After escaping the Death Eaters at Grimmauld Place, Hermione had Disapparated herself and Ron back to their house in Cornwall. She knew it was risky Apparating while pregnant, but they would've been killed if they hadn't escaped.
She had no idea where the rest of the family had Disapparated, but she hoped they had all gone somewhere safe.
Now Ron and Hermione were both standing in the middle of their living room and Hermione felt Ron's eyes on her. She turned to him to see him looking at her with a mixture of admiration and shock.
"What?" she asked apprehensively. She felt herself starting to distract herself by cleaning up the dishes left in the sink in the kitchen.
"Hermione, you were amazing!" Ron exclaimed, following her into the kitchen. "I can't believe you were able to figure out how to get us out of that!"
Hermione was able to suppress a smile. "Well, I panicked. And when Malfoy called your family blood-traitors, I just snapped."
"But it wasn't just the fact that you punched Malfoy!" Ron went on. "It's that you were able to open that bookcase and that wall!" He was looking at her in that special way again.
Hermione shrugged modestly. "I've learned a lot from living at Hogwarts for six years. Got locked in a lot of rooms, and I figured out how wizards used to set up passageways."
"You're brilliant," Ron said once again, still in awe. Hermione smiled at him and continued to bustle around the kitchen. While at the sink, she felt Ron's arms wrap around her waist, his hands stroking her growing midsection.
"How's the baby?" Ron asked in her ear, evidently suddenly remembering that they had just Disapparated when they were advised not to.
"It's moving," Hermione said truthfully. "I can feel it."
"You sure?"
Hermione nodded, and she felt Ron sigh with relief behind her. "Hermione, we can't keep living like this. What if they find us? And our child…" He trailed off, sounding distressed.
Hermione sighed and turned around in his arms. "I know. I think the best thing to do right now is just stay put. And I think its best not to communicate with the family. They might be watching us."
Ron looked down at his feet, looking quite miserable. Hermione raised his face and kissed him gently on the lips. "It'll be fine."
Ron smiled. "I can't believe I ended up with such a bright, brilliant witch for a wife. I'd be dead without you, you know that?"
Hermione smiled at his goofy grin. "I know." She turned and started to empty the dishwasher (the muggle contraption she had insisted on getting in order to fit in with the Muggle suburb they were living in) when Ron swiped the dish she had just gotten out from her hands.
"What did I tell you?" Ron asked, his voice full of sarcasm. "I do everything, remember?"
"Fine," Hermione said simply. "I'm not going to fight you tonight Ron. If you want to do housework, go ahead." She pretended to sound angry, but she and Ron both knew she was grateful for his help.
"Alright then," Ron said, leading her to the couch. "You sit your brilliant, know-it-all self down and relax for once, Hermione. You've already done enough today."
"Thank you," Hermione mumbled gratefully to him.
"It's no trouble," Ron said, giving her a stack of her books and a soft kiss on the lips. He winked at her and turned back to the kitchen.
He really is the sweetest man in the world, Hermione thought as she opened Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
