AN: OMG, I apologize for the delay. I was...distracted by a variety of things. My job and Heroes episodes included. Who loves Peter Petrelli? I do, I do! And on with the Romione show. Hermion? Ronione? Hermonald? LOL. Oh, what fun. At any rate, they are adorable, are they not?

I do not own Harry Potter, le sigh.

"Ron!" I called through the floo. Ginny and I had managed to finish shopping despite my short circuited brain, and it was well after dinner by the time I got back to my flat and had the presence of mind to call my boyfriend. A shiver rain up my spine at the thought and I giggled. Look at me, blushing like a little girl over calling someone my boyfriend.

I was pregnant, for Merlin's sake. I shook my head free of its cobwebs and called his name again. He didn't answer and I went ahead and flooed over to his flat. This was big enough news that I felt I should tell him right then, that night.

I stepped out of his fireplace and glanced about before heading into his kitchen (which was really the living room/study/kitchen all in one- Ron never thought a kitchen could be too big, bless his heart). I set the box of custard I'd bought for him on his counter and hopped onto a stool to wait for him. And maybe test some of the custard while I waited. I was halfway through the dessert when I heard the floo go off again. I straightened my top- I was wearing one of the new tops I'd bought just that afternoon- and fluffed my hair some before I turned around on the stool.

"Hi, Ron," I began to say. "I hope you don't mind-" I stopped short and stared. The witch who'd just exited his floo was not Ron and neither was she someone I recognized. Then again, he'd dated a lot of girls…and he also worked with some new aurors I didn't know. There was a perfectly good explanation for why a strange witch had just- the floo went off again and Ron stepped out behind the witch. He ran into her back, since she'd stopped short and was returning my shocked stare. Albeit her stare was a bit more calm and cool. Professional. I probably had custard on my chin, for all I knew. I hastily wiped at my cheek and chin to double check, then hopped off the stool.

Ron finally looked around the other witch and saw me. He smiled. He hadn't been smiling before, he'd been frowning- at her back. But now he saw me, and smiled. That had to be a good sign.

"Hermione! Why are you here? Man, am I glad to see you-" He swept over to me and pulled me into a huge hug, then glanced over my shoulder. "Custard? Oh, thanks, Hermione, you're the best. Come on in, Jennet," he said, motioning. "I'd like you to meet Hermione Granger, my girlfriend."

"Charmed," she said sourly and stuck out a hand. Feeling cattier than usual, I looked at it, smiled, and turned away.

"Ron, I have something to tell you, but it can wait till tomorrow, if you're busy."

"Oh, no- stay, please? Jennet will be leaving soon. She just, er, had something to talk about as well. Work related. You know."

"I don't know," I replied evenly, "but if you're sure it's alright that I stay…"

"Yeah, yeah. Definitely. You could…oh, well, this isn't very private out here…why don't you wait in my room, if you don't mind? You remember where-"

I smiled wryly and cast another glance at Jennet. "I remember where it is, Ron," I said. Then I decided to milk the moment for all it was worth. One couldn't be too careful when one's boyfriend was a famous war hero, quidditch player, and now auror. I lowered my voice and gave Ron another lingering hug and kiss on the cheek. "How could I forget?" I murmured before sidling along down the hall. I could feel Ron's eyes on me the whole way and smirked. Mission accomplished.

I settled down in his room to wait, sitting on the edge of his bed and glancing about. The room hadn't changed since I'd known him- crisp, white walls with a dividing chair rail and a bright blue striped wall paper around the bottom half. Extra large bed with big, fluffy pillows and a pale blue patchwork comforter on top. Good, oak furniture done in a dark stain. His old school chest sat at the foot of the bed.

I felt a little strange as I took in the room again- after all, I'd helped him decorate his flat when he'd first moved in. It seemed he liked my taste…or just hadn't been with any of the other witches long enough to redecorate. I briefly wondered how many other witches had lain in the bed with him after me and shook my head. It was stupid for me to think like that. We were together now, even if he had slept with…my thoughts trailed off and I crept back to the door. Ron and Jennet were getting a little louder. I could hear their voices, but not what they were saying, until the conversation started to dissolve into shouting.

Then it was crystal clear.

"I helped bring you to the team! I deserve some of that severance-" Jennet was saying.

"You handed me the paperwork, Jennet. That's not exactly what got me hired."

"Oh, you think I didn't say anything to the captain about you? You don't think I had that man wrapped around my little finger at the time?"

"What are you saying? That you slept with the captain before me? That you were pulling us both at the same time? That's not exactly something to be proud-"

"Maybe not, but if I hadn't put a bug in his ear about you he never would have given you the time of day-"

"That's not true. I was a good player, my three years there- a valuable player. And I'm a war hero- that only helped bring in more fans and revenue. Stop trying to play it off like it was your decision- why the hell do you need the money, anyway? If you need help, you should just ask instead of threatening me this way."

"You know, there are some questions about your contract- about whether you could legally quit or not," Jennet said, lowering her voice a bit.

I cautiously stuck my head out the door so I could hear better. I knew they couldn't see me from where I was, but I'd hate to be caught in an argument like that. So, the twat had not only slept with him, now she'd decided she either wanted him back or wanted some recompense for letting him dump her. Twisted logic, but I'd known plenty of witches like her. And, in spite of the fact that I despised that sort of behavior, I felt a little sorry for her. She was expressing her feelings the only way she knew how: with anger and threats.

Of course, Ron's situation also made me feel a little better about my own with Malfoy. Looked like I wasn't the only one who had clearly made a mistake choosing a lover.

"Stop being ridiculous, Jennet," Ron said, his voice growing low and dangerous. I knew that tone of voice. He was angry now, too. Very angry.

"Or you'll what? Kick me out so you can go fuck your pathetic pregnant girlfriend? What would it take to get you back in my bed, Ron Weasley? Hmm? Want to know that bloody truth? I'm pregnant."

"That's not funny."

"No, it isn't, is it? But it's true. I want financial support, or I go to all the papers and tell them it's yours."

"You don't know that it's mine-"

"You don't know the same thing about that twat standing in your room, either-"

"You don't get to call her names," Ron hissed. "No one does. And you want my support? Fine. Bring me the proof and the paperwork from the healer and I'm in. Tell who you like. We were never exclusive, Jennet. And if it's less than five months along it's definitely not mine."

"You're disgusting-"

"No, you are, for using something as serious as a pregnancy for leverage like this. I won't let you control me with an innocent creature. Now get out and don't come back unless you can back up the accusation."

I could hear a shriek of rage, followed by the sound of tears and then the whoosh of the floo. I heard Ron slam his hand on the kitchen counter and ducked back into the bedroom as his footsteps started down the hall. A moment later he appeared in the doorway, his face flushed and apologetic. He sat down on the end of the bed next to me and sighed.

"Well," he said.

"Well," I responded softly.

"I guess you heard most of that."

I bit my lip and glanced away, but took his hand. I didn't know what I felt, except that I still loved him. That I still wanted him to be the father of my baby, no matter what that Jennet bitch had to say.

"I'm sorry, Hermione," he said. "I didn't know that's what she was on about. Just said she had some business to discuss with me, and I'd been expecting some more paperwork on my close of contract with the Cannons. So I figured, why not have her come over- she insisted on it, actually. Didn't want to mess up my schedule. Bloody hell, I feel like an idiot."

"No, Ron," I said. "You're not."

"She wasn't even one of my regular dates- just a witch who was there sometimes. Merlin, that sounds even worse. I'm sorry, Hermione. I'm sorry. Does this screw everything up?"

"No!" I protested and looked over at him. I turned to him and took his other hand. "Look, clearly I made a mistake too. And…I can't say I'm happy about this turn of events, but you handled it really well. You still want me, right?"

"Merlin, yes, Hermione!"

"And I still want you. So…we'll see what happens. You don't even know if she was telling the truth, do you?"

"Not yet. But I can find out."

"See?"

Ron leaned forward and kissed my forehead, then gathered me into his arms. "I love you, Hermione."

"I love you too," I murmured. Ron suddenly went still. "What is it?" I asked.

"It's just…something's bothering me about that. Jennet's an ambitious witch, yeah- pretty aggressive…but that's not like her. She was never serious about me. She never acted before like she'd made my quidditch career, either. In fact, if I didn't know her so well, I'd say that wasn't even her, just now."

"Do you think someone put her up to it?"

Ron hesitated before answering. He laughed into my hair and pulled me closer. "No…I don't think so. Hey, want to spend the night? I think I've still got your old toothbrush."

"Ron!" I exclaimed. "That thing is so old by now!" I laughed with him and let him kiss me some more. I knew he wanted to distract me from the scene I'd witnessed; from worrying about something I couldn't do anything about. Like Ron said, we'd find out if Jennet was telling the truth or not soon enough.

Ron was in the process of sliding my shirt from my shoulders when I felt it again and gasped.

"What?" he said quickly, stopping and looking up at me , his hands frozen on my shoulders.

"Oh, Ron, this is why I came over tonight- here-" I took his hands and put them on my stomach.

She- I couldn't help calling the baby a girl, she'd suddenly grown in personality in the hours since I'd first felt her move- turned again and I looked up at Ron.

"Can you feel that?"

"No- what is it? What's going on?"

"It's the baby. She moved today. While Ginny and I were at the store."

"I thought this was new," Ron joked, plucking at my top. Then he turned serious again as I pouted at him. "That's a good thing, right? That you felt it move? Why can't I feel it, though?"

"It's probably too early," I said. "Sorry, I just got so excited when it happened. I guess it's true, you won't feel it yet." I felt suddenly foolish and disappointed. Ron could sense my disappointment and he took my hands in his.

"Don't feel bad, Hermione. I'll feel it soon enough, I imagine. Tell me about it, please?"

He put an arm about me and I smiled up at him. "Well, if you insist…"

"Of course I do," he replied, kissing my forehead. "Come on, let's sit back and talk about it. I want to hear everything. Where were you?"

We got settled back against his pillows and I launched into the story, telling him all about where Ginny and I had gone, how we'd ended up at the store.

"…and you won't believe who showed up. Draco Malfoy. That's right. And he tried to start a conversation, only Ginny-"

Ron stiffened. "Malfoy? He was following you?"

"Well, I- I don't know," I admitted. "He might have been. But why would he-"

"The idiot thinks he's madly in love with you," Ron said. "If it happens again, owl me right away- better yet, call me. I can get one of those…what are they? Pagers, that's it. We'll have an emergency line for Malfoy sightings only."

"Oh, Ron," I gasped, laughing some. "Don't be ridiculous…I'm sure he was just shopping for someone."

"For maternity clothes?"

"Well…"

"Exactly. I'm serious. I'm going to have to-" He suddenly fell silent and I felt him tighten his hold on me. "I'm sorry, Hermione. Go on with your story. I just got distracted."

"Yes, Malfoy tends to do that," I responded easily, but inside I felt a lot less calm. Something was going on with Malfoy and my boyfriend wasn't telling me what. I shook my head and decided to let it drop for now.

"Well," I continued, "Like I said, he started to ask me about the pregnancy, but Ginny completely sidelined him by responding instead- it was so funny, Ron. You should have seen the look on his face…and right after he left, all in a huff, that's when it happened. It was the best distraction I could have hoped for."

"What does it feel like?" he asked me softly, rubbing my arms.

I turned my head and gazed up at him. I couldn't begin to think how to describe it…like a gentle fluttering motion, like warmth and sunshine…

"Like love," I finally replied. Ron looked down at me, somewhat startled, and then a relaxed smile passed over his face.

"In that case," he began, "I can't wait to feel it, too." Then he kissed me solidly on the lips.

Needless to say, I ended up spending the night for the first time in years. And it was more than a comfort to know that the little witch in my belly was going to be surrounded by love the rest of her life.

I didn't spare another thought for Draco Malfoy that night.