Chapter 8
Hermione shuffled up the drive, the stars peeping down at her as she entered the threshold. She felt that she owed Ron an apology after what had occurred earlier. He had been right, and she believed that she needed to make it up to him somehow.
Hermione tapped on the door. She was surprised that no one responded, as there were lights shining on the second floor. She resolved to knock again but still did not receive a reaction.
"This is the place where Ginny told me he lives." Hermione rechecked the address. 41 Billings Road. This certainly was the place.
Hermione crossed the porch and slammed hard on the door.
"Ron," she shouted. "Is your lazy butt home??"
No answer.
Aggravated, Hermione decided to return home. If Ron were home, he would have answered by this moment in time. Striding towards the sidewalk, Hermione made her mind up to come tomorrow.
"Arrrrrrrrr!!!"
Hermione halted while walking, which ended up in falling to the ground.
"Ron's in a snag!" Hermione thought as she brushed the loam off her khakis. "That's why he didn't answer!"
Hermione's brain and heart told her to ignore the holler and continue home. But instincts told her otherwise.
Hermione sprinted up the yard, tripping over several things including rocks, gnomes, and her own two feet. Hermione felt the handle. The door was open. Thrusting her way in, Hermione speed up the stairs, across the hallway, to the door, into the room, and almost puking at the sight.
Melody screamed as she clung a blanket to her body. Ron stared at Hermione in complete astonishment.
"Hermione I –" Ron stammered. He clearly was only expecting one guest tonight: the girl he had been......well doing stuff with.
Hermione could only stare at Ron with the deepest loathing.
"You are the most appalling, foul father I have ever met." Hermione seethed. Spinning on her heel, Hermione slammed the door into place and rushed out of the house, not bothering to hear Melody ask, "Father? Like what did she mean, father?"
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Ron felt disgusted. Not only with Melody but himself. What had he been thinking, going off to a bar, getting drunk, meeting a sexy and striking girl, then returning home for some perspiring, hardcore sex? There was competition between the two women on which were more livid, Hermione or Melody. Melody's reaction had almost been the same as Hermione's when she found out about Joesph Ronald Granger.
And who wouldn't be mad? He knew that he would definitely be infuriated if he ever found Hermione doing it with another man. Not that he cared about Hermione, he didn't. Did he?
Ron had gone to Hermione's cottage the next morning to try to represent himself, but the house had been locked down. Hermione and Joey were nowhere to be spotted.
Now even further irritated than he already was, Ron headed to his brothers' shop.
"Nope, never saw her once." Fred said.
"Try Ginny's, she will probably know." George recommended.
Ron expressed his thanks and left the shop. Heart pounding three times faster, Ron
Apparated to Ginny's home.
"What do you want?" Ron recorded in his head that Ginny had a bit of a snap in the word "What".
"Um.....is Hermione there?" Ron asked.
Ginny glowered at him, but she said zilch. Moving to the side, Ginny examined Ron as he entered the house.
"You really are the most appalling, foul father on Earth, aren't you Ron?" Ginny sneered as she trailed behind him.
Ron halted and stared at Ginny in incredulity.
"Wait a minute." He cried. "Isn't that what Hermione said?"
Ginny glared at him.
"Took you forever to figure that out!" Ginny snarled as she entered the kitchen. "And I thought you could sink no further."
"And what is that suppose to mean?" Ron snapped.
Ginny strolled over to Ron. Looking him straight in the eye, she whispered, "Maybe it means that you are not ready for the task of paternity. Maybe it means that you need to work a little harder if you really want to be the father of Joey!!"
Ron sat into the nearest chair, his strength cascading away.
"Mind to tell me exactly what you are talking about?" Ron asked gently.
Ginny slammed her fist into the counter, resulting in a bath of pain.
"I am talking about Joey and Hermione, brainless!"
Ron felt a knot mount in his throat.
"What about Joey and Hermione?" Ron asked tensely.
Ginny massaged her smarting hand.
"You think life is all drinking beer, getting drunk, sleeping with chicks. Well this is the REAL world Mr. Playboy. And in the REAL world, people grow up, get married, have a family, retire, all that stuff."
Ron stood up. Every muscle in his body was rigid, anger burned in his eyes.
"Like I don't know that!?" Ron snarled.
Ginny shrugged.
"You are right." She said.
"Justify that again?"
"Ginny leaned into the counter, her azure eyes watching Ron meticulously.
"I said you are right." She whispered. "You don't know. You don't know how it feels to experience a pregnancy all by yourself. You don't know how it feels to bring up a child for two and a half years. You don't know anything about being a parent. You. Just. Don't. Know."
The room tumbled into immobility, with the background sounds of children twittering in another room.
"Why do you think she came to your house last night Ron?" Ginny murmured, a rim of tears hidden between the words.
"Wait a minute." Ron exclaimed. "How do you-"
"Just answer the question dingbat."
Ron admitted that he didn't know. Why had Hermione come to his house last night?
Ginny heaved a sigh. Grabbing a cup of what Ron supposed was tea, she sat into a chair, her eyes never leaving the cup's brim.
"Do you know why?" Ron asked.
Ginny looked at him wretchedly.
"Yes." She said. "I know why she came. I know why she wanted to apologize. I know why she was going to ask you to watch over Joey. I know why Ron, but you don't."
Ron started to say something, but Ginny continued, interrupting whatever Ron had to say.
"That is why you need to learn Ron. You need to realize that life is about growing up."
Was that a pitiful chapter? I hope not. I know that was a really short chapter and I will try to make them longer from now on. Oh well, hope you enjoyed!!!!