I Found a Reason For Me

Chapter Three

"Anyway," Ron started, stopping at the red light. "What have you been up to?" he asked, looking at Hermione, who was brushing Lexie's hair out of her face. Hermione didn't look at Ron, instead she looked in front of her, the look of sadness filling her eyes. The light turned green and the car started moving again.

"Well, I'm not really sure what to say, or where to start for that matter." Hermione told him. "Well, when you had Lexie or who is the father or why were you at The Prince would be a good place." Ron told her. Don't break down, Hermione. You knew he would ask, besides it wasn't you fault. You didn't ask for this, he'll understand. Ron glanced at Hermione, a single tear falling down her face. "We don't have to talk, Hermione. I can tell you what my family has been up to." Ron told her, desperate for her to stop crying.

"I'll tell you, just not this moment." Hermione said, whipping away her tears with the back of her hand. Her voice was soft. "So, how is everyone doing?" she asked. Hermione looked at him. Ron had an uncertain expression. "Well, Dad and Mum are still in France. After the whole capture of Lucius Malfoy and Vincent Crabbe Sr. Dad received a few thousand galleons from the ministry. He retired and he and mum went off to live in France. They've wanted to live there since they got married, but being as they weren't wealthy they really didn't have any choice.

"Percy is serving a few years in Azkaban because of his actions at the ministry. I don't want to get into the whole story, but something happened with Barty Crouch and after the new minister took over, he was suspected of treason.

"Fred and George Are doing great. There shops have multiplied ten times in the last year and there is about fifteen of them in every country in Europe. Fred is getting married in the fall and George and Katie Belle just had a set of girl twins. It unusual for someone from a set of twins had twins, but not impossible.

"Ginny and Harry are expecting a baby boy this coming winter. You should see Harry. He won't let Ginny out of his sight. He already got clothes and started on the nursery. Ginny loves him for it. Here we are." Ron told Hermione.

Hermione frowned. "I though we were going to the hotel." Hermione said, stepping out of the car, still holding Lexie. "We are," Ron said, shutting the door and giving his keys to the man outside. "as soon as we eat. I'm starved." he said, smiling. Hermione stopped walking towards the doors. "Whats the matter, Hermione?" he asked, frowning. Hermione looked to the ground. "I don't have any money." she told him, about to cry again.

"Money?" Ron asked, in disbelief. "Do you really think I wouldn't treat the most beautiful girls in the world?" Ron smiled and Hermione returned his smile. "Come on." he told her and took her hand. Hermione put Lexie down and took her small hand. Lexie was still rubbing her eyes when they were seated. Hermione pulled Lexie on her lap. Lexie, who was tired, leaned back on her mother. "Lexie, Ron has taken us out to eat. Say thank you, Ron." Hermione told her daughter.

"Ank you Won." She mumbled, her eyes closed. Ron smiled. "She's beautiful, Hermione. She looks just like her mummy." Ron said, looking from the sleeping child to Hermione. Hermione blushed. "I was surprised when she was born. She looks exactly like my mother. I never thought she looked like me." Hermione confessed. "If you couldn't tell that your daughter looked just like the most beautiful woman in the world, you need a pair of glasses." Ron smiled again. Hermione returned the smile.

"May I take your order?" A waiter asked, notebook and pen at hand. "Yes," Ron said, "we would like one of everything on the menu." The waiter and Hermione's eyes went wide. "Yes, yes sir." The waiter said, practically skipping to put the order in. "Everything?" Hermione asked, eyes still as wide as ever. Ron nodded. "They have the best food here, and its only fair we get to try it all." Ron said, looking around the room. He had ordered a non-smoking area and everything seemed quiet. No one was there, the reason partly because it as three in the morning.

A few minutes later piles of food was surrounded them. Hermione looked excited, even Lexie had opened her eyes. "All this?" Hermione asked. Ron nodded. "Dig in." He told the girls. Hermione couldn't believe it. She barely ever ate. The same with Lexie, who was ten pounds under average eight for little girls her age. Hermione filled up Lexie plate, who literally dug in.

"So," Ron started, "would you mind telling me what happened when you left Hogwarts?" Hermione looked up and swallowed the food in her mouth whole. Hermione forced herself not to think of the pain. She looked at Lexie and then back to her food, avoiding Ron. "Well, in January of our seventh year, my mum was diagnosed with a serious form of cancer. My father had been helping her and doing things she needed done. I left in late March to help my dad and help her."

"I see." Ron told her, putting some food into his mouth. "Why didn't you tell Harry and me that you were leaving and for that reason? Harry and I spent most of our time believing you left because of us." Ron informed her, looking to her for an answer.

"Ron, there wasn't much time, but that wasn't the only reason I didn't tell you. The real reason I didn't tell you was because of the pain that talking about it would bring me. Your parents always seemed to be fine, Ron. And I know that Harry never had any, but that was what made it different. I knew my parents and he didn't. Don't you think it would be more painful to talk about your parents who you've known for seventeen, dying, than if you hadn't known them at all?" Hermione asked, tears coming to her eyes. Ron was struck by the information he had wanted to know since the day she left him. The both of them seemed silent, and paralyzed, even Lexie stopped stuffing food in her mouth.

"I'm sorry, Hermione. I didn't know." Ron said, taking her hand in his. Hermione wiped away the tears that had fallen. She nodded. "I should've told you, Ron. I'm sorry." Hermione told him. "Can you answer me something else?" Ron asked. Hermione nodded, slowly. "Why do you work here? When did you have Lexie and who is her father?" Hermione's hand started shaking in Ron's. Hermione closed her eyes. He deserves to know. He loves me. At Hogwarts when Harry was spending all his time with Ginny, who was there for me, Ron.

Hermione looked right into Ron's eyes. "A few weeks after my mum had been admitted to the hospital, my day got laid off. He didn't have any money at all. All the money we had saved up had gone to me for my school things. We had small money left and I thought it was my fault. And then we found out my mother was doing worse, and he just stopped doing everything. He stopped eating and trying to find a job at all. We needed money, and since I was the reason we didn't have it, I was the one who had to do something about getting it. Well, I hadn't finished Hogwarts and therefore never took my N.E.W.T.s. I couldn't get a job in the Wizarding Community, nor in the muggle one. You see, I never finished muggle school. I went to Hogwarts and therefore there were no records that I had any education at all. I wasn't able to get a job. I needed money, Ron, for my mum and my dad. I was desperate. Angie offered me a job at "The Prince". It wasn't the first job I thought of. I thought of doing simple things and all that. I thought of being many things you didn't need schooling for. The problem was, they didn't offer me as much money as Angie said I would get with her. Money was important, the most I could get. I took it. At first it was just serving. But with my mum in the hospital and the bills for utilities kept coming. I started stripping and giving lap dances." Hermione paused to sniff. She had been crying through the whole story so far and with every second more tears came.

"I had help pay of some of the bills. My mother lived for three months after I left Hogwarts. I continued working at The Prince, but when she died my father said he would pay the bills for now on. He never knew that I did that to get the money. I told him you and Harry gave me the money. Almost immediately after my mother died, I found out I was pregnant. I went to my father for advice. He, who was with a girlfriend, seemed brain washed. I think she did it to him. He didn't care, and that wasn't like my father. He had been drinking since my mother died and it was normal for him to try to do something to ease the pain. He had gotten with a woman so that he could forget about my mother. Alice, the girlfriend, convinced him to throw me out of the house with the reason that I was young and pregnant. He never knew that I was pregnant for trying to help my mum and him and I was too aashamed to tell him. I went to the hospital for an abortion, but I couldn't bring myself to get it. And I'm thankful I didn't. I wouldn't have my baby. Anyway, I went back to the club and started again. I was doing alright. Angie even gave me extra money since I was eating for two. Nine months later, Lexie was born." Hermione paused and put Lexie on her lap, and held her.

"I knew that she needed more. That's when I became a hooker and everything else. It was the only way I could even feed her. I've been fucking people for money for six years and I've been working at the club for six and a half." Hermione finished the story, and rocked Lexie in her arms. Hermione continued to cry. Lexie didn't know why her mother was crying, but she held onto her mother as though hanging on for dear life.

"And what about birth control pills, or other contraptives. Why didn't you ise them?" Ron asked, concerened.

"Well before I was pregnant I did use condoms, but they're not always affective and I became pregnant. Now, I'm on birth control. But it was to late to get them when I was already pregnant." Hermione told him, continuing to rock the little girl in her arms.

"What happened to the father?" Ron asked.

"I don't know who he is. Well, I mean I do. I called him the night I found out I was pregnant. I told him, and he told me he'd pay for the abortion. Of course the first thing I thought was that he was a bastard, and he was. After that call I never saw him again." Hermione was still crying.

Ron got up from his seat and held Hermione and Lexie. "Shh…" He whispered to Hermione in a soothing voice. "Lets go to the hotel. Were all tired. We'll talk some more in the morning, alright?" Ron asked. Hermione nodded. "Can I use the lavatory?" Hermione asked. Ron nodded.

"Lexie," Hermione said, putting Lexie down, "do you have to go to the bathroom?" Lexie shook her head. Ron told Hermione he would watch her. Hermione left and it was just Ron and Lexie. "Lexie would you like ice ream?" Ron asked her, kneeling in front of her. Lexie looked confused. "Here, take my hand." Ron told Lexie, offering his hand. If it wasn't fo Ron giving her his hand she wouldn't have known whats he wanted.

Ron brought her over to the Sundae Shop which was a small area in the restaurant. Ron knew Lexie hadn't had ice cream before so he bought both chocolate and vanilla flavors. Which every one Lexie didn't want would go to Hermione.

Lexie liked both flavors and handed the chocolate back to Ron. She saw her mother come from the lavatory and she ran over to her, Ron following. "Hey baby, you got ice cream?" Lexie nodded. Hermione smiled at Ron. "Say thank you, Ron." Hermione instructed. "Ank you, Won."

Ron handed Hermione hers. "Thank you Ron, that was very sweet of you." Hermione told him. Ron nodded, smiling. "Listen I would take you guys arround and maybe even shopping, but you need you sleep, right Lexie?" Ron asked.

Lexie didn't answer. "Right. Well, tomorrow I'll take you girls out. How much would it be for two nights?" Ron asked smiling.

A/N: There you have it, Hermione's reason. Ron wasn't talking about sex on the last line. He was talking about spending the next day with them. I want to thank all of you for your reviews. Please review this chapter. I beg you to review. I was so excited! I usually don't get many reviews. I hope you guys don't hate the chapter, but if you do, please review and tell me why. Post comments(good or bad) and ask questions if you have any. Goodnight! Answered reviews are below:

Nathifa Femi: Lexie is not Ron's child. However if things go well with Ron and Hermione they might have a baby together… You'll have to keep reading to find out.

Cara: Hermione only took Lexie (before she knew it was Ron) because he offered Lexie her own room. Lexie sleeps in the back room with Hermione. No one except the two of them go back there.

Tami: I hope you understand how desperate Hermione was and still is. Hopefully Ron can changed that…

Lunis Lupin: I have read HBP. I loved it. That's partly the reason I'm writing R/Hr. Its not my favorite ship, but I'll write it for what is happening in book six, though that could all change in book seven.

HermyRonGrl7 : Thank you for the tip. I went back to chapter one and fixed the mistakes.

Adolescent : I believe that any woman, yes even Hermione Granger, is capable of doing things that the usually would frown upon if was for a good reason.

LUnA : Hermione is about 23 going on 24 in a few months.