Part 2: A Test of Loyalty

Chapter 10: Love

"More!" Victoire bounced up and down on the couch. "More!"

"But… I've read the same book three times!" Ron said. "Three times!"

"More!"

Ron stared at the book in his hands. Bill had left a handful of them, but Victoire wanted to hear the same story over and over… and over again. Ron could almost quote it already.

"How about this one?" Ron picked up another book.

Victoire shook her head. "More!" She pointed to the book he'd just finished.

Ron sighed. I can't do this. If he read it one more time, he would pull his hair out. Or gouge his eyes out. Either was preferable.

Victoire plonked heavily into his lap and opened the book. Dominique, who slept peacefully against him, stirred.

"Don't wake your sister!" Ron said hurriedly. He'd discovered she had a set of lungs on her louder than Victoire's. It had taken him a good hour to settle her, and only if she was lying against him..

"More!" Victoire demanded.

Ron closed his eyes, sucking a long, deep breath. You don't need this, you don't want this. But she's still your niece and Bill will murder you if she goes home upset. "One more time, Vic. One more time."

"More!"

"Yes, one more." He held up his index finger as if to make a point, but Victoire was already flicking through the pages.

Ron braced himself. It's just one more time. Then she can go to bed.

Ron didn't even get through the first five pages when he was startled awake by Dominique being lifted out of his arms. He instinctively drew his wand until he saw it was Hermione holding the baby.

"It's only seven," she said, and to Ron's surprise, there was something resembling affection in her tone.

Ron yawned, looking down at Victoire. She was sound asleep in his lap, the book still open on the last page he remembered reading and her head lolled to the side. "They're completely exhausting." He yawned again.

Hermione had spent the majority of the day avoiding him and the girls. Occasionally, she'd made an appearance, probably to check they were still all breathing, and responded convincingly enough if Victoire spoke to her. On the few occasions Victoire had managed to corner her, Hermione had been nothing but the attentive, interested person that most adults tried to show children when they told a boring story.

But other than that, she avoided Ron and didn't offer any help - not even when Victoire threw herself on the ground and refused to move until Ron said she didn't have to eat the rest of her dinner.

But now she stood before him, holding Dominique and more cheerful than she'd been all day.

"You handled them quite well, I thought," Hermione said.

"Excuse me?" Ron sat up, careful not to wake Victoire. "Well? It was a disaster. They did nothing but cry and complain and I had to bribe the pair of them with toys to get them to stop. Whenever I see Bill or Fleur with them, Bill tells Victoire to stop whinging and she does."

A small smile flashed across Hermione's face for a moment. It was gone before Ron could note it. "Bill has also had two and a bit years experience with raising children."

Ron ran his fingers through his hair and glanced at his wrist watch. Hermione was right - it was only seven. "The last time I considered going to bed this early I would have been five."

Still holding a sleeping Dominique, Hermione sat beside Ron on the couch. Ron looked at her. The past week had been the worst he'd ever had. It was like ships passing in the night. If Ron was in the living room, Hermione was somewhere else. At work, they'd not seen or spoken to each other, nor had lunch together - something that had not escaped Harry's notice. It was the most awful thing living in the same house, seeing her and wanting to kiss her, but knowing he no longer could.

Her sitting beside him was the closest they'd been in some time. A flicker of hope surged up in Ron despite knowing it couldn't go any further. He'd lost her, and all over bloody kids that (after today) he was pretty adamant he didn't want.

"You really love them."

"They're nightmares," Ron corrected, shaking his head.

"No." Hermione shifted Dominique. "I can see it in your eyes. When you were with them; you really want this."

Ron resisted the urge to yawn. What was Hermione on about? He was exhausted by seven, he'd read the same book four times and dealt with multiple tantrums over the most ridiculous things. He wasn't sure what Hermione was seeing, but he definitely didn't want this. "The moment they go back to Bill, I'll rejoice."

"You'll make a great father, Ron. I saw that today."

Ron stared at her, unsure of how to respond. A great father? Where was this coming from? Surely she hadn't gotten some big idea into her head based on one day? And after that disaster he he called babysitting? Right now, he'd be happy if he never saw or heard another child for the rest of his life.

"You know what, Hermione…" He shifted Victoire, holding his breath that the movement didn't wake her. He'd hate to see her just after she'd woken up. "This whole arguing thing about kids is pretty silly. I know we're, er, not together anymore, but if I was to say that I genuinely don't want kids anymore, would you take me back?"

Ron wasn't sure what he expected, but a smile from her definitely hadn't been on his mind. She looked affectionately down at Dominique, who continued to sleep. "I'd say you'd still be lying to yourself."

"I wouldn't be."

Hermione continued to stare at Dominique as she spoke. "That's not what I saw. They may have exhausted you, but you loved it."

"I really didn't." Ron meant that this time. He definitely did not love it.

"It was like watching your brain in action. You had a great time today and to me, at least, your decision seemed pretty final."

"Yep, I can't do the reading the same story over and over!" Ron leaned back on the couch. "Not for me. Reading is more for you. Oh, and the tantrums over the colour plate they get… nope. Take the damn food and eat it!"

Hermione's smile broadened. "Until today, I thought kids were so far off my radar there was no chance of it ever happening, no matter what you said to convince me."

Ron sat a little straighter, though he wasn't sure why. After the day he'd had, they were completely off his radar. "What do you mean?"

Hermione finally looked up. "I mean that now that I've seen them, and I've seen you with them, I'm now not sure they're so far down my list."

"Are you serious?" Ron asked. "After today, you decide that maybe kids aren't that bad an idea?" He indicated the two sleeping children. "After… them?"

Hermione shrugged. "It's not so much them, it's… you, Ron."

"What'd I do?" Ron asked, genuinely confused.

"I don't know. There was just something about you with them today. Something really, really sweet and I couldn't help but wonder that if you could be like that with your nieces, then how much could you love your own children? And there was something really nice about that for me, and I had plenty of time to think about it today. I never wanted us to separate, you know that. I just didn't want either of us to be miserable when we didn't have the things we wanted in life. I didn't think I wanted children, but every moment I saw you with them today, I kept picturing you with your own children - our children. Perhaps I was the one in denial and them being here made me realise that we could make this work."

"But if it's just because I -"

Hermione shook her head. "You just made me realise it's not all that bad…"

Ron studied her, a mix of emotions flooding through him. Part of him wanted to hug her and tell her he'd known all along that this was where they'd end up. Another part of him, however, was still sceptical. How could Hermione, of all people, change her mind on something this big in a day? He could understand her saying it now, but would she feel the same in a few days and revert back to her original stance of no children?

There was also a third part that had crept up after today: a part that told him to hand the children back to their parents and never put himself in that predicament again.

"So… what wasn't all that bad?" he eventually asked. "The screaming, the throwing of food, or when they eventually went to sleep?"

Hermione smiled. "The idea that we could one day have a family together wasn't all that bad."

Ron returned her smile. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too!"

"How about we put them both to bed, and then we go to bed ourselves?"

Ron opened his mouth to ask her if she meant together or separately, but closed it, realising the answer. Here Hermione was, telling him that she'd had a change of heart. He still couldn't comprehend the entirety of what she was saying, but a yes seemed to be enough for him right now. It had been the worst week of his life, and to finally have her back was not something he was willing to question right now.

"Come on." Hermione stood carefully, her eyes not leaving Dominique as she carried the baby toward the stairs. Ron followed, Victoire still sound asleep on his shoulder.

"You know, you seem to have the knack for it too," Ron said as they reached the first step.

"Oh," Hermione laughed. "I'm not so sure about that."

A sense of normality flooded Ron as they carried the two children upstairs. This was where he'd assumed they'd be in a few years, but with their own children. This was what he wanted, or had wanted, he realised. He'd not expected caring for children to be so exhausting and for them to be so demanding. He wasn't ready for anymore tantrums or screaming matches.

The study had been transformed into a bedroom, the desk transfigured into a cot for Dominique and the chair was now a bed for Victoire. Ron and Hermione laid the children down and turned to each other.

Hermione came to him, taking his hands. "I love you."

"I love you too!" Ron almost shouted. "Hermione, not having you has been the worst week of my life, and I meant what I said when I told you that if I ever had to choose between you and non-existent children, I'd always pick you."

Hermione squeezed his hands. "Well now you can have both." A moment of doubt flashed across her face. "That's if, of course, you're willing to forgive me."

Without a second thought, Ron pulled her towards him, planting his lips firmly on hers. Hermione responded, and to Ron's relief, nothing felt different. It was just like they'd been apart for a week and were seeing each other for the first time again.

"I've missed you," Hermione murmured when they broke apart. "Even though we've not really been separated."

"Not waking up next to you just about killed me," Ron told her.

"I felt so lonely," Hermione confessed.

Ron smiled and pulled at her hands. "Come on. Let's go to our bed."

….

Ron woke the next morning with a feeling of peacefulness resonating through him. Perhaps it had been the shortest separation in history of separations, but at least they were still on track now.

He turned his head, smiling at how happy Hermione appeared to be, even in her sleep. They'd spent the night in each other's arms, both too afraid to let the other go.

Something resembling confusion also settled over him as he sat up. Hermione had told him that because of one night with Bill's kids, she had now changed her mind and wanted children. But Hermione wasn't one to change her mind so quickly, so either she'd always wanted that, somewhere deep down, or she was just saying that to make him happy.

Frowning, he turned to look at her again, and in that moment, she opened her eyes.

"Good morning," she said brightly.

"Morning," Ron grunted.

"Are you okay?" Hermione lifted her head.

"Yeah…" He sighed. "Hermione, do you really mean you want kids now?"

For a moment, Hermione looked at him blankly. Then, she also sat up in the bed. "Yes, Ron. I meant what I said. Would I say something I didn't mean?"

Ron shook his head. She really wouldn't.

"Maybe it's something I always wanted, and maybe seeing you with the girls yesterday made me realise that. I don't know. Maybe I just couldn't see myself as a mother until I had children in my house. Maybe that's it."

Ron smiled at her. "Those children, though?" He indicated the direction where Victoire and Dominique hopefully still slept.

"Yes, those children. Are you worried, Ron?"

"It's just… my passion for kids has diminished while yours seems to have increased after yesterday."

Hermione laughed. "I don't think that's true. I know you, Ron, and you'd dote on any son or daughter you had."

Ron sighed. "I guess."

Before Hermione could say anymore, the sound of running could be heard down the hall and then suddenly their bedroom door flung open. Victoire ran into the room and sprung onto the bed in a few steps.

"Good morning, Victoire," Ron said, thankful that she'd not attempted that in the middle of the night when they'd had no clothes on. Bill would have murdered him.

"Hungwy," Victoire said.

"You're hungry?" Hermione asked and Victoire nodded.

"Is Dominique still sleeping?" Ron asked.

Victoire shook her head. "Wake."

"And she didn't cry?"

Victoire looked at him as if she didn't understand. She then turned her attention back to Hermione - the one who had suggested food. "Hungwy!"

"Alright, alright," Ron muttered, climbing out of bed. He looked at his wrist watch on the bedside table. "It's only six-thirty!"

"We did go to bed early," Hermione reminded him as she also climbed out of bed.

"Weekends are for late starts." Ron looked down at Victoire. "I need to teach you a few lessons."

Victoire giggled and followed him out of the room and into the spare room. Sure enough, Dominique sat in the cot, wide awake. When she saw Ron, she stretched out her arms to be picked up.

"So, Vic… what do you and Dom have for breakfast?" Ron asked.

Victoire stared up at him, again looking as if she hadn't understood. Ron knew her speech was delayed, but as far as he knew, her hearing and understanding were perfectly fine. Though, she did also have delayed processing.

Ron smiled. Perhaps she needed her mind to warm up in the mornings. "Come on." He offered his hand. "Let's see what we've got!"

Looking after the girls in the morning proved far less difficult than yesterday. Perhaps it also had to do with Hermione's willingness to help more, but overall they seemed brighter after a good night's sleep.

Breakfast was a piece of cake (not literally, though Victoire would have been delighted at such an opportunity) and then a little while later, it was bath time.

Everything seemed to be going well until they actually saw the bath. Ron had mentioned the word numerous times to Victoire but it seemed she'd only registered exactly what was happening when she saw the tub.

That was when the real trouble began and Ron didn't think Victoire's ignorance had anything to do with processing. He was beginning to think that there was a lot more French than English spoken to the girls, for when she saw the bath she began shouting pas de bain which he could only assume meant no in some form.

And then Dominique had seen her reluctant sister and had also protested the idea of a bath. There was nothing Ron or Hermione could do to convince Victoire otherwise apart from holding her down. And Ron didn't want to resort to that.

So they gave up and soon Victoire was playing happily with the toys Bill had brought along.

It reached midday and Ron collapsed onto the couch again.

"Bloody hell!"

"It's quite exhausting, isn't it?" Hermione asked, somewhat amused, but also appearing weary.

Ron nodded. "Thank Merlin they're napping for now."

"I heard you singing to them," Hermione said.

Ron flushed. "Was the only thing to get them to sleep…" He dared not meet her eye. He even regretted that she'd heard that.

They were silent for a moment, and then Ron continued. "You know, I think half of Victoire's problem is she's two-and-a-half and is not fluent in either language."

Hermione looked up from a mountain of paperwork spread over the couch and floor. "What makes you say that?"

Ron shrugged. "I don't know. I say something and it looks like she's trying really hard to understand. And it may be something else but I'm also not sure she understands the language."

"But kids can pick up languages quickly, can't they?" Hermione asked.

"She's two and probably being thrown a million ways to say something. Don't blame her for being confused. Just up there she was speaking to me in French."

Hermione peered at him. "I'm sure Bill and Fleur have it under control." She smiled. "I bet you're glad they're almost home."

"You can say that again." Ron nodded. "Listen, Hermione… I know we've discussed a lot of things these past few weeks. But can I just lay it down right now… this whole parenting thing is really tough."

"It was never going to be easy." Hermione laughed.

"Yeah, but… Hermione, this was a night and right now I'd be happy to never lay eyes on children again."

Hermione laughed again.

"I know you've decided you want them, but I really don't think I'm cut out for this."

Hermione stared at him.

"Merlin, I love you Hermione and although the idea of kids with you sounds fantastic, the reality is… it's… well, that." He jabbed a finger up at the ceiling. He shook his head. "After the morning we had, I'm not dealing with that every day."

"Ron…"

"Yeah, so you've convinced me, Hermione - well, actually, they've convinced me. We are never having children."

Hermione could only stare at him.

And that marks the end of Part 2. Thank you to Emily for once again beta-ing for me. As for Victoire's French, I used Google Translate so not sure how accurate it is. I typed in 'no bath'.

Next part we jump ahead about a year, so now that they've sorted things out (well, reversed their stances on kids, though Ron's obviously just in denial again) we shall see where they are in a year! I hope you liked it :)