Using the prompt 'neck'

Summary: Ron is having a hard time accepting that Rose is old enough to go to Hogwarts. When he tries to tell her how much he loves her and will miss her, he realises that 'I love you' simply isn't enough for the little girl who has completely stolen his heart.


A Better Word Than 'I Love You'

"Ron, what's the matter?" Hermione lit her wand and pointed it at Ron. He'd been restless all night, tossing around in the bed, flipping his pillow multiple times, and eventually resorting to sitting up. He was fiddling with something in his hand, and when she shined her wand on it, any frustration she might have felt, vanished.

He was staring at a photograph of their two children. A two-year-old Rose was smiling up at the camera with a newborn Hugo in her lap. She looked delighted and thrilled to be holding the baby, a look that would change soon after when Rose discovered that she didn't have her parents' attention all the time anymore.

It was Ron's favourite picture of their children. He would always take it with him when he went away on Auror missions.

Hermione reached out her other hand and placed it on top of his. "Are you okay?"

Ron shook his head, looking at the picture. "I don't want her to go."

Hermione smiled. "I know. Neither do I, but she has to. She got her letter."

Ron let out a long, distressed sigh and he sat the picture in his lap, turning to his wife. "It doesn't seem that long ago she was this little. Back then, she be eleven seemed so far away. I'm used to being away from them for a few days, but this is months we're talking about. And what if she can't make any friends there? What if she gets lonely? What if –"

"Ron." Hermione laughed, taking the frame. "This is our Rosie we're talking about. The little girl who has been excited for Hogwarts since she could talk. The little girl who is more than capable of taking care of herself. The little girl who we've raised to be kind, caring, considerate and confident in everything she does. That's who we are sending on that train."

"I just don't know if I can do it." Ron sighed, running fingers over his tired eyes. "I tried to sleep, but I just kept dreaming about something going wrong. Something happening to the train, or she's hurt, or… I don't know. I just –"

"Don't want to let go of your little girl," Hermione said. "I get it."

"No one old me it'd feel like this, sending them off. Everyone goes to Hogwarts, so I assumed that when the time came, it'd be easy to give her up to the school."

"She's still our daughter, Ron, Hogwarts or not. It'll always be hard letting her go."

"I'll miss her."

"So will I."

"She's my – our – daughter. How am I supposed to think sending my child off far away will be what's best for her? Hogwarts is safe, but nowhere is safer for her than here. We know her best. And, here, she won't just be another student sent off to the hospital wing if she gets hurt, we'll actually pay attention to her."

"Ron, stop, will you?"

Ron stared at her.

"You're overthinking. Hogwarts is safer than when we were there. Your only concern is that you'll miss her, Ron. And that's okay. But she'll be fine."

"I don't want to let her go."

Hermione smiled sympathetically, squeezing his hand. "You're such a loving father, Ron. She and Hugo are very lucky to have you. She knows how much you'll miss her, I've no doubt. But I promise you, she'll be alright. It's hard to let go, I know that. When it's time to say goodbye, all you need to do is tell her just how much you'll miss her and say you're looking forward to seeing her again soon." Hermione knew what Ron was like when he was upset, particularly when it was something to do with his children. It had taken him years to start conveying his true feelings to her, and he was still learning it with Rose and Hugo. The last thing she wanted was for Rose to go to Hogwarts thinking her father couldn't wait to get rid of her because he shut down instead of telling her just how much he didn't want her to leave.

She leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "And if that's too much for you, at least tell her you love her. That's something she can't go to Hogwarts not hearing."

Ron nodded absently, his expression distant. Hermione let the light on her wand out and laid back down. If now was anything to go by, Ron was not going to cope when the actual moment came.

"Rosie." Ron laughed as his daughter dragged her trunk down the stairs, already dressed in her school robes. "Rosie, you don't need to wear them now."

Rose looked up at him, confused. "I know, but I want to. I want to be prepared!"

Ron smiled. "Just like your mother, you are."

Rose beamed and threw open the front door to take her trunk out to the car. Ron stared after her for a moment, before following. It felt like only yesterday he'd held the tiny little baby in his arms for the first time. He remembered as clearly as anything her rose-red cheeks that had inspired her name, and how her bright blue eyes had stared up at him, only a few hours old.

He'd not expected the rush of emotions that flooded him in that moment, nor had he thought himself capable of feeling them. He'd fallen in love that day. Not in the same way he had with Hermione, but in a very different, much more powerful sense that he found very difficult to put in words. How was it possible that he had room in his heart to feel such things for her mother and a tiny human he hardly knew? Then two years later there seemed to be even more room for Hugo as well. To this day – eleven years later – he still wasn't sure he had the answer. All he knew was that his perfect little girl would be boarding the Hogwarts Express for the first time in a few short hours and he wasn't sure he was ready for that.

He stopped for moment at the door, watching her as she heaved the heavy trunk to the back of the car. He smiled. Sometimes he had to remind himself that she was his daughter, for surely somebody so perfect couldn't come from him. What had he ever done to deserve her?

Sucking in a deep breath and remembering what Hermione had said to him, he walked toward her. "Let me help with that, Rosie." He took her trunk from her hands as she attempted to lift it up herself.

"Thanks, Dad."

"You know, Rosie," Ron said, forcing the trunk into the magically-enhanced boot, "sometimes I have a hard time thinking that you're eleven now and off to Hogwarts."

"Twelve in December," Rose reminded him with a grin.

"I remember my first ride on the Hogwarts Express. I remember how excited I was to finally get to go after I'd seen off all my brothers. It was also when I met your mother and Uncle Harry." He closed the door and turned back to face her. Rose had inherited the Weasley genes in build and temperament. She was tall for her age, had the red hair and a face full of freckles to go with it. Her temper and care-free attitude showed in certain situations, but at the same time he was bloody glad she'd inherited her intelligence and love for learning from Hermione. "It's going to be weird not having you around, Rosie. I've got kind of used to it after almost twelve years. Strangely, I'm not as excited this time."

"You still have Hugo," Rose said.

"Yeah, until we have to send him off too. Then what'll your mother and I do?"

For a moment, Rose stared up at him, and he could almost see Hermione in her. She was thinking about something, though he wasn't sure what.

"Dad?"

"Yes, Rosie?"

"Mum always said you're not good with expressing how you feel. Is this your way of telling me that you love me and you'll miss me?"

Ron wasn't sure how to respond. He could only stare at her. She was a clever kid, switched on and tuned into the feelings and emotions of others. And, by Merlin, he loved her more than he could ever express with words. "Yeah, Rosie. It is."

She smiled up at him, and then without any warning, threw herself into his arms, drawing her own arms around his neck in a tight hug. Ron picked her up, feeling her cheek press against his.

"I love you too, Dad. And I'll miss you so much."

Ron put her back on her feet and smiled. "There's just no words to describe how I feel about you, Rosie. That's why I struggle sometimes, because telling you I love you isn't enough. And I really don't want to have to say goodbye to you. By doing that, it means I have to admit you're growing up."

"I know you're worried about me."

"You know too much for your own good, you do," Ron said.

"But I'll be okay. I'll be put in Gryffindor, just like you and Mum."

Ron smiled at her. "You know I joke about the Houses a lot, Rosie, but I'll be really happy with whatever one you get in, as long as you're happy."

"Just not Slytherin, right?" Rose smiled, and again, hugged him tightly. This time it was Ron who had to force Rose to let go. "You're the best dad in the whole world. And maybe there aren't any words to tell you how I feel about you either."

"Are you sure you're only eleven, Rosie?" Ron asked.

Rose smiled. "Maybe we can just say 'I love you' until we find a better word?"

Ron looked at her for a moment, and then nodded. "That sounds fair. Anyway, come back inside now; your mother, brother and I have a surprise for you."

"No need. We're bringing it out here."

Ron and Rose turned to where Hermione and Hugo were carrying a rather large, bulky object. There was a blanket thrown over it, and Rose gasped.

"Your going away present," Hermione said, setting the gift on the driveway. "Go on, Rosie."

Rose hurried to the present and flung the blanket off the cage. Inside was a large brown owl.

"We know how much you wanted an owl, Rosie," Ron said. "So, Hugo has agreed to keep the cat for when he goes in two years."

Rose – a look of pure delight on her face – knelt beside the cage and stuck her finger in. The owl pecked her affectionately. "Is it a boy or a girl?"

"Boy," Hermione said.

"Then I'll call him Brave. It's a good name for a Gryffindor owl."

While Rose and Hugo played with Brave, Hermione turned to Ron. "So, did you two have a talk?"

"Yes," Ron said. "And sometimes I think she's eleven turning twenty."

Hermione smiled. "And you told her you loved her?"

"I told her that there were no words to describe how I felt about her," Ron said.

"And what did she say?"

A smile graced his lips. "That 'I love you' will do until we can find a better one."

Hermione leaned against him and he put an arm across her shoulders.

"She also said I was the best dad in the world."

"Well, perhaps you are. To them, at least. And that's all that matters."

"Well," Ron said with a shrug, "they're the best kids too."

"It gets easier, right?" Ron said to Harry as he watched Rose sit down in the carriage right where they stood. "Sending the second one off?"

"Not really," Harry confessed.

"It rips a piece right out of you seeing them all grown up."

"It sure does," Harry agreed, waving to Albus. "And to think in two years, we're right back here again, saying goodbye to our youngest ones.

Ron looked down at Hugo who was watching the train with envy. "I've decided Hugo's not going to Hogwarts. He's staying here."

At those words, Hugo spun around, looking up at Ron with horror. "Dad? I want to go to Hogwarts! That's not fair!" He turned to Hermione for support, who only smiled.

"He's joking, Hu," she assured him. "Your father just has a hard time letting go."

Hugo turned his attention back to the train, though he didn't seem convinced.

Harry and Ron smiled.

"Twenty-six years ago this was us," Ron said. "Who would have seen us here now?" He turned back to Rose who waved at him. He waved back and she then opened the window of the compartment. "Bye! I'll miss you!"

"Rosie –"

"I know, Dad!" Rose said. "Until we find a better word." She grinned at him, and Ron felt an ache in his chest. He stepped closer to the carriage and took her hand.

"But 'I love you' will do for now, right?" He smiled at her.

A moment later, the train began moving. He held onto her for as long as he could, but was forced to let go. Hermione rested a hand on his back as they watched the train vanish from the platform.

"Come on," she said after a moment. "Let's go home."

As they turned back the way they'd come, Ron couldn't help but draw Hugo just a little bit closer. He had two more years at least, before he'd be forced to do this all over again. He better make the most of it, and in the meantime, find a way to let his kids know just how much they meant to him.


I just did a HP movie marathon, which I'm always inspired by, and this is this time's inspiration (well, one of). I was compeltely Romione-inspired this time round haha. And yes, I do marathons frequently. A good way to spend 20 hours of my life, not gonna lie.