Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or the Harry Potter series (includes books and films) :(
Rose Weasley observed her Mother, Hermione Weasley cast another exasperated glare at her Father, Ronald Weasley who looked like he was enjoying himself, rather than looking guilty. They have just returned from a lunch at his sister, Ginny Potter's house. On the way back, Rose has witnessed her Mother and Father bicker incessantly all the way back about some rude jokes he had cracked over the lunch. It didn't seem that her Aunt Ginny or her Uncle Harry was taken aback by the jokes. It seemed more likely that they had enjoyed them but Hermione didn't.
"That's it, Ronald. I'm going to bed." Hermione spoke in a controlled voice that made Ron cringe. He had taken it too far again. Hermione only calls him Ronald when she's really angry.
"C'mon, Hermione. You know I'm just kidding." He tried to pacify her. He didn't like the idea of letting Hermione going to bed without having dinner. Hermione turned around and cast another withering glare at her husband.
"I know you're kidding, Harry knows you're kidding, Ginny knows you're kidding. Hell, the entire wizarding community knows that you like to make jokes about Voldemort. It's been 22 years, Ronald since the War has ended and Voldemort died at Harry's hand. I think it's time for us to stop talking about the dark times even if it is just to make a joke." Hermione spoke in a tightly controlled voice and walked back to the bed. Ron shook his head.
Hermione didn't come down for dinner and Rose noticed that Ron didn't eat anything either. He sat at the dinner table, making sure both his kids are fed properly. Giving both the kids a fatherly kiss on the top of their heads, he led them to their bedrooms. Rose heard him walk back downstairs. She heard the clinking of utensils in the kitchen and after a while she heard her Father walk upstairs again. She opened her door a bit and peered through only to find that her Father has arranged dinner for two on a tray and walked towards the bedroom he shared with Hermione.
Since her first day at Hogwarts, Rose had a particularly difficult time understanding her parents and their best friends the Potters. She had heard tales about how during their time at Hogwarts, all four had defeated several Dark Wizards and how her Uncle Harry had killed the single greatest threat to both Muggle and Magic Worlds. But she had heard that Harry Potter was famous even before he set foot in Hogwarts and her Father was the first true friend he had. She had learnt how her Mother joined the band a few months later.
What she couldn't understand was why her Mother chose Ronald Weasley above Harry Potter, one of the most famous Wizards of all time. Observing both her Uncle and Father, she has come to a conclusion that her Uncle looked more refined and sophisticated and she couldn't understand how Harry Potter could be friends with her seemingly uncouth Father.
The next morning, everything went back to normal. Ron continued to annoy his wife who in turn continued to chastise her husband. After Ron left for work, Hermione went about cleaning the kitchen. She had a day off and wanted to spend that with her children but Hugo left to play Quidditch with his friends. Rose helped her Mother straighten things around the house and when both of them sat leisurely, she observed some bite marks on Hermione's neck, almost hidden behind her blouse and there was a glow about Hermione that said she was somehow in a lighter and happier mood than previous evening.
"Mom, can I ask you a question?" There was a hesitation in Rose's voice that caught Hermione's attention.
"Yes, dear." Hermione replied kindly.
"Are you happy?" Hermione was taken aback with the question.
"What do you mean, Rose?" Hermione questioned, raising her eyebrows.
"I mean…er…i…" Rose hesitated again averting her Mother's gaze. She looked up at her Mother and took in the worry that was clouding in the eyes. She cleared her throat and spoke again.
"I mean, are you happy in your marriage with Dad?" Rose asked again.
"Why would I not be?" Hermione's brow furrowed as she was unable to understand where the question came from.
"C'mon, Mom. I've been observing you both through the month since I came back from Hogwarts for the summer. You always seem to be mad at him." Rose asked in an exasperated tone.
"Of course, you have. Because I'm always mad at him." Hermione replied completely confused what that had to do with her happiness in the marriage. There was an exasperated love for Ron in her voice which only Harry had caught when she said the same thing during their search for horcruxes.
"Then, how can you say you're happy in this marriage." Rose's cheeks flushed with indignation. Hermione's brow crinkled in confusion unable to understand what her daughter was asking. Suddenly it dawned on her that her daughter may be having problems with a boy. She smiled broadly at her daughter and asked the same.
"No, Mom." Rose answered patiently and continued, "It's just…I learnt at school that you chose Dad over Uncle Harry. I mean…I'm trying to understand why you chose Dad over someone so famous."
Hermione frowned, unable to understand what was troubling her daughter and replied, "I thought it would be clear to you that I didn't choose Ron over Harry. I fell in love with Ron."
"But I found an old article in Daily Prophet about how you were Uncle Harry's girlfriend?" Rose asked exasperatedly.
"You mean the articles during the Tri-wizard Tournament written by Rita Skeeter?" Hermione asked Rose. Rose nodded.
"Rita Skeeter, who wrote those articles, is a fraud. After the war, we revealed all her fraud and she was never heard from again. Ron, Harry, and I have been best friends since we were 11. At the time those articles were written, Ron was very angry with Harry. You see…there was an age restriction to enter the Tri-Wizard Tournament and one of Voldemort's cronies put Harry's name in the 'Goblet of Fire' to resurrect Voldemort. We were only 14 and your Dad thought that Harry found a way to bypass all the enchantments put in place to prevent kids under 17 from participating. He was furious and refused to talk to Harry for a while and avoided him. I supported Harry till Ron came around and stood by him after the first task. Rita Skeeter managed to scandalize that." Hermione patiently explained.
"Is it true that you dated Viktor Krum?" Rose asked.
"Yes, it's true but it doesn't matter. I was exactly your age and I thought it was cool to have an International Quidditch player as boyfriend." Hermione replied.
"Does that mean…you had a thing for famous people?" Rose asked timidly, half expecting her Mother to tell her off.
"No." Hermione laughed and continued, "I was angry with your Dad at the time and Viktor asked me to the Yule Ball before anyone else. That's all." Hermione replied.
"So…you never had a thing for famous wizards?" Rose asked, alarmed that she misunderstood her Mother.
"Never. The only famous wizard I love is your Uncle Harry and before you ask, I don't love him like I love your Dad. I love him like how you love Hugo." Hermione replied.
"But you said you're always mad at Dad?" Rose asked trying to understand how can Hermione love Ron and still manage to be mad at him all the time.
"Well…it just comes down to choice. You can love someone just the way they are or get them to change a few things that you don't like. There are a few things I don't like in Ron and I keep fighting to get him to change but I don't think your Dad wants to change them. It gives him just the reason to rile me up and he always loved riling me up. You have no idea how much he enjoys making me angry and exasperated." Hermione shook her head and there was dreamy look on her face that told Rose that there is nothing Hermione would really like to change in Ron.
"But he's always rude to you?" There was a slight whine in Rose's voice.
"That's how I know he's fine. I start worrying when he stops being rude." Hermione replied with a smile and a shake of her head.
"You really don't want him to change, do you, Mom?" Rose asked as she began to truly understand the relationship her parents share.
"Well…to tell you the truth…I don't want him to change. I just love him the way he is and it gives me more reasons to be mad at him. Just don't tell your Dad that…he's got enough egos that we both were pivotal in bringing down Voldemort." Hermione smiled as she pressed a kiss to her daughter's cheek.
Rose hasn't understood her parents yet but certainly understood one thing – Hermione and Ron love each other too much to not be happy in their marriage.
