"Ron" Hermione whispered. Ron came to his wife's side and stoked her hair.
"What's wrong, babe?" Ron asked concerned.
"I was going to take the children to the park today but I'm so tired, I'm horrible mother!" Hermione cried. Ron brought Hermione in his arms and cuddled her.
"No, you are not! You are the best mummy, the children know you get tired easily and they know why!" Ron said.
"What if I can't be there for them one day because I'm too tired, especially Emma" Hermione cried. Ron's soul just shattered at the feelings his Hermione was pouring out to him. Ron held Hermione even closer and sang to her. Jack heard the singing and watching his parents and he caught sight of his sister and tugged her towards him.
'Daddy singing to mummy' Jack Signed. Emma read the words "bad mother" on Hermione's lips and Emma went hug her mummy.
"You best mummy in world" Emma said. Hermione cried even harder at her daughter's sweet words. Hermione held her little girl close and kissed her forehead.
"Emmy, can you go with Jack and watch TV sweetie, I need to take care of mummy" Ron said. Emma led her brother to the playroom. Ron laid Hermione gently on the bed and kissed her and stroked her.
"I love you" Ron said nuzzling her cheek.
"I love you too" Hermione said.
"No more tears, my love, ok? Emma just proved to you that you are the best mum" Ron said. Ron stayed with Hermione until she fell asleep and kissed her forehead as he left their bedroom.
Ron decided to take the children to the park.
"How do you get dressed, Emma? Can you get your dress on yourself?" Ron asked. Ron and Hermione were teaching Emma and Jack to be a little independent, especially Emma. Ron knew this was very important to Hermione, after he taught her to be independent during treatment. Emma got out her favorite dress, a light purple one Harry and Ginny gave her for Christmas and pulled it over her head.
"I did, daddy! I did myself!" Emma squealed. Ron hugged her and kissed her forehead.
"Good job, Jellybean, I'm very proud of you" Ron said.
"Mummy, brush my hair, please?" Emma asked.
"Mummy is napping, sweetie remember?, she is very tired, you remember why mummy gets tired easily?" Ron asked.
"Mummy had cancer, I love mummy, I want her brush my hair" Emma's eyes swimming with tears. Ron's heart broke at this; next week Hermione was going to the hospital for her survivorship appointments with Wolfe and a psychologist, and Wolfe was going to see if there was something she could give Hermione to allow her to have more energy.
"Mummy loves you very much, sweetie, but mummy's cancer made her very tired. She is going to the doctor next week and they are going to give her something that will make her less tired. Emma wiped her eyes and she let her daddy brush her hair.
"Jack are you ready pal?" Ron asked.
"Can Kodiak come?" Jack asked.
"No buddy not this time, he has to stay here and protect mummy and the house" Ron said.
"Bye Kodiak" Emma said hugging the large husky. She giggled when he licked her face.
On their way to the park, a woman stopped them and commented on the twins.
"They are beautiful, you look quiet young to be a father" the woman said.
"My wife and I are 24, we got married at 19 and had the twins at 22" Ron said.
"That is very young" the woman said.
"Well my wife had leukemia when we were 16 and she was at risk for early menopause so we thought it would be best to start a family early" Ron said.
"I'm sorry, how long has your wife been in remission?" the woman asked.
"Seven years" Ron said. Emma hid behind Ron and he picked her up.
"Hello there, what's your name?" the woman asked Emma.
'Emma' Signed shyly.
"She Signs?" the woman asked.
"They both do, Jack here is hearing and Emma is deaf, she is still learning to lip read" Ron said.
"They're just darling" the woman said.
"Thank you very much, come on guys" Ron said.
"Uncle Ron!" a child's voice said.
"Hey Nikki, what's up, sweetie?" Ron asked.
"I got my Hogwarts letter today!" Nikki said.
"Oh congratulations, sweetie! You know Aunt Ginny and Uncle work there" Ron said.
"Yeah, Aunt Ginny works with students with special needs and Uncle Harry is the D.A.D.A Professor. Hi Jack, Uncle Ron, can Emma talk now?" Nikki asked.
"Yeah a little bit, you guys want to go play?" Ron asked.
"Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny are watching me this weekend, they're over there" Nikki said. Jack and Emma ran to their aunt and uncle.
"Uncle Harry!" Emma smiled as she ran into his lap.
"Hey Little Em, you are speaking so well" Harry said.
"Thank you" Emma said.
"Aunt Ginny, mummy is taking me and Emma to see Hogwarts! She has do business there" Jack said.
"Hey mate, you have an Emma in your lap" Ron said.
"Can I keep her?" Harry asked.
"Um, no sorry we really like her. Why don't you two go play with your cousin Nikki" Ron said.
"Ron, I have good news" Ginny said.
"What is it?" Ron asked.
"I'm pregnant! Four months along" Ginny said.
"Oh Gin, congratulations! Boy or girl?" Ron asked.
"Boy. We're naming him James" Ginny said.
"That's great guys, I have to tell Hermione" Ron said.
"She's not here?" Harry asked looking for any sign of his female friend.
"She's sleeping, she's going to hospital next week to see if she can get a potion that will make her have more energy" Ron said.
"We're having a family get together next Saturday, you guys will come right, with the twins?" Harry asked.
"Yeah of course" Ron said.
"So how is Emma doing?" Ginny asked.
"She's doing great, she can Sign and she still learning to put her words in sentences but yeah, she's my little Jellybean" Ron said.
"Aww, she's a daddy's girl" Ginny said.
"Uncle Ron, Uncle Ron, Emma got hurt" Nikki said.
"What?! What happened?" Ron asked.
"She was scared of going down the slide and Jack and I were at the bottom trying to get her to come down and there was a boy behind her shouting at her, he didn't know she was deaf and he pushed her hard and she landed on her belly" Nikki said. Ron, Harry and Ginny ran to Emma who was sobbing and a large cut on her arm. Ron picked up Emma and rocked her and kissed the side of her head.
"Ok Jellybean, shhh, daddy's here, you're ok" Ron cooed even though he knew his daughter wouldn't hear him. Emma's crying ceased but wanted to remain in her father's arms to feel safe. Jack kissed Emma's head and hugged her. Jack was much bigger than Emma. At birth Jack weighted 10 pounds while Emma weighed 4 pounds, she is a tiny toddler too but still beautiful with her auburn curls and blue eyes and freckles. Jack had the auburn hair too expect he had Hermione's eyes and freckles.
"Daddy can we go home now? Emma said she wants to" Jack said.
"I didn't hear her, buddy" Ron said.
"She Signed it to me" Jack said. Jack took his father's hand and tiny Emma tucked in his other arm, her face buried in his shoulder.
"I want mummy" Emma cried.
When they got home Hermione was laying on the couch reading a book with a blanket over her. Emma ran from Ron's arms and up to snuggled up to her mum.
'What happened to my special girl?' Hermione Signed to Emma.
'Boy pushed me down slide, I fell on my belly' Emma Signed.
"My poor baby, Ron weren't you watching her?!" Hermione said angrily.
"Ginny and Harry were at the park too, with Nikki and I sent the twins off with Nikki. She's ok, love, she'll just have a scare on her arm" Ron said.
"She can't hear Ron! Do you know how scary that must have been for her! Come on, baby, mummy will take you to get some ice cream" Hermione said.
"Mummy is really mad at you, daddy" Jack said. Ron now felt really bad about leaving his children alone with their 11 year old cousin. Tears welled up in his eyes and Jack tapped his shoulder.
"It's ok, daddy, it was an accident" Jack said.
"Thanks pal, I love you kids and mummy so much" Ron said.
"We love you too, daddy, mummy really loves you, that's why you got married and had us" Jack said. Ron smiled at the wisdom his children held and he picked up his son and kissed his forehead.
Later that night Hermione was still mad at Ron and wasn't speaking to him.
"Hermione, please baby, I'm sorry" Ron said.
"You left our two year old children with their 11 year old cousin! Now Nikki is a wonderful girl but I don't think she was old enough to watch two toddlers by herself, especially when one of them can't hear!" Hermione screamed.
"You can't shelter all her life, Hermione!" Ron said.
"You did it with me when I was in treatment!" Hermione screamed. Ron didn't say anything.
"I know I can't shelter Emma all her life but she is just a baby! When she gets older she'll need to know that the world won't always be kind to her because she's deaf! She'll need to see how the world sees people like her and people like her mum" Hermione cried tears streaming down her face. Hermione allowed Ron to hold her and kiss her.
"Emma is a beautiful little girl, my love, when she goes to Hogwarts, a young wizard will love her for who she really is, like I love you for who you really are" Ron said.
