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Author: Lady Chi Story: Double Trouble Rating: Teens Setting: Pre-OotP Status: Completed Reviews: 3 Words: 54,062
This was a hard chapter for me to write, emotionally, as I've never been in the situation I've put Hermione in. I apologize for the delay, but I wanted to take the time to do this right. By the way, there's a blatantly obvious Monty Python reference in here. If you spot it, I'll give you a cookie! Hermione sat in her hotel room, trying to force imaginary tangles out of her hair with fierce, angry strokes of a wide brush. Ronald Weasley, no, Lieutenant Ronald Weasley was in very big trouble. What's the real problem here? That thought gave her pause. What was the real problem? She had been irritated at him earlier in the evening, and for what could be considered silly reasons. After all, it was partially her fault that they couldn't see each other as often as they used to, and it was also partially her fault that the communication between them had broken down to the point where it was almost nonexistent. He didn't tell me about his promotion. That was true, but he hadn't told anyone else. Ron had infamously low self-esteem, but it hurt Hermione that he hadn't at least left her clues that something big had happened. Or had he? Hermione struggled desperately, reviewing memories of the past few months. No, he hadn't said anything that would suggest something of this magnitude had happened to him. Maybe that was because it wasn't such a big deal to him. Why wouldn't it be a big deal? Hermione thought that Ron loved his job. You think, but do you know? Frustrated, she laid down the brush and wiped her eyes to try and clear the fatigue from them. Her head was beginning to pound in a way that could only be brought on by Ron. You could try to talk to him. That she could do, but would Ron be ready to talk after a night like tonight? Would he want to talk to her, knowing that she had passed up possibly the only chance that they would have to have children without consulting him? You're in no shape to have taken in that little girl. You know that and Ron knows that. You also know that Ron loves you, even though you can't have the kind of family you'd imagined having. In a now familiar gesture of hopelessness, Hermione laid a hand on her abdomen. Not being able to have children was like a constant ache in her heart. Before the medi-wizards had told her that she could never have them, she'd never thought about it. The old cliché "you won't miss it until it's gone" certainly applied in this case. Shaking her head to try and force out all the unhappy thoughts out, Hermione rose to her feet and walked over to the bed. She was about to give up all hope of having an easy night of rest when there was a knock on the door. "Yes?" "Hermione, it's me." The sound of Ron's voice made her paused. "Yes, of course. Come in." He came through the door then, looking apologetic and somewhat confused. The sight made her heart melt, as usual. She definitely had a soft spot in her heart for Ron Weasley. "Are you mad at me?" He really was confused, Hermione realized. Oh well, that wasn't anything new. Ron was unusually thick when it came to relationships, but Hermione really hated to have to explain her complicated feelings when she didn't understand them herself. "I don't know, Ron." "I had a feeling it was something like that. Can I sit next to you?" Hermione blushed a little bit. The first time they'd kissed, Ron had asked her that question, and she gave him the same answer she did then. "Of course you can sit next to me." "Hermione, I… I don't know what to say." "How about you start off by explaining to me why you didn't tell me about your promotion?" "It just, wasn't important, I guess. Ginny was about ready to give birth to James and Mick any day, and Harry was worried about her. They called him in for an emergency mission, and he got partnered up with me. He wasn't paying attention, made a few mistakes…" "You saved his life. That's what Harry says." Ron laughed humorlessly. "Harry has a talent for getting out of life-threatening situations. I just spared him the trouble." Hermione licked her lips a bit nervously. "I wish you'd told me about it sooner, but I really am very proud of you. You've earned it." Ron turned away from her. "I was just doing my job. They could have given that promotion to someone who wanted it." "You didn't want to be promoted?" Hermione was shocked. "I thought you liked your job." "I do." Ron sighed. "Well, most of the time, anyway. I liked working the beat, and I thought it was all right when they promoted me to detective, but I just didn't think I was ready for lieutenant. If I done the same thing for anybody else, I don't think they would have given me the honor." "Ron, they wouldn't have given you the promotion if you didn't deserve it. Harry had nothing to do with it." Her eyes were like magnets, and Ron couldn't help but look at her. "I can't walk in a straight line anymore, Hermione. What good will I be to the department?" Hermione shook her head. She was better at understanding the useless feeling that he had now than she ever was, but that didn't mean it was right. "You're better at strategy than you ever at actually using the spells, Ron. The department will finally be able to use you for what you're best at. Besides, I saw you tonight. All of the other officers obviously respect you. You're brilliant, Ron." "At least you believe in me." "I always have." There was a pause in their conversation. "So, do you want to tell me why you're still upset?" That astute observation caught Hermione off guard. "What?" "You're still not happy." "Maybe that's because you haven't kissed me yet." He leaned over and touched his lips to hers, just a gentle brush, leaving her aching for more. "Now, are you going to tell me what's wrong?" She sighed. "Ron, I… I want to have a baby." "Right now?" he asked, his voice teasing, but then he got serious as he realized that she was really distressed. "Hermione, love, there's all sorts of options for us." "I know, but I want to have a baby. How selfish is that?" "It's perfectly natural, Hermione. Come here, love." She crawled over to sit half in his lap, half out of it, while his arms crept around her, creating a barrier between her and the real world. "Now Ginny has three, and I don't want to feel jealous, honestly I don't, but I can't help but get this little twinge every time she holds one of the twins in her arms, and they look up at her, and she looks back, and…" "Shush." He began to rock her back and forth. "I love you, Hermione." "I love you, Ron." "It's been a while since they diagnosed you. You could go back and see if there isn't some kind of treatment, if it means that much to you." Hermione nodded. "I'm scared that they'll tell me that there's nothing they can do for me, that I'll never be a mother, and the nurses will get this look in their eyes…" "You've never let being afraid stop you before. If it helps, I'll go with you. We could always try the Muggle doctors, you know. They might have something that we don't." Hermione's eyes lit up. "I know that this sounds silly, but I think that would help, if I felt like we were facing this together." "We've always faced the world together," Ron said. "We always will." "One more month," Hermione said on a sigh. "Mrs. Hermione Weasley. How do you like that?" Ron grinned. "Very much. That's why I asked you to change your name." "There's a bit more to it than that," Hermione began, but Ron cut her off. "No, I've always known I'd love you forever and all that. This is just a formality." Fighting to keep back the tears in her eyes, Hermione thought that Ron may not be the most eloquent man she knew, but he certainly knew what to say to make her feel wonderful again. The tender moment was interrupted by a sharp voice. "Granger, Weasley, open up!" Ron immediately jumped up and drew his wand. "Who's there? Identify yourself!" "I think I'll pass," said an arrogant, upper crust voice. "Just open the door." Hermione rose as well, standing behind Ron, as he had more defense training than she did. "We're not opening the door until we know who you are." "I'm surprised that you don't recognize me. In fact, I may be insulted." "Damn it, man, if you want us to open the door, you'd better identify yourself!" "Draco Malfoy." Ron growled. "You're not coming in, I'm coming out. Then you're going to be under arrest." They could hear the laugh through the door. "I'd love to give you the pleasure, Weasley, but I don't think that would do you much good. You see, in about five minutes, I'm going to be dead." "I don't think so," Hermione yelled. "That's an old and dirty trick, Malfoy!" "Funny how when it's the truth no one believes you," Malfoy grumbled. "Look, I'm your only prayer of finding out who killed Cassandra and why." "Open the door, then. Slowly," Ron instructed. "Ron! What are you doing?" Hermione hissed. "I'm interrogating a witness," he hissed back. "Just trust me on this one." The door creaked open, and Draco was immediately hit with a Full Body Bind. "Drag him over to that chair," Ron instructed. A charm later, and Draco was securely tied so with his wand removed from his person. "Wow, that was quick." There was pure admiration in Hermione's voice, and Ron preened just a little bit. "Yes, I know. I'm good. Get ready. He's coming out of it now." "Temporary Body Bind Curse," Hermione muttered. "I haven't read about that one…" "Granger. Weasley," Draco sneered. "Not the people I'd hoped to welcome me to hell, but strangely fitting, I suppose." "Quaint, Malfoy," Ron snapped. "You're not dead yet." "Well, that's disappointing." "If you're really dying," Hermione interrupted, "don't you think you could get to the important stuff instead of playing ‘Macho Man' with Ron?" "I want to know what you know about Cassandra." Ron raised an eyebrow. "I don't know anything about Cassandra." "You're lying," Draco drawled lazily. "I really don't have time for this, Weasley." "I know that she's five foot eight, she's got brown hair, blue eyes and she gave birth to a little girl approximately two and a half weeks ago. I also know that little girl she had is yours. I know that she's dead. She's probably been in that state for a week. Somebody planted her in Professor Lupin's yard. What more do I need to know, Malfoy?" Draco narrowed his eyes. "Ah. So you don't know any more about her death than I do." "I had assumed that you did it," Ron said. "It's not like you haven't done it before. Do you want me to start naming names?" Draco smiled thinly. "As it would most likely be an incomplete list, I don't think that that will be necessary, thank you." "What does Pansy think of all this?" Hermione asked, watching for any sort of reaction from the now paling Malfoy. "Pansy has all the money the Malfoy fortune could offer her, and she's carrying my child. What more could she want?" "She doesn't know?" Hermione was amazed that anyone could miss an affair of the magnitude that Draco and Cassandra's had apparently been. "She chooses not to see," Draco corrected harshly. "That's what her mother did, that's what my mother did. That's the way the wizarding world works, Granger. When your time comes, you'll look the other way as well." Ron glared icily at Draco. "She won't have to look the other way. My father raised me better than that." "Lucky you," Draco muttered sarcastically. "All that money never turned your father's head, I see." Hermione dived in between the two men, breaking up any fight that would have started at this point. It wouldn't have been much of one, as Draco was still tied up, but still, they needed information out of Draco. "Why are you dying, then?" Hermione demanded. "I'm dying because I'm sick, Granger. If you'll recall from all of those books you're always reading, disease still impacts the wizarding world negatively." Instinctively, Hermione took a step back. "Are you contagious?" Draco laughed, but the sound held no warmth. "No, Granger, I'm afraid I'm past that point." "Why did you come here then?" Ron asked sharply. "You haven't done either one of us a bit of good." "I came here because you and your girlfriend and Potter are the only ones who can work out who killed Cassandra." "Was she that important?" Hermione asked, the doubt evident in her voice. "Not to me," Draco said, and left it there. It took Hermione slightly aback that he could use that tone of voice when talking about the woman who'd had his child, but then, nothing should really startle her about Draco. "She kept telling everyone that the Death Eaters were on a path to self destruction," Ron pressed. "Do you think someone killed her because of that?" Draco half-smiled. "Weasley, you really should complete your research better. No one, not even I, chose to believe her when she told us that defeat was on its way." "Do you now?" Hermione asked, realizing what Draco had just said. "I don't know that that's any of your business, Granger." "Is this disease what's killing the Death Eaters before the Department of Magical Law Enforcement can get to them?" "Ten points to Gryffindor, Granger," Draco said sarcastically. "What is it?" Hermione continued, ignoring him. "We don't know," Draco admitted. "If we did, I damn well wouldn't be here." "Are you here for yourself or for Cassandra?" Hermione asked again. "A bit of both. Look, all I know is Voldemort wanted her around for some plot of his. She was really important to someone." "Someone? That's a bit vague, Malfoy," Ron said. "It's the best I can give you, Weasley." "What did Voldemort want her for?" "I don't know." "You sure don't know a lot, Malfoy," Ron said, coming around the back of his chair. "And I'm beginning to wonder if this disease of yours isn't just a ruse. I'm wondering if more of your friends won't be coming through that door any minute now." Malfoy sneered. "Life is full of risks, Weasley." "Yeah, well, I'm not too fond of taking ones that I don't need," Ron shot back. "That's too bad," Malfoy panted, his face losing more and more color. "Because…" Then his head dropped to the side, and he was dead. "Damn it!" Ron shouted. "It's just like the bastard to die right when we were getting somewhere…" Thanks for reading! Take the time to review! The author's ego needs help. If you really, and I mean, really enjoyed this story, you might want to take a look at my Yahoo! Group, which gets informed of updates immediately, and also discusses important things relevant to TiF and Double Trouble. Also, I respond to all reviews there.
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