For the Through the Universe Challenge at The Golden Snitch.
Absolute Zero — (colour) white
The walls of the room are white, completely bare of decorations and colour. Only the door, with its golden-coloured wood, and the scenery from out the window provide colour to the room. The floor was also white, but Ron could see specks of gold and strikes of blue.
He grinned with his hands fisted over his hips as he circled around the room, sometimes touching the white walls longingly. The cold concrete would soon be warm, and echoes of laughter will be heard from this very room.
"Do you think it needs more colour?" Lavender asks.
Ron turns to her, surprised. He didn't even hear the door open, though that is a good thing: it means the baby won't be startled when they enter the room.
"Orange," he says, walking to Lavender and kissing her as he puts a hand on her belly. His child, boy or girl, appears to be sleeping for it doesn't react to his voice like other times. "And many posters of the Chuddley Cannons."
Lavender playfully slaps his shoulder. She walks to the window almost waddling and he fights the urge to laugh because that will only anger her and she might spray the white walls with the results of the Bat-Boogey Hex Ginny taught her.
"If you would have let the mediwitch tell us the gender, we might have chosen another colour. A livelier colour."
Like the flowers in her garden, he thinks and looks out of the window. The spots of yellow, pink and red are striking against the green grass and the blue sky.
"What, pink or blue?" Ron scoffs. "Nah. White's alright. I mean, orange would be better, but white's good."
He sees how her shoulders relax at that, her posture softens.
"What if the baby doesn't like the Cannons?" she asks with a hint of a smile on her otherwise serious face. "I can see it. The baby's future is clear, Ron. They detest Quidditch!"
He snorts once more and leans against the wall.
"The baby's a Weasley and Weasleys like Quidditch. Even Mum likes Quidditch, you know? Though she is less enthusiastic that my siblings and I."
Lavender giggles. Ron wonders how that sound has changed so much since their school years. Then, it meant mostly shame and only a hint of regret. Now it's amusement, happiness, love.
"Way less enthusiastic," she says and smiles. "We still need furniture. A crib and a rocking chair. A changing table and a wardrobe."
"And curtains, a rug, and some decorations, yes, Lav, you've told me the same for the past week."
He won't lie, it gets tiring to hear her go on and on about all the things the baby needs. It's also amusing to see her excitement at the prospect of a baby that might have his hair and her eyes, her nose and his reddening ears... She wants the best for the baby, and he is glad that he can give her that and give the baby what Ron never had.
"Then why aren't we shopping!" she calls out and he agrees to go to the Alley to search for what they need.
Ron follows her mostly, giving his inexpert opinion on the things she asks him, noticing that the white remains. White sheets, white rug, a white and golden crib... It's peaceful and pretty, and he likes the result at the end when they get home and set up the few things they buy.
"I'll go out tomorrow and pick up some more things," Lavender tells him that night. "I can invite Parvati and Hannah."
When he leaves for the Ministry the next morning, he leaves a small pouch of galleons for her.
When he comes back and goes to the baby's room, he sees the peaceful white only broken by the golden door and striking orange curtains.
And when the baby is finally born, there's another orange head strikingly contrasting against the white.