Chapter 5

The two women scowled at their images in the mirror as they adjusted themselves here and there. Bathing suit season was always a nightmare regardless of who you were.

"So… How was Ron yesterday? Sorry about not warning you. I know that was truly evil of me. It completely slipped my mind. Was he a total prat?" Ginny rambled, glancing over at Hermione.

"Oh, he was for the first part of the day, but he got a lot better later on." Hermione answered in an uncharacteristically small voice as she focused her eyes steadily on the mirror.

Ginny eyed her warily. Something was definitely off, but Hermione wasn't talking. Although she wasn't sure what had gone wrong the day before, Ginny knew by her friend's withdrawn behaviour that it had to be Ron's fault.

"Good. I swear, if he ruins my wedding day, I'll lay him flat." She said finishing off the final touches to her hair.

After a moment of seemingly measuring her appearance in the mirror, Ginny continued on spouting off angrily. "And why in the name of Merlin is Lavender here? No one likes her."

'If anything can draw Hermione out, it's a good solid Lavender bashing.' Ginny mused.

Hermione looked at her in shock. Gin must really hate the woman to be so spiteful. She wondered briefly if this had anything to do with her. She hoped not. She may dislike Lavender intensely, but that didn't warrant Ron's family being rude to his girlfriend.

'Sorry, the mother of his child.' She corrected herself sullenly.

"Ginny, I think you should be a little nicer to her considering the circumstances."

Ginny shot her an odd look, but chose to disregard the strange comment for the moment.

"Fine, fine… I'll be friendly. That doesn't mean I have to like her though. I hope people are as nice to me when I'm pregnant. Are you almost ready? Everyone's already down by the pond."

"Nearly. I just want to tighten the straps." Hermione said fiddling with the bikini top.

Ginny gave her a once over, and shook her head. "Ron is going to die when he sees you in that."

Blushing profusely, she scowled. "I doubt Ron will even notice. And besides, what makes you think I would wear this for him? My boyfriend is out there too you know."

Ginny just rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right. Forgot about him for a minute. Nice bloke." She mumbled as she left the room.

Hermione eyed herself appraisingly in the mirror one last time. She didn't want to admit that she had dressed this way for Ron. For a man that was having a child with another woman. That would make her a tart of the first order. But she still couldn't completely deny the truth of the matter.

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Swimming out to join Ron in the deeper waters, Harry called to him. "So, how are things? You know, with Hermione?"

Wading chest deep, Ron became sheepish. "We had a bit of rough start, but I think everything's fine now."

"Good, because Ginny was very close to having your head on a spit last night."

Ron looked down and grew quiet for a moment. "Listen mate, there's something I have to tell you. It has to do with why Lavender's here."

An amused smirk graced Harry's lips as he quirked an eyebrow at him. "I was wondering about that. Go on."

All of a sudden, Ginny's voice cut through their conversation. "Harry!"

The two men looked over to see Ginny and Hermione walking down the hill toward them.

Ron was stunned stiff. He simply could not pull his eyes away, and although he was surrounded by water, his mouth had gone completely dry. There before him was Hermione in a dark red bikini. Her hair was down and full, bouncing flamboyantly as she made her way toward them. Her skin was slightly tanned with a light spattering of freckles dancing across her shoulders, and her curves… Merlin, her soft curves could choke a man. She was absolute perfection.

A fleeting thought shot through Ron's mind. 'Thank Merlin I'm already in the water...'

Harry leaned into him, and snickered. "Yeah, mate. Everything looks mighty fine from here."

Blinking rapidly and shaking his head, Ron looked to Harry. "Wha… What did you… "

Harry laughed outright at Ron's dazed expression.

Harry hadn't been the only one to notice Ron's ogling of Hermione on her approach.

Roberto smirked to himself. 'Should I be cruel? Yes, after yesterday's antics, I most definitely am going to be a nasty wench to that poor boy.'

"Hermione, mi amore, you look ravishing." He called to her.

Giggling, Hermione wandered over to Roberto.

"Absolutely delicious! I could eat you." He said loudly, wrapping his arms around her waist, and playfully biting her shoulder.

"Oh, you are evil and fantastic, you dirty girl!" She whispered in his ear before giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

Ron turned his back on the flirtatious scene developing before him, fiercely slapped the water, and pushed himself further out to the centre of the pond. He knew he had no right to feel the way he did, but he just couldn't help himself. He would always feel a certain amount of irrational ownership of Hermione.

As Hermione made her way from Roberto down to the pond, Lavender called to her from a lounge chair. "Hermione, hello!"

"Hello Lavender." She offered hesitantly as she walked up to the beckoning woman.

"Sorry we didn't have more of a chance to catch up yesterday. I do hope you're feeling better." Lavender said sweetly.

"Oh, I am. Loads."

"So glad to hear it. That Italian of yours, Roberto is it? He's an absolute dream. Where ever did you meet him?"

"Oh, in a dance club. He offered to buy me a drink. Very original, I know." Hermione smiled tightly and offered up a small, fake laugh. That wasn't a complete lie.

"Well, he's gorgeous, and he obviously adores you." Lavender gushed.

"Yes. Yes, he does."

"Kind of reminds me of how Ron and I are with each other."

Hermione's face fell, and Lavender smiled broadly.

"Well, excuse me Lavender. I'm just aching for a swim. The heat really must be dreadful for you what with being so swollen and all."

Lavender's expression instantly soured, and Hermione trotted off toward the pond with a considerably lighter spring to her step.

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Now was his chance. Roberto didn't believe for one minute that Ronald and that fat cow were actually together. For one, Ron never seemed to be anywhere near her - strange behaviour for a man who was going to be a father.

While the four friends were distracted laughing and splashing at each other playfully, Roberto casually made his way over to the very large woman under the umbrella.

"Ciao." He offered with his most disarming smile.

Lavender looked up startled, but then smiled at him coyly in return.

"Oh, hello. Isn't that the word for goodbye in Italian?"

'Is this twit actually trying to quiz me on my own language?' He thought viciously.

"It is used as both a greeting and a farewell in casual conversation." He supplied, giving her his best swarthy, flirtatious look.

"Ooooh," she squealed, "you learn something new everyday."

He flinched at the pitch of her voice, and realized quickly that this was going to be a very unpleasant endeavour.

"So, you and our little Hermione? How long has that be going on?"

"A while." He offered vaguely. "She is quite beautiful, is she not?"

They both stole a glance down to Hermione in the water.

At that very moment, she was standing knee deep in the water pulling back her hair and wringing out the ends in true model fashion completely unaware of the show she was giving. She looked like an absolute Goddess.

Roberto snickered to himself. Her timing could not have been better. He looked back to Lavender to find her glaring darkly at Hermione.

"She wasn't always so… appealing you know. Had awful bucked teeth and the most frizzy hair imaginable." Lavender seethed.

"Then I guess it's a good thing that I love her so dearly for her mind and her heart."

Roberto meant his words with every fiber of his being. He adored Hermione because she was such an amazing person, his best friend in the entire world. She accepted him for who he was more than his own family did. There was no way he'd allow this little puttana to insult her.

Lavender huffed bringing Roberto out of his thoughts.

"I get the feeling you have not always been Hermione's biggest fan."

Lavender scoffed loudly. "That's an understatement," she mumbled.

"May I ask why?"

"Right. Like I'd tell you. Her boyfriend."

The wheels started turning in Lavender's head. That wasn't such a bad idea.

'Why not? I don't have to tell him the real reason. What happened between Ron and me would be close enough. At least the poor sod would have some warning of what he was getting himself into.' She thought to herself.

"Fine, I'll tell you. But only so you don't go through the same pain and heartache that… that Ron and I did."

She eyed him to see that she had his full attention. When she was satisfied that she did, she continued on.

"Back in school, I developed some very strong feelings for Ronald. Not love yet mind you. In our sixth year, he and I finally got together. Hermione was livid. She couldn't stand the fact that he would even dare to look at another girl. You see she didn't really want him. She just couldn't stand the fact that he could be in love with someone else. She just had to be the center of his universe.

Well, needless to say, she finally broke us up at the end of sixth year in a very underhanded fashion. She has always claimed that it was his choice and she had nothing to do with it, but I don't buy that for a second. In seventh year, they were gone apparently fighting the Dark Lord with Harry. Whatever! When they came back after being away for two whole years, they were very publicly together and in love. It was sickening."

Lavender paused to glower down at the four friends playing at dunking one another before taking a cleansing breath.

"Less than a year later though, she took the job in Italy, and dropped him like a hot potato. She didn't really want Ron. She just didn't want anyone else to have him. And when she realized that she finally did have him heart and soul, she got bored of him and tossed him. She didn't care who she hurt in the process. She didn't care that she nearly destroyed Ron when she left, or that she broke…" Lavender cleared her throat quickly. "That she broke my heart when she stole him away. It was all about her. It still is… She acts all heroic, but she's just a selfish… oh!"

Lavender suddenly stopped and her eyes went wide.

"She's a selfish what?" Roberto was fairly certain he knew what she was going to say, but he wanted to hear the word come out of her mouth.

"Oh… Oh… Ohhhh!"

Roberto leaned back, slightly disturbed by this curious mood swing. What was this woman's problem?

"Oh… My… Gods…. I think my water just broke."

"What?" Roberto squeaked as he shot up in surprise.

He looked down, and a light pink stain was starting to spread over Lavender's lap.

"Sweet Merlin." He whispered.

"Seamus! I need Seamus! Oh my God!!!" Lavender began to wail.

The splashing in the water had quieted in response to the commotion under the umbrella.

"What's wrong?" Ginny called up.

"Mio dio… Her water just broke. She's gone into labour." Roberto began to flail his arms.

"Oh my Gods." Ginny gasped as she climbed out of the pond, and hurried over to Lavender.

Rubbing her back, she spoke loudly. "Lavender, we have an emergency Portkey for St. Mungo's inside. Harry, love, please go floo Seamus so he can meet us there."

Harry jumped out of the water, and bolted for the house.

Thoroughly confused, Hermione tripped out of the pond, and shouted. "Why in the world would Harry floo Seamus?"

As Ginny turned to face Hermione, she scrunched up her face in confusion. "What do you mean? Why wouldn't he? I think of all people Seamus should be flooed. He is the father."

In her haste, Ginny spun quickly back around and sprinted across the field toward the Burrow.

"WHAT?" Hermione screamed.

She turned to pin Ron, who was still wading silently in the pond, with a dark scowl.

Suddenly from the top of the hill, Lavender shouted. "I did my part Weasley. You still owe me that holiday!"

Then she doubled over in pain, and Roberto led her slowly out of sight.

Hermione wheeled around and shot an accusing glare at Ron who was just getting out of the pond.

"You… You…" She sputtered teeming with rage.

She whirled back around and stormed off toward the Burrow.

"What did you expect me to do?" He shouted straggling just behind her.

Still marching away at a fair clip, she threw her response back at him. "So you try to hurt me by making me think you got Lavender Brown pregnant?"

"Well, no. She was just supposed to pretend to be my girlfriend. The pregnant part was an added bonus." He bit back.

She spun around. "Excuse me? Why the hell would you be so mean?" She screamed.

He grabbed her wrist none to gently, and practically dragged her to behind the garden shed.

Once there, he turned her to face him, and leaned in dangerously close. "Whether you're aware of it or not, you were being really cruel and mean yourself."

"Really? How exactly was I being cruel Ronald?" She said crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"By shoving that… that… that greasy git in my face at every possible opportunity. You were a bloody leach practically sucking his face off. You reminded me of Lavender for Merlin's sake. Only natural that I should think of her." He spat.

"You bastard. You… You… You are the biggest prat I have met in my entire life, and if I never see you again, it will not be long enough."

"That would suit me just fine, you little…" He shouted.

Pointing her finger threateningly in his face, she cut him off. "Don't you even say it."

"Bitch!" He growled.

With little warning, Hermione started to slap, and hit him with everything she had in her. Initially, Ron put his arms up in defense to protect himself, but growing angered by her unrelenting physical assault, he grabbed her wrists.

That line of attack taken from her, Hermione opted to kick him in the shins and drive her heels into the tops of his feet instead. Having none of that either, Ron pushed her up against the side of the shed, pinning her body with his own and holding her wrists above her head.

Still not allayed, Hermione started to shuffle herself into a position where she could knee him if given the opportunity. Knowing her fighting tactics all too well, he forced his left knee between her thighs causing her right foot to dangle in the air while forcing her to balance all of her weight on her left.

Both just glared darkly at the other, panting from the emotion and exertion. Hermione tried to wrestle free, but the action caused a delicious friction to occur where his thigh was propped intimately against her. Involuntarily, she let out a light moan and her eyes fluttered shut. Ron's mouth fell open slightly at the obvious burst of arousal playing across her face.

"Let me go, you prick." She finally said breathlessly.

"Not until you stop attacking me." He answered in a ragged voice.

"Not likely."

"Then we'll just stay like this until you calm down."

They both shifted stiffly again as if testing the position when another horrifying, yet thrilling realization hit them. They were both still only clad in their bathing suits, and were dripping wet from their swim. The sensation of wet skin against wet skin was overwhelming.

"I hate you, Ron Weasley." She spat, trying feebly to be cruel.

"The feeling is completely and utterly mutual," he growled in return.

His eyes then flitted down to her mouth, and something shifted in Ron's air. All of a sudden, he leaned in quickly capturing her mouth in a searing kiss. Momentarily shocked, Hermione let out a small squeak, but then began to move her lips against his just as fiercely, matching his passion. Taking the initiative away from him, she forced her tongue into his mouth to deepen the kiss, and felt more than heard a groan rumble through his chest. Their tongues laced together coaxing and prodding light sighs and moans from both.

He loosened his grip on her wrists to rake his hands down her arms, but she kept her hands above her head against the side of the shed as if leaving herself open to him. As his hands coursed down along her body, his fingertips grazed the edges of her breasts, causing her to gasp lightly into his mouth.

The slight hitch in her breathing roused Ron from the wonderful diversion of her lips and made him realize the wrongness of his conduct.

He stepped back and away from her, and gasped out. "Hermione, I'm so sorry… I… I don't know what…"

But before he could finish, Hermione launched herself at him taking his head in her hands, and crushing her mouth to his. After a short pause of confusion, Ron wrapped his left arm tightly around her tiny waist, and fanned the fingers of his other hand through her still wet brown hair.

Their frantic kisses were neither gentle nor soft. Hands roamed hungrily over their scantily clad forms relearning paths of pleasure that had not been tread in years. Standing on her toes, Hermione alternated between snaking her fingers through his dripping auburn locks, and dragging her nails across his bare shoulders.

It wasn't enough though, and in a desperate need to be closer to him, she wrapped her right foot around his calf driving them dangerously off balance. With one arm folded around her, Ron stumbled forward, and braced his hand against the wall of the shed before moving them more forcefully against it.

Encircling her thigh with his large, rough hand, he pulled her leg higher toward him. The feeling of the full length of his body pressed so firmly against her sent Hermione's mind reeling, and she let her head fall back against the shed releasing a deep moan. A growl rolled through Ron's chest at the sight of her perfect, flawless neck, and he dove in instantly devouring the supple skin before him. Her eyes fluttered closed, and she clenched handfuls of his hair as if to keep him in his proper place.

She shuttered and gasped in pleasure at the sensation of his lips and tongue making lazy, maddening circles against her skin as his large hand greedily ran over the back of her thigh, finally coming to rest on her bottom.

Suddenly, Roberto's voice cut through their lust-induced haze from a close distance. "Hermione? Where are you Bella?"

As he was coming around the corner, Ron pulled away from her violently taking a huge step back.

Roberto stood stunned by the image before him. Eyes closed, Hermione was leaning up against the shed gasping desperately for air, and Ron, keeping his eyes downcast, stood panting a few steps away with his hands trembling at his sides.

Looking back and forth between the two, it was fairly obvious to Roberto what had just been happening. Or rather what was about to happen.

Ron could not meet the other man's eyes, nor could he look at Hermione. He was thoroughly ashamed of himself. He was not that bloke, the kind that snogs some other mate's girl senseless.

'You were well on your way to shagging her senseless, you randy bastard.' Ron viciously corrected himself.

Unable to take Roberto's questioning gaze any longer, Ron fled the scene, quickly running back to the house.

After Ron's hasty departure, Roberto looked to Hermione and took in her frazzled appearance. Her lips were red and swollen, her hair was becoming a wild mess as it dried, and her neck was sporting the beginnings of a few fabulous hickies.

Hermione chanced a peak at her best friend to find him staring at her in utter shock.

"Berti, I'm… I…"

All at once, Roberto's mouth split into a huge grin, and he chirped. "Someone was having a lot of fun, weren't they?"