Hi there!

I'd like to thank to cheesyficwriter and romioneB for beta-ing this work and make me laugh A LOT with her comments. Also, thank you adenei bc you tried even though you couldn't finish.

They are the best!

This is my very first fic ever so please be gentle. Also, English is not my native language so, if you catch any mistakes, please let me know!

I don't own anything in the world of Harry Potter, except for an out of control obsession for Ron Weasley.

So far 2008 has been a very pleasant year. I was killing it as an Auror, I was going to become an uncle again, money was good, friends and family were safe, and even the Chudley Cannons had managed to not be last in the league.

To make thing even better, Christmas, my favourite holiday, was less than one week away and I had managed a fortnight of holiday leave to lie in bed until noon, get fed by my mum's amazing cooking, and play with the ridiculous amount of nieces and nephews my siblings had brooded to re-populate the wizarding community after the war.

I was almost finished for the day and about to start collecting my stuff to go to the Potter's weekly Thursday dinner when the almighty saviour of our world himself decided to make an appearance. Harry had just entered the Auror Headquarters, and as soon as he spotted me at my desk, a stupid grin was plastered across his face. The git started to walk towards me, carrying what seemed to be a bag full of letters in one hand. My stomach sank as the realisation hit me.

'Please tell me this is not what I think it is?' I asked, already feeling annoyed.

'Sorry mate, there's still another five more just like this one in the post office. They're not very happy with you now.' Said Harry. He dropped the bag on my desk and added, 'You might consider going to fetch them yourself, y'know. Before they get really pissed off and you come to find your desk buried under a pile of love letters.'

'They should burn them all. It's not like I'm gonna read nor answer any of them," I said. Grimacing at the memories of the very imaginative letters I got last year when I was naive enough to try to read and even answer some of them.

Harry smirked at me but after a few seconds, his face suddenly changed. He opened his mouth but nothing came out of it. Instead, he turned around, fetched his things from his desk, then turned back to me with an expression I couldn't quite place. I didn't know if he was pitying me or if he was worried about something. Before I could ask what's got his wand in a knot, he asked, 'Ready to go?' Not waiting for an answer, he turned back and walked towards the lifts.

We were going up to the Atrium, the lift started to fill up, and Harry kept looking at me from the corner of his eye, opening and closing his mouth like a bloody fish out of the water. He shook his head from time to time, as if saying no to himself, and then looked to the lift's door. I knew he wanted to tell me something but he was too big of a coward to spill it out. Gryffindor courage my arse.

I waited until we had a little more privacy in the queue for the floo, then leaned into his ear and hissed, 'Spill it out, Potter.' He got immediately tense but kept quiet. We moved forward a few feet and then, without even looking at me, he suddenly blurted out, 'Look. You know "Britain's Most Eligible Bachelor" wouldn't be a thing if you weren't, y'know, a bachelor.'

I was stunned for a moment. At first, I thought he ought to be fucking kidding because there's no way he would've said such a stupid thing. But laughter never came. So, he is being serious? I thought as I felt the heat creeping up from my neck toward my ears.

'Blimey, Harry! Thank Merlin we had you to save wizarding Britain! And they say Hermione is the brightest witch of our age!' I said back in what I hoped was a strong whisper.

Apparently, my whisper was stronger than I thought because Harry glanced back at me from over his shoulder with a pissed off expression. 'Oh, fuck off! You know what I mean, mate!' He said. And didn't give a shit about who may or may not be listening.

'Oh, I do, do I?' I spilt back.

He moved another step forward before he took a breath to collect himself and turned his head back again. He then looked at me right in the eye before he spoke in a very strained voice, 'Look. Don't play thick with me, Ron. We both know what you're waiting for and Merlin knows that I'd love for that to happen, but it won't.'

I opened and closed my mouth, stunned. Now I was a sodding fish out of water. Harry noticed my lack of cerebral response because he used that moment to move forward and resume his apparently very well practised speech. 'I know things were not easy after the war and whatever happened between you and Hermione is between you two. But it's been how many years now?'

'I don't know, mate! What...why, why are you talking about this now? It can't be just the bachelor of the year shit, can it?' I noticed there were only two blokes before us now and I needed to know why the hell Harry was telling me all this before we got to his home because Merlin knows I'd rather kiss a Blast-Ended Skrewt than talk about this in front of Ginny and Hermione.

Harry took a deep breath before he spoke again. 'Look, Ron. Hermione... she has her life, you know? And…and she's living it! So, don't you think you ought to do the same?' He asked me before he reached for a fistful of floo powder.

'I...I don't…' I didn't even know what I was trying to say, but before I could complete a coherent sentence, Harry had already stepped into the green flames. He turned around, looked at me with a concerned expression, and proceeded to speak in the very same voice he used to convince James and Albus to eat their vegetables.

'Move on, mate. You need to move on, ok?' Then he called high and clear for his own home's name and was swallowed by the flames.

I was left there, looking bewilderedly at the fire. What in the bloody hell had just happened? I thought as a very sternly looking witch behind me started to tap on the floor with her heels. I cleared my throat and mumbled something about going to follow my friend, took a fistful of floo powder myself and proceeded to follow Harry.

When I stepped out of the floo, I could hear Harry already in the kitchen, talking amicably to Ginny and Hermione, like nothing had just happened. The git.

I decided to shake the weirdness and keep the pretence, as if my best friend hadn't just told me to forget the only woman I've ever loved – romantically speaking, of course – almost like he'd asked me to change my fucking T-shirt.

I finally stepped into the kitchen and felt my anger disappear as I saw the boxes of takeaway food with the logo of the restaurant down the street. I loved the bloke, but he didn't cook and neither did Ginny. Not that it mattered to me, mind you, this place had the most amazing puddings. I didn't even understand why they insisted on having these Thursday gatherings but as long as I got fed well I wasn't gonna start complaining.

Supper turned out to be more pleasant than ever, and when Ginny got up to go get the pudding, I noticed that Hermione was looking odd. She was shifting in her chair as if she were anxious about something. I couldn't shake the feeling that this had to be related to Harry's weird behaviour earlier in the day.

When Ginny came back and served a very seductive treacle tart, I decided to let the worry go for a bit so I could enjoy the very tasty-looking food that was winking at me from my plate. I took the tiny fork that looked nothing but ridiculous in my large hand, took a piece of the tart, and put it into my mouth. At the first bite, I was blown by the sugary bliss. I felt instantly taken into a journey of the more pleasant memories from the happiest days of my life at The Burrow and Hogwarts. It was so good. This treacle tart could give a run for its money to my mum's. Mmm...chewy... nutty...sweet...

'Can you stop having sex with the food? It's disgusting!' I was ripped out from my reverie to find a very nauseated looking Ginny, but the tart was so fucking amazing that I couldn't even be bothered to care. So, I just shrugged and was about to resume eating when I caught Hermione's strained expression.

She was furrowing and biting her lower lip whilst looking at me as if I was some fragile object about to break into pieces. It was the same look she was giving me before she told me that she was going to Australia all by herself and there was nothing I could do to – Oh. Bollocks. I was not going to be sitting there like an idiot, waiting for her to compose herself to break my heart. So, I decided to take control and start the awkward talk for once. 'So, Hermione,' I said. 'What's got your knickers in a twist?'

Apparently, me talking to her had turned off her worry button, because she immediately sat up straight in her chair, took a deep breath, and began talking with a determined look on her face. 'Nothing's got my knickers in a twist, Ron. I was just thinking about the best way to share some news...with you.'

'Oh, you have some news, do you?' I asked, like the idiot I was, not having anything smarter to say than to repeat her bloody words.

'Yes, Ron,' she said. 'As I have already established, I have something very important that I need to tell you.' She took a deep breath and began to talk, slow and clear, 'I am going to get pregnant and become a mother.'

'Wha–you WHAT?!' I almost fell off my chair at the words pregnant and mother. Surely I had misunderstood what she was trying to say because the Hermione Granger I knew wouldn't be jumping into a decision like this without previous research and consulting. I slowly stood up, grabbing firmly at the edge of the table with both hands for extra support, since my legs were starting to feel a little wobbly. After what could only be described as a dramatic pause, I took a look at the other faces at the table only to find a very curious Ginny and a way too uncomfortable, but not at all shocked, Harry.

My heart sank into my stomach as Harry's words from a few hours ago started to echo in my head... Hermione... she has her life, you know? And… and she's living it... move on, mate. You need to move on, ok? Realisation hit me like a train as the air in the room turned heavy on my lungs and breathing became harder. He knew, I thought, the traitorous git.

I could feel myself shaking, being it from anger or fear, I didn't even know. I decided sitting would be a better option and proceeded to resume my previous position. I vaguely heard the specky git saying something along the lines of checking on the boys and left the room with Ginny. At this point, I was looking intently at Hermione, searching her face for any sign that I had somehow found myself being the last to know, perhaps having a role larger than just to be notified. But hopes were getting low.

I couldn't handle the tension, so I cleared my throat to break the silence and to steady my voice, then proceeded, 'So… er…Motherhood yeah? Care to elaborate?' It took everything in me to command my face to form anything resembling a smile.

I really didn't want to make her feel more awkward than the situation already was. But, Merlin knows, I was doing all I could muster to remain in the chair and not start rolling on the floor. Apparently, my smile-ish gesture worked, as Hermione's shoulders seemed to relax. She let out a deep long breath before lowering her eyes and glance at her hands that were playing with the hem of her jumper on her lap. Then, she went to drink a bit of water and I wondered if it was the time that was getting slower or if she was moving in slow motion on purpose. Whatever it was, when she finally drank the bloody water, she lifted her face, looked at me, and began speaking.

'So...er...as you know, Ron, I am a woman. And I've always wanted to have both a career and a family, right?' I nodded. She took another sip of water and continued. 'Career-wise, I am a very accomplished person, but in the family aspect...not so much.' She paused as if bracing herself for what was to come, before continuing. 'So a few months ago, I was cleaning my flat and I found a homework planner, the one I used during my seventh year at Hogwarts. And I...I started to read it and got to a page where I had put on my, let's call it life plans.

'The thing is, according to my nineteen year old self I thought I would have been well-positioned in my career by now, have gotten married, and have or be in the way of having a child. And, well, as you know, the marriage thing is as close to happening as the Chudley Cannons are to winning the league.'

I chuckled at the last part. Leave it to Hermione to use a Chudley Cannons reference – although a little insulting – to try to minimize my discomfort. She took a little break to get yet another sip of water. As I nodded for her to continue, I took the goblet and moved it to my side because the sodding water pauses were taking too bloody long and I needed her to talk before I lost my sanity. She appeared to be slightly annoyed by my water abduction, but after a moment of hesitation, she decided just to give me a reprimanding look, breathe in and resume talking.

'To summarise then, the marriage thing is a big no. But the child though. The child part got me thinking. I know that I'm by no means an old lady and, as muggles say, the train isn't leaving the station yet–'

'What does a train have to do with you having a baby, Hermione?' I couldn't help but ask. She was starting to give me the exasperated looks that I so much enjoyed. I needed the familiarity of our bickering dynamics to keep my anxiety in control. She seemed to appreciate the remark because she immediately smiled and let out a small giggle before she answered.

'Nothing is just...forget the train, ok? It's a muggle saying.'

Of course, I knew the train had nothing to do with the baby stuff, I am not that thick. I knew, as did she, that this was a pressure release. So, I just added my trademark classic phrase, 'Muggles are barmy.' She smiled again. Then, put on her serious face and started talking once more.

'The thing is, Ron, I want to be a mother. I don't want to wait and see if I find a man. I don't need a man – DON'T!" She raised her hand to stop me from talking and when I made a zipping my mouth gesture, she resumed. 'I do know that I need sperm. But to have that, I don't need a partner, see? I don't have to wait and I don't want to wait. I've done a lot of research – stop laughing!'

'It's just that,' I chuckled, 'Of course you did! You are Hermione! Go on, I'm sorry. I'll zip it now," I finished with a zipping my mouth gesture, again.

'Well to summarise, in terms of fertility and single-parenthood, just so you know, the Wizarding World, as expected, had nothing. I already knew that Muggles had plenty of possibilities so I resorted to it. I booked a meeting with a fertility specialist, got myself all checked – I'm very healthy by the way – and started the hormone treatments recommended to enhance pregnancy probabilities.'

'Why didn't you tell me before?' I blurted out.

'Because,' she sighed, 'it's complicated. I...we...I couldn't tell you before, don't ask me why. I don't know! But I'm telling you now. Can you please just let it go and be my friend?' After the last question, she lowered her head again, looked at her hands and started to play with a loose thread from one sleeve of her jumper.

I was taken aback by the whole shit and I knew I had to tell her something, anything. But I couldn't. What was I supposed to say in a situation like this? She was sitting there in front of me and seemed so small and fragile but yet, she was so brave. She was taking her life in her hands in a way I wasn't able to. Time was ticking out and words kept failing me, so I did the only thing I was sure enough to do and started shuffling, chair and all, until I was close enough to reach her.

I took her in my arms and felt her relax in my embrace. After a few seconds, I relaxed as well. She must have felt it because she chose that moment to say in a bare whisper, 'I need you to be my friend now, I can't do this without you. I'm scared, Ron. I know this is what I want but I'm scared either way and you are my rock. I need my rock now. Can you…can you–'

'Hermione, calm down, it's okay,' I said. I loosened my grip a bit to look at her face and noticed that she was about to burst into tears. So I let her go to take both her hands in one of mine, as my other one went to wipe a tear that was now coming down her cheek. Then, I used that same hand to put it under her chin and lifted her face to make her look at me.

'Look. I won't lie to you and say that I'm not… surprised with all this...baby thing. 'Cause it's a lot to take in. A lot. But I've been your friend more years than I have not, so I'm not about to turn my back on you now. I just want you to be happy, okay? And...and if a baby is what you want, I'll do whatever you need. Just... just tell me, what do you need from me, Hermione?'

She was holding my gaze. I could see the gears working in her head and I couldn't tell if she was figuring out a nice way to ask me for my presumably very fertile Weasley swimmers or whatever other things that I couldn't even dare to think about. After what could have easily been hours, she finally breathed in, out, in, out... and stabbed me directly in my heart by saying the very worst thing she could have possibly said.

'I want you to help me to find a sperm donor.'

I know she said a lot of things after that. Something along the lines of me knowing more blokes and yada yada yada. It's not that I didn't care but I couldn't care about the rest at the moment. I was having the hell of a fight with my body to keep a straight face while all I wanted to do was roll into the fetal position and cry. Harry, for the very first time in his life, had the best timing ever and decided to come back and call it a night. I said my goodbyes as fast as I could and left. All the while my mind was echoing the only three words I could think of. Bloody. Fucking. Shit.