Mistaken Love

"So, Hermione," Fred said when he tracked her down at the reception. "What made you choose George, here, over Ickle Ronny-kins?"

"The fact that I haven't been best friends with him for eleven years could be one of the many reasons..." Hermione told him. "The fact that I watched Ron go through puberty and all the other awkward stages he had is a bit unappealing to me."

"Are you assuming that George had no awkward stages?" Fred asked.

"No," Hermione said. "But at least I didn't have to witness them first hand."

"Except for his awkward stage when he was sixteen and couldn't find a date for the Yule Ball," Fred reminded him.

"Well, neither could Ron," Hermione told him. "Harry found him a date. Of course, if he hadn't put off asking me, he would have had a date."

"How about a drink, Hermione? George?" Lee interrupted, holding out goblets of champagne.

"Er..." Hermione said awkwardly. "No thanks, Lee."

Hermione obscurely placed her hand on her stomach. "Do you think we should make an announcement?" Hermione whispered to George.

"Are you ready for both of our mums to faint and our fathers to yell at us for hours?" George asked.

"Won't that happen no matter what?"

"Yes," George agreed. "But here they won't make as big of a deal because they are with the guests."

Hermione squeezed his hand and led him to the table where she held up her goblet and gently tapped it with her spoon. "Excuse me, everyone! George and I have an announcement to make!"

The guests got quiet and turned to face the newlyweds.

"There's really no easy way to say this," Hermione started, staring at her feet. "George and I are going to have a baby."

Much to Hermione and George's surprise, only one mother fainted. Mrs. Granger, who had been dancing with Arthur, fell into his arms.

Molly, on the other hand, was delighted. "Oh! I knew it! None of this nonsense about the stomach flu!"

After about seventy congratulations, Hermione and George managed to find time to start conversations with their guests.

"Hermione, I can't believe you didn't tell me," Harry whined. "I mean, we're best friends."

"Harry, I told two people!" Hermione argued. "I told Ginny because she suggested it in the first place and I told George because he is the father."

"Wait, but if you were engaged to marry Ron, then how is George the father?" Harry asked stupidly.

"Harry, do we need to go over where babies come from?" Ginny joked.

"If this explanation is hands-on, then sure," Harry said, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Okay," Hermione said. "I think I'm going to leave before this conversation goes from PG-13 to R."

"Hermione," Ron said as she turned around, nearly running into him. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Not going to try and steal her away, are you Ron?" George teased.

"No," Ron said, obviously angry with his brother. "You've already taken her away from me. I don't try and steal my brother's girlfriend, fiancé, or wife."

Hermione glared at Ron disapprovingly.

"Please, just two minutes, Hermione," Ron begged.

"I'll be back," Hermione told George.

Ron led her away from the reception. They sat under a tree in the backyard. "There's one thing that's been eating at my mind, Hermione."

"What's that?"

"Why didn't you just break up with me?" Ron asked. "Or call off the wedding?"

"Er..."

"I mean, especially after you found out about the baby," Ron said. "Did you think I really wouldn't notice that you were getting... huge and that you suddenly had a child running around the house? I'm not that thick, Hermione."

"I guess I was just afraid," Hermione confessed. "Really, Ron, how would you have reacted if I had come up to you and said, 'Oy, Ron! I don't want to marry you. I'm pregnant with George's baby!'"

"Hmm," Ron sighed. "Right."

"Exactly," Hermione said with a smile.

"Well, that's all I wanted to know," Ron said as he got up and walked away.

"Wait!" Hermione said quickly, scrambling to her feet. Ron turned to face her. "Ron, your mum once told me that love comes in many forms. I just wanted to let you know... Even if I don't want to marry you... I still love you."

"Thanks, Hermione," Ron sighed as he walked away.

Hermione looked down at her feet, suddenly feeling very upset.

"Hermione?" Ron said from across the yard. "I love you too. And... Thanks for making the past five years the best ones I've ever had."

Hermione smiled and caught up with Ron. "I know you might not want to think about this right now, but Luna has always fancied you."

Ron raised an eyebrow at her. "Really?" he said with a grin. "How do you know?"

"Ron, I wrote the book on how girls think," she told him.

Ron looked around the yard for a second and then yelled, "Oy! Luna!"

Hermione smiled as Ron headed toward Luna. Love came in many forms all right.