Disclaimer: If you recognize anything, it belongs to someone else. I'm sure you're sick of hearing this, but here goes anyway: I own nothing.

Summary: Harry and Hermione are in love, engaged and ready for action. They've made it past their personal troubles, but what does life have in store for them once they leave school?

A/N: Hello everyone!! Thanks for all the reviews; you guys are great!! Back to the point - The eighth and final chapter!!

~*~*~*~ A New Beginning ~*~*~*~

"I'm just going to . . . yeah, neither of you are listening." Ron ducked quickly out of the kitchen to give his friends some privacy. His friends never so much as turned their heads; in fact, Harry never even took his eyes off Hermione, but with every second she struggled to find words his eyes grew wider and wider. He was sure he was seconds away from bursting a blood vessel. Was he about to lose her . . . again?

"Honey . . . I'm pregnant." A stunned silence followed this news, but only until Harry broke into a huge grin and drew Hermione into his arms.

"That's wonderful!! Oh Hermione, darling, that's amazing!!" Harry lifted Hermione up and spun her around in a circle. But, realizing something was wrong, he put her down. "You seem . . . upset. Do you not want a baby?" Harry looked uneasily at Hermione's blank face.

"No . . ." Harry's eyebrows shot up unintentionally. "No, honey, not no I don't want a baby. That's not what I meant. I just don't know what to do with this; I just can't figure out where to file this away. I thought that after Lily we'd have our next baby once we were already married. I didn't expect this; I didn't plan this." Hermione's voice shook slightly as she spoke of her uncertainties; Harry pulled her into his arms once again and sighed deeply. He knew that Hermione loved plans and order. Honestly, he was relived that it was only the shock of the news, not the news itself that Hermione objected to.

"I know we didn't plan this, but we can't plan everything. No one can," Harry could tell Hermione had raised her eyebrows, although he could see. "Even you." He added.

"I know." Hermione rested her head on Harry's shoulder and repeated once again, "I know."

"If you want to wait, we can wait. I mean we don't have to have this baby. We'll do whatever you want to do." Hermione paused before answering.

"I want to have the baby; I could never give up our baby. It just . . . took me by surprise. You're so supportive." Hermione tilted her head upward and kissed her fiancé. "I love you, Harry."

"I love you too."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Hey, honey. How was work?" Ron whispered to Lavender as she walked into the living room.

"Good. I found the location of an illegal Polyjuice Brothel and I think I might get a promotion!" Lavender whispered back happily.

"A Polyjuice Brothel?" Ron said incredulously.

"You know, you bring the hair of someone you like . . . the whole thing is very disgusting. Why are we whispering?" Lavender asked.

"Hermione just got back from the hospital. She and Harry are having a private moment in the kitchen."

"She's pregnant, isn't she?" Lavender asked, never raising her voice above a whisper.

"I don't know, I haven't been listening." Ron lied.

"I see the Extendable Ear, honey." Lavender laughed, her eyes darting from her boyfriend's bright red ears to the thin flesh colored string leading away from Ron's chair. Ron suppressed what would have been a loud burst of laughter.

"Right, she's pregnant. Again." Ron affirmed.

"I thought so. Are they keeping the baby?"

"That seems to be the conclusion. They haven't said anything for a while." Ron paused to listen to the Extendable Ear. "God knows what they're doing."

Lavender crooked one eyebrow and looked suggestively at Ron. "Yes, I suppose they could be doing that." Ron responded.

"Good. Not they they're, you know; It's good that they are keeping it. I was a little worried." Lavender confessed.

"You knew she was pregnant?"

"No, I just guessed." Lavender tossed her briefcase onto the coffee table and squeezed into the red overstuffed chair next to Ron. Ron did a first- date-fake-yawn and put his arm around her shoulder.

"Did you have a good day at the B&B?" Lavender asked, resting her head on Ron's shoulder.

"Slow, but good."

"Slow? All the rooms are booked!"

"Yeah, but there aren't any kids staying here so my job has been pretty minimal lately. But I played Quiddich alone anyway." Ron added with a laugh.

"My grown-up boyfriend, ladies and gentleman." Lavender giggled, leaning in to kiss Ron. Just as things started to heat up between them, Harry and Hermione walked into the room hand in hand.

"Hello, everyone!" Hermione said cheerily.

"Did the appointment go well?" Lavender asked, wearing a huge fake grin.

"We saw the ear, luv." Hermione said.

"So you're having a baby, then? Great news!!" Ron said as if he had just heard, causing his three friends to laugh.

"So, what are you going to do about timing?" Lavender asked.

"We were thinking we'd have it in seven months." Harry said seriously. "Nine months total for a pregnancy seems good."

"Ha ha." Lavender said sarcastically. "You know what I mean. Are you waiting until after the baby for the wedding?" Hermione and Harry exchanged a look.

"We haven't really talked about it yet." Hermione said earnestly. "But I was thinking we'd move the wedding forward a bit. I want to get married before I start to show."

"So within the next three months?" Lavender looked uncertain. "That might be hard to pull off, Mione."

"We'll hire a wedding planner. We can do it!" Harry said, forever standing up for Hermione.

"So that's okay with you? It's sooner than we'd planned." Hermione still looked uncertain, so Harry pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead.

"Honey, the most important thing to me is that we get married. We can do it wherever and whenever you please, before or after the baby, just as long as we can become husband and wife." Hermione smiled widely.

"Quite a find, there, luv." Lavender said, impressed. Ron shot her an insulted look. "Not as good as you, honey." She hastened to add.

Hermione smiled; Lavender was right. Harry was quite a find and she couldn't be happier to have found him. She knew that they would face more problems and surprises in the future, but she knew just as certainly that they could face anything together.

~*~*~ THE END ~*~*~

A/N: That's it, everyone!!!! I hope everyone liked the story!! I'm thinking about a third installment to the series, but I haven't finalized any plans yet. If I do write one, it will be after I finish Together Again (another fic I'm writing - check it out!). Please please please please leave reviews about what you think of the story and if you think I write a third installment. THNAKS FOR READING!!!!