The Plan

Disclaimer: Not enough talent for it to be mine.

Chapter 6

Sitting at a restaurant table, pushing broccoli (which Ron was making her eat) around her plate in the hopes that it would eventually look more appetising, Hermione listened to her fiancée. Ron himself didn't seem to realise that she hadn't paid him any attention since he had launched in to an intricate explanation about fixing the roof of The Hovel and so continued to talk heedlessly.

Hermione was pondering her life. She had just gone twenty-three, gotten engaged and was almost four months pregnant, putting on weight faster than you could say Hogwarts : A History, with no idea how she was supposed to have a career and raise a family. And even though she'd read a few books, (the whole section at the library) she still didn't understand what was going on with her body. It kept changing on her and growing. She was lost and confused, and Hermione Granger, Head Girl of her Hogwarts year did not like being confused.

And Ron didn't understand, how could he? He just gave her a peculiar look and pointed out that she was pregnant. What she needed was someone to talk to, someone to give her a bit of advice. And the answer was obvious - Mrs Weasley. Who else was so well versed in pregnancy?

Last night she'd had a brief conversation with her own mother, while Ron had been interrogated by her father in another room, and Hermione had discovered that being a pregnant witch was a bit different to being a pregnant muggle. Muggles generally didn't cause strange things to happen when they were pregnant. For example, last week had been extremely busy at work with all the students returning to Hogwarts and cramming in forgotten homework. She'd been so hungry by the time she'd sat down to lunch, that somehow she'd caused her sandwich to grow three times its normal size. That had caused several funny stares from her peers and Hermione was hoping that none of them worked anything out.

So while the conversation with her mother had been supportive, once she had got over the shock of being a grandmother anyway, it hadn't been enough. Hermione needed to know how to control her magic before she hurt someone. 

But Ron had been very evasive on the subject of telling their friends and family, although she'd drawn the line at not telling her own parents. But then she'd always been able to tell her parents anything, and had to admit the prospect of telling Harry and the Weasleys didn't look quite as attractive.

"…so then Harry decided it would be fun to resurrect Voldemort, you know, for a joke. So Sirius and I decided to put him through a 12-step program for those suffering from tendencies to have Dark Lords chasing them. But you know Harry-"

"What?" Hermione said, jerking back to attention.

"So you are listening then?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh course," she said, blushing.

"So you think it's a good idea then?" he questioned, raising an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Err...yes, it's a great idea…" she stumbled.

"Oh, good, because I've already started making arrangements. How would you feel about next month?" he asked, with a smile.

"As good a time as any," she agreed reluctantly.

"I was thinking something big, lots of flowers and things," he said full out grinning.

"Yeah okay," she said, doing swift memory searches of the last ten minutes in her head.

"Hermione?" he asked, stabbing a roast potato with his folk and waving it at her in a vaguely threatening way.

"Yes?" she asked, eyeing the offending vegetable in such a manner that he sheepishly put his folk down.

"You have no idea what you just agreed to, do you?"

"Well, maybe I'm not a hundred percent certain…" Hermione said in a dignified fashion, which only caused his knowing grin to widen. How did he know her so well? She wondered, her shoulders slumping.

"No worries you only agreed to sign your life to me."

Hermione snorted, she wasn't in the mood for his banter.

"Tired love?" he asked, looking concerned.

"A little," she agreed, "and we need to talk with your family."

"Oh?" Ron visibly paled.

After a few minutes silence, in which Ron looked as if he was doing some fast thinking, Hermione started to get annoyed.

"Ron, I…"

"I want us to get married first."

"What?" she asked slightly startled. He shrugged and looked sheepish.

"Before anything leeks to the press, I don't want them saying horrible things about you. If we're married, there can't be much question on who the father is…"

"And you don't want to risk the press knowing before hand?" she asked in a curious tone.

"Yes," he said looking relieved.

"Then why the bloody hell are we discussing it in the middle of a restaurant?" she shrieked.

He suddenly looked pleased with himself, "I was an Auror you know, I think I can manage a simple silencing spell."

"Oh. Good." Hermione said, feeling somewhat deflated and irritable.

"I think marrying now would be for the best, I…I want to do the right thing."

She let out a long sigh, "I know," she said, massaging the bridge of her nose, "You're a good man Ron."

Hermione hadn't realised the effect these words could bring, and he surprised her by looking straight into eyes with an intense stare, taking her hand between his own.

"I want to be worthy of you Hermione," he said firmly, his eyes shining. She gave him a startled look, he wanted to be worthy of her?

"Ron, you are more than worthy of me," she said firmly. Their eyes locked in a silent argument for what seemed an endless time on who was the worthier, before he extended the olive branch.

"Let's get married in a month; you'll only be five months along. Then we can tell everyone…please love."

He was looking at her so earnestly, his eyes wide with emotion. Her heart warmed and she knew she was going to give in, he had always had an uncanny ability to talk (or occasionally goad) her into things. And, unfortunately, he knew it to.

"Okay," she said, trying to suppress the urge to jump over the table and kiss him senseless.

He grinned boyishly, "Love you."

"Love you to," she answered, wondering what she'd let herself in for.

* * *

Bill Weasley sat reading in the British Library, flicking through a book absently and glancing up every now and then to watch the door. He cursed under his breath for choosing her lunch hour to talk with her. Something was up - he knew it and he wanted to know what it was. His brother had been very evasive with him lately and he looked to have something weighing on his mind. And Ron being a stubborn idiot as usual, flat out refused any help or advice Bill (or Charlie) tried to offer him, continuing to slog his guts out fixing the house, running the shop and incessantly arranging things for the up and coming wedding.

Ron didn't know if Hermione had noticed how stressed out Ron was, seeing that around Hermione his little brother seemed to try to hide it. But Bill had drawn the line when he had found Ron slumped over a book at work, sleeping deeply. And he now had every attention of interrogating his sister to find out what was up and do something about it.

Bill carelessly tossed the book on to the table in front of him, which got him a glare from the witch behind the reception desk. Bill merely smiled at the witch and was gratified to see her flush and look down at her desk quickly. Bill grinned, she was kind of cute, he was just getting up to talk to her when a flushed Hermione stormed past him. Bill was slightly taken back, as she rushed past him obviously upset and angry about something.

"Hermione!" he called and she instinctively spun around to look at him. The doors burst open again and two witches rushed in.

They were the most ridiculously mismatched pair Bill had ever had the displeasure of coming across. One was short and fat with soft brown hair, while the other was tall, blond and so skinny, Bill was amazed she could stand up. The tall blond one had a quick-quill and parchment floating next to her, while her companion stood with a camera in her hand.

"Miss Granger, how do you feel about marrying into such a big family? Are they accepting of your muggle parent's?" asked the blond, rushing toward Hermione who backed away.

"My business is no bodies concern but mine," she grated threateningly.

"Miss Granger, the wizarding world has a right to know-" she began.

"If you don't leave this library right now, I'll personally throw both of you out," Bill said striding to stand beside Hermione, who looked up at him gratefully. The blond witch gave him a long assessing look, drawing her lips into a thin line, which Bill thought made her look like a dried up  prune.

"You can't do that, this is a public library," she said smiling nastily.

"Yes, and I'm a member of the public. I don't want you in here disturbing the peace," he replied pointing to sign that read 'Quiet Please.'

The blond witch pointedly ignored him and turned to address Hermione, who looked ready to kill.

"Get out!" Hermione yelled, pointing towards the door. The blond witch looked only slightly taken back, as her companion's camera gave a sudden flash.

"Are you having an affair with Harry Potter?" the witch continued.

"Out," said a new voice. The witch from behind the desk joined the fray, as Bill put a restraining arm around Hermione who was getting out her wand. "If you do not remove yourselves from this library right now I will personally see to it that you never use the information records here ever again!"

"You can't do that!" said the blond witch.

"Try me," grated the witch.

The blond witch made an indignant noise and turned towards the exit, all the while the shorter witch flashed her camera as she followed her out.

Bill smiled at the library witch, and decided that he would definitely have to pursue her in the future. The witch blushed at his smile, gave him a quick nod of her head and rushed away between the rows of books. Hermione pushed Bill's hand away and stomped towards an elevator. Bill caught up with her in a few easy strides, and they stood in silence as the elevator moved up through the library. Bill didn't think his life was worth asking her if she was okay, so he remained dutifully silent.

They finally arrived at an office at the back of the second and a half floor, and Hermione slammed open the door, throwing her bag on to a table piled high with open books.

"This place is a mess!" she fumed, as she attempted to pull a chair out for Bill.

Bill shut the door quietly behind him, as books suddenly started throwing themselves on to shelves and files straightened, all with out the help of a wand. Bill looked impressed, but at the look of surprise on Hermione's face he realised that this wasn't a normal feat by her office equipment.

Hermione sat down with a thump into her chair, "Not again."

"How did that happen?" asked Bill, taking a seat in a newly emptied chair.

"Err, magic."

Bill could see that Hermione was just as stressed out as Ron, as she sat taking calming breathes in her chair.

"Hermione, what is going on?" he questioned.

"Sorry?" she asked innocently.

"As your soon to be brother-in-law, I'm asking what is wrong. Let me help, you and Ron look as if your ready to explode with stress and I don't think it has anything to do with weddings."

"Ron is stressed out?" she asked, looking concerned and thoughtful.

"Yes, he's been running around like something possessed the past month," he said warmly.

"I didn't know that," she said quietly.

"Can I help?" he asked gazing at her steadily.

"Not really, we've just got a lot on at the moment, what with houses, work and moving into the Burrow…I guess we're just a bit overworked," she said casually, but Bill thought he heard a slight quiver in her voice.

Bill crossed his arms, and sank in to the chair. He had no intention of leaving until he had the answers he wanted. He was just going to voice this, when a stack of neatly piled books on her desk caught his interest. The top one depicted a small baby and the title caused him to gape.

"What?" she asked nervously.

He pointed to the copy of 'Magical Mothers' and her eyes widened.

"Erm, well you see…"

"That's why you need the house finished," he stated numbly, shocked even. This was not what he had expected.

"Please don't tell anyone!" she said clearly agitated, "Ron doesn't want anyone to know…I promised him!"

"Hermione!" he said to calm her, "I won't tell anyone."

"You won't?" she asked clearly relieved.

"No, the great prat, no wonder he's got himself all worked up," he said fondly.

He sat their trying to process that Ron, his youngest brother was going to be settled with a family. And he was going to be an Uncle. Uncle Bill.

Hermione stood up and opened a cabinet, pulling out a bottle of whisky and two glasses. She handed him a glass and he swallowed it, holding it up for her to refill. She looked at him in surprise and handed him the bottle.

She finished her own drink and sat down again.

"Should you be drinking…" he started, but stopped at the look she gave him, "Right."

"Ron is going to kill me."

"Just tell him I forced it out of you."

"Well then, Ron is going to seriously maim you."

"I can take him."

Hermione gave him an amused look and he smiled.

"So," he said conversationally, "What's the name of that witch at reception?"

Author's note:

Thanks for reviews! I hope there are aren't too many error's in this chapter. I'm a bit fried from exams.

Hope this chapter was up to scratch! Next chapter is the wedding…so keep tuned.

BOOK 5!?!?! Yay!

Potty for Potter: Glad you liked Gred and Forge, their humour is my favourite. I look forward to writing them at the wedding. As soon as I can I'll read your other fics!

Death the second endless: I'm truly honoured! Let me know when you post! Wow, for me? *Abforth blushes*

Cozmoz: thank you for your continued support! I'm glad you liked the thing swimming in the toilet, it was a sudden inspiration when I was washing the dishes. :o)

JustMe: Did it taste nice? :o)