Hermione was visiting Harry and Ginny at their house in Godric's Hollow, holding James in her arms and was positively cooing over him. She pressed a soft kiss to her nephew's cheek as she picked him up from his playpen, dangling in front of him a magically enchanted mobile, (a present from Granny Weasley) with shiny twinkling stars and a bright crescent moon. She observed James' little face as he followed the moving objects, clapping his hands happily, and as it broke into a gummy smile, with some teeth. Hermione felt as if James was a perfect mix of Harry and Ginny, and of course would get up to the same mischief his namesake had. She wondered how her kids with Ron would look... would they get his red hair and her bookishness? Or her brown locks and his charming nature? The idea made her feel happy, the thought she had first had when she was 13 would be happening very soon, and involuntarily, she smiled.

"Hermione? Hermione!" Ginny's voice brought Hermione back to reality.

"Oh, sorry!" she told her soon to be sister-in-law.

"What's gotten into you lately? Your head seems to be in the clouds!" Ginny remarked jokingly, as she sat down on the armchair.

Hermione laughed. A couple of years ago, she would have never imagined someone would associate her, Hermione Granger, level-headed and calm, with her head being in the clouds. But now, she would agree that she seemed to be living in some sort of a dream world.

"Oh, I don't know..." she replied, a smile playing on her face, not wanting to give away the secret.

"Can't wait to be a mother, huh?" Ginny asked knowingly, a smile on her face. Hermione bounced her godson on her lap, grinning back.

Ginny sighed. "When is my idiot of a brother going to get off his lazy arse..." she trailed off.

Hermione remained silent, biting her lip. She and Ron had decided that his whole family (and her surrogate one) would all find out about their engagement at the same time. Hermione's engagement ring was in her jeans pocket at the moment. Hermione wanted it on her at all times, even if she couldn't wear it. It was like carrying a piece of Ron with her, with him gone for 2 weeks now, which brought Hermione to a question she had been meaning to ask Ginny for a while.

"Is it hard, being like a single mother?" she asked gently, sitting on the sofa, with James still in her lap.

"To be honest," Ginny responded, "it is sometimes. But I get so much help from you all - you, Mum, Fleur, Angelina... so that's really helpful. But I know that Harry is off helping to make this world better for James, so that helps."

Hermione nodded. They sat in a comfortable silence, Ginny sipping her tea, and Hermione playing with James, who would sometimes giggle. He put the mobile into his mouth, and while Hermione was gently coaxing it out, Ginny added with a wink,

"I always find it double the loving when they come back, though, don't you?"

Hermione laughed. Ginny was right - Ron was always extra affectionate when he came home because of lack of contact for usually 2 or more weeks. Which was absolutely fine with Hermione - more than fine, actually.

~That Evening~

Hermione settled into her sofa, with the blue diary in hand. She couldn't wait to delve further into Ron's diary and find what she had most been looking forward to - Hogwarts. She opened the diary, but not before experiencing a stab of guilt. What if the roles were reversed, and she found Ron reading her childhood diary? Well, it wasn't like she had anything to hide, and neither did Ron, she figured. And they were getting married now, no more secrets. So Hermione, ignoring the tiny voice inside her head, began to read.

The diary spoke about Ron visiting his Auntie Muriel, and what a grouch she was. Ron wrote about playing by the lake in the Burrow, and playing Quidditch with his brothers. Finally, the diary came to September 1st, 1991.

September 1st, 1991

Hogwarts is bloody fantastic!

Hermione smiled, remembering the very first day she met Ron…

*flashback*

Hermione pushed open the sliding door, remembering to re-arrange her face into a bossy sort of look. How else was she supposed to fit into Hogwarts if she wasn't as smart and bossy as everyone else?

The first thing she saw when she opened the door was a shock of red hair. She didn't much like red hair. A boy named Peter in her Muggle school had red hair, and she didn't like him too much. No, she didn't much fancy red hair. She would soon find out how wrong she was. Plus, this boy had dirt on his nose, and Mummy had always warned her about dirty people.

They hadn't seen Neville's toad, and she saw his wand was out, and it was pointed at the fat rate nibbling on something. Hmm, he was going to do magic, was he? Wonderful - She would be able to see a real spell! But she had to remember not to act too excited. She asked him to perform it, but it didn't seem right, and she told him so, but that didn't come out right either, and WOW! HARRY POTTER! And, oh, Ron Weasley. Pleasure.

She would have no idea how much that hungry redhead would mean to her for the rest of her life.

*end of flashback*

Hermione chuckled to herself and returned to the diary.

I'm so glad, I'm in Gryffindor, Thank Merlin, I really thought I would end up in Hufflepuff or something, but I guess the Sorting Hat saw something in me that I didn't. Anyways I'm really happy. Guess who's sharing a dorm with me, huh? HARRY POTTER! I was shocked when I met him on the train, but he seemed to be a nice lad and shared his sweets with me! Can you believe it, Muggles don't have moving pictures! Crazy, eh? On the other hand, met this really annoying girl who criticized my magic! I always knew that spell was bogus, though. Sadly she's in Gryffindor too. Anyways, don't ask me why, but I felt funny when I looked at her.

Hermione's heart leapt. He had liked her since the day they met?

But then I realized I had just eaten a nasty flavoured Bertie Botts Bean.

Hermione sighed, and then started laughing. This was so typical of Ron. She continued reading:

I'm looking forward to tomorrow's classes, especially flying lessons, except for potions with Snape - Fred and George have told me all about him, he seems horrible. Who knows, maybe Harry and I will become friends? Oh yeah, met that git Malfoy earlier today. He made fun of me for being a Weasley. It kind of makes me think back to when I said I didn't want to be a Weasley... we're always identified with our red hair and freckles, and I was wearing Charlie's shabby, stinky robes. Luckily Harry stood up for me. I know this sounds stupid but I'm starting to think we may be mates. No.. maybe not. I mean, why would the famous Harry Potter be friends with one of the Weasleys?

September 7, 1991

Snape is scary. Come to think of it, so is McGonagall. They all are! Except for Flitwick, he's quite small, three of him stacked up would equal one of me. And Binns' class is so boring! I just can't help falling asleep.

I'm sharing a dorm with the other first year Gryffindor boys – Seamus, Dean, Neville, and Harry.

I was right about Harry – we're becoming friends. It's just… at home, I always felt like I was in the shadow of all my brothers, and it's the same thing here! Except it is worse – much worse. Harry is so great, everyone thinks so, everyone always whispering about him, I know he can hear it, and again I am just Ron Weasley the sidekick. I don't think I will ever be anything more.

Hermione sighed again. She felt so bad for Ron right now, reading these words hurt her like a physical pain. She didn't want anyone she loved to be feeling the way Ron had at school. He probably felt this way for so long at school, and she had been so blind not to see it. But then again, she thought, look where he had reached now – top Auror at the Ministry of Magic with loving friends and family. He would never be overshadowed again, and Hermione would always be by his side making sure of that.

Suddenly, she heard a fluttering of wings. An owl, at this time of night? How strange – it was almost 10 pm. Silently, Hermione returned the diary to its place in the drawer, and walked over to the window. She gave the barn owl a little bowl of owl food she kept by the window ledge, where it ate gratefully. She grabbed the note from the ledge where it had been dropped. She gulped and she felt her heart rate quicken, going faster and faster. Hermione dear, please come to the Burrow as soon as you can.. it's quite urgent.. Molly.

Hermione took a deep breath. Everything would be okay, Mrs. Weasley probably needed help looking after one of the many grandkids…

She freshened up, grabbed her coat, and turned in mid-air.

When she had opened her eyes again, the Burrow was in front of her, as crooked and home-like as could be. She rushed inside.

All the Weasleys were gathered in the sitting room, solemn looks on their face. What was going on? Why was everyone looking so upset? Hermione's heart, that had started pounding slightly when she first read the note, began to increase, like a drum within her body. She saw Bill first, and nudged him. He turned around, looking startled and tired, holding a sleeping Dominique in his arms.

"Oh, Hermione." he said, his eyes downcast.

"What's – what's happened?" she whispered quickly, not really wanting to know the answer.

"It's Ron," he replied sadly. "He's at St. Mungo's, spell damage…" and he spoke gibberish that Hermione couldn't understand, one hand clasped over her mouth to stifle the sob that was sure to escape, the other clutching painfully at her side.

And then people were talking to her, they were all around her, all at once, their mouths kept moving but no sound was coming out. Her lungs were constricted, someone had pressed a heavy weight to her chest, and she couldn't get it off. And all she knew was that she knew no more.

A/N: I wanted to thank you for your lovely reviews again. They really encourage me to continue with this story, and I love to know what you guys think.

So please let me know what you thought of this chapter, and I hope you continue to read and review.

Thank you so much! :)