Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Counting Fingers, Counting Toes	By : ssdawn Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Hermione/Cedric Views: 3797 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the world of Harry Potter, it's characters, nor make money from writing this.

Chapter List
- 1
- 2
- 3
I hope you enjoy this chapter, even though it is full of angst and heartache. Thanks for a great beta like Nicole!
(I still don't own these wonderful characters only JKR has that claim…even though I would pay good money for Cedric!)

Counting Fingers, Counting Toes - Part 2

Closing her eyes tightly she didn't want to peek before the three minutes were was so scared, but she needed to know. Could it have finally happened? Was she finally pregnant? She would know the truth in a few minutes. Trying not to think about how this was the 12th pregnancy test she had taken this past year, she slowly opened her eyes. Picking up the test with shaky hands she finally looked down at the long stick. Damn! Not again! She fell against the counter and dropped the negative pregnancy test in the garbage, where it belonged. Did this have to happen today on their anniversary? She had so hoped that she would be able to tell Cedric tonight at the party, that he was finally going to be a father. Trying to hold back the tears was useless, as she once again, just let them flow, in a ritual she was used to repeating.
All of their friends gathered to help celebrate Cedric and Hermione's first anniversary. It should have been a jovial celebration, but things happened to dampen Hermione's spirits, in addition to Hermione's negative pregnancy test. Harry and Ginny had announced they were three months pregnant with their second child. Ron and Lavender followed them by announcing they were two months pregnant with their first child.
Hermione and Cedric tried to be happy and not let their true feelings show, ruining their friend's happiness. Cedric knew that Hermione's tears were close to the surface and ready to spill out. To make matters worse, after the announcements Ginny turned to them, "So when are you two going to be making your own announcement?"
Hermione couldn't speak, so Cedric answered, "We are working on it." Everyone laughed and winked at them. Ron exclaimed, "Well that's half the fun…the trying part!"
As soon as all of their guests had left, Hermione fell apart. She sunk down on the sofa letting the dam of tears escape that had built up. "It's not fair…I want a baby so much." She sobbed out. Cedric collapsed on the sofa next to her and hugged her to him. Hermione wrapped her arms around his waist needing the comfort.
After a long ten minute crying session she sniffed out, "You should have heard what people were saying to me tonight. Harry said, 'Maybe we should find a book, for you two bookworms to read, that explains how you are supposed to get pregnant. '"
Hermione jumped up off the sofa and started walking away, then she charged back, "Ron…yes, dear old Ron said that we needed to get drunk and shag each other silly," the tears cascaded down her cheeks again, "I would wager that we have more sex than either couple does added together!"
Now Hermione's sadness was turning into anger, "Sweet Lavender, she suggested that maybe we hop on over some night and they would gladly give us some demonstrations on the proper way to have sex to ensure pregnancy."
Hermione stood stomping her feet, "What do they know?" she screamed angrily, then she dropped to her knees and she was crying once more. "They know enough… because they are pregnant," she wailed out wrapping her arms around herself.
Cedric dropped down beside her and cradled her in his arms. He was angry and shocked how their friends had treated Hermione tonight. They all knew that Hermione and Cedric had been trying to get pregnant. It was so cruel to mock her…them, this way.
Cedric also felt like a coward when he realized that he had run off to take a walk after the others had announced their pregnancies. He had needed some air to clear his brain and process the hurt. The only problem was that he had left his tender wife at the mercy of their suddenly callous friends. He should have been there taking the insults and jabs along with her. It's not like they hadn't been trying, in fact they had been trying a lot, to the point that it felt more like a job than making love. He had gotten the owls at work delivering frantic messages, "Come now…I am ovulating!" Yes, try to explain that one to the Minister of Magic, why you have to leave a staff meeting, right now, because your wife wants to have sex
He gently picked Hermione up and walked to their bedroom. Laying her down on their bed, he climbed up next to her and wrapped his arms, once again, around her. They fell asleep that night, silently shedding tears for the baby that seemed to be eluding them.

Hermione sat at her parents table with her head in her arms looking thoroughly depressed.

"So, my dear, what's up?" asked Jean Granger looking at her daughter's sad face. She thought she knew what this was all about, but she wanted to hear from her to confirm her suspicions.
She set two teacups down on the table and pulled up a seat next to Hermione.
"Do you want to talk about it?" asked Jean. This scenario had played out many times during the years; when Jonathan down the street made fun of Hermione's wild hair, trying to decide whether or not to attend Hogwarts after receiving her letter, how much to help Harry right before the war started, and most recently, when she thought she was falling in love with Cedric and worrying about whether or not he was going to ask her to marry him.
Hermione, with a pouty look, stared at her Mum, and then she burst into tears. Jean Granger was taken aback at Hermione's outburst; maybe it was worse than she thought, maybe Hermione and Cedric were having marriage problems.
"Oh, Mum…we can't get pregnant!" Hermione finally let out her problem. Jean was actually grateful it was this, something she was familiar with.
"How long have you two been trying?" Jean asked.
"It has been a little over a year now, "Hermione said sadly.
"But darling, "Jean said, "You have only been married a year…have you really been trying that whole time?"
"Yes, we have," Hermione continued crying, "Now Harry and Ginny are pregnant with their second and Ron and Lavender are pregnant with their first." Jean sat quietly wanting to let Hermione get it all out. "Ced and I have always been so successful at everything we do…except this." Jean tried to hide a smile, knowing how this would be hard for the two overachievers. Jean wondered if Cedric and Andrew were off having this same conversation; though she wasn't sure if Cedric would be as forthcoming with his father-in-law as Hermione was to her mum.
"It's just not fair, Mum, "Hermione complained in the voice she had used many times as a little girl.
"You know what I am going to say about that statement…" Jean didn't have a chance to finish.
Looking up, Hermione answered, "Life is not fair," she spoke the words softly, "I have heard you tell me that many times, but I can't help feeling the way I do."
Jean reached over and put her hand over Hermione's, "Your father and I have never told you, but we had a hard time getting pregnant with you. " Hermione stared in shock at her Mum. "In fact, it took five years of trying before it finally happened."
"Really?" Hermione still seemed surprised by her mum's hidden secret.
"We wanted more, but it never happened again. We felt so lucky to have just you." Jean Granger's eyes filled with tears. "That's why it was so hard to let you go when you received your Hogwarts letter."
Hermione, in her excitement at finding she was a witch, had never realized her parent's true feelings about her going away to school. "How did you handle all of it, Mum?" Hermione let the tears fall again, "I mean, there are only so many negative pregnancy tests you can take, month after month, before you don't even want to take a test anymore because you are afraid of the disappointment coming your way." She was talking so fast her mum couldn't get a word in edge wise. "Then you have your friends giving you helpful hints, all the way from we need to get drunk, to us watching them have sex, because they're the experts!"
Jean looked horrified and didn't want to ask which friends gave the tips; though she had an inkling who had done the advising. "The main thing I can tell you, Hermione, is to not give up." Hermione listened closely to her mum. "You were meant to be a mum. Anyhow, this world wouldn't be the same if we never got the chance to see a little version of you running around with bouncy curls."
At that, Hermione leaned over and hugged her mum. "Thank you. I needed your good advice today."
"Oh it was nothing, I am being selfish; I really want to be a grandmum," They both laughed at that and Jean had a prayer in her heart that her daughter would soon be pregnant.

Cedric and Andrew ended up in a muggle pub two miles from the Granger's home. After two beers a piece and many moments of awkward silence, Andrew cleared his throat, "Cedric, this has been nice but…why did the women kick us out of the house?

Cedric raised his eyebrows and smirked at his father in law, "Can't put anything past you, can we?" Cedric gripped his beer bottle tightly and tried not to make eye contact with Andrew.
"You and my little girl aren't having any problems are you?" Andrew asked with concern.
Cedric immediately countered, "No, not like that," he was silent for a moment, "I haven't been able to get Hermione pregnant."
Andrew's face contorted and he looked down at his hands, "You know, Cedric, it takes two people to achieve a pregnancy and it may not be just you at fault." Cedric stared at Andrew, hardly believing he was having this conversation with him. "It took us almost five years to get pregnant with Hermione. It was really hard on Jean month after month." Andrew took a swig of his beer. "Then you feel helpless because you can't take away her pain."
Cedric just nodded, "She wants a baby so much…so do I." Cedric explained, "We recently found out that Ginny is pregnant again and so is Lavender with her first." Andrew just sat and listened, "I feel like somewhat of a failure…" Cedric's voice trailed off. The silence hung in the room for a moment making Cedric's head pound.
"Can I give you some advice I wish we had heeded earlier?" Andrew suggested.
Cedric blurted out, "Sure, I am open to anything as long as it's not having to do with anything pornographic, getting drunk or watching our friends have sex!"
"Oh tosh! Please tell me that no one suggested that to you?" Andrew could not believe what he was hearing.
"Yes they did; Ron and Lavender as well as Ginny and Harry," Cedric gave a disgusted laugh.
"Well, since you don't want to watch the porno, "Andrew laughed and shook his head, "Go see your doctors or whatever you call them in your world." Cedric listened attentively now. "Sometimes doctors can find some small thing that is preventing it from happening."
Cedric shook his head in agreement, "Are you glad you became a dentist and not one of "those" doctors?" he asked to lighten the mood.
Andrew laughed, "Teeth are much less invasive, at least for me, not always for the patient." He patted Cedric on the back. "Would you like another beer, son?"
"No thanks, we better be getting back while we still can walk a straight line." They left the pub with a little weight off of Cedric's shoulders.
"You seem to be in a better mood," Cedric put his arm around Hermione as they walked into their apartment.

"Mum and I had a good talk. "She smiled up at him, "So did you and dad have a fun time?"
Cedric dropped onto the sofa, "Sure, if talking about having sex with his daughter would be considered fun."
Hermione snickered, "Yes, I could think of more amusing things to do than having to discuss sex with me to my father." Giggling, she sat down next to him, "Remember, I have already had that sex talk with my parents and don't wish to do that again soon."
Somberly he asked, "We are going to keep trying, right?" and he looked at Hermione seriously. Holding his hand tightly she brought it up to her lips and kissed him. "Of course we are. Something this important we will never give up on. "
Cedric put his hand in her beautiful hair and guided her head to his, kissing her deeply. "I have an idea, love, "he smiled at just the sheer beauty inside and out that Hermione exuded, "I want to make love with you tonight," he kissed her again loving the feel of her lips pressed against his. "I want to forget about just having sex to make a baby." Hermione sat quietly just staring at her husband whom she knew loved her.
"Let's make it about us tonight…I miss that." Cedric almost sounded like he was pleading.
Hermione crawled into his lap and threw her arms around his neck, "Yes, I want that too." She shot forward to catch his lips and press them tenderly against hers. Cedric pulled Hermione's jumper off, then unbuttoned her white blouse. Hermione arched back and his lips found her long neck, kissing gently down one side and slowly up the other.
Meanwhile, Hermione managed to unbutton Cedric's shirt, take it off and was heading for the top of his pants. Neither one of them had been this turned on and excited about sex in a long time.
Soon, with only under-garments still on, Cedric laid Hermione down on the sofa and he pulled off the red knickers and tossed them to the floor. Swirling his tongue around her navel he dipped in and she giggled, "That really tickles," she squirmed underneath him.
Kicking off his boxers, he tasted her mouth and breasts, worshipping her flesh. Hermione moaned out loud. Opening her legs wide to Cedric, he entered her lovingly, fully forgetting all of the trouble that had been plaguing them. Hermione loved feeling him inside of her, being joined together as only lovers can. Their bodies enjoyed their release at the same time, but more importantly they remembered why they were in love with each other; why they had decided to get married.
Looking into each other's eyes, they knew that they were devoted fully to each other once more. If they were blessed with a child, it would only make their relationship more wonderful, but they could not lose track of "them" ever again. Falling asleep in each other's arms that night was the first in a long time, where babies had not been on either one of their minds.
It was a bit uncomfortable sitting in the waiting room at St. Mungo's. They had chosen to try the wizarding world's healers first to help them solve their "problem".

The healer came over to them, "Mrs. Diggory, we need to examine you first."
Hermione looked over at Cedric, and he gave her a small smile, "Can my husband come with me?"
"I'm sorry, I wish that he could, but he will be taken into another room in a few minutes."
Cedric and Hermione's eyes met, a look of hope passed between them as they reached out and grabbed each other's hand. "It will all be OK," Cedric said quietly. Hermione just nodded her head at him as she walked off behind the healer, glancing back once to give him a sweet smile.
Later Cedric sat nervously waiting for his wife, as his tests had been completed for awhile. Nervously tapping his toes on the tile, he waited and wondered how Hermione was doing. Looking up he saw her coming towards him, not a smile in sight. "Gods that was so humiliating!" she said softly, "I really thought it wouldn't be so bad using the healers first…I was wrong."
Cedric didn't say anything waiting for her to say something else. When she didn't, he asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"
"No, we are supposed to wait here and then they will have the results," and she sat down wringing her hands as they waited. Soon, the healer came to get them. "Let's go to my office to talk."
They held hands tightly waiting to hear bad news. Sitting down, the healer closed the door to the office. Smiling kindly at the couple, the healer sat down across from them. "Well, we have the results from the numerous tests done today."
Cedric could feel the tension coming from Hermione and gave her hand a squeeze. Hermione bit her lip trying not to let the tears fall.
"Mr. & Mrs. Diggory, our results are conclusive and we all agree that…there is nothing wrong with either one of you." Cedric sat there stunned, and noticed that Hermione looked in shocked also. "We have found no reason why you have not been able to get pregnant."
The room was silent as the healer stopped speaking and neither Cedric nor Hermione moved or spoke. The silence was shattered when Hermione started bawling and could not stop. She leaned over and fell into Cedric's lap. The healer was at a loss; not usually getting this reaction at telling a couple that nothing was preventing them from getting pregnant.
"What do you mean that nothing is wrong with us?" Hermione demanded. "I am not pregnant, so something must be wrong." She was so upset that her cheeks were flaming and her fingernails were digging into Cedric's hands.
"Mrs. Diggory, we can find nothing physically wrong with your reproductive systems. " Then the healer said the thing infertile couples hate to hear, "Maybe you just need to go home and relax." Cedric bristled when he heard the words escape from the healer's mouth. He grabbed for Hermione's hand just as she was taking her wand out to hex the healer. The healer jumped out of his seat, "Excuse me, I have other patients to see.' and he quickly left the room.
Trying hard not to laugh and sounding stern at the same time, Cedric faced Hermione, "You were really going to hex him?" Hermione, now steaming said, "I am so tired of people trying to placate me and telling me this is all in my head!" Now she was really worked up, "I am not crazy, Luna has that title, thank you!" and she rushed out of the room. Cedric hung his head and sighed. He left the healer's office and couldn't find Hermione. Looking everywhere in St. Mungo's and outside of the building, he finally went home, hoping she was there.
Getting home and not finding Hermione there didn't worry him too much; but five hours later he was starting to get very worried. He flooed all of their friends and then in desperation he headed off to Hermione's parents home. Not finding her there, he went home in frustration. Walking in the door he spotted her sitting on the sofa. She did not look up when he entered their home. He shut the door softly and went to sit down by her.
"Where have you been? I was so worried." Cedric's feelings were tender as he had been so concerned about her, that his voice shook when he spoke.
"I'm sorry; I had to be by myself." She answered him. "I was so ashamed at myself that I almost hexed the healer." He could see that she had been crying and did not want to fight with her. "I went for a walk and kept walking until my legs were tired."
Cedric didn't speak, knowing that she had more to say. "Cedric, I can't do this anymore. I am so tired of the struggle and the constant pain." Cedric felt his stomach tighten and feared what she would say next, "I think that we need to quit trying for awhile."
He was stunned by her announcement, "Are you sure, Hermione? I know how much you want a baby." He held her hand tightly and looked at her closely to make sure that this is what she really wanted.
"I need a break before I hurt someone else…or us." She looked humiliated as she confessed this. "We need to want this baby for the right reasons and not just because everyone is pregnant."
Reluctantly he took her into his arms and admitted, "I need to plead guilty here also, I haven't been honest with you either," he awkwardly acknowledged, "I haven't felt ready yet to become a dad."
They both smiled at each other, "Thank you for understanding, "Hermione replied. "I have a feeling, when the time is right, it will happen."
Cedric with great joy lifted her up into his arms, pressing her body tightly against his. "It will be good to have the old Hermione back," he stated, then kissed her to show her how other parts of him were feeling. Walking backwards, Cedric asked, "Bedroom or bathroom?"
With a huge grin Hermione whispered, "How about a nice long bath together, then the bedroom." No more words were spoken, as they slowly made their way into the next room, clinging to each other tightly and neither one letting go.

Continued….more to come Please review!
- 1
- 2
- 3
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Counting Fingers, Counting Toes