Hermione stood in the shower looking at herself. Ron came home today-safe, thank god- from a small skirmish between muggles and giants over seas. He had been away for nearly six weeks. He hadn't seen her changes.
Hermione looked down at her belly, running her hands across the bulge beginning to grow. It was getting larger by the day, she could see it through her clothes now, but she still wouldn't allow herself to recognise these changes as leading to a baby. She was aware the some knew, Mrs Weasley had came around yesterday and her hands had went instantly to Hermione's stomach, mapping her out. She had been delighted- though concerned that Hermione hadn't announced her pregnancy. She looked slightly offended when Hermione announced she would be twenty weeks pregnant on Tuesday.
No one else knew, she wasn't ready to tell the rest. She didn't believe it was real yet- even as she watched her belly swell up. Her hair was falling out in clumps, her breasts were sore and she'd been throwing up for weeks on end.
She was definitely very pregnant. And yet she couldn't quite believe it. It was still an endless frustration- and endless worry- that her and Ron could easily make a baby but her body was unable to carry one.
With a sigh she turned off the shower, careful not to slip in the bottom of the bath tub, and reached for her towel. The red towels had been part of their wedding present from Harry and Ginny- the towels were quick-dry and had a trim of Gryffindor gold around the edge.
As she dried herself a dilemma hit. Ginny would be coming around, Harry was returning with Ron. She felt her stomach lurch and had to dash back to the bathroom, struggling not to throw up on the bathroom floor.
Luckily she reached the toilet in time and retched several times, but only brought up water. She hadn't eaten yet.
She couldn't risk it, letting the family know, letting them see her stomach begin to grow; let them get hopeful.
Ginny was her closest friend- well, female friend but Ron didn't really count as a friend given she'd married him- and she hated to lie to her but, it was strange, even though she was only a few weeks behind Ginny in her pregnancy she was jealous of her friend. Watching Ginny become bigger and appear to glow made Hermione feel oddly left out.
The Potters arrived shortly after Hermione had dressed. She was sitting at the kitchen table wearing a flowing top she hoped would distort her bump, and eating her way through a bowl of muesli- hoping this would stay in her stomach.
Hermione was listening for a car door to signal their arrival- totally forgetting that Ginny's favourite and easiest mode of transport was broom, James in his Mai tai sling strapped to her back.
It was James who ended up announcing his family, he came straight through the door of the little Surrey cottage still wearing his ski mask that had been adapted as flying goggles.
" Annie Amimee!" He called, tottering across the tiled kitchen floor and throwing himself at Hermione's legs, urging her to lift him.
Ginny came in just as she lifted him up, removing her leather jacket which had no chance of hiding her own belly.
"Look at you!" Hermione gasped, automatically putting on a front for her friend.
Ginny smiled, giving her stomach an affectionate pat.
"He's certainly growing," she smiled
"He?"
Ginny nodded,
"We should've known the girls were a fluke- the grandkids will be boy heavy too,"
Hermione nodded, her mind briefly crossing to the theory about penis size and the gender of the resulting children but quickly stopped, she may have seen Harry half-naked but she didn't want to think about his manhood thank you very much!
At that moment the elderly Crookshanks came waddling down the crooked staircase. The arthritis in his back legs was affecting him quite badly now but Hermione dared not take him to either a magic or muggle vet- like her, her cat belonged in a mixture of the two worlds.
James began wriggling in Hermione's arms, desperate to play with Crookshanks. She set him down and Crookshanks wandered through to the living room, giving his mistress a wink as the tot followed him.
Ginny sat down on the bench on the other side of their large oak table. She sighed and looked worried.
"Hermione, I'm not stupid, why didn't you tell me."
Hermione bit her lip, looking away, of course Ginny could see, she was very aware that her best friend was expecting.
Ginny clapped her hands to her mouth,
"Oh God," she gasped, before quickly composing herself with a deep breath.
"I know I'm his sister Hermione, but I'm still your friend, you could've told me- I'd help you sort out this mess.
"Mess?" Hermione asked, now totally confused.
Ginny took a deep breath just as Hermione heard their little Ford Fiesta drive up the track.
"I know, your trying to hide it; it's not Ron's baby."
Hermione opened her mouth, ready to defend herself. She couldn't believe what Ginny was saying, of course she hadn't, she wouldn't- who would she have slept with.
"Look, I know you and Ron have been having issues on the bedroom front, he always had issues- heard the boys talking about it before- but Hermione, if it was a muggle, and you have a muggle child..,"
"No, Ginny, I would never, I haven't."
The door burst open, Harry came wandering in wearing his work robes, Ginny spun around, Quincy rushing to Harry, kissing him gently.
Hermione grabbed Ron's old quidditch jumper off the bench beside her and shoved it over her head- praying it masked her stomach, this wasn't the time, not when Ginny thought-.
Her thoughts were interrupted. Ron stood in the doorway. He smiled his goofy smile, his freckles lighting up his face and his glorious gingery hair flipping down in front of his eyes.
"Oi!" He called, holding his arms out wide,
"Where's my completely-over-the-top-and-embarrass-my-sibling snog?"
Hermione laughed loudly in total joy, God she'd missed him, missed him so much. She grinned and grinned, unable to pull the smile from her face. She stood and dashed quickly over to her husband.
Ron grabbed her by the waist lifting her to his height before kissing her. It felt amazing, warm and comforting and right- so right, just like their very first kiss. He was all sloppy and out of control of his lips, full of hunger and she matched him, duelling him point for point until Harry cleared his throat.
"Ugh," he began, shuffling uncomfortably.
Ron rolled his eyes,
"At least I'm not snogging your little sister."
Harry laughed, sheepishly before turning back to his wife and asking about his son.
"I'll go get him," Ginny announced, " I think we should let these two have a chat."
The boys both looked confused but they quickly said their goodbyes as Ginny went to grab her two year old- the little boy's legs spread wide over his mother's belly.
Once the front door had closed behind the Potters. The Granger-Weasley family stood in silence. Ron faced Hermione looking scared for a moment. Then he saw it.
"Bloody hell," he grinned, "I- you- we're, we're having a baby."
He smiled uncontrollably, lunging forward and scooping his wife into his arms bridal style before dashing to the living room and collapsing into the old sofa, Hermione squealing in his arms.
"Ron! Ron put me down!" She giggled.
He let his body plummet into the cushions of the sofa before pealing back the jumper and silky top covering his wife's stomach.
As he stared down at her his smile vanished. For a second Hermione felt sick. Then he reached out a rough, shaking hand, running it gently over her smooth but definitely round stomach.
"We did it," he whispered,
"We did," Hermione agreed, "I have no idea how, but we did."
This was the first time ever she had been glad to hear the bed creak beneath her body. Ron was kissing her, his lips soft as they worked their way across her stomach then
He pulled himself back up her body, she naturally tilted her head, allowing him to suck and nibble on her collar bone.
His hands were running feverishly up and down her sides, between the crook of her waist and her hips- occasionally over her belly. She could feel him growing harder and thicker through his pyjama bottoms. He needed her.
Their eyes met. She nodded and he groaned deep in his throat before fumbling with his pyjamas. She heard him kick the tartan trousers off his ankle and them crumple on the floor before he very gently spread her legs apart.
The both moaned in unison.
"You're sure?" He whispered, his voice filled with need.
She nodded, adrenaline fuelling every bit of her body. She ran her hands down, grabbing him with one so he hissed and jerked his hips forward into her tight grasp.
"Jesus Hermione!" He gasped as she gently pushed forward, sliding him inside her.
She bit her lip against the slight discomfort as he pushed himself further in.
They groaned again, he gripped her hips, she pushed her legs up, hooking her thighs across his hips, giving his backside a brief push; an encouragement.
He didn't need any further encouragement, began thrusting quickly in and out of her body.
She closed her eyes, relaxing back onto the pillow, letting the feelings of her own muscles squeezing consume her.
In that moment she was content. In that moment she didn't care if this pregnancy was viable- she had Ron, she loved him, that was all that mattered.
She felt him release, the rush of warmth and he collapsed carefully onto her chest, slipping from her body and burying his head in her breasts.
He gasped for breath for a moment and she held him, her arms wrapped over his sweaty back.
This was bliss.
" Hermione Jean Granger, you are utterly amazing," he gasped. She kissed the top of his red hair.
"I love you Ronald."
"I love you," he whispered, before lifting himself off her to wriggle downwards. He kissed her bump.
"And I love you too
