VI. Good News and Bad News

"We have some good news," Ron announced the next day at dinner.

"I daresay we need it," Molly sighed as she looked at the still-full plates of food. No one had any real appetite. Hermione watched Ron as he took a deep breath.

"Hermione and I are getting married."

There was silence for a moment and then suddenly everyone realised what had just been said. For the first time in nearly thirty-six hours, there was joy and laughter at the Burrow. Everyone congratulated the two of them, and the women immediately sat down to discuss wedding plans.

By the time everyone else was in bed, asleep, Hermione and Ron were still awake for all the excitement. She was in his room with him—understanding his need for company in the now lonely room. They were just lying there in silence for a long time before Hermione spoke.

"I need to ask you something," she said.

"What?" he said, turning over to face her.

"Do you want kids? A family?"

"The biggest," he said with a grin. "You?"

"The same. At least three kids."

"Why are you asking?" He smirked and nudged her playfully. "You don't have something to tell me, do you?" he asked with great sarcasm.

Hermione's eyes instantly left his and he knew he had hit the nail on the head.

"You're—you're—" he stumbled.

"Yes. I am."

"Are you sure? How far along? Have you seen a doctor?" he asked rapidly.

Hermione bravely met his eyes and was relieved to see excitement. "Yes, I'm sure, I'm about four months along and no, I haven't seen a doctor about it yet."

"Four months? How did you not tell me yet?"

"First, I wasn't sure. Then I was nervous. You were seventeen—too young to be a dad. Then you proposed and I had to rethink everything…I knew you were ready when I saw you with Kristah. You're going to be a natural."

Ron smiled and kissed her. "I'm the happiest man alive!" he shouted and Hermione shushed him, reminding him of the late hour.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Where are you going?" Molly asked as Ron led his fiancée out the door a week later.

"Nowhere important, mum," he said, kissing her cheek. "Just out for a while."

She glared at him. "Nonsense," she argued. "You two are going somewhere…tell me." She narrowed her eyes. Suddenly Kristah appeared, forcing Molly to attend to her currently orphaned granddaughter. Ron and Hermione took the opportunity to slip out the door.

They were headed for Hermione's first appointment. They had kept the baby private, wanting to know all the details themselves before everyone else. As they walked down the street towards the doctor's, they talked about Kristah.

"Are your parents going to adopt her?" Hermione asked.

"I'm not sure, but I think they're a little old to be starting all over again."

Hermione nodded. "Then who? Bill and Fleur are having a baby and they only want one kid. Percy and Penelope don't want any kids because of their blossoming careers. Fred—well, he's not responsible enough for another life. Ginny's only sixteen. Where is she going to go?"

Ron gave Hermione a pointed look. "What about us?"

Hermione's eyes widened. "Well, you did look happy with her," she laughed. Then she sobered. "You're serious," she stated.

"Well, yeah. We want a big family, we agreed on that. And she needs a home. Besides, she knows both of us already, isn't that better than some stranger?"

Hermione nodded. "We would need to talk to your parents about it. And there is a bit to figure out. Like, where are we going to live? How will we support ourselves? Ron, oh, Merlin! We don't even have jobs!"

Ron laughed. "The Ministry will be hiring after the list of casualties is finished. Don't worry, Hermione," he said as he wrapped his arm around her. "We'll be fine."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

When they arrived at the doctor's office, Hermione was escorted by a nurse to a single room. Ron was told to remain in the waiting room for the first few moments of the exam. Hermione sat on the edge of the bed/table thing that it seemed all doctors, Muggle and magic, used for exams.

When the doctor entered, he introduced himself as Dr. Anthony and began asking Hermione all the preliminary questions about allergies, family history, and symptoms of her condition.

When Ron was allowed into the room the doctor began to explain that he would be running some tests on the baby with the aid of magic. He assured them it would cause no harm to the baby and then asked for their wands. They handed them over and he lightly tapped his own want against theirs. A thin line of pink emerged from Hermione's wand and a blue string-like line left Ron's. The lines broke and the rest trailed into Dr. Anthony's wand. He returned the other two wands to their owners and then he began muttering words over Hermione's stomach. She was reclining, and she could see a steady blue light hovering over her stomach.

The doctor was nodding as he checked off a box on his papers. Another incantation and then a pink light. On the third incantation a paler pink light took over and hovered above. He scribbled some notes on the form and said another spell. A purplish light formed, but quickly diminished as an orange light formed.

Dr. Anthony stopped the spell and restated it, watching carefully as the light throbbed an orange colour. He looked to his sheet and said three more spells, resulting in two yellow lights and a pink one. Slowly he took off his glasses and studied the couple.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, so softly no one heard her.

"Mr Weasley, can you leave me alone with your wife for a moment? I need to ask her some other questions."

"Oh, we're not married yet, doctor."

"Then, by law, you can't be in here."

Ron nodded. He kissed Hermione's head. "I'll be right back, love," and then slipped out the door.

"Miss Granger," he said once Ron had left. "Did you have any relations with anyone other than your boyfriend around the time you conceived?"

Hermione shook her head. "No. Only Ron. Why?"

Dr Anthony showed her his notes. "That pink light showed me what traits of yours had been passed on to the child. He will have your nose, for example, and your hair colour." He watched as she read over the paper. "Also, he will have his father's eye colour and face shape. And I believe it says he will have your personality traits."

Hermione nodded. "You can tell this stuff beforehand?" she asked in wonder.

Dr Anthony smiled. "Yes, we can." He sat by her side and took the notes. "When I used your wands, I took a part of your DNA. Then, I ran tests to see whose traits the baby had adopted. The first two were clearly pink—yours."

"The first light was blue, doctor," she interrupted. "Ron's."

"No. That was the gender."

Hermione nodded. "Sorry."

"The third test came up orange, which is why I ran the other tests. Those revealed two yellows and a pink."

"Two of Ron's and one of mine," she said in understanding. He shook his head. "No?" she asked, now confused.

"The strand I took from his wand was blue, not yellow."

"Then—"

"This baby is not his."

Hermione's hand shot to her mouth. "No. No, no, no! That's not possible."

"It has to be. The orange light was clearly a mix of pink and yellow. It would have glowed purple if it was his."

"But it did!" she said. "It was purple, but it turned blue later. That must mean something!"

"It does," he agreed. "The DNA in the baby bears some similar traits with Ron, but obviously not a lot. The baby's father most likely looks different than Ron because otherwise a very pale blue—or green—light would have replaced the yellow." He watched as Hermione shook her head.

"This isn't possible!" she cried.

"It has to be. It appears you conceived around Christmas time, if that helps at all."

"No, it—"

Hermione stopped and her eyes grew wide. "No," she laughed. "No, that can't be…" Her eyes began to tear as she realised what had happened. "I have to go," she said as she left the room.

"Miss Granger!" he called. "That's not all! There's more!"

She ignored him and marched out, leaving a bewildered Ron to follow after her. She apparated away as soon as she could and found herself at the cemetery where they had so recently buried so many loved ones. She quietly made her way to the tomb that had been built for Harry.

She knelt down outside of it and softly began crying. So much had happened in the past two weeks and she felt as if she hadn't mourned properly yet. After twenty minutes of crying near Harry, she made herself walk to the three graves of the Weasley children, and then to the memorial site built for casualties of the war.

She read every name on the wall, placing a kiss on those she knew. Even her parents' names were on it, which she cried over when she discovered it. After an hour of reading names, she reached the final name. Then, feeling slight better, she apparated back to the Burrow.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"All he would say was that when I found her, I had to take her back to him. He wouldn't say a word!" Ron complained to his mother as she sat a mug of cocoa in front of him.

"Find who?" Hermione asked upon her entrance. Ron spun around in his chair and met Hermione at her side.

"Where the bloody hell did you go to?"

Hermione shrugged her shoulders. "I had to do something."

He hugged her. "I was so worried. All right, now we have to go back."

"What?"

"To the doctors. We have to go back. He has something more to tell you, and he won't tell me."

Molly piped in. "You should go," she said to the brunette. "There may be something wrong with the babe." She smiled at Hermione's shocked face and then left.

"You told?" she sputtered.

"C'mon, love."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"You've returned?"

"So it would seem," Hermione said snidely. "There is something more to tell me?"

"First, you've identified the father?" he asked.

"Yes," she said sourly, knowing he must be right that Ron wasn't.

"All right, second, you planned on marrying your escort, correct?"

"Yes," she said slowly. "I plan on marrying my fiancé."

He shook his head and gave her a paper he had obviously prepared for her. "By wizarding law, in the case of marriage during pregnancy, or recent birth of a child, the woman must marry the father of the baby or not marry at all."

Hermione read the papers, confirming his words. It was stamped with an official Ministry Law seal, verifying its contents.

"No…"

"I'm sorry, Miss Granger, but if you're to marry, it has to be to the father."

"There aren't any loopholes?" she asked.

"Not really. If you have proof of the father's death, or written consent from him, then you may be able to marry another."

"Divorce?"

"Miss Granger," he said, "there is no divorce in our world. Surely you knew that."

"Yes," she murmured. "I supposed I did. I'm just not thinking clearly right now."

"Well, I've done all I can. I suppose you'll tell Mr Weasley the news."

Hermione nodded and numbly left the room. He watched as she left with Ron, holding his hand tightly in her own.

A/N: Getting a lot of good feedback on this one. I'm happy because this may be my favorite. And I noticed today that we don't have anything to post after this---nothing is completed, at least. So we're hurrying to finish Traveling Back and hopefully that will last us until we are moved into our college dorms. After a huge fiasco, Brittany and I may be going to the same school. We should room together so we can write all the time. That would be hilarious.

Well, you know the drill. Review and we'll give you confection covered utensils!

Chocolate Spoons with Squeezed Lemons.

Eww...

Amber