I don't own Harry Potter and everything belongs to J.K. Rowling.

AN: Ron is so, so sweet here, I think...sigh. I love Ron.

Hours later, after I'd managed to force down some food and cried out all my tears, Ron's voice came through my fireplace.

"Hermione?" he called and I wandered over to stand in the doorway of my living room.

"I'm here," I said quietly.

"Hermione, I'm sorry," he said. "May I come over so we can talk about this?"

I bit my lower lip. "Ron, I don't know if that's such a good-"

"Please, Hermione."

"Okay," I finally replied, and my fireplace went up in flames momentarily. Ron stepped out and immediately made for me. I put a hand up, stopping him. "Don't, please," I said. "If we're going to talk about it, we need to try and do it without our feelings getting in the way. Without our physical feelings, I mean," I added. Ron nodded slowly.

"Alright," he replied. "If that's what you want."

"It is," I murmured, then turned back towards the kitchen. "Can I get you anything? Tea?"

"Nah, I'm alright," he said.

"Did you get dinner?"

"Yeah," he answered as he took a seat at the island. I sat opposite him and wrapped my hands back around my own mug of tea. "Look," he finally said after a few minutes of awkward silence, "I'm sorry for what I said, about you and Malfoy. I had no right to say that." The apology was as forced as they'd always been and I raised an eyebrow, though I could tell he meant it.

"No, Ron, I'm sorry," I replied. "I've put you in an awful situation. I'm asking a lot of you, to just accept me and the baby back without even knowing if it's yours. With Malfoy breathing down my neck, on top of that, apparently. It's not fair to you."

"But Hermione, I told you I'm okay with-"

"You're clearly not," I pointed out in what I thought was a perfectly calm voice. "Not if you could think those things so easily. And it's okay," I rushed to explain. "I understand how you must be feeling. I feel wretched, putting you in this position. After I acted that way, to just let you take me back-"

"Hermione," he said seriously, "you haven't let me do anything. It's my choice to be with you, regardless of who the father is. I love you and I want to be with you, baby or not."

"But that's the thing," I argued. "There is a baby now and we have to think of it. And I don't know who the father is. It's my own fault. I know you and Ginny both think you're at fault for not telling me about the accident and keeping this auror business from me, but the truth is that I could have just as easily tracked you down and found out about it myself. There's no excuse for my own behavior."

Ron frowned. "Hermione, I don't want to see you beating yourself up over this. There's either fault on all sides or no sides, alright?" he said gruffly. "You can't sit there and take all the blame yourself. And whatever I feel about you and Malfoy, that's beside the point. Just because I'm in love with you doesn't mean you're not still one of my best mates. I want you to be happy, Hermione," he finished softly and took one of my hands in his. "And I'll be here for you in whatever capacity you need. "

I smiled at him tentatively, wanting very much to believe in what he was telling me.

"And," he added, "I'll do my best not to let Malfoy get under my skin again. How's that?"

"Oh, Ron," I sighed. "You're too good for me."

His eyes widened and he sat back. "I'm too good for you? Merlin, Hermione- I think shagging Malfoy must have addled your brains. Hermione, you are the smartest, most talented, most beautiful-"

"I slept with another man just to get back at you!" I exclaimed. "How is that smart or intelligent? I acted like any completely scatterbrained, nitwitted, foolish girl might-"

"Yeah, that makes you human," he argued. "What's wrong with that? You shouldn't crucify yourself over one mistake- it's not like you're going to do it again, are you?"

I shook my head.

"Well, then. Lesson learned. I shouldn't have taken no for an answer from you so easily, should I? When you wanted to keep it casual- instead of fighting for you like I wanted to, I just left it at that and hardly ever called or wrote- you think I don't regret that? Everyone's entitled to regrets, aren't they? To making a few mistakes." He sighed. "I still feel it, you know. That time I ran out on you and Harry, when you were searching. It took me a long time to forgive myself for that, but it doesn't mean I don't still think about it and wonder. Maybe this is what I deserve, you know?"

I stared at him, astonished. "Ron, you more than made up for that- you know I forgave you-"

"I know, but it doesn't change the fact that I acted like a complete twat. Well, that's my mistake. I reckon I'll keep making them every now and then, too. Just hoping none of them are as big. You- you've never really made a mistake like that with me, until now. You've always tolerated me- except when you were angry- with good reason," he added hastily. "Let me help you, Hermione. Don't shut me out because that ferret's convinced you I'm a prat."

"It's not that," I whispered. "I just think maybe he's right. I'm being unfair-"

"I'll decide what's unfair to me," he informed me and took my other hand. "I can't promise that it won't bother me sometimes, knowing what happened between you two. I reckon it will for a long time, just a little. But I can promise that I'll be the best friend and best boyfriend I know how to be. I meant what I said this weekend. I love you and I'll do what it takes to keep you around."

"You shouldn't have to accept my mistake just because-"

"Hey, are you forgetting? That baby might be mine, too," he reminded me. "Why shouldn't I stick around? And anyway, if it is Malfoy's-" and here he looked a little green, "then it'll probably need a great deal of socializing so that it turns out alright."

I laughed at that and Ron squeezed my hands. "Okay," I said. "if this is how you really want it, then I need to say a few things."

He sat up and looked serious.

"Alright," I began. "I do want to be with you, but I don't want to force you into anything- I know what you said, Ron, but I need to do this," I said, cutting him off. "First, if you ever decide it's too much, I want you to tell me. I'll…I'll understand."

"That won't happen," he said firmly. I smiled weakly.

"But if it does, you have to promise you'll be honest with me."

"Fine, I promise," he said.

"Good. Thank you. Second, we're just dating right now, okay? No moving in, or- or proposals, or anything like that. I don't want to move in that direction until we know who the father is."

"So you want to wait until it's born to…"

"Get really serious," I supplied. "Yes, that's what I want."

"You think I'll change my mind," he accused me.

"No, that's not it," I said sadly. "It's that I think you deserve the option of changing your mind."

"Hmph," he grunted. "Also not going to happen."

"Ron…"

"Alright, alright! I won't propose until the baby's born!" he said hotly, then flushed. "Er, you know what I mean. I won't even think about proposing- not that I was thinking about it in the first place- oh, Merlin-"

I bit my lip to keep from smiling. How could I ever have thought of a life without Ron? He brought so much light and fire to my life, whether it was from a passionate kiss or a heated argument. Life with him would never be dull.

"I know what you mean, Ron," I finally reassured him and he sighed.

"Good. Because I didn't see how I was going to dig my way out of that one."

I did laugh that time and he joined in.

"Well," he said after the awkwardness of our heavy conversation dissipated, "do you fancy a bite to eat? I bet that custard shop is still open."

I smiled brightly up at him. "Let me get my coat."

The next day at work I found myself wishing- really, truly wishing- that all my problems could be as easily dealt with as Ron seemed to think. Draco Malfoy, however, clearly had other plans. The first ten people in my office that morning only wanted to ogle my body to try and see what the fuss was about. The next five had made up some excuse for talking to me about Malfoy, thereby gaining entrance to the topic of our sleeping together and my baby. The final three that I mistakenly let in just asked outright about Malfoy and Ron and I had to threaten to hex them to get them to leave. In which case, my best friend's and boyfriend's being aurors really came in handy. After that I put a sign on my door telling people to go away unless they had a work related question. I only let in two people the rest of the day. The first was my boss.

"Granger," Alex Cronklewold, my supervisor, said as he opened my door. "I need to speak with you."

The middle aged wizard was tall, with a receding hairline and wore spectacles. I waved him in.

"Please."

"Thank you," he murmured. "I assumed the sign did not refer to me."

I flushed. "Oh, no- sorry, Sir. It's just been such an annoyance, all the people coming in-"

"Yes," he said. "I imagine so. I already spoke to Malfoy about keeping his mind focused on his work and his bragging to a minimum. I've asked him to leave the gossip at home."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank you, Mr. Cronklewold."

"Not a problem," he said, waving a dismissive hand. "Now, this isn't strictly work related, but I do have to ask- you are in a delicate situation?"

I tried not to smirk at his old-fashioned language and nodded.

"Yes, Sir. I don't know-"

"I don't really care who the father of your child is, Ms. Granger," he replied evenly. "It has no bearing on the situation. I just need to know your due date and when you'll be needing pregnancy leave. Would you like to work at home some after the birth? The ministry enacted that new policy last year…"

He went on for a few more minutes, discussing my plans with me and after a while he seemed satisfied. I was shocked at how courteous and professional he was being about it. With all the talk after just two days of rumors, I'd expected him to be upset at the distraction I'd provided for my coworkers. Instead, he only seemed to care that I was taken care of and had a plan in hand. Beyond that, he just wanted to make sure I was managing my work alright. It was strange to be met with no judgment or censure for my actions, for once. He seemed to notice my discomfort and paused before he left.

"I've seen a great many things, Ms. Granger. Enough to know that things are not always as they appear and the things that we think matter are often not the ones that count for anything. However you got yourself into this situation does not matter. How you deal with it does."

"Th-thank you," I stammered out.

He smiled indulgently. "Very well. Carry on. Come see me if you need anything." Then he was gone. I smiled to myself and shook my head. My boss was a strange man, but a smart one. If I hadn't been entirely sure that I liked him before now, after his visit I was positive. He was a saint.

Draco Malfoy, on the other hand, was not. He waltzed into my office like he owned the place at a quarter to closing.

"Nice sign," he said and flopped into the chair opposite me. I looked up from my paperwork and glared.

"What now?"

"I told you I'd give you a day to think about it, didn't I?"

"This is harassment-" I began.

"I call it flirting," he interjected.

"-but I do have an answer for you," I finished.

He sat up. "Oh? Pray, do tell."

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose before rubbing my eyes. Ron and I had managed to discuss the problem over custard the night before and he'd grudgingly agreed that Draco had a right to know, though he'd still insisted the baby was his when he thought I wasn't listening.

"If you'd let me talk at all last time before judging me and insisting that I obey your every whim I would have told that I was already planning on a test," I informed him. He actually had the good grace to look somewhat ashamed of himself. Only somewhat.

"Pardon me for not being able to read your mind, Granger," he drawled and leaned back in the seat again.

There was a moment of silence while I shuffled my papers noisily, hoping he would leave. He didn't.

"You've got your answer," I started to say, but he spoke very suddenly.

"Would you have dinner with me?" he blurted out.

My jaw dropped. It was doing that a lot lately, it seemed. "What?"

His pale skin flushed to the roots of his hair and he scowled. "You heard me."

"I did," I admitted. "I just can't believe what I heard."

"I take it that's a no," he said and got up.

"I- no, sit back down," I sighed. "Oh, for God's sake. You have to admit that wasn't particularly well executed," I said.

"I always say what I mean, Granger," he replied stiffly. "If you don't want to then just say so."

He was certainly blunt enough for me to believe that. I eyed him warily. He was staring at a wall.

"Malfoy, why are you asking me to dinner? Is it just because of the baby? Think we ought to-"

"Get to know one another, yeah, I guess," he muttered as stiffly as he'd spoken a moment before. This was going to be an awkward conversation, I could see that.

"Er," I said. "Can I take a rain check? I'd just like to think about it some."

He looked up at me, his brows drawn together. "Going to ask your boyfriend if it's okay?"

"Maybe," I said casually. "But it's not any of your business what I discuss with him. I do want to think about it some, on my own. Alright? I'm not telling you it's a bad idea, Malfoy," I added. "I just have to…get used to it."

His expression cleared and he looked thoughtful. "Okay. Let me know what you decide." Then he got up and walked out the door again, without even saying goodbye.

I stared after him in consternation. Where on earth had that come from? He was such a mystery to me. Some days he treated me almost cordially and others he was his nasty, arrogant self. I didn't understand it. I could tell he'd tried to change since the war was over, but I doubted we would ever be friends- which was really quite alright with me. On the other hand… Maybe, I thought, deciding to give him the benefit of the doubt (which was the second mistake I made concerning him), he really does want to get to know me, in case it turns out to be his. Maybe he wants to make sure both parents have a relationship with it.

I looked down at my stomach. How about it, baby? What do you think of that?

Since the baby didn't respond, I went ahead and put on my coat, turned off my lights, and left for the day. I wouldn't find any more answers in my inbox and I had a date with Ginny and Luna for a girls' night in. Maybe I'd ask them what they thought of the whole thing.