Taken For Granted

Chapter 2

Hermione put Alex back in his high chair for the third time, but as she went to chase Peter down, Alex slipped off his seat again and ran clumsily towards the bathroom.

"Gotcha," Hermione said, holding both her twins in her arms. "You two are really hyper today."

She carried the boys into their room and put them down in their wooden playpen.

"There's no way you can get out of there. Ron built your pen too high for you to climb over. I'll have to make sure and thank him for building this when he gets home," she told her two-year olds, who were paying her no attention, for they had found a dust bunny on the floor.

"Peter! Don't eat that. Yuck!" Hermione took it from Peter, tossed it in the trash can, and went down the stairs to continue cleaning the tiny cottage she and Ron called home. It's not much, but I like it, Hermione thought. Ron worked very hard to get us this house, and I have nothing to complain about. My life is perfect. I've got a great family- both by blood and by marriage. I've got great friends- Harry in particular. I've got the world's best husband, two great kids, and another one coming. Hermione patted her stomach. This one's a girl. I can tell.

Content with life, Hermione finished up the dishes and began wiping down the diminutive kitchen table. She was interrupted by a knock on her front door.

"Why hello, Gin," Hermione said giving her sister-in-law a hug. She didn't even notice how puffy and red Ginny's face and eyes were. Nor did she see that Ginny's mood was not at all a happy one.

"Tea?" Hermione asked. Not bothering to wait for the answer, she began brewing some up. "It'll be ready soon. Sit down and make yourself comfortable. I'm glad you came over. I'm in this excellent mood..."

"Hermione," Ginny tried to interrupt.

"And I'm glad I now have someone to share that mood with."

"Hermione," Ginny tried again.

"I am so lucky, you know. I have everything that is important in life."

"Hermione!" Ginny yelled, beginning to cry.

"What?" Hermione asked sitting down opposite Ginny. She took the younger girl's hands into her own. "What's the matter, Ginny?"

"Hermione, Ron's..." Ginny sighed.

"What?? Hurt?" The beats in Hermione's heart picked up.

Ginny whispered something, but it was inaudible.

"What, Gin?" Hermione practically yelled, standing up. "What's going on?"

"DEAD! RON IS DEAD!" Ginny roared.

Hermione promptly seated herself back down. I misheard her. Hermione thought. There's no way that Ron is-is. She could feel her tears begin to boil. She shook her head and mumbled to herself, trying to make the sick feeling in her stomach go away.

Hermione came back to her senses and looked up. Ginny's tears were dripping onto the table. She suddenly hated Ginny more than she'd ever hated anybody in her life.

"First you bring me the worst news of my life, and then you stain my table with your tears!!!! How is he dead? WHY is he dead?? I hate you!!"

"Hermione, you've got to settle down!"

"Settle down, Ginny? Settle down? My husband is dead!! Dead, Ginny!! DEAD!" Hermione screamed.

"And my brother's dead!!!" Ginny screamed back.

Hermione paused to take this in. Ginny was right.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine, Herm. I understand completely," Ginny said. She giggled slightly. "I broke my favorite lamp when I found out."

Hermione smiled too.

"The blue one?"

"Unfortunately, yes, that's the one." Ginny sighed.

"Well, we'll just get you a new one," Hermione whispered. She gave her sister-in-law a tight hug. The two women spent most of the afternoon crying with each other. It was almost six before Hermione broke away form her sorrow.

"Harry," Hermione whispered, wiping her tear-stained cheeks. "

"What?" Ginny asked.

"Harry. We have to tell Harry." Hermione glanced at Ginny. A pained expression was building on her face.

Ginny swallowed. "Should we call him?"

"Yes," Hermione replied simply, picking up the phone.