(A/N) This may be a bit fluffy at times or a bit sad, I'm listening to Country music and Death Cab for Cutie – it varies the tone of my writing a bit :) there are parts of teh story which I just skip to something much more important and this doesn't put liek page breakers or anything in so sorry if its hard to read
Hermione sat at the kitchen table as her mind slowly woke up from a night of tossing and turning. The little baby in her was beginning to grow to the point where when Hermione looked down she could see the small bump growing bigger, and at only 3 months! Hermione could already tell she was going to be a big pregnancy. Ron stumbled into the kitchen rubbing his eyes, he spotted Hermione and walked up to her. His long arms wrapped around her hips and he brought her in for a morning kiss.
"Enough to wake anyone up," he muttered as they drew away.
Luna was sitting on her bed in Rory's room, brushing her long hair into loose pigtails. Rory was rooting through her clothing, picking out the warmest things she had. Ginny and Harry sat at on the couch, watching the morning news with Draco and Jess was looking through the bare fridge.
Ron rubbed Hermione's stomach softly, smiling up at her. "When's your appointment?" he asked her.
"Today at 11 am," Hermione replied.
"Wow, by noon today we'll know the sex of our little baby," he said as his smile widened.
"There is no food in here!" Jess moaned. "We ate everything last night!"
"Let's go to Luke's," Rory yelled back from her room, she strolled out with her hands filled with coats to the point that only her blue eyes peered over the mound. "He was overjoyed to see us last night but there was no chance for questions and answers."
"Have we got enough money for all of us?" Ron asked.
"Yeah, fifty bucks left, that'll swing brunch," Rory replied. She dumped all the coats onto the table and smiled triumphantly. "Enough coats for us girls," she explained. "But nothing that fits boys – I'm sorry."
"No worries, didn't want to wear some girl's coat anyway," said Ron with a smile.
"You guys, we're all going out for brunch," Rory called out.
Luna skipped out of Rory's bedroom with her faint smile and her make up reapplied. Draco met her in the kitchen doorway then followed her to the other side of the kitchen. Ginny and Harry walked in, hands entwined.
"The body count is rising," Harry said grimly as he took in everyone in the kitchen. It was a rather depressing statement and everyone in the room looked down to their feet, as if taking a moment of silence for the muggles who were dying as this magic war ripped through their innocnet lands.
"Where are we eating," Draco asked, clearing his throat. Everyone looked up and smiled.
"Luke's diner," Rory replied. She galnced out the window in the kitchen door. "Its sunny right now, which is good, but it could change quickly. We should get going now, Hermione does have her appointment to get to." Ginny, Luna, Rory and even Hermione gave a girlish squeal.
"Ok," said Jess slowly. "Now that we're over that."
"Girls – grab a coat. Let's go!" Rory said, throwing a thumb towards the front door.
Hermione picked up a green wool thigh long coat and buttoned it up, she let her hair fall out of its elastic and combed her fingers through it so it went out of her eyes. She turned and saw that Luna had chosen a white gortex coat that made her look quite similar to a marshmellow, Rory wore a cord jacket with a fur lining and Ginny wore a crimson red fitted jacket that reached her knees, it had double buttons and a belt that wrapped around her waist.
They went into the foyer and pulled on their shoes then left the house. The eight of them crowded the front porch as Rory pulled out her wand a subtly muttered the locking spell. They all filed out in pairs down the driveway and turned right up the sidewalk.
Hermione felt Ron's arm sneak around her waist and draw her in closer to his body. She was finding it hard to ignore the gawking the children did as they walked by their houses. Rory and Jess took to the head of the group and led them down the small town streets as a few cars drove by, all mud splattered and looking rather shabby.
"I wonder if Luke still has my car..." Jess wondered aloud. "I missed having my own set of wheels."
"Why would you miss that thing!" Rory laughed as they entered the town center. "It was a piece of junk!"
"You didn't think it was a peice of junk when it got us around," replied Jess.
"If its a boy... what are we going to call him?" Ron asked Hermione as he glanced around at everyone who had literally stopped in the street to look at Rory and her followers.
"What makes you so sure its a boy? What if its a girl?" Hermione asked him.
"Its practically a Weasley tradition!" Ron said proudly. "Always a boy first."
"Traditions can be broken," said Hermione with a shrug.
"I quite like it here," Luna said from behind them. "Its so safe, don't you think, Draco?"
"Yeah, no pressures from family or the ministry..." Draco muttered, rolling his white sleeves down his pale arms then threw an arm around her shoulder. "I can just be your boyfriend."
"Here we are!" Rory said, brandishing a hand to the diner that sat on the street corner. "Luke's diner. Try it once and you're hooked."
"My dearest Rory!" came an overjoyed cry from behind the group. They all parted and a burly man stepped through. He wore a suit that reminded Hermione of the men who sold sweets to children in the 1950s, he had a salt and pepper beard and white hair. He ran at Rory with open arms and then wrapped her in a tight hug.
"Hey Taylor! I'm home..." Rory coughed as he hugged her tightly.
"Oh, yes you are!" Taylor chuckled as he stepped away and with his white gloved hands he pinched her two cheeks and smiled.
"You remember Jess," Rory said, Taylor released her pale cheeks and she rubbed them.
"Of course, how could I forget Jess," Taylor said in a slightly more cold tone. He turned around and then came face to face with the rest of the group. They had all closed up the path they formed for the man and now stood in one solid group, trapping him. He eyed them suspisciously and smiled uncertainly. "Hello, all of you..."
"Oh Taylor!" Jess said, seeming to take pleaure in the man's discomfort. "These are our freinds from england!" Jess cocked a smile. "This is Ronald Weasley and his fiance' Hermione Granger."
"Hello there, Mr. Taylor." Hermione said with a smile and Ron just simply gave a small wave.
"And behind them are Luna Lovegood and Draco Malfoy," Jess continued.
"Hello there," Luna sang airly, Draco gave a small nod.
"And last but not least – Harry Potter and his fiance Ginny Weasley," Jess introduced. Hermione, Ron, Luna and Draco all moved to the right and Ginny and Harry waved over to Taylor.
"Yes, how do you all do? Quite an eclectic bunch, you are!" Taylor said, Hermione supposed she should take it as a compliment... "I'm Taylor Dosse, I own Dosse's Market and the ice cream shop, and well almost half the town!"
"Well it was nice to meet you," Hermione said sweetly when no one else was speaking.
"Come on all, let's go eat!" Rory said. She threw Taylor a broad smile then led them up the three stairs into the Diner, they filed past Taylor and smiled mysteriously. He turned around watched them file in, before entering the diner Luna yelled back at Taylor.
"Fliginpoops!" she yelled then skipped into the diner leaving Taylor standing dumbfounded on the sidewalk.
"What did you say to him," Draco asked as she reappeared at his side.
"I gave him a charm so all his Flinhipes leave," Luna replied.
"'Flinhipes'?" Ron asked, making sure he didn't offend Draco with his rather sceptical tone.
"They poof up his ego," Luna replied as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
"Oh, of course..." Ron muttered as he turned away.
"Hey, Rory!" Luke called as he came out from the kitchen. He had five o'clock shawdow at almost 10 am! He had a ball cap on backwards, he wore a dark blue singlet covered by a red plaid unbuttoned shirt and sloppy blue jeans. "Hey, Jess! Nice to see the time change hasn't kicked you in the butt."
"It has," Jess replied. "But we stay strong."
Luke clapped him on the back and gave hime a smile. "Good, good. Table for two?"
"No," Rory said, stepping aside to reveal the six others behind her. "All of us..."
"Oh yes, so table for eight?" asked Luke, surveying the diner, he then pointed to a round circular table that looked out onto the street. "This good?"
"That's perfect," Rory said with a smile.
They all sat down and opened up their menus. The diner had a family appeal, apart from Luke, and had comfy leather seats and slick table counter tops. Everyone in the diner seemed to be enjoying themselves as a few glanced over to have second looks at Rory – Hermione wondered why her return to the town was such a fascination to everyone...
They all ordered and Luke walked off, Rory gave a sideways smile and stood form the table. "I really should try and explain all this to him." she said.
"Good luck," Harry said rather lamely as she walked away, Jess getting up and following soon after.
"I wonder if this will have any affect on how fast our food will come..." Ron wondered as he gazed out onto the sun lit road.
"Always thinking about your stomach, eh Ron?" Draco asked with a cheeky smile.
"Shut it, I'm hungry I haven't eaten in ages!" Ron moaned.
Hermione glanced to the counter and saw Luke leading Jess and Rory behind a curtain and up the stiars, Rory gave Hermione a small friendly wave before treading up the stairs behind Luke. Their food was delivered a few minutes later by fat mexican man who gave them a wide smile before dashing back to the kitchen.
They pretty much ate in silence, word had gotten out that Rory and Jess had brought the six of them back from England and Hermione swore that people continued to walk by the window just on the sole purpose of getting a second glance. Soon enough 10:40 rolled around and Hermione had to get going to her appointment. She finished drinking her orange juice and stood from the table.
"Ok, I'm off," Hermione said with a smile. She picked up her coat from the back of her seat and began to do up the buttons as everyone said goodbye.
"Oh," Ginny said excitedly, jiggling around in her seat. "This is so exciting!" Harry smiled affectionately over at her.
"Can I walk you out?" asked Ron.
"Sure, honey," Hermione said, she waved goodbye and then turned to Ron who had stood up in his seat. He placed one hand on the small of her back and led her out of the diner. They walked in silence across the road that seemed quite warm in the sun, they arrived in the town square where a white gazebo sprouted out from under the mounds of snow. They stood looking at each other in the sunlight.
Ron's hand reached up and brushed Hermione's hair out of her face. She smiled up at his pale face, the sun lighting his hair on fire. He bent down and kissed her softly, Hermione let her arms warp around his waist, dwelling in the strength and security of his presence.
"Come right back to Rory's house," he said after they had stopped kissing, but still had their arms wrapped tightly around each other. "Let's not forget Rory's friend Lane was killed here."
"I promise, I'll run as fast as I can," Hermione replied. They drew apart and smiled.
"You know, its about the time that..." Ron began but Hermione shook her head.
"I can't do that, not today, not to him." Hermione replied, her eyes felt the hot sting of tears.
"But soon, Hermione," Ron replied. "We've taken enough risks in that department already."
"I know," Hermione replied, her hand running down his cheek, the purple gem in her engagemnt ring sparkling. "I have to go to my appointment now."
"I can't wait untill you come back..." said Ron. Hermione squared her shoulders and smiled at him, she gave his hand a final comforting squeeze before she began to walk past him, to the doctor's office. "I love you, Hermione Granger!" he yelled after her, a few other people in the street stopped and looked round at him. Hermione giggled and threw him a kiss before hurrying her steps.
Ron leaned against the kitchen counter in Rory's kitchen, his shoes scuffing the yellow floor. He galnced up at the clock – 11:50, time was going unbearably slow to him. Harry and Rory walked in, their arms filled with paper grocery bags with 'Dosse's Market' in yellow letters across the front.
"Where the hell is Hermione?" Ron moaned as the brother and sister placed the bags on the table. "I mean honestly, how long does an ultrasound take?"
"I don't know," Rory said with a shrug. "Where she should be is right here spending..." she paused for a dramatic affect as she out drew her fat wallet and showed off her thick bundle of hundreds. "Is spending some of Harry's hard earned, then pawned, gold money!"
"Ah," drawled Draco as he sauntered into the kitchen. "That's why you bought things like... marshmellows and chocolate..." he said as he with drew three large dove chocalte blocks out of a brown bag.
"The food of champions," Rory replied as she continued to unpack more unhealthy food.
"How goes the wait?" Draco then asked Ron as he rubbed his face.
"Terrible," Ron replied. "What did you get to drink, Rory?"
"Uh, pepsi max, mountain dew, apple juice, rootbeer and actual beer," she replied, bringing out the different bottles.
"Uh, I have no idea what any of those are... so rootbeer," Ron replied.
"Me too," Ginny called from the living room.
"God, she has freakishly good hearing," Harry muttered.
"I'll take that as a compliment sweetie!" yelled Ginny again.
"This is a nice little town," Draco said as he sat down on the kitchen table, he grabbed a small bag of pretzels, opened it and began to munch down. "It seems family friendly – is it?"
"Very so," Rory replied, pride in her voice. "What are you getting at Draco?" she handed Ron a full glass of rootbeer, what ever that was, Ron drank deep and actually did like the full tatse.
"Oh nothing really. Good realestate?" Draco asked again.
"Yeah, there's always a cottage house for sale somewhere..." Rory replied suspiciously.
"Honey! I'm home!" Hermione's voice sang through the house. She ran into the kitchen, stripping off her long coat.
"Hermione," Ron sighed, putting down his glass. She ran to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding tight. "Well..."
They drew apart, and Hermione stood and gazed up at him, her brown eyes shining and her dark pink lips spread in a smile. Everyone crowded the kitchen, all noise had stopped, Ron couldn't even breathe as he watched her open her mouth to utter the words.
"Its a boy!" she squealed, and the whole kitchen erupted in cheers. Ron wrapped his long arms around her and lifted her from the floor. She laughed as he twirled her around and then brought her back down, enclosing his lips on her own. He felt the tears roll down his cheeks as she kissed him back, still laughing between his lips.
"Give me a hug you big cry baby!" Ginny called, Ron and Hermione withdrew and began hugging everyone. "Oh god, I'm so proud of my big brother!" cried Ginny as they hugged tightly.
"If I hug you," Ron heard Luna began, he opened his eyes and looked over Ginny's shoulder to watch Hermione and Luna. "I make myself vulnerable to Yundies..."
"Oh," Hermione siad, looking sad.
'But, I'll take the risk – just for you." Luna said. Hermione brightened up as Luna's pale arms wrapped around her.
Harry sat on his bed in the boys' upstairs bedroom, Ron sat on the bed opposite and Hermione sat next to him. Harry's green eyes took in the pair as if he already knew what they were going to say. Hermione fidgeted with her new clothes that Harry had bought them all.
Hermione had bought wide legged dark blue jeans that clung to her thighs nicely, and wore a pink argyle sweater on top, and for shoes she wore black leather lace up high heels. Ron wore blue jeans and a black and white striped sweater and blue converse, which made his red hair and blue eyes stand out. Harry wore a green zipup sweater over a grey singlet and black stove pipe jeans and grey Vans.
"Harry," Ron began looking down at his hands. "We really wanted to tell you before but we never found the time..." Hermione rested her hand on Ron's.
"Look, Harry," Hermione began.
"I know you guys." Harry said, cutting them both off.
"You know?" Hermione spluttered, glancing at Ron, he just shrugged then looked back at Harry.
"Yeah, Ginny and I were talking about it, and she mentioned you weren't even going to go back to Hogwarts," said Harry. "She didn't want to rat you out – but she had my best interests at heart..."
"We just want to protect our unborn son," said Ron.
"I completely understand," Harry said. "You can't stay with us and risk Hermione and the child being hurt. And if Ginny and I were in your shoes, I wouldn't leave her alone either."
There was a knock at the door. Rory poked her head in and gave the three of them a sad smile.
"Sookie and Jackson are here to take Ron and Hermione to the Inn." Rory said, stepping into the room. She wore a purple dress that clung tighly to her chest then fanned out down to her knees, she wore grey tights and black pump high heels.
"All the nessecary spells have been cast on the Dragonfly?" Harry asked standing from his bed.
"Of course," Rory replied. "Ready?"
Hermione nodded and stood from the bed, she followed Ron, Harry and Rory out of the bedroom and down the stairs. Their one bag of luggage between the two of them sat in the foyer and eveyone else stood in the living room, shuffling their feet. Hermione and Ron walked in and looked at all their faces.
"We'll miss you all," Hermione said. Ginny let out a cry and wrapped her arms around Ron.
"Promise me we'll see each other again," Ginny pleaded into his shirt.
"I promise," Ron coughed, trying to cover up the fact he was close to tears like everyone else.
"Say your goodbyes, we don't have much time," Rory said from the door way. Hermione hugged her way around the room, finishing at Draco.
"Thank you, Hermione," Draco whispered into her ear.
"For what?" Hermione whispered back.
"For giving me the oppurtunity or this kind of life, this happiness," he replied, squeezing her tighter. "I never got a chance to say it."
"Well, I'm glad you found happiness with Luna," Hermione said back as they drew away. "She's truly worth it – treat her well."
"Will do." He replied with a smile.
"Bye, everyone!" Hermione called as Ron picked up their bag. "Love you."
"Bye you guys," they all replied, a few dabbing subtly at their eyes. Hermione left the living room and slipped on her new grey plaid blazer with leather elbow patches, she did up the three buttons then wrapped her long purple scarf around her neck, taking care not to mess her hair that had been put into a messy braided bun. Ron put on his lether jacket and Harry slipped on his wool black jacket and Rory slipped on her knee length black coat that buttoned up at the breast then floated free.
Rory opened the front door and on the street a deep blue SUV was parked, the door open and the inner light on, revealing a bearded man at the wheel and a round smiling woman standing next to the car on the sidewalk, waving at the four of them.
They walked down the driveway, past the snow covered lawn, and up to the car. The woman, who Hermione assumed was Sookie, brought Rory in for a hug then looked at Harry with smiling eyes. She then looked over his shoulder and saw Ron and Hermione, hand in hand.
"You must be the fugitive couple," Sookie said. "Sookie Belleville." she held out her hand.
Ron leant past Rory and Harry and shook it, "Ronald Weasley, and this is my fiance Hemrione Granger." Sookie shook Hermione's hand also.
"Oh I remember being pregnant, it seems so long ago!" she siad, Hermione felt immediatly comfortable with the woman.
"Shall we get going?" the man called from the car.
"And that's my husband," Sookie explained.
"No time like the present," Rory replied and they all got into the car.
Hermione glanced out the window and saw that everyone had crowded around the living room window, watching the car drive away to the inn, and away from that part of their life.
The car began to shake from side to side as they travelled down a dirt road, Hermione looked from the back seat and into the purple sky as it lit up the apple orchids wheere bare trees sprouted out from the white blanket of snow, and in the distance Hermione heard horses neighing. Her hand slipped across her lap and along the leather seating and found Ron's, the two hands grasped to each other for much needed comfort as the four other passengers in the car conversed.
"You might not hear this a lot, Harry," Sookie said, turning in her seat to look at the twins. "But you look like your mother when you frown like that."
"Does she know?" Ron whispered to Rory as subtly as he could.
"Yeah, she was the only one of Mom's friends who knew her back when she was with Dad," Rory whispered back.
"Does Luke know?" Jackson asked rather roughly from the front seat.
"You'll have to excuse my husband – this is all very new to him," Sookie said sweetly.
'New?!" Jackson cried, with a small laugh. "Rory is a witch, she's a witch because she takes after her father – who happens to be a wizard! And the fun doesn't stop there kids, oh no! Rory has a twin brother, Harry, who is also a wizard and now he and his friend have taken Rory and thrown her into a battle agaisnt a super mega killing wizard!"
Hermione had to hide her smile as Sookie rubbed her husband's arm.
"Yes, Luke knows, we told him today at brunch, he didn't speak for awhile then he started laughing – saying it all makes sence now," Rory said.
"Here we are," Sookie called and they all put their faces to the glass to see the brightly lit inn in the slowly darkening sky. "The Dragonfly Inn."
The car parked and they all stepped out, taking in the tranquil scene. Surrounding the Inn were bare tall oak trees where birds weaved in and out of the branches finding their nests. Off in the distance Hermione saw the stables where the horses neighed from. They all turned and faced the inn, it had a homely appeal, the warm lights eminating from it seemed like open arms, beckoning them in. Sookie and Jackson led the way up the stairs and into the warm inn.
Sookie went behind the front desk and picked out a set of keys, she then turned and began to walk up the stairs. "Follwo me," she said kindly and they all obeyed, Jackson brining up the rear. She led them down a long hallway, to the last room at the end. She put the key in the lock and pushed the door open.
Their room was rather small, but cosy, it had a king sized bed with yellow and gold sheets. The walls were light green and had a few water color paintings hanging. There was a large window on the right wall and the bathroom was to the left. There was an orange and green rug on the floor and a wardrobe on the wall opposite the bed.
"Cozy, isn't it?" Sookie said.
"Its more then I even dared expect," Hermione replied.
"At the Dragonfly Inn we have breakfast at 8am, lunch at noon and dinner at 7pm." Sookie began. "Horse rides are free and you're welcome to go to the apple feilds, though its not their season. We're all friendly, except Michel, I'd avoid him. And I will send up any food you wish, just place an order."
"You're a cook," Hermione asked.
"The best," Rory answered, it made Sookie blush.
"Oh you flatterer," Sookie said. "I'll give you four a moment alone. We'll be waiting by the car to take you two back," she finsihed. Sooke bustled Jacson out of the room, handed Ron the key, then closed the door behind her.
"We might not be back by the time you give birth to your son," said Rory.
"That's months away, you think it'll take that long?" asked Hermione, she clung even tighter to Ron's hand as he bit his bottom lip.
"I don't know," Harry said with a shrug. "But I wouldn't expect us back any time soon."
"How much does this room cost?" Hermione asked Rory.
"You have it for free," replied Rory. "Sookie did it as a personal favour for Mom and for myself."
Harry reached into his pocket and brought out his wallet, he took out all the hundred bills he had and gave it to them. Ron fumbled the money in his left hand, counting them.
"This is 4000 dollars," Ron stuttered. "I can't take this..." he offered it back to Harry
"Ron, it'll bearly cover food!" Harry said, shoving the money back agsint Ron's chest. "You're going to have to work here, this is the least I can do."
"Wait what?" Ron asked.
"I was just about to tell you that," Rory interjected. "Its all settled - I talked to Jackson, Ron – you're going to be helping Jackson out in his green house during the week, it gets you about 75 a day, it'll help you get things for the baby when the time draws nearer."
"Oh, right... Thanks," Ron said with a small smile, he folded the money and put it in the front pocket of their luggage.
"Where are you going to go now?" Hermione asked.
"We might stay in Stars Hollow for a bit longer, stack up on supplies, practice a bit more and study up some spells, then who knows, we might go back to Hogwarts and camp out in the room of requirement..." Harry replied.
"It all really depends on where our research takes us," Rory replied.
"I'll miss you guys so much," Hermione cried, wrapping her arms around Rory's neck.
"Not as much as I'll miss you," Rory replied. Hermione then let go and looked over at Harry. In the blink of and eye all three of them had moved from their stock still position to a three way hug. They all clung to each other tightly.
"We're still with you, mate, in your heart," said Ron.
"We'll see eachother again," Harry said to them.
"You swear it," Hermione asked, holding back her tears.
"I swear it," Harry said.
"I love you, Harry, I do," she whispered though her quiet sobs.
"I do too, mate," Ron said.
"Thanks you guys," Harry said, standing back, their arms fell to their sides. Hermione's chest rose and fell with her sobs, her eyes were red and her tears leaked down her cheeks. Harry kept wiping his eyes and Ron kept biting his lips.
"Goodbye you two," Rory said as the siblings walked towards the door.
"Come get us when the war's over," Hermione said with a sad smile.
"Will do, Hermione," Rory said, she waved bye to Ron then opened the door and left, Harry glanced back one last time then closed the door behind him.
Hermione broke down and let out a long moan, sitting down on the bed. Her mind racing over all the memories the trio had, Ron stood next to her, rubbing her back. The memories of her past echoed off the walls.
"There they go," Ron said, Hermione got off the bed and walked to the window, hand in hand with Ron. Sure enough the dark blue SUV was driving back toward the town along the thin dirt road.
"Bye mate," Ron said as the car disappeared amongst the trees.
Hermione turned and clung to Ron's shirt, crying her heart out.
"Will he be ok," she asked through her sobs, looking up at his blue eyes and noticing his eyelashes were damp.
"So long as we believe he will be," Ron replied. Hermione moved up and kissed his lips, her own shaking as they touched his. Light at first but then as the reality hit them that they were all each other had, they gripped to each other, afriad they might slip away. Ron's hands burshed against her stomach and they both smiled.
"Its all beacuse of this little thing." Hermione muttered, still not letting go of Ron. "Who knew something so small could have such an impact on our life..." he bent down and they kissed once more, letting the whole world slip away.
(A/N) Its sad but true- that's going to be the last you see of Ron and Hermione until the end of the story. I didn't want to do it, but it was nessecary...
In the next chapter Luna realises Draco means it...