One-Shot: Naming Rose
It was Christmastime in wizarding Britain. All the houses were filled with holiday cheer…especially one in Ottery St. Catchpole…
Hermione Weasley was resting on the couch, contently rubbing her baby bump and singing to the child within, as her husband Ron cooked dinner and her brother-in-law, Harry Potter, decorated the tree.
"Bells on bobtails ring, making spirits bright. What fun it is to ride and sing a sleighing song tonight. Oh! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way…" She paused to admire her brother-in-law's handiwork. "That's lovely, Harry! It was so nice of you to help us decorate, seeing as Ron thinks I should be on bed-rest eight months early!"
"It's for your own good, love!" Ron called back from the kitchen.
"Ron, just because I am pregnant does not mean I'm an invalid…yet!" Hermione shook her head in amusement. She had let Ron have his way, because she secretly thought it was cute how fragile he viewed her for carrying their child.
"No problem, Hermione!" Harry grinned, as he hung up another ornament. He stepped back and looked the tree up and down. "Now all that's missing is the star." He plucked it from a nearby box and backed up further. "I reckon I'll need a running start." He sprinted for the tree, hopped on the empty spot on the couch and launched himself at the decoration. He managed to grab it near the top and quickly placed the star upon it, but then the whole thing began to tilt!
"No….no….no! Stay up!" Harry pleaded desperately, but the call of TIMBER! was now as strong as the pull of gravity. The tree began to fall over. Hermione whipped out her wand.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" The tree and Harry began to hover in mid-air and Hermione managed to manipulate both upright again. Harry dropped to the ground immediately after, just as Ron rushed in.
"Everyone OK? I heard shouts."
"Sorry, Ron, I almost destroyed your tree trying to get the star on. Your pregnant wife saved me."
Hermione smugly folded her arms as if to say, I rest my case. "Told you I'm not an invalid" she smirked to her husband.
"You won't be saying that six or seven months from now!" Ron retorted. Hermione's eyes flashed dangerously, and both Ron and Harry cringed. Rows between the red-headed wizard and brilliant witch were legendary and, unfortunately, somehwhat frequent. Hermione must have noticed the looks on her family's faces though, because her gaze suddenly softened and nothing more was said on the matter. Hermione then recalled something.
"Ron, remember what we talked about the other day? You know, the present I wanted to make for the baby?"
"Oh, right!" Ron turned to Harry. "You got your guitar?"
Harry pulled out his wand. "Accio Maxima guitar!" In less than a minute, his guitar flew into his hand from halfway across town. "I do now." Ron grinned before leaving the room. After a moment, he came back with what looked like a tape recorder. He placed the object on the coffee table in the center of the room, and then took a seat at the grand piano opposite the couch. Harry eyed the display curiously.
"What's going on?"
"Hermione and I wanted to make a tape of songs for the baby, so she can fall asleep at night better. Just follow along with me, and we should be fine."
Ron began to plink out a melody. Harry recognized it almost instantly: it was a show tune from his Aunt Petunia's favorite musical. He sat on an ottoman, and strummed along, complementing Ron perfectly. Ron then cued his wife and she began singing:
"There is a castle on a cloud. I like to go there in my sleep. Aren't any floors for me to sweep. Not in my castle on a cloud. There is a room that's full of toys. There are a hundred boys and girls. Nobody shouts or talks too loud. Not in my castle on a cloud. There is a lady all in white; holds you and sings a lullaby. She's nice to see and she's soft to touch. She says, 'Rosie, I love you very much.' I know a place where no one's lost. I know a place where no one cries. Crying at all is not allowed. Not in my castle on a cloud…"
The song ended. Harry turned the recorder off and smiled. "Beautiful, 'Mione." Ron turned back to his wife and peered at her curiously.
"One question: you said 'Rosie' and not 'Cosette.' How come?"
Hermione thought for a moment. "Well, I very well couldn't use the original name now, could I? I don't think 'Cosette' would be the right name for our daughter. But…Rosie…I don't know, it just popped into my head."
Ron grinned. "I like it! I think it would suit her just fine."
"And if she has red hair when she's born, then that's it – we're sold!" Harry cracked. "But even if she ends up with a different name, we can always re-record it."
The three friends then continued recording lullabies for Ron and Hermione's baby for the rest of the day.