"I'm incredibly sorry about this Ms. Weasley. Healer Padma has always been completely trustworthy. She has an Order of Merlin, Second Class, she's worked alongside the Aurors and kept everything confidential, we even reviewed everything she did for you and it was above our highest standards. Of course, she's been fired now, and we're launching an investigation, but I'm afraid we there's not much help we can offer you."
"I'd like to be referred to another Healer; one with a more thorough background check. After talking to the family, it seems this was revenge for a bad date with my father. And I'd also like my primary Healer to be Hannah." ordered Rose.
"Of course." said Hannah, who was sitting in the manager's office at St. Mungo's next to Rose. "I've almost completed my training, and I can always contact an expert if need be."
"As you wish."
"Meet you in 10 minutes Hannah?" said Rose. She quickly made her way upstairs.
"All sorted out?" asked James, who was sitting in the hall beside Lily, while Albus paced in front of him.
"Yeah. Hannah's going to take over, and they'll find someone else to help her." explained Rose.
"You really think it was just because Uncle Ron didn't dance with her at the Yule Ball?" asked James.
"The payoff would have been a factor too, I imagine." answered Albus.
"Shouldn't you guys be in there?" asked Rose.
"It's a bit crowded." said Albus.
James nodded. "That and your parents are in there. Your Dad didn't look pleased to see me."
"Oh. Sorry." said Rose.
"Hey, don't apologize." admonished James. "Anyway, Dad's supposed to be okay. He has to take it easy, and he's going to be in hospital for a while. They said he could go home, but Mum told them he wouldn't rest at home, and forced them to keep him for two weeks, and ban him from working for another."
"Will he go back?" asked Rose.
Albus came over and sat down, finally. "I'm sure he'll want to. But he won't be able to go on so many missions."
"That's probably a good thing." said James. "He cut back when Lily was born, but once Albus and I were both in school he started going out again. Stupid really."
"He's only forty-three." sniffled Lily.
"And he probably has one of the hardest jobs in the world." said Albus. "Mum was worried about something like this. Don't quote me on this, but I think that was one of the reasons she wanted you guys to do this on your own, so he wouldn't get too stressed."
Rose put her head in her hands, and James grabbed them and held them. "It's not your fault Rose. Dad needs to take better care of himself. He works too hard, like Al said."
Rose nodded. "Sorry. But I guess Mum can always force him to take a vacation. I have to get back to school though. Keep us posted."
Rose returned to Hannah who took her back to the school by side along apparition so she could avoid the public and the press in the hospital lobby.
"Thanks." said Rose gratefully as they walked back to the castle.
"Okay Rose, so you keep coming to see me every week, and then we'll go for your visits as usual. The assistant and the experts and the equipment are all there, so it's easier." said Hannah.
"Alright." agreed Rose.
Rose decided to hide out in her dorm until she could get a sense of how her classmates were reacting. Unfortunately, she forgot just who her dorm mates were.
"You bitch!" yelled Tayden. She slapped Rose across the face. "How could you?"
"Tayden!" cried Amber. "Calm down! Are you okay Rose?"
"I'm okay." replied Rose "It was an accident Tayden, but I'm really sorry."
"Bog off." replied Tayden, with a rude hand gesture.
"Tayden, seriously." said Amber. "5 points from Gryffindor. Let's get out of here."
The other four girls stalked out of the dorm room.
Rose lay on her bed, cradling her stomach. "Hi babies." she said softly "Don't worry, I'm okay. I hope you're doing okay too. That was just your father's ex-girlfriend. She's mad at Mummy. Well, a lot of people are mad at Mummy, but it's okay, because Mummy loves you. Daddy loves you too. And when you're born you get to come and live with Mummy and Daddy, somewhere far, far, away from all the mad people. And you can meet Aunt Lily, and Uncle Albus. They're part of your family. You have a lot of family members, but some of them are upset with Mummy and Daddy right now, so you might not get to meet them. But don't worry about that, because Mummy and Daddy are going to make sure you're happy. So you guys just concentrate on getting healthy and strong, okay? Alright, goodnight babies." Rose smiled. She felt a little awkward, but she heard that talking to the babies in utero would help with bonding.
Just then the door opened. "Rose?" It was Scorpius.
"Yes..." said Rose.
Scorpius surveyed her. "Did you get slapped?"
"Er, yeah." admitted Rose. She had no idea what Scorpius wanted.
"I guess it wouldn't be very nice of me to slap you again then." said Scorpius.
"Right." agreed Rose, unsure if he was joking. "Did you want something?"
Scorpius considered "The truth, I guess. I know the paper exaggerates like crazy. I just wanted to know what really happened."
"I suppose I owe you that much." said Rose. She told him the whole story, looking at the floor rather than his face. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be. I guess it wasn't as bad as I thought. I'm sorry I yelled at you." said Scorpius.
"No," said Rose "I would have yelled too. I mean, I trust you, but I never would have been able to guess what had really happened."
"Yeah." agreed Scorpius.
"Are we okay then?" asked Rose.
Scorpius nodded. "Yes, we are Rose. But... I don't think there's any way things can be the same again. I mean, you're pregnant. You're carrying someone else's children. It might be different if..." he paused.
"If it wasn't my cousin." finished Rose.
"No. I mean, if there was no father. Well, of course there's a father, but if he left you, or decided he couldn't take care of the baby. You know, if he wasn't around, maybe I would be able to take that spot. I never really thought about it. But he's here Rose, and he's willing, and maybe he doesn't love you like that, but he's going to be your partner. There's no role for me to fill." explained Scorpius. "And ...I'm seeing someone else."
"Oh." said Rose. She had known, but she couldn't stop hoping. "Okay."
"Bye Rosie." said Scorpius. He exited the dorm.
"Goodbye, love." murmured Rose.
"So Uncle Harry's going to be fine?" asked Rose, a few weeks later.
"Yeah." replied Lily. "He just has to take it easier. Mum's really stressed, with him, and James, and your parents."
"And me." said Rose.
"Well, yeah." acknowledged Lily.
"Speaking of people upset with me, have you seen Hugo? I haven't seen him since Christmas."
Lily looked sheepish. "He's kind of confused about the whole thing. I think he'd like to ask you about it, but your Dad ordered him to stay away from you."
Rose sighed, but made no comment on her father's abandonment of her. She missed her family. "Well, he's doing a mighty fine job of it."
"So have you picked any names yet?" asked Lily. "Lily Junior, perhaps?"
Rose laughed. "No. I want James' opinion, but I also don't want to jinx it. They still haven't told me what these health problems are. Hannah's starting to look a little worried, but I think she wants to wait until we're at St. Mungo's, so she can consult the experts."
"Do I get to come to the hospital?" asked Lily. "It's Easter, no school will be missed."
"Well, maybe." said Rose. "James is coming, unless he has to work. You can definitely come, but they might make you sit in the hallway."
"The hallway?" asked Lily "Don't I get a chair?"
"We're being smuggled in under a Disillusionment charm through the manager's office, and they've blocked off an entire ward just for me." said Rose.
"Is that seriously necessary?"
"They're making up for the whole – oh!" said Rose surprisedly, clutching her stomach.
"What?!" asked Lily frantically "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine! The babies are moving. It feels like they have the hiccups."
"Oh my gosh!" said Lily. "That's so exciting! How does it feel Rosie?"
"Amazing. Sort of fluttery." replied Rose "They're really in there." She smiled.