A/N: Here's a long one for everyone who has been waiting so patiently! I apologize for the wait, but its finals time and half of my thesis is due! Anyways, thank you all for your lovely and encouraging reviews, they really make me want to keep writing!

Chapter 9:

September 8th 1999

"Pregnant?!" gasped Hermione as she shook her fuzzy thoughts awake. Crowded by three Healers, she attempted to peer through the curtained barrier to Lavender's bedside.

One of the Healers started clicking their tongue, "Not you my dear, you must have simply overheard incorrectly. However, I do not think today is the right time to be running tests on you. Why don't you reschedule for next week? In the mean time get some rest; you're showing signs of exhaustion and stress."

Hermione rolled her eyes, Stress … no! Why on earth would I be stressed? I work with a man that I loathe and that loathes me in return, I live with a man that may be having a baby with another woman, my best friend is a considerably older woman and her infant grandson … stressed?! Never.

Looking up at the three Healers, she was about to make excuses when she overheard Laveder's Healer telling her she could go. Hermione changed tactics quickly and as fast as she could, said "Yes, yes, of course. I'll be back next week. A nap seems just the ticket!" Hurrying into her clothes and out of the ward, she attempted to catch up to Lavender.

She practically sprinted into the waiting room and glancing around saw the door swinging shut. Bursting it open with her wand, she rushed through to the street. Catching sight of Lavender's bowed blonde head; she pushed her way through the crowd and caught up to the blonde in moments.

"Lavender?" she asked loudly enough to catch the other woman's attention.

The fashionable witch looked up quickly; well aware of whose voice it was in her ear. "Hermione." She stated the word solemnly, a tear rolling down her cheek, tracing what looked like many other tears that had fallen.

Hermione nodded slowly and taking in the broken look on Lavender's face and the quaking that was overtaking her tired body, she asked, "Would you like to go for a coffee?"

Lavender offered a broken smile, "I … well no caffeine."

Hermione nodded and linked her arm through Lavender's, escorting her into a nearby café.

September 25th, 2017

"Malfoy?!" gasped Hermione, sliding her legs off Lucius' lap quickly. She turned on the couch to get a better look at her former classmate, unaware that Lucius' hands remained one under her skirt and the other on her heart.

"Granger." The younger blonde sneered the name, much as he had so many years before.

Lucius finally seemed to regain his speech and spoke quietly, "Actually, Draco, its Malfoy as well."

The younger man sighed, "That is what I was afraid of." He waved his hand at the room, "Am I allowed in?"

Lucius stood up hastily, his hands coming back to his sides and Hermione blushing furiously, just realizing what Draco had probably witnessed. Coughing slightly, Lucius waved Draco in towards an old leather chair, "Would you like anything to drink?"

Draco barked a laugh, causing both Hermione and Lucius to gape at him. Still chuckling, he commented, "Father, still polite as always. Yes I'd like a gin tonic if you've got it. And then maybe you'll ask me why I'm here, or something more relevant to the situation?" He headed towards the worn, black leather chair and a half, "I see you kept the old furniture when you moved?" He glanced towards his father who was pouring the glistening liquid into a glass, "I was always fond of this chair, glad to see your new wife didn't change too much about your style. I take it she couldn't handle the memories?" His lip curled slightly.

Hermione stood in the middle of Lucius' study, a bright light in the midst of black leather and dark velvet hangings. She raised an eyebrow at Draco's hostile tone, "Malfoy, I'm right here. If you care to insult me, then I would appreciate it if you did so to my face. And no, I wouldn't have been able to handle the memories; just as you, your mother, and your father couldn't. However, it was not under my influence that your father moved here – that was before we had ever become involved."

Lucius approached from behind and handed her a glass of whiskey, grasping her hand softly before turning to Draco to hand him his glass of gin. "I don't believe you came here for a sparring match with my wife; is this something that needs to be taken care of between us two? Or may she stay here?" He raised both of his eyebrows at his now seated son.

Lucius was the portrait of Pureblooded richesse; wearing a fitted black velvet waistcoat, tailored black pants, and a fine white oxford shirt. The sleeves were rolled up and his hair was pulled back once more with velvet ribbon, the only signs, aside from the lack of robes, that he was in a casual and peaceful setting. Draco took in the comfortable room and the peaceful aura of his father, and he knew that things had certainly changed. The room now while similar to the one in the former Malfoy Manor, looked far more lived in and felt less oppressive. Draco let his eyes roam over the familiar furniture and book shelves before settling on the one different ingredient – probably the same that caused the other differences. Hermione, he refused to think of her as Malfoy, was wearing a simple sheath of fine, cream wool. With only the sleeves fitted, it draped her body delicately to the knee and looked both comfortable, and as Draco's wife would have told him, highly fashionable. He noticed a matching white wool cloak on a chair near the door and surmised that she had changed as well.

Glancing back to his waiting father, he nodded his head slightly and looked to Hermione, "If you choose to stay or leave, I shall not be affected. If your relationship is anything like the one I have with my wife, you would have gotten it out of him anyways."

Hermione grinned slightly, "Indeed. Truce it is." She sat back down on the divan and pulled Lucius down with her. She glanced at his shuttered eyes and rolled her own. Turning to Draco, she asked, "So, I suppose I'll start the questions then. Draco, why are you here?"

Draco grinned at both the use of his first name and the question, "Well, Athena was hardly content with being a continent away from her son. Therefore, to preserve both peace and my marriage, we're back." He took a sip of his gin, as though waiting for another question.

Lucius raised his head slightly to look Draco in the eye, "Athena, is it? And your son?"

Draco showed the slightest flicker of emotion in his eyes, and not for the first time, he felt shards of guilt for shutting his father out so completely. "Yes, Athena is my wife. Your grandson's name is Scorpius." He watched his father's eyes twinkle slightly at his choice of words and also noticed Hermione's hand rub the strain out of Lucius' back.

Hermione nodded, "Sounds like a woman who could relate to my name troubles. I take it you've been in Greece? I saw an article about your apothecary there a while back." Lucius glanced at her sharply. She rolled her eyes at him, "I laid it out for you to read, but I suppose that was around the time we got all those statements from the Minister." She looked back to Draco, "He gets so obsessed with his work, I swear I have to bribe him away."

Draco chuckled, "I recall how that was. Do I get to ask questions now?" Both Hermione and Lucius shifted softly. Lucius put his arm around his wife's shoulders and linked his fingers with her other hand. Each nodded succinctly. He grinned, leaned back in his chair, and steepled his fingers. "How long?"

Hermione squeezed Lucius' hand and he knew that he would have to actually participate in the conversation now, "We've been together for about sixteen and a half years; married for fifteen in December."

Draco felt his jaw loosen in shock. He scrambled for his wits, "My god. How did I not hear about this? Have you kept it secret for that long?!"

Lucius nudged Hermione and smirked for the first time that night, "It is not our fault no one has discovered it."

Hermione grimaced at her husband, "Oh yes, put the blame on me again." She glanced wearily at Draco, "As both of you have told me often enough, my friends are dunderheads and can't seem to see a ring in front of their face unless I point it out …"

Lucius interrupted haughtily, "Which you haven't, I might add."

She glared at him, "Is it my fault that I want them to finally take notice in what has been going on in my life for the past seventeen years?!"

Draco coughed, "I see this is a long-running argument." He glanced between the two, sparks shooting from their eyes. "Are you ever planning on telling anyone? I take it you have no children?"

Hermione's eyes held a shot of pain at the last words, but after a soft touch from her husband, she glanced towards Draco once more and returned, "No children. And we are of course planning on telling the others, eventually. Well, some know already; Bill and Fleur, most of our coworkers, the Minister – basically anyone who has any sight at all and can notice the rings on our fingers or the society pages. Unfortunately, not one of them has the courage to mention it to Harry or Ron," she huffed and flounced slightly on the couch.

"The Minister? My, my you two do run in high circles still," Draco drawled.

Lucius shot his son a look, "I would hardly have settled for anything less than the elite. Plus, we're to receive positions in the Minister's office for the rest of his term in December; he rather had to know."

Draco nodded, "I'd heard about the work you've done in terms of the International laws and local laws. Congratulations on the promotions. Never would have thought I'd see Father working, least of all for the Minister." Despite the connotation of his words, his eyes looked proudly upon his father.

Lucius nodded his head in thanks, while Hermione spoke up, "Thank you. So Draco, do you think you'll open up your apothecary here? I know of some decent spaces that would be ideal." She had an errant thought run through the back of her mind, but kept it to herself, another time perhaps.

Draco drained his glass, "I'm still debating to be honest. Athena would probably love to have me out of the house, but as you said, I'll need to re-establish and honestly, that's just too painful to contemplate right now." He rolled his shoulders and got to his feet, Lucius and Hermione following his movement. "I'll need to be getting back to her anyways, I ran out while she was categorizing the china – heaven help me if I'm not there when she's done."

Hermione laughed, "It was lovely seeing you again Draco. I hope to see you again soon." She walked to him, laid a hand upon his elbow and then sauntered out of the room, snagging her cloak on the way out.

Draco turned back to Lucius, "I didn't mean to surprise you as I did … well I did, but not in that position. I apologize." The way Draco's eyes bored into Lucius', the elder blonde knew that the apology ran far deeper than the simple surprise visit.

Lucius waved his hand, "You are always welcome here. Perhaps, when you are comfortable, you and your wife will join us for dinner?"

Draco nodded and held out his hand, "I know she'd love to."

Lucius glanced down at the hand, took it, and then pulled his son into an embrace.

Draco froze, having received only one hug once before, just after the Final Battle. He slowly returned the embrace, wrapping his arms around his father.

Lucius spoke into his ear, "I know you are a full grown man and are in no need of a father, but know that I am here, should you ever desire to call on me."

Draco nodded and slowly stepped out of the hug. Following his father out of the room, Draco knew there were a number of bridges to be crossed, but they would come in time.

September 8th, 1999

Everyone was circled around the Burrow's enlarged table, once again settled in the back yard. Laughter and soft voices drifted through the air. Hermione was fidgeting next to Ron, the knowledge that he and Lavender were going to have a child eating at her mind and heart. Ron too fidgeted, also due to the new knowledge that was eating at his brain. He was here with Hermione, lying to all his family and friends that gathered there. Lavender had approached him that afternoon, the first time since she had left him at WWW.

She had told him she was pregnant, that it was his, and if he didn't want to, he didn't need to do anything about it – but she was keeping it. Ron felt his heart break slightly when he heard the news. He knew he would do the right thing in the end. He just didn't know how to tell Hermione. He didn't know how to tell his family. Hell, he didn't know if he could handle a baby on top of everything else. You should have thought of that before you slept with her, said a voice reminiscent of Hermione's in his mind.

He glanced over at his curly-haired girlfriend and studied her face for the first time in a long while. While her hair was still as frizzy and unmanageable as ever, she had learned a few handy tricks to keep it out of her face. Her eyes were lined, when did that happen?, and her face was rather drawn. He could tell that she was rather thinner than she'd used to be, isn't she eating? He mentally kicked himself for not having noticed earlier.

Turning back to his mother, he heard the last part of her question directed towards him, "And how are the young folks doing? I've heard almost nothing on what you all have been up to!"

Harry and Ginny shied away from the question, shoving their faces with food, staring hopefully at Hermione and Ron to take the spotlight. Hermione glared at them and spoke up tiredly, "Absolutely nothing, Mrs. Weasley. We're as boring as everyone else. Work, work, work." She continued on in a bit of a higher pitch, "You know me! No fun at all. Constantly in my books and papers. Letting my life go to hell in a hand basket. Life. Is. Just. Peachy. Keen." She punctuated the last words with her fork on her plate. "

Everyone was gaping at her. Mrs. Weasley asked softly, "Is that all, dear? And you two, still enjoying the flat together in London?"

Ron ran a hand over his eyes, "Not now, Mum." Mrs. Weasley never could avoid a jab or two at their living arrangement.

Hermione snorted into her potatoes and said under her breath, "Not now indeed; might as well have been never."

Ron looked at her sharply and said into her ear, "I think we need to leave and talk. Something's clearly bothering you."

Hermione let out a strangled sort of laugh. She had comforted the woman her boyfriend got pregnant for nearly two hours today. Bloody Lavender couldn't even be horrible or bitchy about it all. Hermione almost felt guilty herself. She wasn't sure how to handle Ron and had only hoped Lavender took her advice and told him soon. She didn't think she could take much more. She glanced over at Ron, and then at the stares of the table; frowning, she pushed away her plate and stood up, "I'm sorry, I need sleep. I'll see you all soon."

She left in a flurry of robes, Ron hurrying after her.

The moment they got back into the apartment, she turned on him, "So start talking."

Ron looked taken aback, not sure if he could do what he knew he had to. "Hermione … I … well I'm not really sure …" he shuffled his feet a bit and began to pace. She walked into the living room, massaging her temples.

"Oh save it for the others. I already know." She sat on the couch, watching him pace.

"You do?!" he squeaked.

"Indeed. I was at the clinic when she heard the news today."

Clinic,thought Ron, why on earth would Hermione be at the clinic?! He shook his head, now was not the time. "I'm sorry Hermione, so sorry. I never thought this would ever happen." He glanced at her small figure, curled up on the couch, and felt his heart break a little bit more.

She nodded tightly and he could tell she was trying not to cry. "I know Ron, I know." She brought a hand up and rubbed her eyes, "How did things get so messed up? We were supposed to be perfect for each other …"

"But we're not." He finished lamely. He saw her head shoot up and let out a sigh, "You know we aren't Hermione. I'm not what you need, not by a long shot. I'd have treated you better from day one. We just …"

"Don't quite fit," completed Hermione. Ron nodded wearily, his own tears streaming down his face. Hermione had curled up into a ball and was sobbing quietly. He went and sat down next to her, pulling her close and holding her shaking form. "I just … I don't know what to do anymore Ron," she whispered brokenly.

He nodded into her hair, "I know. The war … everything's changed. What might have been, no longer can be; and what could never have been, now may be." He struggled to retain his salty tears.

She glanced up at him and said shakily, "Now you grow wise on me, Ronald Weasley?"

He cracked a smile, "I'll have to, won't I, if I'm to be a dad?" His face fell. "I … I don't think I'm ready Herm … I don't know if I can do this."

She wrapped her arms around him as well, "You'll do what you have to. You always have. You and Lavender … well you'll see." She leaned her forehead against his and said softly, "I'll be there for you, but please, let me heal. That's all I ask. I'll be your friend forever, but I need some time to myself."

Ron looked into her caramel eyes and nodded, "I'll pack up tonight and stay with Harry. When you're ready, you know we'll be there." He kissed her forehead and stood up from the couch.

She nodded up at him and looked around, "I don't think I'll keep the flat. I may move in with Andy, we'll see." She watched as he summoned his things and shrunk them into his pockets. More tears streamed down her face as her home was slowly stripped of its innate homeliness. She cried for the loss of what was, the crumbling of dreams and castles in the sky, and for her now uncertain future.

Once finished packing and getting everything out of the back rooms, he turned back leaving and said to her weeping form, "I'm so sorry 'Mione. So, so sorry." And his heart broke a final time as he stepped out of the flat, hearing her now loud, heartbroken sobs as he closed the door and broke down himself.

A/N: I never felt like Hermione and Ron would have one of those fantastic breakups, they were too good of friends for that. At any rate, I hope this chapter answered a few questions you all had and fostered a whole new set! Next chapter: an actual lemon!