Chapter 3
Ron sat nervously on the floral couch, his right knee bouncing incessantly as he played with the dainty teacup and saucer in his hands.
Directly across from him, two sets of eyes pinned him with disbelieving stares.
"You want her to do what?" Seamus finally managed.
"Um… well… I want her to pretend to be my girlfriend, or fiancée, or whatever… Just for the next two weeks while Hermione's here for the wedding."
Seamus lowered his eyes, and focused on an invisible mark trying desperately to grasp exactly what Ron Weasley was asking of him.
Lavender, on the other hand, hadn't taken her eyes off Ron fixing him instead with a calculating glare.
Seamus looked back up to Ron still having problems fathoming the audacity of this request.
"Ron, I'm sure it hasn't escaped your attention that Lavender is currently eight and a half months pregnant!"
Ron shifted awkwardly.
"Yeah, I noticed. At first, I thought it might be a problem, but after going over what Hermione's reaction might be, I think it could really help my cause."
"And what exactly is your cause?" Lavender asked speaking for the first time.
"Make her suffer. Give her a little payback." Ron said in a low, dangerous voice. "She's been a right bitch with her greasy git of a boyfriend ever since she arrived this morning. I want to bring her down a peg or two."
Seamus huffed out a frustrated sigh. "Ron, I'm sorry. I just can't allow Lavender to be gallivant…"
"What's in it for us?" Lavender asked cutting him off.
'There's the girl I know.' Ron thought triumphantly.
"Lavender?! What? No!" Seamus protested.
Keeping her eyes trained on Ron, Lavender simply raised her hand and Seamus fell silent.
"A two-week, all expenses paid holiday to Paris." Ron leveled.
Lavender narrowed her eyes shrewdly.
"Four weeks." She finally quipped.
"WHAT?" Both Ron and Seamus bellowed.
"Four weeks, Weasley."
"Fine, four weeks." Ron conceded grudgingly.
"And a nanny to go with us who has her own room." Lavender amended.
"Fine."
"And 1000 galleons spending money."
"Lavender, you're killing me here."
"Don't test me, Weasley. My emotions are all over the place. Just ask poor Seamus here."
Ron looked to the hunched over man beside her. Seamus gave him wide, desperate, pleading eyes, and a quick little shake of the head as if to say 'Please don't piss her off ' .
He returned his gaze to Lavender, and countered evenly. "Any demand you have, I'll meet it."
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Hermione sat with her bare feet crossed before her on the bench in the garden. The warm sunlight bathed her legs and arms, lightly tanning her already bronzed skin. She was deeply absorbed in her latest book. Some things never changed.
Every once in a while, the light strains of pleasant conversation and laughter floated out to her from the kitchen. Berti was teaching Mrs. Weasley the finer points of making a traditional Tiramisu. Hermione had even heard Molly giggle once like a flustered schoolgirl.
Molly was absolutely enamoured with Berti. Who could blame her? Roberto was charming, flirtatious, outgoing, gregarious, and jaw-droppingly handsome. He was polite, and thoughtful, impeccably dressed, and amazing in the kitchen. She didn't know how he faired in bed, but she suspected from his long line of suitors that he was an all out ten.
'Every woman's fantasy man' She thought sardonically. 'Too bad Ron is Berti's fantasy man.' Hermione laughed out loud at this thought.
"What are you reading? Must be really good to have you laughing out loud."
Surprised by the interruption, Hermione looked up to find Ron and Lavender standing only a few feet away from her.
She stood quickly marking her place in the book, and threw it onto the bench. When she brought her gaze back up, her eyes were immediately drawn to Lavender's very large round belly, and she gasped.
Hermione was mesmerized. She knew she should look away, but she couldn't. Ron finally cleared his throat drawing her attention to him instead.
"Hermione dear, it is so good to see you." Lavender gushed, stepping forward and hugging Hermione to her.
She tried to hug back but she was too stunned and could only manage a quick pat on Lavender's shoulders.
Hermione's mind was reeling with the implications of this very large, very pregnant Lavender. Did this mean Ron was going to be a father? Going to be the father of Lavender's child? Were they going to get married? Were they married already?
Her eyes stung terribly and she tried to blink back the tears that were already forming. Now she wished desperately that she hadn't told Ginny she didn't want to know what was going on with him. This was the most horrible shock of her life.
Lavender pulled away but didn't drop her hands from Hermione's arms.
"When Won Won told me you were in town, I just knew I had to see you. It's been forever."
"Yes… Yes, it has. How are you, Lavender?" Hermione asked still unsteady from the revelation.
"Oh, I'm wonderful. Couldn't be happier. Well, that's a lie. I could be happier. Ron and I were going to get married when we found out about this little miracle," she said patting her stomach with one hand before continuing on, "but Ginny and Harry beat us to it. Now, we're just going to wait until after the baby's born. I don't want to steal their thunder. And besides, who would want to look like an absolute cow in their wedding dress?"
"Oh Lav, you could never look like a fat cow to me." Ron supplied.
She dropped her hand from her belly, and turned more fully toward Ron. "I didn't use the word 'fat', Ron."
"And you never will be to me." He answered sweetly placing his hand on her cheek.
Lavender smiled warmly up at him, jabbed him playfully in the stomach, and murmured. "Good answer, Weasley."
This display of obvious affection was causing Hermione's head to spin. The tight pain in her chest was almost too much to bear. She could feel her throat becoming locked up with emotion.
"Well, it's been wonderful to catch up with you Lavender, but I really must be going back inside to find Roberto. I just remembered there's a pressing matter I need to discuss with him."
Hermione turned quickly, and started back across the lawn toward the Burrow as fast as she could without running.
Ron leaned into Lavender, and whispered. "That was amazing. You didn't have to take it that far but I'm not complaining. Can I ask why you did though?"
Lavender smiled up at him sweetly. "I have my own score to settle with little Miss Bookworm." Noticing Hermione turning back to them, she added. "Oh, I think we're about to have an audience."
Lavender leaned up, and gave Ron a gentle kiss on the cheek.
Hermione was hit with this image as she wheeled back around to make one final parting comment. She saw Lavender pulling away, and Ron smiling and blushing madly. She felt as though her stomach had dropped to her knees. She would have just made a break for it, but they had already spotted her watching them.
"Once again, good luck with the baby." She offered in the most even voice she could muster. "I'm sure you'll both make fantastic parents."
And with that, appearances be damned, Hermione ran back to the Burrow at full tilt.
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Breathlessly slamming through the screen door, Hermione briefly paused to take in Molly and Roberto's surprised expressions.
How could Molly not tell her about the baby? Was she really that mad at her for leaving Ronald? She had to get away.
The tears finally pushing their way down her cheeks, Hermione made a beeline for the stairs, and took them two at a time. Both Molly and Roberto watched her go in shock.
Finally regaining his senses, he looked to the older woman, and said quietly. "Excuse me. I believe I'm needed upstairs."
Molly could only nod as the man took his leave, still stunned by Hermione's emotional state. Shaken out of her stupor by the sound of the screen door opening, she turned and was met by the image of her son standing right next to a very pregnant Lavender Brown. Something about that struck her as odd, but she couldn't place what.
"Hello Lavender." Molly smiled warmly. "You look about ready to pop."
"Hello Mrs. Weasley. Yes, we are definitely in the window now," responded Lavender absolutely beaming.
"Seamus must be bouncing off the walls."
Lavender started to giggle happily. "Yes. It's like Christmas, and he thinks he's getting the best toy ever… His words, not mine."
Both women laughed lightly.
"Um, Lavender dear, do you mind if I talk to my son alone for a moment?"
"Of course not, Mrs. Weasley."
With that, Lavender shot Ron a look of warning to keep her name out of it, and headed back outside.
Once alone, Molly turned on her son. "Ronald, did you say something just now to upset Hermione?"
Grabbing an apple from the counter and heading toward the stairs, he answered. "I don't know what you mean, Mum. She seemed perfectly fine outside. Now that you mention it though, she did leave suddenly in a bit of a huff. Probably had something to do with Roberto."
"I highly doubt that, Ron."
Molly eyed him suspiciously, but he only gave her a sweet boyish grin in return, and then bounded up the stairs.
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Roberto lightly rapped on the door, and called to Hermione. "Bella?"
He could just make out her muffled sobs, so he poked his head into the room, and found her lying face down on the bed with her head buried in her pillow.
"Oh, Hermione!" He said consolingly.
He walked over to the bed in three long strides, and sat down beside her shuddering form. Gently, he placed his right hand on her back, and began to rub soothing circles to calm her.
After a moment, she rolled over onto her side and looked up into his worried chocolate brown eyes.
Her bottom lip quivered slightly as she whispered. "She's having his baby, Berti."
And with that, she flopped back onto her stomach, and started to cry into the pillow again.
Roberto was at a loss for words. He knew he hadn't believed her when she said she was completely over Ron all those months ago, but he didn't realize she was still madly, head over heels in love with the man. He kicked himself mentally for not having recognized the signs. No woman who's over a man wants revenge that badly.
"Oh sweetie, come here."
He prodded her to sit up, and wrapped his arms around her shoulders pressing her tightly to him.
Finally, after a gaping silence, she said. "I can't believe she's pregnant, Berti. She's going to have his baby."
Ron caught these words as he was walking down the hall toward his room. He stopped just outside their door, and smiled triumphantly. What he heard next though drowned him instantly in guilt. Hermione began to sob uncontrollably.
He should be ecstatic, shouldn't he? Wasn't this what he wanted? Payback.
"Oh, Bella." He heard Roberto say sadly.
"I mean I knew it wouldn't be me," she managed through a quavering voice. "I'm not stupid. I gave up that dream ages ago."
Ron's heart began to beat frantically.
'Wait! What!' He thought. 'She dreamt of having my child'
Getting upset again, Hermione continued on through short little gasps. "I just never thought... I feel so stupid... It's always been Lavender for him… She was it… It was never me."
With that, her wracking sobs took over again echoing from the room into the hallway.
"Oh sweetie, all will be good in the end. I promise you. I have a feeling."
Ron felt lower than dirt. Hermione thought she was nothing to him, and that Lavender was everything. He cringed at the idea.
And to make matters worse, this git was the most understanding person he'd ever heard. Roberto had been with Hermione for three years now, and was still able to calmly listen to her cry over another man.
'If it were me, I'd…' Ron thought darkly.
Then Hermione said something that stopped this thought cold as well as Ron's heart.
"Oh Roberto, you're amazing, you know that? You are so good to me. I love you so much."
"I love you too, mi amore."
Ron's heart plummeted. She loved this man. How could she not? He adored her. He cherished her. He treated her like gold.
Ron shook his head. He shouldn't be feeling this… this much pain over her loving another man. It wasn't supposed to be like this.
Having heard enough, he bowed his head crestfallen, and walked down the hall toward his room.