times are changing

Sum: Life after Hogwarts. G/D, G/N, C/N, R/L, R/La, H/Hr, and a few more.

Chapter One

"It's beautiful, Harry," breathed Hermione.
"Both," Ron added.
"That's why I'm giving you Grimmauld Place, Ron," Harry grinned, "cause I'm not going to need TWO lovely houses."
Ron's eyes widened.
"Just think, Ronniekins, you can share it with Lavender or Luna," Ginny teased. Ron's ears flushed bright red.
"No, I'm fine with Billy here," Lavender replied, pinching Billy's cheek.
It was a month after Hogwarts, and already Ron and Hermione broke up, Harry and Hermione were together, Ron and Luna were together, and Ginny was on the hunt for a new boyfriend. And Lavender and Billy might have gone on a date that Saturday if Ron hadn't said it was going to rain. Hard. And Ron was a skilled Seer.
"Well, time to move in," Harry said. Lavender clapped her hands ("I have a special talent for this kind of thing! Can I help design the house, Harry? I'll leave room for 'Mione," she'd teased)
"Not yet, Lav, none of us are getting married anytime soon," Billy joked.
Lavender stuck her tongue out. "I MEANT," she said, "that they could be roommates. They practically were last year, being Head Boy and Girl. And wouldn't that be so sweet? Hermie and Harry," Lavender cooed.
Everyone laughed, even the slightly tense Hermione and Harry.
Lavender and Ginny and Luna especially started cracking up when they heard Ron mutter in his sleep, "Harry and Hermione, sitting in a tree..."

Four Months Later

"My cousin in the US is celebrating Thanksgiving, and I'm sitting here at a wedding," groaned Hermione. She was wearing particularly thick clothes because she didn't do so well with cold temperatures. She wasn't in a good mood when she was chilly.
"It's one of your best friend's weddings, though!" exclaimed Lavender, laughing.
"Yes, well, another one of them got married two months ago, I'm getting married, you're getting married--remember what Billy said back in June?" Hermione replied sourly.
"Tut, tut...someone's getting cross," Ginny sang in singsong. She was the one who'd gotten married, to Neville Longbottom, but they were already having a rocky relationship.
Hermione swiped at Ginny's vibrant red hair, now at its winter thickness. Ginny started whining senseless things until Ron told her to shut it: "You ruined the cake-cutting at your best friend's and brother's wedding! HOW COULD YOU?"
Hermione shook her head, and wore an exasperated expression. "Ron, do you understand how feminine you sound?"
"Huh?" Ron seemed a bit bewildered.
"In other words, GIRLY?" Harry teased back.
"OOF! That hurt!" Ginny cried loudly, giggling. Neville looked at her strangely.
"I think you've had enough to drink, Gin," he said, taking her goblet away.
"Neville," said Ginny patiently and in an annoyed way, "that's grape juice."
Everybody was snorting as they tried to hold back their laughter, Neville's face screwed up, trying to think of something to say.
"No--no, that's exactly what I--grape juice really--ah--I---"
"Right, Longbottom." Ginny rolled her eyes and stalked away. Hermione and Luna sensed danger.

"Ginny, Ginny what's up?" Luna asked casually, as she walked into the room. Ginny was bent over, crying into her hands.
"Neville didn't even realize...he didn't even let me say...I'm having a baby in about four months!!"
Hermione and Luna were swept away. "Oh gosh! That stupid thing..." Luna cursed Neville.
"Everything okay in here?" asked Lavender, stepping in. Curious whispers came from behind the door.
"Lav..." Luna told her the news. Lavender rolled her eyes. Hermione tried to console Ginny.
"Ginny, you and Neville need to talk. If your relationship is so on the rocks like this, then you may need to call it quits.

"Sorry, Ginny...guess I should've listened to you."
"Neville...Hermione's right. After I--after I have the baby, we should get a divorce. I mean, you could probably marry Cho, and...I'll find someone, or just be single..."
"Ginny, who gets custody?" Neville asked.
Ginny stared down at her feet. She was hardly an adult, she turned eighteen on her wedding day. Neville was almost twenty. "You should. I'm still a teenager."
As they worked things out over the next few hours, they came to a conclusion: after Ginny had the baby, she would give him or her to Neville and he would probably marry Cho and they would tell the baby that Cho was his or her mother, when he or she grew up. Ginny could go and find someone else and wouldn't have to deal with a baby until she was ready.
"And we will NOT let him or her know that his real mother is me," concluded Ginny, tears in her eyes. Her firstborn would never know her.
"Ginny...I'm sorry it had to be this way...I'm so sorry. But things will be better this way. I promise."
Ginny hugged him. "I know. L-love you..."
"Me too, Gin. And sorry about the...the..."
They started laughing.
"Scenario."

It was Harry's and Hermione's wedding. Ginny had had the baby, which was a boy named Scott Frank Longbottom, and Neville and Cho took him in. Luna was expecting triplets, and Lavender and Billy were about to be married. Things finally seemed to be settling down in their lives. The wedding was wonderful, especially since everyone could have a good time, their minds at ease. Ron and Luna of course forgave Ginny and Neville for their disastrous reception, but Ron still never forgave Hermione for the ruining at the cake cutting, until her own. Harry and Hermione were just about to kiss, when suddenly a piece of enchanted cherry pie whizzed through the air and hit them like a Bludger, the impact making them fall down mid-kiss.
Hermione knew exactly what had happened. "RONALD BILIUS WEASLEY, YOU ARE TAKING THE STAIN OUT OF THIS DRESS--NO MAGIC ALLOWED, AND NO DRY CLEANING!"
Ron groaned, then grinned, and everybody laughed.
"Ron, you don't have to get the pie stain off my tux," Harry replied, looking quite innocent.
"Oh, thanks mate," thanked a relieved Ron, forgetting one minor detail...
"Only cause it's yours." Ron clapped his hand to his hand, and there was an outburst of hushed snickers.
Luna shook her head and kissed him. "You are an idiot. But I love you anyway," she said, staring into his eyes.

Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Neville finally finished Auror training in June of that year, after Luna gave birth to triplets--two boys, Nicholas and Christopher, and a girl, Sarah. Hermione got a job as Defense Against the Dark Arts training after two full years of training from her husband. Nope, life was good, and they were only settling into it.

"Harry! Wake up, honey," rang Hermione's cheerful voice. Harry groaned and rolled over. Hermione knew better. She took out a pitcher of water. "Here comes the water..." Harry instantly jerked upright and got out of bed. Hermione, satisfied, Disapparated downstairs and finished breakfast.
"Here. Today's your second day of work and my first, so we have to be extra bright and cheerful. Do you hear that? BRIGHT AND CHEERFUL!" she yelled the last three words. Harry laughed and grabbed some toast and a covered container of coffee.
"Nope. You aren't leaving without any bacon," Hermione singsang.
"Well, you're in a Mrs. Weasley mood today," grumbled Harry grumpily.
Hermione laughed a little. "Cranky! Take your bacon."
"Not hungry."
"You need it."
"Not hungry."
"Please?"
"Not hungry!" whined Harry. Hermione was pushing it, and she knew it.
"PLEASE?" Hermione put on her pitiful puppy dog eyes.
Harry groaned and smiled, eating the bacon. "And I didn't give in cause of your begging," Harry teased.
"Bye bye. Have a good second day!" Hermione replied nonchalantly, giving him a quick kiss. Harry smiled and sipped his coffee. He was awake now.
"You too, but first, not second," he replied, kissing her back. They both Disapparated, each making a small pop!

"Hey, Harry," Ron greeted his friend, who just popped into the office.
"Hey Ron. Any memos?" Harry asked, yawning hugely.
"Let me check the "in" box," Ron replied. He did so, and all he received was a note saying that their lunch hour was now a lunch three-quarters-of-an-hour.
"Shoot. I shouldn't have finished my lunch so quick yesterday. Sorry, mate," Ron grinned.
"It's okay. God, Mione was in so cheery this morning."
"Really? Well, that's Hermione for you. She was probably excited about going 'back to school'." Ron laughed at his own joke. Harry chuckled. He was probably right. Hermione was probably bouncing right now, in her office.
"I'm going to write to her, she wanted a few owls," Harry said. Ron nodded and waved, which was the signal for "I'll cover if anything pops up for you in the next ten minutes or so."
Dear Hermione,
I'm at the office right now. You're probably so excited. Sorry I wasn't properly awake this morning, I'm not used to getting up so early. After all, Auror school starts at nine, and work starts at six thirty. Wish I could've given you a better good-bye.
Good luck with your new "students". I hope they're controllable...opposites of Fred and George might be nice.
--Harry

Just then, a message flew in from Hermione.

Dearest Harry--
I'm pregnant. Come and see me.
Love, Mione.