Disclaimer: I own and have no claim to the royalties pertaining to the story of Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling has all of that.

Chapter 3: Can we finally start over?

Squinting her eyes and rolling over in bed, Hermione stretched her sore body. Turning her head towards her alarm clock it said 2:09 pm. "mmm. A long night and a late afternoon." Smiling to herself, Hermione replayed last night in her head and could not help but feel like a school girl again.

After knocking into a few pieces of furniture and almost dropping his wife while trying to walk up a set of stairs, Ron could not help but get more excited. Hermione was tugging at his shirt and hair leaving many nips and marks along his neck and chest with her mouth. Goodness he was hard and wanted her so badly. Their love life had been nonexistent in the past few months and he missed it. He missed her.

Barely reaching half a flight of stairs Ron threw Hermione against the wall and allowed one of her legs to touch the floor while he ground his erect penis against her center. "Ba-baby… touch me. Please touch me. I need you" he let out in a low and harsh voice while sucking on her neck and shoulder blades leaving a mark.

"fuck" whispered Hermione as she undid Ron's zipper and pulled his penis out and began to stroke. She doesn't remember a time she had been more anxious to make love. No making love was gentle and patient even though it could be aggressive, tonight held no patience, no gentleness and it was definitely aggressive. Tonight they were fucking.

Pulling her leg closer to his waist Ron slid his fingers over her pussy and felt how wet she was. With her fingers stroking him and the wetness his fingers where touching, he almost came right then and there. "Damn baby, you must've missed me because your pussy is very..very..very happy to see me," he whispered to her emphasizing every word with a thrust of his fingers. Pulling his head down to hers, Hermione tugged his hair back baring his neck to her and whispered in his ear "you ain't seen nothing yet" and pushed him back against the opposite wall of the stairs and got on her knees. Staring at his large dick made her heart beat faster to where she could hear it in her ears. Sticking her tongue out she –

The vibration of her cell phone on her nightstand pulled her out of her musings. Grumbling something about stupid phones ruining her thoughts, Hermione reached for the phone. The screen said Ron so she pressed the 'talk' button and answered.

"Hello?" Hermione answered in a horsed voice from just waking up.

"Hey baby, how did you sleep?" Ron replied in a chipper voice.

"mmm…I slept good. Where are you?" she replied with a small laugh and moan. She did sleep good and her body was nice and sore, she had a good workout last night.

"I'm at the airport, I have a meeting in New York with some investors. I was going to wake you but you were sleeping so peaceful I didn't have the heart. I enjoyed last night a lot," Ron replied in a sly tone. He could feel a stir in his loins just from the thought of it. Oh how he wishes they could have had some morning sex before he left.

"I enjoyed last night too. I wish you would've said goodbye before you left. When will you be back?"

"I'll be back in 3 days baby."

"Flight 43 Gate C is now boarding. All passengers please have your tickets ready to be checked by the flight attendants. Flights 43 Gate C is now boarding." Could be heard by Hermione through the phone. She sighed and was annoyed that he didn't tell her and didn't even say goodbye!

"Bay that's my flight. I'll call you when I land. Love you" Ron quickly rushed on the phone getting his personal luggage and ticket ready to be checked.

Hermione barely had time to reply an "I love you and be safe" before Ron hung up the phone. Looking at her now blank screen, Hermione felt annoyed and even hurt. Maybe it was an emergency conference meeting. It's not like he knew days in advanced. Our relationship hadn't gotten THAT bad that he wouldn't tell her… would he? Shaking her head and getting out of bed, she gave a nice long stretch and walked into the master bathroom. Gazing at the counter top, she noticed that mostly her personal products were on the counter. Aside from an extra can of shaving crème and men's lotion, it didn't even look like Ron lived there.

Sighing to herself and wiping a stray tear, Hermione turned the hot water on and stepped into the shower. Today was Sunday and she needed to get the house together and prepare herself for another long week of work and worries.

She was one of those women who were the motherly type and even though she had her share of cares and worries both inside and outside her work and even at home, people always found a way to add their own problems to her load.

Standing under the shower head and letting the hot water run down her face and body, Hermione ran a hand over her stomach. "3 years.." Refusing to cry and refusing to wallow in self pity, Hermione repeated the words in her head that many people have told her over the years "It wasn't your fault."

After washing her body and face off in the shower she stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her body and headed for the bedroom. Snatching her cell off her night stand, she dialed an old friend's number and waited for her friend to answer.

"Hello my darling! How are you?" answered a feminine voice

Giggling and sitting on the foot of the bed Hermione felt her spirits rise, "I'm good love how are you? Are you free today?"

"I'm actually planning on going to the mall for some winter clothes. Why what's up?"

"I was wondering if we could have a girls' day together. I need another human being around," replied Hermione.

"oh goodness. Do I need to bring my knife and gun and kill somebody? I don't mind going to jail," the feminine voice replied with a heartfelt laugh.

Laughing loudly at her crazy friend, Hermione almost took her up on the offer, "No but you know if I needed it you would be the first I would call. Can we meet at the mall around 4:30?"

"Girl you know this! I'll see you there. Meet me in Kiss Me I need some more make up."

"Will do love. See you then," and they both hung up the phone.

Rushing to get ready since it was already 3:15 and Hermione still needed to do her hair, she felt the day was going to be very therapeutic.

-Later that day-

Pouring herself a glass of white wine, our lovely lady could not hold in her laughs as she listened to her friend tell her about her recent date with a doctor.

"And then he had the audacity to ask me to pay for dinner! Girl you know I have my own money and make my own way in life but the hell I look like paying for a man that makes 5 times my salary? Shit I started to throw my water in his face and walk out letting him look stupid as hell in front of all of his 'doctor' buddies."

Kiara Maddison. Enough said. Kiara and Hermione met in middle school and have been friends through the long and long years of their life. They know each other like the back of their hands and hold very little from each other and even then they end up finding out about the little secret one way or the other.

Kiara was not overly tall but had long beautiful legs that gave her 5'5 body to look like she was 5'7. Long dark brown hair that reached her mid back that had a slight curl that accented her round face that held kindness, love, laughter and what Hermione most envied her for was strength. She knew may people that were strong but very few showed it in their face like Kiara did. Even at 28 she did not show her years of trials but only her strength and wisdom gained from it. It made her look her age but never made her look naive.

Sitting her glass on the end table, Hermione shook her head at her best friend's crazy story.

"Are you serious? Where did you meet him?"

Sipping her glass mixture of crannapple and vodka drink, Kiara leaned back deeper into her couch and looked at her friend with a steady gaze. "He's my oncologist."

"he's your WHAT?"

"6 months ago I was having some problems with my body. I couldn't eat or sleep and if I tried I had to take pills and when I did eat sometimes I would throw up blood. So I went to the doctor and they said I had cancer. The guy I dated was my oncologist and we started discussing my cancer and the rest is history."

"wh-what kind?" asked Hermione with tears in her eyes and coming closer to console her friend.

"The kind that is harmless. They found some tumors in my lungs but they are harmless but to be safe they wanted to do some test and procedures and possibly take them out. Son of a bitch was telling me about all that and then had the balls to ask me to pay for dinner! Ugh!"

Patting her friend's hand and wiping a tear from her cheek, Kiara gave her a smile and took another sip of her drink. "Don't worry about me baby. Kiara is going to be just fine. Just need to find another doctor to handle my case and keep my prayers going up. Stop worrying."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Hermione asked shaking her head and looking hurt yet relieved.

"You were- going through your phase about Ron and the baby and I didn't want to put any more on you. Plus when I found out it was just me needing to change my eating habits I didn't feel like you should be worried with it."

Looking at her friend with sorry eyes, Kiara hugged Hermione to her and sighed.

"I'm sorry babygirl, I know I should've told you because I would have been pissed if you didn't tell me I just didn't want to worry you."

Holding her friend close to her, Hermione nodded her head. "Its okay."

After pulling away and wiping their eyes with their hands the two ladies began making another drink and making some popcorn.

"Kiara, do you think me and Ron could make it?" Hermione asked her friend suddenly while they were in the kitchen making their own light snacks. It was actually time for dinner but they'll make it later.

"No"

"Thanks for the support heifer," Hermione grumbled to her friend walking in her underwear. She made a mental note to get boy shorts with lace; they made the butt look great.

"Trick I AM supporting you." Kiara turned around and looked at her friend after putting her popcorn in the microwave. "You and Ron have been having problems since before you guys even got married and you are completely different. I know couples can be different and have their rough patches but not like you two. Plus the things you've told me only suggests that Ron's either cheated many, many times or has little interest in you; either way it seems he has left the marriage."

Swallowing the bite of her turkey sandwich, Hermione made a face that looked between hurt and rage. "You know nothing! He loves me!"

"He loves you? How many meetings does he 'all of a sudden' has to go to? How many plans has he broken? How many promises has he not kept? But you are just as bad because you let him get away with it and think he is going to change, You make excuses for him Hermione!" Exclaimed Kiara. She could see the hurt and anger in her friend's eyes.

Sure she wasn't married or even dating anyone. But she has been through her share of heartaches and she knew that even though her friend loved her husband, he was hurting her and she was hurting herself. She never liked him and over the years she's only grown to hate him. Psh, she'd beat him but Hermione would probably beat her back, but it would be worth it.

"It's time for me to leave"

"Hermione, look I didn't mean to-"

"Oh shutup! You're just mad because I have a husband that loves me! Just because we're having problems doesn't mean we can't work them out!"

"Oh problems? The same problem for 3 years Hermione? I don't know who is holding onto this 'little problem' more you or him!"

"What are you trying to say?" Hermione asked softly but with force.

Sighing and leaning against the counter top, "ever since you-you lost the baby things have been rough between you and Ron. You've blamed yourself and I think that you believe Ron blames you too. I don't know if he does because I don't know him and to be honest I do not want to. But Hermione you are my best friend and I'm tired of seeing you torture yourself over something that was not your fault."

Looking blankly at her friend, Hermione's lip began to quiver and her eyes got watery. She nodded her head slowly and wrapped her arms around herself. "I-it's been hard. It was my fault! I-I couldn't pr-protect my baby! He just died in my stomach. I was his mother, I should've protected him!" Hermione slumped down the counter and onto the floor where Kiara rushed to her side and hugged her friend.

She didn't mean to be cruel but she was angry for her friend to blame herself for this. Yes this was hard and she lost her child but it was not her fault.

"Shhh. Shh. Its okay, Its okay" cooed Kiara to her friend as she rubbed the back of her head and rocked her back and forth. Hermione cried in her arms and let everything out.

"He- he left again," sobbed Hermione. "He left me without saying goodbye."

"He left?" asked Kiara in a confused tone while handing Hermione a paper towel to blow her nose.

"He left for another meeting this morning. We had great sex last night. It felt so-so good and it felt like we could get the spark back in our marriage. And before I woke up this morning he left for a meeting in New York and is going to be gone for a few days," Hermione hick upped and sniffed to Kiara on the floor.

Rolling her eyes and giving a sigh Kiara replied to her friend while shaking her head, "he left after 'great' sex? I don't know if the sex was THAT great then."

"Oh no it was THAT GREAT!" Hermione said defensively.

"Right, Hermione, forgive me for asking but, have you ever thought of leaving Ron?"

Nodding her head slowly, Hermione sighed and looked down. "I have but now I can't."

"And why the hell not?"

"Because I'm pregnant again."