A/N Very sorry for the lateness, but my brother was in a car crash so I obviously had to be there for him. Thankfully, he's okay! Anyhow, I'll update the last two chapters of this story tonight to make up for it, and Girl No More should be up soon! As usual, major love to you all, especially my fab reviewers. Crossy70; I'm glad it seemed realistic, and bittersweet was exactly what I was going for so thank you :) Infernalbooks; Thank you for reviewing and I'm happy you like it!

Be prepared for more cliffhangers guys!

Year 13

Ron slipped into their bed and wrapped an arm around Hermione's shoulder, effectively drawing her attention away from the book she was reading and onto him. She placed the text on her bedside table before looking inquisitively at him. He gave her a small smile and kissed her gently, and she relaxed against him slightly, feeling as if the last terrible few years had never happened, and they were back to the happy newly-weds, or the best friends that they had been since she was twelve.

"Luna's twins are sweet, aren't they?" He asked out of the blue, and she simply nodded in reply. "What have she and Rolf called them again?"
"Lorcan and Lysander." She said with a slight smile.
He chuckled. "Trust Luna to go for unusual names."
"Hey!" She playfully swatted his arm. "Lysander is from a Shakespeare play, like my name."
He gave a small laugh again, pulling her tighter towards him. "It's perfect then." After another few minutes, he spoke again. "Louis and Dominique are growing up so quickly. What are they now, four and five?"
"Yes, they are. I swear young children have a fast-forward button on them." She agreed.
"What's a fast-forward button?"
"It doesn't matter."

Pulling back slightly, he started tracing light patterns on her shoulder, looking thoughtful. "Hugo's leaving next year." He said quietly, and she hummed in agreement, wondering where the odd subject had come from. "It's going to be quiet around here."
"It will be strange." She murmured.
"Maybe we should think about having another one?"
She raised her eyebrows at him; they hadn't discussed having another child for years. "I didn't realise you still wanted more children."
He gave a small shrug. "I love our kids, more can only be better, right? Besides," He shuffled uncomfortably, "with Hugo and Rose both gone..."
"What?" She prompted after a moments uncomfortable silence.
"Well, things haven't been great between us for a while..."
"Spit it out Ron." She joked lightly.
His light blue eyes fixed onto hers, and she was surprised to see a mixture of fear and sadness in them. "How do I know you wont leave me?" He whispered, nerves lacing his voice.

Her face blanched slightly; she certainly hadn't expected that. Rather than answering immediately, she thought properly about what he had said. Rose and Hugo were old enough now that it wouldn't affect them as dramatically as it would have years ago, things had been almost unbearable between them at times, and there was a very real possibility that his possessive behaviour would only increase next year when Hugo left. It would be easy to separate, easier perhaps than it had ever been before.

Her thoughts turned immediately to Bill; she knew that deep down their hearts belonged to one another, and always would. When he had held her on Platform 9 ¾ last year, it had felt inherently right to her, as it did whenever they were together, and though she didn't particularly like the idea of having another child with Ron, images flashed through her mind of her and Bill having more, sons and daughters that would grow up with the right father, in the right family. He hated Fleur, and the children he called his own would adjust, like hers, surely? They could finally allow their love to blossom, fan the smouldering embers that burned when they were close, share the life together that they both wanted. They could go back to the old days where they would wake up side by side before making breakfast together, curl up on a sofa in the evenings talking or simply enjoying one another's company, make passionate love until they were breathless but sated. She could attempt to cook for him or allow his fervent desire to consume them both when the full moon affected him, he could sooth her and help her relax when work was particularly difficult, they could kiss their children goodnight together. It could be perfect.

But then she noticed Ron still looking at her with concern, and realised that he would never forgive her if they divorced, yet alone if she suddenly confessed her unrelenting and unconditional love for his brother. He would hate her, all of the Weasleys would. She would be breaking not only her and Bill's families apart, but also the family that had cared for her as if she was one of their own. A voice in her head was screaming at her; who cares? Be selfish!

But she couldn't do it. So she ran a hand through the bright red hair that should be be darker, pressed a kiss to the cheek that should be scarred, and gazed into the light blue eyes that should be an intensely deep sapphire. "Ron, we've been best friends for over twenty years, and I married you because I love you. I'm not going anywhere, we just need to learn how to talk through our problems better. Having another child wont save our marriage, but I'm not going to leave you as soon as Hugo leaves." She reassured, smiling slightly as his whole face lit up happily.
"I love you so much 'Mione." He whispered after giving her a long, hard kiss. "I'll do anything to keep you, anything." And though his voice was sweet, she couldn't help but feel like his words unnervingly foreshadowed something terrible in their future.