On Tuesday afternoon, about 3 pm, Hermione was sat on her sofa in her house with another family occupying the other sofa. The man was rather tall and was nearly bald but the few wisps of his hair were a red colour. He wore casual clothes and had a big grey ring on his finger which Hermione thought would be a family heirloom. His wife was a pretty woman and came to Hermione’s shoulder. She had curly blonde hair and grey eyes. She supported a bulging belly as she was eight months pregnant. They also had a daughter with red hair and light grey eyes who was very shy and very sweet.

‘Can we look around the place?’ the man, Rick, asked as he finished his tea.

Hermione nodded and said, ‘of course you can. Take your time!'

The woman, Annabelle, smiled and struggled to get off the couch as her stomach was so large. Rick helped her and they thanked Hermione before going to check out the upstairs of the house. Hermione sipped at her tea and the fake smile she had been supporting slid off her face as she thought of Fred. She was three weeks pregnant and he knew it. He didn’t even care to talk to her or even send her an owl saying he wanted nothing to do with her...

Hermione gathered all the empty cups of tea and bought them over to the kitchen. She started to wash and dry them before stowing them away. She could hear the little girl upstairs talking to her mum and dad. Hermione’s hand glided over her tiny stomach and she smiled as they came downstairs again.

‘So what do you think?’ asked Hermione and the little girl shyly smiled at her.

‘What do you think of the house, Lizzie?’ Rick asked his daughter, ruffling her hair as she hid behind his leg.

‘Daddy says the house is perfect,’ she said quietly, looking down at the floor. Hermione smiled at the girl when she looked up and her mother clasped Rick’s hand in hers.

‘Yeah it is,’ Annabelle said and looked at Hermione with a glowing smile, ‘we love the house. Very clean and perfect for the new addition to the family.

‘That’s great!’ Hermione said, thankful that she was going to be selling the house soon. Annabelle also looked happy as she patted her bulging stomach.

---

*Fred’s POV*

‘Thank you,’ Fred said and didn’t bother to smile as the customer took the bag from him.

Fred was working in his store. Well... working was an exaggeration since there really was no work to be done. He only stood behind the counter and served the very few customers who walked in. It was 6 pm on a Tuesday evening and every kid would be at school and adults very rarely came into his shop. Business was slow and Fred felt like he could feel himself aging as he drank from the wine bottle he kept behind his desk.

Fred looked up as the door opened. He would’ve less more surprised to see Ginny with Harry but she was alone. She hitched her bag onto her shoulder and walked confidently to the counter where Fred sighed.

‘Hey, sister,’ he muttered as she rolled her eyes, ‘how are things?’

‘You’ve been drinking,’ Ginny stated with a frown. Fred only stared into the brown eyes that were so much like their mothers, ‘I was cleaning up from last night and found something of yours.’

Fred straightened up suddenly. The first thought that sprung to mind was his necklace. Ginny opened her bag and rummaged through it for a second before revealing the long chain with the G hanging onto it.

‘George...’ whispered Fred and took the necklace from Ginny, ‘thank you, Ginny. I needed this.’

Ginny nodded once but her expression was a worried one. Fred avoided her gaze as he put his necklace on and tucked it out of sight. He then had to look at Ginny and wished she would stop with the worried looks.

‘What, Ginny? Why are you looking at me like that?’ asked Fred, feeling anger boil inside him for no reason.

‘Hermione really needs you, Fred. I know that she told you last night about her being pregnant and I also know you haven’t talked to her about it at all. You need to help her through this, Fred,’ Ginny said and covered Fred’s quivering hands with hers, ‘think of how she must be feeling.’

‘How she’s feeling?! She dumped the whole thing onto me expecting me to help her when I have no clue whatsoever of what to do for her!’ Fred exclaimed and backed away from Ginny slightly, ‘thank you for the necklace. If you don’t mind, keep your nose out of my business, okay? Now I think I’ll close the shop. I don’t have any customers anyway.’

Ginny’s worried expression seemed to deepen when Fred brushed past her. Fred opened the door as Ginny turned around. She raised her eyebrow when Fred waited, expecting her to leave. Ginny walked over to the door and stopped in front of Fred.

‘I was just trying to help you out, Fred. Being your younger sister, it hurts me that you have to-’

‘Save it, Ginny. I don’t need your help. I never asked for it. Live your life and I’ll live mine,’ Fred said and motioned her to get out of his shop, ‘tell Harry I say hi.’

‘Fred, you can’t... you need...’ Ginny trailed off looking rather upset at Fred’s fuming expression. She narrowed her eyes at him, ‘don’t expect me to help when you ask me for help.’

Fred rolled his eyes at her words but Ginny only walked out of the shop. He closed the door behind her and put the gleaming “closed” sign up. He locked the shop door and locked the till full of money before grabbing his wine bottle and disapparating to his apartment. He walked in, closed the door behind him. Fred felt a little tipsy as he walked to the kitchen. He drank from the bottle again before opening the fridge. There was nothing in there. He hadn’t gone shopping in ages.

‘Not hungry anyway,’ he muttered to himself. Fred banged the fridge door shut and heaved himself into a chair.

Clutching his head, he drank from the bottle all the way to the end, not flinching in the slightest as the drink burnt his throat. Fred shook the bottle. It was empty. The last few drops fell onto the table as he tipped the bottle over. He sighed out loud before throwing the bottle at the kitchen door with all of his might. The bottle struck the doorway and shattered into a million pieces as Fred yelled, his throat on fire and his hands shaking.

‘GET OUT OF HERE!’ yelled Fred.

Instead of flinching away or leaving, Ron walked into the kitchen. His jeans brushed the glass as he stepped over it. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked to the mess of glass on the clean white floor to Fred, who was panting slightly and gripping his head due to the mini explosives erupting inside his skull.

‘I told you to leave,’ Fred looked up and raised his voice, ‘LEAVE!’

‘I’m not going anywhere, Fred,’ Ron said and sat in the seat in front of him.

‘What the hell are you doing here?’ muttered Fred, craving another drink already. He felt safer and... disconnected to the world. The world of problems for him.

‘Well I was here to tell you to stay away from Hermione. You know... just a warning but seeing you like this... I'm sure Hermione would have lots to say about your,’ a slow grin appeared on Ron’s face as he continued, ‘uh, drinking problem.’

‘Hermione doesn’t deserve me,’ Fred whispered more to himself than Ron, ‘I can’t give her anything.’

‘True... true,’ Ron said and leaned in when Fred looked up at him, ‘stop trying or... there will be consequences. If I can’t have Hermione then you can’t have her.’

‘She’s better off with you anyway,’ Fred muttered, feeling drowsiness compel him, ‘she’ll hate me if I get too close to her. She... she’ll figure out that her life with me... it’ll be a disaster for her and for our c-’

‘Stop muttering and get sober while I go and get my girl back,’ Ron said, heaving himself up. He turned to Fred to see his eyelids flutter close before leaving the room, carefully avoiding the glass, and leaving Fred’s apartment.

---

*Hermione’s POV*

Hermione sat on the couch with her hot cup of tea as the TV blared something about a new show that was starting soon. Harry sat opposite her and she handed him his tea which he took with half a smile. Hermione felt rather frustrated as she turned the TV volume down and sipped at her tea. Fred hadn’t said anything to her yet and she was getting really annoyed with him. Why couldn’t he just send her a simple owl telling her that he was too much of a chicken to help Hermione through her pregnancy?

‘You need to relax,’ Harry told her, eyeing her hands as they clenched into fists, ‘I’m sure he’s just taking time to think things through and then he’ll get back to you.’

‘But Harry, he knows that I'm stressing out and he knows I'm waiting for him. I refuse to be that girl that runs back to her boyfriend, saying sorry when I haven’t done anything wrong! I told him I was pregnant and could he be more of a man about it rather than avoid me? That’s all he’s done is avoid me. I will not talk to him if he doesn’t come to me himself and tell me what he wants me to do with this child!’ Hermione banged her cup of tea onto the table, some tipped over the cup and spilt to the table, and she stood up, crossing her arms over her chest, ‘I should never have told him!’

‘No, Hermione,’ Harry stood up, leaving his tea onto the table next to hers. He walked over to her and placed a hand lightly on her shoulder, ‘you and Fred both made a mistake and this child is the consequence. It is both of your problems but I do agree with you. Fred needs to talk to you about this but... he needs time, Hermione, give him the time and I'm sure he’ll get back to you. Understand?’

Hermione gulped down her argument and fighting. Harry was right He needed time and she needed to be patient with him. She had no idea what he was going through at this moment but she couldn’t help him.

‘Thank you, Harry, for everything. You’ve always been there for me and I know what I did with Fred was stupid and reckless-’

‘And the only time when you didn’t use your head. You acted with you heart and that’s what makes you human,’ Harry whispered and Hermione felt the sudden urge to hug him. Harry always understood and would always stick up for her. Harry chuckled and said, ‘you always thought with your heart when it came to boys you liked.’

Hermione nodded and suddenly her tears erupted from her. All the feelings and emotions that she had kept locked away in a chest deep down inside her flew out and unlocked itself. Hermione hugged Harry and he hugged her back. Harry stroked her hair and said soothing words to her as she calmed down.

‘Thank you so much, Harry,’ Hermione whispered as she pulled back, ‘I couldn’t ask for a better friend.’

‘Hey Hermione,’ Ron walked into the living room and nodded to Harry, ‘how’s it going, mate? I hope you don’t mind, Hermione, I just apparated in. Thought you might be resting so I didn’t want you to get up but I guess you weren’t resting?’

‘How long have you been listening to us?’ asked Harry as Ron’s eyes zeroed in to Harry’s arm around Hermione.

‘I heard nothing... Ginny isn’t going to be too happy with your new affair,’ Ron said and Harry looked at him questioningly. Ron sighed and nodded at his arm, ‘your arm is around Hermione.’

‘We’re just friends, Ron, and you know that,’ Harry said but removed his arm, ‘I was comforting her seeing as how you and Fred have seemed to leave her all alone.’

Ron walked up to Harry, stopping when they were toe to toe. Ron was taller but Harry didn’t move back. They kept eye contact and Hermione shook her head at them.

‘Please don’t fight. Don’t ruin your friendship because of me,’ Hermione sighed as she placed a hand on Ron’s chest, pushing him back, ‘please Ron.’

‘Yeah, mate, let’s not fight,’ Harry said and Ron shrugged, ‘what are you doing here anyway?’

‘I heard Hermione could use some cheering up so I thought I’d help with that,’ Ron said and looked at Hermione, ‘seeing as how Fred decided he’d rather have a girlfriend where he doesn’t need to make any effort with.’

‘What does that mean?’ Hermione asked but she had a feeling she knew exactly what Ron meant. Ron looked at Harry and then to Hermione. She understood what he meant, ‘Harry, I’ll be fine with Ron. I guess you should go back to Ginny. She’ll be looking for you.’

‘Are you sure? I can stay if you want,’ Harry said and looked at Ron, ‘I don’t think it’s a good idea-’

‘You don’t trust me?’ asked Ron and Harry shrugged slightly, ‘I swear I won’t hurt her tonight.’

Harry looked at Hermione for reassurance, his green eyes showing the obvious friendly care he felt. She nodded, feeling strangely okay with talking to Ron tonight. Harry sighed and said ‘okay’ before disapparating. Hermione turned to Ron who smiled at her as she crossed her arms over her chest.

‘Did you see Fred? Is he with another girl?’ asked Hermione, hoping he would tell her how ridiculously wrong and paranoid she was being.

‘He told me to tell you that he doesn’t want to be with you anymore. You should get over him and he can’t give you what you want,’ Ron shrugged and walked forwards to stroke Hermione’s lonesome tear away, ‘I’m here for you. Whenever you need me.

‘I can’t believe he would... why am I so naive?’ Hermione asked herself and let herself be enfolded into a hug by Ron who shushed her softly, ‘I'm sorry for hurting you, Ron. I loved Fred... well I thought I did...’

‘He never loved you and you need to realise that, Hermione,’ muttered Ron, his fingers caressing her back.

‘I’ve been so stupid...’ Hermione burst into fresh tears as Ron sighed and comforted her, ‘I’m- so sorry... Ron... I should- I...’

‘Shh... that’s enough,’ Ron muttered into her ear and let her cry onto his shoulder, wetting his favourite shirt.

Hermione cried her heart out to Ron as he comforted her. She didn’t realise how miles away Fred lay on the kitchen table. How he would wake up in the morning with a pounding headache and his first thought would be of Hermione. She didn’t know. All she could focus on was her broken heart and the child being formed inside of her.