Perfect Mistake
Disclaimer – I own nothing, not the characters (Joanne Rowling) nor the plot (MysticalFaery05), though I have managed to stray quite far from the original plot. The original character is my own creation, yay for the Evil!Ex-wife!Sue.
A/N - Thanks, love and devotion to my amazing and talented beta, Jenocclumency
This is the end. Thank you so much to everyone who has taken the time to read and big hugs to those of you kind enough to leave a comment.
Part 5
Hermione and Charlie agreed to see less of each other. What she didn't realise, was just how much time they had spent together, and now she was painfully aware of his absence. Occasionally, he would send her an Owl to which she always replied, as she'd rather have this small part of him than nothing at all.
Hermione had a difficult time explaining to Viktor, her decision to not tell Charlie about the baby. He argued against the decision relentlessly. She new that Viktor and Charlie had become friends, and that he was just looking out for both of them. But she refused to give in. Viktor had again offered to take responsibility for Hermione's unborn child. She refused him, once again firmly stating that she was fully capable of raising a child on her own, nor was not fair to him or Lavender.
The unlikely friendship between Hermione and Lavender started at Ron and Luna's engagement party. Ron had the uncanny ability to maintain friendships with his former girlfriends. She and Lavender had never been great friends at school, and really the only thing they had in common, was Ron. Hermione suspected that time had a way of changing one's perspective and now, she welcomed the closeness she shared with the other witch.
Accordingly, Hermione had no qualms about setting her friend with her other best friend. Lavender's introduction to Viktor had been a set up, and a successful one at that.
It was Viktor that told Lavender that Hermione was having Charlie's baby. Lavender's reaction was surprising. She raced into Hermione's room and threw her arms around her former dorm mate. "Oh Hermione! Viktor told me, everything. You just have to change your mind. You must tell Charlie. Married or not, he should know." Lavender pleaded, as she looked up at Viktor for approval to continue, "And. Charlie doesn't love her. He doesn't belong with her. Oh Hermione, Viktor and I have spent time with them. She is dreadful. She is a shameless beast, the come-ons she has made at Viktor, and all while carrying her husband's child,"
"Lavender-what? Regardless, you said it yourself, 'carrying her husband's child.' They are married and having a baby. I have no intention of ruining his life," argued Hermione, as she cast her eyes down, "I was- - a mistake."
"No! Don't you dare say that! Hermione, staying with her is ruining his life. I can't stand her. I'm still trying to rationalize how he could have ever married her in the first place." Lavender argued back. Viktor didn't say much he just kept nodding in agreement with his girlfriend.
Hormones took over and Hermione broke down and cried. She couldn't tell him? Dumitra was a terrible person? But she was his wife. Rocking back and forth in Lavender arms, she cried everything out.
As Hermione's sobs subsided, Viktor spoke, "Laveender is telling the truf Her-mi-on-e. Charlie is good man. He's trying to do right fing, but Dumitra is a defious vitch she make me sick." he paused. This time, he was seeking permission from Lavender to continue, "Laveender and I haf talked. If you vont tell Charlie, then I vill come forvard and be papa to your baby."
"I agree. Viktor is the logical choice, though I still think the better choice is to tell Charlie," added Lavender.
"Viktor, you can't. I won't let you." said Hermione wiping the back of her hands on her tear stained face and then sagged in defeat, "All right. You win. I will tell him but I must do it in person. Molly's birthday party at the Burrow is next month. I'll tell him then. Okay?"
Lavender nodded and said, "Hermione, love, you are doing the right thing."
- - -
The date for the party loomed. Hermione grew more and more nervous at the prospect of telling Charlie that she too was having his baby. She was sitting comfortably in her study rereading her favourite book Sense and Sensibility. Muffy had just left a plate of crackers and juice on a side table, with an admonishment to Hermione to eat something for the sake of the baby. Hermione was still feeling a little queasy but hadn't vomited for a few weeks. Although she still had huge issues with elf enslavement, she grew to appreciate Muffy's kindness. After four years of being adversaries, Hermione welcomed Muffy's attention.
She nibbled on a cracker, lost in thought. She glanced around the study. The nursery would have to be restored soon. Viktor had already cleared out the adjacent bedroom to act as a new study. He had even offered to convert her floor into a flat just for her and the baby. Hermione was appreciative, but she didn't want him to go to that much trouble. His generosity knew no bounds.
Suddenly a large brown owl appeared at her window, startling Hermione out of her musings. She opened the sash and the bird flew in landing easily on the back of her armchair closest to the window. "What do you have there?" Hermione asked, as she took the envelope from the owl's beak and offered the owl a cracker. The owl wasn't interested and gracefully flew back out the open window.
Hermione sat back down in her chair to read the letter, immediately she recognised the handwriting. She held her hand to her chest as she read biting her lower lip in worry.
Hermione,
Please forgive me for taking so long to write, I have so much to tell you, but it will have to wait until I'm back in the U.K. I'm still in Romania and will be here until Friday at least. Dumitra went into labour. Don't worry. She is fine and her baby boy is fine.
Hopefully I will see you at Mum's party next Saturday.
I promise I will explain everything.
I miss you.
Love,
Charlie
- - -
Hermione hadn't yet told her parents she was pregnant. She had decided to hold off telling her parents until she had spoken to Charlie. She resolved that regardless of the outcome with Charlie, she would tell her parents at their next Sunday dinner. Her mother was suspicious already. Two dinners in a row, her Mum had intimated that Hermione had put on a stone.
As self-appointed Godparents, Viktor and Lavender insisted on accompanying Hermione to every Mid-witch appointment. She was helpless to disagree. At first, the Mid-witch was a little star struck by the presence of the Viktor Krum. Hermione had made a point of informing the Mid-witch that Viktor was not the father. At another appointment, the Mid witch laughed when she asked if Hermione wanted to know the sex of the baby. All three of them responded simultaneously with a firm NO.
- - -
Hermione ran her hand over her pooch. Life was growing in there. It never ceased to amaze her. She forced herself out of reverie and got ready for the party. She wasn't sure if it was the baby or nerves as she felt her abdomen flutter.
Hermione entered the crowded backyard. Save for the October chill, she was reminded of Ron and Luna's wedding...and Charlie. She scanned the crowd looking for him. She arrived alone as Viktor and Lavender planned to drop by later in the evening. Hermione was certain they were only coming to make sure that she did, in fact tell, Charlie about her pregnancy.
She didn't immediately see him and became distracted by Mrs. Weasley shouting, "Oh my dear! When did this happen? Have you and Viktor eloped? If not, he better agree to marry you or I'll have his hide." Mrs. Weasley then proceeded to caress her mid-section pooch.
"Oh no, Mrs. Weasley. It's not Viktor's. Please, I haven't announced it yet?" Hermione whispered, trying to hush the formidable witch.
"Oh dear, we will have to sit down to a chat soon. For now, let's get you off your feet and settled with a nice glass of pumpkin juice." said Mrs. Weasley, as she dragged Hermione over to the tented area.
An hour later, Hermione still hadn't spotted Charlie. At least from her seated position she wasn't showing too much, but Molly fussing was causing a few eyebrows to rise. As best as she could, she put people off while she continued to keep an eye out for Charlie. She wasn't about to admit anything, without talking with him first. Maybe he couldn't get away? Maybe he had to stay in Romania. But he said that he'd be here and that he wanted to talk to her.
After another hour past, she gave up and decided to Floo home. On her way to the kitchen entrance, she spotted him. He was standing alone by that tree. Hermione sprinted to his side. Her heart pounding, she was nervous and excited all at once, it had been over a month since she'd last seen him.
"Congratulations," Charlie said his back to her, "I'm sure you and Viktor will be very happy."
"What? Viktor? Charlie, I'm confused. You know he's dating Lavender. What are you on about?" Hermione asked, as she touched his shoulder. Charlie turned around and his eyes immediately fell to her mid-section. "Oh," she said.
"You're pregnant. I heard Mum earlier. I assumed it was. Oh never mind," stated Charlie.
"Charlie. I got your Owl. You said you had news. Is everything okay? Your son? Dumitra?" Hermione asked, in a not too subtle attempt to change the subject.
"Dumitra and her son are fine. My news, it doesn't matter now," he sighed, "Are you pregnant?"
"Yes. Viktor is not the father, Charlie. He has never been my lover." said Hermione, as tears filled her eyes, 'Her son, that's what he had written in the letter too. What is going on?'
"Then give the father my congratulations," Charlie said, as he walked away.
"Congratulations, Charlie," Hermione whispered, as the tears fell freely. Charlie stopped dead in his tracks and slowly turned around. All she could do was stare at him. Were those tears in his eyes too? Suddenly, he broke into a run towards her and scooped her up into his arms. He kissed her.
"Oh dear Merlin! Hermione please tell me this isn't a cruel dream," Charlie pleaded. Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tight. Tears streamed down her face.
She whispered in his ear, "Not a dream, Charlie. This is real. I'm having our baby." Charlie kissed her again. She was overwhelmed with the sensations and emotions coursing through her, it had been over four months since he'd kissed her like that, with passion and need. Holding her tightly, Charlie urged her to sit down and she complied. Her lips were tingling from his kiss and she touched her fingers to them softly, more than a bit dazed.
"Merlin, that night with you. That night changed me forever," said Charlie, as he looked into Hermione's eyes. She took in his words, high emotions compounded by hormones, all she could do was cry. She was confused, but happy. Charlie's reaction was not what she expected.
"Me too," whispered Hermione, "Forever…"
They sat there holding hands starring at each other.
Breaking the silence, Hermione asked, "Charlie? What happened with Dumitra and your son?" She needed an explanation, answers.
Charlie let out a long sigh and then a short chuckle, "What happened? Hmm. Where to start? The baby, he's not mine."
Hermione gasped and squeezed his hand, "Oh Charlie, I'm so sorry. You must be so…"
"Relieved? Yes, and feeling guilty for being relieved, only a little." Charlie said. His response held a hollow tone.
"How do you know he's not yours? Are you positive about this?" asked Hermione, remembering that she initially questioned the pregnancy, too.
"I am positive, the Mid-witch at the hospital cast a paternity spell. He is not mine," said Charlie.
"I'm just. I can't believe she'd, well that any woman would do something like that," frowned Hermione.
"I'm still trying to digest it all myself. I did get some answers. To start, Dumitra and Ivan, the dragon keeper that was killed earlier this year, had been having an affair. Actually, I was probably the 'other man' even though I was the husband," explained Charlie, "She probably married me out of revenge or something. Ivan was definitely not a settle down kind of bloke. None of the other dragon keepers said a word to me. I just thought they were like you and Harry, platonic like. I am such an idiot."
"Oh Charlie, don't say that. You are not an idiot. You were in love. You had no idea," comforted Hermione. She knew she had to say something now. No secrets. Whatever they were starting tonight--It would start with honesty.
"Charlie, I have to tell you something. I need to be honest with you. Harry and I did have a romantic relationship. Right after the war, for a year," confessed Hermione. She held her breath waiting for his reaction.
Charlie looked like he'd been hit by a Bludger and drew in a deep breath, "I never knew. I-I am so fucking stupid. While he was with? Gah. Fuck!"
"Oh God, Charlie, no! Please listen to me. Harry and I, it happened after the war. Merlin, do you really think I would? It wasn't like that," Hermione said, her eyes cast to the ground. The gauntlet of emotions experienced, in such a short period of time, flowed through her causing a painful ache in her heart. Instinctively she wrapped her arms around her slightly rounded abdomen as if to protect it from whatever might happen.
Charlie gently placed his hand under her chin and pulled it so he could look her in eye. He sighed, "I'm a fucking daft prat, love. I really had no idea. No, I don't think you would knowingly set out to hurt anyone. I'm so sorry my thoughtless words caused you pain. I blame it on temporary jealousy. Forgive me?" he asked.
"Forgiven," laughed Hermione, "I just thought. We need to be completely honest with each other, especially after what you've just been through. No secrets okay?"
"Yes. No secrets," Charlie replied, as he cupped her face in his big strong hands. He leaned in for a gentle kiss.
"Now that we got that out of the way," said Hermione with a half smile, "Continue please."
"Right. She admitted to having an affair. I don't understand why she tricked me or what she was thinking. She completely played me," explained Charlie. He rested his head on Hermione's lap his cheek against her little pooch. Hermione gently stroked his head while he continued talking.
"Get to the point, right?" laughed Charlie.
"Take your time, love. I'm listening," soothed Hermione.
He snuggled in and continued, "When I made my ultimatum at Christmas, she chose Ivan. I was lost, heart broken, devastated, take your pick so to pull myself out of my whatever. I concentrated all my focus on my job and tried not to think of anything else. I was trying to move on. Forget her. Then Ivan was killed. We. Well, you know about that already."
"What I didn't know was that she was already pregnant by Ivan. When he was killed, she panicked. I was the practical choice to be Daddy. We weren't divorced. I fu- -Three days before our divorce should have been final, she showed up to announce she was pregnant and that I was the father."
"Charlie, when did you? How did you find all this out? Its just so…" asked Hermione.
"We had been fighting, arguing about me not. Well. Uhm. I couldn't be with her. She didn't like that one bit, but I couldn't even make myself touch her. Not when I was completely in love with you," he paused. Hermione felt fresh tears fill her eyes. She took in a few deep, calming breaths as Charlie continued, "We said some awful things to each other and then, I guess the arguing got her adrenalin going. She grabbed at her stomach and screamed out in pain. Her water broke and I rushed her to the Reserve's hospital wing. They aren't equipped for delivering allegedly two-month premature babies. Our resident healer Portkeyed us directly to the closest wizarding hospital."
"Oh my, you must have felt terrible," said Hermione.
"Yeah, I had some serious guilt going on at the time. Dumitra was panicking. She tried to get me to leave room. I thought she was worried, like me, about the baby. I was stubborn though. I wouldn't go."
"She delivered quickly. It took her about two hours from start to finish. The minute that baby left her body, I knew exactly why she wanted me out of the room. He wasn't mine. He was nearly five kilos. He was no preemie. He was a healthy full term baby. Ivan's baby."
"Oh my word. What was she going to do to him?" gasped Hermione.
"She confessed everything. She had planned to cast a glamour on him to make him look more like me, and smaller. She said she got the idea from a book she'd read."
"I've read that book. You know, that plan didn't work out so well for the character either," said Hermione.
Charlie shook his head, "I'm still. Ugh it just. I was moving on. Ivan was dead, so she made a drastic decision. Eventually, everything blew up in her face. I suppose she would have strung me along until someone new caught her fancy. Or, maybe she really only loved Ivan," he finished.
"Where is she now?" asked Hermione.
"Honestly, I have no idea and I don't really care," said Charlie. There was no ire to his words, only the naked truth, "She took off, with her baby, as soon as she was released from the hospital. She did take the time to divorce me though. I received the Decree Parchment and Owled you right away."
Hermione awkwardly put her arms around Charlie to hold him. He repositioned himself so that they were properly facing each other and she asked, "You're divorced? So fast?"
"Uh-huh, I hadn't withdrawn my earlier petition. Dumitra finished things off. Deep down, baby or not, we both knew that we weren't going to make it.
"I am in love with you, Hermione. She may have been my wife on parchment, but you had my heart. Every time she tried to touch me, I felt like I was betraying you," said Charlie.
On the verge of tears yet again, Hermione leaned in to give Charlie a loving caress and said, "I am in love with you too, Charlie. One more confession: I didn't want to tell you about our baby. I thought it would complicate your life. Two babies in one year, is a bit much to take. But, this is so strange isn't it? Where do we go from here?"
"I completely understand. It has been a seriously strange and yet wonderful year so far. Where do you want to go from here?" he asked. He looked more than a little nervous, "I mean. Do you, what I mean is, do you want to get married? To me?"
Hermione took in a deep breath and responded, "Are you asking me to marry you? You know, you don't have to because of the baby. We can wait."
"No, no, no. Shit. That wasn't very romantic was it?" said Charlie, chastising himself, "I. You. It's too soon for that isn't? How about this, then? I love you, Hermione Granger. Will you consider being my wife, some day?"
There really was only one answer to that question. With a smile on her face Hermione gave her answer, "Yes, Charlie Weasley, some day."
Early on Hermione told Charlie she thought they'd made a mistake. As far as mistakes go, this one turned out perfect.
Fin
Or is it?
I'd be grateful for your thoughts.
Thanks!