Accidental Happenstances [a Dramione fanfic]

Chapter I

May 4, 2003

It was the weekly Weasley Sunday dinner, and the newly-improved Burrow was bustling in the type of chaos to which they were all accustomed. Dinner conversations ranged from the latest Quidditch match to how delicious the meal was to what the weather outlook was on the horizon. At the heads of the table sat Arthur and Molly, who looked on proudly. Their children were all grown, and all but Ron were married at this point.

His relationship with Hermione had ended as far as romance was concerned, but the two remained on friendly terms. Meanwhile, Ginny and Harry had tied the knot last September and had enjoyed a relaxing honeymoon in the Balearic Islands.

"Mum, the dessert is extra brilliant tonight!" George gushed.

"Hear hear!" the rest of the table concurred.

"You must teach me your techniques, Molly," Fleur pleaded, trying to feed two-year-old Louis a spoonful of potatoes. "Come on, Louis! Eat it for Mama!" Her daughter, Victoire, sat on her other side, her three-year-old face messed with pudding.

"Mum's outdone herself this year," Bill said, taking a significant bite of pudding. "Her finest yet."

"When's your next match with the Harpies, Ginn?" George asked, he too enjoying pudding and pie. "You guys crushed that last one against the Norwegians!"

Ginny shrugged off the compliment and said, "We play in two weeks. And that last team had it coming. Didn't you read that article in the Daily Prophet that accused their captain of charming their brooms to glide faster?"

"I vaguely recall something of the sort," Arthur mumbled.

Percy and Audrey stood up. "Thanks for the dinner, Mother, Father, but we must be going now."

"So soon?" Harry asked, checking his watch. He shared a nervous look with Ginny.

"It's only seven, Perce!" Ron exclaimed. "Stay!"

Audrey answered, "We'd love to stay longer, but I'm just so tired. I was up all last night with Peggy, who should be needing her nighttime feed right about now." Peggy, Percy's daughter, was three months old and the fourth Weasley grandchild in three years; Charlie's daughter Eva, who was one, was the third.

"I'll help you with the baby, then," Molly smiled and got up from the table.

Harry stood up almost frantically. "Wait!" Everyone turned to look at him. "Er, before you leave, Percy, Audrey, I'd like to make an announcement." He cast a fond look toward his wife before declaring, "Ginny's pregnant!"

The room erupted in cheers and congratulations for the first Potter child, and Molly was, of course, in tears and wrapped them both in her famous bone-crushing hugs.

"How far along are you?" Katie, who was George's wife, wanted to know.

"About 11 weeks," Ginny replied.

"When are you due?" asked Lola, Charlie's wife.

"November 23rd," Ginny answered.

More congratulations floated around the room from everyone, and the night persisted with the air of good news and hope.

~

In downtown Muggle London, a whole different sort of affair was occurring. Hermione, who was always responsible and attentive to rules, was plastered, drunk, pretty much as incoherent as one could get. She was supposed to be out for her cousin's bachelorette party, but she was so devastated in her personal lack of romance that she wallowed in the shade of alcohol.

Her cousin was embarrassed of her and left the bar without giving her notice, so Hermione was there all alone, with no one to drive her home. She stumbled out of the bar and tried to get a taxi, but none of the passing drivers wanted to risk driving a drunk, since it was possible she had no money or would pass out before giving a final destination.