Thank you for your reviews!
To Rosy: I have a few cousins that live in Monterrey, and I think some in Mexico City too. If we were to visit, then we would go to Monterrey… sorry it took me so long to answer your question! I'm really glad that you're enjoying the story so far and I hope you continue reading.
To Matt: I'm so happy to see that someone else is reading! Thanks for your complements… I hope you continue reading.
And now…chapter 7!
Chapter seven
"Rachy"
About a month and a half had passed since they broke the news to their families, and it was about three months since they themselves found out the news. Hermione and Ron had (obviously) begun to get a lot closer because of their situation. Although it was extremely tempting with their recent closeness, Hermione resisted the urge to spill her heart out to Ron and take him roughly on the couch/table/floor each time he entered the room, and Ron was managing surprisingly well with suppressing his own hidden desire for his friend. In fact, he had found someone to help him cleverly hide his feelings for Hermione, and her name was Rachel.
A few weeks after everything was out in the open with their family, Ron happened to meet Rachel at the coffee shop by his flat. He was originally going to meet Hermione there for breakfast, and noticed Rachel at first from afar. She noticed him as well. After feeling a little hurt by Hermione's absence, he walked up to the counter to order his coffee to go, which was when she pounced. Well, not pounced so much as asked him if he would like to join her, and he would, that is, he did. And so it went from there.
While all the flirting and giggling was going on back at the coffee shop, Hermione was crumpled on the bathroom floor feeling the wrath of her first wave of morning sickness. She woke up feeling sick to her stomach and hadn't even thought to cancel her plans with Ron.
And now, Hermione became disgruntled and annoyed by the mere thought of Ron and "Rachy," as he called her. I know I have no right to be mad at her, since Ron and I aren't a couple or anything, but still… She thought.
"So, what are you going to do about her?" Ginny asked through a mouthful of salad. Hermione only poked at her soup with her spoon, still feeling a little "iffy" from her wave of morning sickness that morning.
"About who?" She asked, just coming out of her thoughtful daze.
"You know who," Ginny paused to swallow, "Rachel, or whatever her name is."
Hermione shrugged slightly, "What can I do… he seems happy." Tears began to well up in the corner of her eyes, "There's nothing I can do."
Ginny looked down at her now empty bowl, she spoke in a whisper that even was still audible over the bustling lunch crowd in the restaurant, "You're just going to give up? Just like that? You can't. I think this whole 'Rachel' thing is a cover for his feelings for you… it has to be, you guys are supposed to be together. He is only trying to get closure, he doesn't really like her."
Hermione shrugged again, and Ginny grabbed Hermione's hand into hers. Hermione noticed a glint of light reflecting off something, and looked to see the source. Ginny's huge diamond gleamed on her left ring finger, catching the light in it's every facet.
"Ginny!" Ginny's head perked up, "He finally got you a ring!" Hermione shrieked enthusiastically, jumping at the opportunity to change to subject. "It's- it's really big."
Ginny smiled hugely, "He gave me it last night. It was so romantic."
When Harry proposed originally, it was a very spontaneous thing, and so he didn't have a ring to give her. He promised her that he would get her a gorgeous engagement ring, and he definitely lived up to his word. The ring on her finger was a 2 karat princess cut white diamond fixed onto a simple silver band.
"When's the big day going to be, anyway?" Hermione asked.
"We're not really sure yet, Harry was thinking November or December. I personally want a summer wedding, but he thinks the summer will be too soon…" Hermione nodded, not really listening anymore because of the enormous elephant that now had presented itself in the restaurant, and could not be ignored. That elephant was Ron and "Rachy."
Hermione lifted up her menu, in a feeble attempt to hide her face. Too late, they'd been spotted. Ron waved enthusiastically towards their table. Ginny waved back and Hermione smiled weakly.
"Do you mind if we join you?" Ron asked politely with Rachel standing next to him, smiling sweetly.
"Of course not," Ginny replied, they sat down.
"Um," Hermione started, "I- I have to go. Work isn't going to do itself." She stood up so fast that she got a head rush.
"But, Hermione, we still have about a half an hour until our lunch break is over," Ginny reasoned, as Hermione tried to recover from her dizziness.
"Yes, well I have a lot of work to do… goodbye!" Hermione bolted out of the restaurant as fast as she could manage in her current state.
As soon as Hermione had half-walked, half-sprinted about two blocks away, she collapsed on a bus stop bench, and began to cry. This isn't supposed to happen, She thought, Ron was never supposed to meet anyone else, he is supposed to be with me.
That evening, Hermione was lying on her bed, thinking. She only got up to see to the knocking on her door. She opened it. It was Ron.
"Hi." He said meekly
"Come inside." Hermione waved him in
Once they were seated on the couch, Ron spoke first, "Why did you really leave so fast today."
Hermione played dumb, "What are you talking about?"
"Today, in the restaurant, I walk over to join you and Ginny, and you run out of there faster than I could say 'hello'."
Hermione sighed loudly, then mumbled (more to herself), "you weren't the only who came to join Ginny and I…"
"Excuse me?" Ron questioned in a defensive tone. "Is that what this is all about?"
"What?"
"Don't play dumb, Hermione," Ron said with an edge of irritation in his voice. "You have a problem with Rachel."
"No I don't."
"Yes you do."
"No, that's not-"
"What is it?" He cut her off, his voice growing louder, "What is it about her? What's wrong with her?"
Hermione stood up, now angry herself. "There's nothing wrong with her, she's perfectly perfect-"
Ron stood up too, to meet her eyes (at least as best as he could, seeing as he was about a foot taller than her), "Well what is it then?"
Hermione was screaming now, "BECAUSE I'M JEALOUS! OK?"
Ron was taken aback. Oh shit! Oh shit! Why did I just say that? Stupid, stupid Hermione, She thought.
"What do you mean 'jealous'?" Ron asked.
Say something fast…Tell him, tell him anything, She thought desperately. "It's just that…I don't want you to be dating."
Ron simply stared at her like a deer caught in the headlights.
"Because…" She continued, seeing his expression. Brilliance struck, "because I'm pregnant." He nodded slightly. "I'm jealous because I feel like you're abandoning me." This was partially true.
"Oh," He said, "I understand."
Hermione looked down at her old tattered house slippers. She so desperately wanted to tell him the real reason, but couldn't get herself to form the words.
Luckily he could: "I was kind of hoping you were jealous because you want me to be with you."
Hermione's head jerked up instantly. Ron smiled.
"Are you saying-?" Hermione started.
"Yes."
"Me too." Hermione closed the distance between them in a split second.
Ron leaned down and kissed Hermione tenderly, and she kissed him back. After about a minute, Ron pulled away, "This is wrong. I need to tell Rachel before anything else happens."
Hermione sighed, disappointed, and reluctantly parted from him, and he left. On his way out the door, he turned back and gave Hermione one last kiss before he left to break the news to Rachel. After he was gone, Hermione was still standing there, frozen to her spot. She exhaled deeply and collapsed on the couch behind her, unable to stop smiling.
Hermione woke up the next morning, a Saturday, at about 9. She stretched and then remembered the reason why she couldn't fall asleep last night… Ron. She smiled to herself at her memory of the night before, and got up to take a shower. I can't stand it anymore, I have to see him, She thought.
After her shower she got dressed, attempted to tame her wild curls, put on some makeup, and apparated to Ron's building. She appeared with a small pop in the dull hall that lead to his flat. She walked down the hall and knocked on his door. While she waited, she felt an oddly familiar feeling of butterflies in her stomach. She could hearthe lock being turned from inside. The door creaked a little, then was swung completely open. Hermione was startled to see a woman standing there. Rachel.
She was slightly taller than Hermione with long, straight blond hair. She was wearing only a shirt that was much too big on her slender frame.
"Can I help you?" Rachel asked in a false polite voice.
"I- I, is Ron here?" Hermione stuttered. Tears began to well up in her eyes.
"He's asleep. Do you want me to wake him?"
"No, no. I'll just go." The tears were clouding her vision. She felt for the door and got out of there as quickly as she could.
Once she heard the door shut behind her, Hermione crumpled onto the hallway floor, and sat there crying silently. Just when I thought everything was finally going good.
Hermione perked her head up at the sound of yelling coming from inside the flat next to Ron's. A middle-aged woman stumbled out into the hall, screaming, "I'm never coming back! Do you hear me? That was the last time you'll ever hurt me, you ungrateful bastard!" The woman loudly slammed the door, and slumped down against the wall, her head in her hands. Hermione sat there, not knowing what to do. She waited. The woman lifted her head up and turned to see a weepy Hermione.
"What's wrong with you?" The woman asked.
"I don't really want to talk about it," Hermione responded barely above a whisper.
The woman nodded. "This wouldn't have anything to do with that attractive redhead that lives next door would it?"
Hermione smiled slightly, and then remembered how hurt she felt. She nodded.
The woman made a small noise then spoke again, "Men are all the same,"
Hermione nodded harder.
"You just need to go right in there, and tell him that you don't need him, and that you will not be treated like that." The woman paused. "I wish I would've done that the first time…"
She's right, Hermione thought, She's absolutely right. I don't need this. Hermione stood up.
"Thank you," She said to the woman
"Don't mention it, now get in there and show him who's boss." The woman smiled at her.
Hermione knocked on the door and it was almost immediately opened, but this time Ron stood there. Hermione marched right past him and he shut the door behind her.
"I'm so glad to see you," Ron said, looking relieved.
Hermione glared at him, "What? 'Rachy' didn't tell you I dropped by earlier?"
"About that, Hermione, I can explain-"
"Save it. I thought it was over with her. What about us?" Hermione asked, the tears returning.
"It is over-"
"I find that very hard to believe…I can't even look at you," She paused, "I'm leaving."
"What do you mean 'leaving'?" Ron asked, his voice quivering.
"I'm- I'm going to stay at my parents for a while and sort some things out."
"Why do you need to go to your parents?" He asked, grabbing her arm before she could start towards the door.
"Because- you're not there!" She said jerking out of grip. "I can't be around you right now."
"But Hermione, I love you!"
"You have a funny way of showing it."
Please review!
Keep reading because there's a big surprise in the next chapter that you don't want to miss…actually there's a surprise and then a big plot twist. You know you like plot twists, so don't deny yourself…
I said it before, and I'll say it again: please review!
I'm going to try and get up to at least 8 reviews before I put up chapter 8 (get it? yes, I am clever)
