"Shh, don't say a word!" Hermione whispered as Ron came into the kitchen. He squinted her eyes at her and frowned.
"Why?" He whispered back, snagging an apple off of the counter and biting into it. The loud crunch caused Hermione to wince.
She snatched the apple out of Ron's hand and placed it back on the counter. "I've just put Rosie down."
"And?" Ron prompted.
"And," Hermione spoke pointedly, "there are a million and one photographers outside waiting for a snap of her. I don't want to give them anything to use."
Ron had to stifle a chuckle. "Hermione, love, they're well aware of the fact that we're in here. I don't think us making noise is going to deter them either way."
Hermione frowned and ran a hand through her dirty hair. "Well, yes, I suppose, but…"
"But what? There's the option of the Floo or Apparition. You don't have to leave the house."
"I just don't understand it." Hermione muttered, sinking into a chair. Ron squatted next to her.
"Understand what?" He was, unfortunately, exhausted. Even though Rose had only been born two days ago, Ron was already back at work; the Auror department was swamped. He really wished his redheaded daughter had been born on a Friday as opposed to a Wednesday. But, the weekend was here at last.
"This!" Hermione exclaimed, forgetting all about being quiet. She waved her hand angrily in the direction of the sidewalk. "It's…it's…barbaric! All this fuss over a tiny little girl!"
And just as she finished her sentence, Hermione burst into tears. Ron started and jumped to his feet.
"Oh, Hermione. Come here, love." Ron pulled his wife to her feet and wrapped his arms tightly around her shaking shoulders. "It'll be alright. Please just calm down."
"I'm s-s-sorry! I don't m-mean to c-cry!" Hermione's wails were muffled by Ron's chest, but her still heard the catch in her voice. It broke Ron's heart to see Hermione so upset.
"It's quite alright, Hermione. Mum told me that you'd be a bit…" Ron stopped himself. He had been about to call Hermione 'unstable', but several years of marriage had widened his emotional rage to the size of a ladle. He was much better at reigning in his comments.
Still, Hermione caught the unfinished sentence, "A bit what? You can say it. I'm mad right now."
Ron knit his eyebrows together, he wasn't about to admit that. Much to his surprise, Hermione chuckled a bit.
"I'm sorry, love. I suppose this has been a bit harder than I was anticipating." She turned and scowled at the window, "Those…people aren't making things any easier."
Ron nodded in agreement, "I don't suppose they are. But we really should have expected this. I mean, we are Harry Potter's best friends."
Hermione scoffed, "Yes, of course. I forgot that we're on the same pedestal as the Royal Family. Wizarding World Royalty."
"Well, Weasley is you King." Ron gave a cocky smile and puffed up his chest.
"Ooh, you cheeky…" Hermione couldn't help but laugh at her husband. Ron leaned down and planted a kiss on Hermione's cheek. She smiled at the affectionate gesture.
"Why not take a bit of a rest while Ro sleeps?" Ron suggested with a yawn. Hermione nodded and once she and Ron had settled onto the couch, she tucked her feet up under her body and rested her head on his chest.
"Hermione?" Ron whispered a few moments later.
"Hmm?" Hermione hummed.
"Maybe we should…y 'know, give them what they want. A picture, some words and they'll be gone."
If Hermione had been close to sleep before, she was wide-awake now. Leaning up on one elbow, she glared at Ron.
"Now you've gone mad! I don't want my daughter 's photograph on the cover of The Prophet or, God forbid, Witch Weekly!" Hermione spat out the name of the gossip rag so venomously Ron feared for his safety.
"It was just a suggestion. We don't have to give them anything." Ron held up his hands in surrender.
"It was a rubbish suggestion. We'll just Floo or Apparate until…"
"Until what? Until they give up and go home? And if they don't?" Ron tried to point this out as reasonably as possible.
Hermione remained quiet. Ron waited.
"Let me shower and after Rosie's woken up we'll give them what they want." She pushed herself off the couch and made her way up the stairs.
"That's my girl!" Ron called after her.
Over the sound of baby cries, Hermione called back, "And there's your other girl. You'd best get her, Daddy."
Ron jumped to his feet and scrambled up the stairs, beating Hermione to the top. "Shall I put her in the lovely pink number Bill and Fleur got her?"
"I don't see why not." Hermione gave a soft smile.
Twenty minutes later, Ron and Hermione were standing at their front door, Rose cradled carefully in Hermione's arms.
"Oh, are you sure about this, Ron? I don't know…" Hermione fretted.
Ron rubbed his hand up and down Hermione's back, "It'll be fine. I'll step out and you can follow with Ro, okay?"
Hermione nodded and Ron put a hand on the doorknob. He looked back at her, and at Hermione's nod, Ron opened the door.
The were met with a barrage of flashing lights and shouting.
"OI! Hey! Listen up!" Ron shouted over the din, trying to gain control. It worked, somewhat. The shouting of the reporters stopped, but the flashbulbs continued. "My wife and I have decided to introduce our daughter to the public, and we hope that after this you'll respect our privacy."
"What's her name?" One reported called out.
"Her name's Rose. Rose Clara Weasley." Hermione said, avoiding looking at the cameras, choosing instead to look down at her daughter.
"She's lovely." A female reporter commented, and Ron and Hermione expressed their thanks.
After a few more questions, in the vein of Rosie's weight (6lbs. 13 oz.), who her godparents were (George and Ginny), what the grandparents said when they visited (far too personal to share with the newspapers, if you don't mind), what Harry Potter had said when he'd seen the baby (she's lovely, just like her mum) and if they had plans for more children (far too early to think about that, we'd like to get to know Rose first), Ron and Hermione put a stop to the impromptu press conference.
"We'd like to thank you all for your cooperation. It is time for us to head out. Thank you for all your well wishes." Ron said as he ushered Hermione back into the house.
"Well, that wasn't terrible, was it?" Ron commented as Hermione sat on the couch to feed Rose.
"No, it wasn't terrible," Hermione conceded, "But I'd rather not do that ever again. I never wanted this fame, all the following around, the privacy invasions, it's rather ridiculous."
"I've got to admit that this bit is insanity, but the chocolate frog card was a nice perk," Ron grinned as he took a seat on the couch.
"You would think that," Hermione rolled her eyes, but smiled nevertheless.
'Shall I Floo mum and tell her to be on the look out for a Witch Weekly spread of her granddaughter?" Ron laughed at the thought.
"Oh dear, she's going to love that, isn't she?" Hermione groaned and buried her nose in Rose's little tuft of red hair.
"She'll be furious that she missed this," Ron shook his head.
"I'd have gladly given her my place," Hermione said whilst burping Rose.
"And she'd have gladly taken it." Ron commented seriously. He had moved to the fireplace and was preparing to Floo. Hermione stood and grabbed Rosie's nappy bag.
"What're you doing?" Ron looked up from the green flames.
"I'm far too exhausted to cook. Let's go visit them," Hermione looked down at Rose and asked, "Do you want to visit Gram and Gramps Weasley?"
Rose let out a cooing noise and waved her tiny fist.
Ron laughed, "I'm going to take that as a yes."
A/N: Wow, this was my first published foray into the HP fanfic world. I have tons and tons of unfinished stuff that's a million years old. So this all started based on a prompt youmustbemrsweasley posted on Tumblr. So I hope you all like this and review! =)
A/N: Damn, sorry about that typo. I meant to put George as Rose's godfather. I realize that a lot of people would think Harry would be her godfather, but I just see Ron and Hermione picking George. I know that he and Ron became a lot closer after the war and I truly think they'd make him godfather to try and help him. For the record I think Harry was perfectly alright with this decision, and he was made Hugo's godfather.