Finale: The Lie, the Truth, and the End
Tap. Tap. Tap. Hermione's foot drummed against the floor. She was bored to tears. The past two weeks had been absolutely miserable. Ron had told her that she wasn't to go to work, that she had to rest and be at home when the baby decided to come. But she also wasn't allowed to go shopping, go Ginny's house, go to the Burrow, or pretty much leave the house. She wanted to die right there as she lay down on the bed and stared at the white ceiling, wishing more than anything she could simply melt into it and not have to suffer anymore.
Ron was taking time off from work, but only a little. He worked from ten in the morning to two in the afternoon, leaving afternoons and evenings for her. He'd been acting very strange lately. Very…Hermione couldn't put the word on it, but it was something along the lines of jumpy and anxious. She just assumed it was because they only had two more weeks until the baby's arrival. He didn't like her moving much; according to him, she wasn't supposed to run, swim, or walk too much, even though she had told him that exercise was actually very good for pregnant women. She decided not to have another tantrum though; with a new baby in only fourteen days, she wanted them to be totally fine. She knew he was just looking out for her.
"I'm home." A voice called from downstairs.
"So am I. And I have been for the past few weeks." She retorted irritably.
Ron's feet pounded up the stairs. He paused in the doorway smiling. "How was your day?"
She glared at him balefully from the bed. "Terrible."
A frown pulled the corners of his lips down. "Why?" He came to sit next to her by the pillows, drawing her close.
"Because I can't do anything." Her internal promise to not throw a fit was crumbling. "I'm so bored. I have to move. I have to go. I have to work." She took a deep breath. "This is so not me."
"I know." He rubbed her back. "But just for two more weeks, love. And then you'll probably be wishing to have too much relaxation time." He kissed her forehead.
She gently pulled herself out of his arms. She didn't want comfort, she wanted freedom. "I still don't understand why I can't walk around the neighborhood or anything. You act like you think something will happen."
Ron shifted uncomfortably. Unbeknownst to Hermione, this was exactly the case. "No, no that's not it…I just want you to be safe."
"From what? The pavement?" She asked sarcastically.
"No, though you have been rather clumsy lately."
"Excuse me for carrying an extra forty pounds of baby on only one side of my body." She said acidly.
"Hey, you know that's not what I meant! I just want everything to be smooth come two weeks." He pulled her close again, hoping she wouldn't move away again. She didn't. "You know that I only want you to be happy."
"But I'm not happy!"
"But you're safe!"
"That's dumb."
"I don't really care how clever it is, I just care that the birth will go easily."
She resisted the temptation to yank herself away again. She really wanted to be close to him, she was just tired of all the pretending.
"I feel like a house." She said suddenly, touching her belly. Lying down, it rose about a foot. She had never felt so huge in her life.
"You still look amazing." He pulled her even closer, and she rested her head on his shoulder.
"I really don't. I'm a mess and this baby is distorting my body. I'm never going to look the same again."
"Stop talking like that, Hermione. You know that everyone knows that's not true. Look at Ginny! She still looks the same."
Ginny's secret bubbled inside Hermione, and she wanted more than anything to tell Ron that Ginny didn't look the same anymore, that she was carrying another baby. But Ginny had done so much for her, it would've been wrong to tell.
They talked for a little while, ate dinner, and went to sleep. Or Ron did, after his slightly busier day. Hermione was still restless, and it took her a while to calm herself down.
The next morning, Hermione woke up while Ron was downstairs getting ready for work. She tiptoed to the stairs, watching Ron threw the staircase's twisted bars. She laughed to herself when she saw him rumpling his hair in the mirror. He hasn't changed at all!
She didn't feel like talking to him at the moment. She went back to sleep, hoping to sleep off some of the day. When she woke up again, it was after noon. She yawned and stretched, and proceeded to clean the house. Again. The place was spotless, but she always managed to find a speck of dust somewhere.
It was around 1 PM that it happened. A cramp seized her lower body and she gasped in surprise. The baby? Another cramp hit her. It felt like her menstrual cramp, just a lot stronger. Her back started to ache. She lay down, groaning. Should I tell Ron now or when he gets home? I did tell him to carry a telephone with him in case this happened…but should I save it for a surprise? She decided not to call Ron at that moment.
She waited for Ron in the hallway in the minutes before he arrived, but she heard two sets of footsteps outside. Who's with him? Harry and Ron entered together, talking quietly. As they opened the door, she could hear their conversation.
"Ron, tell her today or I will. She's going to find out anyway."
"I—" Ron looked up. Hermione was standing there, her eyes as wide as saucers. Her brain was sparked with anger. What's he keeping me from me that's so important?
"Ron." She said, forgetting her excitement to tell her that the baby was coming any day. "What do you have to tell me?"
Harry and Ron froze, Harry looking utterly embarrassed to be caught. Ron looked like a deer caught in the headlights of an automobile.
"Ron." Hermione's tone was growing higher and higher, until she was shrieking. "WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO TELL ME?"
Ron's mind was racing. This was not how it was supposed to happen. Oh no.
"Go, quickly, now. I'll take care of this." Harry muttered in his ear. Ron Disapparated.
Hermione screamed and ran to where he disappeared, grabbing the air as if to pull him back. She broke down hysterically, stumbling into Harry. He caught her before she fell, holding her up in his arms. She cried into his chest, her voice incomprehensible. Harry held her closely, rubbing her back.
"What is he h-hiding f-from me?" She wailed.
Harry led her to the couch, helping her sit. He continued to rub her back as she continued to sob. He heard only a few of her words. "Ron…lie…what…tell…I…"
"Shhhh." He whispered. He held his best friend close. It had been a while since just the two of them had spent time together. With her marriage to Ron and his to Ginny, she was often busy with her husband or his wife.
Hermione sniffled, hugging Harry. She loved him like a brother, just like she always had. It was a brother she needed right now.
When she regained control of her voice, she said, "What's he hiding from me, Harry? I know it's big. J-Just please tell me."
"I…I don't know if I can." He answered.
"You have to, Harry. You just have to." A contraction made her freeze up momentarily. Harry noticed her odd convulsion.
"Hermione, what was that?" He asked quickly. "Are you going into labor?"
"O-of course not." Hermione lied. She needed Harry to focus on Ron's lying. "Tell me r-right now Harry. Please."
"I can't, Hermione, it's not my place, I—"
"It is your place!" She screeched, leaping up. Her face contorted in pain; the movement had been too sudden for the baby, who was starting to push. "It's always been your place! You're my best friend this is what you do!"
He stood up, reaching for her elbows to steady her. "It's Ron's job, not me, Hermione. I know I should tell you but I gave Ron my word and that does count. I'm so, so sorry." He hugged her. She let herself be comforted for a few minutes before pulling away.
"Fine. Then Ron will tell me. Right. Now." Hermione, dressed in a short, white cotton sundress, suddenly said.
"No, Hermione, you're not supposed to—"
She whirled on him. "How do you know that?" She demanded, her face coloring.
Harry blushed.
It was falling into place now. "You were in on the plan, weren't you? Ron thought I didn't notice but I did. There's something he's hiding from me out there in the world and he's been keeping me locked up so I wouldn't find out!"
She is exactly right. Thought Harry.
Hermione was nodding to herself. "Yes, yes, and he told you because you're his best friend, obviously, but also because he needed to tell someone and that someone was not going to be me! I have to find out what it is." She stormed toward the door. Harry grabbed her arm.
"Hermione, just wait, wait until you cool down. I guarantee if you leave this house right now, you're going to get hurt. Please don't do this to yourself."
She looked in his bright green eyes for a moment, and then shook herself away. "So be it. Ron isn't going to keep lying from me."
Harry watched her Disapparate with a feeling of despair. This isn't going to end well.
Hermione used the telephone booth to get down to the Atrium. It was here she realized that she was dressed in nightclothes, that her hair looked like a rat's nest, and she wasn't wearing shoes. She quickly cast a few spells, conjuring some shoes and taming her hair. Brushing herself off, she stormed through the Atrium to the golden grilled-lift, ignoring the funny looks she got.
"Auror Department." The cool female voice informed her. The grilles opened and Hermione stormed out. She knew where Ron's office was. As she rounded the corner to his cubicle, a hand grabbed her arm.
"Hermione."
She screamed, attracting attention from a desk worker nearby. "Get the hell off me, McLaggen! Don't touch me!"
"I would just like to apologize for my actions at our last meeting. I was out of line."
Her eyes narrowed. "Fine. I forgive you. Get off me, I need to talk to Ron."
"Wait, I need to show you something. Something about a very interesting mission that you might want to learn about."
Despite her anger at Ron and her disgust of McLaggen, she couldn't help be interested by the thought of work-related excitement. "Fine. What is it?"
He pulled out some photographs. "Take a look." The smile on his face was the slimiest thing she had ever seen.
She took the pictures. Her eyes widened as she flicked through them. Ron, drunk. Ron's legs entangled with a woman's. Lavender Brown, shirtless, leaning against Ron's chest. Ron and Lavender's faces just inches apart. Ron and Lavender exiting a bathroom, her lipstick smudged.
Hermione's head wanted to explode. She couldn't believe it. She wouldn't believe it. Ron had…cheated on her. With Lavender. Her breath quickened and her brain froze. McLaggen, who had looked so smug just moments before, now looked genuinely worried. The tears came, hot and fast, spilling onto her cheeks as she took in that the past few months of love had been a total lie. Ron didn't want her. He wanted a skinny bitch. He didn't want to be with her; to raise their children. He wanted casual hookups with his ex-girlfriend.
"Are you all right?"
She heard McLaggen's voice as if in a daydream. The world was hazy and dull. A hand caught her as she fell, and she faintly heard a woman's voice. "What's wrong? What happened to her? Mrs. Weasley, what happened?"
"My water just broke."
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"You are, without a doubt, the biggest git I have ever met in my life."
"Shut up, George." Ron snapped. After Disapparating, he'd gone to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, hoping to seek advice from his older brother. It was only now he was realizing that the brother he should be asking for help was not the one dressed in yellow and pink striped robes, wearing a six foot tall hat with a toy goblin on top, and sporting a black eye.
"Why would you do that to Hermione?"
"I was drunk, George! You know I would never have done that sober!"
"But you say nothing happened?"
"That's right, nothing really happened."
"But…"
"But that is definitely not how Hermione will see it." Ron sighed.
"So just tell her!"
"Why is everyone saying that? You guys don't understand Hermione, she will not accept this!"
"Woah. We don't understand Hermione? Ronald, you might have married her but we all have known Hermione for just as long as you have. You think I wouldn't do anything for her? Or Mum? Or Dad? Or Ginny or Bill or Percy? She's our sister, Ron, and we know what's best for her too!"
George's outburst left Ron a little shocked for a moment. George took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Ron, but you had to hear that. We care about Hermione too, you know."
Ron was nodding. It was getting through to him; the truth had to come out. "George?"
"What?"
"Come with me to the Ministry? I know that's where she is. She would've followed me after I left and that's probably where she thought I was."
George smiled. "Sure, little brother."
They made their way down Diagon Alley, up towards the secret entrance to the Ministry. In the Atrium, a lady from Magical Law Enforcement stopped Ron. "Mr. Weasley! Congratulations, I just heard the news!"
Ron was taken aback. "What news?"
She looked surprised. "I just heard that Hermione was taken to St. Mungo's, because your baby is arriving."
"WHAT?"
She scurried away, looking scared.
Ron whirled around. George's face was white. "Ron, you've got to get to St. Mungo's right now."
"I know…I know….hurry." Ron raced out of the Ministry, George on his heels. No. No no no no no no. This is not how it was supposed to go. Not at all.
Down that street and up the next, whipping around a corner and sprinting down an alleyway. Ron's heart pounded in his throat as they reached the dummy shop, saying the password. Storming into the reception room, he demanded to see the birth ward.
"Floor six." Said the Welcome Witch lazily, not even glancing up.
Ron and George ran up the stairs three at a time. Ginny and Harry were in the waiting room, along with Fleur and Bill. Ron, totally out of breath, gasped at Ginny, "Where. Is. Hermione?"
Ginny silently pointed to a room across the hall. Her face was white and she was clutching Harry's hand tightly. All the faces in the room looked extremely tense. Ron stormed over to the room and banged on the door.
"Ron!" Ginny whispered, shocked. "You can't do that!"
Ron struggled to turn to doorknob. At once, an elderly Healer slipped out. "Sir, what are you doing? A woman is trying to give birth in there!"
"I know, that's why you have to let me in!"
She checked a list in her hand. "Name?"
"Ron Weasley." His breath was still coming in heaves.
She gave him a bitter smile. "Sorry, you're not allowed in here, dear."
"What the hell are you talking about? THAT'S MY WIFE!"
"Ron!" Ginny squeaked.
"Special request from the patient. You're not allowed in."
"Special request from the patient?" Ron's mind raced. Hermione specially requested not to let me in…oh….dammit! She found out!
The Healer looked at him pitifully. "You heard me correctly, Mr. Weasley. Now please leave, you're disrupting the office.
Ron stormed out, his eyes burning. He heard someone follow him as he sank down on the staircase and buried his face in his hands. A large hand clapped his shoulder. Harry.
Ron couldn't help the tears that burned his cheeks. He was missing the birth of his baby. A tear dripped down to the floor. Harry still didn't say anything, but Ron was glad. They both knew that nothing needed to be said.
Ron was in misery as the minutes passed. He couldn't hear anything, he couldn't stand to see his family knowing that Hermione would welcome them in to show off their beautiful new baby and he, by special request of the patient, wasn't allowed in.
About ten hours later, or so it seemed (it was probably about two hours), the door opened. "Ron?"
Ginny stood there, tear tracks running down her face. Ron stood up and Ginny immediately hugged as him as tight as she could, trying her best to tell him that everything was going to be all right.
"What happened? Why are you crying?" Ron demanded in a hard voice. He still couldn't believe it. He'd missed the birth.
Ginny laughed. "I'm crying because it's a beautiful thing! The birth of a beautiful baby…" Her voice trailed off when she noticed Ron's stony face. "Right. Come here." Ginny hugged Harry quickly before leading Ron into the waiting room. It was empty; the rest of the family must be inside the room. Ginny sat him down. "I can't explain the situation to Hermione at the moment, you have no idea how hard the birth was for her. I've never seen anything like it. It looked…" She shuddered. "It looked a thousand times worse than mine must've looked. And it was because you weren't there. George told me the secret, and I want more than anything to tell Hermione the truth. I did find out that she saw pictures given to her by Cormac McLaggen. But I can't tell her now, she's busy. But I know you want to see the baby…" Ginny started crying again. "I just don't know what to do!"
Ron hugged his little sister. "It's okay. I know you don't have to do anything right now. It's okay."
"But your beautiful baby girl—"
"It's a girl?"
Ginny nodded. "She's beautiful, Ron."
Rose Perci Weasley.
Ron sniffed and inconspicuously wiped a tear from his eye. Just then, the door opened and half the Weasley family spilled out. "Ron." Said Fleur breathlessly. "Hermione wants to see you.
"She does?" He rose to his feet at once, pushing through the throng of people to the door. He took a deep breath before pushing it open.
Hermione lay in a large, soft bed, her sweaty curls fanned out around her, her cheeks pink, and her eyes looking lovingly at a pink-wrapped bundle in her arms.
Ron crossed the room in a few strides and sat by her side. She still hadn't looked at him. Finally, she spoke. "Ron, George told me what happened. Is it true?"
"Hermione, you know I would never do anything like that to you. Ever."
Her voice remained steady. "Well, I don't know that anymore. I saw pictures, Ron."
Ron didn't want this to be their first conversation after the baby's arrival, but he felt he should get it all out of the way. "Those pictures tell the wrong story, though. Nothing, and I mean nothing happened. Hermione I didn't even kiss her, I promise."
"You promise?"
"I swear on the life of that baby in your arms."
Hermione finally turned to face him, her face breaking into the biggest smile he had ever seen. He had never seen her look more beautiful.
"Would you like to meet our daughter?" She shifted herself, bringing the bundle closer. Ron looked down at the peaceful, tiny face of his baby girl. Rose.
"Are you crying Ron?" Hermione asked gleefully.
"No…yes." He smiled at her, kissing her very gently.
"I'm sorry you weren't here. I wanted you to be here so much while it was happening, even though I still believed you'd betrayed me. It was hard."
He climbed into the huge bed beside her and stroked her hair. "Can I hold her?"
Hermione gently passed the baby into his huge hands. She was absolutely tiny. Her eyes were closed but her little mouth was open. Ron ran his thumb tenderly over her chubby cheeks. "Hermione, she's absolutely beautiful."
A/N: WEL? I didn't get 20 reviews but I JUST COULDN'T WAIT TO PUT THIS UP! WOW. What did you think? I have no requirements for the next chapter, which will be like a little "after the story" epilogue of sorts, but I REALLY want you to tell me what you though! Was the way the truth came out good? Hermione's reaction? The birth? TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK! I hope you enjoyed This is the longest chapter I've EVER WRITTEN. So please please please tell me how it was!
XOXO, Love always,
Sparkshine