And here is the next installment. Im sorry for the delay but life has taken priority and I had several dead ends in this chapter. I hope you enjoy!
In the end, Ron found a very small cottage for rent on the edge of Hogsmeade. It had two small bedrooms, the second was hardly large enough to be considered more than a closet. However it would do for a crib, a small dresser, and a rocker, and had a nice view of the woods. The bathroom was tiny, but sufficient for their needs, and the combined living room and kitchen was just enough for them. He had even managed to fit a decent size desk in the corner of the room for Hermione's studies. Harry had helped him outfit the place with furniture since it had none, but had refused when Harry had offered him money to pay for the place. He had only accepted the furniture because it was out of the Grimmauld Place attic and wasn't in use anyway. After speaking to Minister Shacklebolt, he had managed to get a large enough pay advance to keep them set until he began getting a steady paycheck. He wouldn't ask his parents for money when they would be furious about the entire situation. He could only imagine what his mother would say at his living with Hermione and not being married.
That night, he walked quietly through the orchard with Hermione. He described in detail the plan for her to finish school, the place he found for them to live, and that he would start work the following Monday. She told him about the adorable clothes that she and Ginny had found, the crib that she had looked at, but had refused to buy until it was clear they wouldn't lose the baby, and described in detail the soft green baby blanket that she had permitted herself to buy. Harry had refused to take the money back, saying she was required to spend it all on baby things at her leisure.
"So I was thinking we should tell the family, and move into the cottage. We are already paying for it so we might as well be comfortable. You can start studying and I'll be starting work Monday. It'll give us our own space and then you won't have to worry about hiding it. Plus I'd rather deal with Mum's wrath now rather than wait farther in. I think it'll only get worse if we wait. Also, I'd like to be able to hold you close again. It's been too long since I've been allowed to sleep next to you." He loved walking with her close to him, her hand enveloped by his.
She hesitated, once again she felt out of control, but at the same time, it was the best and most logical plan. They could move in this weekend, and be on their own. "I guess it's for the best. We can't keep it a secret forever, and I'd rather have you close. It's too hard to sleep without you close anymore. How about we do it tomorrow after dinner? Everyone will be there, and it'll give me a chance to pack in case things get really rough. I know your mother won't be happy."
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The next evening brought Ron and Hermione sitting on the sofa across from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. She had her hands grasped around her beaded bag. It held all of their personal possessions, just in case Mr. or Mrs. Weasley became enraged over the situation. Ron sat with one arm around her shoulder and the other resting on her knee. He wouldn't look up. "So Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Weasley, we have some major news that may come as a shock. We understand it will seem very sudden with the war, but we need to tell you and we can't afford it to get out to the general public."
"Oh you're engaged! I just knew it! You two have been off by yourselves so much recently! Another wedding, I can't wait!" Mrs. Weasley had jumped from her place on the love seat and had started towards the couple when Hermione held up her hand.
"Mrs. Weasley, no we are not engaged. Please sit down. We have other news." Mrs. Weasley hesitated and reclaimed her spot next to Mr. Weasley who was now staring intently at then both. "Some things happened when we were on the run. Things we weren't prepared for. But, we are trying to be prepared now. The war is over and our lives are changing. I'm going back to school, Ron is starting with the Aurors on Monday, and…well…and we are going to have a baby."
Mrs. Weasley was stunned into silence. Her eyes were bulging and she stared back at the both of them with her mouth hanging half open. Her voice came out as almost a whisper, "Ronald Weasley, you got Hermione pregnant in our house?" her shock was palpable.
"um, Mum, that's kind of impossible. We just got back here and Hermione is already in her second trimester. She was pregnant long before the war was even over. We aren't even sure if the baby will make it still but we wanted to tell you. The healers are worried that she could still miscarry because of the physical trauma she suffered at Malfoy Manor."
Her voice was a screech now, "You let her into the Battle of Hogwarts pregnant? How could you be so foolish? And you're not marrying her? How could you do this? She can't go to school like this. What are her parents going to say when they get back? I let their daughter get pregnant when she was in my care. I can't believe you were so stupid to let this happen!"
It was Hermione's turn to speak, "Mrs. Weasley. I am going back to school, that has already been handled. Ron wasn't even aware of the baby until recently. I didn't tell him because I didn't even have it confirmed until after Malfoy Manor. I wasn't going to distract anyone from the ultimate task we had at hand for something that might end up being pointless. Like Ron said, I could still easily miscarry but we wanted you two to know what was happening in our lives. My parents are still missing and we need your support. This is a challenging enough time for us."
"You have our support Hermione that is not a question, but clearly our supervision of you two will have to be stronger. You aren't married and you are having a child. This is unacceptable. You two need to set this right. I'll also be placing a few sensory charms to ensure everyone stays in their appropriate rooms from now on!" Mrs. Weasley was getting worked up now, and both Ron and Hermione saw the direction this was headed.
"Mum, once again, this didn't happen here. Nothing happened here. We aren't getting married anytime in the near future. We have our plan and we are sticking to it. We hope you'll support us in that."
"Well Ronald, clearly I can't have you two living shacked up with a baby under our roof. You will need to get married and set this right."
"No actually, we are moving out. Hermione needs to be close to Hogwarts for the program she is in, and we plan on living together as a couple, with our child. We are not getting married any time soon. Hermione's health, our child, and her education come well before that."
"Well you can't just leave. You have nowhere to go. It isn't safe for you to just go out into open on your own."
"We are going. Tonight in fact. We've already got a place in Hogsmeade. Bill helped place the protective enchantments. We will be fine." He was on his feet now and he was pulling Hermione to her feet. They strode to the kitchen where he tossed the green powder into the fireplace. "Mum, Dad, I love you both but we are moving tonight. If you'd like to visit, Harry knows where we are. He will be more than happy to bring you guys over. We will see you later." They couldn't hear the direction he mumbled but they were gone in a swirl of green flames and ash.