Work Text:
Hermione got out the fireplace and collapsed into a chair.
- That was hard - she huffed to the subsiding flames.
- As always, my dear. Would you like some breakfast? - A plate was placed on the table before her, without even waiting for an answer.
- Thank you, Molly, but I'm not really hungry - Molly Weasley ignored her, while still directing bacon into a pan with her wand and looking around for the eggs.
- Nonsense, my dear, you have to eat, your work is entirely too stressful. Even without four of the children around you'll need to keep up your strength.-
Hermione smiled affectionately, watching the little witch with the silver hair running around as always in her kitchen. It had been a good idea to move in to the Burrow, she reflected. Molly could go on fussing over them and her grandchildren as much as she liked, while they got to keep an eye over the ageing Weasleys. All of Ron's siblings had moved out not long after the war: Charlie was in Romania, Bill and Fleur in France, Percy and Audrey in London, George and Angelina had a flat in Diagon Alley over the shop, and even Ginny, after she broke up with Harry, had eventually decided to become a professional Quidditch player and was very rarely seen back in England. The Burrow had become a lonely place to live in for Molly and Arthur, so when Hermione got pregnant for the first time and they started looking for a bigger flat, Molly was very quick to ask if they wanted to move back to the Burrow. Of course, the decision hadn't been an easy one: Ron felt uncomfortable at the thought of moving back with his parents, and Harry was more than a little worried about how the older Weasleys would have reacted at the notion of Hermione, Ron and him being in a relationship together. But Hermione had managed to convince them to take up on Molly's offer, and she had been right: the house was indeed big enough for all of them (it had been big enough for the whole Weasley family after all), and Molly had been delighted to know they were together. They were meant to be right from the start, she had said. Arthur had just shrugged and smiled.
And now their fourth child was on the train to Hogwarts, as his older siblings, and wasn't it incredible how time did fly? She felt like it was yesterday she was pregnant with Rose, and Ron was so excited to be father for the first time! Of course Harry was too, but he had stayed firm on his decision that Ron had to be the first to become a biological father, and she kind of understood: Ron and herself had been dancing around each other for so long, it felt right in a way, like the fulfilling of a long-awaited happy ending. James had been Harry's instead, and their second son, Hugo, had Ron as father. In daily life it didn't really matter, because both Harry and Ron were fathers to all of her children; but since the pregnancies were planned anyway, they thought it would be nice to know the biological father without having a paternity spell performed, in case it was needed. Albus, whom they had to wave goodbye to for the first time that morning, had the same raven hair colour as his father, but it was just as bushy as hers. Well, better on him than on poor Rose, that with that bushy, long, Weasley-red hair of hers had a very hard time accepting herself. Poor creature. Thinking about her first daughter made her second one come to her mind.
- Here, dear, eat some of this. And where is Lily by the way? I thought she was going to stay with me today. Muggle school hasn't started yet, has it? - said Molly pouring a generous portion of bacon and eggs on her plate. All of Hermione's children had attended a Muggle pre-school before Hogwarts. She had been adamant about it: in the post-war world collaboration with Muggles was essential, and pre-school helped them make Muggle friends and not be absolutely clueless about the Muggle world. Arthur had been positively delighted.
- She was quite upset because she still can't go to Hogwarts, and a little sad about being left at home alone this year. So Harry decided to take the morning free and go with her to Diagon Alley to cheer her up - she replied.
Hermione smiled at the thought. Personally she had been quite convinced that four children were enough. They had planned to be extra careful after Albus was born. Still, they didn't know how, only a year or so later she was pregnant again. This time they hadn't a clue who the father was, but that wasn't the only surprise. When the baby was born, it was immediately clear she was different from the others. Her hair was red, but not the same red as the Weasleys: the dark, soothing red they all recognised from the pictures of Lily Evans. Her eyes, instead, were bright blue as Ron's ones. They all loved her right from the start, and her name wasn't ever a discussion: she looked so like her grandmother that anyone who met her was stunned, and moved. She was the clever one, and yet so sensitive that everyone tried to be careful around her, like she was a delicate and rare flower. No regrets, thought Hermione, none at all. But five children were more than enough for a witch at the full height of her career in the Magical Law Enforcement.
She tried to concentrate on the full plate in front of her, mostly because Molly was hovering over her, waiting to see her eat. She brought a forkful of food to her mouth, deciding to eat some even as she didn't quite feel for it. She hadn't been all that well in the past week, usually in the mornings, but she was quite sure it was the pre-Hogwarts stress playing tricks on her. And she never ate breakfast anyway. As the food touched her mouth and the smell filled her nose, she felt a surge of illness coming up her throat. She managed only to push her chair away before she threw up everything she had in her stomach (not much) on the floor under the table. With a little worried squeak Molly threw herself to hold her forehead and push her hair back. When she was finished she spelled the floor clean, and handed her a glass of water.
- Are you feeling well dear?- she asked concerned.
- Not really…. Been sick all this week… - Hermione said in a feeble voice.
- This week? How is it I didn't notice? - Molly was quite disconcerted.
- Not that much… Just in the mornings… - As she said it, it downed on her. Oh God. Molly smiled a little through her obvious worry.
- Looks like you are pregnant again, dear…. -
- What?? How? I mean, I don't really have time for this, it wasn't planned, I…. - Hermione was hyperventilating. It wasn't that she wouldn't like another child, but she really hadn't time enough for it. And really, who had SIX children these days anyway?
Molly's smile became a little larger.
- Don't worry dear, Arthur and me will help out, as always. You won't need to give up your job.-
Hermione made a little movement with her head, resigned, and immediately regretted it. She was feeling really sick.
- But seriously, six children?- she couldn't help but moan. Molly chuckled.
- Well dear, you are the new Mrs. Weasley, after all….-