Lunar Eclipse

Chapter Seven

"Ginny? Can you come over, like, right now?" Ron whispered through the phone. It had been almost a full month since Hermione had miscarried, and to some extent, life was going back to normal.

"What's going on?" Ginny asked, cradling the phone's receiver between her shoulder and chin.

"She just had her monthly," Ron whisper-hissed. Ginny sighed. Hermione had been struggling a lot recently, as any mother who had just lost a baby would be.

"Alright. Bring Rose and come over. I'll be over in just a bit."

"Thanks Gin," Ron sighed, a hint of relief in his voice.

"Harry?" Ginny called, hanging up the phone. Harry popped his head into the den where she was standing.

"I need to go over to Ron and Hermione's for a bit. Ron and Rose are coming over while I'm over there," she told her husband.

"Is everything alright?" Harry asked, his face crinkling with concern.

"She's just having a rough day," Ginny responded, walking over to the mudroom and sliding open the door to grab a pair of shoes.

"Okay, well they're welcome over here. I was just about to wake Al up from his nap anyway," Harry said, coming up and wrapping his arms around Ginny.

"I love you," he smiled, kissing her gently.

"I love you too. I'll be back before supper," she promised, bending down to lace up her boots.

"Don't worry about that, I can cook tonight. You just help Hermione," Harry gave her a sad smile and kissed her forehead once more.

"Alright. Love you," Ginny replied, turning to the fire and throwing in a fistful of Floo Powder and walking through the flames.

She entered into Ron and Hermione's cozy den and was immediately attacked by her niece.

"Aunt Ginny!" Rose squealed with excitement. Her hair was up in too frizzy buns, and she was wearing a shirt with a bunny on it and some leggings that matched.

"Hey there Rosie!" Ginny exclaimed, bending down and picking up the toddler.

"Gin! I'm so glad you're here," Ron sighed, coming over to hug his little sister. "She's been in the bathroom for an hour, crying. I've tried everything."

"I've got her," Ginny sighed, setting Rose down. "Harry's waiting for you guys."

"Thanks Gin, I owe you," Ron said. He looked exhausted.

"Don't worry about it," Ginny gave her brother a sad smile. She headed up the stairs and headed into Ron and Hermione's bedroom before knocking on their bathroom door.

"Go away Ron!" Hermione yelled with a sniffle.

"It's not Ron," Ginny said gently. The lock on the door was suddenly undone, and Ginny slowly opened the door.

Hermione set her wand on the ground, and Ginny took a seat on the tile floor next to her best friend.

"Hey," Ginny said, brushing a piece of hair out of her face. Hermione sniffed and swiped at her wet cheeks.

"Hermione-" Ginny began.

"I'm not upset because of what you think," Hermione said. "I'm not."

"You mean, this isn't because you had your monthly?" Ginny questioned, confused.

"No- I mean yes- but..." she sighed, dropping her head. "Ron and I are so fortunate to have a healthy daughter. So many people can't have kids at all... I just feel greedy."

"You're not greedy for wanting a family, Hermione," Ginny grabbed her friend's hand and sandwiched it between her own.

"I just grew up an only child, and Ron always raves about how amazing it was to grow up in such a large, close knit family... I just wanted to make him happy," she murmured.

"'Mione, you make him so happy," Ginny whispered with a smile. "He adores you."

"We decided to try again. We want to have another baby, so we were trying," Hermione began, turning to meet Ginny's gaze. Her big brown eyes were wet with tears, and rimmed with red. "I just feel so...guilty. I feel like we were trying to replace the baby we lost. And I didn't realize I felt like this until I realized today that I wasn't pregnant."

"Oh Hermione," Ginny breathed. "Everybody knows you aren't trying to replace what you lost. And Padma told you that you could start trying again as soon as you were ready. And you have no right to beat yourself up about hoping to be pregnant- it's a happy thing."

"I just feel like such a bad mum," Hermione whimpered, leaning her head on Ginny's shoulder. Ginny wrapped her friend in an embrace and rocked her.

"Can I tell you a secret?" Ginny asked, and Hermione looked up at her with big brown eyes before giving her a small nod.

"My mum had a miscarriage between Ron and I. She told me about it when I was pregnant with James and I was worrying about things going wrong. Dad and I are the only ones who know about it," she paused. "But she and my dad, while devastated, kept trying because they knew that they were destined to have a baby girl, as mum said. About ten months after the miscarriage, I was born."

"Really? Your mum is the most badass woman I know," Hermione asked, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"Really," Ginny agreed. "And Hermione, I think you are just as strong as my mum. You are both so amazing, and have gone through hell and back, but you've managed to make your lives turn out pretty damn great."

"Thank you Ginny," Hermione whispered, wrapping her arms around her friend.

"You're welcome Hermione, that's what friends are for."

(A/N: Hey! Here's an update for you, and I hope to have another one up fairly quickly, but no promises. I just wanted to apologize for this being a bit shorter, but also let you know that the next chapter of the story will take place after about a month's time jump, but I will specify at the beginning of the chapter how long has taken place. Thanks for reading and I hope you're enjoying!)