Bad Romance - Time

A/N; A big thank you to every one who had reviewed.

Angeles, just for you heres a tissue alert ( just for the first part of the chapter):)

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‘Hermione!’ A voice bellowed down the stairs. ‘Have you seen my orange hat?’

Hermione, nose buried in a book didn’t look up as she walked through the hall, past the stairs and into the kitchen. She pointed a wand at the orange hat on the kitchen tabled and charmed it to fly up to Ron.

‘Thanks, ‘Mione.’

Hermione turned and walked back to the small library and sat in her favourite chair.

It was four weeks after leaving school and the trio had accomplished so much.

Grimmauld place was starting to look like a home. Gone were the dark greens and sliver the rooms use to be decorated in, replaced by soft oranges, reds, golds and browns.

The house had come alive under Harry’s careful instructions. He’d had most of the furniture replaced with new. The only room he hadn’t touched was Sirius’s.

Kreacher came back to take up residence and look after them, only he was paid a small wage now. A wage he tended to spend all on sweets.

Hermione spent most of her time in the small library, reading every book the black family had owned that she hadn’t read already. As well as adding her own to the collection on the shelves.

The boys tended to leave her to it. Not noticing that she was quieter then normal. They where busy with Auror work during the day, now they had both passed their training. And then the evenings where spent with their girlfriends.

‘Hellooooooo!’ A voice called from the parlour.

Ginny, Hermione thought with a smile.

The fire place in the parlour had been set to allow friends to floo in unannounced.

Hermione placed her book on the table and made her way to the kitchen to greet Ginny.

‘Hermione!’ Ginny smiled and gave her friend a hug.

‘Well?’ Hermione asked.

Ginny’s grin widened. ‘I got it!’ she cried.

Harry swept her into his arms and spun her around. Ron, who had followed Hermione into the room, cheered and Hermione clapped her hands.

‘I knew you would, Gin.’ Harry held her tight and kissed her mouth.

‘Wow, my baby sister, chaser for the Holyhead Harpies!’

‘Proud of me, Ron?’ Ginny asked with a cheeky grin.

‘You bet!’

‘We need to celebrate!’ Harry said.

‘Yeah, it’s Saturday night, we could go to one of those Muggle clubs.’

Hermione took a tiny step back, trying to disappear into the back ground.

‘Yeah! We’ll all get dressed up and dance the night away!’

‘And get royally pissed!’ Ron said with a laugh. ‘I’ll floo Lav and get her to come.’

‘I’ll have to floo mum and tell her I’m staying over. Are you going to come, Hermione?’ Ginny turned to look at her.

Hermione gave a sorry smile and shook her head. ‘I’m gonna give it a miss, I think...’

‘What?!’ Ron cried. ‘Aw, come on, Hermione. don’t be a wet blanket. You never want to do anything any more!’

Hermione swallowed back the tears. She wouldn’t get upset she told herself. She was a bloody Gryffindor, for Merlin’s sake!

‘I’m not a wet blanket, Ronald. I’m just tired and not in the mood to go to some stuffy club!’

‘You’re never in the mood for anything but books, Hermione. You bury yourself in that stupid library all day long and hardly speak to any of us!’

‘Ron...’ Harry warned.

‘No!’ Ron shouted! ‘The war is over, Harry. We can relax and have fun now. Live our lives but she’s acting like we’re still in battle. Head in a book and no smile on her face.’

‘Shut up, Ron!’ Ginny said coming to stand next to Hermione.

‘Come off it! You’ve all said it yourselves. Even Mum’s commented on how miserable she is!’

Hermione couldn’t stop the tears from falling down her cheeks now.

‘Hermione?’ Harry asked softly, seeing the tears. ‘What is it?’

‘Ron, you stupid prick!’ Ginny glared at her brother. ‘Have you ever even thought to ask, Hermione, what the problem was? Did you not even wonder why she was so sad? Or are you to wrapped up in you own life that you didn’t care?’

Ron frowned and looked at the silently crying Hermione. ‘I-I... Hermione?’ He looked from Harry to Ginny. ‘Harry never asked?’ he said.

Ginny’s arm found it’s way around Hermione’s shoulders. ‘Because I told him not to.’

‘I’m asking now, it’s gone on for too long. What is it, Hermione?’

Hermione shook her head. She had known this day was coming but she really had wanted a bit more time to think it through before having to talk to her friends. They where going to be so disappointed in her.

‘Tell them, they’re going to know sooner or later..’ her friend and confidant whispered.

Ginny, sweet Ginny, Hermione thought and looked at the red haired girl. Her sleepless nights, her funny moods and her crying fits, Ginny had been there for them all. A shoulder to cry on and a wall of strength for Hermione when all the strength had left her body.

She reached for and held Ginny’s hand. ‘You’re going to hate me, so much...’

Panic flashed into Harry’s eyes. ‘We’d never hate you, Hermione. Why do you say that?’

A sob escaped her... Her eyes were wide and her breaths were coming out in little gasps. This was the hardest thing she had ever had to do.

‘I’m pregnant.’

Silence filled the room. Harry and Ron just stood staring at her, shock clear in there eyes.

Hermione and Ginny, for the last two weeks had been discussing the best way to tell the boys but non of the scenarios they had come up with had been like this.

‘You’re having a baby?’ Harry asked.

Hermione nodded.

‘Bu-But-But... don’t you need a fella to be able to- to... you know?’

Ginny shook her head at her older brother. ‘You dumb arse! Yes you need a man involved and there was one!’

‘Who?’ he asked.

This was the part Ginny and Hermione had always argued about. Hermione didn’t wish to name the father. After all she wasn’t even going to tell the father. Another point she and Ginny argued over.

Ginny thought that Hermione should tell her friends the truth - all of it. After all the baby could look like Malfoy, with blond hair and silver eyes. They’d be no denying it then.

However, Hermione wanted to keep quiet. She understood Ginny’s reasoning but she just didn’t have the courage to tell.

‘Hermione, I didn’t know you were seeing anyone?’

‘Tell them!’ Ginny urged.

‘Tell us what?’ Ron asked.

Hermione closed her eyes and counted to ten. She slowly opened her eyes and looked at the expectant look on Harry and Ron’s faces. ‘I’m so sorry.’

Harry seemed to unfreeze from the spot. ‘What on earth are you sorry for?’ He moved towards her and put his arms around her..

Hermione couldn’t hold back any longer. She broke down and raking sobs left her. She shook as she cried and Harry looked at Ginny, shock and fear on his face.

Ginny had tears falling down her own cheeks, not able to bare her friends pain.

‘’Mione?’ Ron whispered.

He walked over to where she and Harry stood and put his own arms around her. He held her tight and stroked her hair, fighting back his own tears.

‘We’re here for you, Hermione,’ Harry whispered. ‘We love you. You’re our sister!’ he stressed.

This caused Hermione’s sobs to worsen. ‘You’ll- you’ll hat-hate me when you know...’ she stuttered.

Harry’s arms held her tighter and he pressed her head to his chest. ‘I could never hate you.’

They stood like that for what seemed an age. Ginny left them to their comfort and went to make a pot of tea.

Harry, Ron and Hermione held a bond almost as strong as the one she felt for Harry, maybe it was even stronger. The three of them had been through so much for each other - with each other. The Golden trio.

A hour passed and the friends moved to the living room. Hermione sitting in the middle of the couch and Harry and Ron on either side of her. They held a hand each and just gave her time.

Eventually she took a deep breath and began to speak. she told them of how lonely she had felt. About Christmas at the borrow and how she’d felt left out. They stopped her to tell what a fool she was but at a look from Ginny they quieted down and allowed her to continue.

She told them of Draco’s letter and how they had shared a few tense moments at school. As soon as she mentioned his name they both stiffened, guessing what was coming, but they stayed silent until she told them of Draco’s indifference after their night together, not going into great detail.

Harry slowly stood up and walked towards the fire place. ‘So he was just using you?’ he asked without turning around.

‘Yes.’ she whispered.

‘The git!’ Ron bit out. ‘The fucking little ferret!’

‘Are you going to tell him?’ Harry asked, still not looking at her.

‘What’s the point?’ Hermione spoke calmly. ‘He’s in America. I doubt I’ll ever see him again.’

Harry turned then and Hermione bit back a cried of anguish. His green eyes blazed with hatred and anger!

‘Harry!’ Ginny stood from the chair she had been sat on and walked towards him. ‘Calm down,’ she whispered. ’You’re scaring her.’

At his girlfriend’s words, Harry took a deep breath and the anger holding his body taunt seemed to lesson.

‘I’m not angry at you, Hermione,’ he explained. ‘I’m a little disappointed and I completely think you lost you mind for a while, but I’m not angry at you.’

Hermione took a deep breath and then looked at Ron. He hadn’t let go of her hand. Out of the two of them she had been expecting Ron to take the news the worse.

‘Ron?’ she asked softly.

Ron seemed to come out of a daze and then her looked at her. ‘Do you want to marry me?’

‘What?’ Hermione, Harry and Ginny all cried out together.

‘Well, it doesn’t seem like Hermione wants to tell the ferret! The baby will need a father and well... we...I...’

Hermione bit her lip. She then took Ron’s face between her hands and kissed him soundly on the lips.

‘I love you, Ronald Weasley, you are the best friend any girl could have. But we’re not in love with each other and I couldn’t ruin your life that way.’

‘But you wouldn’t ruin it. We could be a happy. A little family.’

She slowly shook her head. ‘I can’t do it to you. You shouldn’t have to pay for my mistakes. And I know you, Ron. In the end you would come to hate me and my child. Because of Malfoy.’

Ron looked like he was going to say something and then he closed his mouth. Eventually he spoke. ‘I do hate the thought of you and him.... you know?’

Hermione nodded her head, she did know.

‘What do you need?’ Harry asked suddenly.

Hermione looked at him and then looked at Ginny. Her friend had been right. She did feel better for telling them.

‘I just need your support.’

‘You have it.’ Harry said.

---

His blood burned in his veins. He hadn’t felt this degree of anger since his god father had been murdered. Even when he had faced Voldemort he hadn’t felt this hatred in his veins.

‘Where are we going?’ Ron asked as they walked down the darkened street.

‘I’ve cashed in a few favours at work, we have a portkey waiting for us at the end of this street.’

‘We going to murder him then?’ Ron asked.

Harry turned to look at his best friend. The two men where that close, closer then brothers. It never surprised Harry any more that Ron had the same thoughts as he did. Whether right or wrong ones.

‘I’d love to but that’s coming down to his level.’

‘So if we’re not going to kill him, what are we going to do?’

‘Make him face his responsibilities.’

‘Hermione will kill us, you know that, right?’

Harry nodded. ‘She’s not thinking straight at the moment - if she was she would have known what we’re planning.’

‘I still can’t believe that she let that slimy ferret touch her!’

Harry slowed his steps and turned to look at Ron. ‘Did you see the look in her eyes?’

‘What?’

‘It was love. She loves him.’

‘No she doesn’t!’ Ron would not believe that!

‘Right, Ron, so how was sex with Hermione for you?’

‘What? You know we never did it-’

‘Exactly. Do you really think if it was anything but love she would have slept with him? Hermione wouldn’t have gone near him if it had been anything less!’

Ron looked at Harry blinking. He was right, he realised. ‘Merlin’s shaggy Y fronts!’

‘Exactly.’

‘So what are we going to do?’

‘We’re going to make him come back. As much as it kills me to think it and admit it. She’s gonna need him.’

‘She’s got us!’

‘And she knows that, but she also needs him, even if she doesn’t realise that yet. And I hate to say it but that baby is also going to need it’s father!’

‘Not him though!’

Harry stopped at the corner of the street. ‘I grew up without my father, Ron. You will never know what that feels like, and I’m glad you don’t. I don’t want Hermione’s baby to have to know either. Not if we can help it.’

‘So, we’re doing this for the baby, not for Malfoy?’

‘Yes.’

‘Just so I’m clear in my head then...’ Ron paused. ‘So we’re not going to kill him... Can we at least hurt him a little?’

Harry grinned. ‘Sure, why not?’

He reached for a crisp packet lying on the floor and held it out to Ron. Ron held onto the crisp packet and within a minute they where being swept away.

Crashing to the ground Ron coughed as his stomach settled. Harry floated down besides him, as if walking on air.

‘I will never get the hang of that!’

Harry laughed and looked around him.

‘Where are we?’ Ron asked. They seemed to be in a ally in between two buildings. In front of the was a busy street with a row of tall houses lining the street.

‘New York city. And if I have my information correct Malfoy is living in that building across the road.’

Ron followed Harry as he crossed the street and came to a stop out side a large house.

Harry walked up the steps and then looked at the panel at the side of the door. ‘He’s apartment two B.’

‘So what, we ring the bell and he lets us in?’

‘I doubt it!’ Harry said and quickly said the spell to unlock the door.

He made his way up the stairs and silently, with in minutes, he and Ron broke down all the wards protecting Malfoy’s home and let themselves in.

‘Auror training sure comes in handy,’ Ron smirked to his best mate.

---

Malfoy walked down the street and up the stairs leading to his building. The last few weeks seemed to drag, yet he couldn’t believe how different his life was now.

He’d managed to find a place to live, a place to work, and now his everyday life followed a simple routine. If he smiled more and was nice to the people he worked with he could end up having friends too, he thought, and promised himself he’d be more polite the following day in work.

He walked up the stairs leading to his flat when he stopped short, his hands reached inside his Muggle coat for his wand. His wards had been broken, he realised.

He opened the door to is flat slowly and walked in, pointing his wand into the room.

‘Expelliarmus!’

Draco’s wand flew out of his hand and into the hand of Harry Potter.

He closed his front door and turned to face Potter and Weasley. ‘What do you two want?’

He didn’t miss the sneer on Weasley’s face when he spoke. The look in Harry’s eyes was one he had only seen a few times, the last being the night he defeated Lord Voldemort. A cold shiver swept down Draco’s spine and suddenly he knew that they knew.

‘If you’re here to blast my balls off I’d rather you just hurry up with it,’ he said in a toneless voice.

‘What?’ Harry asked, his wand still pointing at Draco.

‘Well, that’s why you’re here, isn’t it? I’m guessing your not going to break my nose as your girlfriend’s already done that?’

‘Ginny hit you?’ Harry looked shocked.

‘Yeah... Didn’t you know? Followed me down to the dungeons on the last night of school and caught me off guard.’

‘Way to go Ginny!’ Ron said, glaring at Draco.

‘Look, obviously you’ve found out about me and Hermione-’

‘Don’t!’ Ron screamed and sent a hex at Draco that threw him across the room. ‘Don’t you dare say her name!’

‘Ron.’ Harry said quietly and gripped Ron’s arm. ‘Calm down.’

Draco picked himself up from the floor and smirked at Weasley. He was a idiot, he thought of himself, but he couldn’t stop himself from taunting the other man.

‘What’s the matter, Weasley? Does it bother you that she preferred me to you-’

This time it was a hex from Harry’s wand that had hit hitting the wall behind him.

‘Don’t even think about it, Malfoy!’

‘She hates your guts!’ Ron shouted.

Draco was gasping for breath ‘Then what are you doing here?’

Harry walk forwards till he was staring down at Draco. ‘It kills me to be here but I love my friend. I’m here for her.’

The way he said it had Draco worried. He sat up and look frantically from Ron to Harry. Panic squeezing his heart.

‘What’s the matter with her?’

Ron glared at him from across the room. ‘Some stupid ferret has gone and got her pregnant!’

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A/N: So what did you think. I kinda don't like Ron in this chapter, he seems a little out of character to me... but I'm putting it down to shock.... Thanks for reading :)