A/N – Sorry for the delay in posting a new story, but I've been having trouble with fanfiction yet again. I haven't had any notifications from them for weeks now, and now every time I go onto the site it tells me the e-mails are being rejected (which makes no sense as the e-mail address I use was set up with the sole purpose of using it for fanfiction). With no notifications coming my way, I've had to decide how to proceed with my stories. I did consider moving to AO3, but last time I tried that I ended up removing my stories due to a total lack of response. So for the moment, I've decided to stick with fanfiction and manually check for reviews, but if I change my mind and decide to use another site, I will let everyone know. Although if anyone else is suffering similar issues, I hope they can still keep up with the story as I post to a schedule.

Onto this story, Troubled Waters. Updates will be Monday and Thursdays, and it has 33 chapters and an epilogue. This story is likely not for fans of the Weasleys, especially Ron and Molly. But for everyone else, I hope you enjoy this new story.

In the four weeks since the battle of Hogwarts, Hermione Granger had attended more funerals and memorial services than she would have liked. The result of the final battle had been Voldemort's death and the downfall of his Death Eaters, but the cost of victory had been a high one. Among those who had lost their lives had been Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks, Fred Weasley, and most devastatingly of all, Harry Potter.

Hermione had grieved for Remus, Tonks and Fred, and she wished they hadn't died, but it was Harry's death that had blown her world apart. Harry had been a large part of her life since she was twelve years old, and she didn't know what she was going to do without him. She still had her other best friend, Ron Weasley, but Hermione couldn't deny that she'd felt a bond with Harry that she'd never felt with Ron. With Ron, she cared about him and they were good friends, but they wouldn't have even been friends in the first place without Harry. Whereas with Harry, Hermione knew she'd had a friend for life, and it broke her heart that he would never get a chance to finally live the life he wanted, rather than the life that had been forced upon him as 'The Boy Who Lived'.

Hermione had struggled through every funeral and memorial service grieving for those who had lost their lives, as well as for those who were left behind. Fred's funeral was particularly tough as she was so close to the family, and it really was devastating to see poor George trying to come to terms with life without his twin brother. The pair had been inseparable, and Hermione really didn't know how George was going to adjust to life without Fred.

Harry's funeral was the final one, and it took place exactly four weeks after the battle of Hogwarts and his death. The crowds at Harry's funeral were greater than even Hermione had anticipated, and it really brought home to everyone just how important Harry had been in freeing the wizarding world from Voldemort's tyranny. Even people who didn't know Harry personally had come to pay their respects to the wizard who'd defeated Voldemort. The service was also filled with people who had known Harry, and who would genuinely miss him in their lives.

As with the other funerals, Hermione had attended with the Weasleys, and she'd relied heavily on Ron for his support. Without Harry she had worried their friendship might crumble, especially since she'd had to inform him during the final battle that she didn't see him in a romantic light when he tried to kiss her. However, their grief had brought them together and Ron had been a rock for Hermione. He'd helped her cope with losing Harry, just like she'd helped him, and they'd vowed that they would always look out for each other and be there for each other, just as Harry would have done for them both.

By the time Harry's coffin was lowered into the ground, Hermione was a sobbing mess, clinging to Ron for support. She also felt sick and tired, but she knew it was because she hadn't been looking after herself. It was hard to focus on keeping healthy, when she'd lost her best friend and her life was in a mess. A couple of times at Harry's graveside, Hermione had felt as though she was going to pass out, but she managed to stay on her feet thanks to Ron's strong arms around her.

"You look as though you're coming down with something," Ron said to Hermione as Harry's burial ended and people began making their way away from the graveyard in Godric's Hollow.

"I'm fine," Hermione replied. "Just tired and sad."

"I know that feeling," Ron said with a sad smile. "I still can't believe he's gone. I keep expecting him to turn up."

"I do too," Hermione confided.

Taking one final look at Harry's final resting place, Hermione and Ron headed back to The Burrow. The Ministry had arranged a public wake for Harry, but Molly had organised a private wake back at the Weasleys home. Everyone who attended the wake at The Burrow had been personally invited and they all knew Harry. As a result the house was packed with Harry's friends, and the sense of grief was even stronger than it had been at the funeral. Some people tried to lift the mood by sharing stories of Harry, but mostly people reflected on their loss and how much they were going to miss him.

Hermione found the wake slightly claustrophobic, and after speaking to a couple of friends, she excused herself and went to lie down in Ginny's room, which was where she was currently residing. With Crookshanks curled up beside her, Hermione finally managed to cry herself into a restless sleep, while down below her people continued to mourn Harry's passing.

A few hours later Hermione woke up, and she could tell by the lack of noise that the wake was over. Groggily getting to her feet, she was overcome by a wave of nausea and dizziness, and with a weak cry she went crashing to the floor in a dead faint, knocking over Ginny's bedside lamp as she did so.

The noise of Hermione falling and knocking over the lamp, alerted the Weasleys and Ron was the first one into Ginny's room to check on Hermione. Molly, Arthur and Ginny were right behind him, and they were all worried to find Hermione unconscious on the floor.

"Molly, call for a healer," Arthur instructed, taking charge of the situation. "Ron, help me get her back on the bed."

Carefully Ron and Arthur picked Hermione up and settled her on the bed, while Molly rushed off to call for a healer. Thankfully Hermione was breathing, and no sooner had she been placed on the bed than she began to stir.

"Don't try and get up," Ginny said soothingly as Hermione's brown eyes fluttered open.

"What happened?" Hermione asked groggily.

"You collapsed," Ron answered. "Mum's called for a healer."

"I don't need a healer," Hermione argued as she attempted to sit up. However, the second her head left the pillow dizziness overcome her again and she was forced to return to her position lying down.

"Looks like you do," Ginny said softly. "Don't fight this, Hermione. You're clearly run down."

"No more than anyone else," Hermione said quietly. She didn't want people to think she was feeling sorry for herself, especially as she knew other people were missing Harry just as much as she was.

"Stop arguing Hermione," Ron ordered. "Just let us take care of you."

Not having the energy to argue, Hermione nodded and let her eyes drift closed as she waited for the healer to arrive. Barely five minutes later Molly re-entered the room with a healer, a wizard in his fifties. Healer Nixon was the on call healer from St Mungo's, and he introduced himself to Hermione with a gentle smile.

"Do you want anyone to stay with you?" Molly asked Hermione when the healer announced he wanted to examine Hermione in private.

"No, I'll be fine," Hermione replied.

"We'll be downstairs if you need us," Ron said, giving Hermione's hand a reassuring squeeze.

Leaving Hermione to be examined by the healer, the Weasleys all headed off downstairs. Once she was alone with the healer, Hermione answered his questions and allowed him to examine her. Deep down Hermione had known the cause of her fainting spell, and she was unsurprised when the healer confirmed it – she was pregnant. Promising to take better care of herself, Hermione was left alone to contemplate her future, and what she was going to do now she'd had her suspicions confirmed about the life growing inside of her.

…..

While Hermione was upstairs coming to terms with her news, the Weasleys were all waiting in the kitchen for news. The second Healer Nixon emerged from the stairs, he was bombarded with questions about Hermione's welfare.

"Miss Granger is fine," Healer Nixon assured the worried family. "She's just suffering from exhaustion. A few days rest and she'll be just fine."

"That's a relief," Ron sighed. After losing Harry, he hadn't wanted to even think that there might have been something seriously wrong with Hermione.

"Although she really does need to take better care of herself," Healer Nixon continued. "In her condition she should be looking after herself. It's not good for her or the baby for her to not be eating properly and not getting enough rest."

"Did you just say baby?" Molly questioned as Ron and Ginny's mouths dropped open in shock.

"You didn't know," Healer Nixon said with a grimace. "I'm sorry, I assumed you knew."

"Hermione's pregnant?" Ron asked.

"It's really not my place to say," Healer Nixon said sheepishly.

"I rather think you've already broken the news of Hermione's pregnancy," Arthur said.

"And since you have, you can tell us how far along she is," Molly said. "She mustn't be very far gone."

"I really can't discuss a patient," Healer Nixon insisted.

"You've already told us she's pregnant, what harm can it do?" Molly cajoled. "Hermione's family. She'll tell us herself anyway."

"Without further tests I can't be a hundred percent sure, but I would say she's between six and eight weeks gone. Certainly no further than ten weeks," Healer Nixon answered. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to get back to the hospital. Make sure Miss Granger rests, and remind her to register at the hospital for her pre-natal check-ups."

Silence descended on the Weasleys as Healer Nixon departed The Burrow, and they took in the news that Hermione was pregnant. Not only was she pregnant, but she hadn't confided in any of them, and she'd been staying with them for the last month. In fact she would likely be staying with them for a while, as her parents were still in Australia without their memories.

"I don't believe it," Ginny said, finally breaking the silence. "How has this happened?"

"Surely you know that, Ginny," Ron snorted.

"I know how," Ginny said, glaring at her brother. "But I mean, who and when?"

"The when's easy," Ron said. "Six to eight weeks the healer said. Well the last four weeks she's been here. That leaves two to four weeks before the final battle. We were at Shell Cottage during that time."

"Are you trying to tell us the baby is yours, Ron?" Arthur asked his youngest son.

"No, the baby's not mine," Ron said with a regretful shake of his head. He wasn't going to lie and say he had no feelings for Hermione, because he did, but she'd made it clear that she only saw him as a friend.

"Who's can it be then?" Ginny questioned with a frown. "It's certainly not Bill's, or Harry's. You're the only person left Ron."

"Actually, I'm not," Ron said. "We weren't alone arriving at Shell Cottage. We rescued Luna and Dean from Malfoy Manor. They were both with us for a few weeks."

"Dean?" Ginny gasped, totally surprised by the thought of her ex-boyfriend being with Hermione. "The baby's Dean's?"

"It has to be," Ron replied with a shrug. He didn't like the idea of Hermione with Dean, but then again he didn't like the idea of her with anyone who wasn't him. "Dean is the father of Hermione's baby."

"Actually, he isn't," a quiet voice said from the doorway. Turning around all four of the Weasleys sitting at the kitchen table were surprised to find Hermione in the doorway.

"You should be resting," Molly said with a motherly tut as she got up and went over to Hermione.

"I'm fine," Hermione replied with a weak smile as Molly forced her to sit down at the table and began to make a fresh pot of tea.

"What do you mean Dean isn't the father of your baby?" Ron demanded.

"Exactly what I said," Hermione replied. "The baby isn't his. But how do you all know about the baby? I was just coming to tell you myself."

"The healer accidently told us," Arthur answered. "It wasn't his fault, he thought we already knew."

"Maybe you would have if I'd had the guts before now to find out for sure if I was pregnant," Hermione replied, thanking Molly for the hot cup of tea she placed in front of her. "The truth was, I've suspected as much for weeks, but I've been putting off finding out."

"Why?" Molly asked as she handed out the rest of the tea and retook her place at the table beside her husband.

"Did something happen to you at Malfoy Manor?" Ron asked warily, not sure if he wanted to know the answer to the question he was asking. "Is this baby a result of something sinister happening to you?"

"God no," Hermione gasped. "I wasn't raped or anything like that. I know who the father is, and the sex was entirely consensual."

"And what, you're worried about telling him?" Ginny questioned. "Why, because he's married?"

"Married?" Hermione frowned.

"Yes, married," Ginny continued. "If Dean isn't the father, it has to be Bill."

"No," Molly gasped. "Bill would never do that."

"Of course he wouldn't," Hermione agreed. "And nor would I," she added, disappointed that Ginny would think she would sleep with a married man. "Bill isn't the father."

"So who is?" Ron demanded, trying to think back to try and work out who else Hermione had come into contact with during their time at Shell Cottage.

"You're not going to like this," Hermione muttered as she drew in a deep breath and prepared herself for the fireworks that lay ahead. "It was Harry. The baby I'm carrying is Harry's."