April 1999
"Everything looks fine Mrs. Krum." said Healer Arista as she waved her wand over a bruised Hermione once again to double check her work. She had an assistant in there with her.
"Are you 100% sure?" asked Hermione weakly. "I'm sorry to keep insisting like this, but considering the circumstances..."
Arista gave Hermione a sad smile. "No dear, you're fine. As an expecting mother, I would be the same way, especially with circumstances such as yours. You, my dear had a couple broken ribs that I have mended and a lot of bruising. The baby, on the other hand, is completely untouched. Quite the strong witch you're carrying there."
Hermione smiled as she rubbed her growing belly.
"I will warn you Mrs. Krum that you are indeed two months away from your due date. Something can easily go wrong with your...clumsiness." said Arista.
Hermione sighed. "I know."
"Would you please leave the room for a second?" Arista asked her assistant. "I have to give my patient a private consultation."
The assistant nodded and then left the room.
Arista turned back to Hermione, a look of worry and terror appeared on her face.
"Hermione, you have got to get out. Is there really no way you can leave?" she asked frantically as she held Hermione's hand.
Hermione felt the tears building up in her eyes. "We've had this conversation many times before, Ari. I can't do a thing. I don't have a wand anymore, I can't openly contact my family, nor my friends. He will probably get angry at me for coming here again, but I knew something had broken and I just had to see if she was okay."
"I understand, but what's going to happen when you have this child? Will he allow you to keep her?"
"I don't know. He seems as if he is happy sometimes that he is going to be a father." said Hermione slowly.
Arista sucked her teeth. "Don't give me that. He's a fucking Death Eater and his child will be a half blood. He will kill that baby without a second thought and you know it. Especially if he leader tells him to."
"You're right, you're right, of course you are, but I can't give up on my baby. She needs me. I need her. She is the only one besides you and Ginny that I have left in this world."
"What about Ron?" asked Arista.
Hermione looked up at the sound of Ron's beautiful name. "Ron can't know a thing, remember? He would get himself killed trying to come out here and save us. It's best to let him live his life and to not let him worry. That's why I haven't told Ginny about the abuse, nor the baby. And I'm never going to." said Hermione firmly.
"That reminds me." said Arista. "Come with me to my office.
Hermione and Arista walked into the pastel pink and cozy office that Arista owned. She was the lead OBGYN healer as well as Pediatrics, and Hermione's only friend in Bulgaria.
Hermione had discovered her around Christmas when she came in thinking that Viktor's beatings had taken a toll on her internally. She then discovered that she was indeed three months pregnant. Arista recognized the signs of an abused witch, so Hermione started to secretly confide in her and from that point on, would see no one but her.
Arista was nothing but four years older than Hermione herself. She had graduated from the wizarding school Ilvermorny in America, and had joined the healer program soon after graduation. She excelled, being just as smart as Hermione, and became the youngest healer in a century when she was only 22. She was a great friend to Hermione, allowing herself to be the middle witch in Hermione contacting Ginny.
When they had closed the door, a tiny owl started flying circles around Hermione's head. Hermione smiled genuinely as the owl finally perched on her arm.
"Pig, you beautiful bird! You made this journey all by yourself?" she cooed at him as she gently stroked his stomach. "You're such a good bird. Is Ron taking care of you? Is he still feeding you treats?"
Pigwidgeon gently pecked at her finger to show that he missed her too.
"That little bird is like the Energizer Bunny, he is. He must be strong to carry two letters all the way from England." said Arista.
Hermione looked stunned. "I've gotten two?"
Arista smiled as she handed Hermione the envelopes. Hermione tore open the first envelope, revealing a letter from Ginny.
Dear Hermione,
It was so good to finally hear from you after two whole bloody months! You had me completely mental. I thought you had disappeared.
Everything is fine here at the manor. Cissy and I came pretty close to your town when we came to Bulgaria to pick up her gown from this celebrated dressmaker there, but I didn't know where exactly you lived, so I couldn't spring on a visit. Besides, I didn't want to get you in any trouble.
Are you okay? I keep having a feeling that you're not, despite the fact that you're always telling me that you are. You know you'll always be a big sister to me. I'll always be concerned for you.
Draco and I are good. Very good actually. I assure you, he isn't the prat that he was in school. I mean yes he is still a prat, but all that pureblood supremacy has gone out the window. He laughs and smiles more now which is completely gorgeous to look at. We don't argue anymore unless it's over something stupid, in which making up is absolutely brilliant. Oh yeah, and he has started to drool in his sleep. I have pictures enclosed as evidence along with other pictures of us and things that I know you miss about England.
His father is still a wand up my ass. There are days where it gets so bad that we almost want to just duel it out. I'm starting to believe that Old No Nose is getting angry that his apparent revenge isn't working. Cissy loves me and Draco and I aren't proper lovers, but we care a lot about each other. Some punishment eh?
Ron misses you, Hermione. He misses you so much. I can tell when I do see him (we have to do it in secret, I'm not really supposed to be connecting with family according to the evil tosser) that he isn't himself. He just looks incomplete without you and Harry around.
Speaking of Harry, I'm not having the dreams as much as I used to any more about him. Don't get me wrong. I'll always love Harry, and I miss him terribly, but maybe this is Harry's way of telling me to let him go.
Anyways, I can't wait to hear from you again. The last two letters I got from you were amazing to read and I'm glad you're doing okay. Guess Voldemort didn't count on Krum being a good person to you like Draco is to me. I miss you so much and I can't wait till the old coot dies so we can see each other again.
Love,
Ginny.
Hermione hugged the letter to her heart.
"Good news?" said Arista cheerfully.
Hermione nodded. "Her and Draco are getting along better. She and Draco's mum was even in Bulgaria, but they couldn't come see me. And she got to see Ron, which is good. They have to sneak around to see each other."
Hermione picked up the second envelope. It wasn't addressed to her. Matter of fact, the envelope was blank, causing Hermione to hesitate.
"What's wrong?' asked Arista.
"Blank envelope. Could be cursed."
"With all the wards here, it wouldn't have made it into the building." assured the healer. "Open it."
Hermione nodded and opened up the envelope. When she unfolded the letter, she dropped it, recognizing the handwriting immediately.
"Ron." whispered Hermione.
"What?"
"It's from...its from Ron." she said, eyes once again filling with tears.
"Well? What are you waiting for?! READ IT!" exclaimed Arista excitedly.
Hermione hesitated. "Oh should I? I don't know. What if it-"
"If you don't read it I will, now do it!" said Arista, sounding like an excited cousin.
Mione,
I bet I can guess what you did before you started reading this letter. You probably dropped it, picked it up, wondered if you should read it, and then started reading it. Did you? I know you did. I still know you.
I know I shouldn't be saying anything to you, but when I found out that you had wrote to Ginny, I couldn't help but be angry at you. But as usual, I got over it. I figured there had to be a reason why you didn't write. Probably had to do with fucking Krum.
Hermione, I've been so bloody worried about you ever since the moment you left. Something kept bugging me about Krum, I had a feeling the prick was bad. I was scared that he would try some shit, but Ginny told me how you wrote to her, saying that Krum was okay.
Thing is, you can lie to her because she didn't see how Krum was the day you left, so you can't lie to me. I know something isn't right. Hermione, I swear to Merlin, if he has hurt you in any way, I'll kill him. I don't give a fuck about anyone or anything Mione, you better give me or Gin some sort of sign. I will find a way to get to you.
Things are pretty much the same here. Bill is still training Dad, Mum is still worrying over everyone, the twins had found a way to work from home under Voldy's...well I can't say nose, and Charlie is still in Romania. I haven't been able to find anything to do. That bloody tosspot has made it hard for me to. So I just help with Mum around the Burrow and sometimes I help Andromeda with Teddy. That's how I see Ginny.
Speaking of Gin, it's hard to believe that she and that bloody ferret are actually getting on all right. Draco's mum let's her send Mum money, even though at first, Mum didn't want to take it. She says that Lucius is a right foul git to her. He's probably mad that he's an old fossil that can't get it up anymore, not even to wank. I know you're probably grossed out by the thought. I am too.
I miss you so much Hermione. I know that you're married, and we aren't ever supposed to see each other again, but I just can't and won't let go of you. You're my best friend, my first love, and I'm still very much in love with you. One day, things will be different. One day this will all be over and we can finally be together. Remember what I said though. Say the word, I'll be there.
Take care of yourself, Mione. You better be eating and you better be resting and not trying to read to the point of exhaustion and do everything under the sun.
Yours Forever,
Ron
P.S.: Sorry for sending Pig, but he missed you, and I figured that you missed him too. Besides, he was the only way I could convince Gin to let me send a letter along with hers.
Hermione slumped down in the comfy chair that was in Arista's office. She felt overwhelmed with emotions. Happiness, sadness, hurt, fear, and love.
"He still loves me." she said with a giggle, handing Arista the letter to read. "He told me to say the word and he will be here. He still loves me."
Arista sighed as she read over Ron's words. "Good man you have here, girl. He sincerely adores you. Why haven't you written to him before?"
"I don't want him to worry. Ron can see right through me. Even in a letter, as you can see. If I was to write to him, he would come."
"Would that be necessarily bad?"
"You seen what he said. If he was to come here and do something to Viktor, Voldemort would kill him. I can't deal with that. I've already lost one best friend. I can't lose him any more than I have. I just can't." said Hermione.
"Hermione, you need him. This baby needs him. You two can't survive here. If I could get you away from here I would, but as a half blood, I don't have much jurisdiction. I can't even get back to the states to my own family." said Arista, sadly.
"I have to go. I've been gone too long." whispered Hermione.
"You're not going to write back to them?"
"No. It hurts too much to. I'm just going to have to hope for better, and when this baby gets here, maybe things will change." said Hermione.
"Arista shook her head. "Do you honestly believe that?" she asked as Hermione got up and walked towards the door.
Hermione looked at her friend and sighed. "I have to, don't I?" she asked as she opened the door and left.
Arista sighed. She took the letters and put them in Hermione's file along with the other two letters Ginny had written her.
Hermione quietly walked back into the Krum mansion. She didn't know if Viktor was around or not. She tiptoed across the entryway, careful not to make a sound.
Once she reached the kitchen, she felt a bit safer. It didn't seem like he was home. She went and got her a glass of water.
All of a sudden, she found herself being launched into the wall, a huge and tight hand was around her neck, holding her up.
"Where the fuck have you been?" growled Viktor.
Hermione gasped for air, but Viktor tightened his grip. She felt herself slipping away.
"I said, where have you been?" said Viktor, this time dropping her to the floor.
Hermione coughed as she tried to gather her thoughts and her breath. "Went to...check on...the baby.." she managed to croak out.
Viktor eyed her as she took deep breaths on the floor. "You're lucky I'm allowing you to keep that thing. Just to keep you out of my face." he said as he kicked her leg and walked away.
Hermione rubbed her belly and felt a kick. Guess that was the baby's way of telling her she was fine.
"Don't worry, little one." whispered Hermione as she started to cry. "Mummy will protect you. You are so loved."