Chapter Seventeen
When Hermione arrived at the Ministry building, camera at the ready, she was directed straight to Justin Finch-Fletchley's office. To her immense relief it was empty; according to his secretary he had just popped out for a minute.
Taking this chance to gather her thoughts, Hermione began to set up, her back facing the door. A couple of minutes later, just as she was checking the light levels, there was a soft 'click' as the door was pushed open. 'Please don't be him, please don't be him,' Hermione found herself wishing.
"Good morning, Hermione." It was him. Hermione would have recognised those clipped, home counties tones anywhere.
"Good morning." Hermione's reply was stiff and forced. She turned around to face him, and couldn't help but notice the way his face dropped.
"So you really are pregnant." He was speechless.
"Have you been living under a rock for the last month?" Hermione asked. After all, she was married to Harry Potter, who was undoubtedly one of the most famous Wizards in the world.
"Well, I tend to avoid newspapers. Journalists tend to talk a load of rubbish and I..." He trailed off when he noticed the death-glare Hermione was sending in his direction, "...think I should shut up now."
"Good idea," Hermione agreed. "Sit behind your desk - I think that'll be a good place to start." Looking slightly confused (as he had often done at Hogwarts), Justin obeyed, and Hermione picked up one of her cameras and began taking some pictures.
"So... how is Harry?"
'He's making small talk? He's acting like we've never met before.' When they had been at Hogwarts, Justin would have been bugging Hermione to go out with him "just once". Now, however, he was completely different. Almost... nervous.
"He's fine. Still completely obsessive of me, but fine nonetheless. Tilt your chin to the left; I'm getting a shadow." There was an awkward silence broken only by the sound of the shutter on Hermione's camera.
She lowered the camera after a minute, casting a confused look in his direction. "What's the matter?" she demanded.
"N-nothing," he stammered. She continued to stare at him. He frowned, not meeting her eyes. "Well, I, just don't know how to act. I mean, things are so different from how they used to be. You're different."
Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Different? How?" she asked curiously. Justin took a deep breath, obviously bracing himself for a bad response to what he was going to say.
"You're so... I don't know... commanding and straightforward. The old Hermione would have been talking to me non-stop about politics. I seem to remember the old Hermione wanting to be a lawyer. Now you're a journalist. I thought you despised journalists."
The old Hermione. Ah. So that was it. "Is it a bad change?" she asked.
"I'm not sure," came the reply.
Later, when she was at home, Hermione reflected on that conversation. She supposed he was right. She had changed. She had wanted to be a lawyer. She had been working at a bookshop. And then it had happened.
She spoke angrily at the ceiling, as though they could hear her. "Why did you have to go?" she demanded. "I needed you! I didn't even get to say goodbye."
Feeling tears begin to form, Hermione stood angrily, and stormed into the living room. On the mantelpiece stood several photographs, but it was one in particular that she was looking at.
Two people stared back at her, smiling and waving for their daughter. It was a Wizarding photograph of Hermione's parents that she had taken about a month before the accident. Angrily, she slammed it face down, not wishing to look at them. One owl had changed her life. A single owl telling her they had died had changed her.
"Hermione?" Harry sounded anxious, worried about her.
Hermione said nothing, her back to him. She slowly turned around, looking up at Harry with round eyes. "I miss them, Harry," she whispered, as he took her in his arms. He kissed the top of her head as she sobbed into his shoulder.
"Have you found one yet?" Padma interrupted Draco's train of thought, which had been something alone the lines of 'jeans or shirts? Jeans or shirts?'. He was debating which advertising campaign to do next. After the underwear shoot (which, he had to admit to being reluctant to do), he had received many offers from companies who wanted him to advertise their products.
He lowered his copy of the Daily Prophet and peered at her over the top of it. She was stood in front of him, her hands on her hips. She was wearing old clothes she used for Quidditch practise and her reading glasses were slightly askew on her nose.
"Found a what?"
She glared at him, obviously not happy about something. "A best man. The wedding is in exactly three months." She pointed at the calendar. Padma was right. It was the twentieth of February.
Three moths. That was a lot closer than Draco had thought it was. He paled slightly. "Oh. Well, not yet. I mean..."
"You mean you haven't been bothered to find anyone." Padma was furious. "I don't know why I even bother!"
"Padma?" asked Draco uncertainly, but she wasn't paying him any heed.
"You're obviously not interested in this wedding, Draco, so I don't know why we're bothering."
"What?"
"Actually, I have an idea. Let's not."
"Let's not what?" Draco was confused by now, as anyone would have been.
"Get married. You're not interested. I'm having a nervous breakdown trying to co-ordinate the bloody thing. I quit!"
"What? Quit what?"
She calmly removed her glasses, placing them in her pocket. "Us." She picked up her cloak from the chair next to Draco and Disapparated.
Draco's mind was reeling. 'Did she just split up with me?' It certainly seemed that way.
Hermione was still half-asleep when Ginny's face appeared in the kitchen hearth. Harry had to talk to the redhead, even though he was just about to head off for Quidditch practise.
Ginny looked troubled. "Is Hermione there?" she asked nervously. Harry cast a glance over at Hermione. She was pouring herself a cup of strong coffee. She hadn't slept well the previous night, as Harry could testify. She had kept him awake as well before he finally dropped off at around three in the morning.
At just over four months into her pregnancy, the baby had started to move, and seemed to be particularly active at night.
Hermione took a sip of her coffee and nodded.
"Yes, she's here," Harry told the younger girl.
"Can I speak to her?"
"Sure." Hermione took Harry's place in front of the fire.
"What's the matter, Gin?"
She looked strangely pale, even in the flickering gold's and reds of the fire. "Are you busy today?"
Hermione bit her lip. Actually she did have plans for the day, but one look at Ginny's trouble expression told her they were going to have to wait. "No," she said resignedly.
"Can I come round?" Hermione nodded. Ginny looked relieved at this. "Good. I'll see you in a few minutes."
Her face disappeared from the flames, prompting a question from Harry. "Is she all right?"
Hermione shrugged. "I don't know." She glanced at the clock on the wall. "Shouldn't you be going now?" Harry frowned, then nodded.
"I'll see you later," he promised, before pressing his lips to hers in a lingering kiss. He grinned at her then Disapparated.
When Ginny arrived a few minutes later, Hermione had managed to change into some reasonable day clothes, rather than the pyjamas she had been wearing before. She was just securing her hair into a low ponytail when Ginny Apparated into the kitchen.
She appeared to be even more distressed now than when Hermione had spoken to her in the fireplace. Hermione led her into the living room, and the two sat opposite each other. After a moment Ginny finally spoke. "I have a problem."
"Anything I can help with?"
"I dunno. Maybe." She paused. "I'm late."
It took a second for this to register with Hermione, then another second for the full implication of this to make impact. "Oh. Have you spoken about this with Seamus?"
"No! You're the first person I've spoken to." She bit her lip, staring at the carpet. "I don't know what to do." Ginny paused. "If I am... pregnant, then I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm too young to settle down and have a family."
Hermione cleared her throat, and Ginny blushed, realising what she had said. "I didn't mean that you're too young. I mean, this is you and Harry. You've been friends since you were eleven and you were practically married when we were still at Hogwarts."
Hermione grinned. "What about you and Seamus? You're in a pretty solid relationship."
The redhead shrugged. "I suppose. But I don't want to have children yet. I only left Hogwarts last July. I have time to do the marriage and children thing. Eva has just signed a deal with a publisher that means we are both going to be very rich and Seamus has..." she trailed off.
Her friend raised a curious eyebrow, but then decided not to pursue the subject further. "Have you done a test yet?"
Ginny shook her head. She fiddled with a button on her robes. "No."
"Why not?"
She licked her lips. "Because I might be disappointed."
There was a silence between the two of them, seemingly waiting for Hermione to say something. "Do you want children, Ginny?"
"Of course," came the earnest reply. "It's in my blood, I suppose." Ginny stopped. "I just don't know if I want them yet."
A/N: Whew. Yet more twists and turns in the world of 'Happily Ever After?'. Will life ever be normal for them all? I seriously doubt it. The good news is that during my writers block I made up a plan for the rest of the story and exactly what was going to be in each of the remaining chapters. The bad news is that I lost it. Ah well, I'm sure I'll find it eventually.
Here's a thanks section for Chapter Sixteen:
cheap-barbie - Trust me, you don't need to describe the Union Jack to me (or the St. George's Cross!). I am English, and proud of it! :) I think I just used navy as a third colour. Anyway, I think the England football team have navy as part of one of their strips - red shirts navy shorts if I remember correctly. I'm not really a big sports fan.
goldenrain#1 - Thanx. Like I said. I had a plan of everything I need to write, but I lost it. I am not happy about that, trust me.
Mushroom - Thanx for the recommendations.
Hermione2003Potter - No, no twins (though I'm not denying that it could happen in the future). I have the sex of the baby already decided, as well as the name. I'm still deciding on a middle name, though.
Missy58 - I enjoy writing these fics, and I'm very glad you enjoy them. I'll be sure to check out that sage you recommended. :)
bookworm4ever - I hope you weren't too disappointed by the Hermione/Justin meeting. I'm not entirely happy with it myself, actually.
Amanda - Thanx!
SilverTears13*- I'm writing as fast as I can!
Sonata - No, trust me, it was just bad English. I could probably have found a better way to phrase that.
Nadako-Mika - When I start writing, I just can't stop! That's why I'm so fast at times and slow at others.
Noodlejelly - The baby will be coming in a few chapters. Poor you - I hope the re-writing is going okay. And yes, Remus is still available.
Oliverwoodschic - I think Ron is always going to be protective of Ginny - she's his ickle sister and he cares a lot about her.
lust4luv - Thanx!
Andrea - Thanx - here's more for you to read.
Blunder - I'm trying to keep up the good work.
EaRtHaNgEl831 - I hope this is all right for you!
Opaque - I would love to be an author. I have all these ideas for beginnings of novels, but I can never seem to think of an ending.
Harry+Hermione r 4eva- He didn't. I hope you're happy.
Hikari47 - Thanx!
harrypotterfan - I have the name picked out, but you're not going to find out until it's actually born.
Jenny- Finished? Nope. There's still a few to go. If I remember correctly from my plan there's about five. But that'll probably change if I don't find it.
Gryffindor Quidditch Angel - I've thought about that, but that would mean the baby would be two months early. Hmm... I've yet to decide. Anyway, at the moment it looks as though there's not going to be a wedding...
Usotsuki - Yes, and Hufflepuff's are very trustworthy.
Viwiel - Thanx!
mor - I'm writing as fast as the ideas are coming!
Pussy Wagon - Thanx!
sugar-n-spice - Nope, I admit it. I couldn't resist having him model undwear.
Invisblegrl - I know what you mean. Trying to get these chapters so that I like them is very difficult. There are some chapters from my fics that I absolutely abhore.
aaliyah-potter - Thanx!
Hannah Abby - Hope you liked the Herm/Justin thing. It's probably not what people were expecting... but then again, I like to do the unexpected.
Heaven - Glad you like my H/Hr moments. I've read your fic and I think it's good. Keep writing!