A/N: Sequel to Go. You go and don't even think of coming back here.
Hermione was standing in the kitchen with Ron, looking over the display of snacks, and checking to make sure all of the furniture and trinkets were perfectly placed. They'd moved into the four bedroom cottage eight weeks ago, and had finally finished making it their own.
Their families would be arriving any minute for a housewarming party and to see the finishing touches they'd put on the place. Ron came up behind Hermione and slipped his arms around her. "Everything's perfect, love. Stop worrying."
"I'm not worrying!" she countered as she turned around and kissed him.
"Well, you seem wound up for some reason."
"I'm fine, Ron. You don't need to worry about me."
"You're barmy if you think I ever stop worrying," he lifted his hands to play with her hair. He went to sneak one more kiss before they heard the fireplace come to life with their first guests.
As they went to go welcome them, Hermione was glad for the distraction. If she was being honest, she did feel a bit wound up. Ever since baby James had made his arrival, Ron and Hermione had agreed that they'd start trying, and if they weren't successful after a year, they'd seek out a Healer to see what their options could be.
Of course the year mark had passed with no luck, but life had a nasty habit of getting in the way. They'd become wrapped up in work, and then had fallen in love with the cottage they'd chosen to buy. So, they agreed to pursue a healer after they were settled in the home, and Hermione had all but given up three months ago. She and Ron had talked, and they agreed that even if they weren't able to fill their forever home with their own children, they'd have plenty of space to have sleepovers for the growing number of nieces and nephews in the Weasley family.
The only ones who knew about the after-effects of the Cruciatus were Harry, Ginny, Fleur, and presumably Bill. Hermione didn't want anyone to know, and Ron had reluctantly agreed, though he hated not telling his parents. He felt awful every time Molly would make comments about when Ron and Hermione would have a little one of their own, and her seemingly innocent prying about when it would happen. Hermione was so strong, always politely obliging her mother in law, but never giving anything away. Fleur and Ginny had also protested Hermione's stubbornness, but stopped when Hermione said it wasn't up for discussion.
Now that it was mid October, and they were indeed settled, Hermione had every intention of talking to Ron about setting up an appointment with St. Mungo's. But she'd been so tired lately with the move and renovations, not to mention her workload, that she could barely stay awake past eight o'clock to talk to him about it. As more family members began to arrive, her thoughts had dissipated and she focused on showing off the house, and fighting off another bout of exhaustion.
Finally, everyone had settled in. The men were out back on the patio, as the kids were playing on the back lawn. Mrs. Granger and Mrs. Weasley were with Audrey and Angelina, doting on the newest babies in the family. Mrs. Weasley had taken James to give Ginny a break, who was sitting in the kitchen with Hermione. Fleur entered through the back door with a platter in hand.
"I needed to bring these inside before the men ate zem all," she said, placing the platter on the table. "I made them for you, Hermione, I know zey are your favorite."
"Thanks, Fleur." Hermione said gratefully. "I suppose one won't hurt before we eat." She picked up one of the pink macarons off of the platter and popped it in her mouth. She'd been craving sugar more often lately, and blamed it on Ron's influence finally wearing her down.
"Mmm, I just love the strawberry ones!" Hermione said as she took another. Both Ginny and Fleur seemed to notice, but didn't say anything.
"Do you need anything else while I'm up?" asked Fleur.
"Oh, bring the sausage rolls that Angelina made over! I love those," Ginny said.
"You love them or ze baby does?" Fleur teased. Ginny was just beginning to show with her second, very much a surprise, pregnancy.
"Does it matter? I'm eating for two regardless," Ginny said nonchalantly. "This go around's been much easier than with James. I hope it stays that way."
"Oui, I know how zat goes. But Victoire was much easier than Dominique," Fleur said as she set the sausage rolls on the table and sat down. "How is everything, Hermione?" she turned her attention across the table as Ginny eagerly added more food to her appetizer plate.
"It's been busy with work and the renovations. I'm so glad the house is done so we can finally enjoy living in it. Does life ever seem to slow down?" Hermione responded thoughtfully.
Ginny snorted and spoke before swallowing, her mouth half full of food. "No, if anything it just keeps getting crazier. Just wait until you have kids!" Ginny hadn't thought before she spoke, but quickly realized her mistake as Hermione's face fell. "Hermione, I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking! I didn't mean-"
Fleur cut her off. "Still no luck?" she asked in an empathetic voice.
Hermione shook her head. "We've just stopped trying. Everything's too stressful, and we've decided to contact a Healer soon, but it just keeps getting pushed back with everything."
The three women were sitting quietly, when all of a sudden Hermione caught a whiff of the sausage rolls, and felt as though she might be sick. Ginny and Fleur noticed the abrupt change of expression.
"Everything alright, Hermione?" Ginny asked slowly.
"Yes, I think so. It's just the smell of the sausage. It doesn't seem to be agreeing with me today." Hermione scrunched up her eyebrows in confusion.
"That's odd, I thought you liked them." Fleur said.
"I do! At least, I think I do. My stomach must be off. All the stress and nerves from preparing for today."
Hermione was able to pass the uncomfortable feeling as they fell into easy conversation about the kids, until another sudden wave of nausea hit Hermione. This time, she couldn't pass it off. "I'll be right back." Hermione got up quickly from the table and ran upstairs to the bathroom in her bedroom. She didn't have time to shut any of the doors as she barely made it to the toilet before she got sick.
Ginny looked at Fleur. "Do you think she's alright?"
"I do not know. She certainly doesn't seem like herself," Fleur contemplated out loud.
"I'm going to check on her." Ginny got up and Fleur followed.
When Hermione felt that she was done, she sat back, away from the toilet and leaned against the tub.
"Hermione?" Fleur called. "Where are you? Are you alright?"
"I'm in here. I'm fine. Something must not have agreed with my stomach is all." She slowly got to her feet, and rinsed out her mouth with mouthwash. Fleur was waiting for her in the doorway while Ginny sat on her bed. "I'm fine, really. Let's go back downstairs," Hermione insisted.
"Not a chance. Sit," Ginny said as she padded the bed. Fleur shut the bedroom door as Hermione did as Ginny told her. "Now what's really going on? You look exhausted, and clearly you're not feeling well."
"I-I don't know," Hermione was thinking. "I've been so tired over the past few weeks, and I don't feel like I've been doing anything overly exhausting. I'm in bed by seven or eight every night, and I'm still tired in the morning when I wake up. This is the first time I've actually felt sick though. I can't tell you the last time I threw up," she said trying to remember.
"Have you been eating more sugar lately? Maybe your stomach doesn't agree with it," Ginny suggested.
"Why would you say that?" Hermione asked.
"Well, I've never seen you indulge in more than one sweet in a sitting, but you popped two macarons in less than a minute. You always ration them out for yourself. And what's up with the sausage rolls? You love those! Remember last time we tried to eat more than Harry and Ron?" Ginny said laughing at the memory.
"Oh, God, that was such a mistake. Maybe that's why the smell turned me off. Too many the last time." Hermione chuckled at Ginny's reminder.
"Hermione," Fleur interrupted. "When was your last period?"
Hermione looked at Fleur. "What? Why?"
"Just wondering." Fleur said.
Ginny looked from Fleur to Hermione, the possibility of Fleur's words dawning on her. "You don't think…" she whispered.
Hermione thought about it. "It's been at least...eight weeks? I don't know. It ended just before we moved in. But my periods have been so irregular ever since the hunt. I've gone nine weeks without one before, so eight isn't out of the ordinary for me." Hermione wasn't catching Fleur's insinuation.
"Yes, but Hermione, when's the last time you've had these symptoms between periods?" Ginny pressed.
"Symptoms? What do you mean, symptoms? None of this matches my period ailments." Hermione said.
"That's exactly what we're trying to say!" Ginny said exasperatedly. "Nausea...food aversion...food cravings...exhaustion…" She listed everything slowly for Hermione.
When Hermione stared at Ginny blankly, Fleur said, "Hermione, do you think you could be pregnant?"
Hermione's expression turned wide eyed as she stared at Fleur. "Well, I guess, maybe?"
"Have you or have you not had sex with Ron since your last period?" Ginny asked impatiently.
"Of course we've had sex since my last period! What kind of question is that?" Hermione retorted.
"Fleur, do the spell!" Ginny said excitedly, her voice raised.
"Only if Hermione wants me to," Fleur looked at Hermione. "Maybe she'd rather have Ron here for this than us."
"No, no, do it, please! I don't want to get his hopes up if this is a false alarm."
"Have you had any of those?" Ginny asked interestedly.
"No," Hermione hung her head. "I told you, I'd all but given up."
"Well, all hope may not be lost," Fleur said. "Lay back on the bed, and lift up your shirt to reveal your stomach." Hermione did as Fleur instructed. She knew the charm, and had always cast it secretly each month, hoping beyond measure, but always revealing a negative outcome. Her hands were shaking too much to even try at the current moment, so she entrusted Fleur instead.
Fleur cast the charm, and instead of the yellow negative color Hermione had become so used to seeing over the past year, the ball of light over her stomach turned a deep, bright purple. Hermione couldn't believe her eyes,as the tears welled up instantaneously.
"You are indeed pregnant. Very much so," Fleur said with a wide smile as Ginny squealed uncontrollably.
"Let me try the charm!" Hermione said suddenly, as if not believing what Fleur had just revealed. Sure enough, the same deep purple color appeared in a ball as Hermione performed the charm with her own wand. "I can't believe it. I really didn't think- after what the mediwitch said three years ago. I need to tell Ron!" Hermione's thoughts were running a mile a minute.
Ginny hopped off the bed, "I'll go get him!"
"Ginny, do not even think of giving anything away!" Ginny stopped in the doorway to let Hermione finish. "And don't you dare tell anyone either! No one can know until after we've seen a Healer and can confirm everything is fine and the baby is healthy, and will be able to grow."
Ginny pouted, "Not even Harry?"
"No! Not even Harry. Let Ron be able to tell him. Ron'll kill you if you take that away from him."
"Ugh, fine!" she said as she opened the door and headed toward the backyard.
Hermione pulled her shirt down and sat up as Fleur leaned in to hug her. "I am so happy for you both. I know how hurt you were when you found out, and I've carried a lot of guilt, thinking I could have done something more to prevent it."
Hermione smiled at her sister-in-law. "Fleur, you probably saved my life with your quick action that day. I'll never forget that. I don't blame you for anything, so please don't blame yourself."
"Thank you, Hermione," she said as she stood up. They could hear Ron bounding up the stairs. "I'll see you in a bit," as she smiled knowingly.
Ron entered their bedroom abruptly. "What's wrong? Hermione, are you alright?" he asked as he noticed her on the bed. Fleur had slipped out and closed the door behind her.
"I'm fine, Ron, how many times do I have to tell you that." Hermione rolled her eyes, but she couldn't suppress the grin on her face.
"But Ginny made it seem urgent. Told me not to make a scene and just go in the house casually. What the bloody hell is going on, Hermione. Why were you three up here?"
"Well," Hermione wasn't sure where to start, but trusted her brain to make the right words come out, "I had to come upstairs because I felt sick, and I ended up throwing up in the toilet. Ginny and Fleur came up to check on me."
"But you haven't gotten sick like that in- I don't know if I've ever seen you sick like that…" Ron interrupted.
"I know, Ron. So anyways, I explained how it was sudden, and how I've been tired all the time, among a few other things, and well…" Hermione held her wand up shakily and performed the charm nonverbally again. The same tiny ball shot out of her wand tip and turned the same shade of purple for a third time.
Ron stared at the ball, then looked down at Hermione's stomach before meeting her eyes with a shocked look of his own.
"Hermione," he whispered, "Are you really…"
"Pregnant. Yes!" She said as fresh tears glistened in her eyes. She dropped her wand, breaking the charm as Ron leaned over her and met her lips with his.
"I love you. I love you so much. I can't believe we're actually...how long?"
"Eight weeks, I think."
"When do you think we-" he didn't finish his sentence as he leaned into her and started kissing her again.
She thought through the kiss, and broke away, when she'd done the math and realized when it happened. "I think it was our first night here," she said quietly.
"Bloody hell," Ron said, reigniting their snog.
Before they got too carried away, Hermione gently pushed at his chest. "Ron, you know I'd love to keep going, but we've got a house full of people downstairs who might wonder where we are."
"Ugh, why do you always have to be right," he said reluctantly as he pulled away. She laughed.
Before she could get up, Ron moved down toward her belly, and gently placed a soft kiss on it, before setting his hand down where he'd just kissed where he imagined their unborn baby to be, growing inside of her. "I haven't even met you yet, but I don't think I've ever loved someone this much, besides your Mum of course, and I've only just met you." He leaned in to give Hermione one more kiss before getting up and holding out his hand to help her up as well.
Both Hermione and Ron knew they weren't out of the woods yet because the scar tissue could prevent the healthy growth of the baby, and Hermione knew she'd need to owl straightaway for an appointment. But something felt so right, and there was excitement and happiness that had been restored in her heart that gave her the hope to believe everything would be alright. In seven short months they'd finally bring this long awaited child into the world.