Disclaimer: Still not J.K Rowling...
A/N: Hey everyone, I'm hoping you all enjoy this chapter! I know that there are a lot of loose ends through this story but they will get tied up, one by one. Stick with me folks! This may be a short chapter, but a lot is explained in this, I promise. With that, I give you chapter 6, Greeting the Past.
“Hey ‘Mione, Greg brought the kids up and they really wanted to see you,” said Cammie as the children rushed into the room and crowded around Hermione’s bed. As soon as they had gathered around, Cammie’s two children also ran into the room and joined the group around the bed.
“Hey guys,” said Hermione as she pulled one of her children up onto the bed. He had spiky brown hair and deep hazel eyes, just like Hermione’s. “Guess what? You get to spend the next few days with your dad.”
“Awesome!” shouted the boy.
“Is my dad coming too?” asked another of Hermione’s children, whom Ron recognised as the child who had been pushed over at the park the previous day.
“Yes, and he told me that he’s going to take you to the museum if you’re really good,” said Hermione as she pulled her up onto the bed next to the boy.
“Bloody unfair!” cried the boy as he stared at Hermione.
“Harrison, how many times must I tell you not to swear!?” exclaimed Hermione irately.
“Sorry Mum,” said Harrison. “Can me and Paul go and play next door?”
“If you mean ‘Can Paul and I go and play next door’, than yes, you can; Greg, would you please go and watch them?” asked Hermione as the two young boys ran out of the room, followed by the man who had greeted Ron that morning. “Addy, why don’t you take your sister and Tatiana next door with the boys, I need to talk with your Aunt Cammie.”
“Ok,” said the girl quietly before leaving with the other girls.
Hermione looked at Mike and Cammie with pleading eyes. Getting the drift, Mike left the room with Cammie, who was now cradling her baby in her arms, leaving Ron and Hermione alone once again.
“Ron, those are my beautiful children. Harrison is five, Jaime is seven and Adrianna is nine. All of my children have different fathers; relationships that never worked out. It’s not exactly something to be proud of, but I genuinely believed that the next guy who came along was the one for me. Once a child came into the picture, the situation changed. I left Addy’s father; Jaime’s father was a jerk to me, to say the least; and Harrison’s father didn’t think we’d work out as a couple. I suppose Mike was never the committing type,” Hermione added more to herself than Ron.
“You had a kid with Mike?” said Ron loudly.
“Yes, I did have a child with him, but as I said, it didn’t work out. When I told him I was pregnant, he didn’t take the news entirely well. He thought that our relationship was a bit one-sided, and that if he wasn’t able to commit to me than he’d rather not disappoint a child as well. He was being very noble, in a way. Because I didn’t have input from Mike when the baby was born, I named him after Harry. I think he’d be proud to share the name of everyone’s hero. Anyway, as soon as Mike saw Harrison, he wanted to help raise him. I’m just glad that Mike is helping me with Harrison and my other kids as well.
“Jaime’s father and I were happy together in the beginning. But as things became more serious, he became more controlling. He was insufferable, and I wasn’t very happy in the relationship at that point. When I told him I was pregnant, he accused me of cheating and left. When Jaime was born, I had a paternity test done, proving to him that Jaime was his daughter. He is a good dad to her, surprisingly, but wants nothing to do with me.
“Wow,” Ron said quietly. He couldn’t believe that Hermione had been through all of this in ten years. It was hard to believe that anyone would leave a woman with a child, let alone have to go through it three times. He suddenly realised that Hermione hadn’t finished her story. “Wait, what happened with your first child’s father?”
“I don’t have the time to go through that story right now Ron, but when I do I need your full attention. Until then, I’m stuck in this stupid hospital bed waiting for something to happen.”
“You hate it here, don’t you?” said Ron quietly as he sat down next to the bed.
Hermione shrugged and looked around the room. “Yes, but I’ve gotten used to it. When you come to the same place every month or so for eight years you learn to accept it. The main thing that upsets me is that my children have to go through it too. All but Adrianna think that this is a normal part of life for other people. When I first spoke to Addy about why I really come here and the situation, she took it well. I think she gets that strength from her father’s side.”
“What do you mean? You’re the strongest woman I’ve ever met, Hermione. If there’s one person who can beat this disease, it’s you,” argued Ron.
Hermione smiled as tears brimmed in her hazel eyes. “Thank you Ron, that means so much to me. I need every bit of strength to keep going right now, and you’ve given me another reason to fight.” After a comfortable silence between the two, Hermione turned decidedly to Ron. “I think Harry and Ginny deserve to know what’s happened with my life. I need to see them.”
We will find out a lot about Hermione in this next chapter, and then we find out something that will change Ron’s life forever. I wonder what it is...please keep reading and stick with me, a will be updating as soon as I can. MFF take forever and a day to validate my chapters but please keep the faith, this story will continue. Also, just incase you didn't get it; Paul and Tatiana are Cammie's children. Anyway enough of the boring stuff, keep guessing what Hermione has to tell Ron while you wait. Love from Lucia_Swanne.
What Could Have Been by Lucia_Swanne
Chapter Notes: Ron meets Hermione’s children for the very first time, and finds out a little about Hermione’s last eight years. Also, a big decision is made by Hermione.