Just a small added note before you begin - it's not really a R/H fic as such but more an abstract H/H :)

'Take your boots off before you go in.'

'Alright Daddy.'

'Good boy, Hugo,' Ron Weasley smiled down at the little, brunette boy.

'Can't you just spell it away?'

Ron just stuck his tongue out at the little boy.

'ROSIE, WE'RE BAAAACK,' he yelled and jumped onto a young girl laying on the sofa.

'Hugo!' Shrieked the young girl. Ron let out a deep chuckle as he shut the door behind himself.

'Get off your sister Hugo, she's ill,' Ron walked over and picked up Hugo off of his elder sister. 'Alright Rose?' He placed a gentle kiss on his daughter's forehead.

'Yeah, I'm feeling better now,' she gave a small smile as her Dad felt her forehead for a temperature. He nodded to signal it was fine.

'Rosie, Rosie, Rosie, Rosie!'

'Yes?' She smiled as her brother sat at the other end of the sofa. She pulled the blanket up to her chin as she slowly sat up.

'Shall I tell you what we saw on our walk?'

'Oh, I'd love that!'

'Yesssss,' hissed Hugo with excitement.

On a Sunday morning Ron would take both Hugo and Rosie on a walk to explore the countryside and forests behind their house. It allowed both father and children to have some quality time together and Ron could learn more about Muggle creatures.

'We saw lots of these thingys, they were black and white and went,' Hugo then made a loud "moooo" sound. 'What were they called Daddy?'

'Erm,' replied Ron, he still wasn't able to name all muggle animals from memory.

'It's a cow, Hugo,' laughed Rosie.

'I was just about to say that!' Said Ron, with a mock look of annoyance to his daughter.

'Aaaand, we saw a ginger,'

Ron coughed.

'Sorry Daddy, red-haired,' said Hugo before sticking his tongue out. 'Horsey and it let me pat its face, Daddy had to lift me up to pat it 'cause I couldn't reach 'cause it was very very very tall. It's legs were longer than Daddy's!' Added Hugo with enthusiasm.

The doorbell rang.

'DOORBELL!' Screamed Hugo.

'Stay there Hugo and tell Rose about the fluffy things,' said Ron as he got up to answer the door.

'Sheep, Daddy, they're called Sheep,' said Hugo wisely.

'Oh, hi, you're early aren't you?' Asked Ron when he answered the door.

'No, I did say noon,' answered the bushy haired woman at the door, Ron thought her tone was colder than it had to be.

'Well come in then, me and Hugo just got back from our walk,' he led Hermione into the living room. 'Rosie's been a bit ill so she stayed behind,' he said with a smile, but received none back.

'Mum!' Shouted Hugo when he saw Hermione but made no move to get up and greet her. He carried on talking to Rosie.

'Go and get your things, we've got a busy afternoon,' Hermione said, ushering the two children to move. They both moaned and reluctantly shuffled off upstairs to find their bags.

'How have you been?' Asked Ron, breaking the awkward silence that had descended over the house now that the children had left.

'Fine, thank you. Yourself?'

'Good, yeah.'

'Err, how's Harry?' Said Ron as he took a sudden interest in a far windowsill.

'He's fine thank you,' Hermione gave a small blush.

'What are you doing this afternoon then?'

'Humh?' Said Hermione, not understanding.

'You said you were busy,' explained Ron.

'Oh, oh yes. They've got their fittings for the wedding.'

'Oh,' was Ron's own response.

The awkward silence returned.

'Look, Ron,' said Hermione nervously. Ron looked at her, knowing what was coming. 'Harry and I wanted to invite you, since we were best friends, but it's just awkward you know. Since we were married and had those two but Ron, we just rushed into it after the war and everything. We didn't think about the long-time commitment - not that it was a mistake, you know, me and you but me and Harry just get each other more. You and me were such opposites, it could never be long term-,' Ron interrupted her speech.

'You don't need to explain, Mione. I get it. I'm happy for you and Harry,' Ron gave her a smile. She smiled back when she thought it was a genuine smile and not a fake one - Hermione couldn't have been more wrong.

It had come as a complete shock when Hermione had asked him for a divorce and then it had astounded him even more when he had found out - from Hugo and Rose no less - than Harry had moved in and was dating Hermione. At least he didn't hear about the wedding from his children, Lavender had told him. Ron thought they had probably been together while he and Hermione were married - he even wondered if Hugo and Rose were truly his; Harry's Mum had been a red-head like Ron was.

But he had been able to slowly move on with his life, just not as quickly as Hermione had hers. The divorce terms had been reasonable; Hugo and Rose spent every other weekend at his and it had been made very clear that he could attend birthday parties, see them off to Hogwarts and he could have them over for boxing day or Christmas eve, whatever he preferred.

'Where are those children?' Asked Hermione to try and disturb the silence.

'Hugo's probably lost something,' Ron answered with a smile.

'Ron?'

'Yeah,'

'Could you do me, and Harry, a favour?'

'Depends on what it is,'

'Well, you know me and Harry are getting married next month,' Ron nodded; how many times did she want to mention this wedding? They'd already established earlier that he knew. 'We've invited most of the people from our Hogwarts days, you know Neville, Dean, Luna, even Lavender,' Ron smiled at the last name; he could probably guess where it was going if they had had to stoop to the low of inviting Lavender. 'I sent out invitations and I know they have all received them but only a few have replied and those replies are a "no" and the rest, erm, haven't replied,' Ron knew the term she should have said was "ignored".

'So?' Ron smiled on the inside, he had been right - none of their old friends wanted to go.

'Would you mind having a word with them? They probably just don't want to seem like they've taken sides between you and me,' Ron nearly laughed at that; the reason they didn't want to go wasn't the fear that Ron wouldn't like them, it was because they didn't agree with Harry marrying his best friend's ex-wife. Like Ron, they suspected, or knew, that Harry and Hermione's relationship had been going on long before the divorce had been finalised. Also, most of them had been closer to Ron then Harry or Hermione - Lavender and the Patil (well née Patil) twins, for example, positively detested Hermione.

'I'll see what I can do.'

'Thanks,' she said with a small smile.

'Erm, Hermione?'

'Yes Ron?' She suddenly seemed nervous.

'You probably know I quit the auror department,'

'Yeah, Harry said.'

Ron had had to leave the job that he loved after the divorce; the tension in the department had been unreal. All of the aurors knew about who Harry was now dating and the department hated him for it; it was unwritten code that you didn't hook up with other auror's ex-partners, let alone marry them. But Harry had. The respect for the Head auror had plummeted and it was known that the department supported Ron in the whole fiasco. So Ron had taken the decision to leave, in the hope Harry might be about to regain something - even though he had taken his wife, Harry was still his best friend, or had been at least.

'I've been offered another job,'

'That's good,' Hermione seem genuinely pleased.

'In Romaina.'

'Oh.'

'Charlie got me it. The pay's great and it seems like a exciting career.'

'Are you going to take it?'

'My only reason to stay was Rose and Hugo really but I've told them about it and they seem okay. I'll get Christmas off so I can visit them then and the Chief said I could always make a quick trip home for their birthdays. I can always FaceOwl them too,' he added optimistically.

'Oh,' was all Hermione seemed to be able to say. After a pause she said, 'Why are you telling me Ron?'

'Erm,' Ron raised an eyebrow in confusion. 'Because you're the mother of my children and I think you should know if there are any major changes in my life.'

'Oh,' she seemed disappointed. 'Is it because of me and Harry getting married?'

Ron almost let out a laugh but he managed to keep it in and smirked instead.

'No, bloody hell, no. I honestly don't mind, I know I probably should be annoyed at least but you have to remember, that I didn't have to sign the divorce contract. I wanted the divorce as much as you,' Hermione looked angered at that statement. 'I knew that our marriage didn't feel quite right, whether that was because you were fucking my best friend or not, I don't know,' Hermione went to interrupt but Ron carried on as her face reddened. 'If you expect for me to burst in at your wedding, begging you to come back to me, it won't happen. I just hope that you're happier in this marriage then you were in ours.'

Hermione went to say something back but a bag flew down the stairs.

'Hugo! Don't throw my bag!'

'You told me to put it downstairs.'

'Yeah, "put" not throw!' The bag was quickly followed by its owner.

'Alright sweetheart?' Asked Ron with a smile as he crouched down to his daughter's eye line.

'Yeah, just annoyed that Hugo threw my bag down,' but she said it with a smile.

'I'm going to miss you Daddy,' tears welled in the little girl's eyes. Ron brought her into a tight embrace before picking her up and spinning around with her in his arms. She shrieked in delight.

'Put me down,' she said through laughter.

'As you wish, your majesty,' he placed Rose gently down on the ground.

'You'll see him in two weeks,' said Hermione.

'No I won't Mum, Daddy's leaving next Friday,' replied Rose.

'Oh.'

'Where's Hugo?' Asked Ron to Rose.

'He lost his blue bear, that's why it took so long.'

'Has he found it now?'

'Yeah, it was already in his bag,' she said with a smile.

'Hugo,' Ron called. 'You've got to go now, hurry!'

Seconds later, Hugo appeared dragging both himself, a blue teddy bear and the bag down the stairs. He didn't look happy.

'What's wrong?' Asked Ron tenderly.

'I don't want to go and get a stupid suit. I don't want to go to this wedding thingy,' Hugo dropped his small bag and crossed his arms in annoyance.

'Me and Harry want you there,' smiled Hermione sweetly at her son.

'Well, I don't want to be there,' Hugo replied simply. 'I don't like Harry,' he announced. 'He says I can call him Dad if I want but I don't want to call him that. He's not my Dad or my Daddy 'cause you are,' he pointed at Ron. He ran and attached himself to one of Ron's long legs.

'But he's going to be your step-Dad and he loves you.'

'I don't love him.'

'But-,' Hermione began.

'Come on Hugo, your Mum loves Harry,' cut across Ron with a small smile down to his son.

'Why can't she love you?'Asked Hugo, like it was the most simplest question in the entire world.

'Hugo!' Said Rose in shock, she knew you didn't ask questions like that.

Ron took it in good humour and gave a small laugh.

'Because love doesn't work like that, it's a very complicated thing and one day you'll learn all about it.'

'Why can't I learn now?'

'Because you're too young.'

'I'm six!' Hugo puffed his chest out.

'I know you are but you'll have to wait,' Hugo went to say something else but Ron just picked him up and hugged him tightly. Hugo hugged back with as much force as his little body could muster.

'I love you Daddy,' he said when Ron put him back down.

'I love you too,' he placed a gentle kiss on his son's forehead. 'Come here,' he crouched down and beckoned Rose over. 'Now, you two better behave for your Mum and Harry okay? And enjoy the wedding,'

'I won't,' murmured Hugo.

'I love you both very much,' Ron said as he pulled both of his children into a hug.

'Love you too Daddy,' smiled Rose.

'Blue Bear loves you too Daddy,' said Hugo and handed the much-loved, worn teddy to Ron.

'I love you too, Blue Bear,' said Ron into the teddy's beady eyes and hugged the toy, before handing him back. 'Take care of him now, won't you?' Hugo nodded vigorously.

'Have fun with the dragons,' smiled Hugo.

'I will and I'll send you lots of pictures,' Hugo looked like he was about to explode with excitement at the thought of dragon pictures.

'Really?!'

'Yeah, really!'

'Cooool!'

'Be careful Daddy.'

'Oh, I will Rose, don't worry about that,' he smiled at his eldest.

'Right we best be off,' said Hermione, both children looked disappointed at having to leave their father.

'Hope everything goes well at the wedding,' said Ron with a smile, slightly regretting his early minor outburst.

'Thanks,' she nodded and turned to leave, but before she could, Ron pulled her into a hug.

At first she froze, having not expected such a friendly gesture from her ex-husband, but she soon hugged him back.

'Take care,' she said afterwards.

'I will,' he smiled back at her. 'Say hi to Harry for me.'

'Will do, bye.'

'Bye Daddy,' said both children in unison.

Ron waved them goodbye from the door with a sad smile on his face.

That chapter on his life was closed now, forever. But a new one was just about to start and he, quite frankly, couldn't wait; working with dragons was far more exciting than deciding napkin colours for a wedding.

Yet, he decided he wouldn't make that call to their Hogwarts friends, if none of them didn't want to go to the wedding or support Harry and Hermione in their relationship then that was Harry and Hermione's problem, not his.

In fact, Ron would make some calls and invite them round for a final, farewell party.