Thanks to everyone who has reviewed this story so far. I love to read people's feedback. As always it all belongs to J.K. Rowling except the plot.

The first contraction came at 2:30 in the morning. It had been only twelve hours ago that she, George and Percy had walked back to the Burrow from her house. She had clutched the tee shirt in her hands the whole way. Now she was in labor. She told herself to try and get more sleep. They had had Rose in a Muggle hospital. It being her first baby she felt safer in that world for some reason. Ron was against it but he hadn't pushed the issue. Rose's birth had been without incident so they had decided to have this baby at the Burrow. Ron had reminded Hermione just before he had left that his mother had done it along with Fleur and Ginny and everything would be fine.

Now that labor had actually begun though she was having second thoughts. What if something went wrong? Would they be able to get to the hospital? Could an ambulance even find the Burrow? She closed her eyes and must have dozed a bit. She awoke at 3:20 with the second contraction. She ran her hands over her stomach.

"Alright sweetheart, I promise to be brave and in no time at all I will be holding you in my arms."

The rest of the night past the same way. At 6:30 Rose came into her room and crawled in bed with Hermione. She held her little girl as she felt another contraction. That one was only twenty-three minutes from the last one. She kissed Rose's forehead.

"Guess what sweetie?"

Rose raised her brown eyes to meet her mother's. "What Mummy?"

Hermione smiled. "The baby is coming today."

Rose gasped and immediately sat up. Jumping down from the bed she crossed to the window and standing on her tiptoes she looked out. "Is owl bringing baby?"

Hermione laughed. "No Rosie, remember how daddy and I told you the baby was here," she touched her stomach, "in mummy's tummy?" Rose nodded her head and Hermione continued to explain. "Well mummy's going to have to do a bit of work to push the baby out. I think," she glanced at the clock, "by the time you have lunch and a nap you'll have a new baby brother or sister."

Rose clapped her hands. "Yea! I want sister so we play dollies."

Hermione smiled. "I think we'll love the baby no matter what. Now I think we should go downstairs and see Grammy." Rose leapt up and danced around the room while Hermione slowly put on her robe.

Once on the stairs Rose started to sing "Baby's coming." She kept singing all the way down the stairs and into the kitchen.

Molly looked up from the bread dough she was kneading. "Hermione are you in labor?"

Hermione nodded. "Since 2:30 The contractions are about 23," she took a deep breath as another contraction hit her she glanced at her watch, "make that eighteen minutes apart."

Molly called Arthur into the kitchen, settled Rose and rushed Hermione back upstairs for the delivery.

Six hours later and Hermione was exhausted. The labor had been intense much worse than with Rose. She had been pushing hard for the last forty-five minutes and still there was no baby.

She looked at Ginny. "I can't do this. I can't, not without Ron." She was crying.

Ginny took her hand. "Hermione you're almost done. You're doing a great job. Come on you can do this."

Hermione shook her head. "No I can't. I don't want to. I'm done."

Fleur dabbed her forehead and Hermione wanted to smack her. She looked so beautiful and thin and calm everything Hermione wasn't at this moment. "Eet iz a boy. Weasley boys always come hard into ze world. Now you push."

Hermione just shook her head closing her eyes as tears slid down her cheeks. Molly came to the other side of the bed. "Hermione," she spoke sternly, "you are going to do this. You are going to bring Ron's child into this world. It is the last piece of him we have." She squeezed Hermione's hand. "You're a Weasley and Weasley's don't give up. Now you push."

Hermione leaned forward and with all the energy she had left in her she bore down hard. She continued to push until she heard Fleur say, "Hiz head iz out. One more big push Hermione."

Hermione pushed and with that her baby was born. Hermione collapsed on the bed. Molly kissed her on the forehead. "Well done my darling, well done."

As the baby cried Ginny shouted. "It's a boy!"

Hermione started to cry. She had a son, Ron's son. "Can I see him?" Her voice was hoarse from all the strain.

"Let us get him cleaned up and in a blanket first."

A minute later she was holding her son. He had a tuft of red hair on his head and piercing blue eyes. She kissed him lightly. "Hello Hugo Ronald Weasley."

Molly was crying. "He's beautiful Hermione. He looks just like Ron did when he was born."

There was a knock on the door and Angelina entered holding Rose's hand. "We heard crying."

Hermione held her hand out to Rose. "Hey sweetheart, come meet your new baby brother, Hugo."

Rose wrinkled her nose. "I want a girl." She pouted. Molly set her next to Hermione. Rose looked at the little bundle. "He's cute."

Hermione pulled her daughter a bit closer. "He is cute. Just as cute as you were when you were born."

Rose leaned forward and kissed the baby's forehead. "I like him."

Hermione felt tears well up in her eyes. "I like him too."

Ginny picked up Rose. "How about you and I go show off your new baby brother to Granddad and Uncle Harry and Uncle George and everyone else. Would you like that?"

Rose looked at her mother. "Can I mummy?"

Hermione nodded handing Hugo to Ginny. "I'll see you in a bit darling." She started to cry as they left the room. She couldn't help but think that it should be Ron who was carrying his newborn son downstairs and it should have been Ron who was by her side when he was born. She looked at Molly. "Sorry I'm so tired."

Molly nodded her head. "I know." Hermione had a feeling Molly knew exactly what she was really talking about and it wasn't being tired. "Let's get you cleaned up and you can rest." Molly squeezed her hand.

Three months later found Hermione exhausted and sleep deprived. Hugo was not the most easy going baby. Rose had been a dream compared to him. She had slept well and when awake was very content. Hugo was the exact opposite. He was awake all night long and fussy most of the day. Hermione blamed herself. She was so on edge all the time and she was sure he could sense it.

Her mother had stayed with them for the first month and a half and then Hermione had sent her home. She was a single mother now and it had been time for her to adjust to that fact. After two weeks with no sleep though and she was ready to call her mum back.

The Weasley's were a huge help. Molly and Arthur took Rose nearly every day for a few hours. The rest of the family were constantly in touch with her to help her out whenever they could. Hermione knew she was better off then a lot of people and she had a lot to be thankful for.

The loss of Ron was still so raw for her. Not a minute went by that she didn't think of him. Especially at night when she was up with Hugo. He had been a very hands on dad when he was home and she was missing that.

Rose seemed to be adjusting well. She hardly asked about Ron anymore. It actually frightened Hermione. She didn't want her daughter to forget him. So Hermione tended to talk about him a lot. She told Ron funny stories about him and showed her pictures. But children heal quickly and often during these moments Rose would ask to go and play.

Hermione was in the front room feeding Hugo when she heard a "crack" outside. Someone had Apparated into the back garden. A second later there was a knock on the back door. Hermione got up settling Hugo on her shoulder patting his back as she walked into the kitchen to open the door. She could see Harry as she pulled it open.

"Harry come in." She held the door for him as he crossed the threshold.

"Hello you two." He kissed her lightly on the cheek. "How are you?"

"Tired." She settled Hugo into the bassinet that was in the corner of the room. "Would you like a cup of tea?"

He nodded. "Yeah, thanks." He looked at Hugo and took his tiny hand in his. "He looks so much like Ron."

Hermione put the kettle on the stove. "Yeah I know. Sometimes it actually hurts to look at him." She glanced over at Harry. He had tears in his eyes. She turned towards the sink full of dirty dishes. She hadn't done them this morning. She use to do them immediately after breakfast. Now it didn't matter nothing really did.

Harry rubbed his eyes behind his glasses. "Where's Rosie?"

"Molly and Arthur's. They're a lot more fun to be around these days." She started to cry. "I just can't get it together Harry."

He walked over to her and put his arm around her pulling her to him. She wrapped her arms around his back and wept. It felt so good just to have someone hold her. She felt pathetic.

Harry rubbed her back. "You know we're here for you right?"

Hermione was starting to get tired of hearing that. They couldn't be there for her not the way she needed, not the way Ron had been. No one could. She pulled away slightly irritated wiping her eyes. "What brings you here?" She took the kettle from the stove and filled the tea pot.

Harry pointed to a file he had placed on the island. "Your boss, Mr. Thomas, asked me to bring those to you. He was hoping you could look them over." Harry took the serving tray from her and set it on the table as she picked up the files and glanced through them.

Sitting next to Harry she poured the tea. "He could have sent those by owl. Do you want to tell me the reason you're really here?"

Harry took a deep breath accepting the teacup she held out for him. "Hermione they found Ron's body."

The teapot clattered to the tray. "Oh" was all she said. Her eyes were filled with tears once again.

Harry took her hand. "They're 99 sure it's Ron. They're bringing the body back tomorrow." He paused as he scanned the room unable to look at Hermione's bowed head, tears flowing down her cheeks. "They need someone to identify the body. Hermione," resting his eyes on her finally, "I thought I might do it for you."

She nodded her head silently. Taking her hand from Harry's grasp she wiped her eyes. "That's it then." She turned to Hugo sleeping in his bassinet. "He's really gone." She was starting to feel anger now. "There was this small sliver of hope inside of me. That one thought that if we didn't find his body he could still be alive somehow. You know? That maybe he had just had amnesia and couldn't find his way home." She gave a small laugh. "How stupid was I? Me, usually so levelheaded and practical, holding onto some silly fantasy." She stood up and went to the sink. She immediately started to do the dishes the Muggle way.

Harry got up. "Hermione, I understand, we all wanted a miracle."

She turned to him furious now. "No!" She was shouting. "You don't understand Harry. Ron is, was, the only man I ever loved. There's never been anyone else for me. He was the only place I ever felt truly safe and that's all gone now. I have two children that I have to raise on my own." He started to say something and she held up her soapy hands. "Don't Harry. I know what you're going to say. You're going to tell me that I'm not alone and that everyone is here for me. I appreciate the kind words but you'll go home tonight to Ginny. The two of you will make decisions together and when you have a bad day she's there for you. I've lost that and I'm angry. I'm so incredibly angry that I could just scream or hit something. There are some mornings I don't think I'll be able to get up and I just want to curl up and die. But I can't because I have to think about Rose and Hugo. So, don't stand there and tell me you understand because you don't."

He pulled her into his arms. She struggled for a second and then gave in letting him hold her. "Hermione, I am so sorry."

She tried to regain her composure. She took a deep breath and then released it slowly. "Harry, I'm sorry. I know you're only trying to help. I'm just so tired and I'm scared." She pulled back from him and forced a smile. "We'll be alright."

Just then Hugo started to cry. She closed her eyes and sighed. "I'll tell Molly and Arthur. I was going to go over there anyway."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

She shook her head. "No, I have to do it on my own." She dried her hands gave him another hug and then went to pick up Hugo.

She lifted her son up and as she cradled him to her he stopped crying. She suddenly felt a sense of calm. It was over. This was her life now. There wasn't going to be any miracle, no happy ending. He was really and truly gone and it was time to pull it together.

The next day Harry positively identified Ron's body. That night he had returned Ron's watch, wand and wedding ring to Hermione. She cried when she read the words engraved on the inside of the ring: Yours always Hermione. There was no doubt that this was Ron's ring. It was now on a chain around her neck.

After learning about the return of Ron's body Molly had decided on a small ceremony to finally put him to rest properly. It was just immediate family. Hermione had decided to leave Rose and Hugo with her parents for the day. She didn't want to confuse Rose with a second service.

Hermione spent the burial staring straight ahead as she fingered the gold ring at her throat. She didn't cry at all. She was all cried out.

Molly had dinner for all of them after the burial. They had finished dessert when Harry approached Hermione. He sat next to her putting his arm around her. "You feeling okay?"

She nodded as she sipped her fourth glass of wine. "Not feeling too much at the moment." She held the glass up. "My mum is going to keep the kids tonight. So…." She drained the glass.

Harry looked concerned. "Hermione did Ron ever mention to you about an investigation he was working on within the team?"

Hermione seemed to sober up slightly. "What are you talking about? I don't think so why?"

He leaned forward and spoke quietly. "I asked him about two months before his death to investigate the department. We both felt there was someone within that was leaking information. I was cleaning out his office yesterday and I found a file with a lot of evidence against someone but it didn't contain a name. I think he was trying to confirm the information before he brought it forward to me. Did he ever mention anything to you?"

She shook her head. "Never Harry. Do you think this had something to do with his death?"

Harry shrugged. "I really don't know and who knows if we ever will."

Hermione poured herself another glass of wine. "Why wouldn't he discuss the information with me?" She took a sip.

"Hermione there are certain things in our jobs that we can't discuss. He probably didn't want you in the middle of something that could have possibly been quite dangerous."

She nodded. "Did you ask anyone else?"

"I don't know who I can trust now. Ron was the only one on that team that I trusted completely."

She took another drink. "It doesn't matter now anyway does it? Even if we find out it's not going to bring Ron back. Is it?"

Harry poured himself a glass of wine and holding it up he said, "To Ron."

Hermione smiled. "To Ron."

They both drank deeply. The two of them sat there together, two-thirds of the whole, in their own silent memorial.