Broom(b)ride

By

Sannikex

Secret Society

A/N: Another vignette! If you want to read another part of this story, check out Rainbow (H/L). If you have any suggestion for the storyboard in that or this one just tell me. Since I don't actually have anything planned you just have to leave it in a review. Now enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything belonging to the Potterverse.

Hermione didn't like to be nervous. Not at all. She had always made sure that she had read up on a subject well enough to not be nervous. But she hadn't found any book that taught you how to tell your family-in-law-to-be that you were pregnant. Not that there was any hostility between her and Ron's family. No, they were really close because of the war; this was just an uneasy situation.

"Hermione, love, are you coming? Mum will kill us if we are not there on time to eat her ham or whatever it was, she's been going on about it since last time we had dinner," Ron called from downstairs. She smiled and checked her appearance one last time before exiting the room. Her fiancée held up her cloak for her, and she slipped into it

"Ready to go?" He said and nuzzled at her neck.

"Ron!" He chuckled at her surprised tone before drawing his wand. She followed suit and mere seconds later they stood on the front step of the Burrow. Hermione took a deep breath and from habit she looked up to where Ron's window was.

"No need," he said and even if she couldn't see his face she heard that he was smiling.

"I know, but it's a habit." She smiled back and squared her shoulders. What could happen, really?

"Why are you nervous?" Of course he could sense it and he could guess what had brought it on too. Hermione felt that everything that you couldn't study in a book was unstable ground. Anything you couldn't know before it happened and prepare for was dangerous. And, he thought, facing his mother with unexpected news could be dangerous.

"Well, it's just that I haven't ever done this before..." He laughed and took her hand.

"Everyone is going to be delighted, Hermione!" He tugged at her hand; "C'mon I'll protect you from the big bad Weasley clan!" She had to laugh at him.

"It is big, but bad? Ha, Ronald Weasley I wasn't sorted into Gryffindor for nothing! Are you coming?" He loved that twinkle in her eyes; he loved to know that he had lit the sparkles.

"Always by your side, Granger!" Laughing, the young couple stepped inside.

The warmth washed over them like a wave. It was always comfortably warm inside the Burrow. Hermione had always fancied the thought that it was the warmth of love and not the effect of warming spells. She thought that even if it had been freezing inside it would feel warm because the atmosphere was warm. A rather soppy thought coming from the ever practical Hermione Granger.

Molly Weasley came hurrying towards them, the ever-present apron tied around her middle.

"Come in, come in! Everyone's here, they're in the living room, Ronald Weasley what is that!" Molly said, all in one breath, the last statement escaping as she spotted the broken hem on Ron's sweater. "Lovely jumper, Hermione, love, just the right colour for your eyes. Now let me take your cloaks, here..." She was referring to the cinnamon brown cashmere turtleneck Hermione was wearing.

Ron and Hermione were shooed into the living room where they were greeted warmly.

The whole Weasley clan plus families were there. Bill and his wife Fleur were occupying the couch, keeping an eye on their oldest son, Leo who was happily playing chase with his cousins. Charlie and his fiancée Joanie were playing with Draco and Ginny's David. The handsome couple themselves were standing by the window, Draco holding their daughter Juliet who was shyly watching the other children. Fred and Katie's three kids had engaged them all in a wild chase. George and Angelina's twins had joined together with Percy and Pansy's daughter.

The moment they stepped in they were attacked by a stampede of nieces and nephews shouting, "Uncle Ron! Aunt Hermione!"

Ginny calmly sorted the heap up and sent the children to play as her husband snickered. Ron sent him a dark look.

"What is it, Uncle Ron?" The former Slytherin said innocently and Ron was about to answer when a tiny voice said, "Can we play Quidditch after dinner, Uncle Draco? Please Uncle Draco?" Draco scowled at Ron who now was the one sniggering.

"Sure, Leo," the blonde said and the little boy jumped with glee.

Before Draco and Ron could start bickering Molly called that dinner was served. Arthur came through the door just as everyone rose to get dinner. His, now very large, family greeted him and everyone threaded into the tiny dining room that somehow always managed to fit everyone.

Hermione found herself growing more nervous the longer the night went on. When the ham was served she felt Ron's warm hand on her knee and smiled gratefully. She nodded lightly and Ron was about to call for attention when the dinner was interrupted by a knock on the door. A moment later Harry, his girlfriend Luna Lovegood and their three-year-old daughter Lily entered the room.

"Sorry we're late. We had a situation at work." Harry worked as an Auror fora small agency situated in Wales, not being able to face the politics of working for the Ministry who only wanted to promote the Saviour to Head of the Department and be done with it. His girlfriend, the former Ravenclaw Luna Lovegood was a children's books author and worked from the cottage where she and Harry lived together with their daughter.

After some shuffling the couple was safely tucked in between Ron and Angelina, Harry with Lily on his lap as she refused to get down.

She was a shy and quiet little girl and she was the first child Hermione had ever taken to her heart. Of course she loved all her nieces and nephews but Lily would always hold a special place. With her timid nature she became a bit overshadowed by the bustling Weasley children but she didn't seem to mind and she mostly played by herself then she could suddenly stop and climb up to sit on someone's lap. It had dumbfounded Hermione the first time the little girl had situated herself comfortably with her, leaning her blonde head on her godmother's shoulder.

Oh, how I love that girl! Hermione thought and smiled at her goddaughter and got a shy smile in return.

Harry who noticed Hermione smiling grinned back and caressed Lily's blonde hair. She imagined her friend's thoughts were running along the same lines and felt how her heart constricted. She wanted Ron to have the same expression in his eyes when he looked at their child as Harry had when he looked at or thought about his young daughter.

She turned towards Ron with a warm smile and he returned it, easily sending as much love with his eyes as she. This time she encouraged him and squeezed his hand beneath the table.

"Everybody!" Slowly the chatter died and Ron continued. "Hermione and I are now joining the "settling down society" as we await a new Weasley in September!" Loud cheers erupted and Hermione could hear Fred's (or George's) voice over them all, shouting,

"About time!"

"So are we," Luna didn't speak loud but everyone seemed to hear her anyway and quieted down. "Not a Weasley, but a Lovegood-Potter." The sound level rose again and all-around back clapping and hugging continued.

After dinner Hermione found herself sitting at the kitchen table drinking tea with Ginny and Luna. As usual it was messy but clean in the Burrow kitchen.

"We're like a secret society! All expecting at the same time!" Ginny said happily, her brown eyes shining. Hermione swallowed nervously. Spilling the news had made it all more real and it reminded her that she had to buy books…Ginny was awaiting her third and Luna her second while it was Hermione's first.

"You look a bit stressed, Hermione. Is something wrong?" Luna asked, her ever-observant eyes worried. You thought that she was dreamy, and she was, but somehow she noticed a lot more than most.

"Yeah, well, I was thinking. I mean, Ginny this is your third child and your second, Luna but it's my first. I'm just nervous…"

"Oh, I'm sorry, Hermione we're so clumsy! Going on about how it is and you haven't…You always seem to know what you're doing so I never thought about that it's your first time!" Ginny exclaimed in her outgoing way.

"Of course you're nervous, I was too!" She nodded over the rim of her cup, "What about you Luna?" The blonde did something very uncharacteristic and giggled.

"Well, Harry was the most nervous of us. He was afraid to touch me, said he thought he would break something." Hermione put down her cup.

"So you mean you didn't, er…touch? At all?" She asked and blushed promptly. Luna shook her head making her long earrings in the shape of quills dangle, smiling secretively.

"I managed to convince him." Ginny snorted violently with laughter at Hermione's appalled look. The bushy-haired witch could be so prudish.

"I just got an idea. An excellent one too, mind you, since it comes from me. Every week we'll see each other over lunch and discuss whatever's on our minds. You'll bring what you feel like. It's hopeless to try and feed a pregnant woman anything but what she feels like. We'll do it in turns. We can start at the Manor and then at Luna's and then your place. No husbands, boyfriends or fiancées allowed."

"That is actually an excellent idea." Luna said and Ginny mock bowed.

"I'll be there." Hermione said. Maybe it would help the nervousness to speak with experienced women. Younger, but more experienced on the subject.

"Great! Now, Luna, I want to hear. What did you crave with Lily?"

"Salty liquorice. It's a Swedish type of sweet and since Harry didn't want me to apparate he had to go there all the time." Luna smiled as Ginny and Hermione laughed heartily at the thought of Harry apparating back and forth to Sweden.

"So, what about you, Ginny?" Luna asked curiously.

"Well, with David it was pickled cucumber. With Juliet I was driving Draco mad with my cravings for raisin ice cream. Fortescue's the only one that has it. Draco actually suggested we'd make Mr. Fortescue Juliet's godfather since Draco had to wake the poor man up at least twice a week and buy litres of ice cream. Now we have our own key." Hermione stared disbelievingly at her friend as Luna sniggered.

"Raisin ice cream?"

"Yep, mine and Juliet's favourite. David and Draco love mint."

"Oh…" Being pregnant sure gave a whole new aspect of your friends. She had never known that Ginny loved raisin ice cream. Or had a key to Fortescue's. Or that Harry took on international Apparition for the sake of his girlfriend's cravings.

"Ginny," the women looked up and saw Draco with a sleepy David on his hip. "We have to leave but we've got to catch Juliet before she falls asleep still running."

"Sure, Draco." She rose swiftly and just when she reached her husband in the doorway she stopped, "And, darling, I would love some ice cream." Then she walked out.

"Sweet Merlin! Again!" Not two seconds after he had walked out with a nod the two remaining women burst out laughing hysterically.

A/N2: So? What did you think? Any suggestions? Do review!