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Written for Book Club; Maya - Hermione/Guilt/Silver and Button Bonanza, Pink 2. RonHermione.

Word Count - 379

Un-Hate-Able

Hermione sat in the bedroom, a silver chain in her hand. On the end of the chain was a locket, and in it, a picture of her parents. She rubbed her empty hand over the small bump that was protecting her first child.

The guilt was intense.

Her parents, wherever they were now, were missing this. They'd already missed her wedding, her first promotion, her… life.

She'd tried to find them after everything calmed down, to no avail. There was no record of them in Australia, no matter how hard she searched. She tried both the names she'd given them, and their own names, in case her memory charm hadn't been as strong as she'd thought.

Nothing.

Warm arms wrapped around her and she leant back against the broad chest of her husband.

"We can try again?" Ron offered, looking down at the locket. "Ask around for private detectives that could actually go over and search for you?"

"I… no," Hermione said. "Wherever they are… they're probably happy, you know? If I found them now, how much would I be tearing their new lives apart?"

"You don't think it would be worth it to them, to have you back?"

"But… but what if they hate you?"

Ron chuckled, pressing a gentle kiss to her temple. "Impossible, sweetheart. Do you know how many times I tried to hate you over the years? Seriously, you're un-hate-able."

"That's not a real word."

"On the other hand, you are awfully frustrating," he murmured, tickling her side gently, drawing a giggle from her.

"Seriously, Hermione, we should… it can't hurt to try again, right? What have you got to lose? Even if you find them and decide not to reverse the memory charm… at least you'll know for sure that they're happy, right?"

Hermione twisted her neck to look at him for a long moment. "I love you."

"I love you, too," he replied. "Come on. Harry and Ginny will almost definitely already be at the restaurant and bitching about me making you late."

Hermione laughed and nodded, raising her hands to fasten the clasp of the silver necklace around her neck.

Ron was right. It couldn't hurt to try again. In the meantime… in the meantime, she had her new family to join.