Disclaimer: Like Ron loves Hermione, I love HP, but sadly I don't own it

Dedication: To my great friend Alex, without whom I'd go crazy in Astronomy & wouldn't have written half the stories I have. So Alex, here's to you, my human fanfic idea tank  Thanks for everything!

Sometimes people consider a surprise to always be a good thing. Usually if someone says they have a surprise for us we get all excited and really want to know what it is. They end up giving us news of babies, weddings, parties, or things like gifts an items we really want. However, there is that rare instance were the 'surprise' is not a good one, and unfortunately Ron Weasley had to learn this the hard way.

It was a warm spring day in the middle of April. One of those days where you want to get outside but can't because everything is still wet and soggy from the winter's snow. Ron Weasley sat in the floor of his home, playing with his two-year-old daughter Rose.

"Okay Rosie, you ready to open your first chocolate frog?"

"No! Wait fo' mummy," giggled the little girl.

"Well you're in luck Rosie, your mum just got home," he spoke as he heard the familiar 'pop' of his wife apparating home. The sound of high heels briskly walking on the hardwood floor made Ron know unmistakably that his wife was home. Hermione walked into the living room with her arms full of bags of all sorts from Diagon Alley. Looking up, she smiled when she saw her daughter and husband sitting on the carpet, a chocolate frog in Rose's hands, waiting to be opened. Rose jumped up and ran to her mother with eager, open arms.

"Well hello sweetheart!" she said, picking up her daughter and squeezing her tight, "And hello to you too love," she smiled as Ron came over and kissed her.

"How was work?" he said

"Urgh…busy as usual," she stated, readjusting a squirming Rose in her arms, "It's getting ridiculous with the ministry hiring these half-witted people to do a fully qualified person's job."

"Ah, watch it love, I'm on of those half-witted people," Ron chuckled, taking Rose and setting her back down on the carpet.

"Ronald! You most certainly are not! A git sometimes, yes, but your one of the smartest people I know," she said hugging him and kissing his cheek, "And besides, we all know I married you for your looks," she laughed and gave him a wink as she walked away into the kitchen.

"Oh, I know that's the only reason you did," he mocked in a fake serious voice, 'Oi! Come back in here so our daughter can open her first chocolate frog."

"Alright, hold on, let me get the dishes started!" she shouted over her shoulder. She flicked her wand and the dishes started cleaning themselves. Before walking back out into the living room, she glanced over her shoulder at the small plastic container sitting on the counter. Then with a sigh, she walked out and sat down on the carpet with her family.

"Alright, you ready sweetheart?" Ron asked as he pulled his daughter on his lap. He took her tiny hand in his and gripped his wand, "Okay on the count of three. One…two…three!"

The small child giggled as the wand flicked and a tiny chocolate frog hopped out of its box and leapt onto the carpet. Hermione flicked her wand and the small candy flopped over and laid still.

"Yay Rosie!" said both Ron and Hermione in unison. Rose crawled off her fathers lap toward the frog on the ground. Picking it up she stared at it quizzically, then smiled and started to eat.

"Oh Rose, you are going to be so much like your father," laughed Hermione, putting her head in her hands and shaking it. She looked back up at her daughter who was now half asleep on the ground.

"Hermione, I think you're absolutely right." Ron laughed as he picked up his now sleeping daughter, rocking her in his arms, "I'm going to put her down for her nap, be right back love."

"Okay, when you get back I have a surprise for you," she said quietly as not to wake Rose.

As Ron walked upstairs to put Rose down, Hermione got up and walked back into the kitchen. She flicked her wand again so the dishes would dry and put themselves away. She ducked as a plate whizzed by her head, that's when she came eye to eye with the small plastic container. Sighing, she took the container and leaned against the counter waiting for her husbands return. Her fingers drummed against the container and her mind wandered how Ron would take this. Her stomach knotted, this was going to be bad, and she could feel it.

Ron walked in the kitchen and leaned against the doorframe, hands in pockets. He watched his wife drum on what looked like a small, pale pink container.

"Whatcha' have there love?" asked Ron as he started to walk to his wife.

"Oh! Umm… well it's…your surprise," she said a bit startled, "Is Rose asleep?"

"Yeah she's out cold, little bugger's been running around all afternoon," he chuckled, "So a surprise huh? And it's in that tiny container?" she nodded, "Okay than, well you have your ways so I'm not even going to guess what's in there."

"You probably wouldn't guess it anyway," she sighed, "I just want to help, so DON"T freak out or anything okay?"

"Alright Hermione, but I don't think it could honestly be that bad in that tiny thing," he said.

"Okay then, here goes nothing," she said briskly and walked a few steps toward Ron. She stopped in front of him, put her hand over the lid and peeled it off. Ron looked down inside, and the smirk disappeared off his face. He drained of color and his eyes went as wide as galleons.

Mwhaha cliffhanger!

Onto chapter two!