Lunar Eclipse

Chapter Six

Hermione groaned in pain, clutching her stomach.

"Okay, Ron. Do you still carry the Deluminator with you?" Harry asked.

"Yeah..." he paused for a moment to take it out of his pocket.

"Okay, put out the lights in the house so that it is completely dark. Hermione, is there a fireplace upstairs?"

"Yes," she whimpered, "but I'll never be able to make it up there."

"I can carry you," Ron said, his voice wobbly. He bent down and lifted Hermione up bridal style with ease.

Harry grabbed the Deluminator and clicked it. Suddenly, all of the lights in the house went out, and there were shouts of surprise from the party in the den.

"Go," he said, and Ron headed for the stairs, Hermione's arms wrapped around him tightly and Ginny in hot pursuit.

Harry followed them upstairs to the fireplace, and Ginny dug in her purse for a moment before pulling out a small knapsack of Floo Powder as Harry flipped on the electric fire. He then re-clicked the Deluminator and the lights all turned back on. From downstairs, sighs and clapping could be heard.

"St. Mungo's," Ron cried, hardly waiting for the flames to turn purple before he hurdled through them. Harry and Ginny followed quickly before the flames turned back to their normal color.

"I need a Healer!" Ron cried, and a medi-witch looked up from her seat behind the front desk.

"Ron! Hermione!" Padma Patil called out in surprise, walking out of one of the rooms. Her eyebrows furrowed as she took in the scenario.

"Follow me," she said quietly, leading them to a private room. She ushered all four of them inside before looking around and closing the door.

"Sorry, I figured that you four would want some privacy, and ironically, around here that's the last thing that is respected," she slid her hands into a pair of gloves. "Hey, calm down. We don't know what's going on yet."

Hermione whimpered from her spot on the bed that Ron had laid her on. Padma waved her wand, and Hermione's party clothes turned into a hospital gown.

"Ginny, Harry, I'm going to ask you to step back while I do an evaluation. Ron, you can stay if you'd like."

Harry and Ginny nodded and took a step back as Padma pulled a curtain around the bed to give them some privacy as she examined them.

Ginny curled into Harry, and he wrapped his arms around her, giving her a tight squeeze.

A moment later, Padma pulled the curtain back, her face looking grim.

"What is it?" Ron asked, brushing a lock of hair out of Hermione's face before looking back up at Padma.

"Hermione..." Padma began.

"Please just tell me," Hermione begged, tears slipping down her cheeks.

"Harry, Ginny, I'll have to ask you to step out," Padma turned to her old friends.

"They can stay. Please Padma," Hermione's eyes were pleading as she searched the Healer's eyes.

"Hermione... I'm afraid you've miscarried," Padma said softly.

"Mis- miscarried?" Ron whispered. Hermione let out a strangled sob.

"I know this is hard, but if you want, you can keep trying for a baby as soon as you'd like. I'm so sorry. I'll be back later to talk with you some more once this sinks in."

With that, Padma turned and walked somberly out of the room.

"Oh Ron," Hermione sobbed. "I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

"Shh, it's okay. It's not your fault," Ron cooed, resting his chin on top of Hermione's head and embracing her. Tears were streaming down his face uncontrollably.

Ginny turned and buried her face into Harry's shoulder, trying to hide her tears from her friend.

"Ron, can you go get me some water please?" Hermione asked after a long bout of silence.

"Of course sweetheart. Anything," Ron kissed the top of her head and stood up.

"I'll come with you," Harry said, placing a hand on his best friend's shoulder. "I could use some pumpkin juice from the cafeteria."

"Thanks mate. I'll be back soon 'Mione," Ron said to his wife.

As soon as they left the room, Hermione broke down again. Ginny slid into the bed with her best friend and let Hermione sob into her shoulder.

"I don't want to have another baby," she whispered. "I wanted this baby."

"I know," Ginny stroked Hermione's hair, crying silently.

"I just wanted this baby."

"Shh," Ginny soothed. "We know. It'll all be okay. It's all going to be okay."

And slowly to the mantra of promises, Hermione cried herself to sleep in Ginny's arms.

(A/N: Hey... yeah... I know I suck. I'm sorry about this, and I'm sorry the chapter is so short, but I just could not write any more of this. Please note that the next chapter will take place in a time jump of about a month. Again... so sorry. Please keep reading! And while you wait for the next chapter, go check out some of my other stories, whether Harry Potter related or not! Thanks for reading!)