Façades
Family
~ Neville ~
I rummaged though the wardrobe frowning lightly as I picked up another belt and pulled it back into the light for a better look. Giving a frustrated groan when it turned out to be brown instead of black, I tossed it into the pile with the others and began my search once more.
"Luna! Sweetheart! Have you seen my black belts?! …I know I had at least four of them," I finished in a mutter, tossing aside several shoes.
"No I haven't," she replied a moment later, "perhaps the Dingerbat took it. You know that they-"
"No stupid magical creature took it," I groaned back with a frustrated huff.
I loved the whimsicalness of my wife, I did. But there was only so much that a bloke could take. I mean everything that happened was because of some type of made up creature. The sun came up because the Niflter put on his special heat resistant gloves given to him by the queen of the earths and pushed it into place every morning. If dinner got burned it was because the Guallerfairy snuck into the stove and heightened the temperature. If someone caught a cold then the Aillimorts must have gotten a hold of them sometime during their sleep.
Luna frowned, "You don't know that, it's entirely possible-"
"Just forget it," I interrupted, "I'll wear a brown one instead."
I sighed and grabbed one of the brown belts off of the bed. Frowning at it, I shook my head. Pansy preferred the black ones. I smiled a bit as I thought about her before rolling my eyes at myself. Saying a small spell I changed the color of the belt to black and slipped it though the loops of my pants. I ran a couple of fingers though my hair, checking and re-checking my appearance making sure that I looked perfect.
Tonight was the night of the celebration dinner for Ron and Hermione's new baby. The whole gang was meeting up at the Dragon's Den, Hermione's favorite restaurant, for dinner and drinks. I ran a hand through my hair ruffling it up a bit. Since everyone was going to be there, I would get to see my Mistress. Pansy and Malfoy would be joining the festivities as usual and if we make it to the restaurant early enough I just might be able to secure a seat next to her.
"Neville," Luna said from behind me.
I looked at her reflection in the mirror, "Yeah, sweet?"
"It seems like we're going to a lot of these lately doesn't it?" she asked with a small smile.
I chuckled. "Yeah, it really does."
"Who… who do you think will be next?"
I adjusted my collar and shrugged. "I dunno."
"Draco and Pansy maybe?" she inquired tilting her head.
I stiffened slightly before shaking my head. "I don't think so, last I heard Pans doesn't want kids right now. And you know how Malfoy is -I doubt he's ready to be tied down to a rugrat either."
She nodded lightly and glanced around the room before looking at me once more, "Then… I suppose that leaves us, yeah?"
I frowned and turned to look at her, "What do you mean?"
"I mean, if everyone else is having kids then it's only a matter of time before we do too," she answered softly searching my gaze with her own.
My brows furrowed, "I don't think so."
"Why not?" she frowned.
"Because we're not everyone else," I replied looking at my mirror image once more.
"So… I mean, what's wrong with having a baby to hold?"
I frowned at her reflection, "Ginny and Hermione are both having babies soon, hold one of theirs," I replied adjusting my coat. "Are you ready?" I asked turning to face her; she was watching me somberly.
"Almost," she sighed, "I just have to get my shoes together and run the brush through my hair one last time."
I nodded. "Good, well come on -we don't want to be late."
Going forward I gave her a quick peck on the cheek and headed towards the door.
"Neville," she called, I paused and gave her a curious look. "I… well… when do you think that it'll… I mean when do you think that we'll…"
I frowned, "What are you talking about?"
"A baby," she blurted then blushed, "I want to know when you think we'll have one…"
"I… well, not for a while at least. I mean we haven't even been married two years yet. I think we should at least wait until we've been married for two-er, or three years before we have our first child."
"Why?"
"Because… I'm not ready. We're not ready for a baby yet."
"I'm ready," she responded seriously.
I scoffed and shook my head, "Please Luna, you're not even ready to grow up yet yourself."
"What does that mean?"
I sighed, "Nothing, alright. Look let's just talk about this later," I went back in the room and gave her a quick peck before retreating once more. "Finish getting dressed, dinners supposed to start in less than twenty minutes."
After I shut the door behind me I leaned against it and expelled a long breath. `Great, just bloody brilliant, now Luna wants a kid,' I thought with a low groan. `Maybe she would make a good mother but I wasn't ready to be a father -not yet.' I sighed and rubbed the bridge of my nose. `Maybe the idea would grow on me like it did Ron and Harry…'
"Not bloody likely," I muttered aloud shaking my head and pushing off of the door to head to the kitchen for a stiff drink.
`If Luna wants a kid, she was going to have to wait… or find someone else…'
***************
~ Luna ~
I smiled at the woman across the table from me and waved her off. Ginny nodded and gave a light shrug before passing the rich looking chocolate cake over to Hermione so that she could have a taste. Issuing a low, forlorn sigh I looked around the table. My husband sat to my left talking to Pansy about some type of plant that he had created recently. While to the left of her was Draco bickering with Ginny over whether she could or could not taste his strawberry shortcake. Next to Ginny sat Harry who was involved in a conversation with Hermione about her diets and work schedule when it comes to her new baby and next to Hermione sat Ron who was busy polishing off his third dessert.
"Geez Weasley, sure you're not the one who's pregnant," commented Draco in a dry tone.
Ron shot him a glare. "Ha-ha. That's really funny coming from the amazing bouncing ferret."
Most of the table chuckled while Draco shrugged and rolled his eyes. "At least I'm amazing. Which is more than I can say for you… tell me Weasley, what was it like growing up in a house when, on the rare occasions you did go out to eat, your mum had to sneak in her own desserts?"
"Hey!" Ginny exclaimed before Ron could reply. The red haired woman reached over and smacked the blond upside the head. "I resent that! And just because my mum actually knows how to cook doesn't mean you can rag on her."
"My mother knows how to cook," replied Draco with a frown.
"Really?" inquired Hermione with an incredulous look.
"Yes, really."
"Funny your mother doesn't seem like the kitchen type to me," stated Pansy sipping her wine.
Draco scoffed, "She's not, I doubt my mother has ever even seen the kitchen."
We shared looks before Hermione spoke once more, "Then how did she cook?"
He shrugged. "She snapped her fingers."
Ginny frowned. "She cooked by snapping her fingers?"
He nodded.
"How?" I inquired quite curious to know. Perhaps it was a new creature I hadn't heard of yet. Oh father would love this information for the magazine if that were true.
Draco arched a brow, "That's easy, we'd decide we were ready to eat. She would snap her fingers, the house elf would appear with the food."
A chorus of groans sounded and Ginny hit Draco's shoulder lightly "You git that's not cooking."
"Says you, but it got the same results if not better than what your mum did," he stated smugly.
"That's still not cooking," she frowned.
"Hey Red in my family we work smart not hard," he smirked. Ginny stuck her tongue out at him.
When Draco leaned over and said something softly to the other woman that made her blush I cocked my head to the side and studied them for a moment before shooting a curious look to Harry. However the dark haired man was talking quietly to Hermione and didn't seem to have noticed anything untoward. Studying Hermione for a moment longer I frowned to myself as she laughed at a joke that Neville told. Everything about her seemed more elegant, more refined. She was going to be a mum soon… she was so lucky…
Thinking of our previous conversation I gave my husband a sideways glance but he didn't notice as he and Draco traded barbs, well he was trying to trade barbs with Draco that is. Sighing, I looked at the red haired man next to me and gave him a small smile as he finished off an apple cobbler.
"Hungry much?" I quizzed softly.
Ron paused and shot me a grin "Just a bit I suppose." I chewed lightly on my lip and he gave me a curious look. "Something bothering you Luna?"
"No -no, not at all. I'm really excited for you guys… you're going to be a dad," I smiled.
"Yeah," Ron nodded, "yeah, we hadn't planned on it as you know, but I guess it's to be expected. I mean I do have the Weasley genes," he winked.
I giggled. "Yes you do, so does that mean that we can expect Hermione to do this quite a few more times?"
He laughed, then leaned forward and whispered in a conspiratal tone. "Don't tell her this but I want loads of them. Just like my mum and dad."
"Mum's the word," I grinned. "She's so lucky…" I whispered after a moment.
He gave me an inquiring look, "Yeah?"
I nodded, "I'd love to have a huge family… but Neville doesn't want kids for at least a couple more years," I finished with a sad sigh.
Ron studied me for a moment before sliding me his rich chocolate mousse, "You look like you could use this more than me," he said with a small smile.
I laughed quietly and grabbed a spoon, "Thanks, I could."
As I tucked in he spoke once more, "Don't worry Luna, you'll have loads of kids. I know it. Just give it time, when you're ready the Lillyhone will know."
My eyes widened at the mention of the mystical creature and I stared at him in shock for a moment before giving a minuscule smile. Ron responded in kind and threw me a wink before pulling forward a large chunk of cherry pie and tucking into his latest dessert.
As I turned my attention back to my own I smiled to myself, he was right. It wasn't up to me to decide when I was ready for a child anymore than it was up to Ginny or Hermione, when the time was right then I would get pregnant and not a moment sooner. I snuck one more peek at the bloke to my right before eating a large chunk of mousse. I only hope that when that time does arrive for me to have a child, I'm as lucky as Hermione…
****************
~ Ron ~
I sighed and looked at the wall, totally and completely bored out of my bloody mind. Whistling lightly I noticed a bin on the other side of the room and nodded to myself. Eh, why the hell not? Grabbing a tissue from a near by box I crumpled it up and took aim, focusing I silently gauged my distance before making my shot. The small piece of rubbish flew high and then wide, landing on the counter instead of in the bin. Rolling my eyes to myself I summoned it back with my wand.
"I know I can make this ruddy shot," I mumbled before shooting once more. The tissue ball went high and wide again and I frowned. "Okay now it's time to get serious," I muttered.
Standing, I gauged my distance once more, then rolled the tissue tighter so that I would get less wind resistance. Faking left then right, I made a great jumpshot… that, unfortunately, did nothing to stop the napkin from bouncing off the head of the Cannon's healer who had chosen that exact moment to come back into the room.
"Oh, er… sorry there mate. You alright?" I winced.
The older man gave me a disapproving frown and bent down to retrieve the rubbish off of the floor. Looking at it for a moment and then at me once more he tossed it into the bin.
"Mr. Weasley," he nodded moving the rest of the way into the room and motioning for me to have a seat. "I have the results for your physical back."
I nodded also and quickly hopped back onto the exam table. Adjusting a bit I finally found a somewhat comfortable position and leaned forward resting my elbows on my knees.
"And Mr. Peeverly, how did it turn out? Are all my pipes in working order there?" I grinned.
He arched a brow and leaned back opening the folder in his hand. I sighed and barely restrained a snort. This git had absolutely no sense of humor. I missed Chuckhorne, the old healer for the team who was on a personal leave of absence. Taking a deep breath I exhaled slowly and waited for him to finally decide that I too deserved to know the results of my physical.
"Well, Mr. Weasley," he started flipping though the pages.
"You can call me Ron if you like," I offered with a smile.
He glanced up at me then back down at the papers in his hand, "So Mr. Weasley-"
"Prat," I muttered.
"-it looks like for the most part you're in good health. Your blood pressure was a bit high and your magical input/output ratio was about a percentage or two too low. But considering that you couldn't make it in before practice like everyone else, prior to doing so much flying around and such, it's to be expected."
I grimaced a bit, "Er… sorry about that, my wife-"
"What's done is done," he interrupted briskly. Merlin how I wanted to hit the blither. "So anyway as I was saying everything looks to be alright except…"
"Except?"
"Well, there was a bit of something that came up on your prostate exam," he finished cocking his head to the side and studying me. "I was wondering if you would be amenable to a few more tests?"
"What kind of tests?" I frowned.
"Well… you see there is an issue we sometimes see with Quidditch players," he closed the folder and tossed it onto a nearby counter. "With the way that you people sit on your brooms, not to mention the sheer amount of time. You know with games and practices and what not -sometimes gentlemen such as yourself have issues with. Well… with the "boys" if you know what I mean."
I frowned, "But the …er, "boys" haven't been giving me any issue."
He shrugged, "Sometimes the biggest impact is internal not external. Which is what I need to check."
I took a deep breath and nodded, "I…uh, alright. Well what do you need me to do?"
He gave a small smile. "Nothing much, it's quite simple really. You're not even the first person on the team that I've had to do this with. At least four of your teammates are having the same test done."
He stood and went to a cabinet, my brows furrowed when he pulled out a small plastic cup and lid. "Here you go," he said handing them to me.
"Uhh… what did you want me to do with these?" I frowned.
He chuckled, "Enjoy yourself I suppose," he replied heading for the door. "There are several `Playwizard' magazines under the far shelf over there. Make sure to aim for the cup and if you get any on the magazine then be sure to use a really good scouring spell."
"Playwizard?" I squeaked.
He threw me another look as the got to the door. "Of course, how else would you be able to have off with yourself in the middle of an office in a sports clinic?" he scoffed, opening the door. "Oh and don't worry, that's no knock off material there, that's the quality one hundred percent real thing. Moving pictures and all -have fun."
With that he closed and locked the door. I looked down at the cup in my hand, bewildered for a while longer, and ran my other hand though my hair scratching the back of my head before sighing. Hopping off of the table I shook my head -if I was going to have to wank, I damn sure wasn't doing it using communal porn. Rolling my eyes I sighed once more.
"I never had to do this shite with Chuckhorne," I muttered.
After giving one last look around the room and making sure I had my stupid cup, I prepared to apparate back to my flat to use my own material. As I closed my eyes and visualized our large walk in closet I desperately hoped that Hermione was still at work -because if not, then I would never live this down.
-----------------
A week or so later I walked into Peeverly's clinic area and gave a smile to the witch behind the small desk.
"Hey there Linda, how goes it?" I winked.
"Fine Ron," she blushed looking down at the desk then back up at me, "the healer will see you now. He got all the results back earlier today."
"Figured," I shrugged heading for the door. "Did I pass?" I teased with a grin.
Linda chuckled, "You know he doesn't give me that information Ron."
I gave a mock forlorn sigh, "I know, however if the news were bad then I'd prefer it hear it from someone beautiful like you instead of that ugly sod in there."
The woman giggled, "I swear Ron, you're just incorrigible," she grinned. "I'm old enough to be your grandmother."
I scoffed, "Never say that -my wife's much older sister if anything."
She tittered, "I swear if I didn't love Hermione so, I just might go after you myself. Then again, as old as I am, I don't move like I use to so I'd probably break a hip trying."
I grinned, "Pish, you're what? Forty? Forty-five?"
She snorted, "Yeah like fifteen years ago."
"Well either way you don't look a day over thirty, Love."
She laughed and grinned, "And that dear is why I'm your number one fan."
"No, dear, that is why I'm yours," I winked.
She went back to giggling.
"Mr. Weasley," Peeverly said opening his office door and sticking his head out. "If you're done flirting with the elderly secretary-" Linda and I frowned but he ignored us, "-perhaps I might bother you for a moment. There are some results you need to be made aware of."
"She's not elderly she's mature," I glared.
He rolled his eyes and disappeared back into the office.
"Prat," I muttered.
"Two more months," sighed Linda shaking her head, "two more, then Chuckhorne is back."
We shared a look and I gave her a smile and a light hug before heading into the office. Entering, I issued a nod to the prat in the chair holding the folder that presumably contained my test results. He nodded back and motioned with his hand for me to have a seat in a back on the exam table. Moving forward I hopped onto the table and adjusted myself into a comfortable position.
"So," I clapped my hands together, "what do you have for me?"
He did that annoying thing of his where he arches a brow and then slowly rifles through the papers like he doesn't already know what they say. I rolled my eyes, I hate people like him, always trying to make themselves seem more important than they actually are.
"Well… we tested your sample twice, to make sure that results were consistent," he looked up at me, "and they were."
"And? What were they?"
He leaned back in his seat and rested the folder on his stomach, folding his hands over it. "Well Mr. Weasley, it seems as though your…er… "wizards" don't fly straight."
I frowned "my wizards"? Was the guy a bloody healer or a sodding fanfiction writer? What happened to the technical terms? "You mean there's an issue with my count?"
"Your count is a bit low, but the main issue is the direction they take…"
"Alright… wait - what does that mean?"
"It means… that you, Mr. Weasley, cannot have children," he stated bluntly.
I stared at him blankly for a minute before shaking my head and frowning, "What do you mean I can't have any more children?"
He frowned back, "Did I say any more? I meant at all. You cannot have children at all Mr. Weasley."
I blinked unable to comprehend -I was a fucking Weasley! Having children is what we do best!
"For -for how long?"
"For good I suppose, there are some spells and potions you can try but they rarely work," he stated, tossing the folder onto the counter.
"No I mean… since when? Was it when I crashed on my broom a couple of practices ago? That huge game with Bulgaria last month where I got hit with that bludger but stayed seated?"
He gave me a puzzled look. "What do you mean since when? -Ever, Mr. Weasley. It looks like this condition has been with you since an early age -I doubt if you were ever able to have children."
My gaze snapped to his, "Bu-but that's impossible…"
"How so?" he frowned.
"My wife… she's pregnant."
His brows rose and he studied me for a moment, then using his wand he summoned the folder back to him. He flipped though it for a minute before looking at my hopeful face over the top of the item.
"Well then Mr. Weasley… may I suggest you have a very serious talk with your wife."
My mind went blank.
-----------
I sat in the darkened flat, my brain working hard to decipher what he had told me, but still unable to grasp it completely. I don't even remember leaving the healers office, I just know that one minute I was there and the next I was at the Ministry and headed up to the Magical Creature and Being Rights Bureau where I was then informed that my wife had left early. When I reached the apparation section and arrived home a minute later I was surprised, yet not with this new information, to find Hermione still not home.
That was almost two hours ago and she still wasn't here. I swallowed the lump in my throat as my mind grappled with the concept that the baby that I had been so excited over, the baby that we had celebrated, the baby that I had already started thinking of names for, wasn't mine. Whose was it? Some bastard that she worked with? Did I know him? Did he know me? Was he one of my teammates? Was he an enemy of mine… a friend? I shook my head as tears once again blurred my vision. Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!! I was such a bloody plank, such a fucking fool!! Getting ready to take care of some other sods bastard. I just couldn't believe that Hermione… my Mione, would do this to me -to us -to our marriage. Did she still love me? Or was she just with me because it was easy?
I was pulled from my musings when a pop sounded in the hallway. A moment later the light was flicked on. I watched my wife toss her purse onto the counter and shuffle through the mail for a moment before releasing a startled yelp.
"Bloody hell Ronald!" Hermione exclaimed clutching her chest "You almost gave me a sodding coronary."
I gave her a grim smile as I silently studied the woman who had betrayed me. She looked the same as she did when I left for practice this morning. Wide-eyed, innocent and beautiful with a healthy pregnancy glow to her. Her hair was down and pooling around her shoulders and the loose fitting dress that she had worn to work did nothing to hide the large bump in her stomach where our child…
I looked away, my hands tightening.
Hermione frowned when I didn't answer and looked around for a moment before looking back at me. "Ron, why were you sitting in the dark?"
"I was thinking."
"A…about what?" she ventured hesitantly.
I scoffed, "About a lot of things Hermione."
"Like?"
"Like… oh, I don't know," I looked back at her, "trust."
Her brows rose and she shifted uncomfortably, her long fingers habitually going to her round belly and making slow soothing circles.
"Trust?"
I nodded, "Yes," my gaze flicked over her and she flushed a bit, "Trust… well, that and baby names."
Hermione visibly relaxed at this and she even attempted a subtle smile, "What did you come up with?"
I shrugged. "Rose if it's a girl… Fred if it's a boy."
She nodded. "I like those."
"Yeah they were easy to come up with…" I arched a brow and smirked, "it's the last name that's giving me trouble."
Hermione's mouth dropped a bit and she turned her head slightly looking at me out of the corner of her eyes, "What… do you mean?"
"I mean, what will the baby's last name be?"
"I-I'm sorry… I still don't get what you mean?"
I gave a soft sardonic laugh, "You know I had a meeting with the healer today and he gave me the most interesting test results back."
"Oh really…"
"Yes really. You see it seems that my count is a bit confused and low."
"Your count?"
I arched a brow and looked down and then back at her. Hermione's eyes widened and she flushed a bit before frowning.
"What does that mean?"
"Well it's the most interesting thing really… you see what it means is that, regardless of my status as a Weasley, I can't have children." I stood and studied her, "At all."
She sucked in a sharp breath and released a shaky one, her hand once more going to her rounded belly, "At all?"
I nodded slowly, "So back to my silent ponderings. Now you see, I'm sure, my dilemma…" I gave her a cold smile and she took a step back.
"Ron-"
"Shut up." I hissed taking a few steps towards her, my hands clenched into fists at my side. "Is it possible?"
She looked around before her worried gaze fixed on me, "Ronald I-"
"Shut. Up. I don't want to hear anything from you but a yes or a no," I ground out with a glare. "Is. It. Possible?"
Her bottom lip quivered a bit and her hands went up to rub her stomach, "Ron…" she trailed off at my deadly look and large tears appeared in her eyes. As they made their way down her flushed face I knew I had my answer, but I still wanted to hear it. I needed to hear it from the traitorous lips of my supposedly reserved wife.
"Answer me."
She sniffled and dropped her gaze to the floor, "Yes," she whispered.
With a loud thunderous crack, I was gone.
A.N. Well… we knew it was coming… but who knew this was how? Please review! And Until next time!!!
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