Chapter 1: Rose
Hermione Weasley nee Granger was a young woman of only 25. A war survivor, a former auror and now a mother; most people thought she had it all. Truth was things hadn't been going well for her these past few years. She'd thought she'd been making the right decision marrying Ron after the war, they'd been in love for the longest time and she had been genuinely convinced that it was the right idea. And maybe it had been. At the time. Harry had asked her right till the moment he handed her over to Ron if she was sure and she had nodded enthusiastically. Yes, she was ready. Looking back now, maybe he had known and seen something she hadn't.
Shortly after their marriage, they had moved into a comfortable house in Godric's Hollow. Ron had refused at first, he wanted to stay near the burrow but Hermione had been adamant. She could only take Molly's "constructive" criticism so much and it wasn't like she could talk to Ron about it; last time she had tried, he threw a vase at her. It was a mistake, she'd said to herself; he'd lost his temper. He'd always had a bit of a short fuse. It was – she'd thought to herself as she cleaned the mess – just a coincidence that it was her favorite vase he'd grabbed; the one her grandmother had given to her before she'd died. It was absolute coincidence – she thought as she wipe her tears, holding the irreparable vase – that he'd left the vase that was closer to him; his mother's.
The only reason Ron had conceded to move to Godric's hollow was because the house she wanted to buy was a street away from Harry's parents' home which he had redone, with her help of course, and turned into a home for himself. The house Hermione wanted was a muggle design with wizard space; all big bay windows and space and lightness. It was in no way cluttered. She would concede and admit that it was probably a little too big, but why not? They had the money. Why not give their children a chance to enjoy a priviledged childhood?
"It is a beautiful home." Hermione gushed as she walked out onto the patio, gazing at the expansive and well manicured grounds before her. She breathed in the clean country air and held back a huge grin. She was in love with this home already. This was their chance to start over. Ron was just a little angry because they had a very small space right now, maybe if they moved here he'd be calmer.
"It is." The agent loved to see new couples. It reminded her, after that awful war, that love existed. She didn't like this man though there was something about him that was little off. She'd lost a husband and a son, it was hard but she coped, "The gardens are completely magic free, this is genuine land."
"That's wonderful!" Hermione marveled, momentarily forgetting about her injury. She winced and composed herself, barely managing not to cry out. She liked to heal the muggle way but she was considering taking a potion. Ron had been a little too rough on her the previous night when they'd made love. She understood that auror training was very frustrating but she never got that way and they were doing the same course.
"Are you well dear?" The agent had been worried when the couple had walked towards her; she'd watched the young woman limp slightly. She had dismissed it as a small bruise but after watching her stagger, she was not so sure anymore.
"She's fine." The man said gruffly, pulling his wife up straight. The agent watched a look of pure fear wash over the girl's face but she was left wondering if she had been imagining it at the girl's bright smile the next moment.
"I'm absolutely wonderful. This is just an overwhelmingly wonderful house." The girl gushed as she walked off into the grounds, the limp ever present, "Can we make an offer?"
"Yes, of course. The house is about half a million galleons." The agent said checking her papers. She knew the price was high but the house demanded it.
"No." the gruff man said. The agent realized she didn't like him at all, not after watching the beautiful girl's smile waver.
"No?" She asked in a small voice.
"No."
"Why not? We have the money." Hermione knew that when it came down to it, she was the one with the money. Ron had blissfully wasted all his prize money from the war, partying like a bumbling idiot the whole world round. Harry, God bless him, had stayed behind with Hermione and together they had done all the work on Harry's birth home. Sometimes he surprised her, that Harry. He seemed to grow up after the war, seemed to become more level-headed like she was and it made her absolutely proud.
"Hermione, why would we waste our money on a house this expensive when we already have a home?" Ron asked agitated. He wanted to go home. He had been doing this stupid thing all day and he wanted to go home now. Maybe he'd go to Mom's and get some good food into his system. Hermione couldn't cook like his mother could.
"Ron I want us to raise our family in our own house that we bought." Hermione reasoned, noting that the agent had moved off somewhere giving them some privacy. She wasn't sure yet if that was a good thing or not.
"What's wrong with the cottage my mother bought us?" he asked venomously, poised to kill, like a snake. It's a shame he was a Gryffindor
"Nothing." Hermione answered quickly. The last thing she needed was for Ron to lose his temper. Right now she wanted him to agree and be happy not to disagree and mutilate her, "I just feel like it will be nice to live here, and Harry lives in the next street. When he and Ginny get married and have children, our children and theirs can all have a jolly time and be extra close because they live so close together." She hated lyong to him about Harry and Ginny. Harry had confided in him and told her that he didn't want to marry her. She was only with him for his money and fame, nothing more. It had hurt him more than he had let on.
Ron seemed to ponder it for a moment then turned his burning blue eyes she had at a time found utterly irresistible, she wasn't so sure now, "Hermione we don't have the money. That's a lovely idea but we're running low on funds and you know that."
No Ronald, you are the one with no money. I stored mine away and started a college fund for my children. I've been saving every nickel since I started working, she thought but said, "I'll pay for it."
"With what?"
"My grandmother left me a little bit of money that I invested. It'll take care of everything we need for the house and the house itself." She lied. Her grandmother hadn't left her anything. This was her war money that she had invested to create quite a huge little amount, half of which she kept away and kept investing for her children.
"Why didn't you tell me about it?" Ron asked through clenched teeth advancing towards her, a lion to his helpless prey.
"I was keeping it aside for our children when we have them – " She broke off when his hand went around her neck.
"I'm the man of the house. I keep tabs on all of the finances. I – " He broke off when the agent cleared her throat walking towards them. He smiled at her, albeit a menacing smile, "We'll take it."
Hermione supposed it was her fault that she was in this position. Maybe she shouldn't have pushed so much to make it work, maybe she should have just let it be what it was; it was never going to work and yet she pushed and pulled and fought, true to her Gryffindor nature
After a mere year in marriage, well-settled in their new home in Godric's Hollow, Hermione Granger fell pregnant. She cried for a full day.
He forced her to quite her job in the auror office so she could stay at home and be a "proper mother like my mum". She had conceded.
She had given birth alone, "Mum said that men should not be involved in such, it's a woman's job and hers alone." She had left it alone. Harry had punched and called him a bleeding idiot who was treating his wife like crap and didn't deserve her at all. She had given birth to a healthy baby girl with Harry on one side and Draco Malfoy on the other. He had been passing by with his new born, one month old son, Scorpius when he heard Harry and Ron's fight. He and Harry had stricken an odd friendship since he had aided the order during the war as a spy. Harry had a lot of respect for him for manning up and turning against Voldemort, even against his father's wishes.
Rose Aria Weasley was born on the 23rd of April 2005. She had skipped out on the Weasley hair (thank God for her strong Granger genes) and had beautiful dark chocolate hair that Hermione was ever so envious of. Her beautiful brown eyes were like her mother's except the flecks of green in them. They were mesmerizing to look into. Hermione had never loved anyone so much in her life she was quite afraid she would love her next child less.
She was quite taken aback by both Harry and Draco's responses to the little girl. They both doted on her and showered her with gifts. They were also trying to outdo the other on who would be the favorite uncle so the little girl had entirely too many things at the tender age of three.
"Honey! I'm home!" Harry called as he walked in laden with shopping bags of all colours and sizes.
Hermione took one look at him, her squealing daughter and the millions of bags in his hands and groaned inwardly. It was going to be a long afternoon, "You didn't buy her ice cream again did you?"
"Hermione have you seen her eyes when she begs? How could I refuse? It's like asking a basilisk to bite itself." Harry huffed as he set the hyper-active monster on the floor before heading to her room to drop her gifts off. "So what time's everyone getting here, Mione?"
"Oh, we're not having the party here anymore," She called back as she tried, as carefully as she could with a three year old on a sugar-induced high, weaving through her legs, to ice the cupcakes that were left to do. She would have preferred to make a cake but the little girl had insisted.
"Uncle Draco says that it's fitting for a young woman like me to have cupcakes, Mummy." It was hard to take her mud-covered daughter seriously, especially when she had Draco's snooty, posh tone down to a tee.
"He did, did he?" Hermione asked as she stripped Rosie, readying her for the bath. She sighed and rubbed her temples as Rosie settled herself in her bubbles, playing with her magically enhanced Barbie Dolls. Ron didn't know that Rosie was close to Draco, hell, he didn't know that Draco had anything whatsoever to do with his daughter. If he paid more attention to her he probably would but well… the auror job takes a lot out of him, Hermione understood that, at least she thought she did. Even though he showed little to no interest in his daughter he would probably get a heart attack were he to hear that she loved her Uncle Draco, her Grandmere Cissa and her older brother Scorpius.
Rosie hummed her agreement, "So did Grandmere Cissa." She nodded as if that would convince Hermione, "Scorpius had cupcakes at his party Mum! Please?"
Hermione rolled her eyes as she washed her daughter's hair. The little girl knew exactly what to do to get her to do almost anything, it was quite disconcerting.
"Alright, fine." She said in mock indignation, "We'll have the cupcakes."
"Yay Mummy!" Rosie squealed, "I promise to be good forever and ever."
The promise lasted for a minute before she promptly began to splash her mother and drenching her in water. Rosie wanted two extra minutes in the bath, Grandmere Cissa said a lady must always take her time in her bath.
She had wanted to have her daughter's third birthday party in her home. They had the wonderful expansive grounds, the beautiful flower garden which she tended to personally, there was so much space, enough for both muggle and wizarding games. Ron hadn't minded. He didn't care about much anymore except fucking her, shouting at her and beating her for not making the stew the way he knew his mother had taught her to do. That's why she was surprised when he told her that the party was going to be at the burrow.
"What?" Hermione asked. She was quite stunned. First of all Ron had talked and said something about Rosie. Dinner was usually a quiet affair with Rosie already tucked into bed. They didn't have much to talk about except when he wanted to hit her, he wanted to do a lot of that lately. It's as if he blamed her for something she didn't even know about and it was quite frightening; who knew how far he would go the next time he came from work angry and smelling of cheap women's perfume. She'd never asked about the perfume. Why should she? So she could suffer more injuries and lie some more to Draco about why she needed the pain potion and the healing salve. So she could lie to Harry that no, she hadn't been crying and no, she wasn't limping. He was just seeing things. Besides, she had suspected Ron's infidelity after Rosie was born. She couldn't leave him now though, she wanted Rosie to grow up in a proper family, like she did.
"Mum wants the party at the burrow." Ron replied slightly annoyed. Why the fuck wasn't she listening to him?
"But, Ron, I've been planning this for months. She knows I've been planning this for months I can't just change venues and what will I tell everyone? The invitations have already been sent – "
He slapped her hard, she fell out of her chair and landed on the floor clutching her cheek, "The party will be at the Burrow," he sneered at her then added, "Mudblood."
Hermione smiled bitterly at the memory. If only she'd listened to Harry when he'd begged her to wait. Too bad she didn't have time for "if only's." She had a party to prepare.
"What do you mean the party's not here?" Harry asked, walking in the kitchen with a squirming Rosie under his arm, "I thought that was a joke."
"Thought what was a joke?" Came the posh, high cultured voice of Draco Malfoy as he grabbed the giggling Rosie from Harry's hands, "That's no way to handle a young lady, Potter."
"Yeah, whatever."
"My dear Aria, your first birthday present of the day. Knowing Potter, he probably didn't wrap the presents." Malfoy said as he handed the little girl a little box, a present. Hermione groaned. Harry rolled his eyes. Draco ignored them both.
"Uncle Draco! It's lovely!" Rosie gushed as she pushed the locket into his hands and begged him to tie it around her neck.
"Rosie! Let's go play!" Scorpius stamped his foot.
"Relax." Rosie said as Draco let her down. They streaked out the room with dizzying speed.
"So why aren't there any preparations? I was under the impression that there was a party this afternoon in approximately an hour." Draco asked nonchalantly as he reached for a cupcake, Hermione slapped his wrist. He scowled at her. Harry sniggered.
"There is." Came Luna's voice as she breezed into the room, arms laden with dresses she and Rosie were still undecided to wear for her party, "It's just not here."
"What?!" The two men roared. Hermione and Luna rolled their eyes. Both men belonged in a drama club.
"We're having the party at the burrow." Hermione said as she closed of the last box of cupcakes and cast a preserving charm to keep them fresh and luke-warmish, they were best that way.
"What happened to 'it'll be lovely to have the party here, there's so much space! Imagine both muggle and wizarding games! It'll be lovely, Harry!'" Harry mimicked Hermione.
"The party is at the burrow Harry." Hermione replied steely.
Draco's eyes narrowed, "Did he hit you again?"
"He's never hit me, Draco. How many times do you want me to tell you?"
"And how many more times will it take before you leave the goddamned bastard?" Harry exploded. He took a shaky breath to calm himself, "Hermione, you're not happy. Even I can see that he's hit you more than once."
"He's never hit me." Hermione replied expressionlessly. Harry sagged into Luna who was rubbing his back. She smiled at that. He needed someone like Luna, someone who was with him to help him and love him, not for his money and fame like Ginny had.
"Mrs Potter, I don't know how you deal with this raving lunatic. Get it? Luna – tic?" Draco giggled at his own joke. Harry rolled his eyes. Luna grinned widely. And Hermione smiled. He always knew how to dissipate the tension. Luna just smiled at him while Harry glared daggers at him. At that Draco giggled heartily as he sipped from some conjured firewhiskey. All eyes were on him, accusing.
"What?" he asked defensively.
"It's not even noon yet, Draco!" Hermione laughed watching as he took a large gulp.
"I am about to spend the afternoon with the Weasels on their home turf, I need it."
"Give me some!" Harry asked sitting in the chair next to Draco.
"To Aria on her birthday, may we not fight." As a second thought Draco added, "A lot."
"Here here!" Harry exclaimed, "And it's Rosie not Aria!"
"Please! Why should I call that perfect girl, with the perfect name that awful plebian name?"
As they argued, Hermione smiled. Sometimes she wished life could be just like this. Simple and easy but life was rarely that easy and neither was the party she had planned.
1year later
"Ron?" Hermione asked as she set his dinner in front of her husband. She had to tread carefully, this was a very sensitive matter and if it were to swing in her favor she'd be grateful. They never ate together anymore. She had her meals with Rosie, Ron came home too late…
"Jesus, Hermione! Can't a man have a moment of peace?"
"Ron, I wanted to talk about maybe going back to work. Rosie's all grown up now and I really would like to start working again, besides we're really short on money and-"
"You're not going back to the Auror's office Hermione." Was all he said, he didn't even look up.
"But Ron where am I supposed to go I don't want a new job!" Hermione cried.
"That's not my problem Hermione. But if I hear that you have been talking to people in the Auror office about coming back you will regret it."
"So, what? You don't want me there because it's dangerous? I had a desk job, Ron. The biggest danger I had was getting a bloody paper cut, for fuck's-"
"You watch how you talk to me, Hermione." He spat in her face, holding her face in his hand, squeezing. He let go and Hermione let out a deep shuddering breath. The man she had married was long gone and in his place was this thing.
"Ron, please?" she pleaded, her eyes filling up, "I'm good at that job and-" this time it was a slap to the face that cut her off.
"You will not return to the auror office, Hermione, and that's final." With that he began towards the door.
Hermione ran after him, "Ron! Ron where are you going?"
"I don't have to tell you shit." He sneered through clenched teeth and banged the door in her face. A piercing cry rang through the house. Hermione sighed. It was going to be a really long night, Hugo didn't like it when people cut his sleep short.
"Come on, Love." Hermione whispered to her youngest. She remembered the day she had found out she was pregnant. She remembered standing outside the abortion clinic. She remembered running out of the operating room half-dressed and still doped on anesthetic. She remembered the feeling of guilt that gripped her every time she looked at her baby, remembered how close she was to killing him just because of his father. She felt ashamed that she had even thought to do it. Hugo Adrian Weasley, like his sister looked nothing like his father, even his sky-blue eyes look nothing like Ron's, she smiled. He looked almost exactly like her grandmother with that dark curly hair that wasn't as tangled as hers had been. It was smooth and silky much like hers was now. She smiled as she thought about her childhood and the likeness of her and her children. She was strong. She could do this. She would get a job somewhere nice, maybe Draco could help set her up, Lord knows how many times he'd been offering to do so. She'd become the Hermione Granger she had envisioned herself becoming after Hogwarts. She'd leave Ron behind and take her children away before Molly made them hate her; she'd already done such a great job with Ron.
All she wanted more than anything,\ was for her children to have an amazing childhood. And she knew that they weren't getting that here. It was time to move on.
Diary of Rose Aria Weasley
Dear Diary
uncle draco took me and scorpius ice skating in the muggle world today. I enjoyed it a lot. mum's eyes are red again but she says she hasn't been crying I don't think I believe her. dad was shouting again. I had to look after hugo he was so scared and mummy wasn't there.
diary I'm really scared for mummy.
I wish uncle draco or uncle harry was my daddy. james said uncle harry taught him how to ride a broom. scorpius said uncle draco taught him too. I wish my daddy would teach me too.
Love
Rosie.
p.s. I have to ask uncle draco what a mudblood is. I heard daddy call mummy that.
p.p.s. I really wish everyone would call me Aria like uncle draco. that name makes me feel special.
