Ginny Potter opened her front door to find Hermione standing there, on the verge of tears. "Oh no," Ginny sighed. "What's he done now?" Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but the only sound that emerged was a high-pitched blubbering.
"You'd better come in," Ginny said gently. "Harry!" she yelled. "Could you put the kettle on, please? Two teas, milk, no sugar!" And with that, she led the ever-more distraught Hermione towards the living room.
"Sit down- I'll get you some tissues, and then we can talk this all over," Ginny said, pointing Hermione towards the sofa. She tossed her the box of tissues from the side table, then headed towards the kitchen to speak to Harry.
"Harry?" she said quietly, sticking her head around the doorway.
"Yes, love?" he said as he handed her two mugs of steaming hot tea.
"Could you do a few things for me, please?" she said sweetly.
"Sure. Let me guess. I have to make up the spare room, look out some extra pyjamas, and tell Ron that Hermione's staying here tonight, right?" he said witheringly. They had run through this routine so many times in the past five years that they didn't even have to think about it. "What has he done now, like?"
"I don't know, but it must be pretty bad," Ginny said wearily. " She was actually crying."
"Well, you go sort her out, okay, sweetie? And if it's anything big, come and tell me."
"Sure," Ginny said, pecking him affectionately on the cheek, before heading back to the living room, where Hermione was successfully working her way through the entire box of tissues. She laid the mugs down on the side table before sitting down next to Hermione.
"So what's wrong, 'Mione? It isn't anything too awful, is it?"
"He… he… he…" Hermione spluttered, before breaking down into tears.
"He… hasn't had an affair, has he?" Ginny said tentatively. It was the only thing that she could think of that could possibly have got Hermione in such a state.
"No! He said… he said he didn't want kiiiids!!" Hermione howled.
"Oh, no, come on now, 'Mione, I'm sure he didn't really mean it!" Ginny said, mentally kicking her brother in the shins. " I mean, you're only 23, he probably just mean that he didn't want kids right now."
"But we're having them right nowww!" Hermione continued to wail. "I'm pregnaaaannt !" And with that she broke down completely.
"Oh, god, Hermione, I'm so sorry! I had no idea!" Ginny said, taken aback. "It's OK, Hermione, I'm sure it'll all be OK- I mean, he probably didn't mean it, he probably wasn't even thinking when he said it, you know how often he puts his foot in it…" she rambled. Ginny's words appeared to be making her even more upset. She noticed Harry standing beside the door, looking bewilderedly at Hermione, who was now sobbing on her shoulder. Gently, she said, " 'Mione, I'm just gonna go get some more tissues. I'll be back in a second, OK?" Hermione gave a muffled sob, which Ginny chose to read as a yes. She proceeded towards Harry, grabbed his wrist and hauled him along the corridor and into the spare bedroom, closing the door behind her.
"What on earth's wrong with her?" Harry asked, alarmed.
Ginny sighed resignedly. "Oh boy. Ron has really screwed up this time…"