I can't really think of anything to say except my usual plea for reviews…
There is a quote off of Sex and the City in this chapter and whoever finds it gets a special surprise!
One more quick note: "Out in the Open," parts eins and zwei will probably be pretty short chapters because I'm trying to spread things out.
Enjoy!
Chapter five
Out in the Open (part eins)
"Well?" Ron urged impatiently. "What is it that you need to tell us?"
"Do you want to tell them or should I?" Ginny asked Harry softly.
Harry beamed at her, "You can."
"Well someone better say something quick!" Hermione spat, sounding a little ruder than had she intended.
Ginny took a deep breath and exclaimed without any warning, "We're getting married!"
Ron wore a look of sheer confusion, while Hermione looked shocked.
"Are you guys serious?" Hermione asked incredulously.
"Of course." Ginny said enthusiastically.
"What? How?" Ron babbled more to himself than to the happy pair in front of him.
Hermione finished his thought for him, "How is that possible, you guys aren't even dating-" a wave of understanding washed over her mind.
"Well- don't be mad- we didn't tell anyone about it, but we had been, for months." Ginny explained.
"Almost a year." Harry chimed in.
"Why? How? How could you keep something like you two getting together a secret from us for all this time?" Ron demanded, finally regaining his ability to form distinguishable sentences.
"We knew everyone would make a big deal of it, and we didn't want to mess up what we have." Harry said gazing lovingly at Ginny.
"But, but it is a big deal!" Hermione cut in, "You guys getting together is a big-fucking-deal. I am so hurt that I, we, were left out."
"Please, Hermione, don't be mad. I wanted to tell you. I just, I didn't know…" She trailed off.
"Can you please just be happy for us now, because that's all that matters, right?" Harry pleaded.
There was a long pause. Ron glanced at Harry then Ginny, then back at Harry.
"We're going to be brothers!" Ron yelled suddenly hugging Harry and then Ginny, Mrs. Weasley style. "I'm so happy for you guys."
"Ron!" Hermione said through gritted teeth. She was still hurt about Ginny and Harry's secrecy.
Ginny pulled out of their hug, "Please, Hermione, please don't be mad. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you. We didn't tell anyone. We just weren't ready."
Hermione realized how Ginny felt, because that was how she felt right now. She just wasn't ready to tell them about the baby.
"Oh Ginny," Hermione said with tear-filled eyes, "We have a wedding to plan."
A few tears streamed down her face as Ginny pulled her into a hug.
"I'm so happy for you, and I love you." Hermione said sniffling.
"I know, I love you too," Ginny replied now through tears, herself.
"And you," Hermione said sharply, now directing her attention at Harry, "Don't ever lie to me again." She smiled as she hugged him, also.
Realizing that they were all still standing out in the hall, Ron invited them inside.
Later on in the evening, they were all gathered around in Ron's living room talking about the wedding. Ron looked uncomfortable during a lot of the conversation.
Hermione noticed this. "Ron, can I see you in the kitchen?"
"Sure."
They moved into Ron's tiny kitchen.
"Is there something wrong?" She whispered.
"No, why?"
"I don't know, you just look really nervous or something."
"No, I'm- I'm fine."
Hermione just glared at him.
"Oh all right," He conceded. "I feel bad about not telling them about our, our situation."
Hermione knew exactly how he felt, "I just don't think I'm ready for anyone to know about our 'situation' just yet."
Ron shrugged. "I know, but we were mad about them keeping things from us, so isn't this the same thing?"
"Exactly, they did it to us, so it doesn't make it as bad for us to be doing it to them."
Ron shrugged again.
"What's keeping you guys?" Harry called to them from the living room.
"Um, just getting some snacks." Hermione responded quickly.
"Just go and let's have fun tonight, Ron," Hermione instructed. "We'll worry about telling them another time." Ron paused. "Go." She said again, waving her hand.
Later that night, Hermione was back at her flat. She was having trouble falling asleep. She looked at her clock; it blinked 1:29 at her. She looked at again and it said 2:01. She sighed deeply, frustrated at her insomnia. At 2:07 she heard a knock on her door. Wondering who it was at such an hour, she gingerly walked across her apartment.
"Who is it?" She asked, barely audible through the thick wood door.
"It's Harry, can I come in?" Breathing a sigh of relief, she unlocked and opened her door.
"Harry, what are you doing here?" She yawned.
"I couldn't sleep and I was wondering if we could talk."
They moved to the couch.
"About what?" Hermione asked
"Am I doing the right thing?"
"About what?" She repeated sleepily. She was all of a sudden sleepy. Where was this sleepiness about an hour ago? She thought.
Harry continued, "Am I doing the right thing with Ginny? It just seems like everything is moving so fast, I mean, we're announcing our engagement before we've even announced about being a couple. Isn't that weird? I don't know, maybe I'm just thinking way too much."
"It's not weird, it's just…different." Hermione reassured him. "I know exactly how you feel about not wanting to tell people something big because you don't feel ready." She immediately regretted saying that because of the ensuing look of skepticism from Harry.
Harry was about to elaborate more on his own situation when something clicked in his head, "Wait- what are you hiding, Hermione?" Harry asked.
Hermione flushed pink, "I'm not hiding anything."
"You're obviously lying."
"No I'm not."
"Hermione, you can tell me."
"No I can't."
"Oh, so you are hiding something."
Hermione cursed herself silently.
"It's me, Harry, your best friend. You can trust me," He reassured her.
"It's just- It's big, huge-" She stuttered.
Harry put his hand under her chin and lifted her face to meet his, "What is it, Hermione? You can tell me, you can tell me anything."
Hermione finally gave in, hating having to keep things from her friends. "Ok, you know how Ron and I-"
"Shagged?"
Ugh, that word again…. "Uh- yeah, well the thing is…is that, I'm-," She paused; Harry was leaned over so far, listening, that a feather could've knocked him over, "Pregnant," She finished.
Harry's mouth swung open, "You're- you're pregnant?"
"Yep," Hermione mouthed.
His mind seemed to be moving way too fast for his mouth, "Wha- How did this happen?"
Hermione's face went pink again, "Well, we were a little under the influence… and I guess we just didn't think to use any…protection." She blushed even harder now.
Harry looked simply stunned, "This is huge." Hermione only nodded. "Have you told anyone else? Ginny? Your parents?"
"Nope, you're the only one, as of now," This made Harry feel important, "Besides Ron, of course," She added quickly.
"What are you guys going to do?" Harry asked.
"Well, we're just going to have it." Hermione stared down at the Oriental rug on the floor, beneath the sofa.
They sat there in silence for a few seconds when, "Can you please not tell anyone? Ron and I were planning on telling everyone together…later," Hermione explained.
"Of course."
Please review…chapter 6 should be up fairly soon! Yay!
