July 15, 2021

"Rose, can you help your grandmother set the table please? Rose, did you hear me?"

"It'll be faster if you just use magic," Rose mumbled, not moving from her spot on the worn out couch she'd been in for the past hour. She had her wand in her hand and was waving it around so that little white sparks flew from it every few seconds.

"I'm asking you to set it," Hermione replied irritably. "Get up and go and do it. It'll only take you a few minutes."

"It'll take you a few seconds," Rose retorted.

"Rose! Listen to your mother."

"Ron…."

"No, she's been like this since she's come back and I am sick of it." Ignoring Hermione's protests, Ron marched over to where his daughter was and yanked her by the arm so she was on her feet.

"Dad!" Rose cried.

"Your mum asked you to set the table," Ron said angrily.

"And I said no," Rose retorted coldly. She looked Ron square in the eye, and he returned it, just as stubborn.

"It wasn't a question you had to respond to."

"Then she shouldn't have asked it."

By now – for those who were still inside the Burrow – everyone had gone quiet, feeling very uncomfortable with the argument they all sensed was about to erupt between father and daughter. Normally, the two of them got along really well, but they had the same temperament, and when they were both angry… all hell broke loose.

"Go and set the table, Rose. It's a simple task."

"Then you do it." Rose sat back down on the old couch, glaring at nothing.

"Rose!"

"Ron, it's okay. It's fine. I'll do it instead." Angelina picked up the plates that were resting on the bench and began laying them around the table.

Ron's face was a bright red, and Rose refused to look, or speak to anyone. It had been like this ever since they'd picked her up from King's Cross a month ago. She barely said hello to them, and the moment they got home, she locked herself in her room, only leaving it for the bathroom and meals.

Whatever had happened at Hogwarts to cause such a drastic change in her attitude, no one knew. Hugo simply shrugged when they asked him, and said she was just being annoying. Her cousins had no clue either, but they said she was fine at Hogwarts – much more like the Rose they knew and loved.

"Don't expect any lunch, then," Ron retorted moodily. "If you don't help, you don't eat."

"Good. It looks gross anyway."

And that was when Ron lost it completely. He was fuming now, pointing an angry finger to the back door where the younger children were playing outside. "Go out there!" he said.

"Ron…." Hermione joined him now, tugging on his arm, begging him to calm down.

"Outside, Rose! You do not come in here and sit around as if it's your house, and refuse to help at all, and then criticise the food your grandmother has cooked for you. Go outside, and don't come back in until you're ready to apologise. I don't care if you don't eat for a week, that is uncalled for."

Her own face red with fury, Rose jumped to her feet. A good two heads shorter than her father, she glared up at him with narrowed eyes. "I didn't even want to come today!" she spat. "You made me come. You said if I didn't then I'd be in big trouble. So I came, I made you happy, and you're still yelling at me. Obviously I can't do anything right, so why do I even bother? I might as well just go back to school."

"Maybe that wouldn't be such a bad idea," Ron said angrily. "You've been in nothing but a bad mood since you left."

"Ron…."

Rose's angry eyes darted around the room, taking in each member of her family. "I'm obviously not wanted here," she said. "Fine, I'll go, but don't expect me to come back when you want to go home."

And she stormed past everyone, out the back door, and disappeared somewhere they couldn't see.

Ron made to follow, but Hermione stopped him. "I'll go," she said. "You'll end up killing each other."

He didn't argue with her. He simply watched his wife follow their daughter, and then looked around at the concerned looks his mother, Angelina, and sister gave him. His expression softened somewhat.

"The teenage years, huh?" Angelina said after a few moments. "It's what George and I have to look forward to, right?"

Ron gave half a smile. "Maybe hope they haven't inherited the Weasley temper," he said.

OOO

Hermione found her daughter sitting by the edge of a pond, a fair distance away from where the others were playing. She had her knees drawn to her chest, eyes staring at nothing. When she sat down beside Rose, she noticed tear streaks down her cheeks.

"That was uncalled for, Rosie," she said gently. "Your dad had a point."

"He didn't need to yell at me for it," Rose responded bluntly.

"Neither did you."

"Is he mad?"

"Yeah, a little bit," Hermione said. "But can you blame him?"

Another tear rolled Rose's cheek, and she drew her knees closer towards her body, shivering despite it being fairly warm. Hermione knew she was feeling guilty. She always did when she got into a fight with Ron. More so than she ever did when fighting with her.

"What is it, sweetheart? Why have you been so cold towards us lately? Have we done something to upset you? Did something happen at school? You can talk to us, you know. Rather than getting angry."

There was silence for quite some time before Rose decided to speak. She let her legs fall flat against ground, and sighed. "Why do I want to come to a place I probably won't see any more?"

Hermione frowned. "Why do you think you won't see it anymore?" she asked.

Rose shrugged. "Well, you and Dad… you're always fighting now, and… and… are you going to get divorced? You can tell me. It's better that I know now, so I can prepare for it."

Her words were so decisive – so real – that it took Hermione by surprise. Her mouth opened but no words formed. She knew she should have realised her children weren't oblivious to the tension. They were old enough to understand.

"Oh, sweetheart, that's not going to happen!" she said after a while. "We're perfectly happy together… and why would you think that'd affect you seeing the Burrow again?"

"Well, I'd probably live with you, wouldn't I? Meaning I wouldn't be able to see Grandma and Grandpa Weasley anymore."

Hermione shook her head, unable to find the right words to comfort her daughter. Had this been what was bothering Rose? Had she been afraid of getting too close because she thought her family was falling apart?

"Rose… I don't know what to say… you're worried that your Dad and I are going to… break up?"

Rose nodded. "I thought you hated each other," she said. "And I hated you for that."

"Rosie, we don't. We were just going through a bit of a rough patch last time you were here, but it's okay. We got through that, and everything's okay now. I promise."

"You argued yesterday," Rose said.

"That was an argument, not a fight, Rosie. And it was a silly argument. We're over it now." Hermione saw Rose swallow. "Everything's okay, Rosie. Don't worry. I love your dad and he loves me. And anyway, even if that were to happen – which it won't – that wouldn't stop you from seeing your family. Your dad and I love you very much, and so does everyone else."

Rose gave an indifferent shrug. "Oh well, it wouldn't matter anyway, I guess. Dad told me not to come back in the house."

"If you apologise you can."

"I did nothing wrong!"

"You did, Rosie. It was uncalled for to react the way you did. If you'd just done as I asked, it would have been over by now."

Rose's expression hardened again. "I'm not apologising," she said stubbornly.

Hermione nodded. "That's your call, Rosie, but just remember that when you are ready to apologise, there'll be people waiting to hear it."

"Well, they can wait as much as they like," Rose said. "Dad should apologise to me too!" she added as Hermione got to her feet.

"And he will," Hermione assured her. She looked at her daughter. "Alright, I'll be in the house."

When she was back in the kitchen, it was Ginny who came up to her. Ron and Molly were nowhere to be seen, and Angelina apparently thought it none of her business to pry.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

Hermione shook her head. "No, not really," she confessed. "Poor Rosie's confused. She asked me to just tell her now when Ron and I are breaking up so she can be prepared."

"Where'd she get that idea from?" Ginny questioned.

"Well, a few months ago, you and Harry were under that impression, too," Hermione said with a shrug. "Sometimes, I just think it'd be easier if we tell them the truth; tell them why everything's been so hard lately. But, it's Ron's call, and I need to respect that."

"They're your children, Hermione."

"And they're Ron's too, and he only doesn't want to tell them because he loves them. They're twelve and fourteen, Ginny. They don't need to know that their lives are potentially in danger. We went through that, and the last thing I want is for them to go through that, too. They deserve the childhood we never had."

Ginny nodded. "I understand," she said. "And we won't tell anyone until you think they're ready to know. They should hear it from you, when you both think they're ready."

"They already know something's wrong," Hermione continued. "Rose's obviously noticed the tension between us."

"But, ever since you guys went away, you've been really happy. That weekend worked wonders."

"But it's not perfect, Ginny. It hasn't been perfect for ages. I'm not sure it ever will be again."

"You guys are tough," Ginny assured her. "And Rose and Hugo are tough, too. You'll all get through it. You and Ron love each other – that much is obvious – and you've made it work for almost a year now, so don't give up."

"I'm not giving up!" Hermione said, laughing dryly. "Sometimes I'd love to hex him into the next century, but…." She sighed. "But, I love him, I guess." She smiled, and Ginny laughed.

"Yeah, I know."

Their conversation wasn't given a chance to continue due to Molly coming in, levitating a big roast chicken, which landed on the table with a clunk.

"Get the kids inside will you, dear?" she said to Ginny.

Ginny nodded, and exited the kitchen.

"Will Rose be joining us?" she then asked Hermione.

Hermione shook her head. "I don't think so," she said. "Sorry."

"Yes, I'm sorry, too. A temper like her father's, that one."

"Unfortunately," Hermione replied, smiling as Ron also re-entered.

It was a common thing for them all to spend a day at the Burrow over the summer. Molly would cook a big lunch for everyone, and they'd all sit around the magically extended table, talking about how school had been, and how everyone was.

It was rare – like today – for everyone to be there. Percy and Audrey had been unable to make it due to work commitments, and Angelina had brought Fred and Roxanne without George because he had to work at the shop.

Charlie was away in Romania still, but Bill and Fleur had managed to make it with just Louis. It wasn't the whole family, but it was close enough.

"Where's Rose?" James wondered as he sat down beside Albus.

"In trouble," Ron growled, helping himself to some of the roast vegetables that were right in front of him.

"She's not eating?" Albus wondered.

Ron didn't say anything, nor did anyone. Some – who hadn't been there during the argument – were looking around, confused. Others just looked very uncomfortable.

"So, James, how's school going?" Molly asked, breaking the tension.

James shrugged. "Er… fine, Grandma," he said.

"Not getting into any trouble, I hope?" Arthur then questioned.

James shook his head. "Nope."

Ginny looked highly amused by that answer, but didn't say anything. Soon, Rose seemed to be forgotten, and everyone began engaging in various conversations around the table.

Hermione threw a glance towards the door every once in a while, but was sorely disappointed every time. Rose was stubborn – she wasn't going to come crawling back and apologising just so she could eat. She knew that, but it didn't stop her from hoping.

Once she'd cleared the dishes away, Molly laid out dessert, and it was well into the evening before any of them even bothered to move.

"It's a shame Rose couldn't join us," Molly said sadly to Hermione as she helped her mother-in-law clear away the dessert plates.

"I know," Hermione said. "I saw Ron pass a plate to James. He wouldn't really let her go hungry. But she needs to learn that she can't have things go her way all the time."

"I saw her wandering around the yard a while ago. Maybe we should bring her inside."

Hermione nodded. "I'll go and get her," she said. "She and Ron will just end up in another fight." She smiled sadly, and Molly seemed to understand.

"It must be hard for them," she said. "Rose and Hugo."

Hermione nodded. "They know something's going on," she said.

"Well, hopefully she'll be caught soon, and you and Ron can rest easy. Ron isn't coping well either. He pretends it doesn't bother him as much as it does."

Hermione nodded again. "I know," she said. "I know."

"Who's up for a game of Exploding Snap?" Bill shouted across the room. "Everyone?"

There were shouts of mes and yeses, and everyone shuffled into the living room, leaving Molly and Hermione standing in the kitchen.

They smiled at each other.

"I'd much prefer to clean the kitchen than play that ghastly game," Molly said humorously.

"You and I both," Hermione agreed. "Though, Ron and I would sometimes play it with the kids when they were younger."

"I think it's a favourite pastime for every wizarding family," Molly said. "It's how they learn."

"I'll go and get Rose," Hermione told her. "Maybe she's feeling really bad now that she'll be willing to help clean up. Then, we might head home. Anymore tension, and I think Ron will tear something apart."

As Hermione expected, Rose was fairly easy to coax inside. She was shivering by an old tree, and when Hermione approached, she looked thoroughly relieved.

"You ready to come inside?" she asked. "Your grandma would really appreciate some help with cleaning up after dinner."

For a moment, Rose contemplated arguing, but the warning look from her mother changed her mind. A little bit of rain was falling now, and no one wanted to be standing out there much longer.

"Okay," she said quietly.

Hermione smiled. "Thank you," she said. "She'll be happy for your help."

They wandered back through the door, and before she even did any cleaning, Rose's arms wrapped tightly around her mother's waist.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"Rose, it's not me you need to apologise to," Hermione said, pulling away. She smiled, brushing a strand of hair from Rose's eyes. "But that can wait for tomorrow," she added, kissing the top of her daughter's head/ "Help Grandma clean up, and then we'll go home. That sound okay?"

Rose nodded.

"Come and get us when you're done. We're just in there." Hermione pointed to the living room.

"Thanks for not getting angry, Mum," Rose said.

"Well, maybe you're just lucky I don't have the same temperament as you and your dad," Hermione answered. "Try and keep it under control in the future, okay?"

"Only if he does."

"Come on, clean up, and as soon as it's over, the sooner you can relax."

Once she was sure Rose was obliging to her promise to help her grandmother, Hermione joined the others in the living room, just as the card deck exploded in Hugo's face.

He groaned.

"You need to be quicker, mate," Bill teased.

Hermione laughed. Hugo never had been great at that game. She'd lost count of the number of times the cards had exploded on him.

Sitting out of that game, Ron came to sit beside her. "How's Rosie?" he asked.

"Helping your mother clean," Hermione answered. "She's sorry, Ron. She's just worried. She's not blind to everything, you know. Neither is Hugo. He doesn't say anything, but they know something's wrong."

Ron nodded. "Yeah, I know," he said. "But as long as she doesn't hate me too much…?"

"Ron, she can stay as angry with you for as long as you can stay with her. Just apologise to each other and it's all sorted."

Ron kissed the side of her head. "You know us too well, Hermione. That's what makes you so wonderful."

Hermione leaned against his shoulder. "There's many things that make me wonderful," she teased. "You just haven't discovered them yet."