I do not own Harry Potter and everything belongs to J.K. Rowling.

Ron held me to him tenderly, kissing my head and hands over and over again, as if he couldn't believe I was real. It was the first time we'd been together after that final battle and we'd come together clumsily, but with a love we'd both thought knew no bounds. After waiting for one another for so long, how could we ever think otherwise? I shifted languidly in my bed as I came back from the dream, remembering all the sensations and ideas…

The war had been over, we had nothing but a future of peace to look forward to…it had been easy to dream back then. But then things had picked up again and I'd felt us drifting apart, somehow. Or maybe it was just that I was afraid we were drifting apart. Or afraid to move so quickly, the way Harry and Ginny had. They were ecstatically in love with one another and I'd felt certain that Ron and I could never compare to them as a couple. Which hadn't been fair of me, since of course we'd never compare- we were two completely different people. We loved each other in different ways.

Ginny was, for Harry, the woman on a pedestal. Oh, he knew she could hold her own, but he'd been willing to do anything to keep her safe and out of harm's direct path. That wasn't an option Ron had ever had with me. He'd been forced to see me through every danger Harry had shielded Ginny from, knowing all the time that he'd never be able to do the same for me. I think seeing me in Bellatrix's grasp had nearly done him in. I'd been unconscious, or nearly so, for most of that, but I knew in my heart Ron had ached for me; that he couldn't save me from that. That I'd willingly chosen that path next to Harry rather than the safety Ron could offer.

Maybe he'd felt it was some kind of sign, or even betrayal, at some point. Either way, there had been a distance between us at some point and I'd never been able to tell which direction it had come from. But to know now that we'd still loved one another all this time…in some ways I regretted the time we'd wasted, keeping it casual and dating other people. (Though if I thought about that, I hadn't really dated anyone.) On the other hand, maybe it was only through those experiences that we'd realized our true feelings for one another. Either way, we knew one another now. Either way, we would be happy…

It was a quiet knowledge, that assurance I had, but I was certain of it. Ron loved me. My hand trailed down to my slightly rounded stomach and I felt the soft skin, wondering what it would be like, this new journey I was taking. I was going on it without Harry this time; with only Ron as my traveling companion. It felt strange, but wonderful.

Good Morning, Baby, I thought. I finished stretching and yawning and finally sat up, looking around the room which Ron had helped me baby-proof so thoroughly the day before. After we'd had our talk and agreed upon a few things- like second chances- he'd helped me finish up with the baby-proofing and left with a promise to pick me up for Sunday dinner at The Burrow the next day. I smiled a little as I thought back to the meal yesterday.

It had gone well, all things considered. Ron and I had agreed not to tell the family I was pregnant…yet. I'd had to drag a promise from Ginny about it as well, but she'd been much more amenable once she'd realized Ron and I were definitely back together. (Even if I was being more cautious about it than Ron.) Again, I still couldn't help wondering how she'd feel once she thought remembered the other possible father, but things were okay so far. Not perfect, by any stretch of the imagination, but certainly manageable. And at any rate, everyone had been extremely pleased about me and Ron. Molly, especially. I think she must have known something I hadn't all along- that or she'd just hoped for it. It was nice to be accepted back as a couple so easily and with so much obvious pleasure.

I mused over the meal a little more while I prepared my morning tea and breakfast, then looked over my paper. I liked to wake up early, with enough time to go through my morning routine leisurely. I hated feeling rushed before going to work. An owl swooped and pecked against my kitchen window and I hurried over to let him in. He dropped a letter into my hands and I fed him a treat and watched him fly away, curious about who was writing me so early.

When I opened the letter I saw Ron's handwriting and my heart fluttered again in that ridiculous way.

Hermione,

Just saying good morning before work. Have a long day, myself. Can I see you for dinner, if you're not busy? Will expect a reply when you have the chance.

Love,

Ron

I sighed and immediately jotted down a reply before folding it and tucking it into my robes that were hanging up. I would mail it off at work. And with that thought, I finished up in the kitchen and then went back to my room to complete my toilette and get ready to face the day.

Of course, if I'd known that the day would include an impromptu visit from a rather upset Draco Malfoy due to talk he'd heard about the water cooler, I would probably have just called in sick…every single day for the next six and a half months.

I looked at him over the tops of the spectacles I'd purchased for the very, very fine dwarven-print books we were reviewing that fall and frowned.

"Yes?" I asked. I still wasn't sure what he was doing in the magical documents department; but he'd mostly kept to himself and steered clear of me as much as possible…except that night of the office party. The one where he'd been drunk as a skunk and I was mad as a hatter.

"Granger," he said stiffly. "Wondered if I could have a word with you."

"You're having one," I said pointedly and looked up from the book again. He was standing in the door of my office, looking uncomfortable. I gave him a second look, trying to see what I'd seen the night we'd shagged…inasmuch as one could call it shagging. I guess he was cute for an inbred pureblood…sort of. Pale, narrow features, sharp grey eyes, slick pale blond hair. Tall, lean body. Ron was tall as well, but he had much broader shoulders. The kind that made my mouth water. Nothing about Draco made my mouth- He smiled at me.

Oh. So that's what it was. He looked almost human when he smiled. Straight, white teeth surrounded by laugh lines.

Of course, the smile was followed by a snide remark, completely ruining the effect.

"I mean privately, Granger. May I come in? Sit down?"

"By all means," I murmured, waving a hand and removing the glasses. "What is it?"

"Oh," he said, "I just heard something on break that I found…interesting."

I was immediately on my guard. "If this is about those goblin scrolls, you can forget it," I said. "I've had my name in for that project ages and I'm not about-"

"Not that," he said. "Merlin, you are thick. I'm talking about you and the Weasel." He twirled his wand about in his hands and I eyed him.

"Can't you get over all this childish nonsense?" I asked. "He has a proper name, you know."

"Sorry," he sneered. "I heard about you and Weasley. Better?" He laughed. "Wondered if what I heard Marlene and Sandra gossiping about was the reason why."

"Malfoy," I said clearly, "if the only reason you're here is to gossip about my love life-"

"I've no need to gossip about that, do I? Seeing as how I'm part of it."

My jaw almost dropped. Almost. "How dare you? That was a total mistake. How dare you try and bring it up now?"

He smirked. "Well that's the thing. You see, Marlene said something rather interesting…something about how you were concerned because you'd missed your cycle last month. And I got to thinking…" He was inspecting his fingernails very casually, but there was an evil glint in his eye that I didn't like one bit. I knew that glint. He was up to something. I wracked my brain. Thinking of what I could have possibly said to Marlene- oh.

Last month she'd noticed how on edge I was and assumed it was because of a project deadline. I'd mistakenly told her it wasn't the project at all and when she'd asked I'd said something about being late, hadn't I? I cursed myself in my head. Marlene, of course, had immediately asked me if I was pregnant; and when I'd spluttered about that a bit she'd laughed and inferred that I wasn't sleeping with anyone- therefore how could I be pregnant?

And now that people knew about me and Ron- although how news traveled so quickly I didn't know- she'd pulled up that juicy tidbit from the recesses of her memory and done some inferring. Blast her.

"Ah, I see we're on the same page now. So, is it true?"

"Don't be ridiculous," I scoffed at him.

"So, it is true."

"How can you-"

"Granger, I'm not a complete moron, as you seem to think I am. We slept together. You've been avoiding me ever since. Now you're giving me worried glances every time you think I'm not looking. You're either pregnant or harboring some kind of secret passion for me. Possibly both."

My jaw did drop open that time. The nerve of him! Of all the arrogant, selfish, snobby, ignorant-

"Ah, ah, Granger. Watch your tongue," he said and I realized I'd been saying those things aloud.

"For your information I am back with Ron because I love him and he loves me," I informed him angrily.

"And not because of the bun in your oven?"

"Don't be crude-"

"That was hardly crude, Granger. Crude is what we did the night of the office-"

"Shut up! I don't want to be reminded!"

"Aw, didn't have a good time?"

I drew myself up and gave him the most imperious scowl I could. "For your information, no, I did not. It was rather awful, in fact. I hate to be the one to burst your carefully cultivated arrogance, but you were shit."

Draco's brows drew together angrily and he shot out of his seat. "The hell I was-"

"Now, now," I said condescendingly. "I promise I haven't told anyone. Well, okay. Maybe one person knows, but that's it, I swear."

"Listen to me carefully, Granger," he growled. "I know you're back with Weasley because you think that baby is his, but there's as good a chance it's mine, too-"

I snorted. "Not with how drunk you were."

He rolled over my words. "If you don't agree to a paternity test when it's born I'll slap you with so many lawsuits you can't-"

"Please!" I cried. "I'm a war hero! As if the Wizengamot would ever side with you. And even in muggle court, everyone knows a mother with a stable background and enough money to support herself trounces the father every time."

"Is that so?" he asked, his voice dangerous. "Are you sure money can't buy custody?"

I felt a small twinge of worry. Just a small one, really. "In case you hadn't noticed," I told him, "I have as much money as any Malfoy nowadays. Just try and bring the case to court."

He eyed me, settled on a smirk, and rocked back on his heels. "So. Don't even want one little paternity test, do you? Scared of something? That maybe the baby is mine and the Weasel will leave you?"

I shook my head. "No," I said with more certainty than I felt.

"Look, I'll give you a day to think over my perfectly reasonable request," he said. "But if you don't agree, then I'll have so many lawyers present at the birth that there won't be any room for your precious Weasel. Understand?"

"Get out of my office, Malfoy," I said, my voice now shaking with anger and all the doubt Ron had managed to assuage the day before.

"Gladly. See you tomorrow, Granger."

I watched him go, hardly bothering to wonder why he suddenly cared so much. Those were questions to answer another day. Today, it seemed, I needed to figure out if I really was doing the right thing, taking Ron back. Everything had seemed so clear over the weekend, with Ron's arms around me and him telling me he loved me, no matter what. Now it was muddled again. I already knew it wasn't fair to him. Was it fair to the baby? To deny him or her the chance to know Draco, if he did turn out to be the father? My anger at him wasn't even entirely because of the suggestion, either. I'd already planned on applying for a paternity test at some point. It was different, though, to be faced with Malfoy and have him forcing one down my throat. It just upset me, being told what to do with my body and my baby.

Desperately unsettled, I sat back down and put my spectacles on again, but I'm ashamed to say that I didn't really see what I was reading the rest of the day.

AN: There's been some confusion over rooming here at Shiz…in order to dispel the rumors, I'm going to try to set the record straight. Hermione loves Ron, but notices they are both very busy with their jobs and life in general and figures they are too young to be so serious, so suggests they keep it casual. In other words, let's date other people. Ron takes this to heart (although he still secretly loves Hermione) and does date other people (and sleeps with them, occasionally). Hermione, being herself, just throws herself more into her work and doesn't date other people. So, when she and Ron come back together, she assumes that means he wants to get serious again. When he doesn't call or write she gets upset (like a lot of girls would) and takes out her hurt by sleeping with an old enemy. This does not make her a s***. If that's all it takes for her to be one, then Ron is one too, since he slept with tons of girls in the interim. Let's not discriminate, here. Conflict? Well, they did manage to have a fight in the midst of all that kissing and making up, so let's say there will be some conflict between them. Additionally, Draco still has to enter the picture. What's wrong with conflict coming from outside the relationship? If you still have questions and/or think I'm miswriting the characters, please direct all essays to me in a PM; but don't litter the review page, please. I do appreciate all your thoughts, questions, and ideas. Thanks for taking the time to read this. Back to our regularly scheduled update.