Author's Note: I would like to dedicate this to Dessie! She was super helpful and encouraging during the first round of QL, and I would like to thank her for all her support. I would also like to thank my betas, davros fan and Kat-nee. Please read and review if you have anything to say!
Lifting You Up by ValkyrieAce
It started out like an ordinary day.
Harry, Ron and Hermione left for their jobs at the Ministry, bright and early. Way too early. That should have been his first sign.
Time passed on smoothly, at first. As usual, Hermione worked hard to consolidate the Werewolf Rights amongst the British Ministry, while Harry and Ron strategized a plan to capture a few escaped Death Eaters. Overall, each of them had a very productive day.
Then, something drastic happened.
"Bloody hell," Ron groaned.
The elevator they were occupying was stuck between two floors. That meant two things. They were going to be in an enclosed space for a long time and they might not get out of the elevator until the next day.
They were screwed.
"Why is this happening to me?" Hermione screeched, her voice echoing off the walls of the elevator.
"I need to get home soon or Ginny will kill me! James is teething, and there's a lot of crying involved..." Harry mumbled, his eyes wide at the thought of an angry Ginny. Ron nodded furiously, knowing her temper would somehow be projected onto him.
"Alright," Hermione sighed loudly, "let's just stay calm and try to figure a way out of here without having this elevator pummel us to the ground, yeah?"
Harry and Ron exchanged a wary glance and nodded.
"Alright, let's get to it..." Harry muttered.
Four hours later,
Ron's stomach grumbled.
"Ugh, I thought we'd grown out of the phase where trouble follows us..." Harry said, "I didn't think I'd be taken down so easily!"
"Please, if this elevator doesn't kill me, my job will. I thought I was getting promoted, but here I am, being demoted instead!" Hermione complained, her eyes filling up with unshed tears.
"A demotion? I thought they gave you a bonus!" Harry wondered. He visibly shivered when a dark aura surrounded Hermione, accepting his fate defeatedly with slumped shoulders.
"They did offer me a bonus, but you know how hard I worked to get to where I am now. They didn't even give me a reason why..." Hermione ranted. Her breath was coming out in short rasps and there was a familiar spark of indignancy in her eyes.
"Well, to be fair, I don't think anyone likes being bossed around by someone who did what they couldn't..." Harry snickered, stifling his snickers and offering a half-hearted apology at the sight of her red face.
"I try very hard not to be as bossy as I used to be. It's not like you have anything to be worried about, Harry! Don't patronize me!" Hermione mumbled. Harry sighed and shook his head.
"But I do! Something is up with Ginny. She's been clinging to my every move lately. I have no idea what's going on in her mind, but I'm starting to feel like there's something she isn't telling me!" Harry shared, "And the Auror's Office have been trying to capture the Carrow twins for the past three weeks. For all their strictness, escapes apparently come naturally to them."
As Ron watched Harry and Hermione debate about their troubles in life, he wished he knew what he could say to comfort his wife and best friend. Before long, he began to feel woozy. As though he was watching this elevator from another angle. The argument was fading away from his mind, giving him the comfort of mental solitude.
He found that it wasn't enough.
"Will you two just stop talking for one damn second?" Ron exclaimed.
The following silence was relieving. Ron took three deep breaths and thought deeply.
Hermione had always been his beacon of light and he had to admit, she deserved more than a demotion for all the effort she put into aligning the department. But he could understand that being demoted to a different department would bring her more experience. It would be a way for her to understand that not all people can be salvaged.
It'll just take some time. But they could do it together.
Harry, on the other hand, was just being dense. If he wasn't able to tell Ginny's mannerisms by now, he'd know that the essence of his doubts came from miscommunication. All they need to do is talk as husband and wife.
"Okay... Hermione?" Ron spoke.
She looked up at him with wide eyes, as though she was getting scolded. Ron sighed and ruffled his hair.
"You have quills in your hair."
He stifled a laugh as she picked the quills out of her hair flusteredly. As she pulled the last quill out of her hair, she urged him to continue.
"Now, isn't it true that all great people started with small accomplishments?" Ron asked. At her nod, he continued. "As long as you show these idle ministry workers that you're willing to put an effort into anything they throw at you, you'll be recognized for the things that you do now."
Hermione crossed her arms, her eyes lighting up with determination and passion. Ron cupped her face gently and smiled.
"It'll only take some time, love."
"Now, Harry," Ron started. Harry straightened his posture and looked at Ron, ready to listen to his words.
"Ginny's pregnant again."
"Ronald Bilius Weasley!" Hermione berated, glaring at Ron, "you were supposed to keep that a secret!"
"So, it's true?" Harry asked, his voice as soft as a whisper. Hermione sighed and nodded.
"Another baby..." Harry whispered, fidgeting with his fingers nervously. "I suppose that's why she's been clinging to me lately?"
"Yeah, mate. She's just afraid that she'll lose you. It's justified! You've been so obsessed with finding the Carrows, that you haven't thought about what she would feel like if you died out there. The plan we came up with today should bring us closer to catching them, even Kingsley said so! Just relax and spend time with your wife, for Merlin's sake!" Ron shrugged.
"I guess I forgot that saving and protecting people isn't everything to life," he sighed and rolled his eyes.
Harry and Hermione shared a warm glance and hugged Ron. Surprised, Ron slung an arm around their shoulders, dropping a chaste kiss on Hermione's head.
"Harry, Hermione," Ron trailed off, "you've got the best Wizarding Britain have to offer. Truthfully, I always feel overshadowed by both of your talents."
They looked at him questioningly.
"Harry, you might not be the best person for an emotional conversation, but you're the bravest man I've ever known," Ron said, clapping a hand onto Harry's shoulder in support.
"And Hermione, there is nothing that you cannot become if you put your mind to it. Everyone knows how beautiful, smart and brilliant you are," he muttered sheepishly. Hermione beamed in happiness, clinging onto Ron even tighter.
"You're both so unique in your own way, so much so that I feel like I need to work harder to catch up to you," Ron whispered.
"Oh, Ronald..." Hermione replied against his chest, "we might have those qualities to us, but you're the glue that holds us together. Without you, we would never have noticed some of the simplest things."
Harry nodded in agreement.
"Without you, we would've been lost a long time ago. You introduced Harry to this world. You were the one who pulled me away from the books and gave me the happiest memories in my life," Hermione continued.
"Yeah, mate. I can't imagine being alive without you there to support me. Both of you," Harry said, gently holding Hermione's hand.
At that moment, Ron felt like a weight was lifted off his shoulders. In the eyes of their peers and the public, he would still be overshadowed. But now, he will always know that Harry and Hermione would still appreciate him for all his flaws and insecurities.
"The bravest man you've ever known, huh?" Harry asked with a chuckle, "You think Ginny and I should name a child after Snape?"
"Are you serious, mate?" Ron muttered, chuckling at Harry's enthusiasm.
"Oh, I have something else to tell you, Ron..." Hermione began nervously, shuffling her feet back and forth.
"What is it, 'Mione?" Ron asked.
"I'm pregnant too, Ron."
Fin
Word Count: 1,355
Additional Prompts:
The Golden Snitch – Through the Universe – (words) 119. Occultation – bloody hell
The Golden Snitch – Ollivander's Wand Shop – Willow: Write about a popular character's insecurity.
The Golden Snitch – Star Gazers Club – Haumea: Write about someone who is frequently overshadowed by someone else.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry – Assignment #11 – Arts & Crafts: Origami, Task #3 - Write about someone smoothing out a rough situation.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry – Paper Airplane Competition – (word) bonus
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry – The 365 Prompts Challenge – 135. First Line – It started out like an ordinary day.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry – The Insane House Challenge – 471. Item – Quill