Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any other recognizable work or character.
A/N: My oldest baby is turning 6 tomorrow. Eek! It's going to be a busy weekend so I thought I would update now. A little talk of loss once more in this chapter but also some healing going on and also some Potter-Weasley sass (it's my favorite!)
Eleven
"So he wants to put the baby in the estate?" Harry asked as he flipped a sausage on the grill.
Hermione shrugged, "That's what he said."
"I wonder how his fiance feels about all of this," Ginny said from across the table where she sat leaning in her chair, a wine glass in one hand and her feet on Harry's empty chair. Jamie's cradle was nearby, magically enchanted to rock as a soft lullaby played, "Thank you for that by the way, he hasn't slept that soundly in ages."
Hermione grinned, "He just missed his aunt Hermione is all."
Harry scoffed, "Yes well maybe aunt Hermione should move in so she can stay up with him into the wee hours of the morning."
"Er- no thanks," she laughed, "As it is I'm hardly getting any sleep with this one with all the kicking." She placed her hand on her stomach just as a well placed kick hit her palm.
"Are you sure it's kicking?" Ginny grinned slyly, "It could be it's chin. I mean, do you remember the points on Malfoy back in school?"
Hermione rolled her eyes as Harry laughed loudly behind her.
"She has a point 'Mione… of course so did Malfoy."
"You guys are terrible. I don't know why I'm friends with you."
The trio laughed at that and hermione leaned back in her chair, her mind once again drifting to the baby. She had often begun to wonder what she- or he, as Ginny kept reminding her- would look like. Would it take after her at all or would she be raising a mini Malfoy? She really hoped for the former.
They had just sat down to eat when the fireplace chimed and they all turned to look as Ron stepped through, his face as red as his hair. Harry jumped up quickly from his seat at the table, casting an apologetic glance at Hermione before he hurried towards the newcomer.
"Hey Ron-" Harry started lowly.
"Sorry," Ron said, none too quietly, his eyes on Hermione, "I didn't mean to interrupt, I just- I didn't know where else to go. I- I'll just- go."
"Oh for Godric's sake," Hermione said loudly, "Just come sit down Ronald."
The men exchanged looks before Harry nodded and gestured for Ron to go ahead. Hermione used her foot to push the chair opposite her out from under the table and the man sat down.
"I really am sorry. I didn't mean to-"
"It's fine," Hermione said with a wave of her hand, "Pass the beans?"
Ron nodded and Harry conjured a plate for the man as he handed the serving bowl of beans to Hermione. It was quiet as they filled their plates, and their stomachs, and Hermione kept catching the other people at the table looking at her furtively before she sighed and leaned back in her chair.
"Are you alright Ron?" she asked, "You looked upset."
Ron nodded around the large mouthful of sausage and finally spoke, "Cami and I had a row. She- well she kicked me out. I didn't know where else to go. Mum would tell me to work it out, Fred and Percy have a houseful already, Bill's on vacation and Charlie is-"
"On assignment," Hermione filled in, ignoring the questioning glance Ron threw at her.
"I just didn't know where else to go," the man sighed.
Hermione studied him. Of course she and he had had their own fair share of disagreements- even more so after they began trying to start a family- but she was in a different place now. She could see things differently.
"What was it about?"
Ron groaned, rubbing at his face, "I don't even know. One moment I was talking to her and the next she was throwing a vase at my head."
Ginny laughed out loud at that before she quickly clamped her lips together, "Sorry, not funny. Go on."
"What were you talking about?" Hermione pressed.
"About the baby of course," he said quietly, Hermione nodded in encouragement. " That's all she wants to talk about. She wanted to talk about after she was born-"
"And you said-"
"I said we could talk about it later. She said I always say that and- and just exploded."
"And do you always say that?" Hermione asked.
Ron scoffed, "No." He grimaced, "Well maybe I've said it a few times but what does it matter? We have time."
"Not too much longer though," Hermione pointed out. "Look, I don't- I don't know much about her or how you met but I do know that when we were together you were excited about the prospect of having a baby and being involved- I-"
"Fine," he snapped loudly and Hermione jerked a little in surprise before he calmed himself down. "Fine, I'm scared okay? What if something happens? What if this baby doesn't make it either? I don't want to get my hopes up. I don't want to think about stuff like that because I can't- I don't know if I can go through it again 'Mione."
Hermione's heart broke, "Oh Ron-" she reached out to place her hand on top of his. Of course in all of their losses, in all of her heart breaks, she had thought of him. He had held it together though, he had been the strong one. She had never stopped to think about how all of it was affecting him. "I should have asked-"
"It doesn't matter," he argued, trying to pull his hand away.
She gripped firmer onto his hand, "It does Ronald. Those losses… they were as much yours as they were mine. You deserved to grieve too.. You shouldn't have had to be strong for me and you should have been able to talk about them…I'm sorry."
He met her eyes then and turned his hand over, grasping her hand in his and giving it a squeeze as they both let tears fall. For the first time; together.
"I'm sorry I was an arse," Ron finally said after a moment and Hermione choked on her laughter then, reaching up to wipe away her tears. "I really was."
Hermione nodded, "I'm not going to argue." The both of them laughed and Hermione had to take a deep breath before she finally calmed herself down enough to speak once more. "I think that you should go talk to her. Really talk. Tell her. She'll understand."
Ron met her gaze, frowning, "Are you sure?"
She nodded, "positive."
Ron smiled at her, the first time in a long time, and pushed his chair back. He didn't stand up though as he reached out to grasp her hand once more, "You're still one of my best friends 'Mione."
She squeezed his hand, "I know."
She had just changed into her pajamas when the knock sounded on her front door. She frowned as she waddled her way into the living room and looked through the peephole.
"You're back!" she smiled as she opened the door to Charlie.
"I am," he said and it was only then she noticed he looked a little worse for the wear. "I know it's late but-"
"No, come in. Are you alright?"
He nodded as he stepped through the door, "I was going to wait until morning but I wanted to let you know we found the eggs and the illegal trading headquarters. By complete happenstance actually."
"How?"
"Your notes! You mentioned there was a third person, someone the goblin had mentioned in passing, just the briefest of glimpses. Well, as it turns out he was actually the mastermind. It wasn't until I went back and read again that I also saw you noted that the eggs also went missing around the same time with each occurrence and it dawned on me, it was always around a hatching. As trainers we're assigned to our dragons and it kind of hit me from there."
"Was it-"
"A coworker," Charlie grimaced, "One I valued actually. I'm sorry to say it did not end well."
"Oh Charlie," Hermione sighed, "I'm sorry."
He waved her off, "I'm just glad we found it. He uh- he used fiendfyre as well, as we were closing in. We- well we lost quite a few of the hatchlings he had taken."
Hermione's heart sank at the look on her friend's face and before she could stop and think about what it would mean for the man she threw her arms around his neck and held him tightly.
His hands came around her then, his palms splaying open on the skin exposed at the base of her back and he buried his face into the crook of her neck. She held tightly as his shoulders shook slightly and she felt for him. Charlie's dragons were like children to him, she knew. The loss of the baby dragons was no doubt comparable to what she would feel if something ever happened to her child. Her heart sank at the thought and she only held tighter.
After a while his grip loosened and he pulled away, reaching up with his rough and calloused hand to push a stray curl behind her ear, his hand cradling her cheek before he leaned in ever so slowly and captured her lips with his.
She didn't respond as he pulled her closer, his tongue darting out and licking at her lip, just as a pecking sounded at the window, breaking them apart.
She felt her stomach clench as she pulled away quickly and hurried to open the window and let the owl in. It swooped in, more gracefully than any owl had a right to be, and she didn't even need to pick up the envelope it dropped to know who it was from as it soared out of her open window and back into the night.
She picked up the crisp, white envelope and broke the seal on the flap, sliding the parchment out from it as she read:
Granger,
I have set up an appointment with our family healer for Wednesday evening at half-six. If this is not agreeable with you please let me know as soon as you are able. Due to the nature of the circumstances I have arranged for the appointment to occur here at the manor.
Regards,
D. Malfoy
She swallowed as she finished reading and put the parchment back into the envelope just as Charlie's hand slid onto her hip.
"Everything alright?" he asked lightly.
"Yes, Malfoy has asked that I see his healer. He set up the appointment at the manor later this week. I guess- I just wasn't expecting it so soon is all."
Charlie studied her intently, "Would you like me to come with you?"
"I don't know," she answered quietly.
Charlie nodded, pulling her hand up to his as he pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles and Hermione groaned.
"Charlie-" she started.
The man grinned, "That's my name."
Hermione smirked at that but pulled her hand from his grasp, "Look, I- I should have told you before. I honestly don't know why I didn't but- I don't, this," she gestured between them, "It's just not going to work."
He raised a brow.
"I"m sorry, I really am but there's just nothing… there."
Charlie sighed as he moved to lean against her table, crossing his arms over his chest, "You know, I should have known it was coming. I guess- I guess I was hoping we could make something. I- I do like you Hermione."
She smiled, "And I like you… just not in that way."
She expected him to get upset, to call her names, or leave her. Instead he laughed, tossing his head back, and then stood up crossing the room to pull her into a hug. "The offer still stands. If you want me to go I will… as friends."
She smiled as she allowed herself to be hugged by him as she nodded, "I'll let you know."
"Maybe we should have a code word, if you need to leave?" Charlie suggested as they reached the doors to the manor. Hermione realized he was only halfway joking as she reached up to use the heavy door knocker. "Something like 'get me the hell out of here you daft twit' should work I think."
Hermione laughed at that and she was glad she had asked Charlie to come along, if only to keep her spirits lighter. They had gone back to their daily lunches since his return earlier in the week and she liked the easiness that was between them. She had thought of asking Harry or Ginny to accompany her but seeing as neither of them were particularly fond of Malfoy and both of them were suffering from a lack of sleep, she thought it best not to chance it.
The door opened slowly, creaking loudly through the air, and Hermione bit back a grimace as she realized how similar it was to one of those old horror movies her parents never let her watch on the telly.
"Hermione Granger has arrived," a voice said and Hermione looked down to see the house elf sweeping into a low bow, "Master has been awaiting your arrival."
"Uh, thank you," she said to the creature as she stepped over the threshold and into the room, Charlie close behind.
"This way," the house elf said shortly and Hermione looked to Charlie who merely shrugged as the elf started up the grand staircase and they followed behind it.
They walked up the stairs and to the right and as they neared a door that was ajar, voices began filtering through the air. In the silence of the manor around them Hermione could make out the words they were saying.
"Draco, honestly," a woman's voice said and Hermione thought it sounded like Narcissa's voice.
"I don't care, just- do whatever," Malfoy's voice said roughly.
"You never care. You don't care about anything at all, I could plan this entirely like a funeral and you wouldn't notice." another woman spoke, her voice vaguely familiar.
"Tori-" he sighed again.
"No, don't you Tori me. You wouldn't notice because you haven't cared about anything since you found out-"
The house elf reached out then, knocking on the door and halting the conversation inside. Hermione glanced to Charlie who merely looked at her before the house elf opened the door wide for them.
"Master, Miss Granger and her guest have arrived."
Hermione smiled at the little creature encouragingly before she stepped over the threshold and through the door.
"Granger," Malfoy said as he moved towards her from across the room, "And you've brought a guest."
"Yes, this is-"
"Charlie Weasley-" Hermione turned to see the witch sitting in an arm chair beaming brightly at them as she stood up. "I'm sorry it's just- I've read all your works. I thoroughly enjoyed your take on mating rituals between dragons."
"Oh," Charlie said his eyebrows raising slightly, "You've read-"
"Everything you've ever published. Congratulations by the way on your Newt Scamander award, I was overjoyed to learn that you had been selected to receive it this year."
Hermione looked at Charlie, "You didn't say-"
Charlie shrugged, "It wasn't a big deal-"
The woman scoffed, "Not a big deal? You won in a tremendous landslide amongst scholars three times your age. Your piece on the Amethyst Widowmaker was by far the most enlightening thing I've read. Do you mind though I was wondering, you pointed out that the amethyst will mate with Grey Widowmakers and Blue Winged Widowmakers but not Yellows, have you figured out yet why?"
Charlie looked, for lack of a better term, awestruck, "Yes, actually I have. You see-"
"Granger," the voice said near her ear, sending shivers down her spine, as Charlie continued and she turned to find Malfoy near her elbow. "Astoria can talk for hours about dragons but the healer is here if you'd…"
Hermione nodded, looking back to see Charlie and Astoria completely engrossed in conversation and she had to admit it was the most enthralled she had seen him. She walked beside Malfoy off to the side of the room where another door sat nearly unnoticeable and he led her towards it.
"I thought you would be more comfortable in here," he explained as they neared it and he pushed it open.
She laughed to herself as she took in the rows upon rows of books that lined the walls and the tables that had been pushed to the side to allow the small exam table to be set up.
"If you'd rather I get your-" he paused, "boyfriend? I can-"
Hermione frowned, "Charlie? No, he's not- we're not…" she took a breath, "He's just a friend."
"Ah, Miss Granger is it?" Hermione turned to see the healer walking towards her, smiling as he reached out to grasp her hand, "I've heard much about you."
Hermione smiled, "Only good things I hope."
The man grinned, "Of course, of course. One-third of the golden trio and brightest witch of her age. I'm so glad you decided to see me there is much to discuss. Come, come."
He directed her towards the exam table and she sat down upon it as he flitted about and Hermione turned to look at Malfoy and she was surprised to find that, for once, he wasn't scowling.