This chapter once again contains mentions of miscarriage and grief, but it is not as apparent as previous chapters. Please proceed with caution if you feel this will still impact you in anyway.

Chapter 75

The next month was better.

With every day and every hour, Ron watched Hermione become more herself. As the days, then the weeks, wore on, things returned to their usual routine. Life was fun; they would laugh, they would talk about the mundane, they would cuddle, they would talk some more, they would do all the things that had been standard in their relationship — without even thinking about it.

Ron hadn't realised how intimate and physical their relationship still was until it was absent. He hadn't known how much he would miss holding her against him in the mornings before they got out of bed or having her lips against his in a loving embrace when they finally saw each other after a long day apart until those moments were put on pause. He missed the heated moments, and the tender moments, and all the ones in between.

So worried that he was about her, so confused about his own feelings, he had no idea how much he was craving all that again until she came up to him when he was cooking one evening and wrapped her arms around his waist.

He spun, smiling, and wrapped his own arms around her, drawing her close.

Without words, she'd lifted her chin and kissed him. Her arms moved around his neck and she deepened the kiss — an invitation to take things further.

Ron forgot about dinner after that and it had burnt, but that didn't matter, because Hermione was herself again, in all her beauty. He revelled in being so close to her, feeling her touch, running his fingers through her hair like he enjoyed doing.

It was the first night that hadn't been filled with sadness. It was the first night where they talked and laughed and didn't dwell on what they had lost, instead thankful for what they had.

Ron was very thankful to have her and he always would be. No matter what else happened, no matter what they went through, they would always do it together.

Somehow that first night in the kitchen had triggered a sense of normalcy for every other that followed. Hermione went back to work, immediately sinking into her routine and being happy about it. Ron still had his qualms about being an Auror, but he decided to not dwell on them. Too much had happened for him to think of anything else that was negative.

He had a job, a life, and that counted for everything.

Although he was certain Hermione thought about their baby every single day — he certainly did, unable to control the what ifs that popped into his mind — she seemed to have accepted that it happened the way it did.

They were ready to move on, to think ahead. This happened to so many couples and it didn't mean the end. It just meant a setback. He understood that now.

A month after Ron had broken down in the storeroom at the Ministry, Harry and Ginny invited them over for dinner at their place. It had been their first major contact with Ron and Hermione in what Ron suspected was Ginny and Harry trying to give them space to deal with what had happened.

Of course, Harry was always checking in at work, but they'd not been to the Burrow in almost two months, nor had they invited Harry and Ginny over.

"Consider us in," Hermione had said before Ron could even respond. She beamed at Harry and Ginny, no sign of hesitance or reluctance on her face.

Ron smiled at her, then looked back to his sister and best friend and nodded. "Consider us in," he agreed.

Ginny was around four months pregnant now and it was starting to become apparent to everyone who was close to her. Ron admired his sister and the pure happiness she seemed unable to hide. She was glowing, smiling all the time, and was constantly running her hand over her belly, as if checking to make sure her baby was still there.

Ron had been thrilled about his brothers having their children. And — as Hermione liked to put it — he was a doting uncle to all three of his nieces; but as he sat at Harry and Ginny's dining table, surrounded by delicious food they had cooked, he couldn't help but feel that this baby would be the most special yet.

This baby — his first nephew — was half his best friend, someone he loved and admired beyond words, and half his only sister, who was also essentially his other best friend.

This was their child, and Ron knew that no matter what, he'd love the kid probably just that little bit more than the others (though, he wouldn't tell anyone that).

"I can't believe how fast it's going for you," Hermione said admiringly, setting down her cutlery and giving Ginny a genuine smile.

"I'll be eighteen weeks in two days," Ginny said. "It seems like only yesterday I was preparing for the Quidditch match, wondering what exactly I had eaten the night before that made me feel so queasy." She smiled, as if feeling like she might throw up during a Quidditch game was a fond memory.

As they had not caught up anywhere near as much as they would have under normal circumstances, Ron realised he didn't know much about how they'd come to learn they were expecting. He knew that it had been a welcomed surprise, but that was it.

"You didn't even suspect?" Hermione asked curiously. The idea of not knowing the exact timing of every moment in a cycle was probably very foreign to Hermione. And that wasn't just because it had taken her half a year to get pregnant. She'd tracked everything meticulously from the beginning, because that was who she was.

"Honestly, Hermione," Ginny said, laughing, "when you're in one place one week, home the next, then away for the next two, it's very hard to keep track of… anything. You lose track of the time, the week — you just focus on the game then getting home again. But when I was still feeling unwell a few days later, I did begin to wonder."

"Must have been a nice surprise, then," Hermione said.

"Oh, it was!" Ginny said brightly. "Was a big surprise, but a happy one. I have leave from the team until the baby is six months old, too, so you're all stuck with me for a while."

"Which is great!" Hermione said. "We miss you when you can't make it to things because of Quidditch."

"I must admit," Ginny said, "it is nice to sleep in the same bed for more than a few nights at a time."

"They'll miss you on the team, though," Ron said. "You're their best Chaser."

Ginny shrugged, indicating that it didn't bother her that much.

They spent the next ten minutes finishing their meals. As he ate, Ron couldn't help constantly looking over to Hermione, just to make sure she was okay. They hadn't spoken about it, but he was certain she was aware that had things gone to plan, she and Ginny would only be a few weeks apart. Even he found himself fantasising about the types of conversations they would be having here if things had been different, so he worried about her.

But, she seemed okay. And not as if she was forcing herself to be okay, but like she actually was.

"Ron," she said quietly, though Harry and Ginny could hear easily considering the intimacy of the dinner, "I'm fine. Stop worrying."

"I can't help it."

"I'm fine."

"We don't have to talk about baby things," Harry said, looking across at them with concern. "If it's too much…"

Hermione shook her head. "No, please do. We haven't seen you guys in ages and there's a lot to catch up on. Besides, it's actually rather comforting to hear some good news."

Harry and Ginny smiled, but the conversation moved on to other things anyway. Ron wasn't sure if it was intentional on their part or natural.

When they'd finished, Harry cleared the plates with his wand and leaned back in his chair. Ron hid a smile at how normal all of this felt. How grown-up. Once, they were sitting around the Gryffindor table, stressing over exams as they crammed in a five minute meal. Then they were camping in a tent, struggling to find any kind of food at all. And now… now they were in a position where they each had a comfortable house and could spend the whole evening just relaxing.

"How have you guys been?" Ginny said, watching as the last plate flew from the table and into the kitchen. "We didn't know if you were up for coming over, but we thought we would try. We're glad you said yes."

"We're good," Ron said. "Better. Normal."

"That's great. Really. I've been so sad for both of you, constantly wondering if I should come and see you or just let you be. Mum's been asking. She's convinced you're not coming over because you're having marital issues."

"And you just let her think that?" Ron asked, his tone accusing.

Ginny gave him a look halfway between contempt and pity. "Ron, it's not our place to tell anyone. Unless you'd like us to. We never confirmed her guesses."

"But didn't deny them either." Ron sighed. Great, just another thing to worry about. As if everything hadn't been hard enough, his own mother now thought his marriage was in jeopardy of ending, when in reality it was stronger than ever.

"I'm sorry," Ginny said. "I just thought —"

"Thank you, Ginny," Hermione said. "We'll… tell her eventually. When we're ready."

Ginny smiled, instinctively running her hand over her slightly protruding belly. Her gaze drifted to Harry, who returned her smile and gave a short nod. Ron suspected it was supposed to be an unnoticed method of communication between them, but Ron noticed.

Beaming, she looked back to Ron and Hermione and said, "We actually asked you over here for a reason tonight."

"And here I was thinking that you just wanted your brother over for a nice meal," Ron teased. "I should have known better."

"Careful, mate," Harry warned, laughing slightly, "we may change our minds with what we are going to ask you if you keep that up."

It was now Ron's turn to share a look with Hermione, who also looked a little perplexed. They had both thought the reason for having them over was to check in with them over what had happened. But now that he thought about it, it wasn't like Harry and Ginny to be this formal about asking them to dinner. They'd asked very tentatively, even bothering to give thirty minutes notice before showing up at their place when they did ask them over — something they, especially Ginny, didn't usually do.

"Well, put us out of our misery, then," Ron said when neither of them elaborated further.

Ginny and Harry both smiled, looking very pleased with themselves.

"You're our best friends," Harry said. "The greatest friends anyone could ever ask for. You've been there for me — for us — more times than I can even count. Not just now, but ever since I've known you. From the very first day, you've just been there. And I love you both —"

"We love you," Ginny interjected.

"We love you," Harry amended, "so damn much. You're family, and not just in the literal sense. You were the first true family I ever had."

Ron frowned, unused to this kind of sentimentality from Harry. That was more Ron's area, where Harry was more straight down the line.

It sounded serious, whatever it was, and he and Hermione just sat there and listened.

Ginny, however, seemed a little over Harry's long speech and rolled her eyes. Whether it was pregnancy related or she just wanted to tell them, Ron didn't know, but she said, "We can think of no one else who we want to be our son's godparents more than you guys."

To say Ron was shocked was an understatement. In all honesty, he'd not given this moment any thought since finding out Harry and Ginny were having a baby. In a way, he supposed it made sense, because had their situations been reversed, Ron would have done the same. But…

He looked to Hermione. She seemed just as perplexed by the request — as if she'd not given it any contemplation either.

Their surprise must have been obvious to Harry and Ginny, too, because Harry laughed.

"Come on, you should have known we'd ask you. Who else were we going to ask?"

"Percy and Audrey?" Ginny teased. "I don't want my kid growing up in that house if I can help it."

Ron stared at both of them for a moment longer, then said quietly, "You trust us with your child?"

"For what it's worth," Ginny said, "I think the two of you will be the warmest, most loving parents when it happens for you. You'll love your kid or kids endlessly. And I think that can translate to a godson who is also your nephew."

Harry nodded his agreement, beaming at them both.

"Of course we will," Hermione said breathlessly. "Of course we will." She turned to Ron, her eyes waiting for him to confirm.

"Yeah," Ron said. "Yeah, you only have to ask. You know we'll say yes."

"We were pretty confident you wouldn't turn us down," Harry said. "But honestly, if anything were to ever happen to us —"

"And we hope it never does," Ron interjected.

"Well, if it did, we'd trust no one else more."

Ron and Hermione didn't speak.

"We mean it," Ginny said. "There's no one else." She offered a smile.

"This really means a lot," Hermione said, and Ron thought she sounded close to tears. He rubbed her back comfortingly, knowing that Ginny had been right, at least about her. Hermione would be the warmest, most loving mother. And she would love her children endlessly.

"How about we move into the living room," Ginny suggested, stifling a laugh. "Before Hermione bursts into tears over it. We're glad you guys accepted. Really, we are."

Hermione sniffed as she stood up.

"They're tears of happiness, right?" Ron said, grinning.

"Yes." She sniffed again.

He put his arm across her shoulders and laughed along with Ginny and Harry.

It was good to see her crying over something good. He found her adorable when she cried tears of happiness.

…

The evening had been the most fun Ron had had in a while. After dinner, they had moved into Harry and Ginny's living room, which was one of Ron's favourite places. Unlike Ron and Hermione, who had Muggle neighbours on either side, Harry and Ginny didn't have such issues.

Their house was filled with so much magic and interesting things, such as their miniature Quidditch pitch on the tallest shelf in the living room, with little figures constantly flying around it on tiny broomsticks, to the point that it was overflowing. Almost everything they owned had been enchanted somehow.

Ron found it amusing that Harry, who had grown up with Muggles, now lived a primarily wizarding life; and Ron, who had only known magic, lived a perfectly balanced one with the best of both worlds.

The evening had consisted of a lot more baby talk, drinks and food. Pleasant all round, Ron surmised. And a wonderful distraction.

"How are you going?" Ron asked Hermione when they arrived home nearing midnight. "Did you… did you enjoy tonight?"

Hermione turned to face him, smiling broadly. "I really did, Ron," she said. "I mean it." She brushed her lips lightly over his. "It was nice just to be with friends, to be happy for them, to just be ourselves. I haven't felt like myself in almost two months."

Ron gathered her in his arms and hugged her. "I'm glad," he said.

"And I feel so happy about them wanting us to be their son's godparents."

"I can't believe they trust us enough with that," Ron said. "But, yeah, it's kind of an honour." He smiled thoughtfully. "I think I'm really going to love that kid."

"Of course you will," Hermione said, pulling away. Her face looked a little hesitant now, like something was on the edge of her lips but she wasn't entirely sure if she should speak.

"What!" Ron said. "What's the matter?"

Her smile had vanished and she was staring up at him, serious.

"Are you alright?" Ron asked, his concern growing.

Rather than responding to his question, Hermione stared at their sofa for a few moments and said in a slow, uncertain voice, "I think I'm ready for us to start trying to have a baby again."

"What?" Ron said. He'd not expected that. In fact, part of him had not expected this conversation to come up for many more months, if at all.

She turned back to him. "What happened to us, Ron, it broke my heart, but… it's also confirmed for me that I really want this. And seeing how happy Harry and Ginny are, how excited they are… tonight didn't upset me, Ron. Not at all. It just made me realise that I feel ready again."

"But… Hernione…"

"Only if you're ready," Hermione said gently.

In all the months that they had already done this, it was always Ron. It was Ron who was enthusiastic, it was Ron who kept talking about having a baby, it was Ron who wanted it more than anything. But now, after what happened…

"I'm scared, Hermione," he confessed. "I'm scared it's going to happen again… or not happen at all. This scares me more than anything ever has."

Hermione took his hands in hers and looked him directly in the eye. "Statistics say that if it happens once, it doesn't increase the chance of it happening again."

"But what if it does?" Ron asked. "Hermione, you fell apart, and I hated seeing you like that. If that's the cost of us having a baby… I don't know if I want to go through that again."

Rather than answering, Hermione reached up and kissed him, her soft hands running down the side of his face. She smiled, affection in her expression.

"Tonight, Ginny said that she thought we could love whatever children we have endlessly, and she was right. We can. If we can feel so strongly for a child that we didn't even know, who really didn't even have arms and legs yet, then imagine what it will be like for children that do exist. Imagine that love… you want this, Ron, I know you do. You're ready, and you'll be the most amazing dad for them. You're scared because you're afraid of it happening again, and I understand that, I do, but I don't think it will."

Ron couldn't help but smile at her encouraging words. Bringing his arms around her waist, he pulled her towards him and kissed her. "Alright," he said. "If you think we should."

Hermione nodded. "It'll happen next time, I know it will," she said softly.

It was an empty promise — one she couldn't control — but he understood what she was saying. She was filled with hope again, and love, and want. What had happened to them had triggered emotions within them that neither even knew they possessed.

She was right. He had managed to feel something for a baby he hadn't even known about. And if that was how he felt about it now, then he couldn't wait to learn how it felt to hold his own child in his arms.

"In the meantime," Ron said after a moment, "Let's make sure that we're the best damn godparents anyone has ever seen."

I hope you all liked this chapter with some slightly happier moments than the past few. Thank you all for your thoughtful comments! I very much appreciate it!