Hey all!! Thanks for all of your reviews for the last chapter they were all so super great! :D I hope this chapter contains enough in it to keep you entertained...personally I think it's kind of dry :S but oh well the next chapter should be a bit better hahaha. I hope you enjoy this one xxxx

Disclaimer: Can you ask for the ownership of HP for Christmas? No? Crap :(

The Unexpected Baby

Chapter Five: A Cure for Sickness?

"Hermione dear it's so good to have you for dinner!" Molly exclaimed happily as she brought the dishevelled looking Healer into her home.

"Thanks for inviting me Molly, but to be honest I don't know how much dinner I'm going to be able to eat," Hermione said glumly as Molly took her white work jacket and hung it up for her.

"Don't you worry about that dear, I've made you a special dinner, so you won't be having what the rest of us are having." Hermione smiled happily at the doting grandmother as she made her way into the living area where everyone was seated. Ginny and Harry were sitting on the sofa, Charlie was in an arm chair and Bill and Fleur were on the floor playing with Victoire.

"Hey! I'm so glad you decided to come," Charlie said cheerfully as he got up from his chair and offered it to the pregnant witch. Hermione sighed in content as her body made contact with the soft cushion of the armchair. Being pregnant was hard, even in the early stages. The hospital had been busier than ever today for some reason and due to the fact that she couldn't eat anything wholesome without throwing it up Hermione was feeling very drained and tired.

"How's the sickness?" asked Ginny with concern. She knew how it felt, she'd also been sick with everything when she had only been 6 weeks pregnant.

"Terrible, I can't eat and it's driving me crazy. Even smells are making me vomit. Today when I went up to the fifth floor to meet with a patients' family, the smell of coffee made me hurl and it wasn't very pretty," Hermione groaned as she placed a hand to her forehead. Charlie glanced down at her nervously, ever since he'd heard her throw up he'd started to worry about her.

"'Wasn't pretty?' Did you throw up in front of everyone?" Ginny asked in astonishment. The look on Hermione's face said it all; it was a mixture of embarrassment and humility.

"Don't worry about it, I didn't make it to the bathroom once," Ginny started but Harry interjected, "Yeah but that was at home and not in a hospital filled to the brim with people." Ginny blushed and looked at Hermione sympathetically, "It'll pass soon."

"I hope it does I can't stand it anymore, I want to eat the foods I love!"

"You know this is your doing mate," Bill said to Charlie with a laugh as Victoire jumped onto his back. Charlie blinked at him, "My doing? What do you mean it's my doing?"

Harry laughed, "Yeah Charlie it's your fault she's throwing up!" Charlie glared at him and then looked back at Bill.

"You're the one who got her pregnant, so you're the one to blame for her unwanted sickness," Bill told his younger brother with glee. Charlie glared at his older brother and then frowned.

"Sorry," he muttered to Hermione who in turn laughed at him along with everyone else.

***

"Here you go dear a nice plate of potatoes for you," Molly said in a pleased tone as she set a plate of mashed potatoes down in front of Hermione. Hermione stared at the plate for a second and then looked up at Molly, "You're a genius!" she exclaimed.

"When I was pregnant with Charlie and then with the twins, I got so sick that I couldn't eat a thing. When I was carrying Charlie one night I fainted because I'd eaten so little. When I went to the hospital a very kind nurse, who would have been the age of my mother at the time, recommended that I eat potatoes for a while. I did what she said and to my surprise it worked like a charm," Molly explained to her. Hermione beamed up at Molly and then grabbed her fork.

"Mum gave me potatoes too remember," Ginny said to Harry as Hermione tucked into her dinner. Harry nodded and then started to eat his own dinner of macaroni and cheese.

Once all of the food had been eaten and the cleaning up had been taken care of everyone headed back into the living area.

"How many weeks are you now Ginny?" Fleur asked the pregnant redhead as she played with her daughter's hair.

"22 weeks can you believe it? I should hopefully feel some kicking soon," Ginny said rubbing her bump while Harry smiled proudly at her. Fleur started to reminisce about her time being pregnant but Hermione just couldn't focus on the conversation. As the minutes slipped by she could feel her eyes grow heavier and heavier until she could no longer keep them open. It wouldn't hurt to rest her eyes for a little minute.

"Look Hermione's asleep," Arthur whispered as he pointed to the sleeping Healer in the armchair. Charlie who was sitting on the arm of the chair glanced down and couldn't help but smile warmly. She must have been so worn out that she could barely stay awake.

"I'll take her to Ginny's old room and let her kip there for a while," Charlie whispered as he got off the arm and scooped Hermione up into his strong, muscular arms. Her head rested gently against his chest and her breathing was soft and deep. Charlie carried her into Ginny's room and laid her gently on the bed. He then removed her shoes and socks and made to leave the room.

"Charlie?" mumbled a weak voice. Charlie turned and spotted Hermione looking at him through bleary eyes.

"Yes?"

"Could I have a glass of water please?" Her voice was so quiet that Charlie had to strain to hear her. Charlie conjured Hermione up a glass of icy water and set it down on the bedside table as she continued to watch him.

"Is there anything else I can get you?" he asked politely as Hermione's eyes started to droop once again.

"Could you ask Molly if it would be alright for me to stay here tonight? I'm too tired to do anything," she mumbled back as she rubbed her exhausted eyes roughly to try and keep them from closing.

"I'll be back in a minute," Charlie said and then left the room. Hermione continued to rub her eyes; she needed to ask another favour from Charlie. There was something back home she'd forgotten to do and it would eat away at her mind all night if something wasn't done.

"Mum said that it's fine and that you never need to ask," Charlie said as he came back into the dark room. Hermione sighed contentedly and then yawned widely.

"Charlie?"

"Yeah?"

"Could you do me a favour?" Hermione asked, sounding as if she were on the verge of sleep.

"Anything," Charlie replied softly kneeling down by her side. Hermione rubbed her eyes again and then looked at him. Even in the darkness Charlie could tell that her eyes were terribly bloodshot.

"Could you go to my flat and feed my cats?" she asked wearily. Charlie chuckled lightly and stood back up again. "Of course I will," he said and with that he went to the door. He turned just before he walked out of the room to look at Hermione again and found that in a matter of seconds she'd fallen fast asleep again.

"Happy 7 weeks!" Hermione looked up from her paper work and smiled broadly as Ginny waltzed into her room carrying a paper bag.

"Uh thanks," she said with a laugh as Ginny plopped herself onto the chair in front of her desk and started rummaging through the contents of the bag.

"I have some things for you. I spent all of yesterday evening looking through pregnancy stuff and I've come up with a few things which may help your morning sickness!" the overexcited redhead stated eagerly. Hermione watched as Ginny placed several items onto her desk and once she was done she immediately dived into an explanation of what these items were.

"Okay so first we have lemons. One book told me that sucking on lemons really helps with the sickness and I know loads of other women who have recommended it, although personally it never worked. Next we have minty sweets. I found this in a pregnancy pamphlet that they were handing out in Flourish and Blotts the other day. A Healer in America is doing a huge research on the effects of mint and minty sweets during pregnancy and so I thought why not let you try it out! Here we have ginger biscuits. Apparently ginger is very good for the whole queasy thing and well ginger biscuits are just nice. Finally we have Green Tea and I found this is an oriental pregnancy book from Japan. Some Japanese warlock claims that the tea will 'drive the sickness into the nether regions of the black abyss.' I've never heard of anyone trying it before so I thought why not you give it a go."

Hermione gaped at Ginny as she beamed at her. It was very nice that the pregnant redhead had gotten her all of this stuff but Hermione was sure that she didn't need any of it, the potatoes had worked wonders for her.

"Thanks very much Gin but I don't need this stuff, your mum already discovered what helps me," she said as she ruffled the papers in front of her.

"You can't live on potatoes! If you give some of these a try you may find another thing that helps you and then you'll be able to eat what you love again," Ginny said in a tone which was reminiscent of her mother. Hermione chuckled and sighed in defeat, she couldn't say no to Ginny.

"Fine I will try them, even if it means I have to suck on...lemons," she said as she pulled a disgusted face. Hermione may be a professional Healer and the youngest ever Consultant but for some reason she was undereducated in the myths of pregnancy. Sure she knew how the process went and she could diagnose problems and even deliver a baby if she had to but the old wives tales of pregnancy and the folklore had never seemed that significant to her as really there wasn't any medical evidence to support any of it, or so she believed.

"Healer Granger?" Hermione looked towards the door and noticed Kelly poking her head through her office door.

"Yes Kelly? Is everything alright?" she asked as the receptionist entered the room. Kelly said a quick hello to Ginny whom she was acquainted with and then turned to Hermione.

"There is a gentleman down in reception asking for you," she informed the Healing Consultant who was looking at her in a puzzled fashion.

"A gentleman?" Hermione asked, glancing at Ginny and then back to Kelly, "What sort of gentleman?"

"He's well-built, tanned, has chiselled features, gorgeous eyes and flaming red hair," explained Kelly as she fanned herself with her hand, pretending to swoon. "He is a hot one." Hermione started to laugh and looked at Ginny who was also laughing.

"That's Charlie," Hermione told the swooning receptionist. Kelly's mouth fell open and her eyes snapped wide open. She looked like a stunned fish out of water which caused Hermione and Ginny to laugh even harder.

"That's the father of your baby?" Kelly said rather loudly as Hermione wiped a tear or mirth away from her eye. Hermione nodded and Kelly seemed to squeak with apparently glee.

"Are you two dating?"

"No we're just friends," Hermione said, still with a light chuckle in her voice. "Can I flirt with him please?" Kelly asked, putting her hands together in a begging fashion.

"Sure I can't stop you," Hermione stated as she started to put away her paper work. Kelly practically exploded and ran from the office and down the corridor. As the sound of high heels hitting linoleum flooring faded away Ginny glanced at Hermione and smirked.

"Am I the only one who's allowed to walk into your office uninvited?" she asked coyly.

"You and a select few others yes," Hermione said while she organised the files she'd placed her work into. "Who else?" she asked.

"Well there are you, Fred and George," Hermione started but was immediately cut off by Ginny. "Fred and George? Why?"

"When they're inventing something new and it backfires on them they can come directly to my office. They don't want everyone in the ward to see me treating their more personal wounds however if it's something other than personal wounds they have to go through the hospital," Hermione explained as Ginny grimaced and then laughed. "Then the others are Arthur, Molly, Harry and Remus. I think I should add Charlie to that list don't you?" Hermione then added.

"Yeah I think you should. I guess that's a pretty good list as everyone has their reasons for needing to see you privately. Me with the baby, dad with his sciatica, mum with her Arthritis, Harry and his Auror wounds, Fred and George for being careless and Remus for his monthly problem," Ginny mused as Hermione nodded her head in agreement. Just as she finished fixing her files she heard the sound of Kelly's heels approaching the office. Seconds later she entered with Charlie by her side.

"Hello ladies," Charlie said warmly as Kelly continued to gush over him. Charlie went and stood beside Ginny and patted her on the shoulder. "How are my two favourite pregnant ladies doing today?"

"Great, I bought Herms some gifts for her 7 week anniversary," Ginny said proudly as Hermione looked at her in amusement. "You do know I'm not going to celebrate every weeks of my pregnancy," she told her. Ginny stuck her tongue out at the Healer playfully and then stood up.

"Well I must be going I have to visit mum. I'll see you later okay."

"And there I was going to invite you to lunch too sis," Charlie said in mock sadness as Ginny hugged him goodbye and left the office. Hermione sighed happily and then also stood up from her chair.

"Lunch is it?" she asked the Dragon Keeper as Kelly continued to fawn over the brawny Weasley son. Charlie nodded his head and held out his arm for Hermione, "I think you deserve it. Besides I need to discuss something with you."

Hermione ate her potato and leek soup hungrily as Charlie tucked into a club sandwich. They'd gone to a small cafe Hermione knew of in muggle London to eat and have a chat.

"What was it you wanted to talk about?" Hermione asked after a couple of minutes of silent eating. As she broke a bit of bread roll, Charlie swallowed his mouth full and rested his arms on the table.

"I've had a thought," he said confidently as Hermione dipped bread into her soup. The Healer remained silent and waited for him to continue on.

"While I'm here in England I was thinking that, and feel free to say no, we should live together," the Dragon Keeper said forwardly. Hermione nearly choked on her bread but managed to control herself.

"Excuse me?" she asked holding back a choke that was burning in her chest. Charlie took a deep breath and started to explain. "I was just thinking that it would only be right for an expecting mother and father to live together. It would let us get to know each other a whole lot better and I would be able to be there for you when you got home from work. I'd be able to have your dinner ready for you, the house work completed, the cats fed, whatever you wanted me to do for you. We are friends and having a baby together so why not be roommates as well?"

Hermione thought for a moment or two and then looked Charlie directly in his eyes which were shimmering with excitement. "Are you sure that's what you want to do?" she asked slowly and carefully. It would be great to have someone else in the flat she thought and who better to have than the father of her unborn baby. Charlie was right in saying that it would give them a chance to get to know each other better as they only had limited knowledge of each other. She also thought that it would be nice to have dinner waiting for her when she got home at night. Now that the hospital knew she was pregnant she was getting home at more reasonable hours and sometimes she found it a bother having to think about what she should cook for herself.

"I'm positive and if you're okay with it I could move in tomorrow." After another moment of thought Hermione made up her mind.

"Okay then we're going to live together."

A/N: Dry or not? Meh I have a nagging feeling that it's dry :( Oh and sorry if I ever use any slang during a chapter, I always get a nagging feeling that I write the way I speak sometimes and well...if you're not from Northern Ireland or live in GB you may not understand what I've written and think I'm a crazy person o.O...AHH I hate nagging feelings!!! REVIEW and tell me all xxxx