Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and its characters.
When describing the last couple of weeks, "tiring" is not a strong enough word. Hugo constantly wakes up in the middle of the night and Rosie is battling a cold. Hermione is the only one taking care of them, or so she feels. She finally gets Hugo to stop crying and is about to put him to bed. She'll need to change his diaper, put him into pajamas, and sing him to sleep.
But Hermione needs a nap herself. Why isn't Ron taking responsibility? Hermione was the one who had woken up every morning this week to calm down a crying baby Hugo. She is also the one who was staying home from work to take care of the kids for the time being.
Hermione looks down at Hugo perched on her hip. She kisses her son's precious red hair, but pulling away, the flaming color reminds Hermione of her anger and resent. Ron should put the baby to bed. On her way to their bedroom, where Ron surely is doing Merlin knows what, Hermione is stopped by the sound of a giggle coming from Rose's room. She hadn't heard that laugh for several days because coughs and sneezes and headaches had put Rosie in a bad mood.
Hermione peeks through the doorway to learn the cause of her daughter's happiness. Rosie sits at her toy table, sipping on her little plastic teacup. Ron sits in the teeny chair across from her, his knees up to his neck, scooted up to the little table surrounded in stuffed animals. Big fancy flowered hats cover both redheads. Both freckly faces are plastered with the trademark lop-sided Weasley grin.
"Why Rosie," Ron says, sipping his tea from the little pink cup, "this has got to be the most incredible tea I have ever had the pleasure to taste! Where did you find such a pleasurable brew? Rosie, I demand to know the brewer of such a revelation!"
Rosie giggles uncontrollably, clutching a stuffed purple hippogriff tightly to her chest. Hermione smiles to herself, a gushing feeling filling her heart from the sweetness of her husband, playing along quite convincingly with Rose's game. Hugo starts to tug on his mother's hair.
"Why, Miss Rose, this is no atmosphere to be acting so foolishly! You're embarrassing Madame Puffy over there!" Ron leans over to a pink fluffy cotton ball of Pygmy puff and whispers, "I apologize for my daughter's misbehavior; I do hope my wife and I can teach her some proper manners soon." Smirking at her husband's humor, Hermione shifts Hugo over, moving him out of reach of her hair.
"Daddy! I think it would be beneficial for us to have some scones, please." Rose gives her father a grinning, hopeful look, before sneezing on her hippogriff.
"Wonderful vocabulary, love; and manners, too. What a lady!" With that, Ron summons several scones from the kitchen.
"Isn't it a bit late to be eating such things?" Hermione interjects.
Both Ron and Rose look up.
"Oh, darling! You're just in time; Sir Horntail was asking about your indefatigable (Rosie taught me that word) nature and brilliant motherly instincts. And, I was telling him that you're the best wife in all of Britain. I also happened to tell him how thankful your husband is." Ron gives Hermione a huge grin and pleading eyes, making his daughter laugh even more.
"Oh, really? Why, Rosie is this true?"
"No, I didn't hear any of that, Mum, in fact—" Rose starts.
Ron widens his eyes. "Rosie! Cut. It. Out!" He urges under his breath, giving his daughter a reproachful glare. But Rose only giggles in return.
"Well, Rose, I guess I'll have to take care of your father later." Hermione smirks at Ron and hands him the baby.
"Yes, Rosie, she'll take care of me very well!"
"Ron!"
"What, it all goes over her head!"
Hermione rolls her eyes. "Rosie, how are you feeling love? How about another good night's sleep? I'm sure you'll feel perfect tomorrow if you get into bed now."
"But, Mummy!" Rose coughs, "Daddy and I were just about to have dessert!" She reluctantly takes off her hat and steps off the little chair.
"Breakfast tomorrow, love." Hermione undresses Rose and slips on her nightgown. "There we go, Rose, now go brush your teeth while we get your brother to bed."
Before she skips into the bathroom, Rosie scampers over to Hugo and gives him a light kiss on his chubby cheek.
Bouncing a sleepy Hugo, Ron moves closer to his wife and bends down to give her a short kiss.
"Hey, love, I'm really sorry about not helping out with the kids recently. Work has been pretty demanding lately, and I – " Ron exhales, and then says, "And I know how stressed out you must've been." He peers into Hermione's eyes for an answer.
She could start a fight, or scold Ron, but his previous act with their daughter made Hermione too happy. "Don't worry about it Ron, as long as you make it up to me."
"Way ahead of you."
Hermione snorts. "Just get Hugo to bed!" She follows Ron into Hugo's room and watches him change the tiny child into sleep clothes.
Ron puts the baby gently into the crib and whispers "Goodnight, Hugo."
"Dada." Hugo responds, a small smile playing across his sleepy face.
"Love you," Ron and Hermione tell Hugo, leaving the room.
The couple completes a similar routine with Rosie before turning towards each other in the hallway.
"So, how about I make it up to you now?" Ron asks with a mischievous tone.
Hermione responds, tilting her head to look into her husband's eyes, "Well, then I guess I'll have to take care of you." She steps closer to Ron, playing with a thread on his sweater.
"Well, it would only be fair. We did tell Rosie that you would, and that Healer's book, that I read, said not to break a promise made to a child…" He says, his lips on Hermione's ear, voice drifting off as he fiddles with loose strands of her hair.
Hermione shoves Ron into their bedroom, closing the door behind her. How will Ron be able to wake up for a crying Hugo after this? Oh, well, Hermione thinks, pressing her lips onto Ron's. As long as it's not me this time.