A/N: I was going to post all of this yesterday, but I had homework so I didn't really get it finished. Glad everybody is liking it so far, let's hope that doesn't change.
EmailyGirl: Thanks. My grammar check is supposed to catch that sort of thing.
tink-Chan: Well, we can't have that now can we?
Kaydeek: You're welcome. I just thought that Mrs. Weasley would react that way once she got used to the idea.
Preetoaka Raven Potter Weasley: I'm sorry, but that's not what I planned out. But I'll put in my next story just for you.
edjo: Thanks for the tip. I'll try it.
Monica7725: Thanks. Another great tip. Pull what: )
Everybody Else: Thank you so much. You guys rock-my-socks!
Disclaimer: See previous chapters.
Easter with the In Laws: Part 2
"You ready?" Fred asked Hermione as she came down the stairs to the front of the store.
"As ready as I'll ever be." She answered. She glanced over at George who was looking at the floor. Feeling her eyes on him he looked up. He grinned sheepishly.
"Sorry for the way I've been acting." He said softly.
Hermione returned his smile. "It's okay."
"Great. Now that that's settled, let's go." Fred told them.
"Are we apparating? Hermione asked worriedly.
Fred held out his hand to her. He knew that she hated it. "On three." He whispered.
Hermione shut her eyes as Fred quietly counted to three. She felt that familiar floating feeling that she always got from apparating. When she reopened her eyes, she was standing in the kitchen of the Burrow.
Before she could move, she was swooped up in a hug and spun around the room.
"Ahhh!" she squealed.
"Sorry, Hermione. Just saying congratulations." Charlie apologized as he sat her down.
Hermione put her hand to her heart, mainly to stop it from jumping out of her chest. Charlie had always been the most boisterous of the Weasley clan, but this was a little much even for him. As the room came back into focus, Hermione suddenly felt as if she were going to be sick. She made a mad dash for the bathroom and slammed the door.
"Something I said?" Charlie asked bewildered.
Fred shot his older brother a dirty look as he walked over to knock on the bathroom door. "Hermione? Are you all right?"
"Yes." She called back meekly.
Fred turned the handle. He stepped inside to find Hermione, pale and scared-looking, splashing water on her face. He shut the door behind him and quickly walked over and wrapped his arms around her.
"I'm fine-just nervous." She persisted. She looked into Fred's eyes-an easy fete because he had wrapped his arms around her back and his head was now resting on top of hers. They were looking straight at each other in the mirror.
"You sure?" he whispered.
"Uh-huh. I'm just not sure what my parents are going to do. They're a little…overprotective. Especially my dad." She confessed.
"It'll be fine." He assured her. How many times had he said that to her since this whole thing started?
"Ready?" he asked.
"No. But let's go anyway." She replied and took his hand to lead him outside.
"Your father, is he a big man?" Fred asked.
Hermione giggled.
Everyone looked up as the door opened and immediately all conversation stopped.
'What is going on?' Hermione wondered.
"Sorry if I made you sick by swinging you like that." Charlie said as he came towards them.
"You didn't. I'm just nervous about my parents." She assured him.
"Oh. Then there's no other reason that you might have gotten sick?" he asked. Then he shocked Hermione as his gaze ticked down to her stomach.
Her mouth dropped open. Surely he couldn't think that?
She rounded on Fred and glared at him.
"What?" he asked innocently.
"Fred Weasley, I swear if you've been telling people that I'm…"
"I haven't." he said
Hermione raised her eyebrows and folded her arms across her chest.
"I haven't! Have I told anyone here that Hermione's pregnant?" He yelled.
No one answered. For no sooner had Fred uttered 'that' than Hermione's parents suddenly appeared courtesy of the portkey that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had sent them. Meaning they heard the later half of Fred's sentence.
Both of their mouths dropped open as they stared at their daughter.
"Hi Mum, Dad." She said weakly.
"Hermione Jane Granger!" her mother yelled. "If you're telling us that you're pregnant…"
"I'm not!" Hermione cried. "Honest."
Her mother seemed to relax a little bit at that. But her father was glaring at Fred who in turn was looking down at the floor, beet red and seemingly terrified.
"Um…Mum, Dad-this is Fred." Hermione said. When Fred didn't look up Hermione poked him in the side. He shot her a dirty look before finally meeting her parents' eyes.
"Hello. It's nice to meet you." He said quietly as he extended his hand first to Hermione's mother, then her father.
"It's a pleasure," her mother said warmly, "I'm Jane and this is Robert."
But the look on Hermione's father face made Fred afraid to call him anything other than Mr. Granger.
"Just what do you have to say for yourself young man?" He demanded.
"Um…only that I'm sorry you weren't there for the wedding. I know Hermione is, too. And I promise to take really good care of her." Fred answered.
Mr. Granger seemed satisfied. Hermione sighed in relief. And then…
"And she's not pregnant." Fred added.
"Fred!" she cried.
"Well you're not." He said defensively. Then he noticed the sour look had returned to Mr. Granger's face.
"Well." Mrs. Weasley piped up causing everyone in the room to jump. "When the other guests get here, we can eat."
"What other guests?" Ron asked suspiciously.
No sooner had he said that than in apparated Neville, Mrs. Longbottom, Luna, and her father.
"Now I think I'm going to be sick." Ron muttered to Harry.
-
"Well that was certainly the weirdest dinner I've ever been through in my life." Fred said while he was getting ready for bed.
"I know. I've never seen Ron or George so quiet." Hermione said.
The dinner had ended less than an hour ago, not that it had been much fun. Only the adults had done any talking. The rest of them just sat quietly and picked at their food.
"You don't really think that Ron was serious about becoming a monk?" Hermione called to him through the bathroom door.
"Nah. Once he finds out that they fast, he'll change his mind right quick." He answered with a mouth full of toothpaste.
"Spit please." She yelled.
"Yes dear." He replied.
Hermione sighed. Then she froze as an idea occurred to her. "Fred?"
"Huh?" he inquired as he came out of the bathroom. As was often the case when they were around each other recently, he was not wearing a shirt-only a pair of blue stripped pajama bottoms. Hermione felt the heat creep up her face.
"Where are we…?" she asked gesturing towards the bed.
Fred grinned. "After you."
Hermione fiddled with the belt on her robe. But she didn't make one move towards the bed.
"What's wrong?" he asked. This time his voice held genuine concern.
"It's just that…well I didn't think we'd be sleeping in the same bed. And I sort of… forgot about what I packed to sleep in until just now." She stammered.
"Meaning…" Fred drawled.
Blushing scarlet Hermione undid her robe and let it slide off her shoulders.
Fred's mouth dropped open. Hermione was wearing a pair of dark pink shorts so tiny he wasn't sure they could even be considered shorts. Adding to her ensemble was the smallest excuse for a tank top he'd ever seen. It was white and held up by spaghetti straps so thin they looked like thread. And it left very little to the imagination. Every bend and curve of her body was there on display and he couldn't help but stare. Hermione began to fidget. "What?" she asked worriedly.
"Um…wh-huh?" he asked forcing his eyes up to meet hers. When had Hermione developed like this? And why the hell wasn't he consulted first?
Hermione sighed. She crossed her arms over herself in attempt to cover up some of the skin that was exposed.
Thinking quickly Fred jumped over to the dresser and extracted one of his tee shirts. He handed it to her. "Here. Maybe you'll be more comfortable in this."
Hermione smiled before slipping the shirt over her head. It had the emblem of the Chudley Cannons, Ron's favorite Quidditch team emblazoned across the front. It was so large on her that it hung down to her knees and the sleeves reached all the way down to her elbows. It was now Fred's turn to grin. She looked adorable.
"Better?" he asked softly.
"Much." She answered then crawled into bed.
Fred too laid down but somehow didn't think he'd be getting a whole lot of sleep.
-
Meanwhile, Ron Weasley was sitting in the kitchen of the Burrow. He was picking at leftovers and feeling utterly depresses. A soft pecking sound drew his attention to the window. He looked over at a soft grey owl perched on the windowsill. He opened the window and took the letter-which was addressed to him. He read quickly, his mouth curving into a slow smile.
A/N: Well I hope everyone liked that. I'm sorry to end on such a cliffhanger It's a necessary evil. You don't want to miss the next chapter-something very important happens! Bye-bye. : )
