Chapter 10: Changes
A/N: I had a hard time coming up with a title for this chapter, but after I thought about where the story was going, I could only think of one song that would fit; "Changes" by David Bowie. This is the turning point for the story, and as the title suggests, everything will be changing from this point forward. Now that Ron is finally pregnant, the rest of the story will deal with the consequences of the pregnancy. I know I'm being a bit vague, and it's on purpose. Sorry. I promised a few people that I would get this chapter out by Christmas, and thanks to my Wonderbetas, I was able to keep my promise. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone. Make sure your family and friends know how much you love them - that's the best present of all. See ya'll (yes, I'm a southern girl) again in 2005!
The air was filled with smoke and the nauseating scent of death. The battle had been raging on for what seemed like hours. Actual time ceased to exist when you were fighting for your life. Hogsmeade had been attacked while Harry, Hermione, Ginny, and he had been shopping in the village for Christmas presents. What should have been a carefree day of shopping for loved ones had turned into a living hell. Death Eaters had apparated into the village without warning, and began torturing and killing everyone who crossed their path. He suspected they knew it was a Hogsmeade weekend for the Hogwarts students and were hoping to catch Harry in the village. Which, of course, they did. Now they were fighting for their lives and the lives of everyone else unlucky enough to be Christmas shopping that day. He occasionally looked over his shoulder to see if the others were alright and once or twice caught Hermione's eyes as she was doing the same. So far, they had held their own. Just as he was turning back around, he saw a Death Eater no more than a couple of feet away pointing his wand directly at him. Before he could level his own wand, the wizard had shot a curse at him that caught him in the left leg. Pain, like a white-hot poker, shot through his leg and he crumpled to the ground. Over his own cry of pain, he heard Hermione cry "NOOO! RON!" and he saw her running toward him. As she stood in front of him, he saw the second Death Eater's curse hurtling toward him. It happened as if in slow motion. As the curse flew toward him, Hermione dived in front to shield him from the second attack. The curse hit her in the stomach and she fell to the ground in front of him. He quickly cast a stunning spell at the Death Eater before crawling toward Hermione. His only thoughts were "please don't let her be dead" as he reached for her, placing her head in his lap. She was as pale as a sheet, and he couldn't tell if she was breathing. He gently stroked the side of her face, whispering "Please Hermione, wake up. I love you. Please don't be dead." She didn't move. The bile began to rise in his throat as he realized that she was dead. The smell of death was in the air, and it was overwhelming his senses. "Hermione! Come on, wake up."
Ron awoke with a start. His hair was plastered to his face, and his hands shook. He realized that the nausea he had felt in his nightmare was real, as he clamped a hand over his mouth and ran for the loo. He just made it as he emptied the contents of his stomach into the toilet. As he heaved, he felt Hermione place a cold flannel to his forehead and stroke his back lovingly. Once he was sure he was finished, he flushed and leaned back against the opposite wall for support. He was still shaking when she wrapped her arms around him.
"Are you alright? I heard you moaning in your sleep and you yelled 'wake up' just before you ran in here. Were you having another nightmare?" Hermione knew that he still had nightmares occasionally from the war, but since his pregnancy, they had been much more frequent.
Ron took a deep breath to try to calm himself down. "Yeah, it was about that day in Hogsmeade. When I though you had..." He didn't want to say it out loud. That day was the worst of his life, when he thought that he had caused her death.
"Oh, darling. That wasn't your fault. You would have done the same for me or Harry or anyone you cared about. I'm the one who stepped in front of that curse, you aren't to blame." She stroked his damp hair back from his forehead.
"But if you hadn't been protecting me, you wouldn't have been hit with that curse, and your insides wouldn't have been damaged. You would be able to have children if it weren't for me."
"It's because of you that we're going to have a child now. If I hadn't done something, you might not have survived, and what good would it be for me to be able to have children if I couldn't have them with you." Ron's shaking had eased, and Hermione continued to run her fingers though his hair. "Now you need to stop thinking about this. It's obviously upsetting you, and that can't be good for the baby. Let's leave the past in the past. We have a wonderful future ahead of us." She kissed him on the forehead. "Now, if you're feeling better, why don't you come back to bed with me. It's far too early in the morning to be up."
Ron slowly pushed himself up off the floor, but as he did the color in his face drained again.
"Ron, are you alright?"
He shook his head from side to side. "I'm not feeling very well. Think I'd better stay here. Please go back to bed, love. There's no need for you to be missing sleep."
"We're in this together, remember? There's no need for you to suffer alone. I love you, Ronald Weasley, and our baby. I expect you would be here with me if our roles were reversed."
"Honestly, you don't need to watch me puke. I'm perfectly capable of doing that on my own." He said, with a half-hearted smirk.
"Sorry, but you're stuck with me, through sickness and in health. Remember?" Ron's morning sickness had begun a few days after they learned that he was pregnant, and it had been hard on him. He was constantly nauseous.
"Hermione," he said weakly, "I..."
"Yes love, what is it? Can I get you anything?"
"I'm going to be sick." And as he continued for the next hour, Hermione stayed by his side taking care of him. As she rubbed his back, she thought to herself, 'This is going to be a long nine months.'
Once he had found out about the baby, Ron had told Lieutenant Shanks about his "condition". The look on Shank's face was a mixture of horror, disbelief, and sympathy, and if Ron had been a spectator in this conversation rather than a participant, he would have found it amusing. After a long pause to digest the information, Shanks told Ron that he understood and wished him well. Shanks also agreed to keep the information confidential, for obvious reasons, until Ron and Hermione decided to go public with their news. Shanks had reassigned Ron to a desk job, where he would go over intelligence reports looking for patterns or other valuable information that may have been overlooked. It was an important job in the Auror division, but one he found quite boring.
The worst part of the whole experience was that he was no longer Harry's partner. Ron and Harry had been partners since they first joined the squad, and for the first time the dream team had been separated. Hermione thought it would be good for them to get away from each other for a while and learn how to work with other people, but Ron wasn't so sure. For his part, Harry had been a trooper and had not once complained about the change. But Ron could see the loss in Harry's eyes. Things were changing, and neither of them knew if this change would be good. Harry had been assigned a new partner almost immediately. Her name was Samantha Ferguson and she had only been out of the academy for six months. Although she was inexperienced, her instincts for the job made her a natural. Harry got on with her well, as she had a wicked sense of humor that most found endearing. Ginny even approved of his new partner, which Ron found rather unsettling, as he had been sure that Ginny would be upset with Harry having a female partner. Sam, as she liked to be called (anyone who tried to call her "Fergie" would find themselves on the receiving end of one of her tripping hexes), was an attractive 21-year-old witch with sandy blonde hair, hazel eyes, and a figure most women would envy. She was funny, outgoing, and full of life. Ron didn't like her.
Not that he had anything bad to say about her. It's just that she had taken on the roll of Harry's partner so quickly and with so little effort, Ron found it hard to not feel a little envious. He was the only "real" partner Harry would ever have, and this Sam person was just a temporary fill-in. Ron thought he would like her a little better if she were a little more flawed, or had a bad temper, or had a large wart on the end of her nose. No, this girl was just a little too perfect for his liking. Perhaps he would have taken to her better if his hormones weren't such a mess. Truth be told, he would have liked her if she had been the partner of anyone besides Harry.
It had been two weeks since Ron had found out he was pregnant, and he couldn't help but think it was going to be a long nine months. The only ones in the office who knew he was pregnant was Harry and, of course, Shanks. Rumors were going around almost immediately about why Ron was reassigned. He had overheard people talking, and apparently there were three main theories. The first was that Ron had screwed up so badly, that Shanks had pulled him for his own safety. The second was that he and Harry had some huge row that resulted in Ron asking for reassignment. The third was that he had some unknown disease that weakened him, and that he needed to have a desk job for his own health. Everyone had been asking him questions, trying to figure out which of the theories was correct and he wouldn't have been a bit surprised if there were wagers riding on it. He wasn't sure how people would actually react to the truth, but it would come out eventually. He and Hermione had decided to go to the media about the pregnancy after the first trimester, just to make sure that everything was going well until that point.
Ron was sitting at his desk, eating dry crackers, and trying to keep them down. Usually after his first bout of morning sickness, he would eat dry crackers until his hunger kicked in, and then he would eat like a starving man. This routine continued throughout the day, as he had to deal with several attacks of "morning sickness". Whoever named it that needed to feel his pain. It should be called "morning, afternoon, and night sickness" or "all the time sickness", as that would be much more accurate. His work pants were starting to get uncomfortably tight, and he mentally made a note to ask Hermione to charm them into a looser fit. His stomach was already starting to grow, not so that anyone else would notice with his robes on, but enough that his entire wardrobe no longer fit properly. He often had stomachaches along with his growing midsection, but as of yet, no one at work had noticed his condition. When they had the opportunity for a private moment, Harry would inquire about his health, but those times were infrequent these days, with each of them reassigned. Shanks was also concerned about Ron, but did not voice it, as he was determined to treat him the same as any other employee under his supervision. Ron couldn't help but notice that Shanks' face would take on a softer, almost fatherly appearance whenever he noticed Ron feeling under the weather.
At noon, Harry invited Ron along to lunch with Sam and himself. Ron jumped at the opportunity to go, not only because he was starving and missed his best friend, but he also welcomed the opportunity to keep an eye on Sam. Both Ginny and Hermione had told him he was being overly sensitive and irrational, and Harry had all but threatened him to keep his 'baseless accusations' to himself. They had decided to eat at a small sandwich shop in Diagon Alley. While Ron ordered two large sandwiches, some chips, and a milkshake, Harry ordered a roast beef sandwich, and Sam ordered a salad. That was one more thing to add to the list he was tallying in his head of Reasons to Distrust Samantha Ferguson: eats salads.
"Are you joking? Is that all you're going to eat? You'd hardly be able to fight off a Death Eater attack on a meal like that," Ron said incredulously.
Sam laughed. "I don't think I'll have to worry about any Death Eater attacks. Besides, I need to watch what I eat to stay in fighting form. I think you'll be eating enough for both of us, anyway," she said with another laugh. Ron seethed.
"So what are you trying to say?" Ron was trying hard to contain his anger, but Merlin, how this woman pushed his buttons.
"Ease up, Ron. You started it. She's just joking with you. Besides, no one can keep up with you and your appetite." Harry turned toward Sam. "He was well known at Hogwarts for his voraciousness. The house elves all knew him well from the number of times he snuck into the kitchens for a snack." Harry laughed, "I still remember the time we caught Winky and Dobby..."
"Alright, that's enough. I never wanted to think about that again, that you very much. I couldn't look at a turkey baster without having flashbacks for years." Ron's anger was abated for the moment. Damn that Harry Potter.
"You two really do have a great chemistry. Why did you decide to leave active duty, Ron? You and Harry were the 'dream team' according to everyone in the office," Sam asked, sipping on her glass of water.
"Harry's the best mate I could ever have, and I couldn't have asked for a better partner. I just needed a break, for personal reasons." This woman certainly was nosey as well. One more thing for the list.
"Personal reasons? What kind of reasons would make you want to give this up?" Sam asked casually.
"Personal ones," Ron said flatly. "But I haven't given it up, it's just a few months break and then I'm back on active duty. So don't get too comfortable in my position." Ron really didn't care if he was polite anymore.
"Well, guess I'll just have to learn from the best while I have the chance. You've really done me a favor, Ron. Thank you, and I promise I won't get too comfortable. I'm just glad I can work with Harry at all. It really is an honor." She was blushing now, which made Ron angry on behalf of his sister. This little girl was flirting with Harry, and he was too dumb to realize it. Now more than ever he was convinced he would have to keep a close eye on her.
Harry, sensing the rising tension, decided to change the subject. "So Sam, why don't you tell us a little about yourself."
"Well, there's nothing too exciting I'm afraid. I was born in Hertfordshire, my mother is Bulgarian and my father is Irish, so you could say I'm a bit of a mutt." Ron added 'Bulgarian' to his list. "I have an older brother who works for Nimbus Racing Broom Company and a younger sister who's still at Hogwarts. I was a Ravenclaw, and played beater on the house Quidditch team."
"You were a beater?" Harry asked, while Ron simply raised an eyebrow.
"I know, hard to believe, isn't it? But it's true. I never let a bludger by me. Guess that's why I did so well on my Auror exams. Size is no indication of power, you know," she said with a smile.
"So, any men in your life?" Ron asked
"That's a bit personal, isn't it Ron?" she said as she took another sip of water.
"Didn't stop you from asking me, though, did it?"
Sam let out a hearty laugh. "No, I guess it didn't. But as I recall, you didn't answer me. Sorry, I'm a bit too nosey for my own good. No, I don't have anyone special in my life. No time, really."
Harry insisted on paying the bill, and as he left to pay the waiter, Sam turned to face Ron. "I like you Ron. You say whatever is on your mind. It's refreshing. I can see why Harry is such good friends with you. I hope someday you will consider me a friend as well. I promise to take care of him, and watch his back until you go active again."
"You'd better, because I've spent the last seventeen years breaking him in. I don't want to have to start all over again with another bloke."
Sam reached out to shake his hand, "I know what you mean. Good men are so hard to find. Looks like I lucked out and found two."
The weather seemed to have turned unseasonably cold in the hour they had spent in the sandwich shop, and he shivered as a cold wind blew through the open front door. He shook Sam's hand, giving her a lopsided grin. He still didn't like her, but he had to play nice for Harry's sake. It didn't mean that he wouldn't be watching her every step of the way though. Just in case.
A/N: Well, I hope you all enjoyed it. Please let me know what you think of the new character, Sam. I'm dying to find out whether you like her or not. Oh, I used a quote from PoA in Chapter 9 that read "Pity sugar makes it useless". I know that most of you knew that came from Lupin in PoA, but just in case...Again, many thanks to those of you who took the time to review the last chapter. Special thanks to Michelle and Aly - thanks for helping me to get this out before Christmas.
Arwentheelf: Thanks! Unfortunately, it had to be emotional and sappy, there was no other way to do it properly.
kendra is cheese: OK, I'll make more. Just twist my arm.
penguingirl266: Harry may be a bit stressed, but Ron is much more stressed now that Harry has a new partner.
Strayct : I love getting your faithful reviews. Thank you for the kind comments.
luvsdabook : I love Lupin too.. LOL. That was one of my favorite quotes from Prisoner of Azkaban.
harrysmom: Well, Ron's temper is starting to flare a bit, especially with Sam. I'm afraid this is just the beginning :) I'm glad you like it so far.
Kathythetwisted: Welcome back. I shamelessly stole "Cletus the Fetus" from a bit these 2 radio DJ's used to do in Richmond, VA. It was a husband and wife team, and she was pregnant. So they kept referring to the baby as Cletus the Fetus. There was even a little song that went along with it. It was absolutely hilarious, and it made the morning commute a little easier. And that is how little Cletus came to be.
priestess-of-suzaku: Boy and girl twins, huh? Guess we'll have to wait and see what the stork brings.
Huggles4All: Thank you so much. It really made my day to read that you liked it so much. Hope you continue to enjoy it as much.
clothespeg-rules: Any review is a good review! I love them, keep them coming.
La'Ruelia: Not to worry, there will be no naming the child Cletus (Cletus Weasley, can you imagine? The poor thing...). See the note above for Kathythetwisted about Cletus' origins. Unfortunately, I moved away from Richmond before I found out whether "Cletus" was a girl or a boy.
michelleywelley: The funny thing is I read your review for chapter 9 while I was on vacation in the Carribean. Nothing like checking e-mail while it's sunny and 95 degrees outside! I wish I could have a little of that weather now - it's snowing as I type this. Thanks for all your help and encouragement and allowing me to share your brain (we do seem to think alike, don't we?). Hope you like this ending better - I know I do. Talk to you soon.
hp/charmed obsesed: Wicked! I just had to put that in. :) I'm trying to update a quickly as I can, but life keeps getting in the way. I'll try my best.
Penelope Richmond: Wow, 2 ongoing fics at the same time. I have a hard enough time with one. LOL. Thanks for the review.
Bob Bennit: Aw, you are loved, baby. So, in your story, do you mean Harry, Ron, and Hermione are all three pregnant? Wow, that's a hormone explosion waiting to happen. LOL. I'd love to read it when you're finished. Sounds very intriguing.
Ascamelien: Thank you so much for the review. Yeah, a few people have said they like the Cletus part. See some of the notes above for more on his origins. Ever since I heard the Cletus the Fetus song, I thought that I would call my baby that when I became pregnant. Well, it turns out that Ron became pregnant before me, so he gets the honor of using "Cletus the Fetus". Someday I will have my very own Cletus, but until then I'm glad other people find it as cute as I did.
triniroo: Unfortunately, some women were built for it more than others. Poor Ron, he's just going to have to adjust. I like your idea of the sign. Maybe it should read, "Men - don't try this at home" or "Don't say we didn't warn you".
Z-Loca-Grl: Thanks for the review. I'll update as often as time permits.
Clara022292: I'm so glad you like it. Don't worry, I've got at least another 6 chapters and an epilogue planned - the length keep increasing, so there might be more than that. I'm posting this as it gets written, so sometimes the updates will be quicker, but other times there will be a month or two in between chapters. Unfortunately I'm limited by time, and sometimes by inspiration, but both usually come to me at some point. I promise I won't abandon the story. Hey, I kept my promise and updated before Christmas. Aren't you terribly impressed?