Chapter 4: A Big Surprise
Harry and Ron ran up the narrow aisle of the Boeing 767, firing curses at their Death Eater adversaries as they went. In addition, they were attempting to protect the Muggle Prime Minister.
Through advanced Auror tracking techniques, the mates had tracked the Prime Minister to a Muggle airport in the rural counties of England. They had stolen aboard the plane and successfully located their man, bound in the galley. But just as the three were about to make their escape, the Death Eaters had boarded the plane and taken off. Now trapped, the star Aurors had come up with a daring plan to fight the Death Eaters and attempt to hijack the aircraft in a bold surprise attack. So far, it was going well.
Ron fired a Killing Curse at one Death Eater from behind a seat, and the latter fell dead. Two remaining dark wizards had barricaded themselves in the cockpit. Magic alone wouldn't get them inside; they would have to have an additional strategy. Harry and Ron were at a loss until the Prime Minister suggested using spare objects as extra weapons and the food cart as a battering ram.
"Alright, but just be careful, Prime Minister," Harry warned.
The three charged, bashing the food cart again and again into the cockpit door. Harry could hear the cries of the Death Eaters inside, yelling at each other to hold the door.
Ron cast the Bombarda spell on the door. A dent appeared in it, but nothing more. The redhead tried the spell again, this time on the food cart just before Harry and the Prime Minister rammed it into the door. A gaping hole appeared, out of which came a Stunning Spell that missed Ron by inches. Harry quickly sprayed contents from a fire extinguisher through the hole. Cries from within told them that someone had been hit.
Ron repeated the procedure and the door now partially caved in, enough for a man to squeeze through. Ron disarmed one of the Death Eaters and started to force his way into the cockpit, wrestling with his opponent over his wand as he did so. The door now gave way almost completely, save for its hinges, as the bewitched food cart found its mark again.
The airplane rocked from side to side violently, as the pilot attempted to throw the attackers off balance. Harry and the Prime Minister went for the pilot while Ron remained engaged with the co-pilot. Harry struggled and grappled for control of the yoke.
Finally, Ron killed his man, then the pilot from behind. The unlikely trio was now in control of the plane. Harry and Ron strapped themselves into the seats and the Prime Minister sat in an emergency exit chair.
The plane was falling rapidly, thanks to the Death Eater's self-inflicted turbulence.
"Harry, do you know how to fly this thing?" asked Ron.
"I can try," Harry reasoned. "Let's see: hydraulics, good. Air pressure, good. Altitude: falling. Speed:" The meter calculating this latter point seemed to be broken. "Speed:" Harry repeated, trying not to panic. They were out-of-control!
Harry calmly gripped the yoke and attempted to make a turn in the direction of London-Heathrow airport. There was a sudden violent jolt and a boom.
"What the bloody hell was that?" Harry growled.
"You hit the side of a mountain, tail wings have been knocked out," Ron reported. "Not to worry: we're still flying half the plane."
"We're almost to the airport; we'll have to do a controlled crash: best we can hope for," Harry rationalized. The now-burning plane careened for the nearest landing strip.
"Ron! Activate the landing gear!" Harry roared over the howl of the wind. Ron obeyed, and Harry guided the plane as best he could.
"Touchdown in 3, 2,…" There was a horrifying crunch as the plane landed violently, ripping out the landing gear. The aircraft skidded down the runway, finally screeching to a stop near the end. Harry collapsed back in his chair, relieved.
The plane was safely evacuated and a team of Auror trainees transported the Prime Minister to his mansion, before taking Harry and Ron back to Ministry of Magic via shuttle. The star Aurors arrived home to heroes' welcomes, and were personally congratulated by Minister Shacklebolt.
"You have saved the Muggle world from its darkest hours, my boys," Kingsley told them. "They and the wizarding world are in your debt. I wish to plan a conference with you both to debrief…"
Kingsley droned on, but Harry and Ron were no longer listening as they and the entourage of wizarding dignitaries processed through the main Atrium. There was another presence lurking nearby. Something…no, someone…
"Excuse us," Harry said abruptly.
"Certainly," the Minister replied to their backs.
Harry and Ron went over to the perimeter of the Atrium, glancing behind the columns. They were sure…yes! They turned, and Hermione slid into their arms.
Harry and Ron forgot about the Prime Minister, Death Eaters and everything else. Holding Hermione, kissing her, they felt complete again. Centered. Happy.
When they broke their kissing at last, Hermione got out, "Thank goodness you're back. I'm whole again."
Whole. "We missed you, Hermione. We missed you so," Harry told her.
She shivered in the circle of their arms. "There were rumors that you both were killed. I've been living with unbearable dread." She clung to each of them, as if to assure herself that they were real.
Ron disentangled himself from his wife's embrace and gave her a little shake. "We're back. We're alright."
Hermione smiled, and Ron pulled her back into his arms, wanting her close. "It's feels like we've been apart for a lifetime," he reasoned. "And it might have been – if we hadn't found the Prime Minister, I don't think we would have ever been recalled until an investigation was completed." He and Harry started to kiss her again, but she pulled away and looked about fearfully.
"Wait," she told them. "Not here. The Death Eaters-"
"No, here!" Harry insisted, reaching for her again. Neither he nor Ron could express how much they needed their wife right now, her calm acceptance, her love. She didn't know about the hijacked plane. "We're tired off all this hiding from dark wizard spies that don't exist. We don't care if they know we're married."
"Harry, don't say things like that," Hermione chided. "You and Ron are important to the Ministry, to ending this violence." She smiled up at them adoringly. "I love you boys more than anything, but I won't let you put yourselves in potential danger for me."
"We've given our lives to the Auror Department," Ron said slowly, meaning every word. "But we'd only give up our lives for you."
"I wouldn't like that," Hermione grinned coyly. "I wouldn't like that at all." She squirmed away as her boys reached for her again. "Patience, my handsome Aurors. Come to me later." She tried to get away quickly, but not fast enough to avoid Harry and Ron's training reflexes. They held her close – and when the shock of their sudden meeting faded, both could see that she was shaking.
"Are you alright?" Harry asked.
"I'm just…happy to see you," Hermione deflected, but her voice was too high and she avoided their eyes.
Harry frowned. "That's not it. I think there's more to it. What is it? Tell us what's been going on!" To his and Ron's distress, Hermione began to cry.
"You've been gone five months!" she sobbed. "It's been very hard for me. I've never felt so alone! There's…"
Ron, ever the possessive one and quick to succumb to jealously, jumped in. "Is there someone else?" he demanded. To their surprise – and relief – Hermione stopped crying.
"No!" she asserted forcefully. Then, more softly: "You still don't trust me, but nothing has changed."
But there was a change, Harry and Ron could both sense it now; they just could not identify it. Hoping to wrestle it out of their wife, Harry observed slowly, "We're sorry, it's just…we've never seen you like this."
"Nothing's wrong," Hermione reiterated. She looked away before turning back to her husbands. "Something wonderful has happened."
Harry and Ron looked at each other, perplexed. Wonderful? They thought. Then why did you get upset like that? Why were you crying? Meanwhile, Hermione took a deep breath before looking up into their faces.
"Harry…Ronnie, I'm pregnant."
Harry and Ron's mouths simultaneously dropped open. Of all the things that had crossed their minds that might explain their wife's behavior, they had never expected this. A baby? We're going to have a baby? Hermione searched their eyes, looking for further reaction.
"Well, say something!" she begged when none came forthwith. All the boys could think was one thought: We're going to have a baby.
"That's…that's wonderful," Ron croaked. Hermione leaned into them.
"What are we going to do?" she asked.
Harry and Ron thought to themselves. This was certainly new territory, one that would have to be reconciled with their present reality. Job and family…balance between the two could be complicated, especially with the dangerous nature of their jobs. But, the thought of their impending fatherhood made them banish the unknown from their minds. Harry spoke these thoughts aloud.
"We won't worry about that right now." He kissed Hermione once, then again before allowing Ron to do the same. "This is a happy moment – the happiest moment of our lives."