Ron and Hermione arrived at Bill and Fleur's house just past noon and it seemed like most of Ron's siblings were already there. They went in the front door to find the women in the parlor amassed around Gabrielle and her newest daughter. Ron gave Hermione a questioning look.
"I'm fine," she mouthed and walked over to the other women. Ron could see his brothers and Harry, Karl, and Viktor standing around on the deck so he headed that way after a cursory greeting to the ladies. When he opened the French doors, George was saying to Viktor, "But you hardly speak for Hermione though, do you?"
"I should say not," Ron said, closing the door behind him.
Viktor looked very grim faced. "I did not say I spoke for Hermione, but Ron will agree with me."
"What's going on?" Ron asked.
George immediately turned to him. "Just product testing. We're putting together some new products and we need some help with our I'm-so-blue-you-should-be-blue-too ice cream for the lovelorn."
"Didn't I try that two weeks ago?" Ron said.
"Exactly!" Fred said. "Harmless. Right?"
"Sure," Ron said. "You're only blue for what? An hour?"
"Yeah," George said. "So, Hermione will test it, right?"
"No," Ron said. "Absolutely not."
Viktor looked vindicated and crossed his arms.
"Why not?" Fred asked. "We've had power issues. It works on some people, not on others. We need someone really powerful to test it to see if we finally got it right."
"Give it to Harry," Ron said.
"I've already taken it," Harry said. "Worked this time."
"There you go," Ron said to Fred.
"But men and women are different," Fred said.
"We know you've noticed, Ronnikins," George said.
Ron frowned at him. "Yeah, but the answer is still no."
"Why?" George asked. "Hermione's a good sport."
"Yeah," Ron said. "But no. She's not doing it."
"She's not doing what?" Hermione said, stepping out on to the deck, with Ginny and Angelina behind her. "Aren't you lot supposed to be grilling?"
"I am grilling!" Bill shouted from behind his brothers. "The rest of them are just in my way."
"We're talking shop," Fred said, ignoring Bill and stepping to one side of Hermione.
"And product testing," George said, stepping to her other side. "And Viktor and Ron said you won't help us."
"That is not what I said," Viktor said, scowling.
"Me either," Ron added.
"Oh, right," Fred said. "They said we weren't even allowed to ask you."
"Really?" Hermione said, arching an eyebrow at Ron. He sighed. "Well, why don't you ask me and I'll decide for myself."
"Ah, yes," Fred said. "Because you're an independent witch."
"She can make up her own mind," George agreed.
"We need you to take a bite of ice cream and see if it turns you blue," Fred said.
"No pain, and it only lasts an hour," George added. "The rest of the family has already had it. Took ages to get it right. You're our last test."
Hermione shook her head. "I don't think so."
Viktor and Ron now both looked vindicated.
"What?" Fred and George both said at the same time. "Why?"
Hermione looked at Ron, who gave her a sympathetic look in response.
"Come on," Fred said. "The family always tests."
"Stop," Viktor said to them.
"It's okay," Hermione said to him. "I'm not going to do it. Let it go."
Fred scowled at her. "I don't understand."
"You don't have to," Ron said. "
"But—" George started.
Part of Hermione wanted to tell them why she wouldn't do something as simple and silly as taking a bite of ice cream. She wanted to just say it so she would never have to deal with anything like this again, but the bigger part of her clung to keeping it hidden, to never telling Ron's family what happened in Bulgaria. It was bad enough that Ron and Harry knew. The idea of the whole family knowing left her cold. "I said no. It's my body. I decide what happens to it," she snapped. "Excuse me." She went inside and down the hall to the loo where she splashed cold water on her face and leaned against the vanity until she'd calmed down enough to go back outside. She hated this. Those bloody memories were killing her. She was furious with herself for leaving them out for so long and so tired of dealing with the ramifications of having them restored. She should have put them back when she was younger. Of course, Viktor had insisted she should put them back in at the time. She sighed. Bastard. He was always right.
xXx
"I don't understand this," Fred said to Ron when Hermione went inside. "She's always been a good sport before."
"For fuck's sake, Fred," Ron said. "Let it go."
"Please," Viktor agreed.
"He's got a point though," George said. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong," Ron grumbled. "She's tired. She's been through a lot."
"But she's fully recovered," Percy chimed in. "She's got a new wand and she's working at the Ministry again."
Bill stepped away from the grill. "And what's with you today?" He said, pointing a spatula at Viktor.
"What do you mean?" Viktor said squaring his shoulders.
"Oh, come on," George said. "Whenever you and Hermione are at the same party you act like you've only just met."
"That's not true," Viktor scoffed.
"Yes, it is," Bill said. "But today you've been acting like you know something the rest of us don't."
Viktor bristled. "I expect I know a lot of things the rest of you don't."
"Look—," Harry said, trying to diffuse the situation.
"Yeah, and you too," Fred said to Harry. "The three of you have been giving each other looks during this whole conversation."
"What's going on," George said, concern wrinkling his forehead. "Is she alright?"
Ron sighed and ran his fingers back through his hair. "She's fine." He turned and walked down the deck stairs and to the creek that ran along the bottom of the property. Harry followed him.
"Are you okay?" Harry asked as they reached the water's edge.
"Yeah," Ron said, wiping his hand down his face and scratching at his beard. "It's just been rough since Christmas and these last few weeks have been..."
"I can imagine," Harry said.
"At least she's finally sleeping through the night some now. It's been months of nightmares. And then Denis showed up." Ron shook his head. "We've been having some brutal conversations lately."
"I'm sorry you're fighting," Harry said, "But given the circumstances—"
"We're not fighting," Ron corrected him. "At least not much. We're mostly just talking but we're talking more honestly than we have in…well…possibly ever."
"Really?" Harry said.
"Yeah, it's been hard, but also really good. I swear I think I might love her more now than I ever have."
Harry smiled at him. "Sap."
Ron chuckled. "Yeah, I know." He sighed and looked down the creek. "I just wish I had never driven her away in the first place."
Harry shrugged. "You weren't yourself."
"That's no excuse," Ron said.
"Well," Harry said. "It takes two to tango and she's the one who left. It's not all down to you."
Ron shook his head. "That's not true."
"I know you told her to leave," Harry said. "But it's not like she had to. You were drunk. If she'd waited 'til morning, you'd have changed your mind."
Ron looked at him. "No. She had to go," he said grimly.
"Hey, come eat!" Bill shouted from the deck.
"Come on," Harry said.
"Yeah," Ron said and trudged after him.
xXx
When Hermione came out of the loo, Gabrielle was across the hall in the guest room trying to unbutton her shirt one handed while trying to quiet the baby who was fussing.
"Need some help?" Hermione asked.
"Could you hold her a moment? I'm trying to do too many things at once and she's hungry."
Hermione smiled. "Sure. What's her name again?"
Gabrielle handed her the crying baby and said, "Iskra, after Viktor's grandmother."
"Hullo, Iskra," Hermione cooed. "Your mum will just be a moment."
"Oh, look at that," Gabrielle said as Iskra quieted.
"It's the hair," Hermione said. "Nothing makes a baby happier than a fist full of my hair."
Gabrielle chuckled as she sat down and pulled a shawl over her. "She does have a good grip."
"That she does," Hermione said, handing Gabrielle the baby and then untangling the little fingers from her hair.
"Thank you," Gabrielle said as she settled the baby to her breast.
"I'm always happy to hold a baby," Hermione said. "Viktor's parents must be pleased with the name."
Gabrielle shrugged. "I'm not sure they even know."
"What?"
"To my knowledge they haven't spoken to him since we got married. He sent them a birth announcement for Clemence but we never heard back. I don't know if he even bothered for Adaline or Iskra."
Hermione's mouth dropped open in shock. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know."
Gabrielle shrugged. "I'm sorry they've cut him off, but it's kind of nice not to have to deal with them anymore. They were awful to me every time I saw them."
Hermione chuckled. "They were to me too. They couldn't stand that their lovely pureblood son was dating a mudblood."
"Ha," Gabrielle said. "You think that's bad. How do you think they felt when he married someone who isn't entirely human and then had children with her? I assure you they hate me a lot more than they ever hated you. They were positively glowing about you when I came along."
Hermione raised her eyebrows. "I can't imagine Viktor's mother saying anything nice about me."
"Well, trust me, she can when she compares you to a Veela, which by the way is what she always called me, 'that Veela' like I'm a thing instead of a person with a name and feelings."
"His parents are dreadful, especially his mother. I don't know how they managed to raise such a decent son," Hermione said.
Gabrielle shook her head. "Must be nature, because it certainly wasn't nurture."
"True. Do you want me to bring you a plate?"
"No, I'm fine. She's a pretty good eater, so I should be out in a half hour or so."
"Alright, see you in a bit then," Hermione said and went to rejoin everyone else outside. She ran into Viktor in the hallway.
"I was coming to check on Gabrielle," he said.
"She's feeding the baby," Hermione said.
"Ah," he said.
She went to move past him but he put a hand on her arm. "Hermione." She looked at him. "The family is worried about you."
She sighed.
"Perhaps you should tell them."
She was surprised he would suggest that. "Uh…"
"Gabrielle knows the whole of it, but perhaps the family could be told about the attack, without mentioning the rest of it."
"You told Gabrielle?" She was shocked.
Viktor sighed. "When Clemence was born she was moving my childhood books into the nursery and the photo Todor took of you fell out of one of them."
"What?" Hermione hissed. "There was only meant to be one photo and I destroyed it along with the negative."
"At the time it was taken, I asked for a copy. He must have sent it that day, because when we finally got back to London it was waiting in the mail. I tucked it in the back of the book to deal with later and then forgot about it."
Hermione held a hand to her forehead. "Bloody hell. What did you tell her?"
"What we intended to tell everyone at the time, that it was mine, but that we were attacked…"
Hermione closed her eyes. "Okay. Okay. Fine. I'll think about it." She glared at him. "But I want that photo."
He bowed his head. "Of course."
She moved past him only to realize Bill was staring at them from the parlor. "Come and eat," he said.
The others were already taking their seats when Hermione stepped out on to the deck. Fred and George had expanded the table to seat everyone, while Harry and Ginny were still transfiguring boxes into extra chairs. Fleur came out carrying a large bowl of tabbouleh and set it on the table next to an equally large bowl of melon. Bill came out of the house and picked up a huge platter of merguez sausages and marinated chicken. Percy was right behind him with grilled oysters. Hermione really enjoyed the different meals everyone served at these sibling Sundays.
When she took her seat next to Ron, everyone got quiet.
She sighed. Viktor came out and took a seat. Everyone was at the table except Gabrielle. Hermione took Ron's hand under the table. "Okay, look," she said. "I'm sorry for snapping earlier. I've recently…I mean…a long time ago I…" She blew out a calming breath and closed her eyes. She looked at Ron. "I don't think I can do this."
He squeezed her hand. "That's okay. You don't have to."
"We were attacked," Viktor said from the other end of the table.
Hermione looked at him as everyone else's eyes shifted his way, but Viktor only looked at Hermione. "We had been dating for a few months and I took her to Bulgaria to meet my friends and family. We were attacked by Death Eaters in Sophia. I was badly injured and left in the street. She was taken."
Mouths dropped open around the table.
"She saw the Death Eaters but did not recognize them, so many hours later, when the Aurors rescued her, they asked for the memories so they could look at them in a Pensieve and try to identify the attackers. She gave them the memories but when they brought them back to her, she did not restore them."
"Which was stupid," Hermione added. "And Viktor said so at the time. I should have listened to him, because recently those memory bottles got broken and I had to put them back. It's been…"
"Awful," Ron finished for her.
She sighed. "It's my own fault, but now the events of that day feel fresh, like they just happened." She looked at Fred and George. "I can't test your product because…" She blew out another slow breath and closed her eyes.
"They used her for target practice," Viktor said.
"Yes." Hermione nodded, grateful that he'd said it for her. "And in the midst of a lot of worse spells, one of them just kept casting color charms at me. It was kind of absurd. Perhaps it was all he could manage. I'm not sure. It would've almost been funny if everything else hadn't been so horrifying."
"I'm so sorry," George said. "We didn't know."
"Of course not," Hermione said. "How could you? Look, this is no one's fault but mine. I should have handled this ages ago, but I didn't, and now I'm paying for it, but I'll get through it. It's just taking some time, that's all."
There was a deafening silence around the table.
"Well," Ron said, clapping his hands. "I'm starved. Pass me some of those oysters, Percy."
It broke the tension and everyone began passing platters of food around and commenting on what they were eating and what nice weather it was for a barbeque. No one said anything else about the attack. Gabrielle joined them at the table. Iskra was asleep, so Viktor took her so Gabrielle could eat. Conversation shifted to the baby and how she was doing.
Everyone was still sitting around the table finishing up their ice cream when Fred leaned over and kissed Angelina's cheek. "Come on luv, we should go gather up our brood before they drive Mum completely around the bend."
Angelina sighed and stood. "Right. That's enough adult time."
Everyone said their good-byes before they Disapparated. Then Percy stood. "I need to get going as well."
"Why?" Bill asked. "You don't have a brood to pick up."
"No, but I'm meeting Penelope," Percy said.
"I thought that was over," Bill said.
Percy shrugged. "Maybe not. Night all." He pulled his wand and Disapparated.
"That's just bloody tragic," George said.
Bill shook his head. "What is he thinking?"
"Once they kick you out," George added. "It's over. It's not like she's going to take him back."
"You don't know that," Hermione said. "It could still work out."
George shook his head.
"Come on Hermione," Harry said. "She put him out of the house. If that doesn't say it's over, I don't know what does."
"Getting kicked out doesn't have to mean it's over," Hermione insisted.
"Really?" Bill said sarcastically. "How many times have you been chucked and come back?"
"Well…" Hermione couldn't believe she'd stepped into this. "I just feel bad for Percy. I'm a big believer in second chances."
"Yeah," Ron quickly agreed. "Sure, he can be a prat, but I think he really loves her."
Sympathy was expressed all around until Fleur stood and began clearing the table.
As the others rose to help her, Ginny, who'd been quietly sitting next to Hermione, turned to her and said in a low voice, "That party at Oliver's the one when Neville took you home because you'd been cursed with Tentaculous—"
"Yes," Hermione said, knowing what she would ask. "That happened in Bulgaria."
"Why didn't you say?" Ginny asked.
"Because I didn't want it to talk about it or think about it. I was getting better and I just wanted to move forward."
"But if you'd told me, I would've been there for you."
"I know that, but I couldn't," Hermione said.
"I don't understand. I know things had gone south with you and Ron and I know I didn't reach out like I should have, but if you'd said…"
Hermione shook her head. "Come with me." She got up and walked down the deck stairs to the water. Ginny followed. When they had walked around a bend in the creek and were out of sight of the house, Hermione turned to her. "I'm going to tell you something that very few people know."
"Okay," Ginny said slowly.
Hermione stood for a moment gathering her courage. "I was…" She cleared her throat and blew out a calming breath. "I was pregnant when Viktor and I were attacked in Sophia."
Ginny's mouth dropped open.
"Obviously, I lost the baby as a result of the attack."
Ginny put a hand over her mouth.
"So…I couldn't…I didn't want that in the papers. I didn't want people speculating. I was so devastated. I needed…I couldn't talk about it. That's why I didn't put the memories back. And reliving losing her has been…" She shook her head.
Ginny didn't say anything. She just stepped forward and put her arms around Hermione. "I'm so sorry."
In spite of her best efforts not to, Hermione began to cry. Once she started she found herself sobbing on Ginny's shoulder the way she would have done twenty years ago had she given herself the opportunity. Ginny held her and waited. Hermione pulled herself together and pulled out her wand and cast the spell to make it look as though she hadn't been crying. "I'm sorry."
"Why?" Ginny said. "You obviously needed that."
Hermione nodded. "I should have told you at the time. It probably would've helped."
Ginny sighed. "I wish you had."
"Me too, but back then…I was so…devastated…and embarrassed…and ashamed. All of those emotions were tied up together and because I hadn't told you that I was pregnant to begin with, I didn't know how to say it after I'd lost the baby." Exhausted, she sat down on the bank of the creek.
Ginny sat next to her. "So, how far along?"
She closed her eyes. "Twenty-two weeks."
Ginny's face fell. "Oh, Hermione. Was it Ron's?"
Hermione shook her head. "If she had been, I probably would've come back. If not to Ron, at least to the family."
Ginny sighed. "But we knew you were with Viktor, you could have—"
Hermione put her face in her hands.
"Oh," Ginny said, the truth dawning. "Viktor wasn't the father."
"Hence the shame and humiliation," Hermione said without taking her face from her hands.
"You got pregnant in Amsterdam," Ginny said in a hushed tone.
"Yes."
Ginny put her hand on Hermione's back in a gesture of comfort. "No wonder you couldn't say."
Hermione sat up and pushed her hair back. "I've been so ashamed of what happened there for so long. For years I've gone over it and over it. Why didn't I say something to Viktor about the drugs earlier? Why did I smoke with Todor? Why didn't it occur to me that the juice might be spiked? Why didn't I leave the party downstairs and join Viktor in the shower upstairs when he got back from training? Change any one of those decisions and none of this would have happened."
"Wow," Ginny said. "Twenty years is a long time to beat yourself up."
"You sound like the healer I've been talking to."
"I'm glad you're doing that. It sounds like it's long overdue."
"Definitely," Hermione agreed.
"Is it helping?" Ginny asked.
"We're having this conversation, so I think it is."
Ginny nodded. "That's true. What's her take on your lost weekend?"
"She thinks it's time I let myself off the hook."
"And how do you feel about that?"
"I don't know. She says that, although I made some bad decisions, ultimately I was a victim, as was everyone else in the room except Filip, who was the one who spiked the juice."
"I'm surprised you all didn't notice he'd used a love potion. Once you smell one of those, they're hard to forget."
"I wish he had. I'd have noticed straight away, but he used a Muggle drug instead and none of us realized."
"Bloody hell," Ginny said.
"Yeah. Waking up the next morning was…I don't even know."
"Familiar?" Ginny said softly.
Hermione sighed and shook her head. "Not really. I mean it wasn't great after what happened with the Poacher's Curse. It was awful and awkward but at least I knew Ron and Harry and I trusted them implicitly. In Amsterdam, I didn't know anyone there, not really. I barely knew Viktor. I didn't know what was going to happen or who might find out. The scope of it was…" She shook her head. "It took days for it to really sink in."
"And then you were pregnant," Ginny said.
"Right," Hermione said. "And then I was pregnant."
"I'm so sorry," Ginny said.
"Yeah, me too, but it was a long time ago. I just need the memories to settle so it feels like a long time ago instead of just the other day."
Ginny nodded. "They will in time."
"I know. I'm trying to be patient." She stood and dusted off her jeans. "We should head back."
"Yeah," Ginny said, getting up.
xXx
When they walked back on to the deck, Ron said, "There you two are. Where'd you go?"
Ginny patted her belly. "We had to walk off some of that excellent lunch."
"Tell me about it," Harry said, patting his own belly. "No need to make dinner tonight, I think."
"Good," Ginny said. "Because I wasn't planning on it."
Ron snorted. "Like you ever make dinner. Dobby does that, doesn't he?"
"I plan the menus," Ginny said.
"Really?" Hermione said. "I let Winky handle all of that."
"I guess I like to be more involved," Ginny said.
Ron put his hands on Hermione's shoulders. "It would be hard to be less. Hermione likes to be surprised."
She rolled her eyes at him. "Thanks."
He kissed the top of her head. "Oh please, as if you give a toss about household management."
"I care," Hermione protested. "I just trust Winky to handle it and she does an excellent job."
"Yes," Ron said, suppressing a smirk. "And on that note, we should head home."
They said their good-byes and Disapparated.
xXx
When they landed in the kitchen, Hermione went into the parlor and flopped down on the sofa. "It's not even half six and I feel like it's midnight."
Ron sat next to her. "Still not a hundred percent?"
"No. I'm recovered. It's just telling the family, or rather listening to Viktor tell it, was exhausting and then when Ginny and I went for a walk, I told her I was pregnant in Bulgaria."
Ron raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"You and Harry already knew. It bothered me that she didn't. Besides, she asked about the Tentaculous."
"What Tentaculous?"
"Oh, that's right, you weren't at that party." She sighed. "The first party I went to after we got back from Bulgaria was at Oliver's up in Scotland. One of the curses I got hit with in Bulgaria was Tentaculous. It takes weeks to stop having outbreaks of tentacles, but I thought I was done with them. Anyway, at some point during the party pixies were released and they dusted the whole place and I sneezed and had an outbreak. Viktor had been called back to Sophia for a crisis with his parents, but he thought he'd finish up in time to meet me there, so I'd gone alone. Luckily, Neville was there and he got me home. Just as we were leaving, Harry and Ginny arrived. When Neville went back to the party he told them what had happened and Harry came to check on me, but by that time, Viktor was home. Harry popped right into the kitchen. Unfortunately, I'd forgotten to mention to Viktor that Harry was allowed to do that." She grimaced. "It wasn't a great night."
Ron snorted. "I guess not."
"Anyway, Ginny knew about all that. She actually asked me about it when we were getting ready before their wedding which wasn't long after the party. At the time, I lied and blamed it on work. When she asked about it today, I didn't want to lie again."
Ron nodded. "I can understand that. I almost told Harry why you really left today."
Alarmed she turned and looked at him. "But you didn't."
"No, but I'm going to. It's time."
"No, it's not," Hermione said emphatically. "He doesn't need to know that. He never needs to know that."
Ron sighed. "It was twenty years ago, luv. He'll forgive me."
"He may not forgive me though."
"What are you talking about? You didn't do anything wrong."
She took his hand. "I made the wrong call." Ron started to protest but she held up a hand to stop him. "Not about leaving. I had to do that, but I should've gone immediately to Harry and told him what was going on. I should have trusted him not to choose between us if he knew the truth. I should have trusted him period. Ginny too. If I had, then they probably would've done immediately what they ended up doing anyway, getting your parents involved, and getting you seen to. And really, I should have gone to your parents. I don't know why I didn't."
Ron shook his head. "You can't blame yourself for that. It's not fair."
"I'm not."
He looked at her in disbelief.
"No really. If I've learned nothing else from talking to that healer it's that it's not fair to judge your past self by what you know now. I wasn't in a good place then. I was so hurt and angry about my parents, about you taking that curse for me, and the state of you afterward. I was in a lot of pain, physical and emotional, and I wasn't in a good frame of mind for making decisions. Besides, after what happened with the Poacher's Curse, it felt weird to go to Harry to ask for his help with you. I felt like we should be able to get it sorted on our own without dragging him into it. Looking back now, I wish I had gone to him. For better or worse, the three of us are entwined and have been since long before that curse hit us. Ginny understands that, and once I came back, it's like the three of us just accepted that we would always be in each other's lives and that would be okay. We don't even bother to pretend otherwise now and nobody cares. But back then, I did care. I thought we should try and get some distance from him and stand on our own as a couple."
"We do stand on our own as a couple," Ron said.
"We do now, twenty years and one son later, but back then, we could barely stand up much less stand on our own. In the end, I did the best I could, unfortunately, that meant I ran away from my whole life."
"And you don't think Harry will understand that?"
She sighed. "Eventually, yeah, I'm sure he would, but at first he's going to be really hurt and angry at both of us. I just don't see any point in putting him through that when so much time has passed. Besides, what would you even say? Do you really want to tell him what happened that night? You can say those words out loud? To Harry? Really? Because I'm pretty sure I couldn't."
Ron shook his head slowly.
Hermione took his hands in hers. "Then please, please, just about this, can we let sleeping dogs lie?"
He looked at her. "That doesn't make me a coward still hiding what I did?"
"Hiding it from whom? I know. You know. We've worked through it. Harry might be part of us, but he isn't part of this and he doesn't need to be."
Ron brought her hands to his mouth and kissed them. "Alright. He pulled her into a hug. I love you so much."
"I love you too. Thank goodness. Who else would have either one of us?"
"No one. No one in their right mind."
She chuckled.
xXx
The next morning, Ron and Hermione were sitting at the breakfast table. Winky had made Hermione's favorite, soft-boiled eggs with toast soldiers and they were eating and reading the paper before getting ready for work. There was a knock on the door. Ron lowered his paper and looked at Hermione. "Were you expecting anyone?"
She shook her head. "No."
Ron stood. "I'll get it then. When was the last time you did the anti-Muggle charm on the house?" he asked as he walked to the foyer.
"I assure you my wards are fine." Hermione groused.
Ron opened the door to find Viktor on the front stoop. "Hey. What are you doing here?"
Viktor cleared his throat. "Hermione asked for this," he said, holding up an envelope.
"Oh," Ron said, and stepped away from the door. "Come in. You want a cup of tea? We're just finishing breakfast."
Viktor followed him into the kitchen. "I'm sorry to interrupt," he said, "but I'll be out of town for a few weeks and I wanted to get this to you before I left." He handed Hermione the envelope.
"Ah," she said, setting it on the table. "Have a seat. Winky could you get Viktor a cup of coffee?"
"We have coffee?" Ron asked.
"I keep some on hand for guests," Hermione explained.
Viktor and Ron sat in the chairs on either side of her.
Winky snapped her fingers and handed Viktor a cup of coffee.
"Thank you," Viktor said. "Gabrielle also wanted me to thank you," he said to Hermione, "for not mentioning to the rest of the family how those memory bottles got broken."
"It's fine. No one needs to know that," Hermione said.
"Well, we both appreciate it."
"So, what's this then?" Ron said, reaching for the envelope.
Hermione pressed her fingers on it to keep him from sliding it over. "It's a photograph."
Ron raised his eyebrows and then scowled.
"Not one of those," Hermione quickly amended. "Those are all gone." She cut her eyes at Viktor. "Right?"
"Yes," he said firmly and sipped his coffee.
"Then what's the problem?" Ron asked.
"Todor took this photo not long before we were attacked in Sophia. I was pregnant."
Ron tugged the envelope. "I've seen you pregnant."
Hermione released her hold.
Ron opened the envelope and Hermione and Viktor were both surprised to see him smile. "Look at you," he said. "You were so young and so beautiful."
"Oh please," Hermione scoffed.
"No," Viktor said. "He is right. There is something about a pregnant woman that is very beautiful." He cleared his throat and stood. "I should go."
Ron and Hermione stood too. "Thank you for bringing that," she said.
"You're welcome."
"Good luck with the away games," Ron said.
"Thank you," Viktor nodded. "We will need it. This team has not gelled the way I was hoping." He shook his head and he and Ron talked Quidditch on the way back to the front door. Hermione sat back down at the table and picked up the photo of her twenty-year-old self. It was odd to see it after all these years. In the photo her head was down at first and then she looked up and directly into the camera making if feel as if her younger self were looking directly at her. Ron and Viktor had thought she'd looked beautiful, but to her eyes, that girl looked tired and unsure, but perhaps she was just projecting.
"So, what are you going to do with it?" Ron asked as he came back into the kitchen.
Hermione sighed. "Burn it, I guess."
"Why?"
"Are you serious?" she said, raising her eyebrows.
"Yeah," Ron said, taking his seat next to her. He took the photo from her. "It's beautiful."
"Ron, no one needs to see this. What if Art saw it?"
He looked at her. "What if he did? There's no date on it. You look the same here as when you were pregnant with him. If he saw this, he'd just assume it was him in there."
Hermione took the photo back from him. "But it's not."
"I know that and you know that, but no one else will know that."
"Viktor and Gabrielle know," she said. "And Harry and Ginny."
"Okay, but it's not like they go through our photo albums."
"You want me to put this in an album? Have you lost your mind?"
Ron took her hand. "No. Listen, these last few months have been grueling. You've been gutted over this."
"I know," she said. "But I just need the memories to settle."
"Right, and then what will you have?"
She cocked her head at him. "I don't understand."
Ron sighed. "I don't know. I just feel like we've gone through all this and you're finally getting your head straight about it and then the memories will settle, and in the end…"
"There won't be anything left," Hermione finished for him.
"Right. The whole thing will just be a distant memory."
"But isn't that for the best? I mean, haven't I been keeping the whole thing alive by leaving those memories bottled."
Ron stroked her cheek. "Well, yeah, luv. I think that's exactly what you've been doing. You've been keeping her alive in those bottles."
"But, isn't it time I laid her to rest? She's been dead a really long time, which, if we're honest, is the only reason we're sitting here having this conversation together instead of somewhere else married to other people."
Ron squeezed her hand. "Maybe that's true. But what's also true is that you were willing to risk all that to have her. She was meant to live and then she didn't get to."
A tear slipped down Hermione's cheek.
Ron wiped it away with this thumb. "So, keep the photo, yeah?"
She looked down at her twenty-year-old self looking up, her rounded belly on full display. She cleared her throat and stood. "I should get to work. I've got two projects to review."
Ron nodded. "Yeah, I should go check on the shop."
Hermione picked up the photo and Ron watched her walk out of the kitchen. He didn't ask what she intended to do with it and she didn't say.
