Disclaimer: All Characters and things associated with Harry Potter belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers. This writing is purely for entertainment only.
Summary: A tragedy unravels the Weasley Family and the Wizarding World forever, but with the use of a time turner can one Weasley save them all?
Chapter 18
Lex woke up early that morning at the small apartment she was sharing with Scorpius for the first time in a few weeks. Today was the day he was going to meet Draco and Goyle and she wanted to make sure he was all set.
She moved through the apartment, her finger thumbing over her uncle's invisibility cloak that was folded on the back of the kitchen chair. She knew that invisibility cloak well. She and Lily used to use it to sneak around the Burrow to see what their older cousins were doing. Of course, this version of the cloak was not as worn as the one she remembered.
In the quiet moment in the apartment, Lex allowed herself to think of her family, of how the future would change if she was successful in saving her family. She wondered who Rose and Hugo would have grown into. She wondered what changes her mom would have made as she continued on her journey as Minister of Magic. She wondered if her dad would have ever truly retired from the joke shop.
"You're up early," Scorpius dragged Lex from her thoughts as he moved up behind her.
His voice caused her to jump a bit and turn in her heel. "You scared me."
"Sorry," Scorpius gave her a soft smile.
"Are you ready for today?" Lex asked him.
Scorpius nodded, looking at the invisibility cloak that Lex was leaning on. He had only seen it a few times over at the Burrow, and it was usually when Rose or Albus was pulling it off of Lex or Lily when they were annoying them.
"Remember...regardless of what you find out today you cannot be seen. We just need you to get the information, figure out who it is, and get out of there," Lex said.
Scorpius nodded. He didn't know why but he was a little nervous.
Lex seemed to be able to tell and after a moment leaned in and gave him a hug. "You're going to do great. One step closer to figuring it all out."
Scorpius didn't know why but Lex's embrace caused him to stiffen a bit; the smell of her shampoo invading his nose and overwhelmed him. He had no idea when she had gone from just someone's little sister to a real woman but the last few weeks had shown him just how much she had changed. She reminded him so much of what he had always dreamed Rose would have grown into.
The hug seemed to last a bit too long and Lex eventually pulled away from him, smiling up at him slightly awkwardly.
"I'll be at my parents. Once you finish up...get over there as quick as you can," Lex said.
Scorpius nodded, taking the invisibility cloak that Lex handed to him and a deep breath before disapparting to meet his father.
Hermione woke and instantly felt her stomach turn. She hardly made it to the toilet before throwing up.
She sighed, leaning against the toilet when she was done. She was officially out of her first trimester and would have sworn the morning sickness would have gone away, yet it was still as unpredictable as ever. Some morning she was fine, others started exactly like that morning had.
Hermione closed her eyes and sat there a bit longer before hearing Ron's footsteps behind her. She felt his arms gently move around her waist and without opening her eyes, she sank back into her husband who was sitting behind her on the floor.
"Rough morning?" Ron said gently.
Hermione gave a small smile and leaned back, her eyes still not opening. "This child of yours insists on making this hard on me. It must be a boy..."
Ron stiffened a bit at Hermione's guess, knowing full well she was wrong but also knowing he couldn't tell her that. It had been a week since Hermione's doctor visit and Hermione still hadn't asked Lex to tell them what they were having. It was driving Ron mad. He was so worried he would mess up and call the baby "she" that he just wanted it to be over with.
"Maybe we should find out today? I'll stay home...you call out sick. I'll have Lex tell us and then maybe we can go celebrate over lunch in Hogsmeade? What do you think? If you're feeling up to it?" Ron asked.
He knew Hermione wanted some alone time as well, which he had been focused on trying to give her over the last week though it hadn't been easy. He had been so focused on the upcoming meeting with Draco, Scorpius, and Goyle that it had been hard to not seem distracted. Truthfully, that was part of why he wanted to spend the day doing something else; to get his mind off of that meeting that was taking place that morning.
"That actually sounds lovely," Hermione smiled, slowly opening her eyes and turning to face Ron. "Do we need a chauffeur today?"
Ron smiled down at her, knowing exactly what answer she wanted. "No, I reckon I can keep you safe enough."
This caused Hermione to smile even wider. It would be the first time her and Ron were truly alone and out of the house together, and they would be celebrating finding out what their child was. Aside from the morning sickness, today was chalking up to be a good day, she thought.
Lex fumbled in her parent's kitchen, making herself a cup of coffee while she waited for her parents to join her. Usually they were already up and Lex assumed Ron would be late for the Ministry at this point.
Finally she heard their footsteps coming down the stairs and Ron and Hermione both entered the kitchen. Lex instantly noticed that her mother was smiling and seemed, overall, happier than she had in a while.
"Good morning, Lex," Hermione smiled wider. Ever since the trip to St. Mungo's she had felt a bit more at ease with Lex, though their conversations were generally kept light and surface level.
"Morning," Lex smiled at her mother and then cocked an eyebrow at her father, wondering why Hermione was so cheerful that morning.
Ron merely shrugged.
"Lex, Ron and I are taking the day off...we were going to go into Hogsmeade..." Hermione said, moving to get herself a nibble of a scone. Her stomach was feeling much better.
"Oh...great..." Lex again looked at Ron, shrugging at him as to what was going on.
Again Ron shrugged, but both Lex and Ron straightened up when Hermione turned sound to face them.
"Do you want me to go with you?" Lex asked.
Hermione looked to Ron to answer. She was slowly getting on better terms with Lex and didn't want to push her away from her job.
"Right...we actually were planning on going alone," Ron told Lex.
Lex nodded, surprised her father wouldn't want extra security on that day especially given they were waiting to hear from Scorpius but she also didn't want to butt into her parents limited alone time if he felt they were fine.
"Sounds...good." Lex said finally.
"Well, we thought we would give you the day off. You never get those," Hermione added quickly.
"Oh...yeah, thanks," Lex just nodded again. This was the one day she wanted something to do, otherwise she knew she would just be worrying about what was happening with Scorpius, Draco, and Goyle.
"Before we do that though...well we wanted to be able to celebrate if we were having a boy or girl today. Could you tell us?" Hermione asked, almost sheepishly.
"Right...sure." Lex was taken back by the request. She had nearly forgotten she even had the information. She quickly moved to the small bag she had brought with her that housed the envelope from St. Mungo's and handed it to Hermione.
"Thank you," Hermione brought the note to her chest.
"Sure. I'm going to get out of your way. I have a couple things to do and I want to catch up with Scorpius," Lex said, looking to Ron mostly.
"When you talk with him, you let me know?" Ron requested, his the thoughts brought back to the meeting taking place that day.
Lex nodded and then silently moved back toward the fireplace and flooed back to the apartment she was staying at.
Once they were alone, Hermione turned to Ron with a big smile on her face before handing him the envelope containing the sex of their child.
"You want me to open it?" Ron asked surprised.
Hermione gave him a warm smile. "I surprised you with the pregnancy...you surprise me with what we are having..."
"Sure," Ron nodded, taking the envelope and acting surprised as he read the words on it. He smiled and looked up at Hermione. "Looks like baby Weasley is a girl."
Hermione was in shock, her hand quickly flying to cover her mouth as a smile broke across her lips and tears of joy filled her eyes. She didn't know it was possible to feel so many emotions at once and she didn't realize just how much she had secretly wanted it to be a girl until that moment. This was what pure joy felt like.
"A girl?" Hermione finally managed out.
Ron smiled back at her, nodding. He realized it hadn't matter that Lex had ruined that surprise for him. Seeing Hermione surprised and being able to fully absorb her joy was a feeling he knew would be difficult to ever match again.
"Ron...we made a little girl," Hermione couldn't stop smiling as she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him hard on the lips.
"Yeah we did," Ron pulled her in again for another hug and even longer kiss. He had never felt happiness like he had in that moment. The closest had been to when he married Hermione, and even that was not the same as this feeling.
Scorpius met Draco outside of Quality Quidditch Supplies in Diagon Alley. By the time he got there, his father was already standing outside looking rather impatient.
"You're here," Draco seemed somewhere between relieved and nervous about Scorpius' arrival.
"Did you think I wouldn't show?" Scorpius asked.
Draco just shrugged, as if he were uninterested.
Scorpius rolled his eyes, mostly to himself, realizing his father had hoped he wouldn't have shown because clearly he was nervous about the entire plan. He was being a coward.
"Well, I'm here so...let's go, shall we?" Scorpius asked.
Draco looked around nervously once more and then nodded. "Let's go."
Scorpius ducked down a side alley for a moment, tossed the cloak over himself and then slide back into line next to his father, giving him a slight bump to let him know he was indeed there.
Again, Draco nodded and then led them down to Knockturn Alley. They walked a few feet until they met Goyle, standing on the side of the street.
Draco and Goyle shook hands without saying hello and Goyle motioned Draco to follow him a few blocks up the street before they ducked into an alley.
"Said he would meet me in here," Goyle said to Draco.
Draco nodded but said nothing.
Scorpius, under the cloak, filed in next to Draco, waiting patiently for the wizard who ordered the attack on Hermione to show up.
They didn't need to wait long as a masked figure appeared in the alleyway quickly, approaching the group.
"Goyle said there would be company this time..." The masked figure said.
Scorpius felt his brow furrow under the cloak. He recognized that voice but couldn't remember from where.
"Well...I was curious who was trying to track down that filthy little mudblood..." Draco played his part as he spoke of Hermione.
"Really I'm after her child's blood more than hers." The masked figure spoke.
"I have to admit...I'm shocked it's you." Draco added.
Scorpius was confused for a moment but realized that Draco must have also recognized the voice.
"Why? Because I was trying to smash her at Hogwarts? I'd still smash her today if it wasn't for Weasley...this has nothing to do with her and everything to do with this," The masked figured pulled a red prophecy ball out of his pocket, a glove carefully on that hand.
Scorpius immediately recognized the prophecy as the blood curse prophecy that had been stolen from the Department of Mysteries. Whoever this masked figure was must have stolen it. It took every fiber in Scorpius' being to not lung out from under the cloak to take it.
"A blood curse..." Draco acknowledged what the prophecy was. "About Granger?"
"About her offspring..." The masked figure said. "At least we are fairly certain of that."
"We?" Draco pressed.
"There are more than a few of us who want to sort this prophecy out...and the danger it may cause," The figure explained.
"Why are you telling me all this? Weren't you a good guy...aren't I a bad guy?" Draco asked.
"I think we all live in the grey. And I figured, when Goyle here said you wanted to chat that...maybe you would have been smarter option to get Granger," The masked figure explained.
Draco snorted at the comment as Goyle's face screwed up. "I think anyone would have been..."
"There will be a handsome reward for getting her to me...what do you say, Draco?" The masked figure stuck his hand out for a shake.
"I don't make deals with anyone whose face I can't see..." Draco smirked back.
"You know full well who I am." The figure said.
"Take the mask off, McLaggen..." Draco pushed.
Scorpius felt a wave of utter shock rock him as the masked figure removed the mask to show the face of none other than Cormac McLaggen, the younger version of the father of Lex's fiancé, Finn.
And that was when Scorpius realized who the wand had belonged to in the Department of Mysteries and why he had recognized it. He had seen it numerous times when he had visited Lex's apartment in the future. The owner of the want in the attack on the Department of Mysteries was Finn McLaggen.
Ron smiled as he held Hermione's hand and they made their way through Hogsmeade. He had not seen Hermione this happy in months. He knew it was a mix of finding out they were having a baby girl and they they were truly alone for the fist time without a security detail in weeks.
The sun was out and the weather was warm, but not overly hot. Hermione had on a light jacket that she had strategically worn to hide her growing baby bump since her clothing underneath was rather tight and she was not exactly ready for the Wizarding World to know she was expecting for two reasons. One was the obvious prophecy and attack that they believed was linked to her pregnancy and the other was that she remembered how much attention Ginny's pregnancy with James had drawn. Since she and Ron were the other parts of the Golden Trio she assumed hers would garner the same attention and she wasn't ready for that. She hated the spotlight.
However, in the sun, the jacket was a bit hot. Ron noticed a small, light line of sweat on her forehead.
"Hermione, why don't you take your jacket off?" Ron asked as they walked.
"I'd rather not. My clothes don't exactly fit and I don't want to draw any unnecessary attention," Hermione told him in a low voice.
Ron chuckled to himself at Hermione's reasoning as they turned into the Three Broom Sticks for lunch. They were quickly taken to a seat in the back, away from most of the prying eyes. Even though it had been years since the war people were still in awe to see Ron and Hermione together.
Once they were seated and ordered their lunch, Hermione felt brave enough to take her jacket off, the tabling hiding her slight bulge.
Ron looked at her stomach and noticed that she wasn't wrong, her clothes were growing rather tight in her midsection. He smiled, knowing it was his daughter, who Lex assured him would be named Rose, that was causing that but he did feel bad that Hermione was so self conscious of it.
"Why don't we go get you some new clothes after this, Hermione? It wouldn't be weird...people might think we were shopping for Ginny," Ron said, knowing it was no secret that Harry and Ginny were expecting their second.
Hermione thought for long moment, knowing that she did need to eventually get new clothes. She side and then nodded to Ron. "I suppose we should. I'll need them eventually."
"Brilliant...maybe we can pick out a few things for the baby too...now that we know what she is," Ron reached across the table and took Hermione's hand in his causing her to smile.
"Are you okay it's a girl?" Hermione asked Ron.
She realized she had been so wrapped up in her own excitement at the thought of having a daughter that she had not even considered that Ron may be a little upset, assuming he wanted a son.
But Ron was clearly confused by her question. "Okay with it? Why wouldn't I be?"
Hermione shrugged and looked down at her food. "I don't know...because I suppose most men want a son."
Ron thought about Hermione's words for a split second but they didn't really resonate with him. Maybe it was because he already knew they would have three children and he already knew one would be a boy thanks to Lex but even if he hadn't known that he didn't think he would care. All he cared about was that the baby was healthy and safe and he didn't think that would change no matter what he knew or didn't know.
"I don't care about that, Hermione. I know plenty of brilliant witches, you being the most brilliant, so any daughter of yours will be just as brilliant. As long as our kids are all healthy and loved...that's all I care about." Ron told her.
Hermione perked up, smiling softly at Ron as she was quickly reminded of why she fell in love with him over and over again. Sometimes, he was absolutely incredible with words. "Really?"
"Really," Ron smiled back, taking a bite of his lunch.
"And did you say...kids? As in more than one? Meaning you want more than one?"Hermione asked.
Ron felt his ears go red as if he had made a huge mistake. He knew it was because he already knew they would have more then just Rose so in his head they were already speaking in multiples. "I mean...yeah. Wouldn't you want this baby to have siblings someday?"
Hermione shrugged with a small nod. "I suppose. I just...I didn't think you were thinking like that. I mean, it was pretty clear at the beginning of this you were in shock."
"Come on, Hermione...let it go already. Yeah, I was surprised but I've come around now," Ron said.
Hermione realized she had struck a nerve. She didn't want to ruin the little bit of alone time they has by picking a silly fight so immediately she nodded. "No, you're right. You absolutely have come around to it and yes...I would never want our child to grow up alone. I know how awful that can be."
"Well then let's have this one and see how it goes from there," Ron smiled, also not wanting to spoil their afternoon as they finished up lunch.
Once they were done eating, Ron helped Hermione slip her jacket back on and they made their way out into Hogsmeade and down to a small shop that specialized in baby and expecting witches items.
Hermione ducked in the store quickly, hoping to not be seen as she pulled Ron in.
"Hermione, relax...no one noticed us," Ron said, glancing around the store which was rather empty. "And I don't think they will."
Hermione gave a nervous half smile as she began to browse the store. It took her a few minutes but when she realized they were basically alone besides a teenage witch who seemed more into her nails then them she relaxed and actually pulled a few articles of clothing that she could wear to work, should she be able to go back the Ministry, that would accommodate her growing waistline as well as some casual clothing for the house.
"See, this isn't so bad..." Ron said as she piled another shirt on a stack he was already carrying.
"You're right...and I do need this stuff for the pregnancy," Hermione admitted, patting her stomach a bit.
No sooner had the words left her lips, Hermione was met with a photography flash and a familiar voice that made her blood run cold.
"So there is a little Weasley on the way! What good news..." Rita Skeeter seemed to appear out of nowhere as her magical quill was scrubbing next to her ear.
"You..." Hermione glared at the journalist she could not stand.
Ron stepped in front of his wife, afraid that she might actually hex Rita.
"Please don't publish anything. This is still all new. We aren't really ready to share," Ron tried to appeal to any compassionate bone he thought Rita may have had in her body. Although she never stopped writing, since the Battle of Hogwarts she had been a bit more thoughtful and restrained with her writing.
"Oh I understand..." Rita nodded.
"You do?" Ron smiled, surprised as he turned to Hermione to show he had fixed the situation, however he was merely met with Hermione rolling her eye and folding her arms above the very small, but noticeable, curve of her stomach. She clearly knew Rita better.
"I do...but unfortunately my readers will want to know, and you can't really expect to hide that much longer. You barely are now..." Rita motioned to Hermione's stomach, causing Hermione to pull her jacket closed.
"You're awful," Hermione spat at her.
"I am simply doing my job, dear. If it wasn't me it would be someone else," Rita merely shrugged and disapparated before Ron or Hermione could say another word.
And just like that, Hermione's eyes swelled with tears and Ron realized the wonderful afternoon they had been sharing was over.
Lex paced at Harry's office at the Ministry as they waited for Scorpius to return from his trip with Draco and Goyle. Harry watched his future niece intensely from his seat at his desk but the two had exchanged few words since Lex's arrival.
As Harry watched her, he smiled a bit to himself. She was the oddest combination of Hermione and Ron. She was smart and level-headed like Hermione and yet she had a temper, quick humor and worried like Ron. And the anxiety that Ron had tried to hide his whole life seemed to shine through Lex in that moment.
"You trust Scorpius..." Harry said softly after a moment.
Instantly, Lex stopped pacing and turned to face her uncle, her face serious. "Absolutely."
"Well then, stop pacing. It's not going to change how fast he shows up," Harry said.
Lex sighed and sank into the seat across from her uncle. "I just hate not being in control of this..."
Harry smirked. "You're definitely Hermione's daughter..."
Lex said nothing; the comparison to her mother, especially when she started working at the Ministry, was a daily occurrence. Sometimes she liked it, but sometimes it just reminded her of the woman her mother must have been before everything happened, before she become a shell of her former-self and that made Lex both angry and sad. She had memories of that Hermione, but the older she got, the less clear those memories were and Lex was afraid she would eventually lose them.
Another ten minutes passed and there was finally a knock on Harry's door.
Lex immediately perked up as Harry's office door slowly opened and Scorpius stepped in, if possible, ten shades paler than Lex had ever seen him.
"What happened?" Lex stood. She instantly knew something was not right.
"Well...we definitely know who the Wizard was they sent Goyle," Scorpius said a bit nervously.
"And??" Lex pushed when Scorpius didn't finish his thought.
Scorpius shook his head, avoiding direct contact with Lex before he took a deep breath. "It was Cormac McLaggen."
"Cormac?" Harry was surprised.
"What? Are you sure?" Lex shook her head in shock.
Scorpius nodded. "He took his mask off...just a younger version of himself but it was him."
Lex shook her head in disbelief. If it was Cormac that meant her fiancé, or ex-fiancé, whatever Finn was to her now, his father was the one who had actually attacked her family in the first place.
"Did he say why?" Harry asked.
"Just confirmed it's the baby's blood that they are after. They think something bad is coming from the prophecy. He does have the prophecy..." Scorpius said, looking at Lex now.
"He had it with him?" Lex was shocked.
Scorpius nodded. "He was wearing a special glove to handle it but...he had it."
"The glove must have been bewitched so he could touch the prophecy...must have been how he stole it," Harry realized. He had heard of such magic since becoming an Auror but had never seen one.
Scorpius shook his head. "He wasn't in the Department of Mysteries...but I did realize why I recognized the wand of the Wizard who attacked us down there. I had seen it before."
"Where?" Lex asked, narrowing her eyes.
Scorpius swallowed hard before he spoke. "I've...I've seen it at your apartment, Lex."
Instantly, Lex shook her head. She knew where Scorpius was going with this and she wouldn't believe it. "No..."
Scorpius nodded. "It was Finn's wand, Lex. I'm so sorry..."
"No," Lex said simply as she folded her arms over her chest. "It's not Finn."
"Sorry...who is Finn?" Harry asked.
"Finn McLaggen...he...he was my fiancé," Lex said simply.
Harry shook his head in disbelief. "You mean to say it's a Wizard from the future."
"It doesn't make sense. Cormac was the one who told everyone about the prophecy anyway in the future and Finn...he was supposed to come back and help me originally. My own uncle was sending him back with me," Lex motioned to Harry, reminding Scorpius that originally the plan was for Finn to come back with her. Scorpius was only there because she fought for him to come.
"I'm just telling you what I saw," Scorpius told her.
"Finn wouldn't do that to me. Either you're wrong or there is something else happening here," Lex shook her head again. She knew she had treated him less than kind on many occasions but she knew Finn cared deeply for her. He would have never done that to her. She was firm in there belief, regardless of what Scorpius thought he saw. Something else had to be going on.
Ron and Hermione flooed home from Hogsmeade in silence. Ron was certain Hermione was holding back either a flood of tears or a string of curses for Rita Skeeter or maybe a mix of both.
Once they got out of the fireplace, Hermione dropped the bag of maternity clothes she bought on the floor and yanked her jacket off violently, and moving to hang it up on the coat rack.
Ron followed her through the house and into the kitchen, cautiously watching her as she got herself a glass of water and stood over the sink.
"Hermione..." Ron said softly.
And that was all it took, him saying her name, for the floodgates to open. Hermione leaned against the sink, her fingers digging into the side of it as she cried.
Ron instantly moved up behind her, gently rubbing her back. "Hermione, come on...don't let her ruin our day...she isn't worth it."
"Why can't everyone just leave us alone? Why can't we have five minutes to ourselves to enjoy something before the rest of the bloody Wizarding World needs to know about it?" Hermione cried out, anger lacing her voice.
Ron knew she was really upset if she was saying bloody. His eyes grew a bit wide in his head, but he tried to make a soft joke of it. He didn't want her to be so upset. "Because we basically saved everyone's life? Can't help that we are famous..."
Hermione turned and narrowed her eyes at her husband and Ron realized she did not find his joke funny.
"Come on, Hermione. People would have found out you were pregnant eventually. You can't hide something like that forever," Ron told her, eyeing her small baby bump.
Hermione's hand went protectively to her stomach. "I know that...I just wanted her to be our little secret for a little while longer. Especially since the attack..."
Ron put his arms around Hermione and forced her to be square to him. He stuck his own stomach out a bit so it would touch Hermione's hump which did make her smile.
"She is still our secret. No one but us know we are having a girl and if you want to keep they a secret until she gets here we can. The public doesn't need all of us," Ron told her.
Hermione sighed, laughing a bit to herself despite her tears as she brushed the hair out of her face. "I just feel so crazy, Ron...my body is just making me feel mental."
"I think the healer said that was normal..." Ron reminded her with a soft smile.
Hermione nodded, sighing again and then leaning into his chest.
Ron closed his eyes as he inhaled the sweet scent of her perfume. He missed being this close to her. Lately, whenever they were this close she was already asleep.
As Ron's thoughts drifted to the alone time he missed with Hermione, Hermione's hand moved up to his neck and before he knew it, he was deep in a kiss with his wife.
When they pulled apart, Ron's eyes were wide with a mix of confusion and happiness. He looked down at Hermione to see her eyes full of one thing; lust.
"Not that I'm complaining but...what-" Ron started but was cut off by Hermione's lips on his again.
When they pulled apart the second time, Ron was even more confused his wife's sudden change in behavior. He looked at her with wide-eyes, searching for an answer without words.
Hermione seemed to understand his confusion around her behavior. She smiled up at him and said one word as she dove back in for another kiss, her hands tracing up his shirt.
"Hormones..." Hermione managed out in between kisses as Ron fiddled with her bra clasp.