Hermione lazily stretched out her arm, but she grasped at thin air. Sleepily, she opened one eye to see after her husband. Surprised, she found that his bedside was empty and already cold. Ponderously she turned to take a look at the clock. 8.00 o'clock! She caressed her baby bump and thought for a moment: Saturday, which was usually the "sleeping-in-day" in the home of the Weasley family.

She listened, if she could hear the chatter of her daughter and her husband, nothing!

Suddenly she heard the crunch of the 5th stair step. Satisfied she closed her eyes and snuggled into her blanket. She heard the bedroom door open and the taps, taps, of the feet from her husband. "Sleepyhead, come on, open your beautiful eyes!" – "No!" – "please, for me!" – "Nay" – "breakfast is ready!" Hermione opened her eyes immediately and indeed, before the bed stood a grinning Ron, holding a tray high.

"You're lucky, that Wilbert is hungry!", she grumbled and sat up. Ron laughed "Yes, what a luck for me!" and carefully placed the tray with breakfast on Hermione's belly. "Bon Appetit, Mrs. Weasley!"

"Mm, egg, chamomile tea, toast with" – "With quark, smoked salmon, cheese and peanut butter.", Ron answered the unspoken question from his wife and glanced at the tray, "and pancakes, and – oh wait, I forget the maple syrup" Ron hastily left the bedroom. His wife called after him: "I hate maple syrup!" – "It's for me!", he yelled back. Hermione murmured "How silly of me.", and took a large bite of toast.

As Ron returned, he carried a giggling Rose sideways under his arm: ""See, what I found, a dwarf!" – "For me it looks more like a gnome!" – Her husband held his daughter in front of him and acted as, if he studied her face, then glanced at Hermione "Are you sure? More of a monkey, what do you mean?" He turned Rose around and showed her to his wife. Hermione did, as if she had to consider, "You're right, a monkey". Rosie cried out, laughing, "No, I'm Wosie!". "Exactly", smiled Hermione, "my sweet daughter, Rosie." Ron threw his daughter on the bed, who crawled to her mother. Hermione gave Rose a kiss on the forehead. Ron conjured a bottle of maple syrup out of his pajama pocket and jumped on the bed next to his wife and Rose: "All Weasley's on board? Then let's eat!"

Minutes later Hermione cast a glance at her daughter: "You are eating like your daddy and you get messy like him too!" She reached over and rubbed the corner of daughter's mouth with her thumb. Rose kicked her lips and smiled at her mother: "Sywup! Mmm, yummy." She patted her stomach. Her father laughed heartily and blew a raspberry on Rose's belly. Rose giggled happily and cried: "Mowe, daddy."

Her father satisfied her request twice, before exclaiming "I'm sorry, but the work is waiting for Super…," he threw his wife a sideways glance, "Ron!" – "You mean Superman!" Ron jumped full of energy off the bed and threw his imaginary cape around his shoulders. "Nope! Super-Ron!" , Ron grinned skittishly. He grabbed the tray, pushed his wife a book in the hand and hurriedly disappeared from the bedroom.

Hermione snorted: "Honestly, Super-Ron ? Your father looks definitely too many films, don't you think?". Rose shouted enthusiastically: "Supew-Won!" – Her mother laughed: "Just don't let that hear your father!" and tickled her delighted daughter.

About 30 minutes later, a still surprisingly frisky (already showered and dressed) Ron stood by the bed and clapping his hands together "So, monkey, time for your bath!" Rosie, who was scrolled through a picture book, placed herself happily on the bed and sprang from there in the waiting arms of her father. Humming to himself, he went with her into the bathroom. Hermione watched her man astonished over the rim of her book. She listened to the chatter of her two redheads, the deep voice of her husband and the bright one of her daughter. As a dripping wet Ron and warmly wrapped Rose came out of the bathroom, both were grinning from ear to ear.

"Oh, love, I've already prepared a bath for you", he shouted over his shoulder, as they left the room, to get Rosie dressed. Hermione was just trying to climb in the bath, as her husband stood with a grin in the door: "Do you need help?". She grumbled: "The laugh is always on the loser." – "I don't understand, what do you mean!" said her husband. She gave him a doubtful look, then she sighed "Come already here and help the whale in the water!" He rolled his eyes and helped his wife carefully in the bathtub.

Hermione leaned back and closed contentedly her eyes: "Where is Rosie?" – "She gives a tea party for her stuffed animals. Do you need something, a book, a glass ice tea or do you want me to wash your back?" – Hermione shook her head. – "Okay, then I'll go, Princess Rose invited to tea and her father, King Ronald, should not be late." At the door he turned around again: "If you need anything, cry!". Just then Rose came and took her father at his hand out of the bathroom, "Daddy come!" Ron waved in farewell to his wife.

Hermione tapped her fingers thoughtfully on the edge of the bathtub.

"Ron!", shouted she some time later, "the damsel in distress needs your help!"

Her husband came rushing to the bathroom "Bath time over?" Grunting, he lifted his wife out of the tub. She warned: "Don't say anything wrong, my dear!" Ron put her down on a matt: "I just wanted to say, to me you are as light as a feather", and wrapped her in a warm towel.

Hermione placed her hands on her hips and demanded ""Ronald Weasley, you tell me right away, what's wrong with you!" Ron ran a hand over his stubbly chin: "I don't know what you mean" Her eyes sparkled with anger, "I'm not stupid. Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. First you get up early.." – "The early bird catches the worm" – "Don't interrupt me! Then you make me breakfast in bed, then you bathe voluntarily Rose, the list is a mile long, so what's going on!" Ron held his hands over his heart "I am deeply wounded, I cannot even spoil my family?" Hermione crossed her arms over her chest and saw at him in silence. "Fine, fine, I'll tell you," defeat he sighed. "But you will not like it, " he added very quietly. - "Spit it out, I am waiting!"

Ron swallowed, closed his eyes and blurted out: "I will not be there at the baby shower for Wilbert!" – "And why not?", wondered a surprisingly calm Hermione. – Ron takes a deep breath: "Work?" His wife snorted disbelieving- "Degnome mum's garden?" – "Please, the truth!" – He raised his hands frantically: "The guys want to practice before the match against the team from St. Mungo's, and since the game is already next week .." His wife nodded in understanding: "Okay!" – "and we are really bad – wait – okay?"

"Go and have fun!", Hermione waved. – "Really?", Ron couldn't believe it, but as his wife only smiled at him, he embraced her enthusiastically, "You are the best!" – "I know!", she patted affectionately his back.

Ginny had to pee urgently, but with three pregnant women, the toilet was constantly occupied. Restless, she watched the guest bathroom and thought frantically: "Merlin Pants, how long needed Hannah to pee?" Her sister-in-law, who came just with a plate of sandwiches from the kitchen, smiled knowingly and pointed silently with her thumb to the first floor.

"Thank you!" mouthed Ginny and went so fast, like a 7 months pregnant woman could,

Up the stairs into the master-bathroom. Relieved, she stood afterwards at the sink to wash her hands. Curious, she looked around, until her eyes fell on a piece of paper on the mirror.

Shaking her head, Hermione watched as her mother, Molly and herself poured another raspberry brandy – meantime the 3, no, already 4 glasses. She looked at Audrey and Angelina, who the two older women also observed, and mouthed: "tipsy!". The three chuckled. Rose sat on the lap of Fleur and was amused at the pictures in her new storybook, while Luna told Hannah from her last expedition. Relaxed Hermione leaned back in the chair and stroked sluggish her baby bump.

At this moment Ginny came with a grin back into the living room, whereupon Hermione raised her eyebrows questioningly. Her sister-in-law held up a piece of paper. She plopped heavily into a chair and gave Hermione the paper. Hermione cast a quick glance, then smirked "This is Ron's "the-baby-comes-Check-List!". Immediately all discussions fell silent and the women looked at Hermione curiously. She waved casually: "When this little rascal makes his respects", she patted her belly, "Ron wants to be prepared!" Ginny took the list out of Hermione's hand, and read aloud: "Shoes?" She looked questioningly up.

"When Rose was born, Ron has forgotten in the hurry, well, to put on his shoes" Hermione smiled absently. The women laughed amused. "When you were born, your father went off without me!", a flushed Jean said cheerfully. "That sounds familiar", Hermione laughed heartily. Every woman could add something:

- At Bill's birth Arthur was wearing only his pajamas, when they arrived at St. Mungo's

- Harry flooed with Ginny into the Ministry

- Ron forgot his wife's name

- Percy fainted

The laughter grew louder and louder.

Suddenly the fireplace lit up and Ron stepped out of the emerald green flames. He knocked out the ashes from his clothes, then he looked up in surprise.

All the women were looking at him with a grin.

"What?" He looked down at himself - Nope, no ash!. He saw questioningly at his wife, which looked guiltily at her nails. He looked at his mother, who sniggered behind her hand. Then Jean, his mother-in-law, got up, stood there, while swaying slightly, in front of him and looked at his feet, Ron saw also down at his feet. Jean looked up, turned to the other women and said, "Check!" Laughter broke out. Even his little Rose laughed happily, although she probably don't know, why there was laughter at all.

Ron was deep red. Then he muttered, " I will quickly shower!" and literally ran up the stairs.

When he arrived freshly showered down, the women still had not calmed down. He threw his wife a "dark" glance, which said clearly "Traitor".

1 Week later

Annoyed Percy sat on the bench and watched the game of the team from the ministry "the Wolfhounds" (the name was Ron's idea, of course) against the team from St. Mungos, appropriately enough, "the Bone Crusher". Beside him, Michael Clarkson whistled with enthusiasm about a brilliant turn of the Wolfhounds. For Percy it made no difference, who would win today. He was just tired, hungry and wanted to go home to his family. Unfortunately, it did not seem, as if the game was soon over. Again, a loud whistle by Michael. Which fools are already playing in mid-December Quidditsch, moreover, only for fun.

When Ron in enthusiasm reveled because of the Q.A.L. (Quidditsch-Amateur-League), it was Audrey, who suggested that Percy should join the Wolfhounds. After all, he also worked in the Ministry. Percy had seen at his wife in horror and was relieved, when Ron said sheepishly the team was already complete. His brother was apparently also not thrilled by the idea. Unluckily his wife did not give up, and now he sat every second Saturday on the bench. He was responsible for the supplying with water or occasionally, he also commented the game, as long as enough spectators had appeared.

He glanced into the stands, today, there were just 12 spectators, probably all players' wives or –girlfriends. Some of them giggling together and and only a few watched the play process. He saw in the sky, which already darkened. Sighing, he turned back to the game. In his mind he already formulated the report for the sports section of the Daily Prophet (probably again just a side note): The Wolfhounds-Team, as usual, in dark blue shirt with their logo a white wolf head, were playing an even match against the team from St. Mungo's in their lime green shirts (their logo was a sign of a bone and a wand crossed). The wolfhounds …..

Harry flew to the goal posts and gave Ron, the keeper, a high-five: "Good save!" he grinned. "Maybe today are games observers of Cannons here and I'll discover as a new CC-Keeper, " Ron joked. "What the hell is going on with Perc?", he cried suddenly and pointing irritated to Percy, who ran on the side lines frantically up and down, and also waved like mad up to them. "Confundo?", Ron asked Harry with a grin, who said: " I think, I look better after him!" He showed August Pye, the team-captain from the "Bone Crushers", the symbol for Time-Out. August Pye nodded.

Ron watched, as Harry skillfully landed beside Percy, who immediately talk insistently to him. Then they both looked earnestly upwards at Ron. Harry gestured him, that he should come down. Ron swallowed and brushed his sweating hands on the trousers.

He landed on wobbly legs beside his brother and Harry. "What's up?", he asked anxiously. "Ron ", Harry holds him by his shoulders, "Hermione is in labor!" Ron's voice was barely above a whisper: "The baby comes? Now? But it was supposed to come until the end of December!" - Harry chuckled: "Out of the schedule, well, I think, the baby is already like you! Now come on, your wife is waiting.", he turned briefly to Percy, "I will apparate him to the hospital."

Then he shouted to August Pye: "Michael takes my position and Percy Ron's." August waved affirmative. "Under no circumstances", Percy stepped aghast back. – "You belong to the team, so you'll play", said Harry sharply, then he grabbed Ron's arm and cried: "St. Mungo's". "But Hermione is not at St. Mungo's, "called Percy out, however it was too late, the two were already vanished. Michael slapped him firmly on the shoulder: "Finally we can show, what we can!", and pushed him a broom into the hand. Percy grew pale and swallowed the lump in his throat: "Yeah, finally".

When Ron and Harry visa Side-Along Apparition in the maternity ward from St. Mungo's arrived, Ron was just a bundle of nerves. Nervously, he stood at the reception and cleared his throat: "My wife.." – "Hermione Weasley", Harry calmly completed. Ron threw him a grateful look: "yeah, Hermione Weasley is having a baby!" The nurse looked up and grinned "Ah, Auror Weasley, another one?!" She glanced over Ron's shoulder, and then she lifted her eyebrows into question marks. "No, no, this time I don't forget my wife at home" – Harry threw him a questioning glance – Ron waved him off "Long story ", and turned back to the Nurse, "she should already be here!"

The nurse frowned and looked at her papers, then she asked her colleague "Susan, do you know, if Mrs. Weasley has already arrived?" – "Which Mrs. Weasley?", joked Susan. "HERMIONE Weasley!" shouted Ron. – "No reason to be abusive, " snapped Susan, "and no, today we don't have a Mrs. Weasley on our station". Ron turned terrified to Harry, who remained calm: "Listen, Hermione Weasley was about 20 minutes ago with contractions rushed to the hospital, are you sure, she is not here?". The nurse looked at him distressed, "I'm sure, but maybe she was admitted to a Muggle-Hospital!"

"Oh god, " Ron closed his eyes briefly, "today she wanted to visit her parents, because Jean wants to bake Christmas cookies with Rosie. So if her contractions inserted there …" – "her parents had her taken to a Muggle hospital. How many Muggle hospitals there in London?", Harry asked the Nurse. "Perhaps ten or more".

Harry and Ron, both still wearing their Quidditch uniforms and gloves, arm-, knee- and shin-guards, not noticing the curious stares of passing Muggles, stood in the snow rain before St. Mungo's. Suddenly Ron straightened his body and stretched out his chin: "Let's go, ten Hospitals are waiting for us!" Harry shook his head "Until we found the right one, it may be too late. You want to miss the birth of your child?" Ron ran his hand desperately through his hair and grinned crookedly: "I'm open for any suggestions".

"Your in-laws have a telephone or mobile phone?" – Ron nodded. – "You don't know accidentally the number?" joked Harry. Ron thought for a moment: " The Quidditch team plays a game of chess with the Centaurs, also the number is 7 1 16 4" His friend looked at him impressed "Wow, excellent mnemonic"

King's College Hospital

Hermione was in the delivery room, and fought back tears. Her mother, who sat beside her, stroked her comfortingly the hair. "I'm sure Ron will arrive in time and as long as I remain with you." Suddenly there was a softness "ahem" behind Jean. As she turned, her happily smiling son-in-law standing before her. He wore blue pants, an OP shirt and a matching Op-Cap. Jean stood up from her chair and hugged Ron "Thank God, you are here on time!".

She wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes, bent down to her daughter "I'll wait outside, good luck!". She squeezed her daughter's shoulder encouragingly.

Hermione smiled through her tears: "Typically, at the last minute," her husband grinned and took her hand into his, "and youuuuuu", she squeezed his hand in pain, until this subsided, "look like a doctor!"

later

The exhausted but overjoyed Hermione stroked tenderly the brown fluff from her son. "Welcome little man, " she whispered, "I know, you were in a hurry to meet us, but your daddy almost would have missed your birth". Someone knocked at the door. "Now I'll you introduce to your sister Rose." Her husband led a very quiet Rose into the Room, who slowly approached her mummy and her new sibling.

Hermione smiled reassuringly: "Come here, little mouse, someone would like to know you," Rose looked with wide eyes at the bundle in her mother's arms, "Rose, that's your brother Hugo. Hugo, that's your sister Rose." Sheepishly, with one finger in her mouth, Rose stood beside the bed. Ron took Rose in his arms and placed her beside Hermione. "Hu..go?" Rose saw questioningly up at her mother. "Yes, Hugo. Would you like to hold him?" Rose nodded enthusiastically. Gently put Hermione her son in Rose's arms, while she put his head supportive in the crook of her arm. Amazed Rose consider her brother "I'm Wosie!" she whispered proudly.

Hugo William Weasley born 13 December 2006