I'm still looking for a beta people! Well, read, enjoy, review and get ready because next chapter things are getting ugly.
Thanks,
Em.
"Diagon Alley!" Hermione shouted, throwing down her handful of grey powder and green flames engulfed her from toe to head. She appeared in the pub fireplace, brushing off the dust and stepping out, almost falling over with a small dizzy spell. She hadn't felt strong enough to apparate and she never wanted to repeat the experience of side apparation and especially with a quidditch player; they were known for their volatile apparation.
'Where is Ginny?' she wondered, tapping her foot impatiently, 'Oh Merlin, she's left me alone. How am I going to do this?'
She walked over to the barman, Tom, who was wiping a recently vacated table, "Sorry, but have you seen a ginger girl come through here?"
"Er, no love," he said, looking up and smiling apologetically, "Sorry."
After about another minute of hanging around, she abandoned waiting and went to leave the Leaky Cauldron, carefully avoiding a girl about to take a sip of her exploding lemonade.
Walking into diagon alley with what felt like the weight of the world on her shoulders was somewhat akin to walking into a wall of sound; there was no escaping the constant noise, but at the same time she absorbed none of it.
She walked down the cobbled streets with an unfamiliar rigidness, winding her way to the bright orange display of the twins' shop. When she got there, she was confused by the lack of giggling girls and rampant children racing past the window and went to the door where a large piece of parchment hung, reading:
'Sorry, closed for business. Closed to all unless directly related to us.
PS. Ron, you don't count!'
Rolling her eyes, she grabbed the handle, taking a deep breath and pushing the door, stepping into the colourful shop. The place seemed quite lonely, Hermione thought, without the joyful laughter and furious shouts of all the patrons that usually filled the place.
'I guess he's in the back,' she thought, flipping up the counter and heading behind to their workshop, 'Oh, he's not here…'
Taking in the odd stench of the boys creations, she let out the breath she'd been holding and perched on the potions desk.
"So what do I say first?" she mumbled, chewing just light enough to not break out of her thoughts, "I guess that I'm pregnant has to come into it somehow. But I can't just say I'm pregnant, can I?"
She stood up and thought about what she would do if he was in front of her now, "Okay, I'm just telling him that I'm going to have the baby and he can be as involved as he wants… no need to complicate things."
"So how do I start? I'm having your child? No, to clinical. Erm, I'm up the duff seems vulgar. I'm pregnant, I'm pregnant, I'm," she stopped and placed a hand on her stomach, closing her eyes and breathing in like the air was confidence, "I'm pregnant, Fred, and it's yours. That's what I'll say."
Sighing she nodded decisively, trying to shake her fear out from her hands.
"Anyone home?" she called, tramping up the stairs into the twins' flat. She shuddered as she thought of the last time she'd been there, and the reason.
"Er one sec Hermione, I'm just-" a ginger haired twin called from the kitchen.
"That's fine, no problem," she said, trying to keep the fear from her voice.
"Ginny's here," he said, pointing wildly over at the general direction of the bedroom, "Just grabbing me something she'll be out in a minute."
Hermione looked over to see the door ajar. Thinking about what and decided she best tell him now, before she came out.
'Short and sweet, just like I rehearsed,' she said to herself.
"I'm-" she froze as panic set in, she couldn't watch the man whose life she was about to ruin as she told him the worst news ever, "I-I"
"You're what?"
"We used to be ducklings, didn't we? You know, you and I were just swimming in the pond of life with the other ducklings and not really worried about anything. But like, now we're not, you know, ducklings but we're not exactly ducks either and you know I think if we had another duckling we could deal with it - unless you don't want to deal with it and that's fine and I guess I understand that I'll just leave the pond and you know, raise the duckling alone and…"
"Hermione, what are you talking about?" he said, turning to see her.
She twisted quickly to avoid his gaze, scrunching her fists and shaking her hands in frustration, "Look, I know I'm pussyfooting around but-"
"Oh 'Mione, that's not-" Ginny interjected, coming out of the bedroom, only to be interrupted by her grinning brother.
"I just don't know what you're going on about," he laughed. It curbed, however, when he saw the look on his younger sister's face, "Tell me what's going on."
'Fuck it!'Hermione huffed, 'I'm just telling him.'
"I'm pregnant, Fred," she blurted, waiting for a second before adding, "And you're the father, by the way - but you, erm, kind of got that."
There was a lapse as no one spoke for a second, and Ginny was about to jump in when a newly determined Hermione carried on.
"I really don't care if you don't like me anymore and you want to have nothing to do with me or my baby whatsoever; that doesn't change the fact that it is yours and I know that for certain," she insisted, biting her lip, "And I'm keeping it as well. I'm not losing this child, even if I have to raise him all by myself."
"It's not Fred, Hermione," George said, crossing his arms as the shock disappeared and frustration replaced it, "Though I would like to know why you think my brother would abandon you and your apparent baby."
"George?" she whipped around, furrowed brows and a deathly white complexion, "You're not Fred?"
"What's going on guys?" Fred said, who had come up the stairs at the noise. He looking worriedly over to the shocked expression on the twin's face. Hermione looked like she was about to faint.
"Er, nothing Fred, I was just telling George that Angelina had come into St Mungo's," she said, forcing a smile for him, "You know how working in Gringott's can be."
"What?" George asked, wondering what she was going on about now, "Angelina's-"
"You know George, I was telling you about how Angelina told someone about the project she was working on for the goblins and somehow she ended up hurt," she said, emphasising the most important words, "I fixed her up, but the poor dear really should be more careful."
"Oh, I hope she's okay," he smiled, patting his brother on the back, completely missing the glare on his face, "Give her my best."
"I will."
"So, is that the reason you're here, Gin? To wish her the best?"
"Er, no. I came with 'Mione because we're going somewhere after this," she improvised, looking over to Hermione with wide eyes.
"Oh yeah, we should be going, shouldn't we?"
"Er, are you sure there's nothing else, Hermione?" Ginny frowned, "Nothing you want to say?"
"Oh, yes, George if you want to see Angelina, come over later," she said.
"I don't know, maybe I should just see her when I see her," he said, looking nervously from her to Fred.
"No, I insist! As soon as you're done, just head on over to mine and I can take you to her," she grinned, grabbing Ginny's arm and apparating them both.
"Mate, that sounds bad," Fred sighed, looking over to his worried twin, "Are you sure you don't want to go now?"
"No, it was nothing big," he shrugged, "So, how was Harry?"
"Fine, fine," Fred smiled, sitting down next to his brother, "He seemed a bit worried about 'Mione."
"Oh, why?" George asked, trying to act casual as he wondered if Harry knew.
"He hasn't seen her in a while, apparently," Fred told him, "And earlier today the Harpies flooed him asking where Ginny was. He said she'd gone over to the hospital for lunch with Hermione but she didn't come back to practice and they couldn't get hold of her."
"Oh dear," George nodded, getting up.
"Yeah, but I guess she must've been with Angelina then."
"Yeah, nothing to worry about."
"Talking of Angelina, you probably should go, shouldn't you mate," he said, inclining his head to the side, "And I should be getting over to mums - she says she wants us for dinner tonight as we closed the shop early for Friday."
"Yeah, course," George said, trying to get out of lying to his twin, "I can go tomorrow though, if mum wants us."
"Why?"
"Well, if I went now, I wouldn't be getting out before dinner," George winked, "I'll see you later."
"I guess I can tell her I good luck and get well, then," he smiled.
"Yeah, okay," he said, watching his twin head over to the fireplace he had just come from, "But she's not the one who needs it."
Hermione was shuffling around her kitchen, the hem of her pretty grey dress swishing around her thighs. She leaned over to grab the golden syrup from the shelf and placed it next to the ceramic bowl she was using, reaching for the scales above her microwave.
Tonight was Sunday dinner at the Weasley's and she really didn't want to turn up empty-handed so she was making her signature sweet: sticky toffee pudding. To be quite honest, she wasn't actually planning on going - even though she still hadn't been for three weeks - but the two days since she'd accidentally told George about the little Weasley in her stomach had been agonising and it wasn't doing anything good for the baby. Turning on the wireless before starting to sort out her ingredients, she smiled as she recognised the song playing.
"Say nighty night and, kiss me," she sung softly, if not slightly off-key, and weighed out what she needed for her grandma's famous Victoria sponge, "Just hold me tight and tell me you've missed me."
Flicking her wand toward the wooden spoon sitting next to her mixing bowl, it began to beat the mixture as she swayed to the music and walked over to sort the oven, "While I'm alone and blue as can be, dream a little dream of me."
"I do love golden syrup," she smiled, dipping the tip of her pinky finger into the tub and licking it off, "Right, this has to be perfect - it won't do having Molly think I'm a whore that can't even cook."
"Why are you a whore today, Hermione?"
Hermione jumped in shock at hearing another voice in her apartment. Though one she'd gotten over the initial shock, she knew who was here and giggled, "Well, Luna, I may as well tell you - I'm pregnant."
"Merlin, that's wonderful!" she beamed, wrapping her arms around her friend in excitement, "You're pregnant!"
"Yeah, I'm thinking not everyone's going to be as ecstatic as you."
"Oh I don't know," Luna frowned, looking Hermione up and down for any changes, "I've always known that you'll make a great mother. And last week I saw a Doozy Crudivore last Thursday and they always mean big news is coming."
"Of course," Hermione giggled, "What colour were its hooves?"
After the battle, Hermione had taken it upon herself to get more involved with Neville and Luna's lives - instead of just hanging around with Harry and Ron - and she was very glad she had. Neville had surprised her with his extensive knowledge of herbology and together they'd managed to sort the wonky system St Mungo's had for ordering their potions. She went to see him and Hannah Abbot, his wife, up in Hogsmeade at the Leaky Cauldron when the students had a day out in the little village. Harry sometimes came too, but being an auror was a time-consuming business.
As for Luna, the first thing Hermione did was learn all about the creatures she was going on about all the time. After getting past the idea of Crumple-Horned Snorkak existing, she'd found some really interesting things - they'd become closer as Luna floated almost fully down to earth and Hermione let her imagination run riot and soon they were even almost as close as her and Ginny had been. The only person closer to Hermione was Harry.
"I did think I saw some Bumbershoots that night, you know-" she raised her eyebrows, "I guess I should have paid more attention because you know what Bumbershoots mean."
"Fertility," Luna nodded, "I'm guessing this was the night of Ron's wedding then?"
"How did you know!" Hermione asked, shocked, "I thought you were under the table with someone half the night?"
"No, that was Nev and Hannah," she informed her friend, "Why does everyone seem to get us confused?"
"The hair," she said distractedly, "But how did you know?"
"Well I was with Rolf, you know, my boyfriend for most of the night. But then I saw you talking to Molly and you seemed upset but there were Bumbershoots everywhere so I kind of sent your baby's maker in your direction," she trailed off, looking up.
"You what?"
"Well you just looked so down and I knew you'd have some great sex because sometimes they just mean a really passionate romp under the duvet, not babies."
"Oh Luna," Hermione sighed, having completely abandoned making the cake by hand and letting her magic take over, "I really appreciate the thought, but this probably isn't the best outcome."
"Hey!" she protested, pointing a slim, pale finger at her friend, "Don't say that. Any baby, planned or not, is a blessing for the whole family - anyway, it doesn't matter if everyone else isn't happy. I'm happy for you, Harry will obviously be happy for you and most importantly you are happy."
"I am happy," she smiled, "I just don't know if Fred will be."
"I think he could surprise you, Mione. He's a very good man," Luna said seriously.
"Is he a man? I mean, he works at a joke shop for Merlin's sake!"
"Don't you mean he owns a joke shop? A very successful joke shop that has set him and George up for a very prosperous future. A future with a nice wife to support and a few little babies to look after…"
"But he doesn't want any of that with me Luna! I was the mistake, the one night stand we can't tell anyone about," Hermione cried, before sighing and looking down, "What about any of that is romantic and loving? This child was made by accident to parents who don't even love each other."
"You used to like Fred in Hogwarts, didn't you?"
"Yes, but a childhood crush is nothing compared to real love, the kind of love you need to raise a baby."
"Hermione, don't crack all you're eggs before they've hatched, will you? You don't know how this is going to play out, but no matter what I'll be there for you. Have you told anyone else?"
"Well Carmen at work knows, and I told Ginny when I first found out," she sighed, thinking about the visitor she was expecting, "I did go to tell Fred then, but you know how people mix the two up."
"What!" Luna gasped, a giggle escaping her lips before she could stop it. She covered her mouth with her hands as Hermione glared at her.
"It's not funny!"
"Yes it," she breathed in, "is!"
Luna burst into fits of laughter and Hermione couldn't help but join in at the thought of something so ridiculous.
"You idiot!" she exclaimed, "What did he say?"
"Well at the time I was really nervous so I sort of said that he - I mean Fred - didn't have to be involved in it and he got really mad because he thought I was offending Fred's honour or something and Ginny was just standing there awkwardly, which didn't help."
"Oh my Merlin, that's priceless."
"Shut up! It was awful," Hermione said, smiling at the flushed face of her friend, "I just apperated out of there once Fred came up."
"Fred?"
"Yeah, he came up and interrupted George so I just told George to come over and apperated away.
"Merlin, you are brilliant," Luna beamed, "So has he come over?"
"No, not yet. That's why I'm going to the Weasley's tonight," Hermione told her, motioning to the oven where her cake was baking, "I'm hoping to withhold cake for information; there's not one person that can resist the call of Grandma's pudding."
"Ooh, is that the stuff you made for Harry's birthday last year?"
"No, that was a treacle sponge."
"But that was so nice," Luna groaned, "All that goopy syrup and moist sponge…"
"Ah, but this is even better," Hermione said, holding her finger out to stop Luna's next words, "You see, this is just my like treacle sponge but nothing like it at all."
"That makes so much sense," she said rolling her eyes, mocking her friend, "Hey everyone, this is Loony Granger… Hermione Granger."
"Hey, that happened one time and I'm really sorry about that," Hermione said, pouting, "Anyway, you can't be mean to a pregnant lady, can you now?"
"I wouldn't exactly call you a lady," Luna giggled, and Hermione huffed standing up to start on her sauce.
"Laugh all you want, but you keep picking on each me, then you aren't getting any of this."
"I guess I'm coming with you then?" she asked, "That's fine, I love Mrs Weasley's chicken pie."
"And you don't like mine?" Hermione bit her lip, "How am I ever going to be a good mother if I can't even make a pie!"
"Wow, these pregnancy hormones are really getting to you," Luna said as her friend panicked over the hob, "You mustn't worry Mione, at least you're not telling Fred today."
"I know, I know," she said, fiddling with her necklace, "Do you think I look fat in this?"