Unofficial Portkey Archive

Authors note - What happened there? I was all set to upload chapters on a regular basis and I…failed! New job got in the way. Curses to real life. I'm not overly happy with this chapter, but I thought if I posted it up it would get me going again! I feel it's got a few holes in places, but I can't seem to find the correct fill just now…Please review, be mean if you must - but I have no beta…so apologies in advance!

"Mum - I know you've told me many times before, but is it really true that I arrived 9 months to the day after your wedding?" asked Michael, as his mother gently turned the pages of the photo album, now resting on her lap.

Hermione laughed, "Completely true, Michael, completely true!"

"Were you happy? I mean, you'd barely left school and you'd not been married to Dad for very long." said Michael, playing with the edge of the multi-coloured bed cover.

"Michael," said Hermione gently "You were the most wonderful wedding gift that your father and I gave to each other - even though we had to wait a while to actually meet you."

"Harry?" called Hermione from the hall of their new cottage. She'd just got back from work at the Ministry and was feeling particularly tired.

"Harry?" she called again, this time with a little urgency in her voice - she really didn't feel at all well.

"Hermione?" came Harry's voice from upstairs "I'm up here, be down in a minute!"

"I think you should come down now…" were the last words Hermione said before she crumpled to the floor.

When she woke up Hermione realised she was on their sofa, a blanket covering her from feet to chin and a very concerned Harry was inches from her nose.

"Hermione! Oh thank Merlin you're awake! I came downstairs and you were slumped against the door! What's wrong? Don't worry, I called the medi-wizard and he's on his way! Actually, maybe I should just take you straight down to St.Mungo's. Yes, that's what I'll do. We'll go straight away. I'll call Ron - he'll help!" gabbled Harry, looking completely panic-stricken

"Harry!" soothed Hermione, "Shush, I'm fine."

"You're not fine! You fainted! Perfectly healthy witches do not faint!"

"That's right Harry, they don't. But pregnant one's sometimes do if they haven't been taking it easy like they should be." smiled Hermione.

"That's simply not the point! Now, just sit tight and I'll just get Ron to…" Harry suddenly stopped babbling.

"Sorry - what did you just say?" he said, looking at Hermione with a look of total confusion on his face.

"I said, sometimes pregnant witch's faint." replied Hermione, without even breaking his gaze.

"Right…pregnant witches sometimes faint…fainting…sometimes…oh good grief! You're pregnant!" exclaimed Harry

"I am, well about 6 weeks. I was waiting to be sure." answered Hermione, this time searching Harry's face for some sort of response.

"You're pregnant…with our child." said Harry as he dropped to his knees beside the sofa. He gently removed the blanket from Hermione and placed his hand over her stomach.

"Hermione, you're going to have our child…" whispered Harry. Tears had formed in his eyes and he was looking up at Hermione beaming from ear to ear.

Hermione placed her hand over Harry's,

"Our child." she whispered

"That has to be one of my favourite memories." said Hermione, patting Michael's hand. "You caused quite a fuss for one so young, making me faint like that! Your father was so worried. It wasn't exactly how I'd pictured telling him, but in the end it was perfect."

"I remember Dad telling me about that." said Catherine "He found it so unbelievable that he'd been given the chance to live a normal life. Finding out you were pregnant, it made everything fit into place for him. He was finally going to have a family of his own."

"And quite a large family at that!" replied Hermione. "Look at you all," she said as she looked about the room, "he was so proud of all of you, everyone of you. You became parents, grand-parents and you little ones will be parents one day!"

"Is she sleeping?" asked Catherine, looking at her mother in concern

"I think so. Oh Catherine, the time's getting close isn't it?" said Michael, barely able to get the last words out

Catherine hugged her brother and replied "It is, but remember what Dad's always told us - it's just the next adventure. She's so happy right now, recalling all these memories."

"I know, she looks so calm. Dad was so right - she's perfect and quite amazing."

"I heard that, young man." whispered Hermione, who had now opened her eyes and was looking at her two eldest children. "Your father always exaggerated."

"I don't think so Hermione. He wasn't mental." said a familiar voice

Hermione looked up and saw a flash of red hair and the smiling face of Ron Weasley looking back at her.

"Ron! You came, I'm so pleased you came." said Hermione as she leaned forward and gave Ron a bone crushing hug

"Oi, go easy on an old man! The years of Quidditch haven't been kind, well actually I think I'm just bloody old!"

Hermione released him from her grip and said "Seeing you makes it so much easier. You were always such a special part of our lives Ron, we both loved you so very much."

"Ah, if Harry had only been a bit slower on the uptake I could have got you first." he replied with a grin

"Ronald Weasley, when will you ever learn to behave?" said Hermione smiling

"Never Hermione, never." he chuckled. Then, becoming more serious he said "Have the memories started yet?"

"They have, it's so calming. I've always had the memories, of course - but to have them put in order, it almost feels like I'm re-living the past."

"You know he's waiting for you, right?"

"I know, typical Harry. He always had to check things out for himself first, make everything perfect." said Hermione

"Using his fame again, eh?" laughed Ron

"Something like that!" chuckled Hermione

"I'm sorry I missed him. I really am." said Ron, looking downcast

"You were here Ron, in his memories. You're here now, so you haven't really missed him. He's not far away."

"And I guess I'll see you both again soon…" said Ron, tears starting to roll down his cheeks.

"Next big adventure Ron…next big adventure…"

Ron nodded and sat gently down next to Hermione and took her hand in his. He'd loved her his entire life, but not in a way that Harry had. He'd loved them both so much and was so happy when they'd married. He'd settled down not long afterwards, with Luna , he'd met her again whilst touring with the Cannons. He and married Luna and settled in France, bringing up a beautiful family. They'd had two boys and a girl. The decision had been made that all the children should go to Hogwarts when the time came. Although the war was long over, concerns were still raised about the safety of those children whose parents had fought in the final battle, and Hogwarts was deemed the safest place.

"Ron, tell me what you're thinking about?" asked Hermione, looking at Ron's distant stare.

"Our children, when they first went to Hogwarts. It amazes me to this day…"

"That they found one another? I think that just proves the bond that exists between us all. We fought so closely for so many years; I think it was almost inevitable."

Fate had played a quite a turn when Ron and Luna arrived at Kings Cross to drop their eldest son, James, off at the station. Ron and Luna's work commitments had kept them in France, and although they had managed to see Harry and Hermione on occasion, their children had never met.

As Ron ushered James through the wall at platform 9 &