A/N: Yeah, yeah, yeah, text and tenses, you know the drill. This Capter is dedicated to Amelie Rae Lanhoss because she rocks and reviews everything I do. Go read her story, "Eulogizing Memoirs". It's so good you won't be able to stop. I laughed, I cried, I danced for joy. It's really good, go read! But first read this one. I don't want to lose you to my own advertising.

 "Worlds Apart"

Chapter 4
Ron's Reaction

Ron stands stock still in the doorway to his bedroom. Did he just hear what he thought he heard? Did he hear his mother and Hermione talking about how she is going to have a baby? A million thoughts race through Ron's head ranging from 'Oh Shit' to 'It can't be true,' to 'I can't be a father!' After what seems like forever Mrs. Wealsley finally speaks. "Ron, honey, how much did you hear exactly?"

Ron stands for another few moments and finally mumbles "Enough," just before he collapses to the floor.

While he is sleeping he has a dream, more a nightmare really. He is back at school, carrying a baby to Potions class. During class the baby cries and he loses 2,000 points for Gryffindor because Snape has to put a silencing charm on it. Then, the dream flashes to graduation. They have just called his name to receive his diploma. As he walks forward he hears a bloodcurdling scream. He has to turn around and check on his child while everyone stares at him. Then he sees himself 22, unemployed, living off money Fred and George lend him from their joke shop. He is in a room at the Hog's Head with Hermione, who is trying to calm the screaming toddler. She is unemployed too. He looks at her sorrowful, yet hardened face and thinks to himself, 'I destroyed three lives by making one stupid decision, mine, Hermione's, and this child's.'

Suddenly Ron awakens. Hermione and Molly were standing over him. "Are you Okay, honey?" Hermione asks.

'Hell No!' Ron thinks. 'How could I be Okay? I'm gonna be 16 with a baby! We ruined our lives.' But the only thing he says is "I'm fine." He gets up with much difficulty and slinks out of the room. "Don't follow me," he adds. "I need time." With that he heads down the stairs.

He hits the step on which he stood when he first told his parents about he and Hermione and a tear falls from his eye. "I ruined our lives," he whispers. He continues down the stairs and exits into the family room. There he stands and stares at the couch. 'This is where we shared our first kiss,' he thinks. 'If I would've known...,' but his thought trails off. There is no way he could've known. And now, because of one simple mistake he will have to face a lifetime of shame, and mediocrity. No one has ever had a baby while still in Hogwarts. How will his classmates look at he and Hermione? How will the professors take it? 'There's no way in hell that we can have this baby,' He thinks to himself. 'No way in hell.'

He continues outside and sits down in the field where he and his brother's always practiced Quidditch as children. He looks at his surrounding and down on the Burrow, its roof slanting dangerously and the top half of the house swaying in the light breeze 'There goes the rest of my childhood,' he thinks as he sits there recalling the many times Fred and George had beaten bludgers toward his nose and shouted "Be careful Ickle Ronniekins! You'll break your little nosie!" He sits and cries for what seems like hours. The fear of the absolute finality of a child on his life closes fully around him and for the first time in his life Ron Weasley felt utterly and hopelessly alone.

THREE HOURS LATER

Hermione had paced the house ever since she heard Ron walk outside. 'I couldn't have expected any other reaction but that,' she thinks to herself. 'What did you think Hermione? He would be perfectly fine with it and embrace the idea of a child? You can't even do that yourself!'

"MOLLY!" she screams and Mrs. Weasley comes running into the room.

"What is it dear?" Mrs. Weasley asks sweetly.

"I can't take this anymore! I need to go see Ron."

"You're right dear," Molly replies. "It is time."

With that said they march up the hill to the clearing where Ron still sits, speechless. He hears the footsteps behind him but does nothing to run away. His mother is right behind him now, he can feel it.

"Ron, you've got to talk now, it's been three hours, tell us how you feel." But Ron feels that didn't even deserve an answer. "It's obvious isn't it?" he finally says.

"True," Molly replies. "But you must say something." Then Hermione steps in.

"Ron, I know this is a shock, but we can get through this! A baby should be nothing compared to what happened in the Department of Mysteries! Compared to that we should have an okay time with this! I mean, your Mom's going to help us out a lot; my parents are, surprisingly, okay with the whole thing and want to help too. Hell' I'm sure even Harry will help us while we're at school. We'll be f-"

"You're not keeping it," Ron blurts out.

"WHAT!" Hermione shrieks. After the effects of Ron's last sentence sink in she cries out, "I HAVE TO KEEP IT! THIS IS A HUMAN LIFE RON!"

"Not yet it isn't. We'll go to a muggle hospital and you'll get an abortion."

"NO I WON'T"

"Then you can raise it yourself!" Ron gets up and runs from the field. He goes into the house, gets his broom, and takes off, uncertain of where he is going. Hermione and Molly stand, stunned. They are rooted to those spots as they see Ron become an indistinguishable speck in the sky. After he is gone Hermione sobs uncontrollably into Mrs. Weasley's shoulder, while Mrs. Weasley fears for Hermione and her future child. 'What the hell will happen next?' Mrs. Wealsey wonders as she rubs Hermione's shoulders.

End Notes: Please review this chapter. I think you're going to love this next one. It is very long by my standards. I can't write long chapters usually. I just hate fluff. But I took my time on this one, as it is very important to the story. Please continue on!