A/N: I have no idea what I said to make everybody think that Hermione had an abortion but that is DEFINITELY not the case. The baby is still there. Only one more chapter to go after this and I'm sad to see it coming to a close. But I was planning a sequel once I finish some of my other stories. I have three I should be able to wrap up soon. I'm hoping to have the first chapter up by the end of March, so keep a look out.
…………………
Life
Goes On
…………………
Hermione woke with a huge smile on her face. Yesterday had felt like an amazing dream. At first she couldn't quite accept the fact that Fred actually loved her and that he hadn't come after her just because of the baby.
Speaking of the baby, it was currently doing summersaults in her stomach. At least that's what it felt like. It's how she typically felt these days. Morning sickness was over, but so far it hadn't kicked yet. The feeling that she had fish swimming around in her stomach was the norm now.
Usually , the baby would calm down if she ate something. She rolled over onto her back, away from Fred where she had woken up like every other morning, and attempted to grab Fred's discarded shirt off the floor. Only she couldn't quite reach it.
Because Fred put his arm around her waist and pulled her back against him. "No." he whined, his voice husky with sleep.
She laughed. "Fred…"
"Uh-uh." he retorted and tightened his grip while he nuzzled his nose in her hair.
"I'm hungry." she said. "The baby's going mad in here."
Immediately, Fred sat up and looked down at her in alarm. "Are you okay?"
She smiled warmly, touched by his concern. "I'm fine. But the baby wants food. And trust me, I'll see no peace until he gets it."
"She." Fred corrected and got up, pulling on a pair of pajama bottoms that were slung over a chair. "Be right back. Don't move."
She chuckled and finally obtained the shirt she had been trying to get earlier. Her own was across the room and she was far too cozy to get up and get it.
Fred returned a few moments later with a large tray and a huge grin on his face. "Breakfast is served."
He set the tray down on the bed next to her and she saw that it was chocolate chip pancakes-her favorite, syrup, strawberries, bacon, and an enormous glass of milk.
"Drink up." he handed the glass to her and she sipped.
"This looks delicious. But you don't cook." she eyed him suspiciously.
He just looked at her in response. "Fred."
"Yes?"
"Did you conjure this food?"
"Is that bad?" he asked, giving her the big puppy eyes that he had used so often on his mother.
She melted. "No. Thank you." she kissed him softly.
Fred grinned broadly as he watched her eat. She must have been ravenous. He pinched himself discreetly to make sure he wasn't dreaming. He wasn't. She was really there, and really having a baby. It was like a dream.
She finished and he put the tray on the floor. She was looking at him quizzically when he turned back to her. "What?"
"Is this really happening?" she asked softly.
"You bet."
She opened her mouth to say something, but her stomach gurgled loudly. Fred looked down at her belly in amusement. "Guess you're not the only one who wants to talk."
"Yeah, it does that a lot."
"It?" Fred raised his eyebrows at Hermione's classification for their baby.
"I don't want to know if it's a boy or girl until I have it." she said.
"It's a girl." Fred declared.
"Why are you so adamant about that?"
He grinned secretively. "Maybe I'll tell you someday."
She was about to protest when there was a loud knock on the door. Fred went to get it and Hermione heard voices coming from the living room. She pulled on a pair of pajama bottoms and followed them to see Fred talking to George and Mrs. Weasley.
Hermione watched her mother-in-law's eyes widen at the sight of her. She braced herself for the telling off she was about to get. George eyed his mother, recognizing Hermione's fear and cut it off by hugging her. "It's good to see you."
"Thanks George." He smiled in understanding, getting what she was really thanking him for.
"Hermione." Mrs. Weasley said formally.
Hermione offered her a small smile and Fred cleared his throat. "Mum, we have to tell you something."
She looked at him and he took a deep breath. "Hermione's pregnant."
Mrs. Weasley went ashen and dropped her purse on the floor. She looked at Hermione in alarm, her eyes automatically flying to her stomach. "You're sure?"
Hermione nodded.
Before she could even take another breath, Mrs. Weasley had descended upon her and wrapped her in a tight hug. Fred actually had to pry her off and could only get her out by promising to come for dinner that night to explain everything.
"At least I'm still alive." Hermione joked. "Tonight is not going to be fun is it?"
Fred shook his head.
"Great."
…………………
"Well?" George asked his brother.
Fred beamed. "I got it. Hermione is going to love it."
"You sure she won't get upset about you doing something like that without consulting her?" George wondered.
"I hope not. But you never know, her hormones have been all over the place lately." Fred answered.
George snickered at his brother's expression. "What'd she do now?"
"Nothing really. Just mood swings."
"So she hasn't tried to set you on fire again?" George asked with a smirk.
"Not yet." Fred replied.
He headed upstairs to find Hermione staring glumly at a pair of knitting needles. For the past three months his mother had been teaching her. She had gotten it into her head that the baby should have a hand-knitted quilt for the crib, but refused to let either grandmother do it.
"What's wrong honey?" he asked, crouching down beside her chair.
"I can't do it anymore."
He pushed a stray hair behind her ear. "How come?"
Hermione scowled. "My stomach is too big!"
He smiled and kissed her temple. "That's a good thing."
"How?"
"It means the baby is healthy."
She scowled further, her eyes shooting over to the stack of pregnancy books by the couch. "I just had to let you read my books."
"You could always let our mothers do it. They want to." he tried.
"But I wanted to do it."
"I know." he rubbed her shoulder soothingly.
She threw the needles to the floor in disgust. "I'm just so bored."
"You're the one who didn't want to go back to work until after the baby was born." Fred reminded her gently.
"I know. And I do think it's a good idea. I just…miss it a little. There isn't much to do around here when you're at work."
"You could always come downstairs and help us." He suggested.
She wrinkled her nose in distaste. "I can't handle the smell of some of your concoctions. I'd puke all over the store."
"Then that's out."
Hermione continued to glare at the half finished blanket on her lap. Then a brilliant idea came to him. "I have an idea."
Hermione looked at him dubiously. "Fred, I'm really not in the mood."
"Just come on." He took hold of her hand and hoisted her to her feet, much more difficult now that she was showing.
"What are you up to?"
"Something you're going to love. Just close your eyes." He kept his grip on her hand and hoped she'd be able to aparrate with him when she was in such a bad mood. If she ended up in Glasgow or somewhere, she'd kill him.
Fred closed his eyes and felt the familiar floating sensation that usually accompanied aparrating. When he opened them again he grinned.
"Where are we?" Hermione demanded. She sounded pretty angry, probably because she was in her pajamas, her tummy stretching the top to its limit.
Fred just started pulling her towards the door in response. He walked up onto the porch and through the front room into a large, airy room with floor to ceiling shelves.
"Do you like it?" Fred asked.
"What is it?"
"Your library." Fred said simply.
"Huh?" Hermione asked, confused more by his mischievous smile than the room itself.
"This is our house. I bought it."
"You bought a house! Without telling me?" Hermione demanded.
"We can't live over the shop forever. And I looked all over England for one with a library." Fred told her quickly. As soon as he'd seen the three storied Victorian he knew Hermione would love it. But not if she was this angry.
Hermione looked around the room once more. "It is beautiful." She conceded. Fred smirked, but it faded when he saw Hermione's eyes widen and her hands flew to her stomach. "What's wrong?"
"The baby kicked."
"Seriously?" he asked.
Hermione took his hand and placed it on the lower curve of her stomach. After a few seconds, Fred felt a very definite kick right in the middle of his palm.
"Whoa."
"I think the baby likes it here." Hermione said.
"At least she's on my side." Fred said, sticking his bottom lip out into a pout. Hermione laughed and hugged him. "Well, since you already bought it."
Fred beamed and took her off to show her the rest of the house.
…………………
"It's perfect." Hermione surveyed the nursery Fred had just finished. "But it's purple."
"You love purple." He argued.
"Yeah, but what if it's a boy?"
"It's girl. A boy couldn't kick like that." Fred declared.
She shook her head. She really hoped the baby was a girl, if only so all of his work wouldn't be for nothing. The fairies flying around the border of the ceiling and floor were adorable and the white furniture was picture perfect. And there were enough toys and baby clothes for quintuplets thanks to their families and various friends, including a mobile of tiny witches playing Quidditch from Oliver and Katie. Fred had loved it instantly and often watched it for hours.
The house was on the outskirts of Hogsmeade, in a small all magic community she never knew existed. When Fred and George had opened a branch of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes in the village, they had decided that Fred primarily oversee it and George would look over the one in Diagon Alley. They got together every Sunday to go over how things were going and do the books.
Hermione was nearing the end of her eighth month of pregnancy and was unusually energetic to be so far along. She had finished the blanket with the help of both mothers and had the entire house decorated. Now she was eagerly awaiting the baby's arrival. Ginny spent a lot of time helping her get things in order as her Auror training didn't start until after the New Year. She kept teasing them that the baby would be born on Christmas and they would have to get it double the presents every year.
Suddenly Hermione gasped and Fred looked over at her in alarm. "What's the matter?"
"I think I just had a contraction." Hermione said, her breathing becoming more labored.
"Okay, just relax. It's probably just those Brakiton Hig thingies."
"Braxton Hicks." She corrected. "But it doesn't feel that way."
He took her hand and placed his other palm on her cheek. "Let's go to St. Mungo's just to be sure, okay?"
She nodded, apparently experiencing another. He grabbed her bag she'd prepared and they aparrated quickly. After an examination the healer informed them that Hermione was indeed in labor.
"But I'm not even thirty-six weeks yet. It's too soon." She protested.
"Tell your baby that. It's anxious to get here."
Fred came into the room having just contacted everyone else. Soon the waiting room would be full of their families and friends.
"I should have known any baby that's half you would insist on being over a month early." Hermione accused.
"It couldn't possibly be because the mother is such an over achiever." Fred said. She stuck her tongue out at him.
He sat beside her and took hold of her hand. "I'm right here."
She smiled at him. "I know. I love you."
…………………
"I hate you!" Hermione yelled at the top of her lungs. "This is all your fault."
"I know baby." Fred said consolingly from behind her. He was sitting at the top of the bed to support her back and was thankful that she couldn't turn around to hit him. She had, however, broken three of his fingers already which the healers had quickly fixed.
"Don't you dare patronize me Fred Weasley. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be in this mess right now."
He chuckled at the discreet laughter coming from the healers. Only Hermione would use words like 'patronize' when she was in so much pain.
"Just a few more Hermione." The healer said.
She pushed again, and sure enough, four more had the baby out and the room filled with a shrill crying. Hermione collapsed back against him in exhaustion.
"It's a girl." The healer announced, laying the tiny pink bundle in Hermione's arms.
"You were right." She said to Fred. She lifted the tiny hat off the baby's forehead and laughed at the generous amount of dark red hair she saw. "Of course."
"She's beautiful." Fred breathed, kissing his wife's temple. "I love you so much." He whispered in her ear.
"I love you, too. Sorry about your fingers."
"Already forgotten."
…………………
A soft knock roused Hermione from her daydreaming. She was holding the baby, who was studying her curiously with eyes that were already turning brown, and wondering how she'd gotten so lucky. Fred was with his brothers handing out cigars all over the hospital, having been kicked out by Hermione so he could also get something to eat.
She had just feed her daughter as well and decided she had definitely inherited the Weasley appetite. Something her mother-in-law found highly amusing.
Ron stepped into the room quietly. "Can I come in?"
"Of course. You have to meet your niece."
Ron looked at the baby. "She looks just like you."
Hermione smiled. "That's what Fred said. He knew it would be a girl."
"Hermione, I'm sorry." Ron said.
"For what?"
"I've been horrible this whole time. I see now that you and Fred were meant to be, and I was just being a prat."
"It's okay." She assured him.
"No it's not. Hermione, I helped Claire try to prove your marriage was a fake." He confessed.
"I know." She admitted.
"You know? How?"
"I know you. And Harry gave me a couple clues. But don't be angry with him Ron."
He shook his head. "I'm not. I should have listened to him."
"Can you ever forgive me?" he asked a few moments later.
"Not forgiving you was never an option." Hermione told him genuinely.
Fred came in then, and seeing Ron looked quickly at Hermione.
"You should thank your lucky stars she looks like her mother." Ron told his brother.
"Already done." Fred assured him as he walked over and picked the baby up. He turned to Ron and placed the baby in his arms.
"What if I drop her…" Ron said, grappling with the blanket so it was snug around her.
"You won't." Hermione said.
"I love you guys. You know that, right?" Ron said, looking to where his niece had just taken hold of his finger.
"We know." Fred answered.
…………………
