Days turned into weeks and weeks to months. Hermione and George's relationship gained momentum and they became known as one of the most successful couples of forced marriages the wizarding world had produced.
Not too long after Hermione announced her pregnancy, the articles in the daily prophet began.
There were articles which indicated a Weasley family scam, some that pointed to incest and some that argued that Hermione, George, Ron and Lavender were in a polygamous marriage. Initially, Hermione was angry, frustrated and annoyed by the articles, however when they gained in frequency, she simply laughed them off as Rita Skeeter's attempt to get back at her for having kept her in a jar, years ago.
As it neared exam month, Hermione grew more and more nervous, anxious and downright terrified. Her stomach was bigger than she imagined it could ever become and she now waddled around the castle. She tried to hide it for as long as she could, however, it was only a couple of weeks after discovering shas pregnant that she began to show and as soon as she began to show, her belly grew with increasing speed.
As soon as someone would approach her, she'd attempt to cover herself, as everybody thought it was their right to put their hands on her. The idea surrounding personal space was completely forgotten by almost everyone.
She hid in the back of the library most days, cramming study in while downing heartburn potions by the bottle. Her twins were constantly moving, pushing against her ribs, her bladder, every vital organ was now much less vital because the space was purely taken up by growing babies.
At the end of the day, Hermione would floo home to the flat and lay in bed beside George who would draw patterns on her belly and talk to his twins. He had turned to a giant sap who just about cried at every scan. He had began developing products to help with pregnancy, which seemed to be taking off.
There were products for morning sickness, heartburn, leg cramps, fatigue and more, and given the rate of pregnancies both within Hogwarts and the wizarding world in general, they flew off the shelves faster than George could develop them.
Ginny experienced very little side effects of her pregnancy. She didn't begin to show until much later than Hermione, despite finding out that they conceived within days of each other.
"Twins Hermione. They clearly take up far more space than just one" Ginny would tell Hermione when she turned on her side and saw a watermelon protruding from underneath her shirt.
Lavender's pregnancy only made her happier. Her skin was glowing, her hair was shiny and voluminous, her nails were healthy, and she had a bounce in her every step. Ron wasn't as attentive as George, but still attended the scans and check-ups.
Pansy was the next to announce her pregnancy in late March. She became so violently ill that she moved permanently to the hospital wing and had her work brought to her. Draco was ever the doting husband, something that Hermione hadn't expected. He started showing signs of emotion, caring, kindness and perhaps even love, towards his wife. He assigned her a house elf from his manor, which tended to Pansy's every need. When Hermione attempted to protest, he advised her that he did in fact pay them and it was their choice to remain despite offering to free them.
The friendships that had formed between the members of the returning 8th year were stronger than ever, based on the fact that they were all going through the same thing. Luna was yet to conceive, something that was beginning to become a worry. If she hadn't conceived by September, the ministry would step in. Luna didn't seem phased, retreating to a place of 'what will be will be'.
In the beginning of May, the ministry began to run articles about the war, the battle and about the 'golden trio'. Hermione received owls requesting an interview and refused each and every one. Her return letters often reminded the ministry that this might be a better time to mourn those that were lost rather than celebrate the year that has gone by.
The ministry organised a ball to commemorate the battle, and as the night drew closer, Hermione began noticing George retreat into himself more and more. She tried to talk to him about it, to understand how he was feeling. After all, this wasn't only the anniversary of the end of Voldemort's reign, or the anniversary of the battle, it was a year since Fred died. And to George, that was far more important than the battle, than Voldemort or than a stupid ball.
The morning of the ball, Hermione sat at the end of the bed, examining her swollen feet. She still had 7 weeks till her due date, but she was ready for it to be over. Her last check up showed that the twins were growing perfectly on time for their gestation and everything was fine.
"Why should we have to attend this ball? Its truly ridiculous" she said to George who was returning from the bathroom.
"I think they want to remind everyone about how great they think they are and about all the good they think they have done" George said, helping Hermione to her feet.
"I would still rather a more commemorative event than a celebratory ball" she said, rubbing a new cream that George had developed all over her itching belly.
"I would rather a time turner take us back and stop the whole thing from happening in the first place" George muttered as he left the room and entered the kitchen.
Hermione never knew what to say in these moments. It was as though George wanted her to know how much he was hurting, but didn't want to say it to her. She knew though. She could tell but the way he distanced himself from everyone.
"Alright, we'll just go to the ball, do what we need to do, show them that we're no puppets of the ministry and leave early. We'll come home and lay in bed and you can rub my aching feet" she said, taking a seat at the breakfast bar as George cooked some eggs.
"Sounds like a plan" he said.
"Anything planned for today?" Hermione asked him.
"Well, I closed the shop. Wanted to avoid the while "battle fever" thing. I was going to go to the Burrow, show my face, let everyone know that I'm still here" he said.
"Its been a while" she said, the double meaning in her words clear to George. They hadn't been to the Burrow in weeks, having been quite busy with the shop and Hogwarts and just trying to spend time with each other. Hermione rarely felt like travelling and they often just stayed at the flat on weekends, George working on new products and Hermione cramming for her NEWTS.
They ate breakfast in silence, something Hermione didn't push back on. She didn't know what George needed from her and she wanted him to have his space if he needed, but she also wanted him to know she was there for him. This would be a test for their relationship.
Mid-morning, they flood to the Burrow. Hermione was told not to apparate in the last trimester to prevent an accidental foetal splinching. The thought made Hermione sick to her stomach so she too the advice she was given and hadn't apparated anywhere in weeks.
The Burrow was quiet when they arrived. Molly had made muffins, which George helped himself to.
"You just had breakfast" Hermione admonished.
"Yes, but these are mum's muffins. I could eat a Hippogriff and still have room for one of these" he said, with a mouth full of food. He reminded her of they way Ron always spoke with food in his mouth and she turned away and headed out the back door.
"What's the matter? Not into eating Hippogriffs?" he asked.
She rubbed her hand over her bump, which was causing her a bit of grief, and rolled her eyes at her husband. The act wasn't missed by George.
"Everything ok?" He asked.
"Fine, just uncomfortable. Turns out, having two humans living inside your stomach sometimes hurts" she said with a grimace.
"We can skip the ball if you like?" he asked with a smile.
"You know we can't. I'm expected to be there, beach ball and all" she said looking down.
"You shouldn't have to be going anywhere, you can't even see your toes" he said.
"Oh, my dear me, look at you, love. I remember when I was having the twins how horrible it felt Molly said, having exited the chicken shed carrying a basket of eggs.
"Molly, its good to see you" Hermione said.
"And you my dear… George, its been too long. And you need a haircut" Molly said, harshening her tone to the sin she hadn't seen in weeks.
"Well, today is your lucky day. You can cut it for me if you like" he said.
"Definitely don't let Hermione cut your hair, she's hopeless at it" came the voice of Harry as he exited the back door, a pregnant Ginny behind him.
"Harry, Ginny, what a nice surprise" Molly said.
"Good to see you Molly" Harry said, hugging his mother in law, while Ginny and Hermione stood facing each other.
"What are they doing?" Molly asked.
"They want the babies to be friends, so they let them play. Quite strange really" George said.
"Well, they'll be cousins, born in the same month. Of course they'll be friends" Molly said, shaking her head and muttering something about new age children being strange.
As Molly went inside and set about making a soup for lunch, Hermione accompanied George to the family cemetery. There were a couple of rows of Weasley's who had been buried here over the last hundred years or so and the most recent one, Fred's plot, had seemed to now blend in.
Hermione waved her wand and created a wreath similar to the one she made for the Potters during the war months when she visited Godrics Hollow with Harry. George just smiled a sad smile and put his arm around his wife. They stood in silence for a while before Hermione needed to sit.
"I'm going to go sit by the tree" she said, grimacing as one of the twins kicked her in what must surely have been a vital organ.
She walked through the headstones and sat down on a bench under a large tree. She watched as George squatted down beside the stone of his twin. After a few moments, he wiped a tear away from his cheek and a short while later, Hermione noticed his body shaking in what appeared to be sobs. She stood as quickly as her body allowed and waddled over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. George had completely fallen to pieces.
"Its completely unfair" he said.
Hermione was lost for what to say.
"It should have been me. It could have. I was there, I was right where he stood, but he told me to move. Said I was blocking his aim" he wept.
"Oh George…"
"I should have been there. I should have saved him" George said.
"George, there wasn't anything anyone could have done. He was hit by a curse" she said softly.
"It should have been me... It should have been me…." He repeated, over and over again. Hermione didn't know what to do or say, so she conjured a chair and sat beside her husband and let him cry in her lap.
They sat for what felt like hours, Hermione rubbing soothing circles on George's back, while he just cried. There was no book that could tell her what to say in these moments, so she began telling stories of what she remembered about Fred.
George didn't speak but seemed to be listening as she told story after story.
"No one really knows this, but me and Fred, we used to talk, at night" she said, looking to the headstone. Fred would want George to know what they spoke about. "Before Bill and Fleur's wedding… I'd get up and make hot chocolate when I couldn't sleep and he'd usually be down there, listening to the wireless or reading a book. He would often just joke and laugh with me, but after a while, we had some pretty honest conversations about what was to come. He loved his family, he cared about all of you, but do you know what his biggest fear was? He was so afraid that he would die and everyone around him would stop living. That he would be gone and would have no control over everyone's happiness. It's probably not very believable and I don't know why I didn't tell anyone till now, I just… I think you ought to know. Fred cared about everyone, so so deeply. He wanted you to be happy. He just wanted this war to be over and for life to go to some semblance of normal... I think… I think its perfectly ok to miss Fred. Its ok to be sad, Merlin, its ok to be anything. But if you think for a second that Fred would have wanted you to die in his place, you're wrong. He would have given anything for any of you. He would have died for you as much as you say you'd have died for him" she said.
The silence in the air was deafening. George still lay his head in her lap, pressed against her stomach. She thought fr a moment that he may have fallen asleep, but when the twins began wriggling around, pushing against George's head, he gave a little giggle and turned to face her stomach.
"Hi there little one" he said in a soft voice to her stomach.
She ran her fingers through his hair.
"Your mum is right you know" he said to her belly. "She is always right" he whispered, as her belly moved.
"We have little people in here" he said, looking up at her.
"We do" she said.
"Can we call the boy Fred?" George asked, fear in his eyes.
"I think that would be lovely" she said.
"Hear that little guy? That's your name. Fred. After your uncle. He would have loved you both. He would have made you things and cared about you and looked after you. He would have bought you your first broom and made you your first love potion when you got a crush on someone in school. I would have been so mad at him, but we would have laughed when it backfired. Your mum would have cursed him into oblivion mind, but he would have loved you" George said, a hand on Hermione's belly, where little feet or hands or elbows were pressing against.
Hermione took George's face in her hands and pulled him up towards her.
"I couldn't love you more than I do right now" she said, kissing him.
George didn't say it back, but he rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes, just relishing in the moment.
~~OvO~~
The dress that Hermione bought for the ball barely fit over her belly. It was supposed to stretch, but there was always a point where the stretch was not enough. She turned to her side and looked in the mirror at her profile. She hadn't gained much weight overall, so she looked like she had placed a beachball under her dress.
She fixed her hair, which had now grown back to just below her shoulders and applied some natural make up. She wasn't going for a glamourous look, she just wanted to look healthy.
George put on his best robes and styled his now short hair.
They stood before the mirror in their bedroom and were pleased with their appearance. Hermione turned on her side and frowned at her size.
"Stop it" George said to her.
"Stop what?" she asked.
"Pulling that face, every time you look at yourself in the mirror" he said.
"It's just… Look at the size of me" she said.
"I am. You're beautiful. You're the most beautiful creature I've ever seen" he said, standing behind her and rubbing his hands over her belly. "Besides, the bigger this gets, the bigger these are" he said, fondling her breasts which had just about doubled in size as well.
"Well, not only am I hugely pregnant, I look like a harlot who is spilling out of my dress" she said, trying to swat his hands away and failing.
"We still have a little time before we need to leave" he said.
"You can't be serious?" she asked. In fact, it had been a couple of weeks since they had had sex. Hermione hadn't felt anything close to sexual desire in so long, but now, with George's hands on her body and the way he was looking at her, she almost couldn't resist.
"Oh dear wife, I am deadly serious" he said, pressing his growing erection against her behind as he reached into her dress to tweak her nipple.
Hermione closed her eyes. It had been a stressful day and the headache she was sporting could easily be disposed of with a well-placed orgasm. She looked at the clock on the wall and surrendered. She turned to face him and kissed him. Her belly prevented her pressing herself against him, but she did her best. He reached up under her dress and easily removed her knickers, placing them on the nightstand.
He reached up under her dress again and with his expert fingers, almost brought her to orgasm within seconds while she stood. She was panting with desire and desperate for more, but she couldn't bear her own weight any longer.
"How are we supposed to…? She asked, looking down at her belly.
"Easily" he said, removing her dress and hanging it neatly over a chair while he instructed her to lay on the bed with her feet hanging off the edge.
"Merlin, I don't think I'll ever get enough of you" he said leaning over her, careful not to put weight on her belly. He trailed kisses from her lips down her neck to her breasts. She was all sensation as he slipped two fingers inside of her, bringing her to the brink once again. He stood at the edge of the bed at her knees and, with a pillow under her backside, he agonisingly slowly entered her.
She moaned as he filled her, desperate for the friction. She hadn't realised that she needed this until she was getting it and now that she was getting it, it barely seemed to be enough.
"Move… you need to move, please" she almost begged, desperate for release.
"As you wish" he said, slowly thrusting, building a rhythm that didn't seem to be fast enough. She thought he must be taking it easy on her, but that's the very last thing she wanted.
"Faster" she begged, and he acquiesced.
Within seconds, Hermione's frustrations built, and she pulled him to the bed beside her and climbed on top, hurriedly easing herself down onto his throbbing erection. He was close, she could tell, so she moved in a way that hit every sensitive spot, and within moments, she cried out in an orgasm that shook her body and released every built-up frustration from the last month.
She collapsed onto her side and closed her eyes, relishing in the moment.
"You're leaking" George said, bringing her crashing back into reality.
"What?" she demanded, looking down at the bed between her legs.
"No, I mean, milk. You're leaking" he said, capturing a drop from her breast with his finger.
"Oh wow. That's… I mean… That's bizarre" she said.
"Not unexpected" he said.
"Its not?" she asked.
"No" he said.
"And you know this how?" she asked.
"My dad told me a few things that books don't" he said.
"Right" she said, laying back down. She felt a little awkward. Her body was changing, and nothing would be the same.
As soon as her body recovered, she used her wand to clean herself up and got back into her dress. She fixed her hair and make up and put on her shoes.
"Ok, shall we go now?" she asked George as he zipped his trousers.
"Absolutely" he said, bringing her into his arms and kissing her. "I will absolutely never get enough of you" he said.
"And I, you" she responded.
They flood to the ministry and entered the ballroom where the previous events were held. It was like de-ja-vu for them both. They quickly found their seats and Hermione sat, grimacing in pain every now and then as the twins seemed to be practising for muggle football.
"Everything ok?" Ginny asked from across the table.
"Fine, just s few nasty kicks and a Braxton hicks or two" she said, rubbing her belly in soothing circles.
The event began with a few words from Kingsley and a speech from Harry. Hermione hadn't expected Harry to speak, however, when he did, he commanded the entire room's attention. He had earnt respect from not only the war and the battle, but from the auror's department. He was no longer the boy who lived, but the man who succeeded and the wizarding world's view of him was shifting.
The speeches were well thought out and focused on the healing and moving forward. Kingsley made special note of the way in which the younger generation was embracing the marriage law, gesturing to the obviously pregnant women in the room.
When the speeches were over, however, Hermione felt there was one major part missing. With a slight poke to one of the twins to get out of her ribs, she stood and made her way to the stage.
"Mrs Hermione Weasley, everyone. As we know, Hermione was instrumental in the downfall of Voldemort and has been a shining light of success or the marriage law. Despite initial hurdles, she and husband George Weasley are a couple to be admired. And if I am not mistaken, due in a few weeks with twins?" he said.
"That is right minister" she answered, placing her hand on her belly and taking a place at the centre of the stage.
"I have been receiving owls for weeks asking me to speak tonight and until just now, I have been adamant in my refusal. I have felt that what needed to be said, would be, however, as I sat listening to you, minister and you Harry, talking about the war and the battle and the downfall of Voldemort, I cant help but to feel a little disheartened. Yes, this day marks the end of a decades long war and the beginning of new things for our community, but are we made to believe that the ones who died shall be forgotten? Or so easily dismissed? There was mention of them by you both, which I applaud, however, I feel that this day needs to be a celebration of those who gave their lives for us to have ours. For us to be here, standing here, telling you how amazing we all are. The names of these young people, who barely had the opportunity to live before having it all taken from them need to be highlighted in events like these. Colin Creevy, who was the fiercest supporter and friend of ours, Fred Weasley, who was an incredibly loving, strong individual, Remus Lupin and his wife Tonks, who left behind their little boy. Even Lavender, who died but was brought back. What about Mad Eye Moody, who didn't have the opportunity to fight in the battle? Or Ted Tonks who went on the run to protect his family? Why do we not talk about these people? Why do we dance around the reality that they died? Why does not one single monument depict their images? We all suffered, but they gave their lives for us to sit here and gush about how may weeks pregnant we are and how delicious this food is. I'm so sick of being part of the golden trio, being sought out for articles for the Prophet, being praised as some kind of here. I'm not the hero, Colin, Fred, Mad Eye, Remus and both Tonks, even Snape. They're the real heroes. Celebrate them. Not us" she finished, looking out to the stunned audience.
"Quite right, quite right you are Hermione. And I for one would …." Kingsley began, but before he could continue, George stood and pointed his lumosed wand towards the ceiling. Those around him stood as well and pretty soon, the whole room had their wands lit and pointed upwards.
"For Fred" George called.
"And Lupin" called Harry.
"And Tonks" Ginny said out loud.
Pretty soon, the whole room was filled with dedications. Some to those Hermione didn't even know had died.
As the commotion wound down and Hermione made her way back to her seat, she felt an incredible twinge of something foreign in her belly, followed by a strange popping sensation deep inside of her and a gush of water between her legs.
She just stood in one place and looked around in fear. The people around were still getting back into their seats, so no one really noticed. Hermione made eye contact with George who had seen that something was off, and he was beside her in a moment. He looked to her face and to the floor where a puddle had formed.
"I think… the babies are coming" she whispered, vanishing the puddle with her wand.
Absolute fear was written all over George's face as he realised what was happening.
"Its to early. We still have 7 weeks. Its too early Hemione" he said, gesturing to Molly who was nearby to come.
"Molly, my waters have just broken" Hermione said.
"Oh dear, lets get you out of here" she said, ushering Hermione to the back of the room and out the doors.
"Seems like a little too much excitement for the Weasleys. Nevertheless, Hermione was right. We do need to place more emphasis on….." she heard Kingsley speak, but he was drowned out when they exited the room by a rush of pain that felt like it was cutting Hermione in half. She held in a scream that she so desperately wanted to let out, instead, breathing through the pain that she somehow knew would stop in a few seconds.
"How long have you been having contractions for my dear?" Molly asked.
"I… I've been having Braxton hicks all day, but didn't really think much of it" she said.
Molly placed her hand on the top of Hermione's belly and held her wand at the side, then waited. Within a few minutes, Hermione felt another pain, which built in intensity, peaked, then subsided.
"We need to get you to St Mungos dear, you're going to have these babies in the next hour" Molly said, a sudden tone of seriousness coming over her.
"Mum, its too early. These babies aren't due yet" George said, earning a serious stare from Molly.
"George, my dear, Hermione is almost fully dilated. She has probably been in labour all day, just not felt the contractions because of the way the babies have been positioned. Her waters have broken. She is going to feel the urge to push any moment now and when she does, the babies will come. There is no stopping it. We need to get her to St Mungos now" Molly said.
~~OvO~~
One floo travel, a lot of pain, a lot of cursing and many many tears later, Hermione and George welcomed to the world their twins.
Despite being so early, the babies needed very little intensive care. They were given oxygen for a few hours to help expand their underdeveloped lungs and and some steroids to speed up their development.
Around midnight, Hermione and George sat in the bed at St Mungos and held their children.
"Fred…" George said, looking at their son.
"And Rose" Hermione said, looking at their little girl.
"Hogwart's next Weasley twin terrorists" George said, receiving an eye roll from Hermione.
"You know, they were born on the anniversary of the battle of Hogwarts" George said.
"Yes, they were" she said.
"Strange, don't you think?" he asked.
"A little"
"Well, to think, this time last year, Voldemort had just been defeated, Harry and Ginny were snogging like crazy, you and Ron couldn't stop grinning at each other and I was a right mess, attempting to bring back Fred's ghost" he said.
"So much has changed"
"Except the Harry and Ginny part. That's my little sister. I shouldn't have to see that" he said.
"I think… remember how we spoke about the timing of the pregnancy?" she asked, after a few moments hesitation.
George looked down at the sleeping Fred in his arms and looked to Hermione.
"I don't want to know. These are our babies. They are a product of our love and our journey together. It has been me and you through this entire thing and I want to keep it that way" she said.
"I didn't want to say, but I think you're right. At first, months ago, I thought that I'd need to know. That I couldn't love them unless I knew for a fact that they were mine. But, now, as I hold this perfect creature in my arms, I know… these are our babies. Whether or not they came into being by our first encounters or your last with Ron, we are the ones who will love them like no other. I couldn't imagine not ever loving these little versions of us" he said.
"I will tell Ron that we had them tested and they're not his" Hermione said.
"I think that's best. It will save a lot of unwanted Christmas dinner table conversations" George said.
"I can't believe we're here" Hermione said.
"A lot quicker than I expected" he said.
"But here nevertheless" she said.
"What about NEWTS?" he asked.
"If I don't know enough by now, I will never know enough. I'll take the exams and accept whatever scores I get" she said.
"You mean to tell me, the Hermione Granger, is not stressing about exams?" he asked.
"Well, I'm a Weasley now. And I have better things to worry about" she said, leaning down and kissing baby Rose on the forehead.
Hermione watched as she screwed her little nose up and made a grunting sound.
"They're both so perfect" Hermione said.
"Just like their mum" he said, kissing Hermione on the forehead.
~~OvO~~
SURPSISE, did that feel like the end? Because it is. The scene that I envisioned, that sparked this entire story, was the one from the last chapter, where Hermione sits at the table across from Ron and its quite evident that there is still something there. So everything from there onwards feels so forced. I wanted to rush this chapter because I don't want to do this story a disservice and leave it, or lose passion for it.
There will be an epilogue with Hermione sitting across from Ron at the Christmas table several years from now and we will find out what happened with the spark and were the twins really George's or were they always Ron's babies. I hope to have this up within 24 hours.
Thanks for reading, I hope you loved it as much as I loved writing it. All the smut included.