"...before you come up with yet another clever idea to get us killed, or worse, expelled."
"She needs to sort out her priorities."
Sometimes, when I have nothing to do, I lie in bed and think about the way the days used to be. The way we had to live and fight to survive. And then I think about how lucky we are. We lived and we moved on and now we have a beautiful family.
There's the two of us, Rose and Hugo. Just down the street is Harry and Ginny and their kids. We were so blessed to have managed to make it through our early days of fighting constantly to our later years with the whole Lavender fiasco. Sometimes we laugh about all that now. It seems so small and simplistic compared to what we faced the next year.
When I think about it, I think it was Malfoy Manor that really got me thinking. I think it was at Malfoy Manor that I finally fully understood exactly what I was feeling. It was then that I knew I would live, if only so we could be together.
Rose was coming home from Hogwarts tomorrow. Hermione was going to blow up when she sees her. She missed her so much. I had too. It was weird and abnormal to not have two kids running around the house. Of course, Rose had tons of fun at school. I know this because of all the letters we received informing us about her behaviour. She had more detentions in her first year alone than I think I had in my first three. Of course, that is highly because she doesn't have an invisibility cloak.
"Ron," Hermione said. I turned to look at her. She was standing there in her pyjamas, holding a cup of tea.
Her hair was flying everywhere and she looked tired. It was getting late after all.
"Ron," she said again. "Time for bed. Hugo's down and we need to be up to go get Rosie tomorrow."
I nodded, "Coming Hun."
She nodded and headed towards the kitchen to dispose of her remaining tea. I heard her run the water to rinse out the sink from the tea she poured down it and then she hit the light switch and headed down the hall towards our room.
Slowly I got up and followed her, not sure I really wanted Rose to come home. I mean, of course I did want to see her but I did not know if I would be able to handle knowing that our little Rose, our first born daughter, was finished her first year at Hogwarts.
The next morning came quickly and my fears of her growing up too fast were diminished the second I saw her running towards me with her arms open wide for a hug. She leapt into my arms and I spun her around like I used to when she was younger.
Setting her down, she smiled and I laughed.
"I missed you Daddy," she said.
Daddy. She hadn't called me that in a while.
"I missed you too Rosie," I said as I kissed her forehead. She pulled away and jumped on her mother. Hermione looked surprised but pleased as she hugged and kissed her as well. Then Rose gave Hugo one of the biggest hugs she had ever given him.
"Glad to be home sweet?" Hermione asked.
Rose nodded enthusiastically, "It was amazing Mum. But I missed home a lot!"
"You were here for Easter silly," Hugo said sticking out his tongue at his older sister.
"It wasn't the same," Rose said sticking her tongue out to match. She grabbed her brother's tongue and refused to let go. Hugo screamed as best he can with his tongue being held.
Ah, the joys of parenthood.
As we left the train station Rose told us all about her first year at Hogwarts. She spent the majority of her time with her cousin Albus and her new friends. She had great marks and did well on exams. I guessed if she was able to keep her marks up and she wasn't doing anything dangerous, a few trips out at night weren't the end of the world.
"Mum," Rose said one morning at breakfast.
It was about halfway through the summer. We had already caught up on everything and talked about her getting into trouble too much by then.
"Hmm?" Hermione said as she tried to fry some eggs. I had offered to help but she had made me sit down again as she had said I was not to try to cook anything. Ever. I wasn't sure why but she didn't seem to trust me in the kitchen.
"Would it be alright if I invited some friends over?"
"Sure," Hermione nodded. "Who were you thinking?"
"Well," Rose said slowly. "Al, Hillary, Jamie, and...maybe..."
I had not heard the last person's name. She had said it very quietly, I think on purpose.
"And who?" Hermione asked sparing me from asking the question.
"And...Scorpius?" Rose answered not looking at me. I guessed she knew what my reaction would likely be. And, let's be honest, she knows me well.
"As in Malfoy?" I asked but I instantly regretted it. I knew I should have said it ... at least, not that harshly.
Rose snapped her head at me. I knew that it was coming. She glared at me and said, "Don't use such a sharp tone. He's nothing like his father."
"Ron," Hermione said. "Rose is right. You can't judge somebody by their last name these days."
"But-"
"Ron." Hermione said. "She can have him over."
"Really?" Rose brightened up and hugged her mother. "Thank you!"
"Friendship is important. Rose can have her friends over, subject closed," Hermione glared at me when I opened my mouth to object again.
"See," Rose said to me quietly. "Mum knows what's important."
She stormed off and I sighed.
I got up and went after her. When I finally reached her and I apologized, she was ready to forgive me. From that point on I tried to not be so harsh. It clearly didn't work well with Rose ... or Hermione. Darn that Granger temper.
The rest of the summer passed too quickly and before I knew it we were on our way to King's Cross yet again to send Rose off for her second year.
We reached the station and piled out of the car we so rarely use. We headed into the building with Rose's trunks. Her owl was disillusioned so it wouldn't attract attention. We had learned that after our many years at Hogwarts. It was sometimes good to not be noticed.
As we walked through, Hugo complained a lot about not being able to go but we settled him down before reaching the platform.
Hermione tucked some money in Rose's pocket and told her to not spend it all. Rose giggled and we all knew it would be gone before she got to Hogwarts.
"There they are!" Hugo screeched and he rushed towards his cousin Lily.
"Morning," I said to Harry and Ginny.
Ginny gave both me and Hermione a quick hug before turning to Harry again.
"Can't believe it's their second year already," Harry said. "Remember our second year?"
Ginny cringed and I remembered what had happened to her during our second year. She may have never told me all the details (though I am sure Harry knew them all) but I knew it was still a touchy subject for her. It would be for me as well if I had been possessed by Lord Voldemort at the age of eleven. I still shuddered every time I thought about that.
Hermione laughed, "I try to block it out."
I had almost forgotten about Hermione as well.
"Why?" Albus asked.
"You've heard the stories I'm sure," Hermione said. "That was the year that I was turned into a cat and I was petrified."
It was her idea to do the whole Polyjuice Potion after all. She really can't blame that one on anybody but herself.
"That was the Chamber of Secrets year?" Rose gasped. "That won't...that won't happen again will it?"
It was hard to believe that she really had nothing to be scared of. It was great, of course, but hard to believe considering all we had gone through, all we had had to fear in our days. Though, not our second year so much. And that's saying something.
I laughed and shook my head, "No it won't. Voldemort was behind it. And he is long gone."
Rose nodded and smiled in relief. "Oh! There's Scorpius! Mind if I go say hi?" she asked.
Hermione shook her head before I had the chance to object. I had not been found of the fact that my daughter was good friends with the Malfoy boy. He had been nice when he visited over the summer but I still was not too fond of him.
Rose ran off towards her friend and she pulled Albus with her. She reached the blond boy and smiled at him. I watched the three of them hug and tried not to cringe.
"Ron," Hermione warned.
"Thanks," I muttered as I tried to shake the bad feelings off.
I kept watching the three and thought to myself that they were just like us. They were three friends, two boys, one girl. They were all in Gryffindor. They had parents who went to Hogwarts during the war and they really shouldn't be friends but they were. In hindsight, Hermione and I shouldn't have been friends, not with all the fighting we did, but we were.
My eyes widened when I remembered how Hermione and I turned out. Married. My appreciation for Malfoy may have grown in the past few minutes but I wasn't sure I would be okay with him marrying my daughter.
Rose returned a few minutes later ready to say goodbye and get on the train.
I gave her a huge hug and forced Hugo to do the same. After all, we wouldn't see her until Christmas came.
Hermione turned to Rose, placed her hands on our daughter's shoulders and said, "Now Rose, promise me you'll be good this year. No more clever ideas to get yourself expelled, or worse, killed."
"Got it Mum," Rose nodded.
I didn't think Hermione had realized what he said but when I turned, smiling, to Harry, I knew he had.
Smiling wide as I tried not to laugh I said, "Well mate, I think she's finally sorted out her priorities."