Percy agreed to let Oliver stay with him for a while but he didn't like it. Seeing Oliver everyday, being reminded of Hermione and the pregnancy was painful. Somewhere in his heart Percy knew that this baby was his but he needed to hear it from her. For days Percy waited to hear from Hermione and not a word came.

So he went to her flat and waited for her to return from work. He didn't want to startle her so he chose to wait outside instead of breaking in like he did last time. He was there for over an hour before Hermione came up the walkway. She paused when she saw Percy but only for a moment.

"Hello" she said stiffly as she brushed past him to unlock the door. She left it open and Percy followed her in.

"How are you?" Percy asked.

"I am good" Hermione answered. "Can we cut the small talk, let's just get down to business"

"Ok" perky agreed, "Is it mine?"

"Yes" Hermione replied," Is that all you needed?"

Percy was floored by her reply, 'don't you think we should talk about this?"

"About what?" Hermione asked, "Percy this child is yours, but you made it very clear to me that you didn't want a relationship with me, that's fine. You can either be a part of this child's life or not, I wont push you either way, but that choice is yours."

Percy just stared at Hermione. He remembered telling her numerous times he didn't want any kind of committed relationship but he never explained why. He should have explained the fear that gripped his heart; he should have explained that every girl he ever cared gore hurt. Percy feared he would never love someone without breaking them. "I want to be a part of my child's life" Percy replied.

"Ok, then" hermione said. For the first time Percy noticed how tired and worn out Hermione looked. His heart went out to her, he wanted to hold her and kiss her and take all of her pain away but something stopped him. "I am really tired, could we discuss specifics later?"

Percy nodded and headed for the door. He looked over his shoulder and saw Hermione fall backwards onto her couch and bury her face in her hands. It took all the strength he had to walk away but he did, knowing in his heart Hermione deserved better.

Hermione couldn't get Percy off of her mind. She tried reading, she tried taking a bath, she tried sleeping, and nothing worked. She kept dictating letters in her head, long letters full of all of the passion and longing she felt but no word very made it the page when she tried to write.

Hermione knew that Percy had to be told of the paternity and she was glad it was over but she wished it could have been handled differently, on her terms. The idea of raising this child for 18 years with Percy over her shoulder made her want to wretch. What if he dated, what if he got married, could she watch him live his life without her?

Hermione cried all night but managed to make it to work on time regardless of her lack of sleep. Hermione received a letter from Oliver asking her to meet him for dinner. Hermione hesitated but in the end gave in. At 8:00 she met him at the Leaky Cauldron,

"Hello Oliver" she greeted. Oliver nodded politely and motioned for her to sit down.

"You look beautiful Hermione" Oliver said after ordering their dinner.

"What do you want?" Hermione asked exasperated.

"You told me I knew the man you had an affair with," Oliver said. Hermione nodded suddenly nervous. "I think I deserve to know who it was"

"It will just make this worse" Hermione replied, tears spilling down her face. "Please don't make this worse for me or for you"

Oliver looked at Hermione for a moment, his eyes full of questions. "What could make this worse?" Oliver, then his face clouded over. "No" he said darkly, "tell me it wasn't him"

Hermione tried to look curious, "Who?" she asked.

"Percy" Oliver replied, "tell me it wasn't Percy"

Hermione wanted to lie to Oliver for Percy's sake but she couldn't bring herself too. Her silence must have constituted as confirmation for Oliver because he jumped to his feet and headed out the door without another word.

"Oliver" Hermione cried to his retreating figure. She quickly threw money on the table for the food and apparated to Percy's hoping she could beat Oliver there.