One Night Stand
One night of pleasure can lead to a lifetime of pain.
One night of lust can lead to a lifetime of love.
Disclaimer Christmas is upon us and you can bet that I won't being given rights of ownership from JK as a present.
Author Notes I have no excuse for taking this long. Please just hold the tomatoes.
Chapter 8: Let the Rain Wash Them Away
Outside the rain was falling in thick sheets. Inside the rain was falling in thick sheets, or so it seemed. It had been pouring for a straight week, and it didn't look as if it would let up anytime soon. Since the final battle had been won, Mother Nature ordered the clouds to give it all they had. With the victory, it would seem as if the sun would be out and shining brightly. But, with so many lives lost, sunshine wasn't welcome. Rain fit the depressive moods better than sunlight ever could. I readjusted my forehead on the cold glass of the window. As my eyes focused on the rain, my brain was wheeling with thoughts of my graduation and beginning my adult life. With each raindrop that hit the train's window, my thoughts formed a conclusion. The conclusion wasn't a good one, either, and I blamed it on the weather.
I thought back to my first ride on the Hogwarts Express. It had rained that day, and as the train drew closer to the castle, the amount of rain increased. That year, I was almost killed by a Mountain troll. And Harry, Voldemort had almost completed what he had started. Going home, the sun was out, not a rain cloud in site. I had a wonderful summer, but September first rolled around, and it poured again. Ginny was possessed by Tom Riddle. Again, no rain, wonderful summer. This was the same for my third, fourth, fifth, and sixth year. Not this year, though. This year, it was raining on the day we were to return home. What did this mean?
It meant that something terrible was going to happen. Oh, God. My baby. Something was going to happen to my baby. My baby was going to die. Or me. I was going to die during childbirth and my baby would grow up without a mother. Or, what if me and the baby both died during childbirth? How would that leave Ron? It would kill him inside. The rain would be the cause of three deaths! You hear that Mother Nature, my mind screamed, you're a murderer! We were all going to die. In two months time, we were all going to be dead.
NO! I pulled my forehead away from the window and fought back. We are all going to be fine, I assured myself. It's just a summer shower. A really long summer shower.I closed my eyes, telling myself to stay in the present. No one knew what the future would hold. And, whatever happened, would happen. When I opened eyes again, they fell on the sleeping form of Harry. He hadn't spoken since I was forced to tell him Dumbledore had passed away. For as long as I lived, I would never forget the look on his face. He looked to be in clear shock, but trying desperately to handle the situation like a man. But, when I looked into his eyes, I didn't see a man. I saw a scared little boy. He displayed so many emotions that his eyes no longer looked green, but black. After a minute or so, he simply nodded and walked past me and Ron, carrying Ginny to the hospital wing.
I glanced at Ginny, who was also asleep, her head resting in Harry's lap, his hand on his shoulder. Ginny seemed to be the only one who was keeping Harry alive. Although he hadn't spoken a word aloud to her either, he was communicating with her through his eyes. Even then, it wasn't often, but we were all grateful for that. He didn't have to acknowledge anyone, yet he did. I hoped, for his own sake at least, that he would start talking again soon. Well, maybe not entirely for his sake. I was selfish in saying that I needed him. He was forever my best friend and I would need him. Already I was lost without him by my side to help me through everything.
But, he's not the only one would can help. My gaze moved to Ron. He was laying on the floor of the compartment, sleeping. He had been asleep the longest, but I didn't blame him. He was up with me all last night. The baby refused to rest and I couldn't sleep with it moving around inside my stomach. I smiled, thinking of it all. Ron truly had stepped up since I told him I was pregnant. I was thankful for him and everything he did for me. I knew what we had now could work. We were in love, and we were going to have a child. What could go wrong? The rain, a part of my brain screamed.
"No!" I said firmly.
"Mione? Are you okay?" Ron said, rather sleepily. He got up from the floor and took a seat next to me, yawning.
"Yeah," I replied, taking his hand in mine. "Just thinking."
"About what?"
"Nothing," I paused, knowing in my heart I should tell him. Trust was a very important factor in a relationship, especially mine and Ron's. "The rain."
"The rain? What about the rain?"
"About what it could mean," I replied, getting a firmer grip on his hand to ensure myself he was really there.
"What could it mean, Hermione?"
"Something bad."
Ron glanced toward the window and his eyes focused on the rain. I watched him, watched as his expression changed. His eyes hardened, and I somehow knew he was having the same thoughts I was. He stared for a good minute or so and then looked again at me, his eyes soft.
"Nothing bad could happen, Mione. We have to throw those bad thoughts out the window, and let the rain wash them away. I promise you, nothing bad is ever going to happen. Not to us, not to our family, not to the wizarding world."
"How can you promise something like that, Ron?" I let go of his hand.
"You have to be positive, Hermione," he stated firmly, "it's the only way to survive."
When the Hogwarts Express pulled into King's Cross station, the rain had subsided to a light drizzle. My hands were shaking like mad, and when Ron took my hand in his, he squeezed it, reminding me of the promise he had made. He dropped my hand and whispered he loved me and went with Ginny to get trolleys for our luggage. I took Harry's arm and led him to where I saw Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and to my utter disbelief, Bill. I swallowed all the doubts I had and gratefully accepted Mrs. Weasley's hug. She held on to me for several seconds and when she pulled away, I saw the tears in her eyes.
"You look so beautiful, dear."
I smiled, but remained silent. My gaze had fallen on Mr. Weasley. I knew Mrs. Weasley had told him about my being pregnant, but he didn't seem as if he had been prepared for it. His eyes were glazed over, and they were focused on my stomach. As Mrs. Weasley embraced Harry, I stepped closer to Mr. Weasley and threw my arms around him. It was the first time I had ever hugged him. He tensed at my touch, but then put his arms around me and held me close. Like Mrs. Weasley, he now had tears in his eyes.
"Hello, Mr. Weasley," I replied, my smile widening.
"Hello, Hermione," he said, wiping his eye. "It's so good to see you."
I nodded and I felt Bill's presence behind me. I turned slowly and looked up into his eyes. To me, he looked proud. Before I knew what was happening, he had his arms around me, and my feet lifted slightly off the ground. He kissed my creek and laughed softly.
"You've made a man out of my little brother," he told me, a coy smile on his lips. "And, you have brought joy to our family when we truly need it."
"Does the whole family know already?" I whispered, shocked. I sure hoped they didn't.
"No, no. Just me, mum, and dad. I'm sure the rest of the family will know by tonight. Mum's having this big dinner."
"Tonight?" My jaw dropped. Bill nodded as Ron and Ginny joined us and more hugs were exchanged.
Fifteen minutes later we were all piled in the Weasley's car. Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Weasley, and myself in front. Bill, Ron, Harry, and Ginny in the back. Harry had fallen asleep again as soon as we pulled out of the station's parking lot. From all the physical and emotional strain he had experienced, sleep was the only thing he had energy to do. He didn't want to eat or drink, and some days we had to spoon feed him. Again, I silently prayed he would recover sooner rather than later.
For the most part, the ride to the Burrow was silent. Bill and Ron talked for a couple of minutes, but then they too fell silent. I continued to stare out the window, watching the light rain, hoping it wouldn't storm again. Rain showers I could deal with. At least for now. At one point, Mrs. Weasley tried to start a pleasant conversation with me about my pregnancy and the symptoms I was experiencing, but the atmosphere didn't call for talking and we soon stopped. The air was thin and everyone's breathing was timid. We all breathed a sigh of relief when the Burrow came into view. I yawned and immediately, Mrs. Weasley instructed me to go up to Ginny's room and take a nap. I didn't argue and with a quick bathroom break, I made my way upstairs. I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
When I awoke, I was overjoyed to see that all traces of the storm had evaporated and the sun was out and shining brightly. I watched a few fluffy, white clouds pass by slowly, and then sat up as the baby kicked. My smile widened, knowing that my baby knew that the rain had stopped. I climbed out of the bed and tried to tidy it up as best I could. I didn't do a very good job. My stomach was growling and I was eager to get downstairs and have some of Mrs. Weasley home cooking. Just thinking about it made me hungrier and I hurried from the room. I was halfway down the stairs when I collided with someone. My face heated with embarrassment as I looked into the conspiring eyes of George Weasley.
"Well, if it isn't the leading lady herself," he replied, pulling me into a hug. "Oy! Fred! She's awake."
Fred couldn't have been far. Seconds later he was bounding up the stairs. "Oh, Hermione, how good to see you," he said, taking me from his brother's arms and squeezing me lightly. "We were waiting for you to wake up."
"Why?" I asked, skepticism apparent in my voice.
"Why to thank you, of course," George said, a large smile playing on his lips. Fred's was identical.
"For what?"
"For making our only little brother a man!" Fred exclaimed.
"For a while there we never thought it was going to happen!" added George.
"Maybe we should have suspected it," Fred said to his twin. "We should have advised him."
"I believe you are right, dear brother," George agreed. "But," he added, "we can't say that he does anything half-ass."
I had had enough. I rolled my eyes, pushing past them. I wondered what was going to happen once the baby was born. What kind of uncles would they make? What kind of influence would they be? One thing was for sure. They would do anything in their power to make their niece or nephew just like them. It was a scary thought, but deep down, I knew they would make wonderful uncles. They were wonderful people, even if they did have a twisted sense of humor.
Ginny and Mrs. Weasley were preparing dinner when I entered the kitchen. I offered to help, but Mrs. Weasley handed me a glass of pumpkin juice and told me to sit down.
"The whole family will be here soon," she informed me.
I took a sip of the pumpkin juice. "Who's here now?"
"Just Fred and George," Ginny said.
"Yeah, I know," I said, dryly.
"What have they done, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked sympathetically.
"Nothing. Just being themselves," I assured her. "Are you sure you don't want any help?"
"Yes, I'm sure. Go outside, Hermione, enjoy the fresh air."
I glanced outside and noticed Harry was sitting on a garden bench. Maybe he'll talk to me. "Maybe you're right."
"'Course she is, Mione," Ginny chuckled. "She's Mum. She's always right."
I smiled and made my way outside. I took a seat next to Harry, but he didn't seem to notice I was there. His eyes were out of focus and he was staring off into space. I looked out at the forest, thinking of my fifth year when Hagrid's half-brother Grawp lived in the Dark Forest at school. The good old, days, huh? After a good minute or so, I turned to Harry. He was still in another world. I figured I should try talking to him and maybe then I could get some kind of response.
"When did it stop raining, Harry?" No answer. "I'm sure glad it did though." I began to tell him of my dark thoughts that I had had. I wasn't sure if he was listening or not. It didn't matter, though. It felt good getting the whole story out. It always felt good to say what was on my mind. "When the sun's out, I know everything is gonna be okay," I concluded. When I stopped speaking, I felt Harry take my hand and squeeze it tightly. He turned to look into my eyes. They were still blank, emotionless, but at least I knew that he knew what I was thinking. And, that felt good. I squeezed his hand in return, and lay my head on his shoulder. We sat like that until Mrs. Weasley called and informed us dinner was almost ready.
Dinner was very enjoyable, for everyone. It had to be hosted outside of course. There were simply too many people to fit into the Weasley kitchen. Eighteen all together. I was surprised there was so many. I had expected only eleven. The Weasleys, plus Harry and myself. I should've realized how much the family had grown in the past couple of years. I hadn't seen Bill since my fifth year. He had come with his fiancé and her three year old daughter from her previous marriage. Abigail was a very kindhearted woman. Bill adored her, and everyone knew it. You could tell that they were truly in love. And, Hannah had to be the sweetest child I had every met. I took notice as to how she was already calling Bill 'Daddy'. Charlie wasn't a bachelor anymore, either. I knew he had married during my sixth year, but I didn't know much else. His wife, Holly, was also pregnant with their first child. She was due in early October. We got along greatly and spent most of the evening talking about our pregnancies and what we hoped for for our children.
Percy, I was delighted to see, wasn't as pigheaded as he had once been. He had apologized sometime after fifth year, but he wasn't readily accepted back into the Weasley clan. It took a lot of convincing -- especially on Ron's part -- for Percy to be completely apart of the family again. I was also glad to see he was happily married to his Hogwarts sweetheart, Penelope Clearwater. I had always liked Penny, and she and Percy were perfect together. And, she kept Percy in line.
When I discovered that Fred had a very serious girlfriend and a kid I wanted to say that someone else had been made a man. Fred and Mackenzie had started dating the winter of my sixth year, but no one knew they had become serious. It was my understanding that most of the Weasley family had thought they had spilt. In truth, they had, but for only a little while. Shortly after they got back together, Mackenzie discovered she was pregnant. Their son, Cade, is four months old. According to Ron, he honestly didn't know he was an uncle. When he said it, though, I could tell he was pleased he wasn't the only one who had gotten his girlfriend -- no, I corrected, me and Ron weren't dating when I got pregnant -- a girl pregnant out of wedlock.
George was by himself, but that was only because Alicia had to work. Alicia and him had been on again, off again during school, and when I asked him how serious they were now, he told me it was the same as always. He said it very glumly though, indicating he cared for her more than he let on. But, he was George, and that was expected. What more could I do?
I was exhausted when dinner finally ended. I was yawning constantly and when Mrs. Weasley finally noticed this, she insisted I go on to Ginny's room and get some sleep. When she said this, Ron perked up and started to say something.
"What is it, dear?"
"Nothing, Mum," Ron replied.
"What?" she repeated.
"IjusthtoughtHermionecouldsleepwithme," he mumbled, his face beet red.
"I didn't catch that."
"He thought Hermione was going to sleep in with him," Fred said, all smiles.
"Shut it," Ron growled.
"Well, of course she can't, dear. Wherever would Harry sleep? Besides," she added bluntly, "that's how she became pregnant in the first place." My face turned five shades darker than Ron's.
"It is not!" Ron shouting, standing. "And, why does it matter? I love her, we are going to have a baby. Why can't we sleep in the same bloody room?" He stalked off, leaving everyone staring at a very embarrassed Mrs. Weasley. After several quite minutes, she spoke.
"Okay, Hermione, you and Ron take Ginny's room. Ginny, you can sleep up in your brother's room. It's too far a walk for Hermione. And, Harry, dear, you can take Percy's old room."
We all nodded, and I stood. After telling everyone goodbye and promising to see them soon, I went into the house. I slowly made my way up the staircase, searching for Ron. My legs were tired when I reached Ginny's room, but I kept on. I was certain Ron was in his room. When I reached the door, I went for the doorknob, changed my mind, and knocked. He didn't answer. I knocked again, ready to make my way back down the stairs. When I heard him mumbling, I went ahead and opened the door.
Ron was standing by the window, mumbling under his breath. I quietly made my way toward him. My arms slid around his waist and Ron almost jumped out of his skin. I smiled, containing my laughter, only because I could see the anger in his eyes. When he realized it was me, his eyes softened, and he pulled me close. I lay my head on his shoulder, taking in his scent. His right hand played with my hair, while his left rested on my lower back.
"I'm sorry, Mione," he whispered.
"For what?" I asked, lifting my head.
"Losing my temper. I didn't mean to. I just did. Mum acts like I am the first to do this, and look at Fred! He--"
I stood on my tiptoes, connecting my lips with his. At first, he was too surprised to react, and his lips were immobile beneath mine. Then, he responded. His lips moved between mine, soft and pliant. A muffled groan slipped from the depths of his throat, and I gently pulled away from him. Ron's eyes were still closed, his lips parted slightly.
"Ron?" I whispered. His eyes slid open and a small smile crept onto his lips.
"Yeah?"
"Your mum said we could have Ginny's room." Ron chuckled, eyes lighting with amusement.
"Sure she did," he said. I raised an eyebrow.
"She did, Ron. After you left. She told Harry to sleep in Percy's room." Ron gazed at me with scrutiny, and then grinned.
"You know what we can do with a whole room all to ourselves, don't you?" he asked. I hit him playfully in the arm.
"You wanker, that's how I got pregnant in the first place."
Author's Note Well, my loyal fans do I even still have any?, I think there is only a couple more chapters to go. I am hoping to get this finished by the 6th of February, as a birthday present to myself. Please, review!! I love my reviews, good or bad. I am on Christmas vacation, so I should get be able to get Chapter 9 out by the start of January. I can't make any promises though!