Chapter 12: A dream come true

Ian felt that Hermione was not happy with his sudden act to get Matthew from his school. Why, he didn't know. Something was not right in his life. And this was not the first time it happened. Everything was always going wrong in his life and why wouldn't it happen? He had ignored and deserted the only correct thing that happened for the love of money: marrying Hermione. In some of his lonely moments, he did wonder what Hermione would be doing now, how will she be surviving. He came back to find a very strong woman who built her life out of nothing and was proud of it. She had raised a child alone. His sudden appearance at her doorstep did seem to throw her off-balance. Thinking back to all the events that had occurred in the past few days, he felt a new feeling.

That he was not needed here.

"Mr.Crest, where are we going?"

"Why Matt, don't you want to attend your Aunt Ginny's wedding?"

"Aunt Ginny's wedding? Oh yeah! Cool. Does that mean that Ron will be there?"

Ian looked surprised. "Do you know Ron?"

"Yea-oh sorry, yes, I know Ron. He is very nice. Isn't he nice. I hope he becomes my daddy."

Matt was too busy happy about meeting Ron to notice the look of what was a mixture of sadness and envy flicker through Ian's face.

Ron was in the attic, deciding between anger and heartbreak. While on one hand he was angry that fate had taken such a cruel turn on his life, he was heartbroken that he was finally going to lose Hermione for ever. When Ian had introduced Hermione as his wife, he was shocked. In fact, shocked was an understatement. But he hid it, according to him, pretty well, but since he couldn't hold it longer, he got out from there.

He was so deep in grief that he did not notice Harry enter the room.

"Ron." Ron started and looked up.

"Hey Harry. You got me there for moment," Ron said, with a weak smile.

Harry realised that something was wrong with his best friend. Ron was not a guy who constantly brooded over things, like himself. He always was a person who vented out his frustration, mostly on Harry because he was the closest. If Ron was sitting alone with a grave expression on his face, then Harry knew that it was a serious problem, a very serious problem. Harry knew because he had gone through it. Many times. That mood was almost second nature to him

"What's the matter, Ron? You look sad."

"Excellent observation. By the way, when did you come?"

"Cut the crap, Weasley and don't try to change the subject! You know better than me that I am not going to fall for that!"

Ron realised from the look on his friend's face that he meant business. That look was particularly reserved for situations when Harry did the interrogation and drilled information out. No one, friend or foe, had been able to defy that power of emerald green eyes. And now the power was completely directed towards him. Ron gave up.

"OK, I'll tell you. But, promise me that you won't tell anybody. I don't want to spoil the wedding mood."

"I promise."

Ron recounted the whole incident of him meeting Ian by chance and what was the relation between Ian and Hermione. Harry was shocked.

"You mean, after all these years of failing in business, that power hungry git has come back to claim Hermione and Matt?"

"Yeah."

"And he thinks Hermione is going to be happy about it? That she will happily take him in her arms…"

"Harry, Harry, stop. I don't want to think about that?"

"OH, I am sorry Ron. I didn't realise…"

"It's okay, Harry. But you know, I am not very sure about Hermione bring happy about it and stuff. You should have seen her yesterday evening. I have never seen her so pale and tired. Not even after the war. And that's saying something!"

"Well, you and I know very well that Hermione is a very intelligent and a strong woman. She will surely take the right decision. You will have to just hang in there, mate."

"It's strange, you know. Something in my mind tells me the same." After a moment's thought, Ron sat up as if he just figured out something.

"Hey, do you remember when I told you how I realised that Hermione was the one for me?"

"Yeah. That dream. Why, what happened?"

"I just figured out what that meant."

"What?"

"See, remember I told you that she was standing on a baby blanket bound by a gold ring?"

Harry nodded.

"Well, see the baby blanketmeans Matthew, her baby and the gold border of the blanket was her wedding ring. But, you know what? In the dream, she crossed it and came to me. What does that mean? That she will cross her lines and come to me? Will she? No I can't hope. I think…yeah… I'll leave it to her…yeah…"

"Ron? Ron!" Harry shook him, with an amused look on his face. It was not exactly the time for that kind of an expression, but he couldn't help it.

"Huh?"

"Mate, you're rambling."

"Huh? Oh yeah. Sorry 'bout that. Got carried away."

"It's okay. I remember Dumbledore telling me that miind is a complex thing. No one knows how it works. Sometimes, dreams do have a significant meaning. So, as I said, just hang in there, mate. Everything will be alright. Got it?"

"Got it! Thanks, mate. I feel a lot better now. Lets go down and see if any more help is needed."

"Actually, I came here for that. To help out."

"Speaking of wedding, when are you and Hllary planning to get married?"

"I don't know……"

It was the reception of Ginny's wedding. Ginny Weasley was now Ginny Weasley-Raymond. Everybody was happy for the newly weds and also, sad that she was no longer their baby anymore.

Ron has kept his calm and had managed to hide his hurt from everybody. He didn't want to spoil the whole wedding mood. After all, it was not everyday your sister, your only baby sister, got married. Still, not being to help it, Ron's eyes searched for Hermione and found her. In fact, she was coming towards him, looking very worried. Too worried.

"Ron!"

"What's the matter, Hermione?"

"Ron, Matthew is missing!"

"Oh, he must be with the other kids. Did you check there?"

"Yes, yes. I checked everywhere! I didn't find him. Oh Merlin where is he?"

Hermione was becoming hysterical with worry and Harry, who was nearby, noticed it and asked. Ron had a slight feeling that he knew where to find Matthew. So, he said, "Harry, Hermione! You search the gardens and the place nearby. I'll search the house. OK?"

And the search began.

"Matthew? Matt, are you here?" Ron asked softly, into the darkness of the attic.

A small sniffle answered his question.

He advanced towards the sniffle and founf himself looking at a very teary face of Matthew.

"Matt, hey, hey, what's the matter?"

"I know, I know everything!"

Ron became alert. He was afraid of what the child was going to ask him, and podered over if he should answer it or not. After all, Hermione wouldn't want her child to know anythng from someone other than herself. That was her right. Ron braced himself for the coming question.

"What do you know?"

"I know, that man, Mr. Crest, he's my daddy isn't he?"

Ron let out a breath.

"Yes, Matt, my boy. He is your daddy."

"But, how can that be? You promised me that you will be my daddy. How can he be my daddy?"

"I know champ. But the truth is that, he is your father, not me. You must face that."

"But, I don't want him. I want you. I don't even like him!"

"Oh, Matt, you mustn't say things like that. He is your daddy and you must love him. But hey, you and I can be friends, can't we?"

"How can you be friends with me? You are so big and I am so small."

Ron almost smiled through his tears, whose presence he had just noticed.

"No, mate. It doesn't work like that. Friends don't bother about sizes or ages. They are….just friends. And friends can do anything for their friend."

"You mean, like you andHarry?"

"Exactly! And you know what? I don't even have to be your daddy for that. It will be much more than that. So…what do you say? Friends?"

"Much more than being my daddy.hmmm………OK, Friends!" and they shook on it.

"OK. Now will you do something for me?"

Matt looked at him.

"When we go down, you will go to your daddy and say, I am sorry."

"But, why should I say sorry? I didn't do anything wrong!"

"Didn't you leave his hand and run away when he was talking to you?"

Matt looked at him guiltily.

"So, will you do that? For me?"

Matt nodded to say yes and held Ron's hand as he went to meet his 'daddy'.

When they reached the party, everybody was frantically looking for Matt. Somebody noticed them at the door of the house and the whole gathering went silent. Ian came ahead, but before he could say anything, Hermione had already taken Matt into her embrace muttering, "Matt, my baby. Where were you? I was so worried. Oh please don't do that again to your mummy, will you?"

Harry placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her down and she did calm down. He looked at Ron and could make out that Ron and Matt had sorted out something very important when Ron had gone to look for him. Matt too looked up to Ron and Ron signalled to him as if he were saying, well go ahead.

Matt advanced towards Ian, hesitatingly. Looking up to Ian he said, "I am sorry, Daddy." And lifted his hands as if asking for a hug.

Ian looked at Matt and then Ron. Then, ignoring Matt, in a cold voice, he said to Ron, "Oh, so you knew where Matthew was. All this while, he refuses to accept me as his father and all of a sudden, he talks to you and everything is fine and dandy, is it? What are you, his guardian angel?"

Obviously, Hermione had recovered from the shock of losing Matt and getting him back, because she tried to say, "Ian…wait…"

Ron noticed the look of pain that crossed Matt's face, but he did not say anything. Partly, because he wanted to see why exactly did Matt not like him. It seemed to Ron that Matt was right in not liking the man. Right now, Ian was talking to his family in a manner, nobody who knew them, had dared to use because of the respect his parents had gained over the years.

"And you people, you looked after my wife when she needed someone. I thank you for that. Now I am going to leave with my family," Ian said, in a tone that did not sound least bit thankful.

But what he did after that, was something nobody expected. Not even Hermione, for he grabbed her hand dragged her, literally dragged her away from the whole party.

Hermione tried to pull away, but Ian's grip was way too strong. She even tried saying, "Ian…please leave me…we have left Matthew in the party…let me go…please!" She looked back, and felt that Ron was going away from her….very fast.

At last, she could not control it and…

"IAN! STOP IT RIGHT NOW! AND LET ME GO!"

Ian stopped. She turned him and said, "How dare you insult these people? How dare you?"

Ian opened his mouth to say something to it. But Hermione beat him to it.

"These people" she pointed to the Weasley family "took me in without any questions, gave me a life, helped me through Matthew's childhood, when you…my husband…had deserted me for some senseless goal. And instead of thanking them, you, ungrateful person, have the nerve to insult them and taunt them. Just what gave you the right to do that?"

Then, she walked towards Ron.

"This man," she said pointing towards Ron. "He loved me and accepted me with my past and he loved Matt like his own son. And you have the guts to insult him. Why? Just what wrong has he done?"

Hermione then lifted Matt and smoothing Matt's hair, said to Ian, "and this, Ian, is your son…our son. After years of waiting and few days of rejection, he comes to you because Ron here told him that coming to you was the right thing to do. If he wanted, he could have poisoned his mind against you. But no, he wanted a son to meet his father. But you… you who has only wanted power and money… you are going to understand that, are you?"

"Now, Hermione, love…"

"Love? Don't you dare talk about love to me! Just what in the first place made you think that I'll accept you the moment you walk into my door after a span of 8 years. Love is unconditional, Ian. But you are not. OK, let me ask you something. Say, it were me, who had deserted you for the same reason as you did me, and come back after 8 years. Would you have accepted me, just like that?"

She gave a look at Ian.

"Your expression just gave me my answer, Ian. Of course not. You would have enquired with me about hundred things, only to confirm if I had stayed faithful to you. You wouldn't have trusted me, would you? But I…I didn't ask you anything. But still you came back and almost took control of my life. Why? What gave you the right to do that? Why, because I am a woman? Is that why? Well, I am going to say something now. I should have said this long back. You have no place in my life, Ian Crest. I love Ron Weasley and I am going to do that till my last breath. Do you hear that?"

By now, not only Ian, but also the whole party was stumped by the whole drama unfolding in front of them. Then, Hermione did something that nobody, in their wildest dreams, had guessed that Hermione would do. She advanced towards Ron, came close to him, and kissed him square on the mouth.

At first, Ron was shocked at the whole episode, but then he kissed her back lightly. Hermione pulled back a bit and hugged him tightly saying, "I love you Ron!" over and over. Ron hugged her back, "Oh Hermione, I love you too!"

He could have continued, he became aware of the gathering, more of the person who was approaching him. It was Ian. He immediately took a defensive stance to guard Hermione from him. But, apparently from the defeated look in his eyes, Ian had no such ideas. He said, "Ron, I did the worst mistake of my life by letting go of a precious emotion of love, especially her love. I have learnt it the hard way. I just hope you don't do the same thing."

Then, Ian looked at Hermione and said, "Goodbye, Hermione."

Ian had walked away. Hermione looked till he disappeared, half-fearing that he will come back again and drag her. Ron looked at Harry, who was smiling at him in a very Dumbledore-like fashion which said something like, well everything turned out fine, didn't it?

As for Ron, he could not believe that the dream, which he had given up on, had finally come true. He had his family, his friend, his love and his son with him all at once. He did not pay attention to the cheers that had burst in the gathering over such an unexpected end to the evening. All he knew that he had Hermione, deep in his embrace and he was mumbling, "I love you Hermione! I love you Matt! Yes Matt, I am your Daddy now. Of course we are still friends."

He had seen one dream and it had come true. He had nothing else to say.

Author's notes: Well this is a kind of end of the story. Next is the epilogue which is like a flash forward glimpse into R/Hr's family life.