Yay! A slightly longer chapter! *does happy dance* I managed it. How lazy have I been? Thanks to those who reviewed, I'm SO glad you guys are enjoying this story! Read on…

Disclaimer: Me own Harry Potter? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

You're going places, Hermione

~~!!!~~

Chapter Fourteen: The explanation

"So," Hermione said after she had sipped her tea, "They both know my name."

"Who?"

"Paige and Morgan."

"Mm." Ron replied.

"That's not even a word!"

"I know." He grinned.

"And they know all about me then?" Hermione wondered. She was irritated by how serious he wasn't being, but tried hard to remain calm and composed.

"Of course they do," He continued to grin, "They only brought the 'Santa gave you to me' story until they were five and 'You are Daddy's immaculate conception' story until they were eight. I had to tell them about you. But don't worry, I didn't say you were evil or anything. I just told them that you lived in America and had a very big important career that didn't leave you any time to see anyone."

Hermione gave him a severe look but truthfully she was thankful. It would have been very difficult for her to have to explain who she was and where she had come from to her own offspring.

"And you gave them my name." She noted.

"Oh," Ron laughed, "Yeah. Well, Weasley-Granger has a ring to it and I didn't think it was right to cut you right out their lives entirely, even if you weren't here."

"But you thought it was right not to tell me I'd had twins?" Hermione demanded, forgetting she was supposed to be calm.

"It was Harry's idea…" Ron mumbled, no longer cheerful, "Didn't want to complicate things."

"Oh I see, you didn't want to complicate things. Tell me Ron, how much more complicated could things have become? Because I don't think it would have mattered if I had given birth to triplets! I still had a right to know," She slammed her cup down on the table and considered something, "I…I didn't have triplets did I?"

"What? Oh, no. You didn't. But you did have quadruplets. Wait till you meet Rhiannon and Matthew! You'll love them." Ron said seriously.

"Haha," Hermione sniffed, "That's not funny."

He nodded, "Spose it's not. But you can't blame a guy for trying to lighten a mood can you?"

"No…no I can't," Hermione couldn't help but smile, "You always used to do that."

"Still do."

Their gaze met over the table and nothing was said for several seconds until Hermione looked away, blushing slightly.

"Back to the point," She sat up straight, "I think you should have told me about the both of them."

"It wouldn't have mattered," Ron said with a sigh, "It wouldn't have changed anything."

"It would have changed everything!" Hermione said furiously, "It matters to me to know these things! What about the birthday cards I sent? And the Christmas cards? And the Easter cards! I only ever sent one each year!"

"I managed to fix it, did a duplicating spell and put their names on top. Because, you know, you didn't know their names. Even when you thought you only had one child." Ron said back, getting furious as well.

"I had other things to think about! The workload at Sister Salem was tremendous and I barely had any time to visit-"

"Yeah, I know you didn't visit! Tell me," Demanded Ron, his face going red, "Was it worth it? Was a stupid piece of parchment worth leaving everything behind?"

"It is not a stupid piece of parchment! It's an M.G. in Advanced Arithmancy!"

"It is a stupid bloody piece of parchment because you chose it over your friends and family!"

"My emotional distance is not my fault!" She argued, "The Disattachment Spell-"

"Oh the spell this and the spell that! I don't wanna hear about it! The thing is that you could have stayed, you could have made yourself involved but you had to go and be selfish and do everything for yourself! The spell wasn't making you go but you did anyway, so don't try and feel better about yourself by using that spell as an excuse!" He fumed.

Hermione lowered her eyes; "If I don't use that spell as an excuse then it means I'm as horrible as you say I am. I don't want to think that."

Ron's anger faded, "I didn't say you were horrible. I said you were selfish."

"I know," Hermione nodded, "And I also know I have been. That's why I came back. I want to fix it."

"You want to feel better about yourself you mean," Ron snapped, "Free a guilty conscience."

"Partly," She said honestly, "But I also want to do it because it's the right thing to do, you know? I've been doing the easy thing this whole time and…and I don't want to anymore."

Ron froze and looked over at her. His gaze was inexplicable.

"Isn't that from a speech Dumbledore made after Cedric Diggory died…"

Hermione smiled. It was surprising to see that Ron remembered that. Before, it had always been her telling him things because he'd forgotten or hadn't listened.

"So what exactly do you want to do?" Ron asked.

"I want to be involved."

"How?"

"Oh I don't know," She bit her bottom lip thoughtfully, "I suppose I could see the twins once or twice a week, get to know them a bit-"

"What's the point if you don't love them?" Ron pointed out.

Hermione had considered this, nearly the entire plane ride back to England. What really was the point of seeing her child - well now it was children - if there was no chance of a relationship being formed? There would be no love exchanged and most likely everything would feel very unusual.

"I want them to understand," Hermione said slowly, "That they aren't to blame for my absence. I want them to realise that nothing is their fault and that they shouldn't grow up being bitter or resentful because of the mess I got them into."

"I could just tell them for you." Ron offered.

"No, I want to do it myself…I'm…I'm actually kind of curious about them." Hermione admitted.

"Is that supposed to be possible?"

"I don't know," She shrugged, "The information provided on the spell simply explained that it caused the removal of feeling from one person to another…I think I might be curious because my brain wants to know things about them. The heart and mind desire different things."

"Like how it was me and University for you?" Ron said quickly, his ears turning red. Hermione was slightly taken aback by the remark and how spot on it was.

"Well, yes." She said quietly.

"And for you it was always your mind over matters of the heart?"

"I don't know, it was always a battle for me. Right now it's just about doing the right thing," Hermione looked up at him earnestly, "So can I? Can I see them?"

Ron paused, "I'll have to ask them if they're okay with it. They've gotten by ten years without you Hermione, they might not like a change."

"I understand."

"Ok," He grinned, "So, how are things?"

"Good I think. I'm still trying to work out my life." Hermione said, pulling a face at Ron's sudden change in mood.

"You look good."

"Thanks," She blushed, "I finally worked out a way to tie my hair back so…you look good too."

"Didn't I always?" He raised an eyebrow.

Hermione laughed

"Has anything major happened that I've missed?" She wondered.

"Ginny got engaged a few days ago…"

"Wow! To who? Harry?"

"No!" Ron looked shocked, "Why would you say that? Ginny thinks Harry's a 'pathetic immature commitment phobic, who's going to die alone'. She's engaged to Dean Thomas…you remember him?"

"Oh yes! He was rather nice."

"Yeah, dunno if he's good enough for my little sister though." Ron muttered.

"You've always had such high standards Ron." Hermione said with a sigh, fleetingly remembering the Yule Ball and a comment made by Ron about not wanting to end up with 'a troll'.

"I do not have high standards," Ron said defensively, "I like to think I've always been very accepting."

Hermione snorted, "I bag to differ."

"That's only your opinion!"

"Ask anyone! Harry, Ginny…anyone that knows you! I'm sure they'll agree!"

Ron rolled his eyes, "That's not true."

"It is so! You have always said things like-"

"Is not!" He interrupted.

"Ron, I'm telling you. It is. You've-"

"No, it isn't! Stop being a know-it-all!"

She laughed again. It felt like they were back at Hogwarts, arguing like they used to. Hermione trying to prove her point with evidence and facts while Ron resorted to name calling and…that grin. He was doing it to her now. That flirtatious half-grin that always made her forget what she had been saying.

"I…er…" Hermione sighed, as predicted, she had forgotten her point.

"Why don't we go out sometime?" Ron asked, still half-grinning.

"I…what? But…well, only if you want…I mean I'd like too but-" Hermione spluttered for a little longer and was thankfully saved from further embarrassment by Ron

"Harry'd love to see you!" Ron said happily, "We could all catch up like old times, just the three of us. But I must warn you to make sure Harry doesn't drink too much. I remember this one time when he'd had one too many a Firewhisky; he tried to pick up a barstool! HA! I still don't let him forget it. Because straight after he tried to pick up a street lamp…"

Hermione smiled slightly. For a moment she had thought Ron was asking her out. But of course he hadn't been. Their intimate relationship was in the past. After ten years Ron wouldn't feel anything remotely romantic for her, just like didn't for him. Right?

"I'd best be going. I told my parents I wouldn't be gone long." Hermione lied, standing up.

"Oh," Ron looked slightly put out, "Alright then. I'll owl you about a time you can do something with the twins. If they agree to it."

"Okay."

She pushed her chair back in and waited for Ron to put their cups in the sink before he walked her to the door.

He opened the door for her and she stepped outside into the sunshine, suddenly remembering something she had brought with her.

"Oh Ron! I have this." Hermione reached in her purse and pulled out a small envelope.

"What is it?" Ron wondered curiously as he took the envelope off her.

"It's…it's some of my savings that I wanted to owl to you but I was afraid it might have gotten stolen or something." She said quickly.

"Why?" Ron grinned, "How much is it? A hundred galleons?"

"Five hundred actually," Said Hermione, even more quickly, "I know you probably think that I shouldn't be giving it too you because I've already been sending over money to help you out but I never really thought it wasn't enough and so I've been putting money aside from work for the last few years-"

"Work?"

"I was an Assistant Librarian."

Ron stared at her for a moment before he started snorting with laughter. Hermione, who had always been very proud of her previous occupation, looked highly affronted.

"What?" She demanded.

"I don't know why I asked. Of course you did something with books!"

"I could have been something else," Hermione sniffed, "Why? What do you do?"

"I work at the Ministry, been there for five years now. The Misuse of Magic Department." Ron said, regaining his composure.

"Oh, well…good for you then." Hermione was disappointed that she wasn't able to insult his career. It actually sounded rather agreeable.

"Anyway, thanks for the money," He peered into the envelope, "Or…the piece of paper."

"It's signed by me," Hermione pulled out the parchment, "See? It says I give permission for you to withdraw the amount from my Grignotts account…Oh! Sorry!"

Her hand had lightly touched Ron's, causing her to instantly leap back. Ron gave her a strange look and cleared his throat.

"Right…well, I'll see you later then." He said shortly. Hermione nodded, feeling just as uncomfortable as Ron looked. What was she supposed to do now? Hug him? Shake his hand? Kiss him?

"So…bye then." Hermione said stupidly.

"Yeah. Bye." Ron patted her on the arm and closed the door quickly. Hermione sighed heavily.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" She told herself as she walked down the front stairs. She hadn't wanted to leave, why had she lied? Why was the goodbye so awkward? Why the hell hadn't she asked if she could call a cab?

Rationality had seemingly made itself discreet in Ron's presence. And Hermione knew why.

She still loved him. She still loved her redheaded, hotheaded, freckle-faced old best friend from school. After ten years!

"Oh…oh, this is going to complicate things so much." Hermione said worriedly as she set out looking for a pay phone.

~~!!!~~

A/N: Well, I feel better about this chapter…in the next one Hermione will meet with her kids for a while and catch up with other old friends…

And Ron has a secret…kind of…

Thanks again to all of the reviewers! When I came on to check and there were over a 100 reviews I nearly died of shock! Lol! Thank you all soooooo much!

Has anyone seen the new French Harry Potter trailer? Where Hermione holds Ron's hand AND hugs him! *grins* Those poor, deluded H/Hr fans…how they must be disappointed now the truth is so OBVIOUSLY out!