AN: I own nothing
As Hermione entered the hospital waiting room, silence fell. The eager cries and shouts from the Weasleys, that she had heard further down the hall, dissipated. Hermione anxiously searched the room for Harry in the hope that she might have someone to support her but he was of course with his wife. Her eyes eventually rested upon George who was sitting aside from the others looking sympathetically at her. Molly had yet to distinguish why everyone was silent and so Hermione quickly scampered across to George who scooted down a seat to make room for her. As she turned her head to greet him, Molly spotted her.
Hermione could practically see Molly's magic crackling around her in anger.
"What are you doing here?" Molly spat out.
"Harry asked me to come so, here I am." Hermione calmly replied.
Molly pulled out her wand and pointed it menacingly at her.
"You're lying! Why would anybody want you here?! You are an evil, evil girl. Only someone with a cold heart could end things with Ron like you did."
"I'm very sorry you feel that way. But at the end of the day, if Harry and Ginny want me to be here, then it is them you should quarrel with and not me."
Arthur stepped in front of his wife, preventing her from casting anything at Hermione.
"I'm very sorry for my wife's behaviour, Hermione. Knowing Ron as I do, I know there is more to the story than he says. You have always been a very rational and compassionate person so, I know that you would never do anything to deliberately hurt another person"
"You tell that to our Son!" Molly wailed. Arthur shot her a sympathetic glance and turned to face his wife.
"I have, dear. On many occasions but seeing as he has been spending so much time with that damned Skeeter woman, I haven't had much of a chance to get the real story."
"But if you'd read his interviews, you-"
"I have read the interviews, Molly and you know full well that Rita Skeeter's writing contains very little of the truth. Are you forgetting what she wrote about Harry and Hermione during the Triwizard Tournament?"
"No, of course not, I-"
"Then please consider Hermione for a moment and think about how she must be feeling, after all the public backlash she has received."
"Now see here, Arthur. I think Hermione deserves every bit of that backlash, she broke my Son's heart!"
Arthur let out a sigh and sat down next to Hermione.
"I'm very sorry that you think that way so until you feel that you can be rational about the situation. I suggest you go to the other side of the room whilst I have a chat with Hermione." Arthur's tone made it abundantly clear that there was no room for argument in this so, Molly quickly made her way to a chair in the corner where she proceeded to sob quietly.
"Now then, Hermione, why don't you tell me your side of the story."
The rest of the Weasleys gathered around them to listen.
"Well you see, Ron and I broke up at the Victory ball. He had become very controlling and possessive. I no longer felt safe and happy and so, we ended it or so I thought. On Monday morning, I arrive at the office to find him with a bouquet of flowers and the engagement ring I'd returned to him in a box. So, you can surely understand why I said no when our relationship had already been over."
George turned in his seat to fully face her,
"So, my daft brother proposed to you even though he knew that you wouldn't go back to him?"
"That's right. I think he knew that people would be angry at me if I turned him down publically."
Arthur enveloped her in a big hug and Hermione just managed to make out his words,
"I'm so sorry, Hermione. We should have been there to support you."
This sentiment was echoed across the room save for a pitiful wail from Molly in the corner. It was at that moment Harry entered the room.
"Hey, Hermione! Ginny wants to see you, apparently she is has gotten fed up with me wants to moan about me to you."
Hermione cracked a grin and made to stand. As she did, George grabbed her hand,
"Hang in there, Hermione. If you need anything you only need to ask. I am happy to give you some Peruvian darkness powder to make a quick getaway if you need it."
Hermione giggled,
"I may just take you up on that offer, Mr Weasley."
Harry and Hermione walked silently down the corridor to Ginny's room.
Harry stopped at the door,
"This is where I leave you, Hermione. She told me that I wasn't allowed in the room again until I grew a bigger pair of balls."
Hermione couldn't help throwing her head back in laughter.
"The saviour of the Wizarding world needs a bigger pair of balls! Merlin help us!" Harry chuckled and left with a small wave.
Hermione gently knocked on the door and made her way into the room.
"About time you got here if Harry had gotten any paler he would've turned into a Malfoy"
"How on earth do you manage to remain witty in labour?"
"I've no idea. Maybe it is a coping mechanism. It would explain a lot real- Ah! Fuck that hurts!
Ginny grabbed her hand in a death grip as another contraction took hold. Now Hermione could see why Harry needed bigger balls. Her hand was going to be black and blue once this was over!
Eventually, the contraction passed and her hand was released. Ginny gave her a sympathetic glance as she saw Hermione's expression.
"Sorry, Hermione. Breaking people's hands appears to be a coping mechanism as well. On the plus side, my contractions are still fairly far apart so you have time to recover as well."
"I am just thankful I'm a witch. I can heal my bruises and breaks instantly."
Ginny nodded in agreement.
"I would've never made it to adulthood if it hadn't been for all the healing spells my Mum has in her arsenal. Speaking of my Mum, how hysterical was she when she saw you?"
"I could actually see her magic crackling around her. If your Dad hadn't intervened I would have been a goner."
"She has always been emotional. That's probably where Ron gets it from."
"Yeah, stick him in a dress and I reckon they'd be twins."
Ginny began laughing hysterically but was cut off as another contraction arrived. A Mediwitch entered the room and cast a diagnostic spell over Ginny.
"Right, Mrs Potter. I think you are ready to push."
"Go and get Harry, Hermione. I think he's served his time."
"I would, Gin. But you are still holding onto my hand."
Ginny let go of Hermione's only to latch onto the Mediwitch's and Hermione quickly left the room before Ginny could cling onto her again.
Hermione found Harry pacing the corridor anxiously.
"You're up, Harry. It's time for Ginny to push."
"Oh, Merlin! I can't do this. I'm not ready to be a Dad. How do you be a Dad, Hermione?"
"You will be absolutely great, Harry. You honestly think Ginny would let you be anything less that great?"
Some of the tension left Harry's shoulders and he made his way to Ginny's room. Hermione returned to the waiting room, hoping that everyone hadn't changed their mind about her whilst she'd been with Ginny.
Fortunately, this was not the case and she soon found herself happily chatting to Bill and George. Molly was looking slightly calmer although she resolutely avoided eye contact with Hermione.
After about an hour, Harry came running into the room.
"It's boy! We've decided to call him James Sirius Potter."
Everyone cheered at the news and Harry invited Molly and Arthur to meet their grandchild. Eventually, everybody went to see baby James and had gone home, only Hermione was left.
Hermione made her way into Ginny's room.
"Hermione! Come and meet your godson! Sorry for leaving you for last, we wanted to get the noisy lot out of the way."
Hermione chuckled and took James from Ginny's arms. Messy black hair covered his head but bright sky blue eyes gazed up at her. It was the perfect mix of Harry and Ginny. She could envision Ginny fussy over his messy black hair for many years to come.
"He's going to be a real charmer, isn't he?" murmured Hermione as she gazed down at him.
"He is. We already had to use force to get Molly to return him to us."
Hermione handed her godson to Harry.
"As you can see, there won't be any issues like that with me although I am going to spoil him rotten."
"That we can live with. Now why don't you head off home, you look almost as exhausted as Ginny does."
Hermione nodded and turned to head home but stopped suddenly.
"Oh, I almost forgot. I am living at Hogwarts now."
Harry and Ginny's mouth dropped open.
"Wha—at? Why? Harry stuttered.
"You are looking at Hogwarts' new transfiguration professor."
They both immediately offered their congratulations. Hermione grinned enthusiastically and Ginny cried,
"You'll be amazing, Hermione. We'll be around to pester you soon."
"Don't I know it! Good luck, you two. I'll see you soon."
Hermione gave them both a wave and made her way to the apparation point to get back to Hogwarts.
"Where have you been, Miss Granger?" Snape bellowed.
"Ginny was giving birth. I was asked to be there." Hermione replied.
Why was he so worried about her?
"You are not well liked at the moment, and I don't want to have a member of my staff compromise their own safety."
"I'm a grown woman, Professor, and I was at St Mungo's, I was perfectly safe there."
"You do not understand how much danger you're in do you? The bad press over your break up is the least of your concerns." Snape towered over her, causing her to bend her neck at an odd angle to maintain eye contact.
"What are you talking about?"
Their faces were within centimetres of each other and Hermione bit her lip in order to stop herself from looking at his. The moment she did, Snape moved away,
"Stay inside the wards of Hogwarts and you will never have to find out."
Once again, Snape left without a chance for her to respond and he left a very confused and flustered Hermione in his wake.
Hope you enjoyed this new chapter, let me know what you think!