Disclaimer: I couldn't ever even think of writing anything as brilliant Harry Potter. It's all JKR.
I'll tell you what I told readers of my other story, Yes I am a horrible person who hasn't updated in a long, long, long time and I doubt any of you are exactly chirpy and happy with me right now. So no point in explaining about all the things (e.g. finals, weddings, vacations) that's been going on. I'm sorry. Cheers to Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince! It's almost in our mere mortal hands!
Much love and thanks to:dancerrdwQueEnfullofDraMaGrint'sBestGalpinkythesnowmanOne With A Constant Sugar HighAlbino RedneckpiratingspiderelfIamRupertFanBlood Tears Dying Angel 0previously magic and sparkle0MIDNIGHT-PIXIEsingdownthemoonHorselverRupertsgrl479mysticofthepenTheDaughterOfKings, cactus, Gemmika, and ellen2321
'Now I know I've got a heart because it's breaking'-Tin Woodsman from the Wizard of OZ
"No, no, nuh! Thee vlowers do nott go vhere, yu imbecile!" Marcel scolded a helpless wizard who was working hard to arrange the flowers on the tabletops, "You'veah butcherED thee lilies!"
"I'm sorry, sir but I..."
Ron didn't continue listening in the conversation long enough to hear what the wizard had to say. Instead he felt rather twitchy and kept moving around table to table to check if everything was going accordingly. It was strange to think that perhaps by tonight all this decorating and spritzing would all be for nothing. There might even be a dress rehershal tonight. It all really depended on what Hermione had to say to him tonight or if she would even say it for that matter.
He hadn't seen her since last night at Seamus and Alex's wedding because he hadn't gone home last night. Instead he'd chosen to stay at the inn above the Leaky Cauldron. It was strange to sleep alone after such a long time and he had felt rather cold all throughout the night. Not that he felt much warmer in his bed at home these a days. He hadn't taken the consideration to owl Hermione about his new, and hopefully, temporary accomodations because he was sure Harry had already spoken to her about what had gone down the day before.
He wasn't quite sure where to go from here. It seemed he'd gotten himself into a horrible situation that he had created, himself. Why was he marrying Hermione, anyways? Was it because he loved her or was it because that's just what everyone expected them to do? Was it just a gradual movement of relationships? Couldn't they have just stayed same forever?
"Mr. Weasley?" another Whizzgate employee questioned.
"Mmm?" Ron mumbled, raising an eyebrow and looking in the direction of the young, rather pimply, boy that was talking to him.
He felt so tired, so lazy that he hadn't even noticed he was suddenly sitting down. And he certainly couldn't muster the strength to speak.
"You're-um-well-you're sitting on the napkins, sir," he explained, gesturing underneath him.
"Huh? Oh!" Ron understood, jumping up.
Was it pathetic to think that the pimply wizard was actual going to say something useful to him? Wasn't that usually how things happened to him? Someone was always there to hold his hand and help him through the impossible? Yet no one talked to him for any reason anymore than the wedding. Ron was sick of the wedding. The sooner it was over the better.
Hermione dabbed at the corners of her eyes to remove some of her mascara from the night before. She was currently sitting on a stool beside her dressing table, staring at her own face in the mirror. This was not how she was supposed to be feeling right now. Upset, tired, worried, depressed, guilty, hurt. That was not how a typical woman felt on the day of her dress rehearsal, the day before her wedding.
Maybe it was her fault for getting pregnant, maybe not. But it was definitely her fault for not telling Ron the truth. And now...look how things were between them. She'd pushed him away so much that he'd actually left. He hadn't come home last night. She didn't think he would come home this night. All that was holding their relationship together for him was the fact that she was going to tell him everything tonight. But how would he react?
He's going to leave you.
That's all that was going through her head. She knew Ron loved her, deeply but was it deep enough to actual accept that she was pregnant with...god knows who's child? Would he believe that she hadn't been an infidel to him?
No, of course not.
Hermione pushed her hair out of her face and leaned over her dressing table and started to cry silently. She didn't shake at all. In fact to any passersby she would just look like she was taking a rest. All hope was lost.
Suddenly Hermione felt an odd sensation in her body. Something she hadn't to expect in a good nine months. She sat up abruptly. And looked down at her own body. It couldn't be...
Maybe...her hope had been restored?
"If I was drowning in the sea, would you dive right in and save me? If I was falling like a star, would you be right there to catch me? If I was dreaming of your kiss, would you look right through me? Oh, I'm on the street I'm waiting. In my heart, it's raining. Your eyes are holding up the sky. Your eyes make me weak I don't know why. Baby, your eyes make me scared to tell the truth. I thought my heart was bullet proof. Now I'm dancing on the roof. And everybody knows...I'm into you."
The music, slow, and rather painful for Ron to hear was playing softly in the background of the dress rehearsal. Ron closed his eyes and sighed deeply. It had been fifteen minutes since it had started and Hermione had yet to show up. It was unlike her to be tardy but she full of surprises lately.
Ron stood at the door, embarrassingly alone, greeting the guests.
"Where's your pretty little strumpet?"
"Not here yet."
"May I ask as to where Miss Granger is?"
"I'm not quite sure as of now."
"I haven't seen Hermione all night..."
"That makes two of us."
Conversation was dull.
"Hey, hot stuff."
Ron looked up, surprised at being greeted in such an unorthodox fashion. However, once he saw who the speaker was his shock wore away into a rather large smile. It almost hurt his cheeks to move out of their usual frumpy frown.
"Gywndolene Granger. Why am I not surprised?" Ron questioned, slanting his head to one side and grinning.
Gywn smiled in turn and came in for a hug. Finally, Ron thought, Someone who isn't depressed, or uptight or just plain boring.
"Ron, meet Kyle, you remember him, don't you? From the bushes?" Gywn explained, introducing them.
Ron looked at Kyle and was immediately reminded of a sandy-haired boy looking awfully bored as Gywn had sat beside him crying.
"Yesss. Nice to meet you again," Ron said, shaking his head.
"Same, man," Kyle nodded, looking around the room, seemingly impressed.
"Right," Ron blinked, "Well how have you been?"
"Wonderful. In fact Kyle and I are engaged!" Gwyn squealed, holding out her hand.
On her ring finger was what appeared to be a large rimmed ring with an even larger red stone on it.
"You bought this?" Ron said in surprise, looking up at the greasy-haired young man before him.
"Yeah," Kyle grinned, "I had to sell my car and donate some blood to make ends meet."
Ron grimaced, "Well...good for you."
"I know, right? So where is my dear, cousin, Hermione?" Gwyn inquired, "I need to flash this baby at her too."
"Erm...as of now...," Ron started.
"I'm right here," Hermione piped up, coming out of nowhere.
She came around Ron and gave Gwyn a quick hug, "How are you? Oh, wow, that ring is beautiful!"
"If my heart was sadder than a song, would you still listen? If my tears fell on you one by one, would you see them glisten?"
"Drab, music," Gwyn frowned, "I mean for a wedding celebration and all. Who chose it?"
"I did and I thought it was quite appropriate," Ron said, looking at Hermione for some kind of reaction.
Gwyn seemed to notice the friction between them and decided to make her exit with Kyle. After they were gone Hermione looked to Ron, a sad smile playing on her lips.
"I know we're not on the best of terms right now-"
"Who said we weren't on the best of terms? You? That seems highly unlikely since you've gone to not talking these-a-days," Ron said, more coldly than he'd meant.
"Listen, Ron...I have some explaining to do and once we get some time in private and you hear me out...I'm sure you'll understand and forgive me," Hermione explained, "So, please, for everything that's happened between us...just give me one last chance to explain."
Ron stayed silent, "One chance."
Hermione smiled.
"Every single thing you say makes me want to run away. Sometimes love's a rainy day but life goes on."
"Ron! Ron! Over here!" Seamus called to him.
Ron turned around and dodged a waiter before heading over to Seamus, who was sitting alone at a table that was messy from the dinner that had passed. Ron chose the chair beside him and sat down, smiling the best he could.
"Awesome dinner. This place is beautifully decorated. I can't wait to see it outside tomorrow during the wedding," Seamus commented.
"Thanks, mate. Means a lot that someone is enjoying all this," Ron sighed.
"Trouble in paradise?" Seamus questioned.
Ron laughed, "Paradise? Hermione and I have never exactly been in paradise."
"So you think," Seamus continued, "But, really, what's wrong?"
"I don't know...we're so distant lately," Ron tried to explain, "Is this how it happened for you two when...well when I came into the picture?"
"I guess except it took me a long time to realize the space that had come between us and by then it was just too late," Seamus replied, "You two aren't like that. You two actually work together when you want to."
"You think so?" Ron quirked up an eyebrow.
"Definitely," Seamus nodded, "What I don't understand is why you're sitting here talking to me when you could be somewhere else talking to her about this."
"You know what? You're right. I'm going to go find her right now," Ron declared, beaming with his new found courage and energy.
An hour later, however, that energy and courage was practically diminished. He couldn't find Hermione. Where in the world was she? He was tired of looking around like a mad man. Highly discouraged he was about to go back to his usual moping when he noticed a voice he recognized in the air. Hermione.
It was coming from a corridor outside of the hall they were in right now. Ron drifted along with that sound. Reaching the corridor on his right hand side. Look to both sides, he stepped out of the room. The door shut behind him and the sound echoed through the empty corridor. Ron's pace quicken as he heard Hermione's voice coming from a door at the very end of the hall way. He was practically at the door when he stopped. He dare not disturb the current conversation since it was so dramatic and informative.
"You have to tell him! If you don't he's going to leave you!" Harry's voice exclaimed, furiously.
"No! You don't understand. There's so many issues here," Hermione pleaded.
"I only see one," Harry argued.
"Harry, there's something I need to tell you first about...-her voice got quieter but didn't stop Ron from overhearing-our little secret."
Ron felt the blood pumping in his ears. Was he hearing right? And if he was...it sounded an awful lot like Harry and Hermione were having an affair? He shook his head. Nooo...
"What about 'our little secret'?" Harry questioned, earnestly.
"I went to the doctor's today-and oh Harry don't be mad. I mean what we did was important. All those nights it wasn't for nothing but I found out that-"
All those nights?
No. No. No. No. No. No. This wasn't happening. This fiance and his best mate weren't having an affair the night before his wedding. This just couldn't be happening to him. It was too wild. It was like his mother's wizard radio soap opera's.
Ron couldn't take it anymore. He burst open the door surprising both Harry and Hermione who were both standing semi-close defending their positions.
"Ron!" Hermione hiccoughed.
"Ron...this isn't what it seems...," Harry started.
"Oh really? 'Cause it seems like you two are having an affair!" Ron screamed in a frighteningly loud and commanding tone that left both Hermione and Harry quiet for a second.
"That's not it at all. It's something totally different," Harry said, timidly.
"Uh huh, and what's that? The 'fake' thing you're probably going to make up to tell me tonight so that I would forgive Hermione?" Ron sputtered, totally losing control, "How could you? I trusted you! You're my best friend!"
"I didn't do what you think I did!" Harry cried in dismay, "Listen the real situation here is that Hermione is-
"Harry don't!-" Hermione piped up.
"No, Hermione, he needs to know, now," Harry decided, "The thing is Ron, Hermione and I aren't having an affair. In fact I'm just helping her cope with the fact that she's-
Ron eyed Hermione who was desperately trying to shush Harry and then to Harry who was furiously trying to explain. What was he going to say?
-pregnant."
Ron's face blanked. Did he hear right? Hermione, pregnant? But how..? It sure as hell wasn't Ron's baby. So that was it. She cheated on him. If not with Harry then with someone else.
"Ron, no! Don't listen to him. It's not like that!" Hermione said, sounding desperate.
Ron looked at her as if mystified about who she was, "I hate you."
Hermione, who had been procceeding towards him all this time, backed away, "What?"
Her voice was soft, breathless, as if something had just shot her down.
"I hate you," Ron said, again, his voice empty.
With those parting words, he turned around and raced out of the room. Harry slumped down into a couch behind him. Hermione turned towards him, tears streaming down her face.
"You bastard," she sobbed, "I told you not to tell! You don't even understand!"
"It's better to tell him now then have him divorce because of it later on," Harry murmured, quietly.
"Oh, Harry. I was going to tell you I went to see the healer...he told me I wasn't even pregnant! I skipped my period because of stress not pregnancy! I got it back today...and...oh I hate you. I hate you! I hate you!" Hermione shouted, running away herself.
Author's Note: Dramatic, non? Read the next chapter for the ending. I heart Drama. Oh and by the way, the song featured in this chapter was 'Your Eyes' by Alexz Johnson.