Chapter Twelve: A life gone too soon.
Hermione emerged from St. Mungos looking quite shocked. She had thought she was sick, which was why she was here, but she never dreamed of this. She had just found out something that would change her families life. She took a deep breath and walked to her car. As she got in she couldn't help but think. Why me? Why now? She started the car and pulled out. It seemed forever to her until she finally pulled into her driveway. As she did, she had a panicked thought.
'How am I going to tell Ron? He's just became a lead Auror. He's not ready for this.'
She sighed as she got out of the car and made her way into the house.
"Ron?" She called as she entered.
"In the kitchen." Came his reply.
Hermione entered the kitchen somberly.
Ron looked at his wife's face. "What's wrong?"
"We need to talk."
Ron sat down at the table, fearing the worst and looked st his wife. "Okay."
"Ron, do you remember when we talked about having children? We said, we should have them before our careers hit a high point and then we would stop having children?" She asked him.
"Yes."
"Well, it looks as if fate had other plans for us." She sighed. "Ron, the doctor says I'm not sick, I'm pregnant."
Ron gaped at his wife. "You're really pregnant?"
Hermione nodded.
"Mione that's great!" Ron beamed.
"Really? You're not upset?" She looked surprised.
"Why would I be upset? Hermione you have got to remember that when we made those so called plans we were just love sick kids." He explained. "We're much older now and have more of our right minds in place. Any child we have will always be wanted, no matter the time of their birth in our lives."
Hermione gave a sigh of relief. "Thank Merlin. I was worried you would tell me to abort it or something."
"Why would you worry about that?" Ron looked surprised. "I have never valued anything more than you and our children Mione and I never will. Your all my life and I couldn't see it without you." He moved closer to her and kissed her softly.
"I can't tell you how glad I am to hear you say that Ron." She said as they pulled away from the kiss.
"Well, that's why you chose me love." He grinned at her. "And I am very glad you did."
Hermione blushed.
"Well, best tell the children." Ron said as he opened the door to the kitchen. "Darion, Marcus, Lissie!" He called through the door. "Could you come into the kitchen please?" He then closed the door and stood beside Hermione as the children came in.
"Yes dad?" Darion said as he entered.
"Sit down please. Your mother and I have some news to share with you." He told them and exchanged quick glances with his wife as they sat down. "Your mother has just found out that she is going to have a baby." He told them.
Jalisia's face lit up. "Really?" she beamed.
"Yes really." Ron smiled.
"Blimey! Not another one!" Darion grumbled.
"Darion!" His father said in a warning tone.
"Sorry." Darion blushed.
"So, that makes four of us right?" Marcus asked. "Sure you're up to it mum? I mean with four of us "hellions" around you won't get any peace, we'd be quite the handful."
Hermione chuckled. "I've managed so far." was all she said.
It was Christmas day and Hermione shook with anticipation as they made their way to the Burrow. It was time for them to tell the rest of the family that they would have a new addition soon and she was very anxious to get this over with. As they pulled into the driveway some of the family came out to greet them.
"Happy Christmas Ron, Hermione." Molly said cheerfully as everyone filed out of the car, arms full of gifts.
"Happy Christmas!" everyone said together.
They went into the house and for the kids sake they decided to open the gifts first. As soon as everyone was done Ron cleared his throat to get everyone's attention.
"We have an announcement to make." He told their families (Hermione's mum and dad had snuck in while they were opening gifts). "Hermione and I are going to have a new addition to our family."
"Oh, so your finally getting a dog eh?" George asked mockingly.
"No you great git!" Ron snapped irritated. "We're going to have a baby."
Ginny squealed with delight as she hugged Hermione.
The congratulations proceeded to go around as Molly called everyone to dinner.
Hermione knocked on her son's door.
Darion opened the door. "Yes mum?"
"Have you got any idea what tomorrow is?" Hermione eyed her son.
"It's new years day right?" He said in a smarmy tone.
"And?" Hermione crossed her arms. "What else?"
Darion stood looking at his mother, blankly for a moment. Then as realization hit him, he spun around to Marcus.
"Marcus! We forgot to get James a birthday gift!"
"Oh bloody hell!" Marcus groaned, earning himself a sour look from his mother. "Sorry mum."
Darion turned back to his mother. "Can we make a quick trip to Diagon alley?"
"Only if you promise to be back before dinner." She eyed her boys. "And promise not to go to your Uncle's shop."
"But mom!" Darion protested.
"Don't but mom me, you're lucky I'm letting you two go by yourselves." She glared at them, "In case you forgot, you're grounded."
"Then why don't you come with us mum?" Marcus asked.
"Because I have to help your grandmother with dinner." She sighed in frustration, "And besides, who would watch Lissie while we're gone?"
The boy's shrugged in response.
"Exactly." Hermione put her hand into her pocket and pulled out two galleons, handing one to each boy. "Now, I want you to promise not to go anywhere near your uncle's shop today and you can keep the change from these Galleons. Do I have your word?"
The boys looked down at the Galleons in their hands.
"Boys?" Hermione said sternly to get their attention.
They gaped at their mother in shock.
"Do I have your word?" She inquired.
Being at a loss for words they could only nod their agreement.
"Good, get going then." She said as she left.
The boys looked at each other for a moment, as if they were too stunned to move before they broke what ever seemed to be holding them and raced to the fireplace , throwing in a handful of floo and yelling a very excited. "Diagon alley!"
Darion and Marcus walked out of Quality Quidditch clutching the toy Quidditch set they had purchased for James's birthday gift.
"Hey Dari, mum won't know if we just pop into uncle Fred and George's shop for just a bit." Marcus grinned mischievously.
"Well then, what are we waiting for?" Darion grinned back.
The boys turned toward their uncle's shop just as Fred came out.
"There's uncle Fred." Darion stated.
They waved to him but he didn't seem to see them.
Fred turned back to the shop as Darion began to call out to him.
"OI Fred!" Darion called, but his call was drowned out by the deafening roar that came from the shop.
The building exploded with such force that it knocked the boy's to the ground. The next thing Darion would recall seeing is darkness as he was rendered unconscious.
"OI! You coming?" Fred called impatiently, "We're going to be late and you know how Zonco hates to be kept waiting. We can't afford to loose the Hogsmeade account."
"I can't leave." George replied coming out of the back room loaded with boxes. "Will you look at this place? Its worse then Christmas Eve." George set down the boxes and grinned at his twin. "We can't leave Eric here alone, he'd be insane by the time we got back. You go and meet up with Zonco, I'm sure he'll understand, it being New Years Eve and all."
" You sure?" Fred asked, "I could always stay and man the shop with Eric while you meet with Zonco.
"Are you kidding?" George exclaimed, "You've always been the better negotiator, if either of us goes it needs to be you."
Fred shrugged, "I'll see you at dinner, then." He called leaving the store. As he was leaving he felt his shoulder brush something. Looking up, he saw a black robed figure entering the shop. "Oh, sorry." He muttered and continued walking.
He was halfway across the street when he felt that invisible bond he had always had with his brother snap. He felt more then heard the explosion that rocked the ground as he turned back to the joke shop.
Awareness returned all too swiftly to Fred. He's gone, he thought shocked He's really gone! Standing up he began to remember the last thirty-eight years of his life and as he remembered, he walked. Every memory had George in it. He remembered Ron and his teddy bear, nicking The Marauder's Map from Filches office, all the trips to Hogsmeade, the dung bombs.
"Hey . . . hello . . . you alright?" Fred looked up into the most beautiful pair of blue eyes he'd ever seen and realized he had no clue where he was. "Did you hear me?" She asked again, "Knockturn Alley isn't the best place to be wandering aimlessly. You look like you just lost you best friend. Come on, lets go to Madamn Fortescue's and you can tell me all about it," at his look of horror, she quickly added, "or not. Look, you just don't seem like you should be alone. Is there someone I can call?
"I . . . uh . . . "for some reason Fred found it hard to form words.
"At least tell me your name."
"Fred."
"Fred. You got a last name, Fred?"
"Weasley."
"Alright, Fred Weasley, let's go get you a drink, while I try to contact someone to come and get you."
Fred followed dazedly, only dimly aware that she took him to The Leaky Cauldron and placed a glass of . . . something in front of him. Then he heard her calling:
"Weasley . . . Ronald Weasley . . ."
"Who the bloody hell are you?" came the irritated voice of his brother.
"My name is Luciana De Moonvale." The woman snapped back. "You could at least try to be nice you know."
"Right . . ." Ron drawled. "Hold on, I've got another call coming in." There was silence for a moment and Fred felt himself loose his hold on consciousness, gratefully he let the blackness claim him.
"TOM!" Ana called to the man behind the bar, "We need a room, now."
"Number 12." He responded tossing her a key and with out a word she levitated Mr. Fred Weasley up the stairs and down the hall to his room. After settling him in the bed she heard Tom holler up the stairwell, "Miss Moonvale, you got a call waiting down here."
"Ron!" Wood's panicked voice came as Ron clicked over. "We have a situation here!"
"Calm down Oliver." Ron said calmly.
"No, you don't understand. I am standing in front of what used to be your brother's joke shop."
"What do you mean, used to be?" Ron asked panicked.
"Just what I said." Wood had tears starting to run down his cheeks. "Ron, I am so sorry but your brother's are dead."
Ron seemed at a loss of words for the moment.
"Ron,I would love to let you mourn them now, but I need you and Hermione here as soon as possible." Wood croaked.
"Look, I've got some crazy woman on the other line, let me get her off and I'll be right there!" Ron said quickly.
Wood nodded and Ron clicked back over.
Figuring the arrogant Ronald Weasley had finally returned, Ana ran down the stairs and to the floo only to be confronted with a very impatient and disgruntled looking Mr. Weasley.
"Look," He said imperiously, "I've got a bit of a family emergency over here, so if you could hurry it up I would appreciate it." He gritted this out obviously trying to be polite merely as a way to expedite the call.
Suddenly, Ana noticed how pale and drawn he now seemed and decided to take pity on him. Squelching her temper she responded. "I've got a gentleman here who claims to be Fred Weasley. He looks like he's just walked through Hell itself and . . . "
"Where are you?" He cut her off suddenly.
"The Leaky Cauldron, but why?"
"Don't move, I'll be right there." He said imperiously and his head vanished from the fireplace. "Where is he?" He demanded suddenly coming up behind her. "You said he was with you, where is he?"
"Mr. Weasley, please calm yourself he's fine . . ." She began to explain but was cut off.
"Fine?" Ron shouted at the woman in front of him. "How in the bloody hell could he be fine? The joke shop he ran with his twin brother just got blown sky high, with his brother still inside. So tell me Ms. Black, "He sneered, "you tell me how my brother can be fine."
Ana was speechless. After a second she realized that he truly wanted a response. "I'm sorry. I didn't know. I found him wandering aimlessly down Knockturn Alley and didn't think it a safe place for him to be. He seemed completely lost and now I know why." She had tears running down her cheeks unchecked. After a moment she seemed to withdraw into herself and said almost coldly. "He's upstairs in room number 12. Here's the key. Now, if you'll excuse me, I too have somewhere I'm supposed to be." With that she turned and walked gracefully out of The Leaky Cauldron.
Watching her go Ron suddenly thought to himself Now, why is it that she reminds me of Malfoy?
As soon as Ron had aparated back home, with Fred in tow, he laid his brother on the couch gently and barged into the kitchen where Hermione and his mother was busy making dinner.
"Mione, mum." He said in a somber, but cracking voice. "I need to talk to you both now."
Molly turned from peeling potatoes and looked at her youngest son in shock. She noticed immediately that he was pale, but what ever was bothering him he still seemed to be in control of himself.
"Ron, what's wrong?" Hermione asked seeing her husbands pale face.
"Mum I, well I really don't know how to tell you this but." He paused.
"Ron, what is it?" Molly asked frantically, "It's not Arthur is it?"
"No mum, dad's fine." Ron took a deep breath. "It's George mum, he was in an explosion and well."
"Ron, either you spit it out now or I swear I'll die from the suspense!" Molly croaked.
"Mum, the shop has been destroyed and George is dead. I'm so sorry." Ron told her as a tear of pain fell from his eye.
Molly collapsed, sobbing. "No! N-no! Not my George!"
"Oh Merlin no!" Hermione gasped as she sat down.
"Hermione, what are you doing? We need to go!"
"No, you don't understand Ron." She sobbed.
"I do understand love, it was my brother. But we have a job we need to do." Ron soothed. "We can't morn him yet."
"No Ron, I don't mean George!" Hermione "Our son's are there!"
"What do you mean there!" Ron glared at his wife in shock. "There as in Diagon alley or there as in at the shop?"
"Knowing our son's, the shop." she said through her tears.
Ron's face became blank as he numbly sat down, he had not watched where he was about to sit however and ended up hitting the ground very hard.
Hermione at the sound of Ron's yelp seemed to come to and looked at him. "Ron, what are we still doing here!" She demanded. "You're right, we need to get going now!"
Ron groaned in pain as he stood up, messaging his now tender behind.
"Ron, come on!" Hermione practically shouted as she aparated from view.
Ron watched his wife disappear and prayed silently that his son's were alright before he joined her.
Author's notes: It is with sadness and a heavy heart that some portions of this story have been written. Please understand that I felt they were necessary for the story's development, and I do apologise for any upset it causes you, as it causes me.