Chapter 6: St. Valentine
Authors Note: Thank you for all of the responses on the previous chapter (so far two). I was surprised to find that people actually liked it and it seems that they enjoyed it and so that was very pleasing and satisfying as a fan fiction author. I just wanted to clear something up that was mentioned in one of the reviews this story received: at the end of the chapter when Hermione said "I don't think I want to do this anymore." She did mean that she didn't think that she wanted them to keep trying to conceive a child and was angry and frustrated by the situation – Ron and Hermione were not breaking up – I do not think I could ever actually bring myself to do that but anyway. I just wanted to point that minor thing out. Here is chapter 6!
14th February 2005
Ron stared out of the window as he watched the sunrise gradually shatter the darkness that had been a silent and blissful night. Inside it was silent, as he was the only one down stairs at the early hour that was seven in the morning whilst Hermione slept peacefully upstairs. It was absolutely dead outside. No plants, no wildlife, no birds. Nothing. The main reason for that was because of the thick layer of snow that had killed any living thing. There had not been a snowy Valentine's Day since there first one together six years ago in 1999. That had been the day that a lot of things had changed, and by far the best Valentine's Day they had celebrated in one another's company so far.
Hermione. Although she was his wife, she was on his mind a great deal more in recent weeks. After the biggest argument they had had in over a year had taken place and Hermione admitted that she was not quite sure whether she wanted to keep on trying to have a child or not, they had grown distant. In the past few weeks since the start of February Hermione had begun going into work earlier and leaving for home later. They still talked but nowhere near as much as they had done prior to their visit to St. Mungo's. It was a great deal quieter in their house and Ron had come to the conclusion that he did not like it one bit. Sure, they had their quiet days, but this seemed permanent, and was every single day. It was not right and the reality was that Hermione was slowly floating away and he did not know how to stop her from sinking.
He glanced over at the bouquet of purple calla lilies lying on the kitchen worktop that he had purchased for her less than an hour ago. She had not even stirred when he climbed out of bed and by the looks of it she had not woken up at all whilst he had been out, wandering central Bloomsbury for a florist that just so happened to be open early due to the St. Valentine's celebrations. Luckily he had found one, with the perfect flowers in it before quickly apparating back home. He had decided that simplicity would be best this year, given what had been going on in their lives he hoped that maybe this day would be a lot better than any other had been recently.
"You are up early." A voice said and Ron turned quickly away from staring out of the kitchen window to see Hermione leaning against the kitchen doors frame. Her eyes were looking wide and tired to perfectly accompany her untamed, not brushed bushy hair as she wore a small smile on her face. That was the first smile Ron had seen from her in nearly a month.
"So are you." Ron replied as she approached him and he was surprised that she was already dressed, meaning that after a few minutes she was not going to turn around and head straight back to bed.
"Yeah well, it is Valentine's day, and besides, I have something for you. I know we agreed that we would do something simple this year but that does not mean that I was not going to give you anything." Hermione smiled handing him the small package, which he unwrapped to reveal a black tie with silver broomsticks on it, in response Ron laughed joyfully.
"I will wear it for work on Monday, thank you Hermione." Ron beamed, lovingly touching her on the arm. "And these are for you." He added, quickly reaching for the flowers that he had been staring at just before she had entered the room. He was certain she would have noticed them by now but at least would have only seen the purple plastic that gathered the bouquet together and concealed the actual flowers neatly.
"Ron, they are beautiful. Thank you." She replied kissing him gently before conjuring a spell silently and breakfast appeared right in front of them, much to Ron's amazement.
"Wh- what? How come you have never done that before?" Ron enquired "All those times during the Horcrux hunt when you were like "oh we will have to go and look for food" and we ended up making soup out of mushrooms and you could have used that spell. What the hell?"
"I would have if I knew it then." Hermione smirked. "But I have only just learnt it you idiot. Do you really think I wanted to eat mushrooms? You know how much I hate them." She added, visibly shuddering at the thought of the strangely grey vegetable, much to Ron's amusement. He was surprised as to how much she was like her normal self again today. It was like the real Hermione had come and replaced temporary Hermione for the day. He just really hoped that it would last longer than seventeen hours.
"Let's just hope it is a lot better than your actual cooking skills, Hermione." Ron mumbled under his breath, knowing that she would probably hear him. This was confirmed with a flying piece of toast heading his way. "Hey!"
"Oh come on, I am not that bad of a cook am I?" Hermione asked "I was the one who cooked last Tuesday and Wednesday."
"Yes but that was only because I was working late and other than that you general seem to avoid the idea of making food. But I must say that your cooking abilities are improving."Ron said reasonably "I only know this though because I have not been poisoned yet though."
"Anyway." Hermione said rather sharply and Ron's head darted up from the plate in front of him as she clearly changed the subject. "What time did you say to Harry and Ginny that we would go over?" She questioned curiously.
"Around four-ish." Ron muttered
"Four-ish?" Hermione repeated and Ron nodded
"Yeah, four ish."Ron added
"Okay then." She nodded before enchanting her plate to go over to the sink and wash itself as she began to leave the kitchen they had both once been occupying.
"Hey, can I ask you something?" Ron asked and Hermione paused in her tracks before turning around to face her husband, who was gazing at her with quizzical delusion.
"Of course, fire away." Hermione said in reply.
"Are you really sure that you want to go over to Harry and Ginny's tonight? This month has been just so...so." Ron cut himself off and sighed "We have been through so many ups and downs in the past few months and I just really do not want this to be another low moment. I love you Hermione. I love you so much and it really hurts to see you sad." At his words, a small smile crept onto Hermione's face.
"I am sure. I love Harry and I love Ginny and I am so happy for them and always will be. Because that is how you feel about your friends when you care about them. It is just tough seeing them moving on when we have not even made the smallest steps towards where they are heading. But this is happening right now and in two months our nephew is going to be born and we will really love them because they will truly be a product of Harry and Ginny's love for one another. And they will probably outlive us and will be in our lives from then on. We can't avoid things like this because we care too much. So yes I am sure." Hermione smiled and Ron nodded.
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"How have you been doing?"Ginny asked as she and Hermione sat in Harry and Ginny's kitchen. In spite of the freezing weather Harry and Ron had chosen to sit outside in the slowly melting snow. Ginny and Hermione on the other hand, were sat on the sofa in the living room, their legs stretched out on the sofa as they sat at either end, facing one another. Hermione had been expecting this question for the past three hours, and she knew Ginny had been waiting to ask it to her. Now she just had to decide how to put it.
"If you mean on the baby front then not great." Hermione sighed
"Why?" Ginny questioned
"We stopped trying." Hermione said simply
"WHY?"Ginny almost shouted as she sat up a little more from her slouching position.
"We went to St. Mungo's like you said, and, like you got my Mum to say to me. We were both tested and Ron was fine and then she went on to me." Hermione informed her. "She said that because of what happened with Bellatrix and the Cruciatus Curse at Malfoy Manor that although we can have children because of any damage the curse has done there is less chance of us being able to conceive a child. It just hit me, and I cracked up and said that I did not want to try anymore. We have not since."
"Oh Hermione, I am sorry." Ginny said sympathetically. "Do you reckon you will try again at all?"
"Maybe. I still want children, I always have. We have been talking about having children since before we got married, we can't just give up now." Hermione said before changing her tone to sound firm towards her friend, "Thanks for dropping a word to my mother by the way."
"I had to Hermione. You were a mess. Even if you could not see it, Harry and I certainly could." Ginny told her and Hermione nodded
"Well thank you, because I think if you had not done that and said what you said to me Ron probably would have had to drag me to St. Mungo's to see a Healer. And I am really sorry that I have been distant. " Hermione smiled softly "Do you have Lily Moon as your healer?"
"It does not matter Hermione, I know why you were distant. Because of this. Yes, we only actually realised who she was when she told us that the baby would be a boy."Ginny said looking down at her stomach."That reminds me, there is something Harry and I wanted to ask you both. Harry said he would ask Ron though."
"Go on." Hermione replied
"Hermione, you are my best friend and Harry's as well. You have been like a sister to him and have always been there for both of us. And we were wondering if you would be the baby's God Mother."Ginny asked and a large smile spread across Hermione's face.
"Of course, I would love to." Hermione answered hugging her best friend before breaking away and raising an eyebrow. "Wait does that mean...?"
"That we would like Ron to be the God Father? Yes. Harry said he would ask him while they are outside." Ginny informed her and Hermione felt tears sting her eyes, knowing that even if they did not have a child of their own, then at least they would have a God Son as well as a nephew.
"Thank you." Hermione said her voice little more than a whisper.
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"Harry, what is on your mind?" Ron asked perplexedly as he and Harry sat outside. It was freezing cold, but thankfully they were not sat in the middle of the snow. Harry and Ginny's small patio area was free of the white icy chaos and upon it was a small mosaic table with two three matching chairs. He could tell that they were from a muggle shop. Somehow he could just... tell. Ginny had told him that Harry had been incredibly like Harry in the sense that in spite of being a witch and a wizard they wanted a lot of muggle things in their houses as well, and both Ron and Ginny had come accustomed to that. Hermione had always said that although she was magic muggle things made her feel at home and Ron felt the same way but simply in vice versa.
"Oh, oh nothing. I was just thinking." Harry dismissed it quickly. "There is something I wanted to ask you."
"What?" Ron asked knowing it was clearly not nothing.
"Ginny said she would ask Hermione about her half of the situation but I need to ask you this as well. Ginny and I have been wondering if you would like to be the babies God Father. And Hermione of course would be the God Mother should she wish to be." Harry said and Ron suddenly wanted to hug his best friend for what he had said. He thought it was incredibly kind of them to suggest the kind gesture and yet at the same time he wondered whether this had anything to do with the fact that they were not getting anywhere with their own endeavours when it came to children.
"Thank you. We would both love to." Ron said and Harry smiled "But why us? I can't help thinking it has something to do with what has been going on between us."
"Ron even if there was nothing going on between you it still would have been you two. It has always been you two in our eyes. You are our best friends and have been there for both of us through so much. There was never a doubt in our minds that we would ask you two." Harry informed him kindly. "But I know that it really is not any of my business but how have you and Hermione been?"
"You do realise that I am only telling you this because you and Hermione are like the brother and sister that the other never had?"Ron asked and Harry nodded, furrowing his eyebrows at the question. "We went to see a healer and they told us why we are not getting anywhere. Because of Bellatrix and her stupid Cruciatus curse."
"What about the curse?" Harry questioned
"She said that it has damaged everything that involves having a child and even though we can still have children, there is less chance of it happening than what would be normal." Ron sighed "It hurts to watch her so upset. I have done so many stupid things in the time we have known each other, I left, we have argued, we have fought and fallen out. Yet this, is something different. I have never seen her looking this broken in fourteen years. It feels at times like I do not know her any more. We come home and we barely talk to one another, if we do, it is not like it used to be. I love her more than anything and I always will. But I miss her, the real Hermione."
There was a couple of moments silence between the two friends in which neither of them really knew what to say, Harry in particular. He had always shared a close relationship with the both Ron and Hermione and if even if one of them fell out with him, the other was always there. He knew that he did not share the same relationship with Hermione that Ron had. She was Ron's wife as well as best friend but as well as being Harry's best friend she had always been like a sister. Harry had known that it was not really his place to ask about something so private between his two best friends, but knew that even if he had not said anything either Ginny or Hermione would have told him at some point later, or Ron would have said it to him anyway.
"How was she today?" Harry asked, his voice croaking slightly.
"She was fine this morning, like her usual self. I do not know whether it was because she has hit by the bow of St. Valentine or she was just getting back to normal. She was Hermione. I feel like we go through one of those muggle rollercoaster's of emotion and I just really hope that this lasts longer than I day."Ron said, his hand wrapping around the sleeve of his shirt before quickly wiping a few tears from his face.
"I know that I have probably said this before but, you two are the strongest people I have ever met. You two basically went through what no friendship should have to go through and it actually brought sense to you both and made you realise that you love one another. Hermione is tough, and so are you. All you'll be amazing parents someday." Harry told him and Ron smiled as he looked into the infinite darkness of Harry and Ginny's back garden.
"Thank you." Ron said, "For everything, Harry. Thank you. I think we had better get going. It's getting rather late and I want to just see if this sudden happiness lasts." He added as he got up and Harry hugged him friendlily.
"Just let me know how things go." Harry said before he and Ron headed towards the living room.
"Hermione, shall we get going." Ron asked as he entered the warm room that was gradually being heated by the fire underneath the mantel piece.
"I was just about to come and get you. Thank you, Harry, Ginny, we had a great time." Hermione thanked them as they departed with their friends and disapparated back to Bloomsbury.
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"Ron? Are you still awake?" Hermione whispered into the darkness of their bedroom. Shadows danced majestically on the ceiling from the outside world and the sound of rain was gradually getting louder and louder. Another typical night in England. It had been quite a while since one of their midnight, small talk conversations, so Ron was more than delighted when Hermione asked him this question.
"Yes, love." Ron said rolling onto his other side to face her, where she too was on her side, staring at him. Her chocolate brown coloured eyes were shining, as if there were tears swimming in them as they looked at one another silently. It was a typical thing that they would do and had been doing for the past nearly six years, but nor Ron or Hermione believed they would ever get tired of things like that.
"I am sorry, I really am. I distanced myself from you and tried to act like nothing was one as I thought that would help. Like it would get rid of the pain that this has left. And it has not, and I miss you. And I am sorry." Hermione sighed, and although the tears were still in her eyes, she refused to let them fall.
"Hermione, you never have to apologise for any of this and it will never be your fault. Yes, it is unfortunate but we can work around that. It hurts, a lot. But it only hurts because we care so much. I am sorry as well, for not trying to stop you from becoming so distant, because I probably would have been able to do so. And I have really missed you." Ron told her, planting a kiss on her forehead.
"Do you still want to try?" Hermione asked after a moment or two.
"Yes. Do you still not want to?" Ron enquired.
"I think I am ready to start trying again." Hermione smiled and Ron kept is gaze fixed on her own eyes which were sparkling brightly.
"Are you sure?" Ron questioned
"I do not mean now now. Not tonight, I just mean, when we both want to..." She trailed off and Ron kissed her once again.
"Happy Valentine's Day."
Authors Note: This chapter was actually a lot harder to write than I thought and I think this was because originally I did have a flashback in this chapter and the scene between Ron and Harry was not there. I also wanted to point something out from the last chapter. Lily Moon and Stephen Cornfoot are not names that I have just come up with off the top of my head. If you look on websites such as Pottermore, J.K Rowling has listed all of the 40 students that were in Harry, Ron and Hermione's year at Hogwarts. Lily and Stephen were two of the people on this list although it was unstated which house they were in. So I have put Lily in Gryffindor and Stephen in Ravenclaw. Anyway, thanks for reading this chapter and PLEASE REVIEW!