I'm so sorry I haven't updated sooner. My only excuse is that I've been really busy, and this last week was even busier and then the internet wasn't working, but on the positive side, the internet is working again (obviously, since I'm updating) and now that this week is over, I should have a lot more free time to write, and therefore I'll be able to update faster (hopefully). Sorry again to anyone disappointed that it's been ages since I updated.
So, obviously (like the chapter title says) this is "Never Grow Up"; I loved this song from the moment I first heard it, and I thought a lot about which characters should be in this chapter. I really wanted it to be to a daughter from her father, so this chapter is for Ron and Rose (and I mean, Ron is most certainly the type of father to never want his daughter to grow up, right?).
Disclaimer: So, I'm still not J. K. Rowling or Taylor Swift, so I can't claim credit for characters, and this time I don't have any mysterious black-haired girls that I can claim. Now, on with the story!
Ron Weasley stared at the sleeping girl in his arms and smiled. Rosie will look just like her mother when she grows up, he thought. But she'll have the famous Weasley hair. He laughed; what a personality their daughter would have—Hermione's brains and his temper. Shaking his head, he returned his attention to the present and his one-year old daughter in his arms. Her little hand was wrapped around his finger, hugging it tightly as if she would never let go. He tucked her into bed and turned on her favorite nightlight, the one that was the exact replica of the stars outside.
He turned to look out the window. The full moon was shining on the ground, and it was so quiet in the world that night. It was just so peaceful; he didn't want to leave. So he sank into the rocking chair beside Rose's crib and watched her sleep. Even while sleeping she was laughing; she found everything funny—throwing dirt from the garden at her parents, uncles, and aunts; swinging up and down at the park; and even falling down when she tried to walk—; it all made her laugh. She never cried; she had no reason to cry. There was nothing in life for her to regret—yet.
Ron sighed. He would give all he had if she could stay like that—all laughter and no tears, always his little girl.
"Oh, Rosie," he whispered, "don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up; just stay this little. Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up; it could stay this simple."
He knelt beside her crib and added, "I won't let anybody hurt you; I won't let anyone break your heart; no one will desert you; just do me one favor and try to never grow up."
He stood up and walked to the door and said one last time, "Never grow up" before leaving and shutting the door behind him.
The door slammed shut, and Ron crossed to the window and watched as Hermione and Rose climbed into the car. Rose was going to see a movie in town with her muggle friends. He chuckled to himself when he looked at Rose. She was staring straight ahead, looking anywhere except at Hermione, and her cheeks were bright red, the exact same shade as her hair which hung down hiding her face. She was mortified that her mom was dropping her off; his little girl was fourteen, and there was still just so much she couldn't do. Ron knew that Rose couldn't wait until she was of age and could move out.
He sighed and shook his head saying, "Oh, Rosie, don't make her drop you off around the block; just remember that she's getting older, too. And please, little Rosie, don't lose that way that you dance around in your p.j.s getting ready for school."
He laughed at the memory. Every year without fail on September 1st, Rose would be running around the house in her pajamas, literally dancing from room to room as she searched for her school things, barely finishing in time to change into her muggle clothes before they left for King's Cross. If only she could remain like that forever, always his little girl.
"Oh, Rosie," said Ron as he stared out the window at the countryside, "don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up; just stay this little. Oh darling, don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up; it could stay this simple. No one's ever burned you; nothing's ever left you scarred—why can't it stay like that?"
"So darling, even though you want to, just try to never grow up; please stay my little girl." He sighed again and turned away from the window his heart heavy because he knew that Rose would grow up no matter how much he didn't want her to.
Ron sat on the steps outside staring into the darkness, his heart heavier than it had ever been before, and he tried to pretend that if he just didn't go inside, nothing would change, that everything would stay just as it was for the past years. He sighed, tears coming to his eyes as he thought about it. Rose was seventeen, she'd finished school, and she was moving out in the morning; his little Rosie was leaving. Inside, Hermione was helping Rose pack her things; Ron couldn't bear to see the sight of those boxes slowly filling up, each one of them another piece of his daughter leaving him in the morning.
"Oh, Rosie," he whispered, "Take pictures in your mind of your childhood room; memorize what it sounded like when I got home. Remember the footsteps; remember the words said, and all your little brother's favorite songs."
Looking up at the stars twinkling merrily in the night sky, he sighed and added, "I just realized everything that we had is someday going to be gone."
From behind him, Ron heard the sound of the door opening and then Rose sat down beside him. "What are you doing out here, Dad? Hugo thought you'd gone to visit Uncle Harry, but Mum told me to check out here; she wants you to 'acknowledge the truth' and come help."
Ron was silent for a moment then still staring at the stars he began, "Rosie, do you know how many times when you were sleeping or on your way out the door to see your friends, or getting on the train to go to school, I've whispered to you to never grow up? I've told you this ever since you were a baby, but you've never heard, and now here you are all grown up."
Looking at her he continued, "But no matter how old you grow, you'll always be my little girl; I'll still see that girl I've seen all those years ago."
Rose smiled up at her father, "You do know that I'm not really leaving, right? I'm still planning on seeing all of you and the rest of the family everyday, same as now."
He smiled back at her. "I know, and that's the only reason I'm letting you move out, you know."
They both stood up, and Ron said, "Go inside now and finish packing. I'll be inside in a moment."
"Alright."
Ron watched her skip back inside and turned to look at the stars one last time. Shaking his head he whispered, "It's just not the same; I still wish you'd never grown up, but it's too late now; you have grown up. If only you could have stayed that little; if only it could have stayed that simple."
"I still won't let anyone hurt you; I still won't let anyone break your heart, but if only you had never grown up, if only you had never grown up." His heart still heavy, Ron turned to go back inside to help Hermione and Rose finish packing.
A/N: I have a lot more ideas for future chapters, and they should theoretically be up soon, but once again, I have had a crazy schedule, but once it dies down, chapters will be updated much more frequently than this one was.
Anyways, as usual the plea of all writers: review! (Please?)