To clarify some things that have been brought up: I am obviously not following the plots of the books. If I was, JKR obviously left out a huge detail from the middle of the final chapters... With that said, if there are some things that are off (one thing brought to my attention was Ginny's age), it is because I am not following the books to the T.

I am 100% for constructive criticism. Ex. "This is good, but you should really look at X." However, I'd prefer if you stay away from "You should really read the books in regards to X." I have read the books...multiple times each. Comments like that are not constructive, they are insulting, and honestly they kept me away from this story.

I'd also like to say, Happy 32nd Birthday today Hermione! Oddly enough, I've known for a while that Hermione's birthday would be the way this chapter ended... I just didn't realize I would finish on her birthday. So this is my gift to her, and my gift to all of you (those of you who enjoy it and would actually call it a 'gift,' anyway) for her birthday. Hope everyone enjoys!

"Well, what do you think Ron would want, dear?" Molly asked Hermione as the two of them, accompanied by Ginny, crowded around the table at Ron and Hermione's flat looking over wedding details.

Hermione sighed deeply, furrowing her brow. "I honestly have no idea what he would want," Hermione replied.

Hermione was frustrated. She was beginning to regret this idea of an actual wedding. The dress, flowers, invitations, food, guest list, and everything were just beginning to overwhelm and stress her out.

Ron hadn't been around much. Since going to work with George, he began working endless hours. He would leave before Hermione woke in the morning—her pregnancy made her more tired than usual, so she took to sleeping in these days—and he wouldn't be home until hours after the normal suppertime, causing Hermione to only see her husband not more than a few hours during the day. Sometimes, when she woke up in the middle of the night, she spent her time staring at Ron's sleeping figure rather than attempting sleep again herself. She assumed it must be hard to try to fill Fred's shoes. Plus, as Ron had mentioned once briefly, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes was horribly understaffed, and business was booming after Voldemort's downfall.

"Haven't you talked to him about these things?" Molly asked. However, after a dirty look from Ginny, she looked away and pretended not to have said anything.

Hermione hadn't discussed her issues about Ron with Molly. However, on days she got really lonely, she went to Ginny for company. Harry was currently assisting the newly instated Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt to find Death Eaters who'd gone into hiding after Voldemort had been defeated. Ginny, in Harry's absence, became increasingly lonely as well, so the sisters-in-law took to being each other's company.

"Molly, I'm really tired," Hermione said. And it was true. Even as she spoke, she attempted to stifle a yawn.

Molly smiled in understanding. "Of course, dear. Pregnancy does that to a woman. You get some rest. We can go over some more of these plans tomorrow." She scooped all the wedding details into a tidy pile and left them on the table. "I'll see you later, dear," she said as she hugged Hermione farewell, then Ginny, before Disapparating.

As soon as she left, Hermione let out a frustrated sigh.

"Ron still being the same then, I assume?" Ginny asked.

"He's just busy," Hermione replied. "But I don't know why we have to get all this done now. At this point, I don't want to have our wedding until after the baby comes."

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "Really? Why?"

Hermione placed her right hand over her growing bump. "Well, I'm already showing. I'm only going to get bigger and bigger. I want to look beautiful in my dress. And thin. We might as well wait….well, at least a year. A year from now, the baby will be about seven months old. I need at least six months, so a year from now seems to be a good time," Hermione rambled. "Next September, then," she nodded.

Ginny shook her head. "Hermione, you are crazy," she said. "You'll look great no matter what. You are already the cutest pregnant lady I've ever seen. I think most people would agree."

Hermione sighed. "I just…want things to be better with Ron, before we get all this wedding stuff sorted out," she admitted. "He's already so stressed out with work, I don't think he can take on all of this right now."

"But how will he cope with it when you give birth to my favorite little niece or nephew?" Ginny asked logically.

Hermione rubbed her temples and closed her eyes. She rubbed her eyelids before moving her hands away from her face. "I hope that he will just not work as much then," she said. "I know right now he is just trying to get ahead, both financially and managerially."

Ginny nodded. "Well, I think you should go lay down, at least for a little while," she suggested. "It's not healthy for you to be this stressed. For you or the baby."

"You're probably right," Hermione agreed. "Thank you Ginny. You are too kind to me," she said with a smile.

"Of course. You're my sister now, in case you'd forgotten."

"I haven't." Hermione reached out and hugged Ginny goodbye. She walked into her bedroom and took an oversized T-shirt out of her drawer. She undressed and pulled the T-shirt on over her head. Hermione lifted the covers and climbed into bed, curling up and quickly fell asleep.

xxxx

Hermione slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she noticed was that the sky was considerably darker than when she had fallen asleep. She rolled over in bed and looked at the clock. 10:23.

She looked back to the other side of the bed. Empty. Where was Ron? The undisturbed nature of his side of the bed led her to the conclusion that he had not yet come to bed.

She sat up slowly, in an attempt to avoid the dizziness of moving too fast. She opened the door to the bedroom and looked out into the kitchen. It was well-lit, and it was there she found her husband.

She walked over towards him. "Hi," she said with a smile. "When did you get home?"

Ron rummaged through the cupboard, grabbing a box of cereal from inside it. "Only just now," he replied. "Did I wake you?"

Hermione shook her head. "No." She walked over to their dining room table and sat in the chair next to the one Ron always sat in. "I needed to wake up anyway. I've been asleep for nearly five hours."

"Oh, wow," Ron said, grabbing a bowl from another cupboard.

"Yeah," she replied. When Ron didn't say anything, she added on, "I guess I'm just stressed."

"Oh?" Ron said. "Why?" He finished making his bowl of cereal and sat down at the table next to her.

"Just, all of the wedding stuff," she said, sighing. "I've decided though that I don't want to have the wedding until after the baby is born," she explained.

"Okay," Ron said.

Hermione tilted her head to the side slightly. "You don't mind?"

Ron shrugged. "No, not really. It was your idea to have the wedding anyway, so I really don't care."

"Oh," Hermione snapped, taken aback by his lack of interest. "Okay. Well, I'm just going to go to bed then," she said, standing up and walking towards their bedroom.

"Fine. Go sleep. It's all you ever do anymore, anyway," he retorted under his breath, looking intently at his bowl of cereal.

"Well, excuse me for being pregnant with your child, Ron," she said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Goodnight," she said, as she slammed the door behind her.

xxxx

It had been about two weeks since Hermione and Ron had their small fight, but nothing had gotten better since then. Ron took to sleeping on the couch most nights, and Hermione wasn't sure if it was to avoid waking her, or avoid her.

But today was the day. Today was Ron's chance to make everything okay again. If Ron was there for her today, when he hadn't been for the past month or so, everything would be forgiven.

She missed how things with Ron used to be. Sure, every relationship went through a "honeymoon" stage, where everything was better than it would ever be again. She did, however, think that her "honeymoon" stage with Ron would last longer than two days. Her happy days came and went, and now, every day she became increasingly upset. She tried to distract herself, because she knew stress and depression were unhealthy for her baby, but as time went on, she found it more difficult. Most days, she spent time with Ginny—one of the many people who knew how incredibly infuriating and frustrating Ron could be.

Hermione had spent her breakfast with Molly, Ginny, and Harry. She was quite happy to see them all, to be around the people she loved. They wished her a happy day, and though Ginny offered to spend more time with Hermione later in the day, Hermione declined. This was Ron's chance. She had to let him have it.

That was hours ago. It was nearing six in the evening, and Hermione frowned as each minute passed.

She went into the kitchen and prepared a bowl of soup for supper. Sitting on the couch with a blanket, trying to keep warm in the cooling autumn, she spooned portions of soup into her mouth and turned on the television. After searching through the channels, she settled on a movie that had just begun. After a few minutes of eating, she set the bowl on the floor, laying down on her side on the couch. The calm, soothing voices of the actors soon set Hermione into a peaceful sleep.

xxxx

Hermione jumped awake to the sound of a loud crack! right behind her. She pulled her wand quickly out of her pocket and pointed it. She breathed a deep sigh of relief when she saw who it was.

"Oh, goodness Ron!" she exclaimed. "You scared me!" She turned to look at the clock. "Ron, it's nearly ten thirty. Why were you out so late?"

"Work," Ron mumbled as he walked towards the kitchen.

"Work?" Hermione repeated. "That's all I'm going to get? You were at work? The shop closed hours ago, where were you?"

Ron wheeled around. "I just told you, I was at work."

"Really, Ron? And how do you I know you weren't out having sex?" she accused.

"Oh, yeah, 'cause everyone wants me," he said sarcastically. "Everyone wants to have sex with the guy who knocked up some random girl he wasn't even dating back in school!"

Hermione's jaw dropped as if he had slapped her across the face. She stood up, walking to the side of the couch and getting closer to Ron. "Oh, that's who I was to you? Just 'some random girl?' As I remember, you didn't even notice I was a girl until a few years ago. So I'm just surprised you'd even want to sleep with me in the first place! If I was just 'some random girl' to you, WHY did you marry me?" Hermione was so angry, she was having trouble breathing.

"You know what?" Ron said, his voice surprisingly calm, though his face and ears were dark red from anger. "I don't even know why!"

Hermione faltered, grabbing the couch for support. She knew he was angry, but even she couldn't have imagined he would sink so low as to say he wasn't even sure why he married her.

"I want you out," she said. "Now."

"I don't think so," Ron replied. "I paid for this apartment with my money. It's mine."

Hermione laughed hysterically. "Oh, so what, you're going to kick me out? Because I'm not staying here with you. And if I'm not staying here, I'll be staying with your family. I'm sure they will love the fact that you kicked your pregnant wife out of her house."

Ron looked as if he were about to speak, but the words dropped dead at his lips.

"Fine. Whatever," he said. He ran to their room and packed a suitcase full of his things, then Disapparated.

Hermione sank onto the couch, tears falling freely down her reddened cheeks. This was not how she hoped today would go.

"Happy Birthday to me," she said solemnly.