully brought it to work to get George's opinion. George hastily called Angelina down from their flat, stating that he had no bloody clue if it was any good. Angelina swooned over the ring and said that Hermione would love it, before kissing Ron on the cheek and giving her blessing.
Ron was going to show Harry the next day, as he and Ginny were back for a couple of days from her tour. From recent visits, Ron could tell that Harry was beginning to grow tired of not working. Thankfully, he was offered a job right in time. Headmistress McGonagall offered him the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. Ron thought it was the perfect position for Harry; he would get to use his knowledge and experience to teach the new generation and in the first place he called "home". Harry agreed, and would start in September, the position no longer cursed since the death of Riddle.
Ron arrived home desperate to hide the ring but was distracted by the brilliant smell of Beef Wellington flowing through their home. He found Hermione in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on his favourite meal.
"This smells amazing," he said, inhaling the savoury scent. "What's the occasion?"
"What do you mean?", Hermione asked in a too-high voice. "You do breakfast and I do supper, that's always been the plan."
"Well, I'm pretty sure that we had cereal for breakfast," he said with a smirk. "I need to step up my game."
Hermione gave a weak smile and brought the Wellington to the table.
"Is everything okay?", he asked.
"Yes!", she said quickly, not convincing Ron.
"Are you sure?", he asked. "You seem...off."
Hermione gave him a stare that could only mean fuck off, so he decided to stop pestering her, for now.
They sat down across from each other, and only when he slightly sat on the ring, did Ron remember that it was still in his pocket. He would have to hide it later; the food couldn't wait. Or, at least, he couldn't wait to eat the food.
The Beef Wellington was some of the best he had ever had, almost as good as his mums. When he mentioned how delicious it was, Hermione responded that she had been practising.
Ron was momentarily lost in his food, lapping up the flavours, but soon snapped out of it. Hermione was barely eating at all, in fact, she looked like she was to be sick.
Ron put down his cutlery and looked her dead in the eyes.
"Ok, what's up, I know somethings wrong."
"Nothings wrong, Ron," she said, with her best attempt to look serious. "Just eat your food."
Ron looked at her curiously.
"Have you poisoned it?", he asked, half-joking.
"What?", she asked in astonishment.
"Well, you're jittery as fuck, look like someone's died, and you're not eating the food. Plus, you made my favourite dish, guaranteeing I'd eat it," he said with a suspicious eyebrow wag.
"I didn't poison you, Ronald," she said sternly, clearly not finding his line of questioning amusing.
"Well, I'm not going to eat more until you tell me what's going on," he said, placing his elbows on the table for emphasis. "I'm starting to worry," he added quietly.
"You shouldn't worry," she said, just as softly. "At least, I don't think so."
"That surprisingly doesn't calm me," he laughed.
Hermione gave a small smile.
"I," she halted, opening and closing her hands on the table in nervousness.
Ron took her hand, which seemed to calm her. Then he let go, walking around the table to be next to her. He kneeled next to her, their faces almost at the same height.
"What is it?", he asked, taking her hand again. "You can tell me anything, love."
Hermione heaved a large sigh before resting her head in the nook of his neck.
"I'm pregnant."
While taking the pregnancy test, Hermione couldn't help but think back to their last pregnancy scare which seemed so long ago. In fact, if she had been pregnant then, the baby would be due soon. She recalled the lingering disappointment that she felt when she found out she was not pregnant. But, she had reassured herself, it was not a good time to have a child.
However, everything that wasn't quite right then, was much better now. They had been together for almost a year, and Hermione was sure Ron was going to propose soon. The only question was if he was going to be able to hold out until their anniversary.
They were both doing well in their jobs. Ron was working on new products by himself and was enjoying the process. Hermione and Ophelia's bill was in its second stage and was likely to be passed. They were both happy and successful in their careers.
Seeing Doctor Ailey was probably the biggest positive change in their lives. They were coping so much better, and much more aware of what they needed to work on. Hermione had stopped taking sleeping drought, which was hard at first, but she was sleeping easier each night. They were both taking muggle medications to help with their symptoms and had finally landed on a good combination that worked.
Overall, she couldn't say that this wasn't the right time, not really.
So, when she saw the test read pregnant, she began to feel excited. But, the excitement was soon masked by worry. She may feel like it was a good time to have a baby, but Ron might not. They had discussed children, but it had always been in a far off way, not as something that would be happening anytime soon.
She went to the healer right away to be sure. As soon as she was, she contacted Louise to make sure that she could continue to take her muggle medicine. Louise reassured her that she could, as long as she took the pregnancy potions given by her healer, as they protected the fetus.
She knew it was time to tell Ron, but she was more nervous than she had been in her life, which was saying something. She decided to make his favourite meal, to warm him up, before giving the life-changing news. She had a long and beautiful speech prepared about their love, ending with her announcement, but in the end she just kind of blurted it out.
"What?", Ron asked in shock. Hermione pulled her head back and looked him in straight in the eyes.
"I'm pregnant," she said, trying desperately to read his expression, but failing.
"What do you mean?", he blurted out, looking dumbfounded.
"What do I-", Hermione started, taken aback by his question.
"You're pregnant," he whispered in a half statement, half questioning tone.
"Yes."
"And it's mine?"
She smacked Ron on the forearm. "Of course it's your-".
But she was unable to finish her sentence, and Ron pressed his lips against hers. When he finally pulled back, Hermione could see tears in his eyes.
"That, that's brilliant," he said with a grin.
Hermione smiled back at him and nodded her head in agreement.
"Are you sure?", he asked sceptically.
"Positive."
He began muttering under his breath about babies and being a dad, but something struck him and he stood up with such force, that Hermione almost fell out of her chair.
"We should get married," he stated firmly. He haphazardly reached into his back pocket, grabbing something but not pulling it out. "I have the ring."
"You have the ring?", she asked curiously. Was he planning on proposing today?
"Yeah, I had it all planned out. I was going to propose on our anniversary, one year right? But, we should get married now. I- I should-" he stumbled to his knees in front of Hermione, but before he could pull out the ring, she took his head in her hands.
"If you had it all planned out, you should do that. Do it the way you planned."
Ron managed to nod his head, even with her hands on it.
"But-we should do it sooner, right?"
"That's up to you," she replied with a smile.
"Okay," he said, taking his hand off of the ring and holding her hands.
"Hermione?", he asked.
"Yes?"
"You're really pregnant?", he asked, looking as though he wasn't sure of the answer.
"Yes," she said firmly, but with a large smile.
"Wicked," he said, before kissing her passionately again.
A couple of weeks had passed since she told the news to Ron. They were waiting until she was a bit further along to tell the family, but she guessed they wouldn't be able to keep it secret much longer. Ron looked like he was going to burst when he was around his family, and Molly seemed extra suspicious of the two of them. She assumed that being pregnant six times gave Molly a decerning eye.
Work had been extra stressful, and Ron had suggested that they take the weekend off; go somewhere on a mini holiday, no work allowed. Normally, Hermione would not take him up on such an offer, especially when she had so much to do. But the stress of the pregnancy and work was getting to her, and she knew she needed a break.
Ron had set up a muggle train ride (thank goodness for wizard anti-nausea potions) to France. He had planned the whole thing, down to buying the muggle tickets for them. She wondered if this had been his plan; an engagement in France. She would be pleased with that, but, to be honest, she would be pleased with just about anything he had planned. She didn't know if it was the added hormones of being pregnant, but she was so ready to marry him.
Hermione reluctantly let Ron pack for the two of them, at Ron's insistence. He didn't want her doing anything that could stress her out. Which was both endearing and annoying. He carried their magically lightened trunks to the station- Kings Cross, of course, and led them through the crowds.
They went deeper into the station, walking to platforms 9 and 10. Hermione had to stop for a moment, to reflect on all that the seemingly unimportant platform had led her to.
"Do you remember your first time?", Ron asked, stopping as well.
Hermione nodded.
"It's when I first met Harry," he said. "He was a bit freaked out about having to go through the platforms."
Hermione laughed. "I was as well. I remember thinking at that moment that it all must have been a hoax. A convincing one, but a hoax nonetheless. I mean, walking through a brick wall? I wasn't that gullible. Then a family walked through it, and I had hope again."
Ron smiled and took her hand. He inconspicuously melted into the platform, taking her with him.
"What?", Hermione stuttered. "How did you- it's only open on September 1st."
"I know people," Ron smiled.
Hermione smiled back, taking in the platform. The train was parked, waiting for excited students to board it in a couple of months. The smell overwhelmed her, she couldn't quite place it, but it soothed her, bringing up memories, good and bad, that occurred at this station.
She was overcome with the need to touch Ron, someone who was irrevocably linked to the platform. She reached out to him, and he met her in a crushing hug.
"I was so excited to finally be going to Hogwarts. I felt like I had been waiting my whole life for this moment. Seeing the train and knowing that I was going on it, was overwhelming." He was shaking slightly, using Hermione to steady himself.
"Of course, I thought I was just going to school. I assumed I'd get up to shenanigans like Fred and George, but I had no idea. I had no idea what was awaiting me on that train."
Ron let her go, much to her disappointment, but then grabbed her hand and led her towards the train. She hadn't noticed before, but one of the doors was open, and he led her onto the train.
He led her through the train with purpose, not looking back until he reached his destination.
"This was the compartment that Harry and I sat in," he said before opening the door and leading them through. "Of course, I didn't know at first that he was Harry Potter. That should have been my first clue that my life wasn't going to be normal," he said with a smirk.
He turned to face Hermione, gently holding her by her arms.
"But, it wasn't Harry that changed my life," he said.
"I never would have guessed that, this bossy, bushy-haired girl who told me I had dirt on my face," he said with a smile, still shaking slightly, "would be the woman that I fought beside, that I love, that would have my baby, that I would marry."
He let go of her arms and flicked his wand, darkening the compartments and magically making dozens of floating candles appear.
Hermione was taken back by the candles, and she didn't notice that Ron was kneeling down.
He took her hand, making her notice his position with a gasp.
"Hermione Jean Granger," he said, looking intensely into her eyes. "I love you more than life itself. You bring me joy every day. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"
Hermione nodded her head vigorously, only just becoming aware of the tears coming down her face. "Of course!"
He shakily put the ring on her finger before almost pouncing on her. In between kisses, they whispered loving words to one another.
After the astonishment wore off and they had tired themselves with snogging, they headed off the train, hand in hand.
Hermione couldn't help but think through the timeline of their relationship. They kissed before they spoke of their feelings. They confessed their love before going on a date. They had gotten pregnant before getting engaged. They never did do anything in order.